“Are you okay?”

When I start getting emails from (multiple!) readers, I know it’s time to heave out of my chair and explain myself.

We got some variety overnight…


A proper snow at last. For the past several days it’s just been cold, rain, spitting snow, and (yesterday) lots and lots of wind to the point where I began to fear for my roof covering.

I’ve just been cocooning through it. I’m about 7/8 of the way through Neal Stephenson’s Baroque Cycle trilogy, possibly the most dense series of books I ever read: Makes the first three books of SoI&F read like Harry Potter. And yet somehow it has held my YouTube-addled attention throughout. Yesterday one of the ubervillains got impaled with the business end of a cello, something you would only expect to find in a Stephenson novel.

Yesterday people started asking “are you okay?” and the answer isn’t really entirely “yes.” This whole thing with winter deciding to play catch-up in one week has coincided with an odd soreness and swelling on the distal end of my stump, a sort of all-too-literal proof of the old joke that your feet are there to keep your legs from fraying on the ends. I’m not sure exactly why that is* but between that, the weather, and a box full of good unread books I have declared the outside world an object to be utterly ignored for a while. I’ve spent most of the past few days sitting in my reading chair with the prosthesis right off and propped against the wall over there. Think of it as turning the act of boring poor Tobie into a spectator sport. But I am sorry about the extended silence. There’s just been nothing whatsoever going on that’s worth talking about.

Speaking of Tobie, he is informing me in no uncertain terms that it’s far past time for his long morning walkie. With all this snow it’s going to be a shortish morning walkie but he doesn’t know that yet. And since it’s like 14o out there and windy, I’d better suit all the way up for it.
—-
* There is the small issue that by mid/late winter I’m not really bathing as often as would seem quite right if I didn’t live alone. Coupled with the usual amputee’s circulation issues, this can lead to painful and unfortunate skin issues right where you put all your weight against latex. But I learned my lesson about that DECADES ago, and sort of invest in antiseptic wet wipes that I expend through the winter. Hasn’t entirely helped in this case.

About Joel

You shouldn't ask these questions of a paranoid recluse, you know.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink.

7 Responses to “Are you okay?”

  1. boynsea says:

    Yes, well I was starting to be concerned for you. Don’t comment often, but I check in almost every day to keep up to date on the ongoing adventures, and you are here almost every day.
    Stay warm and dry. I 2 months or so we’ll all be complaining about it being too hot!

  2. wjw says:

    I’m another of the seldom comment but read every day crowd. Up to 3 days I don’t worry, but given your acknowledged issues and age (about the same as mine), 4 or 5 days get troubling. Maybe set a limit of days no post and on the 4th you can post a photo of you giving us the bird with an “I’m OK” caption? Or Tobie photo with an “I didn’t eat him, I promise” caption?

  3. Anonymous says:

    Me too. I read this first thing every morning with coffee, often with Spam, eggs and biscuits. At 2 days I start to worry.

  4. B says:

    You don’t OWE anyone an explanation.

    But some of us were concerned. (Not that I could do anything to help if you weren’t ok, but hopefully someone knows how to find you).

  5. jed says:

    No idea what SoI&F is, but I’m glad that the Baroque Cycle compares favorably. I do hope you’re enjoying it, rather than pressing on in grim determination.

  6. Joel sez: “…impaled with the business end of a cello”.

    It’s not SF – but the Hannibal stories (Silence of the Lambs, etc.) are just full of fun stuff like that. The (somewhat) recent tv series did a pretty good job of putting the visuals to the story.

    Just sayin’…

  7. makerofgames says:

    SoI&F: Song of Ice & Fire, more well known as Game of Thrones.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *