Bow Tie o’ the Day gives us our white, red, and green plaid. Ties o’ the Day give us more of the basic Christmas icons. What I also see when I look at this photo is that my flaking nails need new nail polish.
I’ve recently scrounged up some Christmas-y nail polish colors. But let me just say this: Just a plain ol’, regular Christmas green was a difficult color to find in the world of nail polish I visited. I found everything from Fluorescent Green, to Alien Blood Green, to I’m-Gonna-Throw-Up-Face Green. But was there a nail polish color called “Just Plain Ol’ Christmas Green?” Nope. I got what greens I could find. The right reds were easy colors to locate.
Well, my little appointment this afternoon for the ultrasound on my shoulder went ok. On the ultrasound machine screen, my right rotator cuff looked gnarly from all sides. I mean– it was ugly, with a capital O-U-C-H. Shoulder surgery is most likely in my future, but not the really-near future. I’m trying cortisone shots before resorting to that. In fact, I got shot up right after the ultrasound. If my shoulder pain is going to improve because of the cortisone, I should know in a few days.
I’m trying to be hopeful, but when I got similar shots in my lower back a few years ago, they were not effective at all. Those shots did not touch my back pain one iota. The only way I knew I had gotten the shots was because I got the bills. But I tried what my then-doc suggested. And I’ll try what I need to try now. I follow doctors’ orders. Mostly.
In fact, you might find it impossible to believe but I am pretty much a rule-follower. I’m a straight arrow. I go with the flow. However, I also do my research, and I’m observant. I have a brain. I’m not a dope, and I’m not easily duped.
To follow rules and laws does not necessarily make you a lemming. It makes things work. For example, I might not like the new four-way stop they recently created over in the next block, but I want all drivers coming from all directions to follow the law and STOP when they are driving there. I prefer not to get t-boned.
On occasion, in the face of a specific rule and/or law, we do have to stand up and say, “Whoa! Uh-uh! Nope! That ain’t gonna happen!” It’s our obligation as people on the planet. I believe in sending reasoned messages when rules/laws encroach on human dignity and freedom. I believe in non-violent civil disobedience. I believe in safe protests. I believe in posters and signs and bumper stickers and banners. I believe in short-hand slogans on t-shirts. I believe in voting.
I also believe in thick-skin, and in not being offended by every bigly and little thing done by people whose bumper stickers (aka opinions) differ from mine. Facts are a different animal altogether. Facts are not debatable. I’ll call you on your “fake facts.” And I expect you to call me on mine. And I most certainly expect us to act like ladies and gentlemen while we do it.
HOLIDAY TIE TALLY: 27 Bow ties. 71 Neckties.
