All Now Mysterious...

Friday, October 31, 2008

Top Five for Two Fridays

Top 5 On Friday - Week 197
From The Music Memoirs

Happy Halloween!

Top 5 Spooky Halloween Songs

» "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
This song had to be included. It's a classic.

» "Creepy Doll" by Jonathan Coulton
The music is creepy and the lyrics sound like they were written by Stephen King. It's a great little spooky story in song form.

» "RE: Your Brains" by Jonathan Coulton
What would happen if zombies took over your office? In my office, I'd hardly notice the difference. But it might be different for you. If that's the case, listen to this song.

» "Home by the Sea" by Genesis
A fun little ghost story from Phil, Mike, and Tony.

» "Tocatta and Fugue in D Minor" by Johann Sebastian Bach
Lon Chaney plays this piece as the Phantom of the Opera in the 1925 horror classic. Enough said.


Top 5 On Friday - Week 196

Top 5 Songs About Fear

» The Fear Series: "The Enemy Within", "The Weapon", "Witch Hunt", and "Freeze" by Rush
Spread out over four albums and nearly two decades, Neil Peart's lyrical analysis of the different aspects of fear (how fear works within us, how fear works against us, how fear turns reason into panic, hatred, persecution, and how we ultimately react when confronted by fear) is brilliant and thought-provoking. The music for "Witch Hunt" is particularly haunting.

» "Don't Fear the Reaper" by Blue Öyster Cult
Actually, the only thing scary about this song is the SNL 'More Cowbell!' skit. That, and the guitar part on Rock Band.

» "Afraid of Sunlight" by Marillion
Fear means different things to different people. Some people are afraid of what others take comfort in.

» "Stranger In Town" by Toto
We seem to have two reactions to the unknown: to fear it, and to sensationalize it. This song deals with both aspects. It's as true today as when the song was a Top 40 single for the band in 1984.

» "Don't Be Afraid" by Boston
There are basically just two ways to react to fear: the give in, or to fight it. In their album "Don't Look Back", Boston recommends the latter.

Michael's Miserable, Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

If you haven't read the toothache post yet, read that one first. I'll wait.
--

So I made it through Sunday, despite the fact that I got roughly four hours of sleep and ended up teaching a Sunday School lesson on two hours' notice. (Don't ask me what the speakers in Sacrament Meeting talked about, I have no idea.) And with the help of some Acetaminophen PM and a Lortab left over from my last root canal, I actually slept pretty soundly Sunday night. And I needed it.

So I awoke Monday morning at about 7:30. I tried to get back to sleep, but finding myself unable to do so, went ahead and got up and started my day. I had two main missions for the day, centered around two phone calls I had to make. One, obviously, was to try to get an appointment with the dentist. The second was to follow up on my student loan application, I'd faxed all the requested documents on the 6th, and even though they said it could take up to 14 days to process, I still hadn't heard back yet. So a follow-up call was definitely in order.

I called the loan company first. They informed me that I was missing some documents. WTH? I'd faxed in the signature pages from the promissory note, the signed IRS document stating that I would only use the money for educational purposes, and the proof of enrollment. Well, apparently they needed the first page of the promissory notes, too. Looking through all my loan papers, I could not find a single place where it said they needed those, but fine, I could go ahead and fax them in. I verified what they still needed and got the papers together.

The next call was to Nancy's dentist. The girl who answered the phone was pleasant and helpful, but told me the soonest appointment they had was Tuesday morning. But she said she could talk to the dentist if it was an emergency and see if they could slip me in at the end of the day. I told her I'd appreciate it if they could, and she put me on hold to go talk to the dentist(s). When she came back, she had wonderful news: not only could they see me that day, but they could see me in the morning. At 9:10. It was around 8:20 by this time, so I hurried and got ready, then drove down to the office. So far so good.

I got to the office, filled out the new patient paperwork, and was in the chair by 9:25. The dentist introduced himself and found out a little about me. Then came the needle. He gave me a lidocaine injection and waited for five minutes or so for me to get numb. I felt fairly numb as he began working—until the dental assistant sprayed a little cold water in my mouth. It sent a sharp pain through my supposedly numb lower jaw. So he gave me a second injection and waited five more minutes. This was followed by third and fourth injections, neither of which solved the problem. At this point the dentist said there was nothing else he could do; he'd have to send me to a specialist.

The office assistant got the specialist on the phone and set up an appointment for 3:00 that afternoon. The bad news is that the specialists were not only quite a bit more expensive, but also not nearly as flexible with payment arrangements. I'd have pony up a $200 co-pay for them to see me—$200 I didn't have, and given upcoming obligations for rent and bills, wouldn't have for at least three weeks. I asked if there were any arrangements that could be made in that respect, and the only thing they were able (or willing) to do was to take a postdated check. Good thing I have so many substitute teaching hours this month.

So I left the dentist's office, mouth mostly numb, and headed for the call center to use the fax machine. Once there, I had all the stuff ready to fax in. And then, for some reason, I thought I'd better call one more time, just to verify that I did indeed have everything I needed. So I did, and it was a good thing that I did. It turned out that had I faxed in what I then had, I would still have been short one document: the first page of my cosigner's copy of the promissory note. Which, naturally, I didn't have with me. I was pretty sure I had a copy stored on my hard drive, but that would necessitate me driving home and then back to the call center. My mother, the cosigner, also had a copy; I know this because I mailed it to her. I could call Mom and have her send me a copy of that first page, which could take a week or more. Or I could try to access the documents online, which is how I had originally got them, and which was the option most likely to allow me to get things done right then. I decided to try to access the information online.

The challenge here was that the loan company's web site is so poorly designed that it's nearly impossible to find that kind of information. If you're looking to apply for a loan, it's a piece of cake to navigate. But if you're looking for information on an existing loan, you literally can't find it from their front page. It's simply not there. So I called their number yet again (this would be the third time so far today, for those keeping track) and asked how to get that information. The agent who answered my call had no idea, so I asked him as politely as I could (considering that the anaesthesia was now starting to wear off) to transfer me to a supervisor. Fortunately, once I got to the supervisor, she was able to tell me immediately where I needed to go. I thanked her for her time and went to work on getting that final, elusive document I needed.

Unfortunately, I found I couldn't access it under my login. I'd need to go home and print a copy from my hard drive after all. Or, I could try to access Mom's account, since she'd had me create it for her in the first place. So I entered her username, then found that I couldn't answer the security question that I had helped her create. So I logged out and headed home. Grrrr.

I got home and checked my computer and discovered that I didn't have a copy of the paperwork there either. Apparently I printed off the information without saving a copy of the .pdf on my hard drive. Big mistake on my part, I know. So I called Mom to have her walk me through everything so that I could print out everything. I had Mom on the phone for about two minutes when the battery on my phone started to die. I quickly told her to call me back on our home phone—good thing Nancy wasn't working that day! Mom called me back pretty quickly, and we got online to look up her stuff. When I finally got back to the right web site, I found that the system would not allow me to try to log on with her user name. Why not? Because there had been too many previous unsuccessful logon attempts, i.e., when I had tried to log in earlier in the day. I told Mom I'd have to call the loan company back and get the lockout reset, and call her back when it was done. So I called and talked to yet another representative, only to be told that she would have to call and make the request herself. I called Mom right back, only to have Dad tell me that she'd just left to go into town to pick up a few things. I told him to have her call me back when she returned.

Then, feeling more frustration than I felt like I ought to have to deal with in any one day, and with the realization that I still had a root canal to look forward to that afternoon, I went into the bedroom to take a nap.

I slept for about an hour and awoke just moments before Mom called back. With Nancy's help, I got both my Mom and the loan company on the phone with me at the same time—thank heaven for three-way calling!—and began to get the issue straightened out. We spent about 20 minutes with the loan company getting the account cleared and verifying her login information, after which I spent about another 25 minutes on the phone just with Mom getting the information I needed. But at the end, I had what I'd been looking for all that morning and now well into the afternoon: the front page of her copy of the promissory note. You can be darned sure I saved a copy of the .pdf this time.

The page in question now printed and in hand, it was time to leave for my second dental appointment of the day. That's a new record for me, by the way. I've had more than my fair share of dental visits in my life, but never more than one in the same day. Anyway, I kissed Nancy goodbye and made my way to the specialists' office. It wasn't easy to find, but I managed to get there in time. Once there, the lady at the desk asked me for my insurance information. I didn't have it. The insurance company doesn't issue cards, they just have you download a form to bring in to the office and have them fill out. And I didn't have one of those forms with me, partly because I hadn't thought to print a second one and partly because I'd heard the lady from the first office read all the applicable information to this lady over the phone when she'd set up the appointment for me. When I pointed out this latter fact, the receptionist told me they'd call the original office for what they needed. Good. As much as I generally dislike dental work, I really couldn't wait any longer for this.

The root canal itself was fairly uneventful. I say this because I've had them done before and I've become pretty familiar with how the whole process works. This particular dentist was really good, and really fast. He was also very personable. The only tense moment for me what when he administered the anaesthetic. Still aching from the morning's experience, I was afraid it wouldn't take. He gave me the first injection, and I don't know what he was using or how much, but it was already more effective than what I'd received a few hours before. Then he told me he was going to give me a second injection, and that this one had some epinephrine in it. So if I felt my heart start to race, he said, that was a normal reaction. I was really glad that he had covered that when it did happen. Otherwise I would have been really freaked out.

After writing out that post-dated $200 check, I left for the call center again. I'd already called my boss and told him I was having a root canal, so he knew I wasn't coming in to work. But he'd also been there while I'd been having the previous conversations regarding my loan situation, so he wasn't surprised to see me when I showed up again to use the fax machine. Verifying that I did indeed have all the documents I needed, I faxed them over and got a confirmation sheet showing they had been transmitted successfully. It was now around 5:00 p.m. Having now accomplished everything that I had originally thought I'd get done by noon, I went home. It had been a long, frustrating day, but I'd made it. Through all the clouds of the day, I'd finally reached my silver lining—or composite, actually, since dentists don't seem to use silver much any more.

And that brings us up to today. I went back into the original dentist's office on Wednesday to have a real filling into the tooth in question. It's responding just as anticipated, which is to say, not at all. It's dead now, after all. But with all the poking and prodding and pushing that went on Monday, my lower jaw is still sore and swollen. I've been taking copious amounts of ibuprofen for the swelling and acetaminophen for the pain. And it's getting better, little by little. Another day or two, and I'll be back to normal.

As normal as life gets for me, anyway.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Comics of the Day

I saw these in the Salt Lake Tribune today, and just had to share.

First, a little election humor:



And speaking of swings . . .



Have a great day, everyone.

(And yes, the tooth update is coming.)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

What A Pain

I have a toothache. It started some time on Thursday. It was a small, dull pain, gone pretty quickly. I didn't think much about it at the time. Then, on Friday, as I was eating a sandwich on my lunch break at school, I happened to find a bone chip in the lunch meat. Naturally I found it with that tooth. But it only hurt for a minute or two, and afterwards I went about the rest of my day as normal.

By Friday night I knew it was trouble. Shortly after I had lain down to sleep, the throbbing started. I came to find that if I stood up and walked around, the pain would go away almost immediately. And it would stay away, at least for a little while. Since getting up and walking around isn't conducive to sleeping (at least in my case), I tried looking for other ways to deal with the pain. Advil, sitting up, hot pad, ice pack, rinsing the area with cool water—none of these seemed to help for very long. Nancy gave me a suggestion that finally did the trick: a decongestant. Who'd have thought?

The tooth didn't bug me much yesterday. I got through a busy day of doing dishes and tidying up the kitchen, delivering flyers for a neighborhood Halloween party, and assorted other little things without it bothering me too much. Last night we went down to Orem for a Halloween party hosted by one of Nancy's friends from work. I didn't have any particular problems there, either.

Then it was time for bed, and that's when the problems really started. We got to bed around 1:00 a.m. Then, for the next three hours or so, I got up every 20 to 30 minutes in order to relieve the pain in the lower left quadrant of my mouth. I did all the same things as last night, even adding prayer to the routine. The last time I recall looking a the clock, it was almost 4:00 a.m. I did finally manage to get to sleep some time after that.

And I was up and awake by 8:15 this morning...not because I like getting up early, necessarily, but because my body won't let me sleep in, regardless how late I got to bed the previous night. Being married to Nancy has helped, though. Before, I'd never have made it past 6:00 or 6:30.

So here I sit, a slight dull reminder of last night's travails in my mouth, typing away at my computer. I'd love to take this whole day off, but that's not going to happen. I'm the Sunday School president, and there are things that have to get done.

I'm going to the dentist tomorrow. I just don't know which one. I got a letter from my old dentist a couple of weeks ago stating that he's relocated to another area code. All right, Park City's not that far away, but it's farther than I care to drive just to get my tooth drilled. Besides, I still owe him money from an emergency visit last year when we didn't have insurance. Nancy has recommended her dentist in Midvale, which is considerably closer. And one of our friends in the ward goes to a dentist's office here in the neighborhood, well within walking distance. I don't know where I'll end up going. I guess I'll make some calls tomorrow morning and see who's accepting new patients.

At least we have dental insurance now. That's a blessing.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

First Snow of the Season

I awoke this morning to find 3" or so of light, fluffy snow on the ground. It's only on the grass; it hasn't stuck to the streets or the sidewalks, at least not in our area. And it'll likely be gone by tomorrow. But it is snow nonetheless.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

A Small Misunderstanding

After his death in a cave somewhere in Afghanistan, an angel escorted Osama bin Laden on his way to the pearly gates.

There, he was greeted by George Washington. "How dare you attack the nation I helped conceive!" yelled Washington, and slapped Osama across the face.

Patrick Henry came up from behind. "You wanted to end America's liberty, so they gave you death!" He then punched bin Laden in the nose.

James Madison came next, and said, "This is why I allowed the government to provide for the common defense!" He took a sledge hammer and whacked Osama's knees.

Osama was subjected to similar beatings from John Randolph, James Monroe, and 65 other people who had the same love for liberty and America. As he writhed on the ground, Thomas Jefferson hurled him back toward the gate where he was to be judged.

As bin Laden awaited his journey to his final (and very hot) destination, he screamed, "This is not what I was promised!"

The angel replied, "I told you there would be 72 Virginians waiting for you. What did you think I said?"

Early Saturday Music Meme

Top 5 On Friday - Week 194
From The Music Memoirs

Top 5 Songs that Soothe the Savage Beast

» "Piano Sonata in C-sharp Minor, First Movement" by Ludwig von Beethoven
The opening movement of the 'Moonlight' sonata is one of the most tranquil and serene pieces ever written. It always calms me down.

» "Evening Falls" by Enya
Enya's music always calms me down. Among her many calming songs, this was the first to come to my mind.

» "Sleeping with the Moon" by Amy Rigby
Dreamy music and thoughtful lyrics make this a perfect song for a quiet moment.

» "One More Story" by Peter Cetera
Written as a lullaby to/about his daughter, this song is filled with the tender compassion of a loving parent. What's more soothing than that?

» "Learn to Be Still" by The Eagles
Isn't it interesting to think that being still and calm is a learned behavior, not just something that happens from time to time?

Thursday, October 02, 2008

Longwinded Music Title Meme Goodness

Top 5 On Friday - Week 193
From The Music Memoirs

Top 5 songs with really long titles

» "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" by Harry Connick Jr.
From the album Songs I Heard

» "Everybody's Got Something To Hide Except Me And My Monkey" by The Beatles
From the album The Beatles [The White Album]

» "Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)" by Phil Collins
From the album Against All Odds: Music from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack

» "It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry" by Toto (Bob Dylan cover)
From the album Through the Looking Glass

» "I Was Just Flipped Off By A Silver Haired Lady With A 'Honk If You Love Jesus' Sticker On The Bumper Of Her Car" by Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Troubadours
From the album Trailercana

One More Time, With Feeling!

Back in January, we had some big changes in our Ward. We were combined with another Ward and moved into a different building. These changes basically had the feel of being in a new congregation in a whole new place, with a lot of familiar faces for comfort. I wrote a little about all this in February; you can read all the details here if you don't remember the details.

Unfortunately, in my opinion, the building into which we were moved was not very well suited for a congregation as large as ours had become. The chapel, for example, was a problem. It seats 188, if my calculations are correct. Our attendance is more typically in the 250-275 range. There is an overflow area, of course. All LDS chapels have one. Ours is unusual, though. Instead of the cultural hall (the overflow area) being at the rear of the chapel, where it's traditionally located, ours is off to the side. It's awkward. People in the overflow are sitting at right angles to those sitting in the chapel, and if you're addressing the congregation, half your audience is in front of you and half is off to your left. It's not an ideal situation.

Sharing the same parking lot as our current Ward building is part of a Stake center. Really it's just a larger cultural hall, the Stake offices, and a few classrooms. When the change was made earlier this year, some of us wondered if the Church was going to go ahead and finish the Stake center and replace the current building. We were told that would not happen, and that the current building would be renovated instead. The main reason for the decision, we were told, was financial. The unofficial reason, according to some who were more familiar with the particulars, was that President Hinckley was fond of our building. As long as he was alive, I was told, nothing would ever happen to our building.

You can see where this is going, can't you?

At our Testimony service this month, the Stake Presidency announced that the Church had decided to build us a Stake Center, based around the existing core. Construction would begin early in 2009 and take 15-18 months. Unfortunately, that meant that our building would have to be demolished, and the Wards meeting therein relocated. Again, in our case. Our ward is moving to the other remaining building in our Stake effective October 19th.

So tonight our Ward Council is going over to the new building to get a tour from the other Ward that will be housed there. They're going to show us the facilities, tell us which rooms they use for what, that sort of thing. I'll get to see where our Sunday School classes will be meeting.

I went over to the new building on my own to check it out after the announcement was made, and I have to tell you, I am psyched about this move! The new building was renovated about three years ago, and it's gorgeous. The chapel seats between 320 and 350, and the overflow, if necessary, is straight back from the chapel. And the rooms in which I'm hoping to hold Gospel Doctrine classes are an order of magnitude better than what we're using now. One, a classroom just off the cultural hall, seats around 60. The other, the Relief Society room, seats 85. And they're both large enough to accommodate large classes (unlike one of the rooms we're using in the current building) but small enough to allow for effective interaction between the students and the teacher (unlike the other room we're currently using). There are several smaller classrooms that will work very well for our youth classes, too. I just have to coordinate with the other organization (e.g., Primary) to see which rooms they'll need and which I can have for my teachers.

Some people might be annoyed (or even dismayed) at the idea of moving for the second time in a year, but it doesn't bother me. The only difficult part for me is the logistical end, figuring out what's going to go where in the new facilities. Most of that will be taken care of tonight. I'm leaving in about 15 minutes for the tour.

That's all for now. More details are forthcoming!