I'm grateful that I was able to cheer my Mom up today.
Yesterday was a long day for Mom. The trip outside in the snowstorm was very difficult. She was in a lot of pain and discomfort. When I arrived at noon, she was really down and sad. We had lunch and talked and as the hours passed she started to feel happier and more settled. By the time I went home in the evening, she was bright and cheerful... I'm very grateful.
I'm grateful that the Island Park LIRR train station is only 1/4 mile from my apartment.
Today was the first snowstorm of Winter2012. The roads are messy and icy. Left the Mini Cooper in the driveway and walked to the train station.
I'm also grateful that although arduous, my sister Cathy was able to get my Mom to her primary care doctor for a checkup to provide clearance for her surgery on Wednesday.
I'm grateful that I was able to meet a friend after work for a cocktail at Shun Lee before heading home.
I had a Lychee Martini... very nice...
...and an hour chatting with a friend and catching up...
My sister was with Mom this evening, who is doing OK, but next Wednesday can't come soon enough... After the surgery, she will start to heal and the pain she is in will reduce day by day...
I'm grateful that Dr. Dzenis was able to see my Mom today.
After many hours on the telephone this morning trying to get an appointment with an orthopedist to see my Mom, Dr. Dzenis's staff squeezed Mom in today! After the doctor examined her and took an X-Ray, we were told she would need surgery to place a pin in her arm to repair the break so it will heal properly. The surgery is scheduled for next Wednesday.
Mom took the news about needing surgery very well.
I'm grateful that Mom's injury is only a broken arm.
Mom fell outside today on her way home. My sister Cathy took her to the emergency room and Mom was diagnosed with a broken left humerus. They set her arm and told her to get to an orthopedist by Friday.
We are so grateful Mom didn't sustain any other injuries in her fall. She is in pain but the pain meds are taking the edge off. I'm sleeping over tonight at Mom's and taking Thursday off from work.
I'm grateful that I can attend our Tuesday night Sangha in Merrick again.
With my rotating schedule, I rotate in and out of being able to attend Tuesday nights.
It was nice to catch up with friends who I haven't seen in a few months at the Dipamkara Meditation Center in Merrick on Tuesday nights. Met some new regulars also... Our sangha is growing!
I'm grateful that my apartment is warm and cozy.
It is mighty cold and windy out there this evening. I'm fortunate to have my own thermostat in my apartment. Heat is included in my rent, so, I'm not greedy or wasteful. I have an electric throw blanket that keeps Koda and me nice at warm at night too. I'm thinking of all of those who are cold... may they find warmth.
I'm also grateful for the nap I took this afternoon. I was feeling very tired and rundown, so I listened to my body and gave it the rest it needed. The things I planned on doing this afternoon will be done at another time.
...Godspeed Christopher... today your journey starts... I wish you happiness, adventure, and love.
I'm grateful that I saw a dragon today.
Yup, you read that right. I saw a beach dragon, at sunset, this afternoon, in Long Beach. She thought she could hide amonst some rocks but I saw her. She was annoyed that she was spotted by a mere human but since I didn't draw attention and thanked her for the gift of seeing a dragon, she didn't devour me. She even posed for a photo since she was amused by me.
I don't expect her to be there again... nor should you go hunting for dragons...
I think she let me take the picture because she knew I would post it on Facebook and foolish humans would come looking to annoy her. They annoy easily and have sharp pointy teeth... and think humans are a delicious crunchy snack with ketchup. Be warned. Do not annoy a dragon.
Today's sunset was magnificent. No clouds. The sun dipped into the Atlantic. It was 26degrees at the edge of the ocean... the view was priceless.
I'm grateful that I saw "Uncle" Leon this evening.
After I got home this afternoon, I took Koda for an hour walk and then decided to head over to Petco for some doggie kibbles and treats. Koda said she wanted to go for a ride so off we went.
Koda was a good girl at Petco. In this picture, she looks very annoyed... perhaps it has something to do with not being able to get traction on the slippery floor or that everything is at dog nose level and mommy said no to everything... only CORE kibble and healthy doggie treats... no junk food!
After Petco, we headed home and drove down Sunrise Highway to Long Beach Road... and when I turned and saw the Bigelow's parking lot wasn't packed and there were seats open... I parked and went in for a cup of New England Clam Chowder... perfect on a cold night. I had a fried shrimp sandwich too... yum. I paid and was heading out and walking in was Uncle Leon... his son Steven was parking the car. Uncle Leon is my friend Alan's Uncle who I've know for over 25 years. I haven't seen him since the summer time at Alan and Carol's garage sale. Uncle Leon looks great, back in the summer, he was recovering from surgery and had trouble walking. He was very determined to get his stamina and mobility back. Well, he did! One can do anything when determined and focused! Love you Uncle Leon.
I'm grateful that I was part of the production team for "One Life To Live"
Over 3o years ago I started watching "One Life To Live"... Ernesto introduced me to it... he is a cousin who got hooked on soap operas when he was in the hospital after a severe life threatening appendicitis attack... He was in the hospital for weeks recovering... He finally got better and was released, but due to all the meds he received, he started losing his hair. This was devastating for a young man in college so a dermatologist prescribed some lotion that needed to be applied to his scalp... It couldn't just be rubbed in, it had to be applied directly to the scalp therefore he needed help... So, he would come by everyday when "One Life To Live" was about to start... I would meticulously apply the lotion and of course I got hooked to the characters and the storyline... and well, the rest is history... (BTW... Ernesto didn't lose all his hair... it stopped falling out, and grew normally... I guess the lotion did work)
Flash forward to 1988... I got hired at ABC as a Vacation Relief Video Tape Operator/Editor... after finding out I could go anywhere with my ID and wanted to go see the "OLTL" sets, but was scared to do so, my new ABC friend Herb Holter, brought me over to TV-17... the "One Life To Live" studio. OK... I'm a fan of the show, the actors, the storylines... now I'm in the building walking around the sets and figuring that it just doesn't get better than this. I'm working at ABC... a long time dream... and I'm standing in the middle of the studio where television magic happens... I decide right there, that I'm going to work on this show... pretty bold for a 24 year old who just arrived at Network TV. And I can't write anymore until I say how grateful I am for the wonderful friendship I had with Herb Holter... wherever you are Herbie... know that I miss you and think of you often... I think sometimes that your spirit comes to visit and you surf the net on my 27" iMac when I'm sleeping... Your love of Apple technology rubbed off on me...
Flash forward to 1990... I get hired staff at ABC...
Flash forward to 1993... A gig no one wants opens up at "One Life To Live", I'm the only staff person who volunteers for the assignment of making dubs of the days taping Monday-Friday from 9p-5a... OK... I arrived... it didn't take long till things started changing and that shift and assignment went away and I started to be assigned at TV-17 to do studio taping and then trained for the online editing gig... I was part of a team that created a show that millions of people watched... pretty cool. My life long dream of working in television for a show was reality.
Flash forward to 2003... I left. Things changed and it was time to move onto something else... I still work at ABC but not in television production. For many years after, I kept seeking the spark, the joy, the energy of the years I spent at "One Life To Live"... I wanted to find another place where that existed... but... for me, that special time had passed... it took me a long time to accept that... but eventually, I accepted it. I couldn't go back, I could only go forward. My experience was unique, never to be recreated again.
Today, ABC aired the final episode of "One Life To Live". It was on the air for 44 years... I actively worked on the show for 10 of them...
Impermanence.