A Blogger Blogs (and tries to keep his word when convenient)

Spoiler Alert - U.S. President #'s 44, 45 & 46

I said that I would blog tomorrow yesterday which is today today and it is only 2154 so, whether it is "published" by midnight or not, I have officially blogged tomorrow from yesterday. Cha Cha and I are at a hotel kitty corner from Northwestern Memorial Hospital where we will spend a great part of the morning and probably a portion of the afternoon tomorrow. Luckily, her procedure was scheduled on a Friday so I do not have to use any more of my COMP time right now. In case I have not said it toooo many times already or you are new here - Thursdays and Fridays are my weekends. Anyway, Jill is fast asleep next to me. That is good because it is much easier to have "nothing to eat or drink after midnight" if you are asleep. In the morning she will finally have the stent removed from her gutty wutz. You can tell we have been married too long when once, in a hotel, one of us goes to sleep and the other one blogs.

We walked up Michigan Avenue (The Miracle Mile) and had dinner before her food ban began. I really do love this city. Thanks Obama's former Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel! There is so much to do here. I am not a big fan of the city tax, however. I think the cold air and walking is helping Cha Cha sleep. It could be the pills they gave her to relax tonight before tomorrow too I suppose. I would look for those pills too but I have to be Gunnery Sergeant Hartman in the morning and get us across the street in time.

If you read the blogs I wrote from when I was driving in and out of the city to take care of / be with Jill in November and December you remember that it usually took me about an hour to get here from home. Tonight it took us three-and-a-half hours to get here. The snow was terrible and the blowing made the roads entirely snow-filled. There is no way plows could have removed the snow because there were cars everywhere. Once we got half way here we didn't get above 20 miles per hour hardly at all. Most of the way we were going about 12 - 15 miles per hour. I bet we got better gas mileage though. One time driving home when Jill was a hospital resident I found myself traveling 106 miles per hour so, I was driving nearly 100 miles per hours above what I was doing today. Believe it or not, I felt safer driving 106 then than I did driving 15 tonight.

I wrote some really great notes on my pad in the car while driving in. I had LOTS of time to take notes at 15 mph. I left the darn notebook in the car. I had dropped Jill off at the door of the hotel, because chivalry is not dead, and went and parked on the Johnny Mathis level of the parking deck. I had three bags to carry over from the parking deck and forgot my notepad. This should make it easy for me to blog tomorrow while she is in surgery. I would go get the notebook but I am in my pajamas and we are on the 21st floor of the hotel. Not that I would have to walk down 21 flights but I am trying to convince myself to stay here rather than going back out into the cold so near Lake Michigan. This is where the wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald happened you know! Okay, that was Lake Superior and this is Lake Michigan but she was a Great Lakes freighter and I am confident that she traveled by here back in her day since one of the five Great Lakes is within eyeshot of here. How come earshot is a word but eyeshot is not? Maybe because of A Christmas Story (a film whose exterior "shots" were filmed in Cleveland Ohio which is on the Detroit River which connects a couple of the Great Lakes - Lake Erie and Lake Huron). Weird! (but I am working on it) This hotel is on Huron. Weirder!!

It is almost 2300 and I should try to sleep because who knows how my special set of skills of being a pest, an agitator and the muscle will be needed tomorrow. I will try to remember to write about that French journalist contacting me again about Bob Odenkirk and me having some revelations about my novel/movie script or whatever it will become (maybe just something for me to waste time with once Jill is 100% again). Thanks a lot for reading the blog today and whenever you can. I really appreciate you and I hear so many nice things from Jill about what her friends say about my writing. Also for all of you who continue to encourage me to keep writing. A writer writes, Always! TTTT sometime...MITM (out) TA!

My Inner Media Whore is Simultaneously Disappointed and Proud

My inner media whore is disappointed and proud all at the same time

It was really nice getting off work at 0400 rather than 0600. I am not sure if it would make much of a difference or if it would be so great if it were a regular thing or it was just because it was like a gift. I still worked my eight hours and, if that were my normal shift, I would probably not like going in at 2000 rather than 2200. It is noon now and I feel pretty rested for a change. That may not be the time thing rather working in extreme cold weather. Either way, for a change, I do not feel tired; it has been a long time. I won't get used to it but I will appreciate it while it is here.

I just received a message from a French journalist named Anthony Mansuy who works for an online magazine called Kobini UK ("five million monthly viewers" he tells me). I figured that they have read the blog and wanted to put me on staff because of my genius, insightful and superb writing but I was incorrect (AGAIN). He says he is working on a profile of Bob Odenkirk because of his upcoming AMC series Better Call Saul based on the titular (that is one of my favorite words) character from Breaking Bad. He found that I had worked with Odenkirk at our college radio station (WIDB) at Southern Illinois University and wants to know what he was like back in day. "His personality, that kind of thing..." he says. I have mixed feelings about this. I did know and worked with Odenkirk but I did not know him really well. I have a few things that people would probably find funny, entertaining and interesting but, though I pretend to be and think myself a media whore sometimes, I checked-out Kobini as I had never heard of it and it seems to be kind of tabloidy. I think Matt In The Middle seems more professional than the site I saw. It looks kind of flashy and in-your-face to me; kind of like TMZ here in America. I suppose that is not fair; I am basing my opinion on American journalism and culture and I do know that many European publications are like this. Cultural differences... often make things difficult to compare. I am flattered that he would contact me but I do not want to be a hypocritical whore; not on purpose anyway. I cannot stand the reality shows and people who are famous just for just being famous; I would rather just remain little old middle Matt In The Middle than to compromise my values and morals. This may be opportunity knocking for me but, in times like this, I often think WWGBD? What would George Bailey do? Is it odd to consult fictional characters when making decisions? I can think of LOTS of fictional characters (in my opinion) that LOTS of people "speak to" every day so I think I just answered my own question. Now, do I respond to Mansuy or just ignore his message? I immediately am thinking of one of Odenkirk's characters (Dickie Crickets) from his show Mr. Show and think I will just send a message back and politely decline being interviewed (because of David Cross' character Kid Jersey) -"He was polite!" As a person who has worked for several newspapers, an NBC affiliate television news program, a couple of magazines and a podcast I was never offended by the "no comment" response or someone not wanting to be interviewed. Disappointed often but never offended. Incidentally, I think Mr. Show was one of the funniest shows ever produced.

See how things in one's day can just change where things go? I sure didn't plan on blogging about that when I woke-up this morning afternoon. Tonight is my Friday and then Cha Cha and I head back to The Second City again tomorrow for more hospital stuff. She is having her stent removed. It should be very routine but, as we have found out by the liver biopsy that nearly killed her, nothing is 100% routine. This should be a much more enjoyable trip than most of the previous ones.

I just fed the birds for the second time today; they eat much more seed when it is so cold outside and the ground is covered in snow because there is far less food for them to forage. Now, every time I fill the feeder and sprinkle seed on the ground, I have the song Feed The Birds running though my head (and sometimes out of my mouth). Of course my mind and mouth both have British accents when I sing this song. I didn't link the song this time but, if you want to hear it, go to the blog from January 5th and click the red link.

I have to get some things done around the house before settling down for a short winter's nap before work. I have not checked the weather for tonight but, compared to working in the elements last night, I am pretty-much winterized and can handle anything. Thanks a lot for stopping by. This is not the blog I had envisioned writing but the French press decided to dictate what I wrote today. I do thank the French for: french bread, french fries, french kissing, the Statue of Liberty (a couple I want to mention but will refrain)... okay, that is where my mind turned dirty and I will end. Stay warm if you are in the MIDDLEwest here. And stay happy no MATTer where you are. TTTT (most likely as it may be a busy day)...MITM (out) Au revior!

I Prefer Blowing!

This is going to be a quick one. I cannot imagine your sadness by that.

It is already 1509 and I have to be at work at 2000. I think I wrote yesterday that I had to work at 1800 tonight but, luckily I found out in time, that I was incorrect. I guess at least I would have been early rather than late. But it would have screwed up my potential sleep even more than usual. I am happy to go in early and be INSIDE for training for two hours because it is supposed to be 35 degrees BELOW ZERO (windchill) tonight. So that takes it down to only six hours potentially outside all night and then I get an hour break so five hours in the elements max. But, most likely, I will be  in a vehicle for most of that time so, good for me. I just have to get a few hours of sleep before I go in.

As soon as I got home this morning I had to clear the snow from the driveway. I would say that we had about four inches. That is not a usual guy rounding-up of inches I really think there was four inches. I am so glad that I took the snow blower in this summer and had it serviced. I had problems with it for the last couple of years and spent those winters shoveling rather than blowing. I prefer blowing.

While I was at the store just a few minutes ago it dawned on me that fashion goes right out the window when winter arrives. I wish we could all dress like grungy slobs and be comfortable all the time. Okay, maybe I do that most of the time anyway but I am happy to see when people realize that my fashion choices are really the way that it should be. Posers!

It is so simple and only takes a moment 

I noticed the last time we were at Northwestern Hospital (Friday) that only about 38% of the people in Chicago say "thank you." That is an arbitrary number but I believe it is close if not completely accurate. I hold doors and let people go ahead of me and pick things up for people if they drop things... and most of these people don't even say thank you. It will not change me but it is disheartening. We are going back to Chicago for the stent removal in a couple of days and I will try to get a more accurate percentage for my field research.

Last night I ran into a lady/girl/woman I used to work with at a concert/sports arena in the area. She told me about how she read the blog when Jill was so sick. She said that she doesn't really know Jill but she was mesmerized and feels like she knows her. Jill also said that just about everybody was reading the blog at her work. That makes a lot of sense as they were worried about Jill and that was a daily account of her life/and near-death. I wonder how many people still read the blog. If you need a blogger for a child's birthday party or a holiday get-together I am available for hire. Nothing is beneath my sweet blogging skills. Seriously, I am touched that so many people were so concerned with Jill's well-being. It was kind of an It's a Wonderful Life moment for Jill I think. None of us realize how may people's lives we touch until something like this happens. It is really heartwarming and maybe I will use those thoughts when I am outside in the 35 degrees below zero tonight.

Okay, I have to sleep. All of the driveway cleaning and shopping and cleaning and work last night have made me sleepy. I will be able to sleep from 1600 -  1900 before I head back to work. Thank you for stopping-by. If your are in the MIDDLEwest stay inside and warm tonight. I cannot practice what I blog unfortunately. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

FEED THE BIRDS!!!!

It is beautiful outside with the white snow everywhere but, as they say, beauty is only skin deep. In this case that means that if you walk out into the beauty your skin will be frozen deep to the bone. The Weather Channel APP on my phone says that the windchill is all the way up to -15 degrees Fahrenheit (that is 15 degrees below zero) in my part of the MIDDLEwest right now at 1344. Last night, while I was working in the elements, the windchill got down to -25 degrees. For you in other parts of the world windchill is supposedly where the temperature equates-to when you calculate the air temperature with the wind speed. I was in a vehicle for almost the entire time but I still had to wear gloves occasionally even though I had the temperature as hot as it would go with the fan blowing 100%. Tonight it is supposed to get down to ONE degree with a 90% chance of snow (up to five inches predicted). I just hope the wind says down. Windchill seems even worse when I have snow blowing into my face. I wish I was like Jeff and had that nice built-in fur coat; since dogs have no exposed "skin" windchill does not effect them like it does we humans. Actually, he loves it outside this every time of year.

Speaking of Jeff - Cha Cha thinks he has epilepsy. There must be something in the very frigid air in this house. Ever since we has live with us (a couple of years now) he has done this thing sometimes when he gets up after lying down for a longer while. He gets up and kind of hunches up and starts shaking like he is having an epileptic seizure. I have seen epileptic seizures in humans but I never really put that together. I figured it was just growing pains or cramps from being balled-up while he was sleeping. I am still not convinced it is epilepsy  but that is what the internet tells her. Why would it only happen after he gets-up? I just looked online and it says,"if left untreated the seizures may become more severe or more frequent. Are you serious? Was I Florence Nightingale in a former life? Was I put here to care for man and beast? It also says that in younger dogs, like Jeff, the treatment responds better to medication.

Feed the birds, Tuppence a bag

We feed the birds every day. We do it all-year long. The birds sure do eat a lot more when it is this cold outside. I feel it is very important because the birds that are stupid and stay here rather than going south for the winter would not make it if the food wasn't available free at the drive-up fly-up window for them. We literally do have the feeder right outside one of our windows. We removed the screen so we just open the window and fill the feeder. It also makes it easy to watch the birds too. It's important to keep birds happy because they used to be the dinosaurs and if they ever figure out how to get back to that I want them to remember that we have always been nice to them. All of the Mary Poppins and Saving Mr. Banks things over the past month have made the fact that we do this even better. Almost every time I feed them now I have that song Feed the Birds running through my head. Julie Andrews sure could sing couldn't she?! She probably still can but I haven't heard her new album yet.

Tonight is my Wednesday already. Then, tomorrow, I work at 1800 rather than 2200 as usual. We are having some training while most of our customers are out of town. I missed some training while I was saving Cha Cha's life over the last couple of months. The training I missed was mainly about customer service. I think that was okay for me to miss since I could easily teach customer service at the college level with all of the experience and training I have had in my long, boring life. So, that means Wednesday morning I get off work at 0200 instead of 0600 and then don't have to be back to work my Friday 20 hours later. And I wonder why my internal clock is screwed-up so often.

I just checked my notes and I wrote: even with the really cold temperature last night I saw a guy walking with his "draws" (underwear / drawers) showing with his belt wrapped around his thighs walking down the sidewalk. I thought about calling medics to check his mental capacity to see if we should lock him up for the night. Other than the obvious lack of intelligence he appeared otherwise normal so I just let him literally freeze his butt off. Talking to him would have meant having to get out into the cold or at the very least rolling the window down. Do you know how long it takes to get it warm back in there once you open a door or a window?

Cha Cha went back into her office today. She works from home most of the time but, since she is released to go back to work today she needed to go in and get caught-up on things. One of the coldest days of the years is probably not one of the best days to go in but she took the vehicle with remote start. Well, I have to go feed the birds now since I have them on my mind and their feeder is empty. I also need to get some laundry done and unload the dishwasher that I loaded when I got home from work this morning. All so I can fill it again tomorrow morning and do the next load of laundry. It is nice to be back to work so I can wear my uniforms again and get them dry-cleaned at no cost to me.

Thank you for stopping by. Stay warm tonight unless you are somewhere near the equator then - stay cool. I would stay warm tonight but I have other plans! TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Cha Cha is Back in the News and the MITM Blog Team Was on the Scene!

Don't really click on that "Sign In" box it won't work here

Yesterday, as previously reported, Cha Cha had another doctor's appointment at the Northwestern Medical complex. The drive in to Chicago was nice and the traffic was very light. Her appointment was set for 1100 and we arrived a little after 1000. I am a person who LOVES to arrive early for just about everything; my love, however, is usually scorned. Yesterday was a perfect reason why I try to be early everywhere I go (at least when I go alone). This most recent visit was like an episode of Where's Waldo but it was Where is Dr. McGee's Physician's Assistant (that was who Jill met with)? We were first sent to the 21st floor of the Galter Pavilion where we discovered that we were in the Cancer area and then they sent us down to the 17th floor but the person there said she was over in the Arkes Family Pavilion today so we crossed the bridge and found where we were supposed to be. Most of our time here over the past couple of months was spent at the Feinberg Pavilion but we didn't even enter there this time. So Jill met with Megan (the PA) and she is released to go back to work Monday.

I think I mentioned awhile back that the last time we were in to Northwestern Jill asked them what they ever heard about the liver biopsy from Rush Copley Hospital in Aurora that started this wild ride. They found out that Rush Copley had sent the biopsy to Rush University in Chicago to try to interpret the results. Jill asked about it again yesterday and they had not heard back from Rush; imagine that! By the time we got half-way home the information was on Jill's MyChart. I was not even familiar with MyChart until this whole thing began but, apparently, Jill has been using it for a long time. It is a hub whereby you can see just about everything they will allow you to know about your health and appointments. It appears that she has fibrosis. We are not sure if she ever even had auto-immune hepatitis. MyChart needs to include a glossary I think. It seems, from what we can surmise, like she may have NASH which is Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis. Where are Crosby, Nash and Young? The good part is that the reports use words like "minor" and "moderate" a lot. In summation, we are not really sure what Jill has or what she had and neither is anybody else. We all know that she is doing better and she is alive and I guess, bottom line, that is the ultimate goal we all have every day. Also, we know that they finally removed the bad section of her intestines that we have wanted out of her for about 30 years.

We love Jeff Swanson Helser (our Border Collie) very much but he has one trait about him that we really dislike. If you sneeze within his earshot he will charge you and get all up in your grill. When Splenda was home she looked it up on the interweb and found that primarily herding dogs do this. I was happy to hear that is is not just something psycho about Jeff. I have found lots of different theories for why this happens. If you are gonna sneeze in our house I would excuse yourself to the washroom and close the door if you have time. He will not hurt you but he will run at you full speed to make sure you're okay. Maybe it his way of saying gesundheit? They used to say when you sneezed you were releasing demons. That is why people say "bless you." Maybe this is just Jeff delivering his blessing? It is really annoying though. Ironically (actually it just coincidence not irony) Jill sneezed and Jeff charged her.

When we went into the hospital yesterday we listened to WLS instead of WLUP. Jill doesn't like The Loop. I prefer LUP but WLS was fine too. I also decided to take Lower Wacker Drive yesterday - mixin'-it-up. I had taken Wacker several times over the past couple of months but this time I noticed how clean it is down there. I remember back in the day when it was scary dirty. Maybe they had to clean it up when The Dark Knight and Batman Begins filmed down there? It was still filthy for Jake and Ellwood. It used to be where all of the vagrants stayed. This was is much better.

When we were on the cancer floor of the hospital yesterday we saw something about Gilda's Club. As you have probably assumed it named for comedian and original Saturday Night Live cast member Gilda Radner who died of ovarian cancer in 1989. Shortly thereafter her husband, Gene Wilder, and some of her close friends started Gilda's Club in New York City as a support all people impacted by cancer. What a great legacy to have; it is nice when something good comes from tragedies and sadness. I think Jill and I are a lot like Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner; just replace cancer for Crohn's Disease. Wilder and I are both strikingly handsome and both kinda quirky. Jill and Gilda are both funny ladies with great taste in men who support them in their illnesses. Jill is convinced that she will only be on this planet another five years or so; that puts the pressure on me to get her Crohn's Disease or Gastrointestinal support group together. Gilda had the red door and I just told Jill I am starting to work on her foundation. She said her favorite colors are red and dark pink so, as to not cause any confusion I think we will go with duty rose for the color of Jill's foundation doors. The reason I say "dusty rose" is that was the color of our bridesmaids' dresses. Actually they were kind of a mid-pink. I am so MATTrosexual. I will stop by the paint store and set some color samples so I can get the ball rolling on this.

I have blogged-on long enough. I do not think I am going to blog tomorrow. I may go back to week days only since I am going back to work tonight. We'll see if this "going back to work" lasts longer than one night like Tuesday's "going back to work" went. Thanks a lot for stopping by - I do appreciate you every day (even tomorrow when I will not blog). TTTMonday...MITM (out) TA!

I'm Completely Mental, I Must Say

Pretty damn good for only an hour of chopping! Six Servings

Today we head back to Northwestern Medical Center to see the doctor to make sure Cha Cha is cleared to go back to work next week. She seemed to be doing pretty well until yesterday at about 1530. She started getting a sever pain in her lower abdomen again. I was making the chopped salad and she was very excited about that; we are fairly simple
people and we get excited over simple things. Her pain came back while I was chopping the veggies for the chopped salad. So, I ended up making her Lipton Chicken Soup/broth. There is LOTS more salad for when she feels better and I only used half of the ingredients so "plenty more where that came from." It is delicious if I must say so myself; even Fabio liked it. So, I suppose Cha Cha can ask the doctor about her latest problem while we are in the city. She was concerned that maybe her stent had been in too long but everything that we have read and they have told us says that stents can remain inside people without problems for three months; she has had hers for about two months (maybe a bit longer but less than three months). She said that she was okay as long as she didn't move - not very practical. I checked on her off-and-on all night long again. Maybe having Splenda home was the medicine that Jill needed but, the day after she left to go back south, Cha Cha needed more "medicine." Even though I tried to do most everything holiday-related maybe the holidays were just too much for her.

I am really mentally and slightly physically tired. I watched Saving Private Ryan again the other night for about the 15th time when I could not sleep. Not to minimize what they went through or the prices they paid but, I feel as exhausted as the soldiers who stormed Normandy Beach must have been on D-Day plus two. I thought this was over and now I am not completely convinced.

I found a bright shiny 2014 penny on New Years Eve in our garage on the step coming into the house. I didn't know they were still making pennies. I further didn't know that they changed the design of the penny. I was happy to see it still has the face of one of the Presidents from my MIDDLEwestern state on the front. The back has a shield on it. Lincoln seems like he was probably a pretty good old boy. The penny was heads-up when I found it. Isn't that supposed to be lucky? So far Abe hasn't been so honest with the luck; come on Mr. Lincoln I am counting on you.

Wow, time really got away from me. It is already 0824 and we are leaving for Chicago in six minutes. I am ready and waiting. Have a great day. Thanks for stopping by. Hopefully good news about Cha Cha the next time I blog. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

It's My Only Defense

Happy 2015. I hope you had a safe night. Cha Cha and I just stayed home and did nothing. So far I have slept the entire year except for the last eight minutes. I am much happier doing that than I would have been being at work. I almost always wake-up with a stuffed-up nose and sinus pressure in the back of my head but this morning I did not. Maybe this will be a good year after-all.

I forgot to tell you that I asked Cha Cha about her trip with Splenda to IKEA and she said that it went very well; she didn't get very tired at all. There were plenty of places to sit and when she got tired so she sat if she needed to. I also found out that we are going to Northwestern Hospital tomorrow as well as next Friday. This week is for her release to be able to go back to work and next week for the stent removal. As much of a great hospital as it is I am getting tired of going there so much. At least she has been able to make the appointments the next two weeks on one of my days off (Fridays). Speaking of IKEA I have to install a new light in the kitchen today. Thanks Obama IKEA!

I think I am going to try to go back to sleep for awhile because it is only 0500 and I am still sleepy. How can I sleep my whole life away by blogging? I am going to sleep one year at a time beginning with 2015.


I don't do resolutions. I think I resolve to lay around like a slug today.

It is now 0950 and I have already blown my one resolution; I installed the new kitchen light fixture that Cha Cha got at IKEA. That is why I do not make resolutions. They just set me up to start my year off failing. I have found that failing at things is not very good for one's psyche. I have nothing against resolutions; I am sure they work for some people and the advertisers love that we make resolutions. All I see and hear are adds for the weight-loss places/programs and health clubs and such: diet centers, health clubs, weight-loss programs...

Cha Cha-pped Salad

I think Cha Cha and I may go out for lunch and to see a film. I bet the theaters will be quiet with all the revelers sleeping and recovering today. I am watching what I eat as I have put on a few pounds being Cha Cha's personal assistant and life-saver. Over the last couple of days I have "resolved" to lose weight again. I have been eating mainly fruits and salads and I pretty much always drink water anyway. I am fairly sure that I am going to make a huge chopped salad and have it in the fridge for all of us now that Jill can eat salads with that bad piece of her intestines gone. With Cha Cha not drinking anymore because of her bad liver I have given-up drinking alcohol to help support her. That is not to say that I won't have a drink every now and again but I really do not see the benefit for the most part. Our dinner bills have been a lot cheaper - I do know that. Okay, plans changed - we are not going to lunch and a movie. That was decided before we heard that there is a Winter Storm Warning for our town for later today.

I did not proofread today's blog so I apologize if there are any issues with the sentence structures or flow or spelling. Actually, I seldom proofread it but this time I did even less. I am going to end now to go take down some of the Christmas decorations... I hope you have a great New Years Day and a super 2015. I will try to be more interesting this year though, Cha Cha being sick at the end of 2014 sure did boost ratings. My fake advertisers are overwhelmed. Thanks for stopping-in. TTTT...MITM (out) TA!