[JuZ]

Gout!

do you drink a lot of port?

and/or eat a lot of goose fat?

I am guilty on both counts but as yet have not suffered any gout issues. Can only be a matter of time though.

haha... yeah I'm thinking either bunions from pointy work shoes or, as you say, gout from too much of the good life. The summer just past saw its fair share of gin and Marlborough Sauv Blancs.

Great timing too, as I've literally just started scaling back my alcohol intake to almost nothing and am endeavouring to drop a bit of weight with more exercise. It appears that my body doesn't believe my "good intentions" and has decided to give me some extra motivation! Doc appointment in about half an hour so we'll see what he says.

UPDATE: AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannd... it's gout.

UPDATE: AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannd... it's gout.

Gout?! Ouch! Poor thing!

Just got a fucking hail storm peeling. Awesome.

[JuZ]

UPDATE: AAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannd... it's gout.

Gout?! Ouch! Poor thing!

Thanks Tonya!

48hrs off my feet and some meds and I should be ok.

Going to listen to my body and start taking care of it.

My friend lived off beer and red meat.
He developed gout.
The pain was excruciating.
He still lives off Red Meat and beer.
Wonder if it's an American thing?
Gout is kind of the disease of our founding fathers.

The snow is annoying, having to shovel it though, thats somewhat of a workout, so I don't mind it too much usually. The salt they put on the sidewalk can mess up your shoes/boots also, and there's slush and all that mush too.
What I most despise is the lack of sunlight though, it really seems to have me with alot less energy and I am often depressed in winter time.
We had the time change recently, and with more sunlight, I am getting active again.

It's kind of funny.
The way the laws work around here, if you rent your walk must be clearedfor you. This is the first year I've owned yet there was actually less shovel action than the previous. My building maintenance crew discovered the actual property owner was family. So they went out of their way to irritate me as I'd so never sue my auntie.
Some highlights:
1) It often took in excess of 48 hours after a snowstorm to "clear" the path and even then that amounted to running some equipment over surfaces, filling in the path I shoveled, and forcing me to re-do *everything.*

2) The dryer died. I had to endure two days of them popping in to tell me it was my imagination and nearly making me miss my train. Then on the third, also unannounced, they showed up with a replacement unit and left the door to the outside next to the litterboxes open.

3) After three months of complaining about a black mold issue from shoddy reconstruction, they waited until I was rushing by real quick to clean up before work after an ER run to tear off the entire wall from the apartment. My notification of this amounted to "hey watch the gaping hole while we go to lunch" to allow me optimum time for securing valuables and animals.

4) My personal "favorite" was when the property manager decided to yell at me about my lady friend's dog barking. He waited in the driveway for her to go outside alone and tried to physically/legally intimidate her. He ran straight to my aunt's to complain that I had seen him, bolted down the stairs, then proceeded to be younger, larger, and more up on tenancy laws than he was.

So while we technically had the worst winter in 20+ years, I was able to smile as I shoveled realizing I was free of that gaggle of idiots.

[Blazingmonga]

Just had to say goodbye to a dear friend who is going travelling, possibly indefinitely. Very sad. She also happens to be my wife's best friend, so it is a total bummer.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42371032/ns ... ?GT1=43001

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42371032/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001

That is so horrible...made me cry.

[swervedriver]

The nicest day of the year we've had so far and I get to help my brother move house. On top of that my hayfever-ish allergies have been running rampant all day so now my bloodshot eyes make me look like the spawn of The Desolate One.

Somewhat ironic, seeing as my brother moved into a church (which is now filled with apartments).

Just woke up with a sore throat, complete with a runny nose and lots of sneezing. Now I'm starting to get this feeling that this stuff only happens on weekends, unfortunately .

[djskrimp]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/42371032/ns/world_news-asiapacific/?GT1=43001

That is so horrible...made me cry.

I wish more people had your sensitivity. I count myself lucky in knowing a few who do.

The Norwegian parliament just voted in favor of the Data Retention Directive.

According to the directive, member states will have to store citizens' telecommunications data for six to 24 months stipulating a maximum time period. Under the directive the police and security agencies will be able to request access to details such as IP address and time of use of every email, phone call and text message sent or received.

Surveillance. Awesome.

Not the worst of problems by a long shot, but still kinda sucky for my little bro.

He invited a new friend round to his (...my Mum's) house, and just as he was leaving, he went back up to my bro's room because he "forgot his phone".

My bro, Jesse, thought he was taking a bit long, and could hear him moving about alot, so he went up to see what he was doing. He said he just couldn't find it straight away, so Jesse just ignored it and let him out to go home. Afterwards, he realised his iPod had gone missing.

Turns out this "friend" of his had stolen it. My sister, her boyfriend and Jesse went round to his house to ask him if he had it, but the iPod that he did have with him (that his parents had never seen before) had been "given to him by his uncle, who also happened to be called Jesse". My bro has proof that it's his iPod, with the serial number etc. - but they're refusing to comply (both the kid and his parents) - and now, if we want to get it back, we have to either try and get the Police to scare him into handing it over, or even go to court. (I think... I'm not certain on the whole process of it all, but this is what my sister has said).

Apparently the kid has an ASBO, at the age of 12 (if that's even possible?) - Admittedly, that part sounds quite easily made-up, but his parents sound pretty dodgy and used to similar kind of trouble, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Again, not the biggest problem in the world... Just feel bad for my little bro. Stabbed in the back by one of his own friends... tut, such drama!

Apparently the kid has an ASBO, at the age of 12 (if that's even possible?) - Admittedly, that part sounds quite easily made-up, but his parents sound pretty dodgy and used to similar kind of trouble, so I wouldn't be surprised.

Again, not the biggest problem in the world... Just feel bad for my little bro. Stabbed in the back by one of his own friends... tut, such drama!

An ASBO at 12 is possible.
That's awful, but if he actually does have an ASBO threatening him with police action is pretty sure to leave him unphased. :/