Elayne Riggs' Journal (for Leah)

Saturday, February 21, 2026

The Relative Calm Before

As we suspected, the supermarket was madness this morning, as everyone stocked up in preparation for however many inches of snow we're due to get tomorrow. Six? Twelve? Umpteen? Who knows? Anyway, the car behaved enough to get us home before noon, and we settled in for Olympics-watching and (for me) power napping. At this point our biggest fear is whether our electricity will go out in the coming storm, which will feature high winds. Crossing all appropriate digits we'll get through safely.

Friday, February 20, 2026

Winding Down

Another work week done, another scramble to make plans before a big storm. And there was so much I wanted to do now that I thought the snow from the last big blast was finally melting! The car needs an oil change, I need to start making medical appointments, and I've got to get to that bank that isn't open on weekends. But not today. Today was all about Olympics watching and getting my work week wrapped up. Tomorrow will be a mad scramble at the supermarket (thank goodness we don't need much) before another nor'easter wallops us. Let's hope this one melts more quickly!

Thursday, February 19, 2026

Ache Replacement

Maybe it's the weather, which has been foggy and dreary with surprisingly meh air quality. Maybe it's watching athletes at the top of their prowess from my comfy chair while "I'm sitting here doing nothing but aging." But dang, these body aches! Most of the fallout from the fall seems to be on its way to healing, but my IT band issues are reasserting themselves, I spent way too much time in the bathroom this afternoon, and I'm more than ready for spring to assert itself inside and out...

Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Silly Site o' the Day

Listen, I can't be bothered chronicling my life at the moment, I'm too busy watching the Olympics and working. So here, enjoy this video about algospeak:

 

Via Laughing Squid.

Tuesday, February 17, 2026

All the Celebrations

At last, it's not nearly as cold outside now as it's been. Heck, it's even above freezing into the evenings now, and the enthawening has begun (although I predict the snow will still stick around at least until the end of this month). Plus, it being Mardi Gras and the Lunar New Year and the start of Ramadan and Adar and whatever else I missed (oh yeah, a lot of NYC kids being out of school this week), the commute was a lot faster! Even the buses related to the nurses' strike which have been taking up almost all the lanes on Fifth Avenue alongside Central Park were nowhere to be seen today. And since I got in early I treated myself to an early departure (still suffering from a bit of insomnia, although no longer caused by post-falling pain) and got a seat easily on all the public transit. Happy whatever you celebrate!

Monday, February 16, 2026

Silly Site o' the Day

So you think your day is long? Look at how far you've traveled through space in your lifetime (via BoingBoing).

Sunday, February 15, 2026

The Ides of Rest

Aside from general house organizing (finances, washing up, etc.) it was a deliberate do-nothing day to allow my body to heal more through rest and sleep. I do miss activity but I don't think it's the best thing for me at the moment. I probably should have done more reading, but I tend to read comics in bed in positions that wouldn't be the best for my right arm area...

Saturday, February 14, 2026

You Just Keep Me Hanging On

This was probably my best Valentine's Day ever. Robin and I unboxed our sugar-free chocolate hearts, took some silly photos, then went out shopping (the driveway is almost clear of ice, although I did a slip-and-slide over some of it when exiting the car of my coworker who drove me home Thursday evening)  at the strip mall in Scarsdale that also contains the bank where I want to deposit checks from my mom's estate, as well as our favorite sushi place. Alas, the bank was closed but the sushi was terrific, as always. We got in some Olympics-watching and a bit of a kip before venturing out again locally for a fancy-schmancy dinner. Not sure when I'll be back to the fancy place, the ribeye I ordered was fattier than me, but we had a lovely romantic time nonetheless. So wonderful to be able to spend an entire day with my valentine. I can see doing this, oh, for the rest of my life.

Friday, February 13, 2026

Done Fall on a Friday

No no, not me. I actually slept through the night and didn't even need the neck pillow to prevent that rhomboid muscle (I assume) from flaring up and causing my right arm to tingle or throb in pain. That seems to be taking the longest to heal, and its pain has shifted from nighttime to daytime, which is actually a good thing as sleep is probably the best healer. Taking things easy over the weekend, more or less, and watching Olympics certainly helps, although I fear Friday the 13th got to the male skaters today...

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Re, Re, Reinjured

It was a good thing a fellow exec assistant gave me a ride home today, as I arrived home about a half hour earlier than usual and was able to relax and eat dinner before tripping on the entranceway between the kitchen and hallway, and grabbing a wall to steady myself which of course was the exact wrong thing to do. I mean, I didn't fall again, but now the right hand is hurting all the way up to the arm and the part of my back behind my shoulder blade that has been giving me trouble in the night (and is the reason I'm so exhausted during the day, as I have to get up and take pills at 3 AM and who's going to go back to bed at that point with a 5:15 AM alarm?). So yay, more pills and my recovery time has been lengthened. Thank goodness I'm working from home tomorrow and Monday. Right now I'm wearing one of those airline neck pillows, that seems to help a bit, might try to sleep with it. In the meantime, Olympics reruns await!