TOPIC: Random hello and updates

So since this is one of the few places people seemed to care about me and stuff (love you guys!) and it's been a long while I thought I'd give out a few updates and stuff as well as say hi and see if anyone remembers me

So, working, still on midnights, horrible schedule, but paid enough to keep up with bills and flirt with finally getting ahead a bit. Even got to do a kinda fun thing...Stuff is finally a little better but it's left my mental health in tatters.
Covid sucked. I'm now part of the long hauler statistic...not as bad as some but it's really messed me up. I got to learn what a pulmonary embolism is!
Currently at war with the US healthcare system to get neck surgery and trying to save up a little cuz if I manage to disability from work is only 60% of pay. So here I go trying the fundraiser thing again, but it's not as dire as it was a few years ago.

Some good stuff...
I have a new dog who like to wake me up by landing on me and giving me kisses forever. 50 pounds and about 70% tongue.
After giving trying to die a good go I changed how I've done a couple things. Always been kinda poor, and any financial windfalls of any kind have 99% gone to bills, paying off something, or going into the account to be ready for the next thing to blow up. I decided to try to do silly fun stuff for a change. So after I got out of the hospital my wife and I went on our first real vacation, which is the first I've been on since my mid-teens. Spent a few days in The Wizarding World at Universal Orlando. Then went to GenCon last year, Adepticon this year, and planning on GenCon this year and NOT working anything. First time in a little over 3 decades since I've done that. Still figuring out what to do at these convention things when you're just there....please say hi if you see me wandering aimlessly

I'm adopted. My daughter did the DNA thing to find out if there is anything medical she had to worry about and then got into the family tree stuff. She got contacted by a woman who matched at grandmother level of relative. Blah, blah, blah I got to meet my bio mother and 5 half siblings and have a lot of questions answered. I've also found out about a few dozen nieces and nephews and cousins running around. So that was kinda cool.

Ok, enough rambling. This place was the closest thing to a family that cared about me for a very long time so I figured it was too long since checking in.

Glad to see you're still surviving which is more than too many folks of late. Hope to see you around the con as you're yet another face i haven't seen in person in too damn long.

Shaman man!! Hey, it seemed like it's been forever since you've posted here. Keep up the good fight my man!! You never know how things will eventually turn out. One of my favorite quotes are words to live by:

"Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery." - Eleanor Roosevelt

Love ya brother!!

Rob

Good to see you posting, even if it's just once in a while

It was always a treat to bump into you in the coaching room. Your dog sounds nice - I'll say hi if I see you on the show floor!

greetings shaman,

i have wondered about you. it is good to "hear" from you. you always make my trips to gencon a little nicer. i hope to see you at the con. i will be tied up with a bunch of runs at TD. i know you are not working, but if you stop by TD, a bunch of folks would love to see you.

-jeff