Different stuff

[aadler]

Made another visit to my veterans’ counselor, this time with Susan along (since my original intent in going by had been in the hope of smoothing out some marital rough spots). At this point, apparently everyone except me thinks I’m dealing with PTSD. A part of me would love to draw money (government disability) for, from my perspective, nothing. But, damn it, I wouldn’t want to be dishonest about it. So I’m arguing, which annoys Susan and doesn’t convince the counselor. Situation pending.

sroni and I both are looking with some trepidation to the coming deadline for this year’s RemixRedux (end of day Sunday). I’ll have something in place when the day comes, but I don’t expect to be satisfied with it, and I’ll probably keep working on it till the Big Reveal to bring it up to my own standards. It’s just been a kind of a weird month.

Experimenting with Malibu Red. Not sure I’ll like it; I keep trying different things, keep coming back to regular Malibu coconut rum because it just tastes so good. But there’s an extra kick to Malibu Red (tequila added to the mix) that has me returning again and again to test it one more time. I may have been drinking just a little bit excessively this evening. Bite me.

Grammar/language peeve of the day:
This one came to me as a direct result of all the Hunger Games fanfic suddenly making its appearance — cannon/canon.

canon: a) a regulation or dogma decreed by a church council, b) a provision of canon law, or [specialized definition] c) “the original work from which a fanfiction author borrows”

cannon: a) a large heavy gun usually mounted on a carriage, b)  a heavy-caliber automatic aircraft gun firing explosive shells

So when, in a Hunger Games fic, one of the tributes dies, and “a canon sounds” to announce the death, my teeth grind.

I may have another drink. Or I may just go to bed.

Comments

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

I'm dealing with issues relating to a guy who called me on the phone while I was dispatching, then shot himself ... not exactly on par with being in a war zone, but I think I'm qualified to understand problems of stress. But aren't we usually the last ones to know if we're dealing with the problem well, or not?

[aadler]

My issue is the distinction between stress and an actual diagnosis of PTSD. The counselor thinks like I look like a candidate, while I dislike the thought of trying to claim something for which I don’t believe I qualify. Everybody deals with stress, I just don’t see how mine would justify a disability claim.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

The question is, is this one time when you're not as qualified to make that call as others are? I'm asking because I'm being pushed to go to counseling and have been fighting the idea; but Emily rightly points out that when I get stressed and/or depressed (as with when my SAD kicks in as winter approaches) other people usually notice it before I do. Obviously what you went through is much worse than what I did, but are we both engaging in that time honored, manly sport of denial?

I wonder also, can you be diagnosed with PTSD and be treated while still on the job? Or would that red-tape you right out of your position? If the latter's the case, I'd be fighting it, myself.

[sam-arkand.livejournal.com]

Well--even if you don't have PTSD, it doesn't hurt to use the chance to have a professional check under the hood. Talk about what you feel is bothering you or stresses in your life instead of what you're "supposed to be feeling".

[aadler]

I’m not unwilling to undergo the process; if nothing else, if would provide a finding, one way or another. What causes me to hesitate — aside from plain cussedness — is this:

Though the likelihood is dwindling (with my service eligibility window), the state of the world today is such that it’s still barely possible for some crisis to spin up with little warning, offering the opportunity for me to squeeze in the “one more deployment” for which I have been so deeply yearning. If, at the arrival of such an opportunity, I were being evaluated for disability on the basis of PTSD, that could adversely affect my last chance to serve. Hence my reluctance.

We’ll see how it works out. I’ll continue to see the counselor. I’m just disgruntled about the whole business.

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

Ah, I understand that. I think it's more than barely possible, too: I suspect many bad guys in the world perceive the current administration as weak and unwilling to take on the challenge if they decide to get into some mischief. Your situation would be like me being upset at missing a big fire because I hadn't been medically cleared from my back injury. Just the same, you have to take care of yourself ...

[velvetwhip.livejournal.com]

Deciding to simply reply to the second half of your post (as I am woefully underqualified to say word one about the first), I completely understand your annoyance. My current peeve is the use of the word "discrete" when what is actually meant is "discreet." I am seeing it frequently and it makes me scream. Augh!


Gabrielle

[aadler]

I’ve noted that one now and again, too. Have you ever noticed that the reverse never seems to happen? that nobody ever says ‘discreet’ when they mean ‘discrete’? Maybe that’s because anyone who knows what ‘discrete’ means, knows how it’s spelled, while the converse is not necessarily so.