Anyone up for a chat thread?

[Bob Crowley]

Somebody said to me once that in class actions, the lawyers don't pay the costs. Hedge funds pay for the costs, and of course take a big swack in payments.

 

[Shane R]

There's a huge difference in protocol between cities and rural areas in the US. When I lived in the city, the hospital required clergy to register with their chaplain's office before doing visitations. This meant bringing in a copy of my ordination certificate but after they entered me in the system I was cleared for 1 year. I think this was largely meant to weed out some of the cult-like groups and a lot of the Pentecostal churches where anyone with some personality is made a bishop or apostle.

Here in the countryside, they don't get too stressed. If you look like you are somebody, they generally let you do what you came for. The other thing is, if the person or a designated family member makes a formal request for their pastor to visit, that person will generally be given access. The hardest places to get into, generally, are substance abuse rehabilitation centers.

 

[Paidiske]

The hospital here (in a rural area) would like to do something like that, but have been talking about it for years without actually getting their act together and implementing something.

And yeah, it's because they've had problems with enthusiastic groups who try to come in and convert everyone, or that kind of thing, rather than specifically ministering to their own flock.

The nursing homes are much stricter. Police check, evidence of vaccinations, the whole bit, before you're allowed through the door to take services.

 

[Shane R]

The doctor suddenly dropped on me that I have surgery 26 September.

 

[RileyG]

The doctor suddenly dropped on me that I have surgery 26 September.

Praying for you!

 

[Paidiske]

That's... not far away. I hope you have good support for recovery!

I know where I'm going next, now. It hasn't been publicly announced yet, so I have to be a bit discreet still, but at least I can start to plan the move and research schools and all of those things.

 

[Bob Crowley]

If I was going to have a guess at your next posting, I think it would be somewhere between Perth and Cairns!

 

[Paidiske]

I will be happy to let you all know, when it's officially announced.

 

[Shane R]

In the chronicles of unexpected ministry opportunities, I gave first communion to a woman who must be around 60 today. She is the home aide for one of the shut-ins. She was very moved by the experience. Not knowing that this was going to happen, I had no documentation for her. But it came to me to give her one of the bulletin sheets I use for home communion, dated and signed.

 

[Shane R]

My operation was successful. It was a repeat surgery to remove a tumor from my left eye socket. In some ways, it was easier than anticipated as the surgeon thought she would have to cut away part of my eye socket and replace it with metallic plate. She did not do that but she cut away enough of my facial support muscles (and probably other tissue) that about a quarter of my face is still numb. She told me this could last up to 6 months.

My father came down for somewhat over a week and did the cooking, cleaning, driving, and sending my daughters off to school each morning. He left this afternoon since my vision has cleared sufficiently for me to resume driving. My appearance is not what it used to be but no longer warped enough to scare small children.

 

[Paidiske]

Glad to hear it all went well. And prayers for continued healing.

I am in the very weird position that I've physically moved, I'm due to start work in a week, and the bishop has only announced one half of the dual role he's offered me. The other half is still under wraps, and I'm really not sure what's going on there. Far out...

 

[seeking.IAM]

I had plastic surgery this week to repair dermatology gone awry. For the life, of me I can't figure out why anyone would chose to have elective plastic surgery once, let alone twice. I now find it a curious thing.

 

[Paidiske]

There's plastic surgery and plastic surgery. Technically, I've had elective plastic surgery to remove a couple of benign moles that were annoying me. As plastic surgery goes, that's down the mild end of things, but I can see how for different people, the calculation of risk vs. reward (in terms of improved appearance etc) might play out differently.

 

[seeking.IAM]

I am not leaving the house until I stop looking like a raccoon. I knew I was starting to see some improvement yesterday when my computer's facial recognition log-on software resumed recognizing me again. It's pretty sobering when your own computer doesn't recognize you.

 

[Shane R]

My worst day after surgery.


It took 4 attempts to totally remove the marker lines that were drawn on me. I was wearing a Reds jersey that day since they were trying to qualify for the baseball playoffs.

 

[saved24]

 

[RamiC]

It took 4 attempts to totally remove the marker lines that were drawn on me. I was wearing a Reds jersey that day since they were trying to qualify for the baseball playoffs.

It is so clever what can be done with surgery, but ooh the initial results can look like it was just aggression.

 

[seeking.IAM]

It is so clever what can be done with surgery, but ooh the initial results can look like it was just aggression.

They gotta make you look worse to make you look better. It will be worth it in the end, I'm sure.