Technology and Caregiving Requirements Hinder Connecting

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I have a dear friend who lives in Hawaii. We have worked together professionally for more than 25 years. We share many passions and have about the same outlook on life. We have bonded closely with many shared interests.

Although we do not work together these days, we are in the same profession and belong to the same professional association. Last time we saw each other was at our Association’s annual conference last autumn. We played hookey for a few hours, went to a casual restaurant, and really caught up with each other’s lives.

However, there are differences. My friend is all about technology and social media. I am not. Recently, she sent me a message via a social media messaging platform. I didn’t see that message until a week later.

In it, she said…
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No Time for a Holiday

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Yesterday was Easter Sunday. It also was a sunny, warm day. My spouse remains sick, so we could not do anything together. I really miss having his help, especially with physical labor and painting. Of all the trades, I like painting least of all. But my spouse can barely get between the bedroom and the chair where he sits most of the day in our family room, so there was no way that he could help me with some painting that had to be done.

I also do not follow any organized religion, so there was no reason to go to a church. Working full time during the week leaves me very little time on weekends to get things done. So yesterday was not a holiday — it was a full-on work day.

I pulled on my work boots and…
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Chippewa Hi-Shine Strapless Boots 71419

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Late last Autumn, I received an email announcing that a new style of Chippewa Boots were being offered — model 71419 “Strapless Engineers.”

What are “strapless” engineer boots? Same style as regular engineers — round toe, form of the vamp (foot), stovepipe shaft, buckle at the top of the shaft — but no strap and buckle across the instep.Chipstrapless04The boots took a long time to be made. Delivery was promised in January, but slipped until February, then March, and finally the boots arrived in April.

Now that I own a pair of these boots, what is my opinion and review?
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Outlook: Enrichening or Depressing Experience?

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Readers of this blog are aware that my spouse remains ill with an ongoing, persistent, chronic set of physically debilitating conditions caused by an infection that can’t be beat. So far, medical treatment, change of diet, consultation with allied health professionals, and much more have not resolved these problems and he remains in bad shape.

A close friend of mine was asking about him, and said, “I’d find that depressing to deal with day in and day out.”

Like a “glass half full or half empty” outlook,…
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Forcing Time to Ride

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RideNov2013aThe title of this post may be puzzling for some readers. One would think that as enthusiastically as I write about riding my Harley, that I would find every opportunity to ride whenever I can.

Well, I do love to ride, but I also struggle with balancing riding time with obligations and responsibilities.

Today is one of those days where I got myself into a situation where I will go for a ride all day. Should be fun, but I still have that nagging feeling of shirking responsibilities and caregiver duties for my spouse.

Here’s what’s going on.
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Hi Vis

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Okay, I admit… leather is cool-looking, keeps a biker warm, and provides good protection if involved in a crash. However, traditional black leather is not that visible, especially in the dark.

Another rider who regularly reads this blog saw my post titled “see and be seen” (March 8, 2014), where I showed some new, bright halogen beams that my spouse bought for me and I had installed on my motorcycle. This rider wrote to me and asked, logically,
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Time to Trade Me In?

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Back in the olden days when my spouse and I grew up, it was common for people to buy a car, drive it for two to four years, then trade it in for a newer model. Cars back then held much more value than they do today, and trade-ins were commonplace, as well as paying cash for the difference in price of a new car.

The thought of a trade-in applies in a way to me, personally.

For years, whenever I did something dumb and noticed that my spouse would roll his eyes, I would turn to him and say, deadpan, “Time to trade me in for a newer model?”

My spouse would smile, laugh, and say,
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