2022: Review and Resolution

 

GREAT THINGS:

MONEY: Work was steady and outstanding, but more importantly, better clients and better projects. Free money was even better. A friend of mine recently said, "Money DOES buy happiness!" I agree. With money, a lot of stress goes away. Security is priceless.

TECHNOLOGY: At the end of last year, I had the worst computer purchase possible with a HP desktop with AMD graphics. It was incompatible with everything. What a nightmare! I received no help from the store, returned it, bought another thinking it was that computer, bought new accessories and nothing would work. By January 1st returned the whole set up and desperately hoped a different computer with Intel graphics would be better. Such a difference! New computers (that work) are always wonderful and once I found a brand that wasn't substandard, it was spectacular. New, high tech printer is sensational. I love upgrading when everything works so quickly and efficiently.

FREEBIES: I love freebies and I'm so thankful for the exceptional free junk I have gathered from the Free Store which allowed me to save money. This also provides an enormous amount of entertainment especially now when entertainment during a pandemic is so limited.

SURVIVAL: I have managed so far to survive the pandemic and avoided getting any toxic vaccines or boosters.

PEN PALLING: I rediscovered pen palling! I'm writing letters to women all over the United States, Canada, and Europe. It's much different than it was when I was young with sticker swaps and decorated envelopes and stationery. It's great entertainment for someone who is socially-impaired and secluded. It's not without its dangers. The other day a very generous pen pal sent me a whole envelope of scented stuff. I'm sure she didn't even realize it! It's a risk. Here are some of my wacky envelopes:

 

BAD THINGS:

HEALTH CARE: As usual I wasted a whole lot of money, encountered too many incompetent doctors, and got nothing in return for my torture and frustration. No answers, no remedies, no solutions.

HEALTH INSURANCE: I've never paid so much money for insurance in my life, but in my rural area, our options are limited. The insurance company fails miserably at customer service and can never tell you what is covered and not.  It's a ridiculous system that victimizes the vulnerable, but without options there is really nothing anyone can do.

AGING: I hate getting old with my body and brain not functioning like it used to. Unfortunately, there is no way of getting around it.

PEOPLE: Stinky people, horrible neighbors, the liars, the stupid, the lazy, the irritating, the obnoxious, and the disappointing especially during a pandemic that is clearly not over but these assholes are pretending it is which puts my life in danger.

PANDEMIC: I've actually really loved the pandemic with the forced isolation, masking so I don't have to smell toxins, and free money. I have refused to be vaccinated due to immune issues and chemical poisoning. Several of my friends claim the vaccines have created health concerns. However, with the self-centered pretending it's over when it's not, it puts the vulnerable at risk so I'm constantly taking precautions. And the discrimination as if those of us who aren't vaccinated are going to compromise the health of others. Assholes. Then there is the crazy inflation with prices astronomically increasing. The other day my store had lettuce for $6.00 a head and cauliflower at $7.00 a pound! At this rate, we are all going to have to give up eating!

SUMMARY: It's been a pretty good year. Money rights a whole lot of wrongs!

2023 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS: AVOID DOCTORS, KEEP SURVIVING, PLAN ESCAPE, WALK DAILY, BE PATIENT, BE KIND

Pandemic Visitations

That first year of the pandemic I allowed visitors into my house. I figured right after having the coronavirus myself, I might be safe for a time. No one knew anything, but most research said since it was a SARS virus, more than likely there would be some limited immunity if not permanent immunity.

As the variants began to develop, I cloistered myself a little more rigorously and those who visited were required to wear a mask and stay outside. Some friends argued and assured me they didn't have symptoms so they must not have COVID even though by this time it was clear not everyone has symptoms.

Then the vaccinations started. I considered getting vaccinated, but then came to my senses. This sounded like a really stupid idea for someone who is chemically sensitive with an autoimmune disease. Those of us unable or uncomfortable with vaccinations were then told we couldn't go into some public places or events without proof of vaccination. Some chemically sensitive people were told not to come to family functions or friendship gatherings because they weren't vaccinated. This felt like discrimination. Why were the vaccinated worried? It's the unvaccinated that should be worried, but now the vaccinated feel free to not wear masks.

Well, I can play that game, too! First, I stopped inviting people over even if they were masked and outside. Those who wanted to come for a visit and made that suggestion, I would ask, "Are you vaccinated?" 

They would cheerfully say, "YES! I AM VACCINATED!" 

I would reply, "Then you can't come over. I have no desire for you to breathe germs on me without any consideration for my safety."

My friends argue they don't have COVID, but without a test to confirm how would they know? Am I being passive aggressive and vindictive. Yes. Oh well. Some people are being reinfected three and four times. I don't want it a second time. One time is more than enough!

I have limited my out-of-the house excursions to the food co-op, the library, the free store and other locations where people are taking adequate precautions. This has worked for me. So far. I've been told by friends they believe their new health problems are directly related to the vaccines. Too bad.

Now that all the masks mandates are over the pandemic is feeling over. It's not. The discrimination toward the unvaccinated is still happening. This disrespect is definitely not over. Free COVID tests are being given through the post office and handed out at libraries now. It's absolutely not over. A new study claims 42% of COVID deaths are people who ARE vaccinated. That's got to be a shocker to those dying. It's fucking not over.

I invited a friend of mine to go to an art tour with me then finally came to my senses and cancelled, but I suggested my friend come for a visit. To my house. In my air space. My friend is a nurse so I figured she might be more aware and therefore considerate, but also more exposed. I deliberated and ruminated about this. 

My friend has given me free COVID tests and I know she has access to them. Maybe she will test herself before her arrival? That would be the logical thing to do. She didn't. By the time she thought of it, she was already on route. She did come planning to wear a mask the whole time. Thank you for your consideration, dear friend of mine.

So I suggested, why not use one of my tests, get tested, that way she wouldn't have to wear a mask the whole time and I wouldn't worry the whole time what she's breathing on me? She was all in and since we used one of the tests she gave me, she knew how to do it. Wow. The tests sure are much simpler than when I had that long Q-tip painfully shoved up my nose and into my brain! Fifteen minutes. She was negative and took off her mask. Hooray for my first visitor in a long time!

I didn't realize these tests expire. My new plan for anyone who wants to visit is to use the tests...before they expire!

Like everyone else, I'm looking forward to this pandemic being over!

2021: Review and Resolution

This year went really fast! Or maybe my failing memory just makes it seem so?

THE GOOD STUFF:

MONEY. I love money. I'm thankful for my job. I would like more money. I like free money. I'm an investor!

PANDEMIC PAINTING. It was so fun to brighten my house up with cheerful colors and patterns!

OUTSIDE BEAUTIFICATION: I started with the driveway. Pressure washing was hellish work. Then I patched all the spaces and cracks in hopes the weeds can't wiggle their way through forcing me to weed this driveway several times a year. It's old, but now so pretty and clean. This has made me a fanatic about my driveway. I don't like leaves falling on it!!

I got some FREE! pavers and put them all over the back area so I can avoid having to replace the gravel. I'm hoping it keeps the weeds down and saves me some work.

FRAGRANCE FREE FRIENDS. I am so thankful for friends who are willing to be fragrance free...and who put up with my weirdness caused by chemical poisoning. I'm sorry if I'm irritable and moody, opinionated and bitchy. Maybe that has less to do with MCS and it's just me, but they put up with it anyway.

COLON. I'm afraid to even say anything here. If you've read my other posts on my colon failing to work, you know what I've been through. And if you've read my Hashimoto's Thyroiditis posts you know about my thyroid issues. I finally found a doctor who would prescribe me a very unconventional compounded prescription for thyroid. After six weeks of drug experimentation, my colon started working! It's been working for the last month, but there are times it seems as if it doesn't want to. Again, I'm hesitant to be happy about this because I don't know how long all this good fortune will last.

LIFE! I'm still alive! The coronavirus and all it's variants hasn't killed me. I haven't even been infected a second time! I managed to avoid getting a vaccination even with all the bullying I received from doctors and strangers. I almost caved, but after reading the side effects and talking with a friend who said, "I have enough health problems, I don't need to give myself more on purpose!" I backed away slowly and decided to chance it. I'm pretty isolated. No one has come to my house for a long time. I don't go out much other than for groceries or supplies and I always wear a mask.

THE MIDDLE STUFF:

RECONNECTIONS. I get really excited when I reconnect with someone I haven't seen for a whole lifetime. Especially if it's a surprise and they contact me out of the blue. We catch up and then it's over. That's a bit disappointing. The last reconnection I contacted someone through Facebook, an old friend I hadn't seen for decades. She took months to respond. She seemed really excited, but she wanted to reconnect via Zoom ONLY. I didn't/don't have Zoom capabilities. Her response, let me know when you get it! She just wasn't interested in writing even a little. It was weird.

COMPUTER. I bought a new computer. My old one was on the blitz. This one is nice and fast. Then my monitor started blacking out. No one could tell me why. The store told me to exchange the computer so I had to get a new computer and re-set it up again. UGH. I spent hours and hours online trying to figure out why the blackouts were happening. Yesterday I spent three hours with yet another computer tech. It's guesswork ... nobody seems to know anything but everyone wants to charge me for their ignorance. So frustrating. New computers are supposed to be wonderful and perfect, not tormenting!

PANDEMIC. It hasn't been that bad. Not so different from MCS seclusion. Then came the inflation. I used to buy this loaf of gluten-free bread for $3.25. It went up to $5.99!!! That is one example and it's shocking to me. Cost of housing has skyrocketed. Prices for houses have tripled. Of course, that is kind of good since now I can sell my house for three times the amount I paid and it will sell in less than a week! These damn masks are driving me nuts, BUT they keep us safe from germs and a lot of stink. Then there is the constant fear-provoking media on how the next variant is coming our way and WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE! Like everyone else, so tired of it.

THE BAD STUFF:

HEALTH CARE. Ugh. I hate doctors. You probably already know that as I complain all the time. Useless waste of money. My current conventional doctor refuses to listen to me, hasn't even diagnosed me correctly, refuses to prescribe thyroid meds I need. He thinks Miralax is wonderful and nontoxic, but my blood labs showing kidney damage say otherwise. So I get a new doctor, a naturopath. She's willing to give me the prescription, but she knows so little it's such a waste of money to have to do all the work for her. 

INSURANCE. My health insurance company keeps screwing up my claims. My insurance company's new rates have increased to over $3000 a year!! So I cancelled it! I have no insurance. Old people insurance should kick in sometime next year, but for that we are forced to pay through the nose. There is no solution to this very bad health care system. It's in crisis mode. And then there is auto insurance...It has also increased! I was finally told by an insurance agent our state insurance commissioner ruled insurance companies can no longer discriminate against those with bad credit ratings so in retaliation, they raised everyone's rates! Incredible.

NEIGHBORS. Good god they torment me! Entitled, rude, self-centered, thoughtless, perfumed, bad dog owners who persist in making my life stressful. I worry I'll never get the chance to move. I don't even know where I'd move since real estate is now so overpriced and the pandemic rages on.

AGING. This sucks so much. First, the above insurance horror. Once you get to be a certain age you are forced into expensive insurance by the government. What an atrocity for people who are on fixed incomes! Also I'm having the weirdest memory problems. I'm forgetting simple stuff. It's just not there. It comes back in a few minutes, but until then I'm blank. This can't be good. Aging is scaring the hell out of me. Maybe I'm worrying too much about nothing, or maybe I'll die next week. 

HMMMM: Not a bad year. Kind of normal and average. Typical bad stuff I've been dealing with for a long time. Good stuff is just run of the mill. Nothing spectacular. 

New Year's Resolution: Survive, thrive, keep going.