Good Thing There's No Worldcon Going On

Today is my 43rd birthday. Normally in my life, this has meant one of two things: either school is about to start (boo) or Worldcon is either here or about to be here (yay). In both cases, birthdays are something that I haven't had much time to consider.

This year (and next), with Worldcon at the first weekend of August instead of the North American Labor Day weekend, I don't have that consideration. And, with the health issues I'm having, I'm just as glad.

The dizziness is almost gone, but the double vision has grown worse. I'm having to squint heavily in my left eye in order to get both eyes to focus, and it's mainly easier to just close my left eye entirely. At Cheryl's urging, I will call my regular physician later today and see if he thinks I should see him (or some other specialist) about this, or keep trying to wait out the labyrinthitis.

Update, 11:30: Anyone just coming to read this one -- go read my next entry first. I do appreciate the messages of support, but there's no further need to tell me "get to the doctor" for I have a call him to him right now.

Update, 11:45: And now they've called me back. I found the message reassuring. Yes, my symptoms are potentially part of some pretty nasty problems; however, I don't have any of the other symptoms you'd expect in such a case, so the best thing is for me to keep resting and probably spend less time in front of the computer.

Message Received

I've spoken with my regular physician's assistant, and she's going to see if he wants me to come in now or wait a while longer. Cheryl can, if necessary, drive me over to Palo Alto. They'll call me later today to let me know.

Update, 11:45: And call me back they did.

Hanging In There

My doctor's office called back. He says that if I really want to come in and see him, he's happy to accommodate me, but from the symptoms as described and the notes from the other doctor who saw me on Sunday (which was why I made a point of sticking to a PAMF facility), it sounds to him like things probably will clear up on their own soon. If things get worse or new symptoms appear, I'm to call him back and come on in.

As I said elsewhere, there's some chance that I didn't realize just how bad the double vision was until the overriding dizziness started to fade out.

Stage Management, Ho

I tuned in the Democratic National Convention this afternoon just as it came to order. The Chairman seemed apologetic that he had to put a routine procedural motion (to accept all nominating petitions) before the members, interrupting the non-stop stream of speeches and infomercials. I came back for the bread and butter of the convention: the actual roll call of the states. Of course the outcome was known, but I like the roll call, with all the states and other political subdivisions taking their minute or two to get around to actually casting their votes.

Illinois passed, but I expected that, because I anticipated that they'd come back to them just before Obama was to get his majority of votes, so that his home state could put him over the top.

We had reached New Mexico (was that Brad Lyau in the frame as they were delivering their build-up speech?) when I was surprised to hear them yield to Illinois, who then yielded to New York. It was too soon. Obama didn't have the majority yet. What was up?

Hillary Clinton then moved to suspend the rules and nominate Obama by acclamation. That motion was put, and without so much as a pause to even allow the "no" voters to sing out and not be counted, declared passed. So all of the states after New Mexico didn't even get to stand up and be counted. Sheesh. I guess hitting the convention schedule of speeches and more infomercials was more important than letting all of the states have their say.

It boggles me that the political parties think that they're improving the process by squeezing all of the juice out of it.