Caution: do not fall down elevator shaft

[lizbee]

Am into the Cave Johnson-y parts of Portal 2. Some thoughts:

1. JK Simmons is SO GREAT, you guys. Have I mentioned my secret crush on Tenzin lately?

2. I'd really like to see fic where Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce get the contract for Aperture Science Innovations. I mean, their workplace health and safety records are almost on par!

3. I'm wondering just how annoying it would be to have turret audio as my text notification sound.

4. Dr Google tells me that my back pain is caused by sacroiliac joint dysfunction, which I have to concede fits all the symptoms. I took it to the doctor, but he briefly poked at the wrong part of my back and told me it's a muscle spasm caused by being overweight. Arthritis? no, no, overweight. So that's annoying. Although he did give me a prescription for Panadeine Forte, which is handy.

I'm tossing up whether or not to go to work tomorrow -- my chair at work is much more ergonomic than anything at home, but I seem most comfortable when I can lie on my stomach for long stretches. I may push through to the weekend and then spend that in bed.

(A major factor is that I used up all my sick leave when I had the surgery in May, so if I take the time off, I don't get paid for it.)

Comments

[fyrdrakken]

Really, the only way to find out is to set turret audio as your notification and see if you get tired of it.

Maybe one of these days I should resort to Dr Google to see if I can get an idea of what's been going on with my hip for the last few months. Only I figured it was probably a strain caused by lifting my heavy backpack with the right arm and carrying it on the right shoulder most of the time, so I switched to lifting and carrying on the left and went like a month without going to the gym to let it rest and heal, and that seems to have taken care of a lot of it. (Aside from it not really liking my desk chair at work, and me tending to hobble for a few steps whenever I stand up in my cubicle before the muscle warms up or whatever. I know it's the work chair because I'll go an entire weekend without it bothering me, and then Monday morning there it is again the first time I get up...) I suppose the thing to do is indeed see if you can manage another few days of work -- maybe just take Friday off if you have to. (I'm wondering if a different chair style might help -- one of those kneeling chairs that's supposed to be good for your back, maybe -- and if you'd have the option of getting one.)

[lizbee]

Can you ask for a new chair? That seems like something your employer should take care of!

[fyrdrakken]

I don't know -- my experiences in acquiring new anything in this workplace have been non-positive, with purchase approval apparently having to come from the home office in another state. What happens is I complain and get handed a piece of used equipment that's been sitting around since the person originally using it was laid off. And it doesn't help that I don't have an actual diagnosis to point to and say, "This is an actual problem I'm having that justifies having money spent to alleviate." (I also don't have health insurance, so I'm not going to be getting a formal diagnosis. At least until I can afford to start paying the premiums next year or thereabouts once I've paid off that debt that's eating $600 a month and have some breathing room.)

[kerravonsen]

one of those kneeling chairs that's supposed to be good for your back, maybe

I tried one of those many years ago, and it was good for my back but it wasn't good for my knees/shins, because they were what was supporting my body. It didn't help that the chair itself wasn't adjustable, so it might have been perfectly fine for someone with legs of a different length, but what I found was that rather than my weight going on my knees, it went on my shins, which got tiring.

What I've seen some people at work using is those huge balls that they use for pilates; apparently it's supposed to be good for your back to sit on a huge ball as if it's a stool. I haven't done it myself.

[fyrdrakken]

Yeah, we used to have a kneeling chair in the house when I was in my early teens -- basically, before computers were a big enough deal for us to actually spend hours in front of one and need a fancy chair for it.

I've also heard good things about a standing workstation, but gah! the adjustment period of adapting to working on my feet all day!

[terajk]

Why haven't I played Portal yet, again?

1. Wait, that was a secret? (Perhaps in comparison to your crush on Lin ;-))

4. Ugh, your doctor. But YAY PILLS.

[lizbee]

I don't know why you haven't played Portal yet. Frankly I'm kind of weirded out that my new obsession is a game, but I just love the story so much.

1. IT IS TOTALLY A WELL-KEPT SECRET.

4. Yeah, I'm going elsewhere for a second opinion on the weekend.

[violetisblue]

"JK Simmons is SO GREAT, you guys. Have I mentioned my secret crush on Tenzin lately?"

I don't know if you like musical theater, but if you do the Guys and Dolls revival soundtrack (the one starring Nathan Lane) is worth checking out--he sings a mean "Fugue for Tinhorns."

[d_generate_girl]

Seconding! The '92 revival with Gallagher, Lane, and Simmons is what introduced me to Simmons (and Guys and Dolls, for that matter) in the first place. It's an awesome recording (and Faith Prince is my favorite Adelaide).

[lizbee]

Learning About Musical Theatre is one of those things I intend to be doing before I hit New York! Excellent

[angrymermaids]

Portal 2 is awesome!

Also, this video.