No More Musing This Year!!!!!!!!

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That’s right, I’m done musing for 2022. (Big whoopty-doo, huh? ) I saw my new psychologist Wednesday. It was a “meet and greet,” even though it lasted an hour. I told her that I’m feeling good today. With anxiety, that is subject to change without notice. However, I told her that, barring a “spell,” I’d be happy to go six months until seeing her again. The way I look at it, the Mental Health department at the VA has real issues to deal with, like a woman raped by her commanding officer or a man who saw his best friend dismembered by an IED. I’m not taking time away from them to deal with my hypochondria. The photo is the Mental Health department’s holiday door decoration. I love Snoopy and all things Peanuts, so I thought it was great (especially using Lucy as the “psychiatric help”). The receptionist said it won third prize in the decoration contest. Still no mail. Worse, no word from the post office. I have something called “Informed Delivery,” which is where they take a picture of your letters to let you know they’re coming. That’s how I know I have missing mail. Now, here’s the kicker: they will tell you that, even though they have it to take a photo of it and send it to you, it can still take a week to get to you. Oh, and that lost credit card from earlier in December? They won’t start looking for 30 days…y’know, until it’s GOOD and lost. No, the post office wasn’t that inept when I worked there. That was over 35 years ago, mind you, and there was still human, “hands-on” sorting going on. Just sayin’…. I’m really saddened by the death of the great Canadian folk/country icon Ian Tyson yesterday. Yes, he was 89 and lived a good, full life, but it’s still sad to lose another legend like that. I guess his best-known song in America (or elsewhere in the world) is “Four Strong Winds,” which was a hit for Bobby Bare in country in the 60s and has been covered by so many people I can’t even begin to name them all. (I love Neil Young’s version on Comes a Time.) Rest In Peace, Ian. I have my spiffy sweatshirt picked out to wear to the living room to watch new year’s eve festivities on the live webcams around the world (primarily in Key West) tomorrow. Like that meme on Facebook says, when we were young we yearned for the day when we’d be an adult and could stay out past 9 PM. Now that we’re older, we’re usually in the lounge chair, the tub, or bed by 9 PM. If you’re going out to celebrate I hope you have a safe time. Please remember that most larger cities in America have an offer for free transportation home if you’ve had too much celebratory bubbly (something other than 7-Up, that is ), so take advantage of it. NO, you’re not sober enough to drive. Your life, and the lives of everyone else on the road, isn’t worth it. And if, like me, you’re staying in, put your earplugs in (I have noise-cancelling headphones for the occasion) and ignore the fireworks. My prayers and best wishes for a blessed 2023! Here’s the late, great Ian Tyson, with former wife Sylvia, as “Ian and Sylvia,” doing the classic “Four Strong Winds”: