Just Do It

Bow Tie o’ the Day told me I better wake up and smell the coffee beans. Bow Tie told me to quit worrying and wondering about it, and just go to the urgent care clinic and have ’em take a gander at my sore ribs. And so I did

Got some x-rays. Got some advice about the proper speed with which to walk down flights of stairs. Got to repeat the details of my fall and my resulting pain symptoms– to the receptionist, the Physician’s Assistant, the nurse, and the x-ray technician. I like to tell stories, but I don’t like to repeat them four times in one hour. I try to add new and exaggerated details with each telling, so I don’t get bored with my own stories.

My medical examination revealed I did not puncture a lung when I fell. And despite the swelling and the doorknob-sized knot on my ribs, I did not actually break any ribs. In fact, the whole time I was gawking at my x-rays with the PA, all I could think about was how I haven’t eaten ribs in about two forevers– or at least since we were at Dauphin Island, Alabama in September. Mmmmmm… ribs. When I’m on vacation next week, I will be sure to rectify my rib-starved eatin’ situation. I’m hankerin’ for cole slaw on the side, as well.

BTW Completely unrelated topic. I feel the need to exhort y’all, here and now: BE NICE! That’s it– simply be nice to the people around you. It won’t cost you any money to do it. There’s no trick to it. Being nice does not require a college degree. And there are no acceptable excuses to treat people otherwise. Being nice to people is so obviously the right way to treat them. Do not forget to strive always to be a nice person in both your attitude and your actions. It won’t always come back to you, but so what?Nice is about how you want to be when you grow up. Nice matters.

Say What?

Diamond point Bow Tie o’ the Day reminded me I had an early morning appointment with my ear doctor today. I’m an early riser. But on days when I HAVE TO get up for some appointment or other, I have the hardest time waking up and getting out of bed. I doubt I’m the only person with that problem. Maybe it’s something about sort of being “told” you have to do it. It’s as if someone else is bossing you– even though you’re the one who made the appointment in the first place. We do not like to be told what to do, even if we’re the ones telling us to hop to it.

Anyhoo… My ear doc appointment was just for a regular tune-up on my hearing aid, which means I sit in an exam room googling important trivia or watching YouTube on my phone while the doc goes to his office and tweaks my hearing aid. When I talk to him about the gadget, he reminds me to call it a hearing “device.” Hearing “device” is apparently the politically correct way to refer to hearing aids. I humor him. But it’s still a hearing aid to me.

While I was alone in the exam room, I noticed these pictures behind me. They are actual hearing “devices” which were used at one time. I don’t know which invention would be the most difficult to use, but I do know they are all quite creative. I googled them and I can’t find any information about how effective they might have been, but I’m positive you couldn’t wear them on a date.

BTW I’ve included a bonus photo of Skitter in this post for no other reason than the fact that she’s cute. Enjoy.