CW: Pet Death, Female Issues
We’ve had a rough week, and so this week we will talk about dealing with the loss of one of our long-time pets, and it’s impact on our productivity. We will also discuss some of the more difficult aspects of Ursula’s monthly visitor, before we go to a really good interview with friend of the show John “Gene” Anderson.
Links for this Episode :
- Gene on Twitter
- Genehack.blog
- GitGot
- Omnifocus
- Pinboard.in
- Moleskine
- Houston Perl Conference
- All Things Open 2020
Download
Content note: Follow on to female issues (And you do not have to read this on a letters show unless you REALLY think your listeners want to discuss)
Someone pointed out there is literally no other surgery (and it is surgery, even if it takes about 60 seconds for most people) remotely comparable to IUD addition and removal and similar cervical treatment, that is done without anaesthetic or at least serious painkillers (some people apparently are told to take an Advil in advance, most aren’t even offered that.)
As with so many issues related to the uterus and its system, this just made me sit there with my jaw dropped wide, wondering how exactly it can be justified.
Also one of the reasons why, despite the frequent praises of the IUDs once in and settled, and despite giving birth twice, I cannot imagine trying to get one myself.
I had to put a nearly 20 year old cat to sleep Tuesday – whilst starting this episode Monday and finishing it today (And practicing good self care since I knew about it in advance). The first part discussing Smokey didn’t hit me as hard as I feared, but the closing tag did. I occasionally wonder why we set ourselves up for this kind of heartbreak, then I remember that the 17+ years I did have her in my life (she was adopted at 2) were almost all delightful, and she was a warm and worthy being who deserved that love.
As for grief’s place in productivity, I can’t currently tell if my desire not to go out and do things is abetted by sorrow or just my standard mode of procrastination. What it seems to mostly be doing is giving me the excuse to procrastinate.
Or, okay, maybe I don’t want to burst into tears over cleaning up cat litter. Because that would make me annoyed at my own tears, because cat litter is gross and the part I will easily miss the least, and a clean space there will make a part of me very happy.
But when I think about heading there, it’s exactly what I expect in advance based on past experience. Yet the expectation, and the desire not to, and the awareness it is entirely stupid, can’t seem to stop the actual tears from happening.
(And this is where I should note my family has a propensity for analyzing our feelings in what seem like cold terms **whilst still having them**. My brother was doing it even in the vet’s office as I gave her some final cuddles.)
I almost feel like I should apologize to Genehack, because he gave good interview and I am talking about everything else. The last several guests have all been fabulous, really.
Wish me luck on cleaning. And my condolences to you guys, though you won’t read this until a few weeks late.