April chit-chat

[flatcap]

Thank you for doing the editing, flatcap.

A while back I was in considerable hot water because I dug up some older posts by a forum member and cited them in posts here on this board. The decision was that members here should never reveal any information about anyone here without that person's permission, even if the information was in statements made by the user him/herself for everyone to see at any time here (in this case, everyone's past posts are available so long as they are still archived here).

It's the same principle as the one that tells you not to reveal to someone some information about another person even though you've had it directly from that person. It's all too easy to assume that unless someone tells you that strict confidentiality is to be observed and you agree to that, you can then go ahead and reveal whatever the person said to you to anyone else.

Not a good idea, really. You'd be taking the person's words out of context. They were from a different time, in a different setting. The person might feel quite differently about sharing that information in the here and now.

This may sound ridiculously overcautious but on the Internet maybe it's better to be safe than sorry.

I apologize for this muddy post. If it's not clear, would someone please let me know and I'll come up with a hypothetical situation.

Apples, oranges.

Got any hypotheticals that might merge them?

I didn't think so.

[agate]

This board used to list everyone who was online in real time at the bottom of the page for every forum. I wish they would go back to that policy but as it is, Who's Online is a feature you have to click to get to, and even then it's very misleading because of (a) all of the bots and (b) the fact that many people viewing the content here are probably in Invisible Mode.

When someone has been absent a while and a user looks that person up to see when the person last logged in and reports to the forum in a post about it, I don't think that's ever a problem. But you had already posted about a member here who you thought might be tracking you. "Tracking" sounds a lot like "stalking" and I think means pretty much the same thing? Anyway, nobody likes to be accused of tracking or stalking anyone. So the context when you gave enough information about the member to make that person's identity readily knowable is one of near-accusation.

That's the part that I had a problem with--the negative context in which the information was put forward. You weren't wondering how someone was doing or just saying Hi. You were raising doubts about the person's intentions.

It's good to have doubts about people's intentions, especially on the Internet, but it's probably best to confine them to PMs or other private communications.

Let me float this idea for everyone to think about: There are message boards where Invisible Mode isn't possible. So everyone who shows up as being online in real time is actually everyone who is there. And the user names are shown at the bottom of every forum page, readily available for all to see. This creates far more transparency and probably cuts down on stalking considerably. It also cuts down on lurking. It's saying to everyone who comes here that they can't just sneak in here to see what we're up to. Their presence will be known to all.

I'm highly in favor of this myself and it just might be possible to persuade the admins here to change the settings accordingly. Do people here want that policy?

[Mike Weins]

Let's keep this on topic and away from any instigating posts. If anyone has an issue with a post you all know how to report/flag a post and either the mods or admins will handle it.

[Virginia]

Well, I was awake really early for me today. I have been having my deck power washed and stained. They did the power washing Friday and were to do the staining Monday. It rained most all day Sunday so I told him not to come until today. When I got a call very early that he was coming I looked at my deck and it was still wet in many spots. I don't know if it was still dew on it or if it hadn't dried out yet. I called him and told him not to come until later. He sent me a text saying he would be here at 10AM. I went out on the deck about 9:30 and it was still wet. He finally agreed to wait a couple more hours. So he came and did it, but I am now concerned that it is so cool here that there will be more dew in the morning. Since the stain will not be dry by then I wonder if that will hurt anything. Anyone know?

Speaking of the weather I read this morning that we are due to have the hottest summer ever recorded in history. That doesn't make me look forward to summer at all. I was surprised to read that the Pacific Northwest is likely to be very hot. I normally think of that area as being a little cooler than we are.

Also, if anyone wants to know two varieties of cicadas are due to come out this summer. It is supposed to be very noisy. This only happens about every 17 years at most. It may not be in the parts of the country anyone else lives in, but it is here. What really concerns me is that they suck the roots of small trees and plants. I just had all new plants put around my house two years ago and last year my brother added another five. I do not want to lose them.

That's it for the weather for now!!!

[agate]

Virginia, I've stained only a wood fence and that was years ago but I'm pretty sure the surface needs to be dry. This gives some suggestions for getting it dry faster but you might want to wait instead of bringing in fans, etc.:

Only registered and activated users can see links., Click Here To Register...

I'm so sorry to learn that we might get another hot summer here. That summer when it was 116' for a couple of days was unbelievable (2022, I think).

The Pacific Northwest does have cooler summers and a more moderate climate than the rest of the continental US as a rule, and in fact I moved thousands of miles just to take advantage of that milder climate.

The Puget Sound area where I lived for decades has cooler summers than where I am now. It can get pretty hot here but at least it doesn't usually last for more than a couple of days, AND most places and even vehicles are air conditioned.

Maybe the person who dreamed up air conditioning should get an award for doing the most to help people with MS. When I remember southern summers back when nobody had AC, I don't think I'd have lasted long in that situation with MS.

[Virginia]

I think I need to get my car outfitted with something that I can just stay in my house and turn the car and air conditioning on and let it cool off before I get in it. There is a way to do that but I haven't checked into it, so I don't know the cost. Last year was really bad and if this year is to be even worse, I am not sure I can take it.

When I went out last Monday it was really bad. The car didn't cool down the entire time I was out. I had Freon added when it was inspected in March. I just hope nothing else is wrong with my air conditioning.

It rained here quite a bit today so my just stained deck got wet before the stain had dried good. I hope that doesn't hurt it.

My middle brother and his wife came over my way today to eat lunch. They stopped and picked up a prescription for me and brought me some more moo goo gi pan from the Chinese restaurant. I just have to heat it tonight and don't have to cook. Lunch cost a lot less than dinner, but they also give you a lot less. However, it is still quite enough.

I haven't done a lot today. It is rainy and dreary looking outside and I have not been motivated. Maybe I will start another book this evening.

I hope all of you are doing well and that MS is not kicking up for you.

[agate]

Virginia, is there anything much hotter than a hot vehicle? I hope your car's AC can be improved. I'm pretty sure there are remote starters that enable you to turn on the car AC from inside your home. Hope you can get that up and running before the really hot weather sets in.

Thank you for the good wishes! I'll add mine for the people here. Post if and when you feel up to it, and don't let MS kick up if you can possibly arrange it.

Easier said than done, of course. Avoiding stress is a good place to begin.

[Virginia]

Agate, I guess I will find out about my AC Monday. It is forecast to be 86 degrees and I have to drive myself to the Dentist in the middle of the day. I really dread it. However it is far enough to find out about the AC and then I will have to come out and get back in it after it sits in the Dentist parking lot.

I actually went to sleep for about an hour today just sitting in my chair. I never do that. I didn't do anything else other than get some food.

[agate]

Isn't 86 degrees in late April unusual even for your area? Maybe it's so unusual that the forecast will turn out to be wrong.

In that situation I'd reschedule the appointment if at all possible but there are appointments that can't be postponed.

There was a time when I felt guilty every time I postponed an appointment but I'm learning to feel less guilty about it now. Particularly since the medical providers often reschedule my appointments, apparently without much thought to my transportation problems.

And someone with MS that is moderately disabling should be allowed to be flexible about outings, I think. I'm trusting medical providers to understand that. I do try to give as much advance notice as possible.

[Virginia]

This Dentist frowns on cancelled appointments unless they are done quite a while in advance. It has been cool all this week, and now it is going to be very hot. I hate the thought of going out. However, I have broken two fillings in the front of my mouth. I waited to get it done until after the vertigo and everything else was over. Then tonight I was eating a cookie and broke the corner of another tooth or it might be a permanent bridge. It's been there so long I am not sure which it is. If, as I suspect, it is a permanent bridge that will entail a number of trips and lots of money. Both are not pleasant to think about.

[agate]

You definitely have to keep that appointment, I'd say. A broken tooth can cause an infection if it's left to fend for itself. I've had quite a few broken teeth. Very annoying when that happens.

The other day I was eating a piece of toast and bit down on something so hard and small that I was just sure it was part of yet another tooth. After close inspection of it, I finally concluded it was a seed from the bread, which had a lot of seeds in it. That was a huge relief.

[Virginia]

I am sure it was a relief to find out it was a seed and not a tooth. I was hoping that would be the case when I broke the one I think might be part of a permanent bridge, but no such luck. I broke one in the front just eating a piece of cheese. It was gouda cheese. Actually, they are not broken teeth but fillings in the teeth.

[agate]

Broken fillings are just as much of a nuisance as broken teeth, as it often turns out that when a filling broke off, more drilling is needed because more decay has set in. Or part of the tooth came out with the filling.

Gouda cheese? I can believe that you lost a filling even eating a softer cheese like that one. I've lost fillings and broken teeth in really unbelievable situations. No fun to feel as if you're falling apart--and then there's the discomfort and expense that you know you'll have to put up with.



I made a big decision today--to have the Vietnam Vets of America pick up my printer. I can't get it to work well and it's much too old to be supported any more by Hewlett-Packard, and it isn't registered in my name anyway since it was my son's printer originally. I don't seem to need a printer so much any more, and besides there is one right down the hall in this building's media room that I probably could learn to use.

I'm looking forward to the extra space--and fewer cords.

I've been very pleased with using the VVA for pickups of things I'm getting rid of. They're prompt and dependable, and they always leave one of their bags with me for the next donation.

[Virginia]

I called Vietnam Vets many years ago to pick up some things, but it turned out not to be the type things they wanted. I will keep them in mind when I need something else picked up, and I will try them again. Maybe I can find out what type things they do pick up.

My oldest niece came today and spent about 3 hours with me. I was glad to spend some time with her, however it turned out to be a bad day to have company. I didn't go to sleep until about 9:30 this morning. I just froze all night, especially my feet. I had all my blankets on the bed, plus one I put on top when I am real cold. Then I got up and turned the heat on. I only turned it up to 68 degrees because I didn't want to get too hot under all that cover. When my feet still were so cold they hurt I got up and put on some thermal socks. They still didn't get warm until after time to get up. Sometimes that happens to me and I am totally miserable. I wish she could have come on a better day because I really do enjoy seeing her. Also, she is married and works and so busy. I tried to keep up my end of the conversation but I really felt bad. My feet are cold tonight and I am wearing thick socks. I will try to get them warm before I go to bed.

Have a nice weekend.

[agate]

Virginia, it's too bad you weren't able to enjoy the visitor more. I often feel I'm letting visitors down too--not serving things I meant to bring out because I was too tired to make the effort, not staying alert enough to keep up the conversation very well, etc. Sometimes it helps to remind myself how long I've had MS and how it's been constantly getting in the way all that time, and if visitors don't understand that, that will just have to be the way it is.

Maybe you'll be able to catch up on your sleep this time. It sounds as if you keep your place pretty cool as a rule. Would turning the heat up and then using lighter blankets be a way to go?

I have my thermostat at 76-77' all year. That's hotter than is recommended for people, especially people with MS, but I just get too cold otherwise.I don't know if it's the arthritis or aging or what.

Vietnam Vets of America must have different arrangements in different parts of the country. I always go to their Website and see what types of things they will pick up. This time I called them just to make sure because the Website mentioned "small electronics" but not printers specifically. It turned out that they will take a printer as long as it's not one of the big stand-alone kind.