A Roll in the Universe

I got my absentee ballot today from the Los Angeles Country Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Voting in the US is quite different than in Norway. And a lot more fun. I just voted on condom use for adult film performers. In Norway, you vote for the party you most agree with by picking their list of names. During campaigning, they will often propose what they intend to do or how they intend to vote on existing issues, and if you agree with (most of) that, you vote for them. You can fiddle with the voting slip and cross out names to bump favorites up the list, and even write in a name from another party, but generally you are voting for an entire party, not individuals. And there is never a direct vote on law changes. Those are always decided by the elected politicians. Direct voting in Norway usually is about organization: Merging municipalities, or joining the EU. At least for California, there is voting on state and local laws, especially ones that affect taxes or spending. So I ha

12 days of my home turned into a construction site, finding bits of concrete in my bed every night, and concrete dust everywhere (I still have to clean all that up). And a bold floor that is not typical for a Norwegian bathroom. But it is done! Tomorrow morning will be the first weekday morning where I will not greet a tradesman, and I have my spare key back. Finished bathroom—view from door Finished bathroom—view towards door The starting point was a bathroom that was probably as old as the building (ca. 1971). I have lived with it for 30 years, so it was about time!

This is basically a list, a gratitude list. Because in the midst of nearly feeling overwhelmed by everything going on in September , I have discovered something: People helping me. The tradesman doing the tiling, also closed off the door to my bedroom and left the bedroom side looking very nice The same tradesman also washed the lobby floor in my building for me, unasked, to get rid of the concrete dust A couple of good friends lent me a key to their house, and let me come and go when I didn't have a toilet at home The reflexologist I'm now seeing for my frozen shoulder, is giving me appointments outside her regular office hours, I've discovered I'm ahead on my self-study course in insurance so I don't have to worry about keeping up Another friend reminded me that I'm allowed to get all excited about my own creativity and seeing it come to life. I'd forgotten that grown-ups are allowed to jump up and down with joy. (See pic.) And somebody helped

My shoulder scan This post contains astrology. And bathrooms. And frozen shoulders. Not necessarily in that order. I have discovered I don't take my own advice, which makes me perfectly normal. I always tell people to get their pains and troublesome body parts checked out sooner, rather than later, but I delayed seeing a doctor about my shoulder for well over a year. It wasn't until I actually got a bump on my shoulder that I made an appointment. That was June, and I finally saw the doc in August. What followed then was 50% sick leave, and an MR scan (my first!). The specialist told me I was well beyond the cortisone shot stage but ideal for surgery to remove the scar tissue I now had. This is one of the pictures of my left shoulder. I have no idea what I'm looking at besides a human bone. I do not want surgery and the specialist did say I could use the other treatment for frozen shoulder: Time. So I am doing that. I take a tablespoon of turmeric in a glass of milk