Sorry, though not really sorry, that I'm a bit late with my blog posting this week. The intention was certainly there until unforeseen circumstances interfered. But we know about what happens to best intentions sometimes and that was the case for me this week.
I had planned on doing my Insecure Writer's Support Group post on Tuesday March 5 and then compiling my Battle of the Bands results post on Thursday to appear Friday March 8. Then my plans went awry. After a routine follow-up visit to my physician on Tuesday morning I had planned on going home to put my Wednesday post together. Then the kink. My doctor became concerned about some things I had told them about a physical event that had occurred the previous weekend. He sent me next door to the hospital for some observations.
Even though I told him I felt good enough to walk through the parking garage to the hospital next door to the clinic, he insisted on having me transported. I thought someone would just roll me over in a wheelchair, but no-o-o-o. He had an ambulance come to drive around the block to the emergency room door. Aside from his concern that I might have (or had already had) a heart attack, I was informed that doing this way would cost me much less money in the end. Okay, I was fine. The ambulance part was a bit weird, but fun in some strangely perverted way.
Then came that interminable wait in the ER with nurses and doctors coming and going. They decided that since there were a number of tests to be run, they would have to admit me to the hospital and keep me overnight. Not my favorite thing to do by any means, but everyone there was so darn nice it was difficult to be too upset. And my wife was there much of the time and spent the night in a recliner in the room. After a night of being repeatedly awakened for this test or that observation, I was prepared for more tests lasting throughout the day Wednesday.
In the end the doctors determined that there had been no cardiac event and they saw no real problems that caused them concern. I was released Wednesday evening and too tired to be thinking about any blogging activity. I wanted to actually get a good night's sleep after my ordeal.
Thursday morn I had to get up to go to another previously scheduled medical observation unrelated to my heart at the same hospital. That all went just fine, but after I got home I totally forgot about my blogging duties and instead watched that absurd State of the Union address by our fraudulently installed doofus puppet President. As I was about to go to bed I remembered my Friday post, but decided it could wait.
So I did it Friday morning and it probably doesn't really matter that much. I'm alive and I feel fine and that's what matters most. So here is that post I had planned...
The Insecure Writer's Support Group
Join us on the first Wednesday of each month in Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writer's Support Group--a forum of writers who gather to talk about writing and the writer's life. For a complete list of participants visit Alex's Blog.
The co-hosts for the March 6 posting of the IWSG are Kristina Kelly, Miffie Seideman, Jean Davis, and Liza @ Middle Passages.
No I haven't played with AI yet, but if I get a chance I might. I would not go that route for any writing that was supposed to be "creative" as I think AI would defeat the purpose of creative writing. I might use it for some utilitarian purpose, but otherwise it is the tool of the lazy person who has no real interest in creating written work that is original and perceptive. AI can fake it, but if AI ever understands it then we are probably in trouble as humans.
Battle of the Bands Results
My previous Battle was two groups doing the Negro spiritual "Trouble of the World". I liked both pretty well (which is why I chose these two to go against each other), but in the end I went with the Crosscurrents crowd.
Final Vote Tally
13th Amendment 3 votes
Crosscurrents 10 votes
Now I'm outta here. Got things to do. A to Z is coming up and I have to prepare for that. And other things too. Lots of other things.
Good to have you here, Lee! Sheesh, the very thought of a friend or loved one having a heart attack makes me think I'm gonna have one. So, I'm glad you didn't, or haven't. And I hope you don't.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with your thoughts on AI. It's a tool, albeit a dangerous one, with which a thinking cap should be worn at all times ;-) I'm glad Crosscurrents won.
Wishing the best for your health, Lee. Seems like you are a tough dude. Hooray for Crosscurrents! ~Ed.
ReplyDeleteBOIDMAN ~
ReplyDeleteVery glad to hear that everything is OK and that you didn't actually have any sort of cardiac event. (Can we expect songs mentioning the "heart" in your next Battle? ;^)
Both of us had pretty one-sided Battles this time. And I don't even know what to expect in my March 15th contest because, so far, I'm only certain of *one* song that I will be using. However, I got time to figger it out.
Stay away from doctors, Brother! Nothing good ever comes of mingling with those peoples! They just wanna jab ya and charge ya!
~ D-FensDogG
STMcC, hmmm---I like that idea of battle songs with "Heart" as a theme. So many from which to choose! This theme could go a long long way.
DeleteLee
Your thoughts about AI are similar to mine. I'm very glad you didn't have a cardiac event or any other healthy emergency, Lee! Looks like I backed the wrong horse on this one.☺
ReplyDeleteReally glad nothing was wrong with your heart. Yeah, you don't get much sleep in a hospital. I remember staying with my mother and nurses were constantly coming and going.
ReplyDeleteNice of that doctor to try to scare the crap out of you. Happy it wasn't your heart at all. Although watching the State of the Union probably didn't help your heart any. Such a crap fest.
ReplyDeleteI'm as far behind as you and I can't blame health issues . . . just 8 days of driving. Still, I'm grateful that hospital stay was a source of humor and kindness for you and wish you well on getting caught up. Forgot all about that A to Z Challenge that takes over April. Aargh! Thanks for the reminder. And I'll be thinking of you next month. Don't know if I'll be grateful or a little ticked with one more thing on that to-do list! Write on!
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