And if California slides into the ocean, like the mystics and statistics say it will

[rolanni]

Today did not start well.  I woke up with a headache so bad sunlight felt like lances through my brain, and Steve sounded like he was shouting when he was speaking in a perfectly normal tone of voice.  So, back to bed, with help from the feline nursing corps.  Managed to sleep most of it off, and finally addressed my email at a Late Hour, to find a note from the ACA stating that they had not received documentation I had compiled and mailed in February, and therefore my health insurance would be cut off in May.

Phone call to the ACA, and the eventual verdict that the paperwork had been received, but hadn't been processed,  yet.  Also treated to a mild lecture about how this affliction would not have come upon me if I had just uploaded my paperwork to the ACA website.  I did not laugh hysterically, but told her that the reason I'd sent paper was because I couldn't find where to upload my paperwork on the website.  Got tour.  Ghod bless them, they do hide it in the basement, don't they?  But, four screens in, yep -- there it was.  So now I know.

Which of course begs the question of what the manymanymany people in this country who do not have computers or access to a secure computer are supposed to do, if uploading is the New Black, but since I'm clearly not one of them, the question remains unasked.

Steve is making stirfry for dinner, which sounds lovely.  Hoping to shake the rest of the headache with a hearty application of chicken and mushrooms, after which I will go to work.

Trooper's fans will be pleased to know that he went to the vet yesterday for his 2-year distemper shot, wearing the cat harness and leash like, well...a Trooper.  Note to self: teach Trooper to walk on the leash, because -- While he was at the vet's he was of course weighed.  Ladies and Gentlebeings, we have ourselves seventeen-point-one pounds of Very Solid Coon Cat here.

Sprite weighed 15 pounds when she had her vaccine a couple months back, for a grand total of just over 32 pounds of Feline in two adorable packages.

And!  In the I've-gotta-get-me-some-of-these front, on Facebook Mindy Hunter pointed out this TED talk on "Shiftables." Clearly, someone's been reading Lee and Miller.

Today's blog post title brought to you by Warren Zevon, "Desperadoes Under the Eaves."

Comments

[bandicoot.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Hope the headache dissipates quickly! A very hot stir-fry should help put you mind on other things. Like survival :)

I made up some cat harnesses once and tried it on my cats. I'd put it on, they'd look at me, then fall over on their sides and refuse to budge. I gave up ;p

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we've had those who would, and those who wouldn't, re the cat harness. Trooper will obviously wear the harness; he'll even walk while wearing the harness, though not necessarily in the direction I'm walking. I'm hoping that, with a little work, we can get that coordinated.

[jhetley.livejournal.com]

Our experience with the Social Security website leads me to suggest that the ACA website may not have represented an Easier Way. We *think* we have that sorted out, now, two years later . . .

[ebartley.livejournal.com]

Sympathies. Feel better.

[attilathepbnun.livejournal.com]

Yes! Feel better muchly, soon!

Err .... Isn't that weight about normal for a coon cat?

I used to try walking my cats on leashes. Claude, our old cat, was perfectly willing to *wear* the harness-and-leash .... until he decided he didn't want to, when he simply shrugged and walked out of it. Even when I bought a slightly-undersized one to make that harder*I was afraid he'd escape, outdoors at the vet), he still did it.

The current cat-pair just take harnesses off as soon as they're put on. I have given up.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

It does Depend on the Cat. Archie walked on the "cat-string," as did Brandee, just as soon as she figured out that it was to her benefit. We've had others who just fell over, and one who wailed piteously (after falling over), because we'd cut off her legs. Others fought the string like it was All The Demons of Hell, which, yanno, it may have been.

Endlessly fascinating, cats.

For weight -- again, it depends. Mozart may have hit 16 pounds, in his heyday, but he was always a little squishy. The vet thinks Trooper is now at his proper weight, her opinion being that his Show Weight (14 pounds) was too lean. But, honest, it's like picking up a brick -- no squish at all.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Those who don't own computers often go to the library to use machines.

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Yep; I've seen this. Neither of our two local libraries has a scanner, so that Important! Gummint! Papers! can be scanned in privacy. And, while I'm glad the computers are there in the library for those people who need to check email from their grandkids every week or so, I really don't think I'd call those machines. . .secure. Certainly wouldn't want to be shoving my private finances through them.

[kalimeg.livejournal.com]

Absolutely true -- I won't even bring up my bank on a phone -- they do not even need to have a warrant to take what's sent on the air. And so all banking is done at home. Same with Paypal.

Poundage,etc.

[catherine ives (from livejournal.com)]

Hope you are feeling better.

Your Coon Cats weigh more than three of my dogs. Wow!

[redpimpernel.livejournal.com]

The 'Siftables' from the TED talk became commercially available about 3 years ago in a game called Scrabble Flash. You get 5 of the siftables and you can play several different word games twith them. It's very cool how they work, and how they are are aware of each other. Totally reminds me of Old Tech.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5lCC9mLKPdY

[rolanni.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I searched them out yesterday, in between things, because I thought I wanted a set to play around with. I'll say I was a little disappointed that they've only pursued the game angle. I still might've still purchased a set, to have the experience in my hands, but $250 is a little rich for my blood.

[gilraen2.livejournal.com]

Have you read the Jason Lynx mysteries by A. J. Orde (Sheri Tepper)? About two or three books in we are introduced to a 20+ pound Maine Coon that goes for walks in the park on a leash.
Mem

[redpimpernel.livejournal.com]

The Scrabble versions are only $30-ish. Look & feel, but no programmability, that I know of. Maybe they can be hacked or modified?

Tiles

[ireneha.livejournal.com]

The "Scrable" tiles are obviously either decayed "before" real tiles, or fake tiles.

Perhaps the programable tiles can be found in a used set?