October 25, 2008
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My slowest week ever on Xanga
baldmike2004′s Feedback Log for the week Data for: Today Week Messages 0 13 Footprints 82 1487 eProps 0 2 Comments 0 1 Guestbook 0 0 Subscriptions 0 0 Photos 0 0 Videos 0 0 Audio 0 0 Pulse 0 0 Invites 0 0 Friends 0 0 Chatboard 0 0 Memories 0 0 Nudges 0 0 WHAT: ONLY 1 COMMENT??????
It’s probably because I’ve been a “bad Xangan”, and you’ve forgotten me. I’ve been trying to at least post once a week (this one won’t count). and my last ElectricPoetry post only garnered 7 comments for the week. A new low. Truthfully, I haven’t even checked Xanga a lot this past week. Too much going on at work. A lot of stuff going on in life. I figure the law of commenting is applying here. Bloggers tend to move on to other sites when those they usually read begin to stale and their comments aren’t returned. I’ve always said I answer all comments, but I’ve been lax doing even that the past couple or three weeks, which is almost a month. No wonder my “comment index” is down to one comment a week. While driving home from work on Friday night, I had a thought that Xanga would probably be taking away my 
True status if I don’t visit and comment soon.Should I just spread a bunch of comments because I don’t want to lose my
True badge? 
No, don’t think so. I gotta tell you I’m in pain a lot of the time, and I’ve begun to take more of the tylenol-codeine. I finally kick started the referral process for more tests regarding my hip replacement surgery by bugging Athena/Blue Cross, the provider, personally. My latest doctor’s HMO coordinator hadn’t submitted the request for referral for over a MONTH!! In the meantime, I get around on crutches pretty much all the time at work. I haven’t been going out much outside of work at all (and even called in sick because of hip pain two Mondays ago.) and just recently I’ve had to use the crutches around the house too. Too much pain if I don’t. Most of the time, I’m in my comfy chair enjoying my new bigscreen TV. I’m entertained, and I don’t have to move around a lot, which hurts me immensely. I’m thinking of getting one of those Handicapped stickers for my car. I’m trying not to think of how much longer this process is going to take before I actually get to have the operation. So far, a CAT scan has been approved and ordered, but the latest request for a simple blood test has either been denied or is slow in being accepted. I told the HMO coordinator at USC Medical, where I will eventually have the operation, that I didn’t want to drive all the way into East L.A. for a CAT scan one week, and then have to drive all the way over there again a week later for a blood test. Why won’t they accept bloodwork from my own HMO, you might ask. Excellent question. I wish I knew.
So this is a half arsed update on my account. Nobody’s coming over here right now anyway. I’m as well as can be, but I’m in a lot of pain. I’m upset that the medicos can’t just get this ball rolling. (I shudder to think of how long it would have taken me to realize nothing had been ordered if I hadn’t started calling around myself a month after I didn’t get a referral letter.)
Let’s see (believe it or not I think this is how most folks write blogs) my roommate got a virus on his computer, which is networked with mine, on Thursday night. He was downloading some music from what he believed to be a trusted site. I did an immediate virus scan of my puter, and we’re now disconnected. He’s not connected to the internet, and the virus destroyed his task manager, so he has some rebuilding to do. Poor guy, since he’s moved in here, his rent has shot up over 50 percent from what he paid at the other place, he’s constantly bombarded by ant invasions (they usually stop in the fall) and of course can’t see them. Now his computer gets messed up!
Writing this entry is the most I’ve done on the computer all week. Well, there was the downloading of and copying to CD of the anti virus patch for the virus on Mike’s computer. That took some time Thursday night. But I just haven’t been Xangaing. I still won’t use the word “hiatus” although I just did. Perhaps I’ll feel like visiting this weekend, and get around to see some folks. Just now I stepped outside to check on my latest ant extermination ploy (which worked, they’re gone from the side of the house) and I neglected to use the crutch when stepping outside. Pain shot through my leg down to the knee. I want so much to go out and about, maybe take some photos, take advantage of the beautiful weather and the lower cost of gas.
But I came back in the house and decided I hurt too much to go out. The crutches get in the way. And I just hurt too much. Lately, the only times I seem to feel good is when I’m lost in a movie sitting in my comfy chair, not moving. Like I’m about to do now.
Sorry, Xanga. Maybe I’ll break this week’s record with “no” comments next week. If you have to take away my
True badge so be it. Sorry I just haven’t felt like blogging. When I commit to something, it’s always all the way, and never half way, so when I get interested again, you’ll know it. 
At least I got reconnected with my servers at Allthingsmike, so the main page is up again. When I get back to using the computer at home, I’ll probaby be updating a lot on the site and here on the blog. Next year my website turns 10 years old.
Comments (20)
I hope you feel better! I haven’t been on Xanga much lately, either. When I don’t have much time it seems that Xanga is one of the first things to go (is it better to lose Xanga than lose sleep? ha ha).
xanga has gotten sooooooo slow lately, it takes much more time to get around to comment. plan for a LOT more time when you do get back to it….
Every one gets discouraged when you quit getting comments. I know I do. I haven’t been on much lately either. I’m glad you have a new roommate, I admire him for all that he has accomplished. Some people would never do the things he has done.
I’m sorry you are in pain and it is taking so long to get something done about it. Do you have a laptop computer? I find it easier to sit on the couch and check my accounts from there and watch tv at the same time.
Have a good weekend……
xanga is merely a diversion, people come and go….i always figure they just found something better to do..i know with hunting season coming up, i’m in and out myself…out the door right now as a matter of fact…feel better soon :sunny:
I haven’t been around much either. I moved some furniture and have been in my comfy chair reading books. Just reading. Something I haven’t done in awhile. I hope you get all the medical stuff straightened out! Being in pain is, well, a pain.
Hi Mikey, my stats are way down too, but it’s my own fault because I haven’t updated. Sometimes genius is just not burning, which is weird, because I’m writing all the time. But it’s not always a xanga kind of thing, you know? I know you do.
And yeah, coming into the cold and wet season, a lot of old and/or injured bones are beginning their seasonal protest. I’m in better shape thanks to some hard circuit training workouts 6 days a week (was trying to get some other health issues whipped into submission, and I have) and I’m grateful for that. Having had my flu shot this week, I’m hoping to avoid the terrible upper respiratory issues I have so often, and hoping also to avoid sciatica for a while.
But I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself, I have a mental picture of you in your chair with the cats and the TV and maybe a good book??
Okay, off to update. At last. Take care of you!
I am sorry to hear you are in so much pain. I have very few comments and/or footprints no matter what I do, so I gave up caring about it. I do have a few good people here that I enjoy exchanging comments with, and I do visit as many people as I can as frequently as I can.
Have hope, you are not forgotten.
hi mike, you’re a good xangan, and don’t need any kind of badge to make it so. hope you get your hip taken care of soon. it’s such a shame our medical system works so poorly. take care.
i didnt know you could lose your true badge :jealous:
i hope you feel better and get climbing the stairs of LA again soon!
Curt
well, here’s for more than one comment.
Hope you get to feeling better soon. We’ll still be here, eager to read your next entry. As for the True badge, big whoop. That badge and 10 bucks will get you one coffee at Starbucks.
I’m sorry to hear you’ve been in pain. I hope the referral process goes smoothly and reasonably quickly.
Gosh, I never even look at my stats. I know only the visitors who comment, when they do. I’ve been away a lot (off the computer) myself since the beginning of summer, which is why you haven’t seen much of me.
”gotta tell you I’m in pain a lot of the time, and I’ve begun to take more of the tylenol-codeine.”
Take care, Mike. Health first.
Sorry you are feeling down. Sounds like the pending operation and the lack of mobility have you feeling a little depressed. I don’t blame you one bit, though.
I don’t always have as much time on here as I used to since my laptop is dead and I am working more hours these days. I used to just plop on the couch with my laptop and spend hours surfing, but now I actually have to make the time to get on the computer upstairs after work, which is not always an easy task. I love reading what you write and seeing the pictures, living vicariously through you since I have never seen the West coast.
If I looked at my stats and my footprints, I’d be ready to throw in the blogging towel.
Keep up with your updates and take care of yourself.
Look at all the footprints! Wow!
I never know what makes people leave a comment. Sometimes I am disappointed, and sometimes I am gratified – and I don’t usually get as many comments as most people. I know I leave WAAAAY more comments than I ever get back, which is usually okay, except sometimes it does get a little disappointing. Some people never respond after intially subbing, and I wonder about that.
I was thinking about you just yesterday, in fact, wondering how the knee was doing. It’s awful to lose your mobility, let alone having to suffer pain. And it sure doesn’t make navigating the medical system any easier when you are feeling lass than top-notch to begin with!
I know we will hear more from you when you are feeling better, and I hope that can be soon!
Xanga is, at least, better than a houseplant. I can keep it alive but I can’t make it thrive. Truth is, I don’t hardly care any more. I never really cared a propitious amount about Xanga, but recently I’ve been a little reluctant to post anything. I feel like a kid reciting his school play lines for his parents’ friends who missed it. I should have realized, when I felt Xanga growing on me, that something growing on you isn’t exactly healthy… medically speaking.
Nice post Mike, Happy Halloween. Judi
Take care! Health is still the most important
For some reason I have been getting more footprints over the last few weeks.
At least I still am a member of the true xangians. Your footprints is way more than my site and you are handicapped too….
I figure why subscribe to mike? Someone would recommend your blog or that you would periodically visit my blogg. Nay Nay I am one year older than you….