a yet fatter finger
almost two weeks ago playing softball during a bachelor party, i took a line drive off the tip of my right index finger while attempting to swat the ball down into my glove. it was awkward, but i made the catch and sustained some trauma to the pointer finger. it was bleeding from the nail and swelling, but i rubbed some mud on it, iced it and thought happy thoughts.
it seems that something must be fractured between the tip and the first knuckle, because it has (for the last 12days) remained swollen and quite tender. in fact, i manage to bang it during every little blasted movement: whacking the tape measure on my belt while shoveling, the side of the box while grabbing for nails, the edge of the door, the freezer pack in my cooler while reaching for a snack cake. each small tap brings back a true percentage of the original pain and makes me think about getting a ”soft job.”
2004-09-08 17:05
Comments [2]
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draconian motor vehicles
can this specific wing of the state government leave me alone? not just yet.
another letter is found in my mailbox, the sight of which forms an on-demand ulcer. it seems when i switched insurance companies, the dmv has no way of cross-referencing the notification from the new company with a slightly later cancellation from the old company. until i give them proof, they assume i am illegal without any insurance. should be a simple matter: to know the dates of notification and cancellation, the identification of different insurance companies, and one who is negligent from one who is compliant. evidently not.
calls must be made, proofs must be mailed, deadlines must be met.
the end? or just another chapter??
2004-09-08 16:54
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sun-mar
the christening ceremony for this pagan-sounding ”sun-mar” was attended by only one. it was not the champagne-bottle-smashing gala surrounding the maiden voyage of a ship, it was a quiet morning moment accompanied only by the small rattle of a tiny vent fan.
it was the inauguration of my new composting toilet allowing me both to take my daily b.m. indoors and to retire the not-as-fancy 5gallon bucket which has served the same purpose outdoors for weeks past.
welcome sun-mar, bon voyage joint compound bucket.
2004-08-02 17:50
Comments [2]
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aromatica
dead animal stench.
somewhere. where is it coming from? behind the uninstalled shower walls.
not in the PVC vent pipes, not in the bag of toilet parts.
hot damn! there it is sandwiched between the two shower panels.
bigger than i would have thought for a mouse.
ooze puddle, tobacco-looking stain—-yep.
maggoty bird.
home sweet-smelling home.
better put the rest of the sheetrock up soon.
2004-07-07 18:07
Comments [1]
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whitey fenders a ford for the fourth
thursday evening, anticipating a relaxing fourth of july weekend vacation, i set out for western pennsylvania. though i am starting a relatively long drive late in the day (or early in the evening), i am alert, excited and prepared for the journey.
a mere 50minutes into the drive, still on two-lane highway, i am following a mid-sized pickup through a green-lit intersection. this pickup proceeds to stop after crossing the intersection and is awaiting a left-hand turn into a gas station.
i, of course, stop (an ample distance) behind this truck.
moments later, BAM-cuh-RUNCH!
my trusty white (somewhat rusty) toyota pickup is slammed from behind.
luckily, i did not slide into the truck in front of me. pulling off the road and onto the shoulder, i get out and peruse the situation. yes, the rear end of old whitey is bent, rumpled, twisted, and downright knackered. the vehicle that impacted mine was a newish metallic green ford F250. its grill and front-end were pushed in and bits of plastic were now laying in my deformed truck bed.
admittedly i was in a bit of a daze, and the woman who got out of the offending vehicle was overly apologetic, crying, and guilt ridden. ”I knew something like this was going to happen.” she was evidently a nurse whose grandfather was quite ill and her mind was elsewhere while driving.
the state policeman was on the scene almost immediately and took both our information to complete his report.
to stay sane while the distraught woman had a shouting match with her husband on the state trooper’s cell phone, i started removing my bumper’s ball hitch and tailgate because they appeared dangerously low to the ground and i was preparing to finish (restart) my trip to PA.
everything would have been fine, but with all the drama and my own disorientation, i forgot to get the woman’s information. (any of it). the trooper had handed me a lengthy form to fill out (my side of the story to send to the DMV) and a shorter one that had to do with obtaining a copy of the police report and i later realized that i didn’t have enought info to adequately complete the first within the required 10 days. (the police report could take up to 14 days to recieve, but i could get a misdemeanor for not sending the DMV form in 10).
i am completely enamored with the regulations surrounding motor vehicles.
whitey is still running like a champ, even with a rumpled rear-end.
at very least, everyone drove away with no bodily injuries.
2004-07-06 22:54
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blunt trauma
(un)luckily i always seem to have a minor accident involving rusty metal and a decent cut on my person every few years or so. this keeps my tetanus shot up to date and i am not prone to develop lockjaw overnight if an unforeseen mishap should (and usually does) occur.
demolishing a couple walls, floors and a small section of roof took an interesting turn when i popped the heel of my right hand (thumb side) on a large-diameter nail that was hiding in plain sight on a portion of fiber board that i was attempting to shove out of the second-story wall. it left an “x”shaped hole from the crisp diamond point sinking just up the start of its rounded shank.
being no stranger to cuts and gouges, i went to wash out the laceration right away with warm water, lots of soap, and a fair dose of hydrogen peroxide.
the area looked mostly bruised and a bit red from the cut and some irritation.
by the next morning, after a couple courses of soaking the hand in warm soapy water and antibiotic ointment applications, the red area had spread (obvious infection) and i consulted some friends on whether or not i should seek medical advice. having no insurance, my friend found a clinic that i could apply for financial assistance since i am of a lower income bracket. (self-employed)
all went well finding the clinic, many forms had to be filled and signed, tax information copied (for assistance), and i was ushered to an examination table.
vitals were taken: temperature (ear—normal), blood pressure (arm—very good), weight (boots on—174—acceptable).
the doctor was a nervous woman of approximately 50 years of age, with heavy makeup on a pallid face. the lipstick was a rusty purple color on a pair of weighty lips. her odd manners made me wonder if i was in a candid camera skit. “could she be a real doctor?” “she seems to know what she’s talking about, but she gives out information like i was asking to buy black market goods.” i can only assume that she was an actual doctor, as the prescription she wrote was valid, this being a seven-day intensive supply of heavy antibiotics which ran around $74.
i hope to keep my thumb, it being worth more than the cost of the antibiotics.
2004-06-23 20:06
Comments [2]
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dmv purgatory
even with the utmost preparation of forms, signatures, and various identifications, the velvety ropes that guide one forward with nervous and irritated anticipation must be circled more than once upon one’s visit to the dmv.
the pinched and unconcerned eyes as well as the pursed and disapproving mouth of a particular white-haired representative churns a knot into my lower intestine during both of my 20minute meanders through the queue.
there is no rush for dmv employees, a cleared line will only reform, and a slave to the clock takes every break at precisely the right minute.
a seemingly pleasant silver-maned officer just smiles and nods as i depart to my insurance agent down the street to rectify a VIN number mix-up and offers the same nod and smile in recognition of my return 20minutes later.
a tattoo-necked woman, jittering with anxiety and madness, was in her fifth attempt to get license plates in the last 2hours and made my 2 attempts seem inconsequential.
being handed new license plates gave me the elation of a prisoner who unexpectedly recieves parole. the tattooed woman and i exchanged smiles and nods much akin to the silvery officer’s knowing gesture.
alas, i was released from dmv purgatory.
2004-06-01 12:51
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sheetrock makeover
three good friends, two solid days and 40-some sheets of drywall later and a shadowy, rugged barn space is transformed into a brightened crisp living situation. now half of the apartment space is mostly ready for my memorial day move to my swingin mushroom barn metal studio.
things yet to do: (while in barn-camping mode)
frame bathroom wall
frame closet wall
install bathroom and closet doors
install sink/shower/venting
insulate attic
insulate kitchen/bathroom walls
install 2 exterior doors, 1 window, and 1 interior door
install spiral staircase
drill well, install plumbing
build 2 half-walls/jack and level bathroom floor
finish exterior sheetrock
paint
complete electrical work
install kitchen fixtures and appliances
build kitchen counter and cabinets
tape and mud all drywall
trim out doors and windows
tile bathroom and part of living room
carpet living room/bedroom/hallway
stain concrete floor of kitchen
more window installation?
143 hours worked since 4/3/04.
pictures will be forthcoming.
[after the inspection and composting toilet are complete].
2004-05-27 21:18
Comments [1]
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dept of motor villany
yes, every trip to the local dmv leaves one with a new crease in the forehead and an ulcerous growth in the stomach. mine started at 9:30 this morning.
after four, count ’em, four, months of awaiting a special inspection by the NYstate dmv junk and salvage division, i was blessed with an email and a letter of notification for an inspection appointment (monday 10:30am). trying to get registration and plates after moving from VT is no easy task when you have the bold, red words REBUILT VEHICLE stamped across your title. guilty of something, trying to hide stolen parts, who knows? the nydmvjsd will find out!
i had been driving with my VT plates since the registration was good through june, but i was immediately told by the surly nydmvjsd mechanic that i would not be driving this truck home as the plates were not legal. evidently when one surrenders a title for reregistration, the vehicle cannot be still registered elsewhere. i was aware that my paperwork situation was not totally sound, but i was left with few options as i would have been in a four-month limbo with no way to get to work or grocery store or pub. i asked about my options and was told: ”you gotta tow it.” this would require around 250-300dollars worth of towing as i was 45minutes from home. calling my shortlist of friends and having very limited luck with the u-haul corporation (its own set of computerized rules not allowing for a quote or availability response for a trailer without knowing the make/model of the vehicle that would be towing the trailer),
i finally got hold of two friends having lunch in the area as they were not working because of rain.
to the rescue, i was shuttled to get a towing bar at the friend’s house, then had to piece together a hitch (with a trip to the local napa) and various chains.
the plastic grill and thin sheet metal piece below my bumper had to be removed before we could crank down the chains and bracketry. this took some time and rains that had started upon my early morning arrival, persisted.
once we actually attached the tow hitch, the hardest work was done and a relatively painless trip north was uneventful.
i have borrowed a gas-guzzling cream-colored 3/4ton pickup from another friend for the next few weeks while i await the arrival of my new title (i passed the long-awaited inspection), and my sorry white pickup sits sad and grill-less in the rain.
god bless our common-sense laws and god bless the dmv.
2004-05-03 19:37
Comments [1]
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familiar friend
the clicking and grinding occurring in my left knee makes me think of a cinder block being dragged across a wood floor.
my knees are no stranger to discomfort based on a steady diet of kneeling, climbing ladders, walking pitched roofs, and short jumps, quick starts and fast stops of any number of semi-athletic (or non-athletic) activities. now i am trying to channel the slow patience of david carradine’s kane from kung fu.
i walk slow, make my moves like i’m underwater and attempt to do the most work with the least effort. multiple daily icings of the swollen joint as well as some hastily gulped ibuprofen seem to keep the knee in a tolerable range of pain. my trusty neoprene knee brace cradles the fragile hinge and helps remind me to control my movement.
may the sound of the scraping block grow faint so i may say farewell to my familiar friend, pain.
2004-04-27 19:16
Comments [4]
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