Wow! What a post THIS one is gonna be, eh?

Yep. I finally did it.
I’ve been talking about it off and on for many years, but never had the great insurance and/or time (so I thought), or just a matter of it slipping my mind.
Finally, here I have 2 weeks off work, AND some good insurance…
The initial consult was just $40, and then $40 more for the procedure itself.
I had always thought this would take a week (mostly in bed) to recover, and some times that can be pretty tough with my teaching.
I called up my primary care doctor only to find they couldn’t do it, but referred me to The Urology Team, and
the Jollyville location is closest to my home.
I gave them a call Early December, and the quickest they could get me in for an initial consult was Dec 21st. which actually turned out to be perfect, since that was the first day of my two holiday weeks off works.
Went in for the consult at 10:40, and Dr. Giesler told me what to expect, how to prepare, etc. Then an extremely short/quick physical exam, and I was out the door, with actual procedure scheduled for the next day (Tue Dec 22). I was half hoping to get Dr Chopp or Dr. Wang or Dr. Hardemann — I mean, with names like those at a urology center, you just have to wonder if these guys legal change their names, or just some odd coincidence?! You just can’t make this stuff up! =)
That evening I went shopping with a list of items from my “prep guide”…. jock strap, spray-on analgesic, Advil, frozen bags of peas and corn (yes, THAT was recommended!), and Dial antibacterial soap. After getting back home I showered.. spent 10 minutes with the antibacterial soap on the… uh… target area, and then…. as Dr. Giesler said.. the most fun part of all this.. the shaving. And for those of you who’ve never put a razor to it… uh.. yeah… I now have a whole new respect for the women who do this on a regular basis! wow! Needless to say I nicked myself more than two or three times, and at one point even said out loud “Wow! I bet I’m bleeding more now than I will be during the surgery!” Anyway, that ordeal went on much too long, but it was the last thing for the day
The next day, another 5 minutes in the shower with the antibacterial soap, and off to the clinic. I wanted to be sure to get there an hour earlier than my appointment so I could get that extra Xanax to help calm me down… of course, with that, it meant no driving myself home afterwards, so, yeah… uh…. who do you take to the urology center, and sit with in the waiting room for an hour while you’re about to have yourself snipped? Actually, I COULD think up a few people, but my first two choices weren’t available… and I am quite close with my sister, so she made the sacrifice and carted me around. When we first arrived there was a couple things to sign, blood pressure, and then the pills. After about only 30 min I was called back.. and actually a little worried that the pills hadn’t had time to take full effect?!
Once in the room I was asked to drop my pants, lay on the bed/table and the nurse sprayed me (probably iodine), covered me, then left. A few minutes later Dr. Giesler came in, just a minute of quick chat and he was off to work… we kept some kind of random chat going the whole time (I was only in that room about 40 min total! — and the operation itself seemed like maybe 15 min?). First he found what he was looking for in the scrotum, slight pinch/burn as he injected local anesthetic. I could feel a little pull here and there, but nothing more than you might feel if someone was touching your arm, and before I knew it he said he was done with that side, and on to the next! Ouch.. another injection? yeah.. not overly painful I guess, but I’d always prefer even “sting”-FREE. Another couple of minutes and he was done! He said it went without incident, and I was really amazed at how quick and really fairly painless the whole thing was. I was awake the whole time with only the local anesthetic, and when done, another nurse came in to sit me up, take a couple minutes to make sure I was fine, and then out the door with me walking on my own. Well — jock strap on to help keep everything fairly immobile and protected.
Sister drove me to Walgreens to pick up a prescription of Vicodin just incase there was pain, then dropped me off at home where I climbed in to bed to take it easy for a while. Guess I fell asleep for a couple hours. Everything was fine later too… not really any pain, but perhaps a little discomfort. Put a bag of frozen corn in the area to help sooth things. that whole evening went very well… Didn’t take (or need) any pain meds at all, and I could walk around fairly well, although I purposefully took things very slowly.
The next day (Wednesday) was about the same… moving about quite a bit more, and then fortunately most of my time was spent in front of the computer doing various things. I did get a bit of a fever, but wasn’t sure if that had more to do with the fact I was just about fully naked in 70 degree temps. (Winter, ya know). So turned up the heat a bit, threw on a few layers of clothes, took 4 Advil, and felt much better over the next hour or so. Later, I began to feel a bit more discomfort, as I had thought maybe I could go without the jockstrap by now.. I guess I got one with a smaller waistband than I needed? Or maybe they’re suppose to fit REALLY tight around the waste, but UGH! I felt like the tight elastic band was cutting off circulation past my waist! — and so had taken it off for a bit… probably not the best thing… Several hours later a noticed a little bruising… it’s listed as a normal thing, and maybe would have naturally appeared anyway, but I wonder if it was brought on by that lack of extra support for a while. Needless to say, I put the supporter on again, and situated it to a more comfortable fit.
It’s now Thursday (day 3) … and the last “big day” of the whole thing. Most the post-op paperwork just lists what to do / not do up to Day 3, and Dr. Gielser verbally added some other things like “probably best no sex for 10 days” – don’t think that’ll be a problem at the moment… and should probably wait that same time for really hitting the gym again (since I had started getting back to a couples hours there at a time). Today is not much discomfort… just something brief every now and then. Still no other pain meds needed, and walking around more easily.
This will be the last thing I post about it unless some other interesting thing happens… the only “next steps” are to take two semen samples after 15 ejaculations, and another after 10 more, and get those to the clinic to verify “no sperm”. And with that, I’ve probably said too much already. ;)

– David

I recently became rather interested in Personality Tests after being introduced to The Enneagram of Personality.

After taking several online versions:
http://www.eclecticenergies.com/enneagram/test.php
http://www.okcupid.com/tests/the-quick-amp-painless-enneagram-test
http://ancientpathspersonalgrowth.org/test/test.html
http://www.enneagram.net/tests/sampler/samplerlogin.aspx

I have pretty much come to the conclusion that I’m most likely a Type 5, but also very likely a Type 1 or possibly a Type 3!

Even after 2 days of intense reading and comparing Type descriptions (which Type would do that?) I am still not quite sure.

Some things I have read suggest that you really have to look beyond the “actions” of each Type and focus on the “motivation”.  One site (EnneagramInstitute) has some really good Type descriptions, and even several pages on how to identify Mistypes!

After reading up on how Type 1’s are commonly mistyped as 5’s… I found one main difference seems to be that 1’s are more likely extroverted while 5’s are more likely introverted, so I found an online test to “confirm” that too. My results?

Very Introverted

You prefer your own company or that of your partner’s. You don’t have many friends, but the ones you do are the kind that are loyal. You’re always misunderstood as being grumpy, but often it’s that you simply don’t care to talk. If people constantly question your mood, it can actually make you grumpy and you wish they’d stop asking if you’re okay. Ideally, you’d prefer to be in a vocation where you can work alone. A quiet night with a book, movie or computer is preferable to going out and battling with a crowd of people lined up at the popular nightspot in town. You’re a deep thinker and thrive on analysing life, current events and your own original views. You’re mature for your age. If financially viable, you’d rather live alone (or with significant other) and don’t like many visitors. Compared to an extrovert, you’re cooler and probably less neurotic. You can be trusted with a secret. Change is probably something that you don’t embrace a lot, as you prefer familiar and routine. You won’t have nearly as many jobs as an extrovert. They get bored easily. I like you.

Compared to other takers

• 81/100 You scored 76% on Introvertpints, higher than 81% of your peers.

… and although I can certainly accept I am most likely introverted, there are parts of my personality (and time periods in my life) which really point to an extrovert (running Actual Reality BBS, going to raves, I DO like working with a small group of people to help keep motivated and on task, share ideas, etc… I’ve really enjoy teaching for 12 years now, etc).

Along with that, “While Ones certainly do think, they are primarily people of action, and are only interested in ideas that lead to some practical result. Fives, however, are truly a mental type: they can ponder any proposition or idea and do not particularly care about its practical ramifications.”  .. and most often I find myself trying to think about how to get a result or deciding which action to take. “Ones are keenly interested in applying their principles to daily life.”

Here it becomes a little unclear to me: “Ones judge situations from idealistic standards based on what they think should be the case. Fives are constantly investigating and questioning assumptions, not to mention standards and principles.” — I usually do have a strong gut-feeling about how I think something SHOULD be, but at the same time I am constantly trying to research all sides, and question everything just to be sure I’ve got the correct answer.

Another point: “Ones are deductive, operating from principles to specific applications; Fives are inductive, operating from given data to form more sweeping theories.” — For this I actually spent about 30 minutes to research the difference between deductive and inductive and feel that I use BOTH methods to come to my conclusions. I suppose if I have experience with something I’ll use data from that, but if not I’ll probably have general principles to work from.  In either case, when I’m coming to my own conclusion I generally like to gather as much data from all sides as I can — so, inconclusive?

Another: “Both are philosophical, and love knowledge: Ones as a means of perfecting the world, Fives as a way of discovering more about the world.” — I’m not sure I ALWAYS try to perfect the entire world, but it could often be that I see a flaw in something and am trying to fix that, or make others aware of better alternatives. (or is that a Type 3?)  I suppose at some level, I am less interested in making things “perfect” and more interested in just discovering the “right” answer… either for myself (Type 5?), or more likely to apply in some way (Type 1?).

And finally: “Ones tend to be teachers and moralists, not inventors and iconoclasts like Fives.” — 13 years ago I never thought I’d be a teacher, and in fact, even as I started in the profession I was EXTREMELY anxious about being up in front of class. However, after doing it for even just a couple months I felt very comfortable with it, and now see myself teaching for (possibly) MANY more years.  I think I fall in to the “moralists” category as well and don’t feel I fit in with iconoclasts.

Anyway, the distinctions between Type 1 and Type 5 still remain aloof for me.

This brings on a later interesting twist with Type 3!  “Average Threes, by contrast, are efficient pragmatists, not idealists. Threes are driven more by their goals than by standards–they care more about getting the job done than about the particulars of how it gets done. Ones tend to be attached to particular methods or procedures (“This is the best way to do this.”) Threes are more adaptable, and will change tactics quickly if they feel they are not getting the desired result.”  — Which perhaps even seems to fit me better.  I am usually all for IMPROVING a way something is done, and again, it’s more about getting to a result (quicker/better).  When doing most tasks I seem to always be thinking of ways to improve it.  I don’t feel I am stuck in a the rigidity of always doing something the “right way” (Type 1) when there is a better/easier/faster way to do the same thing (Type 3).  I certainly don’t mind (or fear) adapting.

Another aspect: “Threes are more able to mask whatever is bothering them. On the surface, they rarely appear emotionally disturbed for long by anything. Ones are far less able to conceal their irritations and disappointments.” — Which I  can certainly see for myself.  I am quick to let things appear to slide off my back.  And with Threes “the impression of aloofness and of emotional coolness comes more from a detachment from their feelings rather than a suppression of them.”– This is tough, as I am not really sure if I am more detached from my feelings or suppressing them.

However, “Threes tend to present whatever emotion seems appropriate at the time. If seriousness is called for, they tend to project seriousness. If levity is required, they will ‘do levity,’ smiling and being chatty, even if inside they are feeling frightened, overwhelmed, or even sad. For better or worse, Threes are more skilled at projecting charm and ‘personality’ than Ones. However, we can discern the underlying detachment from deeper feelings when Threes are ‘performing’ by the abruptness and ease with which they can adjust their affect from situation to situation and from person to person.” — and this really seems to lock in a Three for me, since I do seem to have an ease at adjusting according to situation and/or person(s).

And finally: “Both types have in mind some sort of goal that they want to achieve. The difference is that Ones attempt to discover which objective means will best lead to the desired ideal, whereas Threes are pragmatists who work backward to find the most efficient means to achieve their goal.”  — I am definitely GOAL oriented in my thinking (as opposed to Fives?), but it’s hard to say if I use an “objective means” as opposed to “pragmatic”.  However, if the words “the desired ideal” as opposed to “their goal” really are vitally important to the concept, then I might have to say I care less about some “desired ideal” that others might see, and generally am more concerned with meeting MY goals… if they match up with some global ideal that’s even better, but not required.  That’s not to say I try to massage the data to fit what I want, but rather I try to find the answers for myself and not overly concerned with what might be a more widely desire/accepted answer.

MBTI

I wasn’t overly satisfied about an earlier test showing I was introverted, although I wasn’t stubbornly opposed to it. Today I took two separate  Myers-Briggs personality tests with these results:

ISTJ   and   INTJ

I guess I should just accept that I’m introverted, but with some very extroverted-like exceptions in various aspects of my life.  The second test also came with these “strength indicators”

Introverted     Intuitive       Thinking        Judging
89                50                  88                  67
I took those tests to help get a better feel for my enneagram type.  There are several pages I’ve seen that elude to some correlation, and in fact this page has a good chart to match up types.  On that chart it shows all Type 5s to be Introverts, while all Type 3s are Extroverts, and Type 1s can be ISTJ or ESTJ.  I still feel reluctant to rule out Type 3.

Well, it’s getting late, and I’m sure I’ll be at this more tomorrow.

It seems my life is pretty busy these days!  Lots of things going on, and some times I wonder just how much stuff I want to post…. how much stuff other people (family, friends) might even care to read?!  There are days when I feel I should only post the rather large events, and other times I think it’d be cool to post what I’m doing at any given hour (minute?)!   True, many people would probably not be interesting in THAT amount of detail, but some might be… if only for a particular day, week, event, etc.  It could also be interesting to look back at a year or two later, but again… with too many minor details it might be TOO much!

I think what I’ll do is try to keep this blog for some of the more general things going on.  And perhaps use my Twitter account () to give up to the minute happenings (if it’s worth reporting – which is relative… AND current-mood sensitive)

So, what’s been going on the last couple days?

RHCX – work
I’ve taken the Red Hat RHCX certification class, and passed the live hands-on test!   One thing I REALLY like about Red Hat certifications, is there is never any multiple guess.  Almost makes the cert meaningless.  In stead, Red Hat asks that candidates sit in front of a live machine, and preform tasks X, Y and Z in a certain amount of time.  If you can do it (without notes) according to the test guidelines, then you pass.  Otherwise,  you don’t pass.  If you do a search on http://redhat.com for things like “RHCE passing rate” you’ll find reference to an ‘Official Pass Rate’ hovering around 45% and others like 12,000 tests taken and 6,000 certs handed out (rounded numbers), which I think is interesting, because many people take it multiple times, which means the pass-rate for First Time Takers is probably a decent amount lower than 50%.

Exercise:
On the fitness front, I’ve started my jogging regiment, yet again.  Fairly proud of myself for doing my 2 mile track the first day back after almost a year.  Although I will admit I only jogged about 1.5 miles of it, with the first mile done in 10 min as usual!  However, I was VERY winded afterward, and legs TOTALLY sore the next day… so much so that I couldn’t jog again for a couple more days. I guess about 4 days later I did the 2 miles again.  This time took 11 min for the first mile, but breathing was amazingly improved, and I felt good enough to go again the next day…. I’ll certainly keep the ‘exercise’ progress on ongoing updates as in the past.

 House:
I’ve finally made the FIRM decision to rent out the house I’ve been living in (originally MEANT as a rent house 4 years ago!)  I’ll be selling off a bunch of old stuff I just don’t use on a regular basis.  Probably more than 50% of the things I own… and some things I have owned for over 20 years.  I just feel this need right now to ‘live lite’… and perhaps the feeling of wiping away the old and starting with a clean slate. I also plan on taking pictures of a bunch of items I’ve just been hanging on to as memorabilia, when I don’t really look at them much.  I think it might be more cool to have a picture (taking less space) which I could have online in an album for other to see and comment on, as well as evening hanging on my full hall of pics.  As I rent this one out I’m thinking of buying my permanent house just outside of Austin… probably on 4-6 acres of land in the hill country.  Hopefully with some running water, but at least sloped/hilly land, tons of trees, and probably a log cabin-ish looking house.  I’m sure you’ll find out just after I do. :)

Guess that’s enough for now.   LOTS to do!

Family

Every Tuesday (for now) I have tentative plans with my father and sister that we meet for lunch. Dad’s been passing it up a bit more often than I’d like, but he’s going through a lot right now. He’s moved in with HIS father, who is turning 94 in a couple months, but is deteriorating rather quickly. It seems within the last week or two my grandfather is starting to lose more bladder/bowel control… and/or maybe it’s just that he can’t get himself up to go to the restroom, and has not been asking my father for help as much as he should be? Anyway, my father was stuck cleaning up today’s “mess”. My sister also mentioned he was looking for some service to keep the house clean, and also someone to do things like bathe and groom my grandfather. I decided to offer MY help for doing some of the house work. If he’s gonna pay someone, it might as well be me… I’ve got more free time than I know what to do with right now. So, I spent 3 hours over there doing some cleaning.. WOW, did it need the work!

10k run

In other events… i’ve not done my running today (yet?), but will probably continue to post the progress on my ActiveBrain (My Little Experiments) blog. So if you’re interested, be sure to check for details there.

Stocks

During lunch I got a text message about a stock (CMED) dropping below $23.15, which was the price to sell short, but I was at lunch (and then at Grandfather’s house), so didn’t make any trades today. Possible a very good thing as the stock then proceeded to climb almost to the stop price! But, I’ll watch what it does early tomorrow, it could be an AWESOME opportunity to sell higher as long as it doesn’t break above $23.42, but I’ll post more about that on the Financial Jetstream blog.

Second Life

Today on Second Life, it looks like another L$200 from camping. Also, at lunch my father told me he was bringing in about US$100/mo from his efforts!! Also that he’s starting to experiment a little with renting out some land. Maybe there’s some way I can help him promote that. hmmm.

Today I managed to run the complete 3 miles without stopping!

This last weekend I was talking to my friend Darrell (who will be running the 10k with me next month).  He’s got a bit more experience running, and so I mentioned to him that I was a bit frustrated with my lack of progress over the last month.  It’s been a long time since the last post, but for the past 2 weeks I have been running 4 out of the 5 weekdays (I’ll post more about that later), but have only been jogging the first mile, and then doing a walk/jog combination on the last 2 miles.  My total completion time is always about 31-32 minutes with VERY little variation.  The first mile is always done in about 9:30 (min:sec).  He suggested I REALLY slow down on that first mile, and then push through the next two.

So today, that’s what I did.  I completed the first mile in 10:40, the second mile by 21:02, and the third by 32:30, which means that my overall time stayed the same, but I reached the goal of running the entire course.  I was able to keep my breathing very controlled until the last half of the last mile, and then it did get just a little faster, but not as much as the previous weeks. My legs are quite a bit more sore though!  So, time to up the protein drinks.

As for the weather. It’s starting the get a little warmer.  I started the run at 16:00 again today, and did a bit more sweating than the last couple weeks.  I enjoy getting the extra sun, but might need to go back to my early morning runs before too much longer.