Daniel Sloss

Hot off the Press

OK, I guess another Hot Off the Press is required and today it comes as a form of confession. Not that I thought I was invincible for having avoided catching the Plague. You should be familiar with my term for Covid 19? Yes, that’s the one. Or my predilection for referring to the RAT as a Pregnancy test, by that it looks a lot like an actual Pregnancy Test. Again, not that I’ve ever done one of those.

Alas, I almost made it to May 10, 2023, so close. Alas, I tested “Pregnant!” on a Wednesday morning and we had to cancel rather a few appointments. Including reluctantly my early chiropractor’s appointment. To my further annoyance because it felt like every rib was not where they should be. But, alas, I couldn’t live with myself should I pass it onto anybody else let alone someone more at risk than myself.

I have had all five vaccines for the Plague and every single one came with issues to book, be eligible, get transport to and from and originally to have access to the appropriate vaccine my GP had insisted I have and only that particular vaccine. Originally it was only the Astra Zenica (or the AZ!) I was told from day dot to only get the Pffizer. (Or a Fizzer! As I called it) I was too YOUNG to qualify originally.

Overall, my experience of the actual Plague, I’m not really complaining. Remember in the early days of Covid? Yeah, lots of those people are not here to tell the tale. So, my mild cold-like-symptoms, I was fine. I hunkered down and settled into isolation. Took more juice and echinacea than I’ve had for a while but after the initial cancelling of all my appointments, only one carer chose not to risk coming. I had two days that week without carers. One of my two agencies could not cover a shift and then the Friday, same issue and my Girl Friday couldn’t risk it. I didn’t panic and test every day like many people like to do. The mandates at the time were to isolate five days. My next appointment was the following Tuesday and thankfully I tested negative and I was able to get to podiatry. Thankful as I had toenails like dragon claws. My podiatrist sees far worse, but I have my own standards. I also would have been fine to stay at home a few more days.

I’ve been dealing with a very annoying wheeze and that’s it. Plenty of Ventolin and my chiropractor giving my lungs a good pounding last Wednesday. I’ve been doing nothing but catch up ever since.

Remember those early days of the vaccine when people were being encouraged to get out and catch COVID’s? Don’t know about elsewhere but the media had it obvious they were to encourage everyone to go out and get it. And if they hadn’t had it, they needed to get out there and get amongst it. Ok, the younger people were being told/shamed for not getting out and being sociable. I guess the government was after Herd Immunity and then on the other hand, I had a new carer last week that had had the Plague 7 times! 7! That’s 6 times too many, right?

You may ask how I got the Plague? I think it was the last comedy show I was at. It was the Daniel Sloss gig at a Convention Centre where I was among 5,500 people. My friend didn’t get it. No idea how. He was sitting right beside me and drove us there and home again. I am just happy he didn’t get it. I have my last comedy show this week, the Melbourne International Comedy show has finished but I’ll tell you about my last comedy event in next week’s post to be sure.

Melbourne International Comedy Festival Sequel

Should I need to point out, I don’t really do much of any excitement any other time of the year. This comedy festival don’t mistake my current effort at getting out for some fun to have you imagine I get to maintain this level is my normal life in general. Every time I try to do one thing different from the normal of appointments for physio, neurophysiology, neuropsych or the shrink appointments I’m missing right now. GP Appointments, the weekly Chiropractic visits, let alone any specialist appointments thrown in the mix. It all becomes too much.

Normal life gives me a migraine behind my left eye and it’s Sunday night at the start of the week. I start with a new OT tomorrow. Can’t wait for her to look around my home and tell me my home is too cluttered. Yes, that’s expected. OT’s look at my home as if I need to be ready for a wheelchair. When I mentioned this to a previous carer she snorted an embarrassed laugh as she looked around my home. Prompting her, I would not be offended by her reason for cheer, she informed me she had the same kind of clutter in her home. Comforting, I joined her laugh.

So, by sharing the fun things I’m doing right now, appreciate it’s got to get me through the rest of the year because the Festival is the highlight to my year. That said, for the third time this Saturday I went to see a Scottish Comedian Daniel Sloss. Most people go see him for having seen his at Netflix special Jigsaw. I had only heard of it when I decided to go see his show pre-Covid that he mentioned he received complaints about because it was about Rape and Assault. Not in general, but I can’t context appropriately so won’t. His Melbourne 2023 show was titled Can’t, I believe for the similarity to another word I never use verbally unless I’m quoting someone else. You will never see it written here but it is to say it “Rhymes with Punt!”

If interested here is a link to his Ted Talk he once did.

Sunday night before writing this post I finally got around to watching his two Netflix Specials. Both Dark and Jigsaw. I’m sure the last show I saw was Dark, and it was good. If you took the time to watch the above, Ted-Talk you will notice he’s a bit wrong and funny but his shows are more of a Ted-talk where you go away thinking about things. Some parts he mentions something so awful, parts of the audience laugh and he’s not even close to the punchline it’s a bit too wrong. He reigns in the people that laughed at the wrong bits. The show started at 8.20pm. The latest start time I’ve done and it went until 11.15pm. If you want value for money. Go see Daniel Sloss.

It’s now a few weeks before the next show I have tickets for, so next week will be back to normal programming. This is my friend and I at the show, in the back row.

When this goes live on Monday, I’m hoping a carer turns up to help me start my week properly as despite all my preparation, neither of my two agencies have rostered me a carer, both assuming the other has covered it and me not making sure on Friday that somebody’s has made sure I would have someone. Let’s hope the rest of the week runs more smoothly.