— all systems go. surgery next Friday, time TBD.

— i’ll be under for around 4 hours.

— i’ll be pretty much incapacitated for a few days after.

— i’ll be unable to climb stairs for a couple of days, so i’ll likely be out of contact here.

— i’ll be out of work for most likely three weeks.

— i’ll be FINE. no need for cookies, flowers, letters, cards, etc. REALLY.

— i’m not nervous.

— this surgery is for a number of minor things, none are life threatening.

— the combination of several procedures is what’s making for a little longer than usual recovery.

— no, i don’t want to share what’s going on.

*These responses predicated on the barrage of well-meaning and deeply annoying questions I’m getting at work. I trust all y’all to be more sensitive. 🙂

I forget sometimes that this is a public diary, the whole notion of which is silly.

In general, I’m not a person who needs a lot of sympathy from a lot of people.

If I know you and you want to offer it, that’s cool. There are a few of you — a very few — who I want advice and care from, and you know who you are.

But in general, I’m pretty self sufficient — or at least, numb to the human touch of those I have not let in.

I sometimes let those who think they know me down. I’m sorry for that.

As I’ve gotten older, I realize just what a dysfunctional bastard I can be. Perhaps I am letting down the mask a little to let others see it. This is at once honorable and detestable.

But, as the scorpion said to the frog, it’s my nature.