Notes on a self improvement project

I wrote the following poem for the 10 year remembrance of the 09/11 attacks.  I want to share it again this year: Another Tuesday It was just a Tuesday. 3000 people got up that morning And started their normal routine. Some walked their dog or fed their cat. Many others woke their children Dressed them in their still new clothes. Some drove their children to school. Others watched as their kids dashed out To catch buses or join their friends. Some made breakfast before they left. Others thought they would get something on the plane Or on their way to work. Some kissed their children or their spouse.  Some did not. Some said “I love you.”  Some did not. Some said words of anger instead. Because everyone thought it was Just another average Tuesday. And for awhile, it was. Some of them had just settled in for a long plane ride. Some opened a book or a magazine. Some were listening to music or taking a nap. Some were talking...

What can I say about a week spent almost entirely alone?  Not much. I can assure everyone that shingles is an extremely annoying problem, and I didn't even have a very bad case.  If I hadn't seen a doctor, I wouldn't have even ever realized that it was something to be concerned about, and if it hadn't been on my face, I could have been at work.  I didn't feel awful, but I didn't feel really good, either, and I have had a headache for over a week now, and the rash was extremely itchy.  Other people I talked to have had a far worse experience.  There is a vaccine for this, I would totally recommend it.  The vaccine is expensive, but so is the medicine once you have shingles.  If you can avoid this, do it! Barring the vaccine, I did discover something to help the itchiness.  Wine compresses helped immensely, and once I started using the wine compresses, the rashes healed faster, too.  So, if you are unfortunate enough to get shingles, rem...

So, another bad week for my goals.  And for me, in general. Here's what happened.  Last weekend, at some point, I noticed a little bump on my face, near one of my injuries from my fall in the spring.  I thought it was a zit, thought nothing more about it.  Then, next thing I know, there's kind of a patch of these bumps there, and more near the scar by my eye.  I've been using this scar gel for the scars there, so I think it must be a reaction to the gel and I stop using the gel right away. But the bumps don't go away or get better.  And they are very, very itchy.  So finally, on Wednesday, when they are still not better, not going away and are still itchy, I decide that I should go to the doctor, because I haven't been using the gel for several days at this point.  I fully expected the doctor to tell me this is a bad reaction and be given a prescription for a skin cream to clear it up and have that be the end of the story. Not so much. ...