Learning to drown

[bunsen_h]

There's a big poster up on the wall beside the "shallow pool" at the Nepean Sportsplex.  I think it's created and distributed by the Lifesaving Society.

In 7 days, your child could ride a bike... because he learned.

In 4 hours, your child could tie her shoes... because she learned.
 

In 20 minutes, your child could say his ABCs... because he learned.
 

In 30 seconds, your child could drown...

The logical structure, and its conclusion, make me itch, metaphorically.

On the other hand, right at the moment, I'm feeling somewhat overwhelmed.

I had a follow-up appointment with the neurosurgeon a week and a half ago.  The MRI shows distinct improvement in my spinal cord; the syrinx is much smaller.  However, I'm having increasing discomfort in my left shin and foot — very likely due to compressed nerves getting back into proper shape after all these months, and yelling at me about the state of things.  The surgeon recommended that I back off on my exercise somewhat for a couple of weeks, and also suggested that massage and acupuncture may help.

My stamina for sitting up, including in front of the computer, is still poor.

I'm still having a lot of trouble getting to sleep at night.  Part of this is due to that pain, part to gastric reflux, part to simple fretting about things.  On the other hand, I'm tending to drop off to sleep rather abruptly in the late afternoon, lying on my sofa reading or watching a DVD.  It's very odd for me to suddenly wake up, lying down, with a mouthful of food, and realize that I must have dozed off while eating supper.

My friend Phil Whiteside passed away early Tuesday morning.  I feel... odd.  Distant, emotionally flat.  It hasn't really hit me yet.  I didn't get to see him in the last few weeks, because of my own difficulties in travel and because I guess I kept hoping that he'd rally one more time.  About a week ago, I woke up in the early morning, utterly overwhelmed with grief, but without any clear focus for the emotion that I could identify.

Many of my friends are dealing with a lot of their own problems.  There's too much crap going on around here.
 

Comments

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

Should ChefCat be reporting the place to the city's health department or other agency? If the owner has that kind of attitude towards sanitary standards, it's probably a good thing that ChefCat didn't stay there -- his professional credentials might be at risk.

I completely understand your focusing on D.-; she's going to need a lot of support. I wish I could help more; I know that being available to lend an ear or a shoulder is useful, but I'm used to being able to FIX things, dammit.

[ambiviolent.livejournal.com]

Oh, City of Ottawa knows all about it. That was part of boss's fury. They are shut down, and cannot re-open until they have a new commercial hot water tank, which will cost thousands, apparently. Hellooo, failwit owners: that residential water tank turned out not to be such a great idea, huh?

I know you're used to being out and doing. No matter how healthy you were, Dr. B., there would be no fixing this. Lending an ear will come in handy, though.

[con-girl.livejournal.com]

So where is this glorious establishment? It sounds like one to avoid.

[ambiviolent.livejournal.com]

I went too far with this without Chefcat's knowledge or permission. He's happy to tell all and sundry - in person, not on-line.

[con-girl.livejournal.com]

Understood.

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

Oh, I see. Dishes must be washed at a temperature of at least X°, and/or using a three-sink system with detergent, bleach, and rinse. That one? And they figured they could sneak past it?

[ambiviolent.livejournal.com]

They have/had a residential hot water tank. They're cheaper than a commercial tank, but unsurprisingly they can't do the job. At a certain point on busy evenings, hot water runs out. When it ran out, Chefcat said "Don't wash the dishes in cold water, that doesn't sanitize them. If the dishes run out, we shut down. This is why a residential tank is illegal, guys." They didn't run out of clean dishes/pots, so they closed at the regular time.

Chefcat was going to speak to the boss about it (to the tune of "WHY don't we have a commercial tank?"), and then report if it was not addressed. One of the line cooks had other plans, and reported it that night.

Frankly, I agree with you. He's best out of there.

[bunsen-h.livejournal.com]

What can ChefCat get in the way of severance? Given that he was fired for reasons that impinge on his professional credentials, and refusal to violate sanitation laws..?

[ambiviolent.livejournal.com]

Given that he worked exactly two shifts and there was no contract, I'd imagine they could fire him because they forgot to drink decaf. They can say anything, and Chefcat has better things to do with his time.