JGrayDBU

old man here...grew up watching tape delayed NBA finals, and vividly remember Kareem having to sit out a finals game-injury and Magic completely took over the game... In no particular order: Jerry West Magic Johnson Michael Jordan Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Shaquille O'Neal Larry Bird Hakeem S. Curry Lebron Bill Russell* *Only player in memory to win huge number of championships and then coach essentially the same team to championship shortly after.

Update, the super-nice lady in San Antonio's Ro-tech who was going to help figure out this stuff has quit. Talked to a rookie, and she spilled the beans that Ro-Tech is most likely going to try to make me rent a machine for 12 months and then it will be mine. NO dice, I told her. I called my insurance company for backup and they have a rule that if the total amount goes over $500, they can recommend the machine be purchased. (I have already met my deductible for the year). The insurance company needs to see the prescription to include length of time. I called the doc's office and I have a winner I think. Dr. office lady says the prescription reads 99 months! Yea! This means it will be recommended to buy the machine, and I won't have to pay much. I should only have to pay 10% of the cost over $500. Good luck to me. I bet Ro-tech will have a hard time with that, but if I have to walk out of there with no mask and no machine, then that is what I will do.

In doing research for a planned cruise I found the info. that Carnival will give the customer that owns 100 shares some extra onboard credit. Early today CCL was at 9.99, and finished at 9.90. Almost like having a dividend- invest $1000, get 5% dividend($50) each time you go on a short cruise. Or get 100$ dividend if you go on a 7 day cruise.

so it appears to me that the three indexes have not been in a bear at the same time yet this year. Nasdaq 100 is bear now, and S and P 500 will be bear today or tomorrow? Dow will be last to bear, maybe tomorrow or Wednesday, or Dow might avoid a bear? When do we get the official announcement we are in recession? Am thinking that heads for more losses and the markets hit bottom sometime next year? Iow, this is not a quick in and out recession is it? This is a go deep and long 18 month recession, I am guessing. There are going to be some low hanging fruit at some point, just don't know when.

Tech almost done...2 outs to go

Which team does a Texas st. fan want to win? UConn? game has been tied for sometime, it appears.

thinking about TxState, if they win one more in Cali this weekend and then win their super -regional, they will be among a very few number of teams with 50 wins in Omaha. Will be interesting to see if Tennesse, etc advance to CWS.

my two cents: Background, am an old now, 57, and the last time I ran long distance was 2010. The Tyler Half-Marathon beckoned. Their website had the best tag line ever: "Where will you be on 10-10-10? So I registered, trained with the old Tues, Thurs. Sat. running plan. Those long runs on Saturday were very peaceful, cleared my head. Training included a 15k in Sherman along the way. Had allergy issue day of Tyler race, and vividly remember those bricks in Tyler. I trained for probably 6 months for the race and my weight never went down. I was about 237 day of race. 5'11". Except for getting water during the water stations, I ran the entire way until completing mile 10. Then my field of vision started to narrow. I ran/walked the remainder. Finished a nice slow 2:53. Fast forward to March 2022. I'm in northern rural Alaska, no fast food since December, and am losing weight, partially due to staying active playing pickleball and partially due to having to eat my own cooking. Pickleball can sometimes get to 1.5 hours or so. Nearly addicting. A fellow teacher gets on the PA and announces the bridge races are to be held later that day. The races under the bridge are on the frozen river, and are in age groups. I'm in the 56-58 old man group. The race is to the ATV and back to the starting line, maybe 50 yards. In a photo-finish I win! One spectator yelled "tie!" as we finished, but they gave me the envelope with the winnings, $30, woohoo! Another round of races was supposed to happen in late April, but the weather warmed up, so I am the reigning bridge race champ- 56-58 year old division. Bottom line, you may not need any training. You definitely need to stay active. I am in Texas visiting this summer, and weighed in at the dr. office at 216 on May 17, down from 240 in summer of 2020.

I like this. I got on the plane the day after graduation to go to Fort Leonard Wood Missouri for Army basic. It was still cool at night in late May, but by the time we got to July the platoon from Wisconsin started to melt. Yeah, they weren't too bright, sending an entire platoon from a state that wasn't used to the 100+ heat.

Paris TX. Was there yesterday, stumbled onto a very good Memorial Day service, complete with wreath laying and Boy Scout bugler playing taps. Very well thought out ceremony.

odds looking good for playoff.

correct it to Precertification.

I am sticking with the DME that doesn't answer their phone, but I was able to change the appointment to the San Antonio location, and sooner, 06/20, where they do answer the phone and they seem to have a brain in SA! I have already met my deductible for the year. The lady mentioned renting some equipment. Rent vs. buy? I'm also thinking about calling two weeks or so before the appointment to ask which machines they have. They will probably say they only carry one machine. If I am given the choice about which machine, I will follow up here, and get opinions. I have somehow discovered the $500 rule. If the insurance company will be billed more than $500 by the DME, there needs to be recertification to a mysterious company, Medical Rehabilitation Consultants. I will call my sleep doc on Tuesday to give him this assignment. Anybody know anything about the $500 pre-cert. rule?

This topic came up when I searched giving blood. Have always been interested if there is a correlation between giving blood and keeping pressure under control. Been out of state for a long time, so today when I gave in Bedford at Carter Blood care two things happened: 1. my blood pressure was nice and low, for me...127 or so over about 80ish. I asked how many gallons I've given and I am in the 7 gallon club.

Questions for the experts, after some background: Sleep doc agreed to fast-track the delivery of CPAP machine and mask. The company providing the mask (picked by lady at dr. office) warned me the earliest appointment would be a month out, an appointment with a respiratory therapist to fit the mask. I agreed to the appointment in Irving, June 24, because I am currently spending time in Euless. Ro-tech has several locations in Texas, and I am spending time in the Austin area as well later in June. Ro-tech has exhibited the worst telephone customer service I have ever experienced. It takes them an hour to come to the phone. They were so slow today that by the time the agent knew what to do, to get the Austin office on the phone, the Austin office was closed, it was 4:05 p.m. After that little experience I called my insurance company, Meritain, and got the list of DMEs sent to me. Other possibilities are: CVS Health Hub, Lincare, American Home Patient, and Apria. Do I stick with Ro-tech, or assume the rest of the company is as bad as the phone operations? Of the companies listed above, does any company stand out as being better than the others? Should I check with my sleep doc and make sure the prescription starts with a full-face mask, or is that something that would not necessarily be on there?

Thanks, I will check it out.

Read most of this stuff. The only Surly rule I will intentionally violate is the anti-Carnival rule: The wife has allegedly wanted to go on a cruise forever. She visited the Navy son a couple of years ago in Hawaii and was allowed on his boat for a very short 2-3 hour ride. It's evidently much smaller than a cruise ship and she got seasick. Since we both have full-time jobs(my Alaska teacher pay is much higher than her Texas clerical pay) and the kids are gone, I offered the following strategy: I pay for the cruise, port taxes, fees, and gratuities for both of us and one soda package; she pays for any excursions and upgrades in dining and any b.s. souvenirs. What I didn't tell her at first was I priced in the Spa Cloud 9 package from Carnival. This is a multi-tiered strategy...1. keep her from getting bored, sitting in the sun and burning all day 2. give her something she really likes 3. give me a chance to take a nice long, comfortable shower in the spa area, as opposed to the tiny little shower in the stateroom. She didn't like the idea. The princess is holding out for not paying anything. Not gonna happen. I can find someone else to go if it comes down to it. Since my birthday is in late December, I have now postponed my plan until 2023. So here is the strategy: 1. The cruise is a birthday present to myself-go and pay for the little stuff or don't--your choice. 2. I am paying for a Cloud 9 Spa package balcony room....and still getting a pretty good deal. 3. Because I am used to living in a very isolated part of the world and not having access to something as simple as a glass of orange juice, I will cash in big-time on the soda package. My research indicates: a. four kinds of juice available b. a glass of soda or juice is allowed every 10 minutes c. there is a track to run/walk around the ship d. by the time I sail, the soda package will probably be $15 per day. Walk around the track, get a juice, walk around the track, Get a soda, ad infinitum, or ad nauseam! whichever comes first. Since I am an early riser, I will break even by 10:00 a.m. every day. Shoot I will even throw in a glass of water every third drink as well. Guaranteed I will be the first passenger to find all of the convenient restrooms. No internet, no problem. Re: the Wal-Mart factor, I can ignore anybody and anything. Kind of like ignoring a Native drunken Alaskan in a dry village. Just part of the scenery. The cool thing about Carnival is how they have stepped up their food game. By December 23 we will have the current stars, Guy Fieri's Burger joint no extra charge, the Mexican food place no extra charge, etc. and by December 23 we will most likely have Shaq's Chicken joint - no extra charge. The days of settling for a buffet are long gone. I've been watching the Youtubes recently and the trend in food is the upscale, upsell. Just something to be aware of. I've done so much research on this stuff I am sure it will all change by 23 and I will have to re-learn it. No problem. I have all the time in the world in rural northern Alaska. Since 2019, I completed two Master's Degrees to get to the top of the salary chart, so something needs to fill the time. About 80% of the time I really get off on the boredom, as crazy as it sounds. I have been visiting the wife in Texas for 10 days now, and wow! the commute stress of driving the crowded highways vs. the commute stress of walking 200 yards in -40 degrees is an absolute no-contest. For next year, I got permission and already moved closer to school, so when I go back in late July, my commute will be cut in half, down to 100 yards. Questions: 1. For a first-timer - 5 day, 6 day, does it matter? I know not to get anything less than a 5 day. 2. I am not checking luggage. After four years in Alaska, that is the one thing that carries over into real life. If you can help it, keep your luggage with you as much as possible. I'm taking a carryon or 2 with a 12 pack of Dr. Pepper or Coke in it. Try for early check-in or does it matter?

back to the machine and mask for me. A little background- victim of UPPP in 2007, never helped once, then I had my turbinates drilled out in 2013. I never adjusted well to the machine. Never used it. I have now lost weight. Summer 2020 - 240, the other day 216 - 57 years old. 5' 11" Never too old, right? Did the at-home test the other day, Apnea supposed to be down to mild... feels just as bad as ever to me, but what do I know? am thinking full face mask. Dr. wanted to know if I have dry mouth when I wake up...said yes. I meet with respiratory therapist to pick masks next month. Other than full face mask any advice? Do all machines require distilled water? Are masks and machines much better than ten years ago? Sure hoping for that.

mods, please lock and destroy topic. My son heard the dates wrong, they are actually having the cruise at a later month when I cannot attend. Thx

Anybody on here been on a Tiger Cruise? This is a cruise on the Navy boat where your loved one serves. They shoot off some ammo, do some demonstrations, and the guest gets to sleep in a Navy rack for one or two nights. Yes, a wonderful use of your taxpayer dollar! My Navy son has one coming up that looks like will fit into my schedule. Any advice? Thx

Which airline do you guys prefer to go...DFW or DAL to San Diego? one-way. Thx