Illness, depression, and various other distractions have served to diminish running. I have a 5k approaching in January and a half-marathon in February and aren't prepared for either. I will have to do what I can in the remaining time. This year has been rocky on the health front and it would be nice to start off '25 strong.
Saturday, November 16, 2024
Monday, November 11, 2024
'Nam Killed Kurt Over Time v. 5
Photo: Life Magazine. Kurt's unit patrolled these hills. (Mutter's Ridge and the Rock Pile.) |
Some veterans die in battle while others return home to perish on the installment plan. My friend Kurt passed away in 2003 from liver cancer. He went quick, maybe a hundred days. The cancer was partially brought about by PTSD-inspired drinking coupled with hepatitis from a bad blood transfusion he underwent in Vietnam. Kurt could have skated on that particular war, but extended his enlistment in order to fight. Serving in Marine Recon, he won a Navy Commendation medal for helping his unit battle clear of an ambush.
Several Purple Hearts later, Kurt joined an ultra-secret outfit that probed the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Hacked out of the jungle, the Trail was a highway for the North Vietnamese to funnel men and supplies into South Vietnam and Cambodia. Because of our odd political posturing, Laos was officially off-limits to U.S. ground forces. That meant Kurt and his unofficial comrades were forced to ditch the bodies of their dead. The fallen would be listed as "Missing in Action in South Vietnam." It always bothered Kurt that families would be denied the closure of burial—or the recognition of bravery from a schizophrenic government.
A good portion of Kurt's post-war years were spent in alcohol and drug-fueled rage and self-destruction. In time, he made peace with his past. Little by-little, Kurt cut a trail over to serenity from which he rarely strayed. Despite a Master's Degree in electronics, he took a job driving a truck and fixing vending machines. (Kurt worked well unsupervised.) Getting married, buying a home, his last ten years were good ones.
I was a pallbearer at Kurt's funeral. He received a Marine Corps color guard, taps, and a view of the 2 Freeway stretching below in the distance, flowing past Forest Lawn Cemetery on its way to Eagle Rock. (Transportation played a big role in his life.) I recall Kurt when I drive past and often wish he could call down artillery on erratic drivers.
This Veteran's Day Kurt came to mind. And while he's at peace, I send prayers and best wishes to those still struggling with the silent baggage of war.
Sunday, November 10, 2024
Happy 249 USMC!
Fishing Stage
Friday, August 16, 2024
Ticketmaster Data Breach Update
Twinkl |
As of Tuesday morning, there has been no word from Ticketmaster.
More t/k.
Monday, August 12, 2024
Ticketmaster Data Security Breach
St. Bonaventure University Online |
Hello,
Received a letter from Ticketmaster stating that some of my personal information may have been compromised by a hack.
Ticketmaster offered credit monitoring via a TransUnion company called Cyberscout.
I logged onto the www.mytrueidentity.com url listed in the letter. However, the website would not allow me to open an account. The website listed a number to call.
Calling the number, I was directed to a call center possibly in Mumbai or elsewhere in the Indian subcontinent. The person attempting to assist me spoke and understood English with some difficulty. For example, she was unaware that U.S. phone numbers are prefaced with an area code. After a number of attempts, I politely ended the call as we were unable to communicate.
Do you have any suggestions how I might obtain the credit monitoring services offered?
PS: I wasn't aware that I even had a Ticketmaster account. It must be prehistoric.
Here's Ticketmaster's response:
Thanks, we’ve received your request
You should receive a reply from one of our Fan Support Representatives in 12 hours, or sooner.
Times may vary depending on volume and demand.
More t/k
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Back from the Northwest
Back from visiting my sister, who is in the hospital. A long-time MS sufferer, she's recently sustained kidney and nerve damage. The care facility is a mixed bag of outstanding nurses and nurse assistants and odd, ill-trained goons. The doctor in charge is a breezy fellow, according to my sister, who is loath to spend much time with his patients. Possibly it cuts down on his main function: billing Medicare.
More soon as we battle to get my sister the care she needs.
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Monday, June 24, 2024
A Hat Trick of Bad Health
Ever since my return from way down yonder in New Orleans, my health has been many things, none of them positive.
My wife took ill on the plane-ride back to Los Angeles. Naturally, that meant that I would take ill several days hence. Sure enough, I came down with a bad fever, much worse than COVID. It was like having mononucleosis once more. I slept, napped, woke up, then went to bed. However, I did drop ten pounds, a poor man's weight loss program.
Getty Images |
Just as the fever abated, I came down with a urinary tract infection. Spending the night peeing out five drops of bloody urine helped eliminate my recent sleep overage. As a male, UTIs often mean trouble in the kidneys and/or bladder. At an UrgentCare, I was given a kidney/bladder ultrasound, a cocktail of antibiotics injected into my butt and a prescription for big plump antibiotic tablets. I took them all, but it felt like the injected obliterated the infection.
So, feeling good, except I noticed a rash developing all over my body. At first, I thought it was some kind of prickly heat. But that night, I woke at 2 AM unable to sleep, because the stinking rash itched like blazes. I pressed the skin, took cold showers, thought of picnics and adorable kittens, but nothing checked the relentless itching.
And the rash and itching were spreading to unrashed body regions.
Getty Images |
Anyway, several days have passed without me visiting a doctor. I'm delighted. If this keeps up, I might even start running again.
Getty Images |
Thursday, June 06, 2024
Disturbing Good Cheer
Tuesday, June 04, 2024
Tuesday, May 21, 2024
A 10k along the Sand
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