Chit Chat and All That...

I agree. @Shera should put a photo of herself up or @OnceUponaTime needs to get the whip out.

 

I thought that the book would discuss her electroconvulsive therapy. Thank you! I finished a long chapter last night and I was pretty hooked. Now I'll be done after I finish the last chapter.

I'm sorry about your sleeping issues. What is causing them? I rarely read Holocaust books for the same reason. They make me so sad. I hope you can read more soon.

You're welcome. I can see how that'd be your last hurrah.

@Elmer B Fuddled I like your wife's socks.

 

Yes, great idea. Honestly everything always goes back to Once and her whip, at least for me.

 

Early this morning the neighbour walked by and as he passed good morning and that it is fall, it scared me. I thought he meant the fall of mankind then after I realized he meant autumn.

 

This just came in.

The science community has done a major experiment concerning people who wear a mask and not covering the nose.

After 6 months of study the scientists have discovered that the nose IS connected to the lungs. So the discovery has led them to a conclusion:

Wear the damn mask over your nose.

 

Well @Elmer B Fuddled - it looks like Shera is shy,
and @OnceUponaTime
has hung up her whip........x

I must admit, I was getting quite nervous...x

 

Glad you're reading so well!! Congrats. I read Dragon Wytch at the doctors office, but I still can't bring myself to read at home.

A bad gut and stress. I've got almost both under control so I think sleep will be coming back. I think I cursed myself cause I was bragging so much about how well I can sleep.

 

This would be awesome.

@Jazzer I think you have before, but I'm not a big picture sharer.

Heck yes!

@Elmer B Fuddled Don't you be setting @OnceUponaTime on me!

 

Sorry I've just been super busy! The black leather and whip are out again I see!

 

I've been meaning to ask @OnceUponaTime, did you pick your username because you're a fan of the show?

 

Here's a picture to save @Shera from @OnceUponaTime's harsh old whip.

As if a picture was needed anyway. You could guess what she looks like just by her name!

 

I'm guilty as charged...

Planted a terrible seed in the "Benefactors Corner" - please check...

Not even a gufa, ha ha, or censored...

I do try.

 

Now that's a woman.

 

Thank you! I started reading What the Night Sings on Tuesday and I'm already reading the second part of the book since the chapters are so short. I read five chapters on Thursday. I'm going to need to bust out the tissues soon because the main character and her father were just put one of those awful transport trains. Jewish identity is a big theme in this book too, which I love.

Sound therapy is doing wonders for my tinnitus and my concentration! Oh, gosh. I'm so sorry. Does reading in a room with some noise in the background ever help you with reading at home?

Gut issues are the worst. I can relate to gut issues too. Are you eating a specific way to help your gut or taking medication? I've found medication to be unhelpful *cough*side effects*cough* and so I drink a probiotic drink and take peppermint oil capsules. Ginger tea can help gut issues too! Oh, no. You jinxed yourself! I can empathize with your current health issues including sleep. Although it sounds like you slept well before your gut issues started or returned. I hope that things improve for you.

I'm not surprised that you read a lot at the doctor seeing as doctors are always late.

 

When I read any well written Holocaust book I have to have tissues at the ready at all times. Sounds like it's very good and I like that "Jewish identity is a big theme". It's odd how many books about the event are not.

I'm so happy sound therapy is working for you. Odd thing is it can and can't. I have better luck with reading while the TV is going. Maybe cause I'm used to tuning that out. But when I try to read with nature noises or something masking it feels like my tinnitus goes up, so I get frustrated. I was reading in "silence" and it was going well before. I think I'm just off track and have a few hang ups to get over.

Yeah. Most of the crap they give you for anything thing seems like it never truly works. Unfortunately I think my gut got off track from a round of antibiotics I took in June. I forgot completely to take probiotics. This snowballed into so many problems. Like a bad bout of thrush with the gut problems. So now I have dry mouth, which my doctor just says "happens" . . . I don't think so. All the things you said for gut I am doing. Also adding yoga and exercising the gut. Peppermint oil has always been a life saver for me, I also love the tea. Normally my gut health is excellent . . . but I kind of went off the rails twice this year and the ramifications are hitting hard.

Yeah. I don't normally doctor, but I take my mom and dad. Longest wait was appointment wait was 6 hours. Once for one of my mom's heart tests it was 7 hours and the place closed with me sitting in the waiting room thinking they killed my mom and didn't bother to tell me! That's why I sometimes bring a spare book.

 

That's smart about the tissues. This is only the second book I've read outside of Number the Stars by Lois Lowry in middle school. So I didn't know that many Holocaust books don't focus on Jewish identity. I tried reading Night when I was a freshman in high school for assigned reading, but it was too disturbing since I'm a Reform Jew. Learning about the Holocaust at a young age traumatized me so I avoided Holocaust books for the longest time.

In What the Night Sings, the main character, Gerta, didn't know she was Jewish until she and her father were taken away to the transport trains. She knows nothing about Judaism. However, this boy Lev who nursed Gerta back to health (and who has a crush on her) is Orthodox. He won't even touch a woman outside of his family since that goes against his beliefs.

Thank you! I'm glad that reading with the TV on works. It's odd that nature noises or other masking noises make your tinnitus go up. That's really obnoxious! I hope that your hang ups improve soon.

So many of those damn medications can cause dry mouth and knock you out. That sounds miserable especially the dry mouth and the thrush. Your doctor is wrong about the dry mouth happening just because. Did the antibiotics make your tinnitus worse? Again, I hope that your gut issues improve soon. Yoga for gut health is a great idea!

Holy crap! Your poor mom. A doctor or a PA should've communicated with you and given you an update about the testing. Is your mom doing alright? Chronic lateness adds to my distrust and dislike of doctors. A doctor basically gave me tinnitus more or less. I have a crapload of baggage regarding doctors. I'm glad that you bring a spare book!

 

I was walking along today with my wife and younger son. We were going to collect my older son up from a lesson.
A man asked me if I knew where the "Everything for home" shop is. I said that it's just a little further along.

We were talking Russian, but I could instantly tell that he was a foreigner. I asked him where he's from. He said Iran.
I said, "I'm from England". He immediately switched to speaking perfect English. I already knew why he was in Russia, but I asked out of courtesy: "Are you a student studying to be a doctor?" He answered, "I'm studying to be a dentist". It's always one or the other, both doctors of course.

We walked along closer to the shop he wanted and to the place where my son was having a lesson. He asked if I liked it here. I said, "Sometimes". I could see he didn't really like it. As we said our goodbyes I said, "We usually just hear about how Iran is fighting with the UK or US... but look at us? Normal people just getting along". He agreed.

He said he hopes to see me again, and I could see he wanted to swap numbers. I also wanted to. But we didn't.
I will possibly bump into him again as he lives not too far away.

Just normal people.

 

I’ve gotta admit, this made me laugh.

 

I think it's just the ones I've looked at and read. I know there are plenty more that do. Which reminds me if you have Hulu the movie Where Hands Touch is on there and it gives a different look at the Holocaust. And yes, it is a romance.

Maybe because I'm not Jewish it didn't traumatize me, it just left me stunned. Stunned that I feel like any knowledge on the topic needs to be explored. Like the British camps in Africa where so many women and children died, the rabbit proof fence and the aboriginals in Australia, and so on. It's good to know such awful horror so that it doesn't happen again and that society can be better. At least that's what I think.

Thanks. Hopefully I'll just be able to start reading again no matter what the conditions.

Thanks. I'm feeling better. The total dry mouth with no saliva is gone so I'm happy. Though it makes me sad that modern medicine gives it to you and then doctors are all like "it's permanent now, suffer". Dry mouth is a special kind of hell and I never want it again. This is being said by a chronic night time mouth breather. My gut is doing well and the yoga is surprisingly good for it. I keep starting up and quitting yoga. I need to keep doing it. The antibiotics I took had no affect on my tinnitus, thank god. Though my mom knows that a lot of drugs do. Especially heart medications and blood thinners. She even tried cholesterol meds briefly and she was so pissed that it flared up her tinnitus.

That was her first heart ablation almost a decade ago. It was very odd they did that, but I think it scared the shit out of them. Trust me I have a distaste for doctors and modern medicine. I know when it can help, but after my mom's whole feeding tube stint my eyes are open.

Wait!? How did the doctor give you tinnitus? Oh, I read it. Ototoxic medication. Yeah, the heart doc got so upset when my mom quit her blood thinner. But she told them it was making her tinnitus unbearable. The doctor said, "Well tinnitus is on of the top side effects from this drug. And since you already have tinnitus it shouldn't bother you." She soaked it in and told him, "Well if tinnitus is such an acceptable side affect you take these drugs and don't stop until all you hear is tinnitus. I hope you warn the people you subscribe this to." Or something along those lines.

 

@all to gain I hope you bump into each other again soon! Swap those digits!

 

I looked up Where Hands Touch. Unfortunately, I don't have Hulu but the movie looks really good.

I understand your perspective about watching movies and reading books about the Holocaust and the British camps in Africa. You made a good point. Media about these genocides must be created for educational purposes. Holocaust books were triggering for me personally for a long time, but I recognize the importance of their creation in general.

In regards to reading, I hope so!

You're welcome. I'm relieved that your dry mouth is gone now. That sounded awful! Yeah, doctors can be ridiculous. I'm glad that your gut is better
now. Sticking to the yoga is a good idea. I'm glad that the antibiotics didn't make your tinnitus worse. I'm sorry that your mom's tinnitus flared up when she took cholesterol meds. I feel for her. It's good that she knows which medications can make her tinnitus worse.

Sounds like your mom has dealt with a lot of medical bull crap. I can message you to ask about the feeding tube if my replies are getting too long.

Yes, my tinnitus was caused by an old school antidepressant that can be used to treat tinnitus. The medicine had the paradoxical effect on me. Dang! Good for your mom for standing up to the doctor who wanted her to stay on the blood thinners. She has a lot of guts.

 

Looks like most streaming services have it. Not sure about Vudu or Roku's free channels. It was really good.

Agreed. I've actually met a few people who think the Holocaust is fake. It was... disturbing to say the least.

Yeah, my mouth still isn't producing saliva at full capacity, but anything is a relief at this point!!!! Yoga, and I'm doing The Tapping Solution. Which is working surprisingly well. I was trying to do CBT, but CBT wasn't helping the mental restlessness and The Tapping Solution has. Sound hockey, but whatever works.

Yeah, my mom has been through so much bullshit and medical issues you have to stand up for yourself. Especially after the feeding tube nightmare.

 

Hi @Steph1710, how's your damn tinnitus? Are you able to cope and accept the intrusion?

Some days are hellish, that's for sure. Just thought I would check in on your well being.

 

I usually sleep pretty well and wake up rested. For a few seconds I'm happy then the realisation that this noise is there brings me back into reality. It then takes me a while to accept my reality and to get on with the day.

Sound familiar?

 

I don't know what image/stereotype (if any) you have of the Russian man, but for me it is the following:

A man, or a group of men, stood smoking outside their block of flats/apartment building or on the fire escape balcony of the same building or outside their place of work.

When I came to Russian 7 out of 10 men smoked. I think it is a little lower now, i.e. 5 or 6 out of 10. But still, that's a lot of men smoking.

Of course this is just one aspect of the image I have.

 

Happy Birthday @aot.

Have a great day and don't let this shit get you down too much. Day by day.

What presents did you get?

 

@aot
HAPPY BIRTHDAY AOT,
HOPE YOU HAD A GREAT DAY