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Quick and woozy

My concentration is pretty much shot after taking two Vicodin a short while ago. I have taken a couple of other such Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen tablets today in efforts to relieve my post-operative knee pain.

The surgery went well, as far as I can tell. I can still walk. Yea! Although, my knee — all wrapped up in an Velcro-elastic bandage — is awful sore today. This isn’t unexpected although the knee felt pretty good all of yesterday. I replaced the bloody dressing from yesterday with band aids over the the three little punctures in the skin, two of which showed tiny stitches. It was certainly a quick operation. I remember myself nodding out just after my brother Billy,  who drove me to the clinic and home, left for the waiting room. I have to say I was glad my brother was there to help keep my mind occupied instead of worrying whether some kind of mishap might befall me while I lay in a very brief medically-induced coma.

I woke and I remember a flash view of the nurse taking the breathing tube away. That isn’t to say I remember the tube being removed from my throat, just taken. Each time I have had surgery, the recovery always seems to remind me of Dorothy waking up in her on bed after her wild haloucinogenic trip to Oz. And you were there, and you were there too Toto!

The doctor said the surgery took only 10 minutes or so. I kind of find that hard to believe from what I have read about an arthroscopic meniscetomy. Maybe 15-to-30 minutes but 10? Nevertheless, I am a bit lethargic with somewhat of a wooze factor. So, I’ll keep it short, shorty.

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A word before that cold ass operating table …

Tomorrow morning at 8:15 I will undergo surgery to have my torn knee meniscus cartilage repaired. I have been through an ordeal over the past two or three months dealing with some significant pain as well as experiencing some unwelcome foot-dragging between my surgery clinic and worker’s compensation folks.

I, for one, am happy to get this done. Well, not really happy. But you know what I mean.

Today has been a total pain in the ass dealing with my work’s computer help desk in Washington. Those people are just unbelievable. I know most computer call centers are a blight on all mankind — whoa, I guess that’s a bit harsh. Need I just say I am glad my workday is now over.

Hopefully, all will go well with the surgery. I always worry a little, and I think it is prudent to have a little concern, to undergo general anesthesia. I suppose as long  as I wake up with no major problems then everything will be cool.

So until later, ta.

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What’s wrong with Ferguson and Geoff replacing Letterman?

It looks like Wednesday, April 9, may finally be the day my torn knee meniscus cartilage is fixed. What a freaking ordeal that’s been.

The world of late night TV is also having its own freaking ordeal now that David Letterman announced his retirement last night. Some say he retired years ago. I just think the time has come. I have liked Letterman over the years but his show is difficult to remain with through a night. It’s definitely lost a lot of its freshness.

I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised Jimmy Fallon has become successful, off to a fast beginning in replacing Jay Leon. I suppose the people who like Saturday Night Live over the last 15 or so years would like Fallon. Of the two Jimmies, I overwhelming say Kimmel is the better. But I don’t really like to stay with his show the entire episode either. Automatically, many think of Craig Ferguson on the CBS Late Late Show which follows Dave as a likely replacement, but I supposed those who like the two Jimmies shows don’t particularly get Ferguson. Not so, me.

Only over the past year or so have I begun watching Ferguson and his very different style of humor. I really suppose I should start taping it so I can get to sleep at a better time. Oh, and I stay with his show, wishing it was just a bit longer.

Ferguson reminds me of the early days of Letterman who, while seeming appearing stable on the outside seems possessing a zany personalaity with deep intellect. Not that Letterman seemed all that brainy, although many times he ends up looking crazy as a fox. Ferguson, a naturalized Scot who shows an abiding love for America with all it warts (most often a difficult task these days), has no band and no real human sidekicks. He has an robotic skeleton, Geoff Peterson, whose fingers seem to be falling off and two people in a horse suit known collectively as “Secretariat.” The latter only dance around and nod their heads at something to indicate an affirmative or negative. Geoff is hilarious as is Ferguson.

Ferguson likewise has great guests and, I don’t know if they rehearse, but they all seem to come off as if they had been sitting around talking all day. A limbo contest between Ferguson and guest Ashton Kutcher last night was a hoot. The Late, Late Show  follows a legacy of another “out there” host whom I really enjoyed, Tom Snyder.

One must admit that there are some intriguing names circulating as potential candidates to replace Letterman. Among them, Chelsea Handler, Ellen DeGeneres, Arsenio Hall, Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert. All could revitalize that first late show time spot. Then so could Ferguson and others.

Maybe I just should lighten up and accept what passes for comedy of the more recent Saturday Night Live variety. Maybe I am just stuck in the Belushi, Murray, Ackroyd days. Or maybe not. Too much to ponder.

Happy Weekend.

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Start with a microbe, you end up with a redneck pondering speech

Here is a story from Canadian TV that helps put one back in their place: Ah, yes, tales of the “Methane-spewing microbe blamed in worst mass extinction.”

Speaking of methane-spewing, I am still laughing today at a particular scene from last night’s episode “Starvation” on the great FX series Justified. Yeah, I know some may have still not watched it so avert your eyes.

The wonderful redneck criminal character Dewey Crowe, played by Down Under-er Damon Herriman, is caught siphoning gas from a little old lady’s car. Asked if he wants some snack or such she trots off while Dewey hollers: “If you’re gonna be a minute, you mind if I run in and take a shit?”

Not surprisingly, the old woman returns with a double-barrel shotgun. Well, it isn’t surprising she returns with a gun, not that it isn’t surprising she comes back with a “side-by-side.” Or isn’t it?

I’m not all that good in character minutiae, especially with a fast-moving, Elmore Leonard-inspired TV series. But the show’s executive producer Graham Yost tells Entertainment Weekly that another comic exchange, this time between Dewey and lead Timothy Olyphant, has ties to the series’ beginning. Olyphant, who exquisitely plays U.S. Deputy Marshal Raylyn Givens, manages to arrest Dewey after he, figuratively, blew up a chance for the marshals to trap Dewey’s meaner brother Darryl. As Dewey is led away Raylyn gives the hapless criminal some advice that he might ” … stop referring to himself in the third person.”

“What? This guy?” Dewey asks, nodding toward the cop about to drive him to jail.

“Man, sometimes I don’t understand you.”

The last phrase, as it turns out, Dewey uttered in the pilot episode. I don’t know if I even saw the pilot. I’m sure I must’ve. I haven’t missed many of the episodes Justified‘s five season. This is one of the few golden nuggets in TV these days. It is a reminder that the show must’ve had a writer. And it did and it does.

Too bad it wasn’t me.

 

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Man calls in sick. Sees his boss from 250 miles away.

This morning I called in sick for work, telling my supervisor that I didn’t sleep well because of my knee pain. Then, I later took in a Jason’s Deli “build your own” half-portion ham and cheddar on Telera with stone-ground mustard, lettuce, red onions and pickles. Well, I actually ordered Italian peppers but I got pickles instead. While I ate, who is the one person in all of Beaumont, Texas, in the Original Jason’s Deli in the Gateway shopping center, whom I would not expect to see? Ex squeeze? Like mistakes, I’ve made a few. Well, that one person was my supervisor who works in Dallas.

“You gotta eat,” said Brian. Yeah. That’s the thing about my job, part-time as it is, you never know where your supervisor will turn up. One week in Costa Rica, the next Dallas, the next … Brian was showing the new guy around on one of our collection tasks — not collection of taxes or monies owed. It’s all top secret, you see? Hush, hush. On the QT. WTF?

I joked when meeting that the new guy that I called in sick this morning and here I go running into the boss, except, I failed to make my point. I wasn’t running either. Bad knee. I stopped and pulled up a spare chair for a few minutes. It really doesn’t matter whether I am sick or not. That’s the beauty of having a CBA (collective bargaining agreement.) I usually tell Brian what’s wrong with me. I’m not the type to say “Nunya,” as in “Nunya f***ing business.” That would be rude and Brian is a genuinely nice guy. I might feel differently at some point in time. In fact, I have felt differently at points in time. I was definitely glad to see TNG (The New Guy.) I will also be happy to see TNG-ette (The New Guy-ette.)

The work situation here has been dismal at best for quite some times. Talk about revolving doors! People above my pay grade have been “down here” doing work of three people, formerly done most often by one.

Oh for those interested, or not, I finally yelled and screamed enough to the worker’s comp people who finally gave in and finally approved my knee arthroscopy. Leave it up to the surgical clinic to find a glitch to delay the surgery once more. Perhaps, the surgeon’s person said, Wednesday. She meant a week from tomorrow. Only, this all took place yesterday so, technically, my surgery to repair a medial and lateral meniscus tear in my right knee would come the earliest a week from Wednesday. Which is actually tomorrow.  Yes, I am purposely fragging sentences. Boom went the basketball filled with dynamite! Rim shot. What the hell ever.

Are you unhappy with How I Met Your Mother  ended? Ted’s wife died and his kids were all hot for their Dad to go out with Aunt Robin. Like we didn’t see that coming, Aunt Robin or no Aunt Robin. !Spoiler Alert! ¿Como se dice Spoiler Alert? I suppose this is an awkward place to place “Spoiler Alert.”

Did you know The Zombies hit “She’s Not There” was released in 1964? Actually, it was released in July 1964 so it is not quite 50 years old. Can you believe that? Colin Blunstone, cool as a dry martini on vocals. Rod Argent, who wrote the song, was barely visible on electronic keyboards. Electronic keyboards? 1964? Baroque rock or pop.

Colin Blunstone is one of my favorite singers of all time. Cool as a dry martini, like I said. He was the notable voice of The Zombies hits including “Time of the Season.” He has had a solo career and contributed to a number of popular works including several Alan Parsons Project records. What a great voice, that Blunstone bloke!

It’s kind of like rap, you see. You just throw down the words and they go rap, rap, rap. I’m talking about this post, not Colin Blunstone.

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