Too much, too fast, too hard.

.
.
All a day in the life of Doom, mind you. I seem to like to shoot myself in the foot, just to make sure it still hurts. No, not really, it just might seem that way to a casual observer. "Is that Doom with a loaded gun pointed at his foot again?" "Why, yes, I believe it is." "Hey Doom..." *bang* "...be careful... Whatever."

My appointment. I made it by not sleeping at all, quite by foolish accident. I did make it in time to scarf a bite to eat on my way in, but just barely and nothing fancy. As I am getting ready to leave the restaurant (across the parking lot from the office) to go check in, my phone says I have a message(s). I check it. From two days ago, or so, I finally get two messages. One is from my friend, though he doesn't say anything, I just know. Trust me, at least on this. I know these things. The other is from the clinic I am just about to check into. The woman tells me that the hygienists are no longer working at the time of my appointment (the one I am about to check in for), or there is a meeting, or both, or something. That I need to call and reschedule. Now, that call came in when the missionaries where here. Neither they nor I heard the call ring through, despite the phone being on and sitting right beside me. Actually both calls happened at that time. Since I hadn't heard the calls, I asked if they had, just for a 'sanity' check. Nope. Okay, I don't know what is happening with Verizon, but I am having this happen far too often. Phone calls that don't ring through and messages being delayed. Further, after they left, I checked my phone messages to see if the callers had left a message. Not a message to be found a half hour to hour after the calls came through silently.

Well, Verizon aside, there I am, at an 8:00 appointment that had been canceled, having spent $30-$50 in gas. Mad? Well, yes, but certainly not at the V.A. A bit at myself, but I did try as best as I was able to check. Verizon has most of my ire. I went in anyway, to reschedule. She suggested I could wait a couple hours to see if a cancellation would occur. None were showing and I was dieing on the vine as it was. And the cancellation might not be for morning, if one came in. I just couldn't stay. I explained that my phone had messed up, that I had tried to check the afternoon before, and just sort of shrugged. More to receive a little sympathy and then to let it go. I got sympathy, and more. They took care of me. I am quite grateful.

I did go on to get some other things done. I picked up a package from an order and then went looking for the BCI, the place where you apply for a conceal weapon permit in person if you are going to do it that way among other things. Now, being tired, dehydrated, and SLC being slightly larger than my home town, things didn't go well. I think that was my first experience of driving around, realizing I was lost, and continuing to drive around, and in the same area (the male stereotype). Usually, immediately after realizing I am lost, or even if I think I could be or will be, I would stop and ask. I knew it wasn't where I was searching, but I couldn't find a place that looked like it was worth stopping at to ask, didn't know where else to go, wouldn't give up, so did this stupid loop through a construction area which really made the travel far worse, for an hour or two, which went on like a bad dream. It was driving hell!

Finally I pulled into a place that is often a gas station and fast food joint combination, a chain I have only seen in Utah though it might be regional. It turned out to be the only one like it that was just a food place that I have seen. I was driving on out through the parking lot as I doubted anyone there would know when I saw a man, a worker I suppose, having a smoke in the parking lot. I drove over to him and asked if he knew where BCI was. By the look of him, as I got closer, I sort of suspected if he knew anything about BCI it had nothing to do with a gun permit (BCI is the bureau of criminal investigation). Being broad daylight, fully capable of self defense, and a bit too late to change my mind, I just waited for an answer. Nope, he knew nothing.

A guy I had noticed in my periphery, in a car nearby, told me right where it was. He suggested he did a lot of work there, that he was some sort of investigator. He said it with a slight grin. I had to grin back. I thanked him, and after figuring things out, made it to the place. I had been searching 3500, though in my sleepy mind I kept looking for 3400 (which doesn't exist as a main road), it was on 5400 (which I know, just not in such a withered state it seems). I have, now, finally, officially applied for my conceal weapon permit. The investigator, however, with the knowing grin and a sort of understanding, sticks in my mind. Predators of predators have an understanding, no matter what our official or unofficial titles or standings may be. I enjoyed the meeting, brief and anonymous as it was. Then again, they often are. *grins*

Okay, but I was pretty cooked by this time. I was dehydrated, but more. I was tired and dehydrated but there was even more. But what? I just didn't know. And like the driving lost scenario, I couldn't even tend the dehydration. Yeah, the mind gets funky when you deprive it, push it, shove it. As I was heading home I really wanted to stop and eat. Being very tired, by this time, I worried that stopping and eating might exaggerate my exhaustion. Food can do that. So I pretty much just headed for home. I was having a huge problem staying awake but I couldn't afford a room and it was far to hot to have tried to pull off for a nap, so on I struggled. I made it home, but don't remember how, when, or much. I didn't feed the cats. The only thing I remember though, was checking that they still had dry food and water available. I put food out before heading out along with water, in volume, when I will be traveling. I closed my door so they couldn't bother me, or did I? Whatever. I crashed, hard. Just waking a bit ago. But I figured out what the other problem was shortly after waking.

I somehow messed up. I haven't taken medicine for four days. You know what? I am either one of the luckiest or healthiest sick people you will ever meet. Going off those medicines, cold turkey, can and does kill people. I am taking Friday's pills, in spite of it being Saturday technically, and will try to sleep in a few hours again, then get back on the drug farm (if not exactly the drug farm they get the big bucks to sing about). Oh, wait, it IS Friday. I will take Thursday medicine tomorrow then. *chuckling* Yeah, I like my stupid humor and foibles, even as they are.

Well, later. Probably good night once I figure out how to get some fluid and food, if that might require a drive.