January 2020
PA, FL
1- W- PA- I got in from Bangladesh right before midnight. I was exhausted and overwhelmed with tons of emotions. It was a great trip but it's always nice to come home.
2- TH- Philly- I drove in to town and met Sharon and went to the movies. We went to see
The Two Popes and I loved it. If this film is accurate, the process of selecting Pope Francis was more political than I imagined. Afterwords, we went back to her house and had beers with Glenn and caught up on last month's events. Kevin and Emily are pregnant, Jameson quit the army. Deirdre brought her boyfriend to the family party for the first time and he still called her again the next day.
My Facebook post: Home! Drinking beer again. Driving my car. Sitting in my comfortable reading chair. Adjusting to the cold weather and wearing warm clothes. Eating familiar foods. Reconnecting with family and friends. Surrounded by my things. Home!! And missing my friends in Bangladesh.
3- F- PA- I had a doctor's appointment. I hate going to the doctor. But I had to go as I am having some sort of liver problem. Ive thrown up 6 times this year after drinking just a few beers. The doctor wanted to know what took me so long to get in to see her. I told her I thought I had responded in a timely manner. "Oh," she said, "you are one of those types."
4- SA- PA- Steve, Phylis and I went to the PSU vs Iowa game at the Palestra on Penn's campus. Tickets were 71 fucking bucks. What a rip off. The stadium was packed and hot. Seats were uncomfortable. My back ached. But we won after a very competitive game so the world was righted again. We had a fun time. And then we went to dinner afterwords and that was enjoyable.
5- SU- PA- The Eagles played. They were picked as a bonus wild card team. The lounge was packed. Maybe there were 20 of us. Everyone brought food and their company was great fun. I just sat on the couch and enjoyed the moment of friendship. We didn't win but it really didn't matter to me. I enjoyed being home and being amongst friends.
6- M- PA- I was up early to get some blood work done. And then I had a dentist appointment. I spent the better part of the rest of the day doing work for my Bangladesh students. I think I will be in charge of this task until the new person shows up.
7- TU- PA- I got the results back from my blood test. No diabetes. I am so relieved. And my liver enzymes are so good that the doctor cant order any more testing to see why I am vomiting after I drink. That month in Bangladesh without alcohol may have been my fix. Later in the day, I went to my second dental appointment of the week. I got the anchor for my dental implant and that only costed $2200. And I have already paid him $2500 and I think I may have another $1200 to go. And it appears as if this fix may take another 3 to 4 months.
8- W- PA- Today's dental appointment was with the second periodontist of the week. I have some gum erosion and I wanted to see if she could fill that little spot in with something. Well, it appears as if there are 3 spots that require a graft of some expensive sort. But first, she wants to do some laser scrapping on all of my teeth. And this could all cost about $3000. GREAT!!! That's just how I like to spend my money.
9- TH- PA- I met Kathy Flatley and went to see
Bombshell. It wasn't a great movie but I certainly loved that these women brought down those dreadful, offensive, deplorable men. Who would have thought that Fox News would do the right thing.
Afterwords, we went to Kathy's mother's house for dinner. Kathy picked up Chinese food. I felt sick during the meal. I just felt so full. I didn't eat much but I felt stuffed. Just as I opened the door to my apartment, I vomited all over the place. I have never seen projectile vomiting so it sort of frightened me. I felt as if poltergeist had entered my body and was vomiting out evil spirits. I throw up several more times during the night and I was frightened by this event.
10- F- PA- Last night's episodes of vomiting still had me shaken. So I called the doctor. I waited for the doctor to call as I am anxious to find out what is wrong with me. But I can't get an appointment with a specialist until Feb. 19. Now I have to worry for six more weeks. I got my hair cut which was a relief as it was so heavy and full that I looked like Gilda Radnor. Kathy texted me to tell me that Kevin and Emily are having a baby girl. I just cant wait.
11- SA- PA- Tricia and I went to see
Little Women. OMG, it was dreadful. It was boring, too long, too white, too sappy. It couldn't end soon enough. Tricia loved it and told me that she wasn't going to go to the movies anymore if I went through life with such a bad attitude. After the movie, we went back to her house, picked up Bill and went out to dinner. It was fun to spend the day with them.
12- SU- PA- it was 62F today and everyone went nuts with the warm weather. I stayed inside and worked on the computer in the business center. I was waiting for my new power cord to arrive and now I can get back to using my own computer again. I get lost without access to my laptop. Jeff made hamburgers and hot dogs on the grill so I joined the Shur for dinner. Then I ran out for a quick flight of beer at
Levante's with Jill and Nick. I haven't had beer in so long that I couldn't even finish a flight. What's become of me?
13- M- PA- I spent the afternoon in the lounge, catching up with everyone. My neighbor, Meridith, moved out and something bad is up. Jackie is going to give me the scoop but she doesn't want Debbi to know. And Debbie was sitting right there and sensed that she was being left out of the gossip. So she was annoyed. I wonder when we grow up an mind our own business. I had dinner with Kevin Williams. We went to Red Lobster in Springfield. He had three meals. He's a big guy. And I enjoy his company.
14- TU- PA- OMG, I had oral surgery today and it was so damn painful. Electric charges of pain surged through my mouth. The Novocaine injection was awful. The dentist used a laser beam that stinger my teeth. The roof of my mouth had no feeling. The left side was OK and my sinus tingled. The whole procedure took almost two hours. At one point, I mentioned that I was in pain and the nurse comment, "Wow, this is only the cleaning," At another pint, I mentioned the pain again. I had already been given six shots of Novocaine so the dentist responded, "Yea, well, it's just another minute or so."
15- W- PA- The dentist caused a clot around my damaged gum. It was supposed to help my gums regenerate itself. This clot didn't make it through the night. Oh well. I went to the movies. I really wanted to see the movie about Mr. Rodgers. So I settled myself down in my seat and settled in only to discover that I was in the wrong movie. I was now watching the WWI movie,
1917. There was nothing that was feel good about this movie. The horrors of war should not be on the shoulders of all our young children.
16- TH- PA- It wasn't really cold but the wind was so strong that it was scary to be outside today. I went to the movies again. I had to. I am behind in my goal of 64 movies this birth year. I'm half way through the year but not half way through the goal. So I have to work overtime these next few weeks to catch up and get ahead. I went to see
Just Mercy. WOW, what a story. When our justice system gets it right, we get it right. But when we get it wrong, it's a horrible system. Today's movie was about the horrors of this system.
17-F- PA- I headed in to Philly mid afternoon to check in to my hotel for the Women's March. As was the case last year, a huge storm is forecasted. I'm disappointed. Id like to send a huge message to trump that he continues to be unworthy of his position.
18- SA- PA- The 4th Annual
Women's March- My high school friend, Leslie joined me and we married in the cold and the snow. The crowd was small but the messages were clear: We have had it. In the evening, Sharon, Glenn and I went to dinner at Teresa's house. Jill was there and we had fun. Jillwas so upset because she jut realized that she is now older than Martin Luther King.
19- SU- PA- It's another cold, windy, unpleasant day. I went to Gabe's, my favorite hit or miss store. I was able to find junk that I do not need. Then I went down to Sharon's house and struggled to find parking and we made our way to the Ritz Theatre to see
Won't You Be My Neighbor. It was just OK.
20- M- PA- I started the day with a call to Nadia in Bangladesh. We talked about how we were going to move forward in light of the fact that we do not have a facilitator foe the next module. I don't know how this became my problem but it is. I had yet another visit to a medical professional. This is visit #7 since the new year. I thought she was going to scrape my gums again and had a moment of panic. She didn't but my old fears of the dentist have emerged.
21- TU- PA- I had yet another visit to the dentist. This appointment was to follow up on when I am getting my damn tooth replaced that I broke in August 2019. I'm not getting this damn tooth until June 2020. I went shopping today and bought too many funky clothing that I may never wear because they are flashier than what I usually wear. And then I went to the Uptown Theater to usher a discussion on Muslims in America. I wonder when we will get it right.
22- W- PA- I was supposed to go to a PSU lecture with Patricia but she cancelled on me. So I took this as an opportunity to go to yet another movie,
Hidden Life. I loved it even though it was 3 hours long and I had only put in enough money in the parking meter for 2 1/2 hours. The cinematography in this movie was the most beautiful that I have seen. There were long, still, bright shots of one gorgeous scene after another. I had to fight the urge not to take photos during the movie.
23- TH- PA- I couldn't fall asleep so I took a sleep aid at 4 AM and then I couldn't get up. I spent all day in bed, listening to an audiobook. The story was only 6 hours but I think I listened to it fro 12 hours+ because I kept falling asleep. In the evening, I went to the lounge for a community party which was fun. But there were lots of new faces and two more familiar faces were there to say goodbye. Afterwords, several of us just hung in the lounge and talks and laughed.
24- F- PA- a group of us from high school met for dinner at Rosina's house in South Philly . Kathi Lewis has just lost her old mother. So this was sort of a way for us to console her. We talked until almost 11:30 PM. It was fun to be in their company
25- SA- PA- Damn, I slept all day today. It was rainy and grey and just a perfect day to do nothing. So I listened to a book and slipped in and out of sleep until 5PM. I called Deb Green and we met up at the
Wissahicken Brewery and then we hurried over to a new brewery nearby,
The Attic Brewery, and had a really nice time. I love, love, love to sit in a bar with friends.
26- SU- PA- Damn, I slept all day again. I could not get to sleep last night. I laid awake until 8:30 AM. And then I couldn't wake up. So I am off the caffeine now.
Kobe Bryant died in a freak helicopter accident today and the whole world is mourning.
I spent the evening cleaning up work I am still doing for Bangladesh last month. How did I get sucked with this extended assignment?
And I did get to watch a video of the ship I am going to board this week. Holy Shit!!! It's huge, self-absorbing, filled with guilty pleasures. I can't wait. I've started packing.
27- Monday- PA
I got in another movie this week as I am not sure I will see one next week and I have to keep up with my movie goal of 64 movies this year. I went to see
Parasite which is up for an Oscar and the movie started out funny and got very dark at the end. I didn't like it. But it was movie #34 so I am on target to reach my goal.
Then I spent the evening with friends in the lounge. I watched another video on the amenities on the cruise ship I am taking next week. I am going to have to make a list of all the things I want to do. It's going to be great fun.
I only drank defat coffee today and I was able to sleep. So life is good.
28- TU- PA- I had lunch with Debbie at the
Iron Hill Brewery and then I finished up all of my loose ends that need to be done before I head out on my cruise to the Caribbean with Lauren. Of course, I wasted my afternoon and then had to hussel to get to Lauren's apartment in a timely manner.
29- W- PA/FL- Lauren and I flew in to Miami in the early afternoon and rented a car and drove to Cape Coral to hang with Jaye and Dom for a few days. We are beginning our cruise week vacation.
30- TH- FL- We went to see manatees in the morning and then we went to a rum distillery in the PM. In the evening, we just sat around and played cards. We all enjoyed each others company.
31- F- FL--We wandered around a pier and shopped a little and then sat at a pub deck and had a beer. We had a reservation to take a sunset cruise but the weather did not cooperate. In the evening, we hooked up with Jessica Peirson and had dinner with her. It was great to see her, particularly because my Stroudsburg connections are becoming fewer and fewer.
Facebook post from a student in Bangladesh
U Sha Sordar
The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires. I miss you Bridget E Kelly
Happy New Year China!!! Here’s to the rat!!!
January 26 Facebook post: I remember this game like it was yesterday. Our students played so well but they were no match for this giant of a player. After this game, we had no other choice but to sit out the rest of the season and watch him go on to win the state championship and then go professional and take the world by storm. RIP Kobe Bryant.
