Drugs are bad, OK?

Last week, I learned that my classes were canceled for this week.  I took the opportunity to fly to Florida to see family and also to buy a new laptop.  My previous laptop died a couple of weeks ago, and computers are at least twice the price of those in the US.  Add to that the fact that my 90-day prescriptions needed refilling, and getting them in the US saves me about $500.  Finally, I had enough miles saved to make the trip for free, so off I went.

At the risk of revealing more than you want to hear, I take a medication at bedtime to help me sleep; I also take half of a low-dose clonapin when I fly.  So, the night before my trip, I took my medication.  I then had to get up at 4:30 am to get to the airport in time, so I was still under the influence.  Now, I don’t know why, but an hour before the flight, I popped a whole clonapin (still a low dose) instead of a half. I guess the devil made me do it. Now, I never sleep sitting up, so I rarely sleep on a plane.  I found my seat on the flight from CR to Atlanta, and I was in the window seat and there was no one in the middle.  I started to do my sudoku puzzle, after which I planned to do the crossword puzzle.  The next thing I knew, the plane was landing.  I remember none of the flight.  I then noticed that my puzzles were on the floor and…they were covered in spilled coffee.  I don’t remember ordering, drinking or spilling coffee.  The fellow sitting in the aisle seat was looking at me oddly, but I was too out of it to ask him what had happened. 

This experience reminded me of something that happened to a friend of mine some years back.  He was taking Ambien every night and, one morning, his wife got up, walked into the kitchen, and found a half-eaten peanut-and-butter sandwich on the floor.  At this point, he decided to quit the Ambien.  The day after my arrival in Florida, thinking back, I realized that I had no memory of my plane-change in Atlanta (taking the tram and finding the gate), nor of picking up my bag in Baggage Claim in Jacksonville.  Thinking of the spilt coffee still unnerves me; I don’t think I’ll dose myself like that again. What is most disturbing is that I’ll never know what happened, unless it shows up on YouTube.  A note:  Please let me know if you see me on YouTube.

So, again, to quote the school counselor in South Park:  Drugs are bad, OK?

As for my stay here, it’s been great.  I’ve still been teaching my online classes with students in China, since I can do that from anywhere.  I love my new laptop, and I’ve been watching the World Series with my brother Jay.  To say both my brothers are hard-core baseball fans is an understatement; they are HUGE Red Sox fans.  I’m sure that you are wondering why I am watching baseball; it’s more like I’m working on my laptop in the room with my brother during the games.  Our other brother, who happens to be in China on business, is watching as much as he can and commiserating with Jay via text.  Of my dear readers, I think only my friend Mary is an avid Dodgers fan, so, Mary, if they win, as they did last night, I will silently cheer for you.

Costa Rica is in the last part of its rainy season.  Summer begins in the end of November, so the weather should be relatively dry from then through January. I’m entering year 3 of my life in CR, and things are going well.  My health has been better than ever, minus the annoying senioritis affecting my body.  Who knew that moving to a humid climate 9 degrees north of the equator would cure me of allergies, flus, etc.  Now if it could shrink my prostate, life would be perfect. 

Until next time, Pura Vida!