I am on the Patreon but I haven't listened to the latest yet - they are so long now and I don't want to break it into pieces because I know it's gonna be good but it's hard to find that much time

In better news:

• Meloxicam is still works well for me.
• I passed the vision test at the DMV without needing glasses.
• I successfully renewed my driver's license (with one day to spare!).

The renewal process had some oddities. First off, the web sites for the two closest DMV offices wouldn't let me complete the reservation process. I could pick from several available appointment windows, but each one I tried to select failed to process. That was frustrating. So I tried the DMV in a town about 15 minutes away. They use a different online reservation system, and I got the appointment I wanted with no problem. Second, although I carefully collected all the various documents the web site said I would need (passport in lieu of birth certificate, social security card, two document supporting my residential address), at the desk all they asked for was my current driver's license and verbal assertion that I still lived at the address listed. It was almost disappointing. I felt like Jayne in the Firefly episode "Ariel" -- I did all this prep, and it didn't matter?

I got a mildly disapproving look when I declined the organ donor option. I explained that since I have metastatic cancer, I didn't think it was a good idea to donate any organs.

The picture turned out okay. The electronic signature (no stylus, so fingertip on tablet) is horrible. Oh, well.

I saw my ophthalmologist yesterday, and he was pleased with the progress made in reducing the CME in my retinas. My vision is not 20/20 yet, but it is close. I'll be tapering off the eyedrops over the next three weeks, then following up with my optometrist.

Now for some lunch, and then (probably) a nap.

That all sounds good! Nap for me, please. I don't know why but I started wanting to just go back to bed (like, more than I always do) about an hour ago but I cannot

I did! Holy cow!

Oh god the ENDING!!! I am super tense now! I also forgot about the cowcatcher that Leif launched at Kroc when he was what can generously be called "mentally iffy," and I wonder if that will come into play with the weapon launched at the cube. Tim thinks no, and tried to explain his reasoning by talking about gravity waves, but that just made my brain hurt.

On the bigger big bad out there, I remember at the end of the previous season Kroc referred to "little brother," and we still don't know who that is. Speculation ranged from Chuck (remember him/it?) to Leif to Caspar to the diner itself. So mysterious "little brother" is one option for the bigger bad, I guess.

I don't know if the Midnight Burger and Welcome to the Horizon storylines are supposed to converge at the end of this season, but I feel like they have to. If the diner ends up in the now-traveling Hood's Pocket, they'll be so excited to see the Mungo! Also Leif, of course. I feel like Frank and Trinkett and Tavrok have to be useful in the fight against Kroc.

Meloxicam is still works well for me.

The combination of a steroid shot in my bad hip plus daily meloxicam worked SO well to keep the pain basically gone. When I got my second steroid shot 3 weeks ago at the orthopedic practice, the ortho bro doctor said he can't keep refilling the meloxicam for me, that I'm going to need to see my primary care provider for that, because I need to have labwork done to make sure the meloxicam isn't fucking up various organs. I genuinely don't understand why the ortho bro couldn't order labwork, but whatever. I have an appointment with my primary care provider in a couple of weeks to see if I can continue the meloxicam. In the meantime, ibuprofen is definitely not working as well, so I have a moderate amount of breakthrough pain despite the steroid shot. Grrr.

Boo breakthrough pain. Also I now can only picture Dr Glaucomflecken with the phrase “ortho bro”.

Yay renewing license and improving vision! You know if you hadn’t gotten the documents together they would’ve suddenly needed them.

The electronic signature (no stylus, so fingertip on tablet) is horrible. Oh, well.

My voting place had us sign that way and compare it to my license which had a real signature. I felt bad for the person checking because near impossible.

Meloxicam is one of a very long list of painkillers that I can't take. I ended up taking Diclofenac for my painful joints and it works okay. Okay meaning it doesn't make me sick. It apparently is the same drug in the topical Voltaren.

I just saw a TikTok about how diclofenac went generic and started being given to cows in India but then when they died the vultures tried to eat them as usual but it kills vultures so caused a huge chaos (eventually it was banned for cows I guess!)

My tailbone is still hurting when I try to do squats at the gym even though it’s not otherwise feeling bruised anymore. Booo. Stupid falling down stairs on my butt. I just don’t have the same padding I used to either!

Thanks, everyone! I had seafood and tres leches, and soon I'm going to read some fanfic and go to bed. Ideal 50th birthday.

Well done!

Happy birthday to dcp! I hope your back is feeling better and allows you to properly enjoy your day. May this year be filled with unexpected treats and delights.