What I've been doing lately

What I've been doing lately:

• Working
• More working
• Going to physical therapy
• Second Life

And that's pretty much it.

Work is moderately insane right now. I can't stand to look at the whiteboard in my office because there are 15 projects on it that I'm in charge of, several of those with multiple items. Work is fine, it's just . . . busy.

My knee -- well, it's better, I think, but definitely not ALL better. But then again, it's not cancer, like my friend Liora is dealing with, so when you look at it that way, it's not bad at all. Like my dad says, "It's not bad, as pain goes."

I've been going to physical therapy twice a week for a month. They do all kinds of things to me there -- biofeedback, muscle stimulation, icing, heat, ultrasound, exercises. I ride the stationary bike, and today I practiced my balance. It's actually fairly enjoyable. I like the people there, and, except for the parts where I'm actually having to exercise, it feels kind of like a spa day. I actually fell asleep this morning while my leg was being iced. Well, you know, a spa day where they sort of torture you a little bit.

After I went on Tuesday, my knee felt pretty good all day. Bob and I went out to eat, and it felt fine, just a little pain (not bad, as pain goes). We got home, I went upstairs, sat down on the edge of the bed and took off my shoes, and when I stood up, had the WORST pain I think I've had so far just SHOOT through my knee. I could barely walk after that, and it hurt all day yesterday even though I wore an elastic brace on it.

I talked to the therapist about it this morning, and he said he thinks it's probably an endurance thing. He says my leg is getting stronger, but I'd probably overdone it, and it just gave out on me. So today after therapy, after my leg warmed up from being in the ice machine, I put the neoprene thing on again, and it's feeling better.

I've been taking some fairly strong anti-inflammatory medication. I'd like to stop taking it, because I know it isn't good for my stomach, but the therapist thinks I should keep taking it for about another month. So I called the drugstore to refill it, knowing I didn't have any more refills left, and they called the doctor, but he wouldn't give me a refill without seeing him. So on top of having two physical therapy appointments next week, I also have a doctor's appointment. Lucky thing my boss is understanding about that stuff. I've been staying most nights until 7:00 or 7:30 to make up for it, though.

Also on Tuesday, the therapist fitted me for orthotics. He says that should help get me back in alignment and fix my knee; they ought to, they're expensive enough! And insurance doesn't cover them. Why would that be?? I guess they'd pay for knee surgery if I ended up needing that. I was telling the PT intern that it's only recently that insurance started paying for mammograms. They would, of course, pay for breast cancer, if you got that. I guess the thinking was that if they paid for mammograms when you didn't really need one, every woman would get one. But the odds of getting breast cancer are pretty small, and even if they had to pay $100,000 or something, they'd probably still be ahead.

Don't get me started on insurance. It's a racket. You have to have it, but when you need it, they think of any way they can to not pay. Grrrr.

By the time I get home at 8:00 or 8:30, I don't want to do much other than sit down in front of the computer and play Second Life. Well, not play -- mostly shop.

I got attacked about three weeks ago. As "attacked" as a little pixel person can be, by another little pixel person. I was in an isolated area and some guy ran up to me and knocked me down and shouted "Take off your clothes!" In retrospect, yeah, it's ridiculous, but at the time it felt threatening, and I couldn't teleport out of there fast enough.

It happened again over the weekend, only this time it was two guys. They crowded me up against a wall and were basically just making fun of me. I should have told them to f*ck off or I would report them, but it made me uncomfortable enough that, again, I ran away.

In talking to a friend about it, he thought maybe it was because I still looked like a newbie. I kind of liked the way I looked, but most of the people who've been around awhile have customized their avatars a great deal; it's pretty obvious who's new and who's not. (He also said if it ever happened again, and he was online, to let him know and he'd come defend my honor, which was sweet.)

So anyway, I gave myself a makeover. I bought a new skin, got new make-up, bought new hair and clothes, and now, even though I keep walking into walls, I don't look like a newbie anymore, even though I really am:

New Harry Potter tomorrow!

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