Electronic Communications Captain

Verging on the front of blog failure…

The longest time between posts (ever) has just past and I am left with these thoughts.

1) In its own inexplicable way, I am facing “busyness” with a new urgency.  I literally could not let an hour pass today without a massive pileup of meaningful (read: necessitates a thoughtful response) emails.

2) I am in pain.

Yesterday, I hurt my back (again).  I’m always cautious about doing academic work while on pain killers, but that fact that I can’t move doesn’t make the world stop.

It was actually quite comical.  The pain was mild enough that I was mostly fine so long as I didn’t move.  This led to a rather epic conception of how to get around the house.  I slid across the floor, pushing myself with my legs and a pillow under my head, and my friend, who came over because I couldn’t reach my food (shelves/drawers are a bit high from the floor), pulled my arms.

3) This is going to be great.

Sleep flew out the window with spring break, and I’m due for another pack of highlighters (I spend $60/year on highlighters, true story).  But I’m lost in what I love, doing new things, and filling new roles.

…and I’m going through it with all the right people.

Promise and Other Forward Looking Thoughts

After two days of agonizing pain, I can finally walk without wincing, which means, I can go explore!  I’m still in a fair amount of pain and wearing the back brace, but it’s not too bad.

I’m also in a place with my work where there isn’t a lot that I can move forward on until some folks reply to my emails and I meet with Jeff in the morning.  -All the more reason to get out this afternoon.  I need to create a custom map of stuff NYIC is doing across the city before General Conference, so I’m going to go run to a couple visitor centers to look at some templates.

Here’s a photo of the Manhattenhenge (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattanhenge) I discussed earlier, but was unable to post.

Something akin to a rollie pollie bug

No, not that bug I had a run in with a couple of days ago…

I still can’t bend at the waist, which is incredibly awkward.  I think the worst of it was last night.  I couldn’t even sit up to eat my dinner, and I had to crawl back to my room to go to bed.

Miriam however has sort of saved my life.  She’s let me borrow her back brace, which minimizes pain x1000.  I’ve never seen anyone my age wearing one before, but hey, whatever works right?  Anyways, the brace makes it possible to roll, which is how I managed to get in and out of bed last night and this morning.  The ability to move without crying out in pain is about the most amazing thing ever right now, although  I really do sort of feel like a rollie pollie bug.

As you can imagine, all this back trouble is setting me back a little in terms of getting my work done, which is okay, but a little frustrating.  I’m knee deep in this trying to figure out how to build a new website and have a bunch of other little projects to get done before General Conference, which as my father pointed out on the phone last night, is only 4 weeks away.  I really got to get rolling.  (a cheap pun I know, but I couldn’t resist.)

Seriously Lousy Timing

Last night was by far the best so far.  I went out with the Getz’s to a Memorial Day picnic and met a bunch of great people.  We played a few games of wiffle ball and spent the evening talking.  It was really a good time.  At sunset, we went outside and caught the manhattanhenge, which is the semiannual occurrence at which the sun lines up with the east/west streets in Manhatten.  I have a couple of nice photos, but for reasons I will soon discuss, I cannot post them now.

So, like a said, a great evening.  Most of the people were from Apostles Church, which I will definitely be checking out next Sunday.  Tonight, I was suppose to be attending a community group with a bunch of people I met yesterday.

Unfortunately, I’m currently immobile.  I mean, I’ll be fine, but for the next day or two walking will likely be near impossible.  I pulled something in my back playing wiffle ball, and now I can’t move.  That’s why I can’t go get my camera and upload photos and why I can’t go out tonight.  I must say, lousy timing indeed.  I’m trying not to think about it, basically because I’m really bummed.  I finally met people, had a good time, and the first night that I have plans, I can’t go out.  I don’t mean to complain.  In fact, I’ve made a point of not thinking about it all day, although I’m pretty sure that has more to do with my not admitting to myself that the pain has gotten worse throughout the day.

Prayer for recovery would be much appreciated.  Can’t say I really understand the time of this.  I finally connect with some folks, and now I can’t go out.  Kinda stinks.