A VALUABLE LESSON LEARNED

Did a tarot reading for a real whackjob. She found me online yet refuses to use Paypal to pay me because she doesn't like to give personal information over the Internet. She's also hard of hearing yet insists on a phone interview. Among other things she says her ex-husband was involved in an incestuous relationship with his own mother. So I guess you could truly call him a motherfucker. I couldn't very well say "you are an extremely abrasive bitch who alienates everybody, that's why your marriage failed, your children are estranged from you and your best friend is avoiding you." Instead I suggested she see a professional therapist. I feel better about myself. G-d, I hope this isn't me in 20 years.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 29

The Gators beat UCLA. Another reason to not be embarrassed about having gone there.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 28

One of the hospital staff called me a "good volunteer."

WEEK 49

Kind of a slow week, what with jury duty and unreliable co-workers. I am having a hard time registering for the nationals online and can't work up the energy to call the school and find out what I'm doing wrong. Every time you get hit with a wallop it's harder and harder to muster up the energy to try again.

There is no such a thing as an RPT, or Registered Physical Therapist anymore. Now it seems you have to be a DPT, or "Doctor of Physical Therapy." If being a CMT does not make me financially solvent, I would rather go into research or administration. Or go to computer school. Maybe I should have done that in thefirst place.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 27

My experience with the DC judicial system:

1999: My first jury duty. My workplace tells me I will have to take the time off as vacation time. I refuse to and go to the courthouse after about three hours'worth of sleep. I am called to serve on one possible jury. It involves unauthorized use of a vehicle. Apparently the two parties involved know each other -- I think they're even related, for G-d's sake. One of them also doesn't speak English well, so an interpreter is hired. Not only that, this is either a re-trial or an appeal. So a judge, attorney, interpreter and jurors' time, not to mention taxpayers' money are wasted on something which could have easily been solved out of court. I get to go home in a couple hours, but catch a cold shortly after this. I take a sick day, reasoning I might not have got sick if I had had more sleep. That way my employer pays.

2001: I am called again. This time I am working as a freelancer. I am not even called as a potential juror. I think my boss paid me for the day anyway. A couple months later I am called in again, but excused as this is a mistake on the city's part.

2003: I am robbed by a 14-year-old who threatens to murder me. I take it seriously. He is apprehended in about a half hour, but I am not allowed to know his name, where he lives or anything like that. Three or four months later in court I am not allowed to see any of his "trial," but he is allowed to see me on the witness stand and repeatedly hear the 911 tape in which I give my first and last name and cell phone number. Both the prosecution (supposed to be on my side) and the defense ask whether I was raped or had accused the kid of raping me. The defense asks whether I know the difference between rape and robbery and maintains I am not tall enough to properly identify my attacker. I walk back to the subway alone in the dark while this kid is allowed to roam the halls of the court building. The cops are all "too busy." Since he is a juvenile he is not "convicted" but it IS determined he was"involved." I get back the 15 dollars cash the city had held as evidence.

2007: I am again called for jury duty. Severely sleep-deprived, muttering and cursing I drag myself to the Moultrie building and arrive just in time. I am told there are "too many jurors" and am sent home with a promise to be paid $4.00 for my carfare. It didn't even cost me that much to get there. The only thing which disappoints me is that I actually LIKE the food in the courthouse cafeteria. I get a dog and fries at Johnny Rockets instead.

I am grateful that I live in a country which allows every citizen (and even non-citizen) trial by jury. And that I was allowed to go home and sleep a couple hours before going to my evening job.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 26

My mother and her cat are both reasonably healthy.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 25

I made a lot of money. And the weather was nice.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 24

I got a very cute new dumbek for $8.50. And my old one still looks and sounds reasonably good.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 23

Both Georgetown and Florida are in the final four. Of course I am rooting for Florida -- if they win it will be one less thing to be ashamed of. If Georgetown wins it will be a nice consolation prize.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 22

I made a lot of the money at the party doing readings.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 21

They think they know what's been causing kidney failure in cats and dogs all over the country.

WEEK 48

Found out I am now eligible to take the nationals. Had an interview with a company that prides itself on it relationship to the transgender community. I had to convince the woman I'm not gay.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 20

It was over 70 degrees today. And I had the day off. And everything is booked for Puerto Rico, including a free flight to and from Charlotte.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 19

I won 50 bucks playing Powerball.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 18

MSN reports they found Boy Scout Michael Auberry who survived sub-freezing temperatures after wandering away from his troop. If lucky things happen to other people...

The card I drew for today was the five of cups. Traditionally it is associated with partial loss, regret, friendship without real meaning, marriage without real love, inheritance, incomplete union or partnership. However, Sarah Ovenall says it is about wallowing in misery and self-pity so that they become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I would say that stood for today. It started out well enough, but I found out a younger, less-educated, less-experienced co-worker is getting a raise. And then there's the office princess who's been here less than a year. Two weeks ago she chipped her knee. Last week she had a cold. She spent eight or nine days at home taking pills and got paid for it. I've been here more than six years and I don't get a nickel of sick pay. Last year she got a 37-dollar gourmet cake for her birthday. I got a shitty Giant cake. She has a better office than I do. It takes away from the joy of possibly getting a new cube.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 17

I got some not-bad shoes for a good price.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 16

I had a nice time with the pig people.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 15

I got an invitation to the shore.

ST. PATRICK'S DAY

Click here for Enya's web site. My boss said "yeah, that's Irish music. To listen to while you're getting a massage." D and B are getting married today. Talk about the luck of the Irish. Maybe it's a sign mine will change, too.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

You'll tell me all about your sex life but I can't ask you about your religion?

Jim Bohannon

GETTING LUCKY DAY 14

I got to meet Mark Plotkin.

WEEK 47

Four Fridays into Lent and I am doing okay with the no booze/no meat on Fridays thing. Father Tom Euteneuer points out, however, Lent is about more than just not eating meat on Fridays -- it's about becoming closer to G-d. I think I am doing that, but a lot of Catholics wouldn't think so. My volunteer work at the hospital is going well -- I have completed 20% of my obligation. Unfortunately I have not given any massages this week and our crack career services department gave me the wrong number to apply for a job.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 13

I won the Taiwanese tarot deck I bid for on E-Bay.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 12

Shamu had surgery and won't be back for at least a couple weeks, if not months. I didn't ask for this.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 11

I am grateful that I have my own computer on which to book a flight to Puerto Rico. And a mom who will pay for it.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 10

After almost three years I got internet access in the control room.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 9

Because of Daylight Savings Time I get paid for five hours even when I only work four.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 8

S. left before I got there for my tutoring session, so I got more sleep. And my tarot client said I was the "Real Deal."

PUBLIC SERVANTS ANNOUNCEMENT

Remember to set your clocks forward this weekend. I am looking forward to more hours of daylight.

Click here for the ABC network: www.abc.com

Here sites for some other major networks:
www.cbs.com
www.nbc.com
www.npr.org
www.cnn.com .

GETTING LUCKY DAY 7

Guadalupe had time to cut my hair and the salon takes Visa.

WEEK 46

Another Friday without meat, another week without booze. Things are going well at the hospital. I was in line in the cafeteria and the guy behind me said "is that all you're having, Coke and French fries? I explained it was Diet Coke. It will be at least three to six weeks until I can take boards.

THE CELESTINE PROPHECY

Watched the Celestine Prophecy. There seems to be a lot of that kind of stuff going around -- The Secret, the Davinci Code. According the the Celestine Prophecy everything happens for a reason. There were other movies I could have rented at Blockbuster, so why did I rent this one? And there's the idea of energy. The main character in the movie is putting out controlling energy that turns people off. And apparently so am I. So how do I reverse this energy flow?

GETTING LUCKY DAY 6

This isn't a lucky thing that happened to ME, but it makes me happy and it is something for which I am grateful:
Two weeks after being mauled by a dog Willie is fine. After being lost for six days Fuzz turned up and more than five months after being found abused and neglected in a fraternity house Brownie is fat and happy. So if things can turn out well for pigs, maybe they can for me, too.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 5

We didn't have too much snow and I was able to move the car with no problems.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 4

They did not need me in Reston tonight, so I got paid (but no tips) and they fed me (I ate like a pig) . So I guess this is lucky, as I got some extra studying in and got home a little earlier than usual.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 3

Things went well at work this morning -- people seemed surprised if not glad to see me. I think those who know what happened feel bad. As far as I can tell I did a good job.

GETTING LUCKY DAY 2

There are two beautiful churches, both within walking distance of me. And I can become a member of either one (I am). And I live in a country in which people are free to freely and publicly worship the deity of their choice. And there was pizza in the church basement after mass. And hot guys.

What I've gleaned from Dennis Prager, The Secret DVD and the various articles I've read is this: if you come across as tired, angry and tense you will repel people. And things. And not enjoy them as much when you attract them. Conversely, if you come across as happy, relaxed and open to new people and things they will come you way. And if you are grateful for what God (or the Universe) sends you, he/she/it will send you more. So for the next couple weeks, at least, I will try to be grateful for what little comes my way.

GETTING LUCKY, OR THE PIGS ARE ALRIGHT

Saw this article on MSN

http://msn.match.com/msn/article.aspx?articleid=6715&TrackingID=516311&BannerID=544657&menuid=6&GT1=9177


According to Richard Wiseman, you should start a “luck” diary, in which you record at least one lucky thing that happened to you, or at least one thing for which you are grateful. So I will start here: the pigs are alright. They are eating, pooping and peeing and neither one has been mauled by a dog.

WEEK 45

Another week without booze, another Friday without meat. Got my picture taken for the nationals and M. made a copy of my driver's license. Another anticlimax. Is it gonna be one anticlimax after another?

THE BURNING

Urthralgia/urodynia. They are funny on Seinfeld. Or Monty Python. Or Saturday Night Live. But not when they happen to you.