Daily Update, December 29, 2024

On Sunday, I got ready for church more efficiently than the week before. My main nurse took me, and we got there during the announcements, while the greeters -- including Auntie Barbara -- were still out welcoming folks and making sure they got everything they needed. I sat with Michelle and Auntie Barbara (when she came in), and my nurse sat right behind us. It was a nice service.  {Smile}

Afterwards, I had lunch on the lanai with Auntie Barbara, Michelle, and my nurse, as well as a few others. They had quite a feed, between the holidays, and a couple of birthdays and such. Afterwards, my nurse took me home. {Smile}

After playing CoH for much of the evening, I did my salsa dancing warmup set. After a long break, I did my less structured salsa dancing set. After another longish break, I did my head exercises and my arm resistance exercises. {Smile}

When I got home, I went onto my computer and got into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I saw Pierogies in the early short, large-group event, and tried to join on a high-level character. However, the zone was full when I tried. So, I started on paperwork. Then Pierogies said hi, and that he was joining the early long, large-group event next. I joined it on the same character, and we ran it together with a bunch of acquaintances. then he left, saying he had to go to dinner. I tried soloing on the same character, but I got bored pretty quickly. So, I switched to the low-level character I've been working on. I started with paperwork, then did a bunch of hunts by myself, continuing that right up to dinner time. {Smile}

After dinner, I wrote up Saturday's daily update, with breaks to play Cross Stitch World and read a comic. Then I chatted with Kitten on the chat server before hopping into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I picked the same low-level character, starting with paperwork that had stacked up from the earlier play. I started chatting with Jenny's player and started more hunts when I finished the paperwork. I also chatted with Nox on the chat server while I hunted, occasionally pausing for paperwork. Near the end of the evening, I got stuck with one tough hunt, but I cleared the other contacts of hunts. Then I started dancing. Between dance sets, I made notes and wrote in this and tried that hunt and some paperwork in on City o Heroes: Homecoming. After my second set of dancing, I did more paperwork on City of Heroes: Homecoming, and made more notes and wrote more in this, with a break for a little mild exercise. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 28, 2024

On Saturday, I stayed home. I wasn't feeling great in the morning. A nap helped, but I still wasn't feeling great. Lunch also helped, but I still wasn't feeling great. {resigned smile}

After lunch, the nurse took the water cooler back, got a refund, and got a new one. It still needs to be set up, I would have gone with him to get it if I'd been feeling better, I just felt up to staying home and playing on my computer. {rueful look}

When it was late enough, I did my head exercises, followed by my salsa dancing warmup set. Fater a longer break than I mean to, I did two less structured pieces for twenty-one and three quarters minutes of salsa dancing, or there about, counting a little backing up. {Smile}

After breakfast, I browsed the web, mainly shopping on Amazon. then I had my nap, followed by lunch. After that, I hopped onto my computer while the nurse ran that errand. I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, and started out with paperwork, Then I started playing by myself and talking with Jenny's player. After that, Pierogies came in. We chatted, then teamed up and ran more of the story arc we began the other day. Then my nurse wanted to help me clean myself up just as Pierogies and I were starting the last real mission in the story arc. We ran the mission anyway, until it failed, because the gal we were trying to rescue got hurt too badly in a battle. She gave us the information we needed, and did reach medical help, so it ends well. Anyway, after that we split up, and the nurse did help me clean up, so I'll be fresh for church the next day, I even got out in time for a bit of paperwork on City of Heroes: Homecoming and watching dance videos before dinner. {Smile}

After dinner, I watched a lot more dance videos. Then I wrote up Friday's daily update, with breaks for Cross Stitch World. Next, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. While I was settling in, Pierogies came in, too. We teamed up and did a mission of his - the first in a series of story arcs - that he'd mentioned we could do together earlier. Then he left for bed. I talked with Nox on the chat server, and I did some hunts. Then I exercised and danced. After that, I watched videos and finished that stary arc from the afternoon, since it has an end that's easily solo-able, and maybe less fun for others to join in on. After that, I did some more dancing. Next, I finished making notes and writing in this, with a break for part of another video. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 27, 2024

 Friday was my first parents' wedding anniversary with neither parent to be with, not that I've really been able to celebrate it since Dad died. I didn't want to upset Mom by mentioning Dad when she couldn't go be with him. Our main nurse even had a note on the wall warning against mentioning him or her parents around her, because she'd want to go to them, and get upset when she couldn't. {smile}

After breakfast, I found a note that my counselor could meet before lunch, only an hour and a day later than usual. We had been planning to meet a couple of hours later. My nurse liked the earlier time, so I said sure. Counselling went well. We talked about a lot, and I did feel better afterwards. {Smile}

After lunch, my nurse and I did some errands. First, we went to Safeway, where I got my shingles booster shot. They called it my second shot, but I know I had at least one earlier one, if not two. They had no record of the earlier one or ones, which meant it or they were back before the current, improved shot, so they recommended getting the new pair. {Smile}

My nurse did some shopping while I got my shot. Then we went to Longs, and I picked up a package of caramels. As a diabetic, I shouldn't have candy most of the time, but I have to keep it around for both hypoglycemic and hyperglycemic attack, like the one I had before and into my counselling appointment that very morning. Thankfully, my counselor noticed I wasn't acting quite normal and asked about taking something for my blood sugar. I did and was much better after that. {Smile}

After teaming much of the evening, I did my salsa dancing warmup, followed by my head exercises. Then, after a break, I did two pieces of less structured salsa dancing. The second was the short one, that usually land me at 19 3/4ers, but twice I backed it up to get parts I wasn't happy with the first time, so I figured it's even closer to 20 minutes of salsa dancing, I was pretty tired afterwards, but I'm hoping I'll be less tired next time. {Smile}

Between breakfast and counselling, I did a bit of browsing on the web. After the counselling, I had lunch with more browsing on the web, After the errands, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I started with paperwork while talking with Pierogies. Then I began to team up with Pierogies on a mid-level villain, only to have Dr. Faustus finally show and ask if I was joining the supergroup's Regular Friday meeting. I was on the villain who belongs to the SG, so I figured I'd better. I apologized to Pierogies and joined Dr. Faustus and one other supergroup member mission in doing four or five winter-themed missions. That took me right up to dinnertime. {Smile}

After dinner, I wrote up Thursday's daily update, with breaks for Cross Stitch World and reading comics. After that, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, where I talked with Jenny, and did some paperwork and hunts by myself. I also talked with Nox on the chat server. Then an acquaintance who may be turning into a friend said hi. They go by Dragon. They joined me and helped me with three proper missions. We would have done more, but I had to exercise. So, I broke to do so. I watched videos on YouTube and started making notes and writing in the break between salsa dancing sets. Afterwards, I finished writing and making notes in this and snuck in a little paperwork on City of Heroes: Homecoming. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 26, 2024

On Thursday, a little while after breakfast, my nurse took me down to an appointment he'd made for me with a barber. The gal took me in and cut my hair without washing it first, which is the way to get it the right length. My hair is wavy when dry, but straight when wet, which makes it really hard to guess what it will look like dry if you cut it wet. I have found no one who's a good guesser under those circumstances. No one. but this gal cut it dry, and I think it turned out perfectly. {SMILE}

I did my salsa dancing warmup set with one false start after playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming much of the evening. Then I took a break, watching some of a video, before doing one less structured piece. I wasn't quite as tired as the day before, but I was too tired to continue. still, with the false start, I probably got a little over 15 minutes this time.  A while after I finished, I did my head exercises. {Smile}

After my haircut, I came back home, started lunch, and hopped into Vindictus. I'm really getting frustrated with that game suddenly. Just before Christmas, they had a larger than usual update which has really reduced the money-making options for less skilled players. I'd been using them to try to compensate partially for not being as skilled as one now needs to be to get similar rewards. One cost is greatly reduced, but the in-game stores I've checked haven't lowered their prices, nor have the auction house prices become more favorable. This makes that game a lot less fun. I may have to find another game, or an activity to do instead. For this day, I just hopped over to City of Heroes: Homecoming earlier. There, I worked on an extra project until Kitten. Pierogies, and an acquaintance got me into a holiday trial. I changed from a low-level character to a high-level character for the trial. After that, we ran a few missions with me still on my high-level character, finishing one story arc and advancing another. That took me up to dinner. {Smile}

After dinner, I wrote up Wednesday's daily update, with breaks to play a fair bit of Cross Stitch World and read comics. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, where I joined Kitten, who wanted to join a group that was running missions around my character's low level. We ran several missions with them. Kitten left when she was too tired to play well. I kept going, finishing two story arcs and starting a third, but I'll do them again when I've started those contacts myself. I also talked to Nox on the chat server. Then, after playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming much of the evening, I danced. Then I watched much of a video before I danced some more. After that, I finished the video and started writing and making notes in this. Next, I checked something on Vindictus before I finished writing and making notes in this. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 25, 2024

Wednesday was Christmas Day, so I hope everyone who celebrates it had a Merry Christmas! If you don't, I hope you had a nice day. {SMILE}

After breakfast, I opened present. Thanks to those who gave me something. Everything is so great this year! {SMILE}

After that, I accidentally sprung a trip on my main nurse. I'd only texted him about it the previous day, not told him otherwise until it was time to leave. I'd been invited to a gal from church's home for lunch out of town. My nurse rose to the occasion, driving out, dropping me off and going back home to work on dinner. insisting he didn't know folks... though he did, since almost everyone was from church. A few folks asked about him, and wished he'd come. Between home communion, recent Sundays, and last night, they knew him. Three dogs, two of them guests, added to the liveliness of the gathering. {Smile}

I enjoyed the party and had less trouble talking than I feared. With my hearing loss, noisy places aren't easy to understand folks in. however, these folks were well spread out, and surprisingly inclined to listen to the same conversation. So, I didn't have a problem, and did enjoy myself quite a bit. {Smile}

When they were cleaning up, I called my nurse, and waited for him to come get me. Two of the folks greeted him, including the hostess, who assured him he's invited next time. {Smile}

After playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming much of the evening, i did my salsa dancing warmup, followed by my head exercises. After a break I did one less structured salsa dancing piece. I was panting hard enough after it, I figured it was a good place to stop dancing, so I got almost 15 minutes of salsa dancing. 

After I got home from the party, I browsed Amazon and played Cross Stitch World to wind down. Then I finally hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Kitten, Pierogies, and a couple of strangers in a farm led by Kitten. I joined them, playing a little and chatting, too. That took me up to dinner. {Smile}

After dinner, I played lots of Cross Stitch World and read comics a fair bit. Then I wrote up Tuesday's daily update. Next, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Kitten in a winter mission team that broke up before I could join. Then they joined me, with me on a low-level character I'm trying to get higher in level. We ran through the rest of the missions at their level that I really wanted to do, then started a story arc they can gain level and keep at. We did two missions, and I got a level I feel pretty accomplished for one day with that character. After that, I did some web browsing, especially shopping on Amazon. Then I danced and did my other exercises. Next, I browsed on the web some more, played Cross Stitch World, and started writing and making notes in this. Then I danced some more. Next. I watched some of a video until I gave up on it reaching the point any time soon. So, I played more Cross Stitch World and finished the rest of my writing and making notes in this. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 24, 2024

Tuesday was Christmas Eve, so I wish you all a Merry Christmas! if you celebrate. Or Happy Hanukah, or whatever you celebrate... if nothing, then I hope you had a nice day. {Smile}

I celebrate Christmas, which involved going to my church's family service on Christmas Eve. I rode there and home again with my main nurse and his family, He'd called my relief nurse and offered to take me, since he was taking his family, now that he knows the folks at the local branch of his church at home. Yes, he likes my church, since it's the local branch of his home church. I took presents to Michelle and Auntie Barbara that I'd wrapped not long before going and gave them to them when I got there. I think it was a nice service, with a fully dramatic Gospel reading, and many Christmas Carols. {Smile}

I did my head exercises during pauses while playing City of Heroes: Homecoming in the late evening. Then I did my arm resistance exercises, my arm swinging exercises, and my standing arm weight training exercises after I was done teaming for the evening.  Then, after a short break, I did my full salsa dancing warmup - all eight and a half minutes of it. I got dizzy at the very end, but it was time to stop anyway. Still, I think that's a good start. {Smile}

After breakfast, I took a nap. Then I wrapped the presents for Auntie Barbara and Michelle before lunch. Over lunch I read comics and browsed the web, until my relief nurse and I ran an errand. When we got back home again, I hopped into Vindictus. First, I talked with the mercenaries on my high-level character, then I did a mission on my high-level character. After that, I discovered paperwork which might have blocked full credit for the mission I did. It also trapped into a lot of talk-style stuff. I ended up clearing the paperwork on all three characters. Then I broke to get ready for church. After I came home from church, I had dinner with my relief nurse. {Smile}

After dinner, I played Cross Stitch World and wrote up Monday's daily update. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, where I said hi to Kitten, but they were just starting a strike force that was already full. The leader suggested I could join a second run. So, I played a seasonal activity by myself while talking with Jenny in City of Heroes: Homecoming, and with Nox on the chat server. I think I also started making notes and writing in this. This went on until Kitten and her leader said they were ready for their second run. I joined them and ran the strike force with them. Then the group split up, so Kitten and I teamed up with me on one of the low-level characters I'm trying to get a little bigger. We ran a mission, and a friend of Kitten's who's an acquaintance of mine joined us. We finished a series of missions I'd started, even though it ran a bit late. Next, I exercised, and then I danced. After that I watched video until I stopped to finish notes and writing in this. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 23, 2024

On Monday, after breakfast I caught up on bills, a form, and a survey that needed to be done and all got mailed. Actually, I discovered one bill was a check I must have overpaid. that didn't get mailed. Instead, my relief nurse and I ran errands, including depositing that check into my account. Then we went home for lunch. After that, we went out for one more errand, which my relief nurse had gotten a notice about right after we got home. {Smile}

After playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming for much of the evening, I did my arm swinging exercises, my arm resistance exercises, my head exercises, and my standing arm weight training exercises, all in a row. Then, after a longer break than i meant to take, I did my sitting arm weight training exercises and my leg exercises. After a much shorter break, I did eight of my fourteen walking exercises. The last two of those really made me tired - those are two of the four that use less used muscles - but I stuck to it and finished the full eight. After that, it was too late for more exercises. {Smile}

After the main bunch of errands, I browsed the web over lunch, especially reading comics. Then, when we got home after the last errand, I hopped into Vindictus. First, I chatted with the mercenaries on my high-level character. Then I did a bit of paperwork, followed by a battle on my high-level character. After that, I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I started with paperwork, then started to play by myself on a low-level character. I got called to dinner before I could finish even one mission. {Smile}

We had tacos for dinner. After dinner, I read comics, played Cross Stitch World, and wrote up Sunday's daily update. Then I hopped back into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I played by myself on a high-level character while talking with Jenny's player, who was the only one of my regular friends who was on. That happens around Christmas. I also talked with Nox on the chat server. Eventually, I finished the project I was working on with the high-level character. I found the next high-level character who needs it, and started, but didn't get far before I got bored. I switched to the low-level character from that afternoon and tried the mission I hadn't finished before. I realized it was a bit difficult, so I lowered the difficulty, and tried again. This time I ran the mission at the new difficulty without much trouble. then I went back and forth between making notes in this and exercising, with only a little Cross Stitch World thrown in. When I was almost done, I checked Vindictus, which had been updating earlier, and discovered the update gave me new stuff. After settling that, I finished my notes in this. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 22, 2024

On Sunday, my nurse took me to church. We arrived particularly late - not long before the gospel. That's my fault. I'd added some texts to cousins to the morning routine, which slowed everything down. However, the service was nice. I sat with Auntie Barbara and Michelle, with my nurse right behind us. He's chosen not to sit in the same pew. {smile}

After the service, I had lunch on the lanai with my nurse, Auntie Barbara, and a few others. After lunch, my nurse wanted to go to Walmart. They had a few different styles of water coolers. We got the cheapest; a top loader that chills the water nicely on the cold side. My nurse hasn't gotten the warm side to work yet, but I'm sure he will sooner or later. Then we'll try that, too. After getting the cooler, we went home. {Smile}

For exercise, I walked around Walmart a fair bit after church, getting that cooler. Then, after playing on City of Heroes: Homecoming much of the evening, I did my head exercises, my arm swinging exercises, and my arm resistance exercises one right after another. After a long break, I did my two standing arm weight training exercises. After a much shorter break, I did my sitting arm weight training exercises. {Smile}

After we got home, I hopped into Vindictus I first talked with the mercenaries, first on my high-level character, then on my middle-level character. Then I did some battles on my middle-level character. After that, I talked with mercenaries then did mission on my low-level character. After that, I stopped playing to clean myself up with help from my nurse. Then I went into City of Heroes: Homecoming. Kitten and Pierogies were in the later long, large-group event, but Dennis was hunting presents and talking about being back after Christmas. So, I grabbed the last chance before Christmas to team with him. We just hunted presents, but we enjoyed spending time together. That is, until he saw a taskforce he wanted to join. It was entirely too close to my dinner for me to join, too. He joined it at my urging, with my blessing. Then I did a little paperwork before dinner. {Smile}

After dinner, I wrote up Saturday's daily update, with breaks for Cross Stitch World. Then I decided with the nurse to watch a movie if teaming with friends was slow or something later. I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming, where I found Kitten. We teamed up and did the last mission of a story arc one of my high-level characters had. Then an acquaintance said hi, and joined us for the first few missions of the next story arc. After that, the acquaintance left. Meanwhile, I chatted with Nox a bit on the chat server. In the game, Kitten and I kept going with more missions in that story arc. Dr. Faustus said hi, and joined Kitten and me for the last few missions in that same story arc Yes, I finished that story arc in one evening, and no, it's not a short one. Then we broke up. I started doing paperwork, with a break for exercise before more paperwork. Next, I began writing and making notes in this, with a couple of breaks for more exercise. After I'd done what exercise I meant to, I continued making notes and writing in this, with breaks to check Vindictus and Amazon. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 21, 2024

On Saturday, Auntie Barbra called after breakfast. The county building and its display aren't open on Saturdays. So, we decided to meet at the bookstore. My nurse and I went down to the particular bookstore that Auntie Barbara and I have used before. It sells mostly used books, but has a good selection, with many genres represented. Auntie Barbara came and met us, She and I picked out the books we wanted. Then we swapped, and I bought her books, she bought mine. That's our little Christmas tradition that ensures we'll get books the other really likes as presents for them. We both love books, and love sharing it by getting each other new things to read. However, we do not like the same books and got frustrated with the misses before we came up with this system. {Smile}

We said goodbye as we left the bookstore. My nurse took me to Target next. We thought we'd get a water cooler, but they don't carry them anymore. So, we went home. More stops on the hunt for the water cooler can wait for another day. {Smile}

Oh! I remembered that I messed up the name of the manga I'm so interested in in more than one way. The American edition is _A Bride's Story_. {Smile}

I got enough walking at Target looking for that cooler, especially for the day after physical therapy. They work me so hard that I can take the next day off and go light the day after that. {Smile}

When we got home, I had lunch and hopped into Vindictus. I started by talking with the mercenaries. Then I got my middle-level character and did a few battles. I ended up giving her some better stuff my high-level character doesn't need, in hopes it helps with some content she's still struggling with. Not all had finished transferring when I realized it was late and hopped out to switch to City of Heroes: Homecoming. Kitten was in the later short, large-group event's zone, so I joined the event. Pierogies came and joined us, too. Kitten actually finished joining the event last. Anyway, we started, and the leader said to do it in a way that's usually faster but can mess up more easily, making it way, way harder. This time, it did mess up, and even worse than most mess-ups. however, many of us stuck with it, and some even came to help. We did finally clear it, but it took much longer than usual. Afterwards, I just had time to admire a new character Pierogies had made and talk a bit with Pierogies and Kitten before I left for dinner. {Smile}

After dinner, I began making notes and writing in this. I wrote up Friday's daily update, with breaks to play Cross Stitch World and read comics. Then I hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I began a hunt by myself on a low-level character while I talked with Jenny's player, who was busy roleplaying. I mentioned I was struggling with the hunt. When she reached a break in the roleplaying, she came and helped me finish the hunt and do the mission it led to. Then she left to go back to roleplaying. I barely talked to Nox on the chat server.  However, Kitten came back onto the game about then. We got together, and they helped me with several missions, including a whole story arc. I'm almost ready to let that character go up a few levels. Anyway, after that, I said goodnight and made notes in this. I also played a little Cross Stitch World, and peeked at Vindictus to stuff out of mail, especially the better armor for the middle-leveled character I'd mailed earlier. I finished the evening by making more notes in this. {Smile}

Daily Update, December 20, 2024

On Friday, my nurse took me to physical therapy in the morning and stayed with me while I worked on a machine, then in a harness that catches me if I lose my balance while trying trickier moves. I did not have the energy or the stamina I usually do, but I'm still getting over the bug. Plus, I've been sick over a week with it, and I'm not doing as much because of that. I'll have to push myself more; I could do more than I realized, though not as much as I used to before I got sick. {Smile}

My housekeeper came before we left, and stayed until after we'd come back and settled in. Our house is definitely better for her attentions, as is the Christmas tree. {Smile}

I got a phone call from the nursing company secretary before dinner. She expressed some concerns she has. and we straightened out some misunderstandings. She called twice more after dinner. We straightened out more misunderstandings, clearing the air. {Smile}

Then Auntie Barbara called. We got cut off twice, but kept calling back, and finished making plans for the next day. {Smile}

My physical therapy was my exercises today, and I did more than I have in a couple of weeks. I was tired at the end, but in a good way. {Smile}

After physical therapy my nurse took me home for lunch. I got into Vindictus, where I did a few battles on my middle-level character, including two failed ones... well, I failed one battle twice, actually. It's tricky. Then I realized how late it was and hopped into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I tried to get into later short, large group event, but the zone was full. Then I got the first phone call from secretary of nursing company. Next, I tried to get together with Pierogies and Kitten after that, but by the time I did, they'd already joined the later long, large group event. So I joined it partway in, and left at dinner time, with over 10 minutes to go. I did get to both play and talk with Pierogies during it, though, which was nice. {Smile}

After dinner, I wrote up Thursday's daily update around the other phone calls and played Cross Stitch World. Then I started writing and making notes in this. All this made me late going into City of Heroes: Homecoming. I found Kitten, and we teamed up with me on a low-level character I want to see get a bit higher. We ran through several of my missions. I also talked a little with Nox on the chat server, but not much. Pierogies joined Kitten an me in running low-level missions. So did an acquaintance of mine. We four kept going until I realized it was nearing bedtime. I said goodnight, and did more writing and making notes in this, peeking at Vindictus near the end of my writing. {Smile}