Time flies when you don’t have anything much to say, so here’s another bit of random…
Our poor dog just had surgery the other day to remove five masses from her body – one that took a good chunk out of her. Most were on her head and neck, but one was on her hind leg. If not for that one, she probably wouldn’t have to wear the cone of shame. Sadly though, she does, and she looks so pitiful for it.
The location of the masses nearer her head make for an interesting challenge while walking her. While I think I can do it without the cone (just have to keep a close eye on her trying to bite at that leg), a leash and collar kind of rub up against the other surgery sites. I don’t think it’ll be too bad just walking along, but she’s never been one to back down from a fight, and so I worry that her straining at her leash and doing some damage.
I’ll have to figure something out. In all the time since she’d come home from the vet, she hadn’t peed, so I was getting worried. Taking her out is the perfect way – she’s the most markingest dog I’ve ever known, and just when you think her tank is empty and there’s nothing left, she pees again.
I’m still adrift in my reading, just trying to get through a book. Maybe a trip to the library will do something to jar me out of my funk. Not that the library is a sure thing today – Monday’s a holiday, so maybe like the rest of the military on this base, the library will be closed for the day. Wouldn’t surprise me.
Stay tuned.
The New York Times did what I almost expected it to do. I sat down the other day and did an honest assessment. Was what I was getting out of the Times (the excellent journalistic writing) worth the expense anymore? You might recall if you ‘ve followed for a while that I was thinking of dropping them after they hit me with a 1000% price increase from 2 to 20 dollars a month (I think that’s how the math works). Just yesterday I got around to deciding it wasn’t, but as I was online cancelling (they made it surprisingly easy), I hit the “Submit” button and there it was — “How about we give you another year at a dollar a week?” Sure. And I’ll see you again next year.
Here’s how I see it: If all subscribers punched out en masse, that would be a problem for them. But as long as suckers like me (until yesterday) are willing to pay $20 a month for something that costs them nothing (I realize that there are indeed expenses involved, but I’m saying that once they’ve cleared them and are profiting, anything else is gravy – including my 20), well then, the Times can turn around and offer $4. It’s the difference between making $240 a year off of me, or $52 – and to them, $52 is better than nothing.
So yeah – I’m still a subscriber, and I think I’m paying just about right. I’m not entirely on board with everything the Times decides to publish, but I appreciate the research and writing that goes into it, even if I think they’re off base on anything. If you want to be a better writer, you’ve at least got to read good writing. It’s no guarantee, but not knowing what good stuff looks like does you no favors.
So here we are almost two weeks into 2024 and it’s just about time for me to get into shape for next season on the bike. The broken ribs seem mostly healed – over a month and it’s only a mild annoyance to cough – so I can’t use them as an excuse anymore. We’ve had some sporadic snow and ice that have made the roads a bit treacherous, but a few days in the high 30s have helped that along too. My road bike has been laid up for weeks now, so I’m sure the sealant is a bit of a mess in the tires, but hopefully a little replenisher will do. I also have to get the indoor trainer set up. And lastly, I’ve got to figure out whether to do the roof rack or the trailer hitch so I can expand my range.
Bottom line: I want this to be a good year. Last year wasn’t doing it for me because I was not in the right condition for it. This year I’ve got to hit the ground rolling once it heats up in earnest, and setting the foundation for that starts in January.