Mentally in Munich

I know.  I haven’t posted in months. I returned on May 1, and I’ve been either busy, distracted or both ever since. Also, it took a long time to fix this website. So, now that I’ve made excuses, let’s move on.

In July, I had shoulder surgery– actually, four procedures at once.  I never knew what a nerve block was like, until I woke up in the middle of the night after and thought my arm and hand were dead forever. They were like foreign objects attached to my body with no sensation whatsoever.  An effective, if spooky, procedure. I regained sensation after 24 hours, which is a little later than usual. Only then did I stop imagining the rest of my life as a one-armed man.

In July, also, someone hacked my Costa Rican bank account. I keep very little money in there, so the loss was minimal. But I felt like a fool for giving information to a supposed employee.  She knew everything about me, including addresses and other bank accounts, so she was fed information from the national bank.  However, it took me too long to realize that the call was not legit and hang up on her. I’m a little less judgmental when I hear about seniors getting scammed.

After six weeks of home treatment and physical therapy (during which time my kleptomaniac occupational therapist stole my wallet), I boarded a flight for Costa Rica.  I needed to complete the dental work started last spring, and I had to resolve some banking issues. Mission accomplished. I also visited some dear friends.  It was a pleasant visit, until the return.

On the flight back, the young woman behind me coughed non-stop; two days later, I got my first (and only) case of Covid. It wasn’t bad, since I’d had five vaccinations. Since I didn’t test myself until three days after being infected, however, it was too late for medication. I really needed something only for my cough, which lasted for weeks. Now, all is well.

I’m planning a trip to Europe in February. I’ll be subletting my place here and using those funds to finance my trip.  I want to explore a place to live for a while where I can experience art and culture and not need a car.  This trip is exploratory only, so I’ll be back in SoCal by April.

A piece of advice:  Should you ever decide you want to rent a place to live in Europe, stick with a US-based agency, e.g., AirBnB or Vrbo.  I used several and learned the hard way. One thing to keep in mind is that, in many European countries, the first floor of a building is not counted as a floor.  Therefore, a second-floor apartment is really on the third floor. This matters because many buildings are much older and have no elevators. Since many ads mention neither the floor nor the availability of an elevator, you need a company with great customer service to respond to your inquiries, of which you will have many. This is where the European sites fall short.

I’m still in therapy for my shoulder, which is fine when I’m up and about but bothers me while sleeping.  It’s much better than before the surgery, so I’m relieved. And sleep-deprived. I’m working out and lifting weights to strengthen the muscles around the shoulder, and I must say I’m stronger than I’ve been in years. I just wish I could lose weight a bit more easily.

My recent reading projects included a 14-book series called Wheel of Time. (Yes, the Amazon series.) I never intended to read the whole thing, so I read other things in between. I thought the Heaven and Earth Grocery Store, a best-seller, was fine until I came upon three pages of the most exquisite writing I’ve read in years.

Still consulting and teaching part-time and enjoying both.

As for the title of this post, it’s what I read on someone’s t-shirt at the gym. No, he wasn’t Hitler Youth; it was a souvenir from Oktoberfest. Still, one must be vigilant.

Ciao for now.