To the Wagonmaster.

When I first heard the album "Neon Bible" I couldn't help but think that Keep the Car Running sounded a lot like a Bruce Springsteen song.

Bruce Stringsteen and Arcade Fire - Keep the car running

I'm sitting at a really nice hotel lobby in Yosemite, typing away, as the wedding party and family of Tisa and Kevin are having their rehearsal dinner. The Gloyds snatched me up in their Euro van this morning. I found out it's an awful feeling being around such gorgeous nature while on crutches. I can't hike. I can't wander too far. And I hate the feeling of being helpless and having to rely on others for the simplest things.

One of the things that I have learned about myself through this injury is how much I value my independence. I like to go places on my terms and through my own self reliance. If I'm hungry, I eat. If I'm thirsty, I drink. If I want to go somewhere, I go. I'm a individualist. A typical American. Is this good? I don't know. Maybe not. If I want to be a married man, which I do, I can see some obvious conflicts of interest that may arise. A man cannot be a individualist his whole life if he wants a family.

Though throw this situation I've been learning to receive things(money, help, grace, etc.), and realize that there is no way I can "repay" the favor, and that I shouldn't. I've never had the problem of helping someone and expecting anything in return. But when I'm on the other end, I feel guilty. Guilty of receiving a free gift. I find this strange. I guess I realize just how much of a prideful person I can be. Now I just wonder, how can rectify this. I'm sure I myself cannot do it but rely on God who sanctifies me, through his Holy Spirit, as I mature not only as a man but through faith that He has given me.

Wow.

I try not to get too personal on this blog and especially not use religious language to convey a point, but sometimes I just can't help but do it. If I'm going to explain matters of personal character I have incorporate my faith because they are intermingled one in the same.

Anyways, last Wednesday I got a new cast. It's hard, which is nice, and will come off on the 31st. At that point I will get a boot, which I can take off, and put a little pressure on. I'll still be on crutches for the time being. Hopefully by the beginning of December, I will be able walk without crutches and finally be able to work and drive.

It's nice to get out of the house right now. I really appreciate that. It's a lot cooler up here. Temperature wise. The leaves are changing. And as a certain grandmother would say, "Pretty, pretty, pretty."

I'm bummed that I'm missing Dumas this weekend along with Tom Waits. Bad timing. I'm also bummed to be missing bunch of Halloween parties this Friday and Saturday. Someone needs to throw a Veterans day party.

And one last thing. I found out my bill for surgery. $15,000. It's less than what I thought I would pay, but it's still 15 grand. On Wednesday I find out if I can get it lowered. If not, then I'll explore the idea of a fundraiser tentatively called, "The Michael Sycz Rock 'N Roll Circus."

Rapture Prank

awful

Ray Charles

I was feeling pretty shitty today. Sometimes not being able to move around gets you depressed. But then I found this video which made me feel good for little while.

Back on the Internets.

Surgery went well on the 4^th. I didn't go under, just local anesthetic. Surgery was only half an hour but was pretty painful. The anesthetic only numbed me halfway so I felt the suturing going with my tendon and the closing of the wound. But since it was a local, I was able to get out of the hospital quicker and the post surgery pain was much easier to handle.

So I've been back in Burbank ever since.

I think it's healing well. I only used the pain meds for four days total. I have an appointment on Wednesday to take out the sutures and put on a hard cast.

I've been watching a lot of Heroes on Netflix.com. I've caught up to the current season. I like the show. Though the acting is bad, it's hard to go wrong with a good vs evil story.

The Cubs got swept in the playoffs. And strangely the Rockies are in the World Series.

Last Sunday I was made a deacon.

I should be doing a ton of paperwork regarding disability, workers leave and other medical things.

Story time

I'll be off the internet for awhile now. Who knows when I'll be back on. Hopefully soon.

My surgery got moved up to tomorrow. I check in at 5am.

Something Vin Scully wrote and read onair before Game 1 of NLCS in 1989.

She stands alone on the corner of Clark and Addison
This dowager queen, dressed in black and pearls
75 years old
Proud head held high
And not a hair out of place
Awaiting yet another date with destiny
Another time for Mr. Right

She dreams, as old ladies will
Of men gone long ago
Joe Tinker
Johnny Evers
Frank Chance

And of those of recent vintage
Like her man Ernie
And The Lion
And Sweet Billy Williams

And she thinks wistfully of what might have been
And the pain is still fresh and new
And her eyes fill
Her lips tremble
And she shakes her head ever so slightly

And then she sighs
Pulls her shawl tightly around her frail shoulders
And thinks
“This time.”
“This time it will be better.”

Oh how things turn up.

Saturday morning I finally decided to have my right ankle checked out at LAC/USC hospital. Perfect place to go for a guy with no insurance. After waiting a few hours, I got an x-ray and a talk with a doctor. She told since I hurt myself 18 days prior, they were going to admit me at that moment and schedule me for an MRI to determine if it was a partial or a complete tear of the achilles tendon. Long story short, I was in bed, IV in me, till I got my MRI on Monday at 11:30am. Long wait. The surgical staff decided that I could wait and have scheduled me for surgery on Monday the 8th.

I should fully recover in six months. I don't know when I could start walking again.

So these are things I will be missing out on in the coming month, mainly do to recovery and lack of funds from working.

Toreo
Myste's wedding
Tisa's wedding
Bridge School with Tom Waits. (by the way, anyone want tickets?)

Asi es la vida.

I also must move in with my parents due to the cost of my rent, and the impending medical bills I must pay.

But things are looking up. The Cubs are in the playoffs.

I guess I'm suppose to have a deacon interview tonight on the phone. Nothing yet.

I'm also trying to figure out what to do with my time in recovery. Dmh mentioned some online seminary courses which sound good. Maybe I'll read up some more on autism to better equip myself for work.

Hopefully my parents will finally put up an internet connection so I can blog and do other internet related stuff. My pops has got a nice digital camera so I may do some video blogging via youtube. We'll see.