Dénouement 2019

The effects of Convergence 2019 continue to reverberate into the last few seconds of the year. Some issues cannot be reconciled (e.g., situation with family). As stated in previous Notes, the entire familial relationship is a lost cause. Nothing can be salvaged. Uncertainty and tension still remain high even though the exodus is allegedly near completion.

The tenants of the “old folks home” in Waikiki have been served notice that the rent will increase by $25 per month commencing March 1st next year (bringing the rent to $901 per month for a studio unit). Alternative housing (or homelessness) must now be seriously entertained.

Food costs have been going up incrementally, the latest being about 8 percent (in the last quarter). A new round of increases is expected in January. There is almost no way to describe how ludicrous food prices are.

The most recently acquired (i.e., three years ago) Colombia® prescription shades began falling apart about two weeks ago. The tiny screws are apparently designed to loosen themselves over time. So, parts (e.g., one of the nose pads) has been lost. The Oakley® shades are still holding up with the help of glue. The acquisition of new shades is being postponed as long as possible.

The $30 per month T-Mobile® wireless plan was finally confirmed to have unlimited music streaming. The Google® Play Music “app” was deployed for the process. Unlimited SD video streaming is also included (verified using a dial-in short code). All-in-all, it’s actually a fantastic wireless plan. Nonetheless, the Google® Voice “app” was installed on the iPhone XR to exploit the “free” VoIP number in preparation for an inexpensive wireless plan. So far, no action has been taken to replace the existing wireless plan.

The holidays were obviously not observed. The itinerary for both holidays was essentially the same as last year. Perusing Notes from that time period in 2018 will essentially summarize the the uneventful nature of the holidays in question. The only major difference is the weather. Aside from the extended Summer (all the way through mid-December), the start of Winter has seen mild weather conditions. The fact that a tank top can still be adorned day and night will attest to that fact. Speaking of clothes, a few clothing items were donated to charity at the kiosk in Kahala Mall, including the windbreaker that lost its waterproofing after washing.

The last dental appointment for the year was covered by the Medicare Advantage plan, although only a cleaning was involved. The last medical appointment was another matter. The second dose in the series of the shingles vaccine was not paid by Quest/Medicaid, which means that the $130-$150 cost will have to borne personally. There is only a three-month window left before the first dosage would be rendered useless. Vaccinations for hepatitis A/B (two doses), pneumonia (two doses), and (annual) influenza were commenced, all allegedly covered by Medicare.

There were other medical issues. A vitamin D deficiency is now being treated with a weekly high dosage (read:prescription) “gelcap” for eight weeks, then to be subsequently treated with a daily intake of low-dosage “over the counter” tablets. There was some urging to begin medication for high cholesterol, but that decision was deferred. There is also an indication that medication is upcoming for a diagnosis of hypothyroidism, but that will be resisted. There are other tests in the works, too. Alas, the senior citizen “cash cow” is about to be milked!

The use of the term “convergence” to describe the series of tragic events of a future demise is a misnomer. What is being witnessed is increasing entropy on a grand scale, that is, the irreversible state of order moving toward disorder. Any attempt to restore order only causes disorder to increase.

As for Notes, its future is uncertain. The current plan is to reduce the number of posts commencing January 1st. All issues have been fully detailed up to this point, so redundancy is not necessary. In other words, Notes is also a victim of entropy.

Addendum: A chance encounter with the formerly-homeless buddy last week was a relief. The formerly-homeless buddy was “missing in action” for a spell. He’s still finding ways to “make a quick buck,” either an obsessive hobby or an “immortality project.” The formerly-homeless buddy, though, is a good man.

Update: Dining out on a holiday like Saturnalia is an unpleasant experience. Most dining venues close early. The only alternative is to dine somewhere in Waikiki, where everything is open. Eating at Panda Express® in Waikiki led to the discovery that the price was $2 higher than at the King Street location. Never again.