Tangled Mind

07JUN25: Siena: the Rise of Painting 1300-1350 -- National Gallery
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12JUN25: In Her Place (Alberdi, 2024) -- Netflix
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14JUN25: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare / Hytner) -- Bridge Theatre
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19JUN25: Sparks -- Eventim Apollo
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20JUN25: Fiddler on the Roof (Bock / Harnick) -- Barbican Theatre
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Also a round of appointments with spine consultant, culminating in aspiration of an L5 synovial cyst and a bracing dose of steroid nerve block.

was about to go out for some, but it seemed to be full of sharp bits and wet stuff and horizontal botany. The garden looked like one of those Rousseau paintings of Exotic Weather. The wind was playing tunes in the chimney. The tree-swing was possessed.

In other news, I still feel rough but perhaps not as rough. Well, being online is not hurting my head yet. (Though this may change depending on how I filter my LJ reading.)

In other other news, I finally have a fuseboard in my flat! This is getting on 3 months after the incident in which the builders upstairs switched off my electricity and did not notice. Not to be confused with the water-through-the-ceiling episodes, the second of which has not yet been fixed, grrrrr. (Have not really been in a fit state to chase 'em this week.)

In other^other news, the fuseboard will not actually work until they have switched off the power, done stuff for a few hours and switched it back on.

In not-news-at-all, I have a vague memory of frantic deadlines last week.

All of the above makes me inclined to go to werk tomorrow. Even if briefly.

An update to New Month's Resolutions:

Since Saturday I have:
- written nothing, due to migraine
- read nothing new, due to migraine (occasional half-hours of quality rereads)
- eaten very little, for values of 'eat' that include 'retain'
- veered between calling myself a slacker and wishing this would STOP.

( on migraines )

This morning I turned on my writing laptop and it died. Luckily, after several safe-mode reboots and some auto-file repair, Windoze fired up and I could save my 8K of Nanowrimo onto the USB stick. So I am now online on werk laptop (though 'online' is making me feel sick) looking at new laptops. Though it would probably be better to just use the werk laptop until I can go somewhere and shop properly.

Noticed a letter on the BBC News site: Does anyone else find it frustrating that "Mars starts using animal products" makes the news, yet "Mars stealthily drops 'gluten free' certification" doesn't?

Googled for more refs, and found a note on the Coeliac Society's newsletter: We are getting lots of enquiries about why Mars ® products (such as MarsTM, GalaxyTM, StarburstTM, BountyTM, SnickersTM) are not listed in this years directory despite them previously being suitable for a gluten-free diet. We are in active dialogue with Mars ®, who report that they are undertaking a risk assessment with regards to the gluten-status of their products.

And found a newsgroup post from someone who'd emailed Masterfoods and been sent a list of the products that were still gluten-free: list is here.

I'm not coeliac, but I can appreciate how frustrating and unnecessary this is.

Here's how the NHS choose and book system works.

1. Your GP says, "I'm going to refer you to a consultant. Here's a brochure about the different hospitals in the local NHS Trust. Pick the one that's shiniest."
2. You read the brochure and pick the one that's shiniest.
3. A letter comes from the 'Choose and Book' Appointments Line, anxiously enquiring why you haven't yet made your appointment. You will need a reference number and a password.
4. You search frantically for reference number and password.
5. You ring your GP practice and say, "OMG WTF have lost reference number and password!!!"
6. GP practice say, soothingly, "Don't worry, it will be sent out soon: it comes from the local NHS Trust, but the Appointments Line are more efficient than them."
7. Go to step 3.
8. A letter arrives! It is your reference number and password! And the numbers for each of the available hospital options!
8a. There are two (2) options.
8b. They both have the same address.
8c. And the same phone number.
9. You ring the number (or perhaps the other number, since they are, as noted, the same).
10. You listen to a badly-looped version of Handel's Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (occasionally interrupted by an authoratitive voice telling you that all their staff are busy) for 23 minutes.
11. Someone answers the phone! She takes your reference number and password! And transfers you!
12. Someone else answers the phone!
13. "The next available appointment is June 7th, 10am, Dr X: we'll send you a confirmation letter in the post."
14. Your name is Hobson and this is your Choice.

I'm sure I feel worse than usual.

Is this because I have confirmation that there is actually something wrong with me (and not just an inability to adjust to full-time werk)?

Have completely wasted day off: would very much like to take tomorrow as a sickie, but I don't think lying in bed would actually solve anything. It didn't today, and now I'm beating myself up for not getting anything done.

Just spent half an hour looking through all the BP-related posts from last outbreak, summer 2004. Mopiness? tick. Contant headaches? tick. Lethargy? tick.

Goes away quite quickly once medicated*? fingers crossed!

*ah, but no medication til after next appointment

EDIT: have got a grip and emailed boss to say I will be working from home tomorrow, explaining the situation, promising to be in on Friday. Stupid to be upset about it. Sensible to deal.
*awards self bouquet*
*retires to sofa*

"I'm feeling low: I'll finish off that box of ice-cream truffles" is a really stupid idea if you are even slightly lactose-intolerant.
Especially if you were feeling nauseous to start with.

( tedious medical stuff, general trend: better )
Won't be around much for the next few days and email access will be intermittent. The Kew Rest Cure (with Urban Predator) awaits! And part of it is staying offline and doing Healthy Stuff. Like sleeping a lot.

Good things about rainy Friday:
- the river Ravensbourne (outside my window) is rushing and gushing like a simile.
- I don't have high blood pressure any more.

Now I have low blood pressure. 117/78 (down from 214/140 three weeks ago).

Apparently this makes no sense. But the rapid descent of BP may explain why I've felt like a reanimated corpse for the last couple of weeks. Have put it to doctor that I would like to stop taking beta-blockers: a short life and a merry one, etc. He seemed to agree.

More tests next week, just 'cause.

Still corpse-like, so off for a nap pre-anything else.