Rue

   Yesterday's appointment confirmed what I'd already known, as per the availability of the omniscient patient portal, that the procedure had been not necessary and based on machine readouts that can only be shrugged off.  Had it not been for the looming shadow of prior events, I almost certainly would have at least delayed the procedure, but sometimes time is of the essence.  Or so they say.  But not having bad news delivered is reason enough to accept what has occurred in good nature, at least for now.
   Home from my trip, all in vain, I opened the newspaper to read that the monolithic St. Peter's Health Partners is seeking smaller monetary gifts as supplementary funding to the Medicus millions which will allow the new Pavilion to open next month. I'm no architect, but why they're building that monstrous complex in the structurally confined geographic area of Samaritan Hospital is beyond comprehension, perhaps explainable by such designation of the late Heinrich Medicus.  I mean, the present "old" building is deemed outdated anyway, and will probably become even more obsolete.
     While we wish for the success of a state of the art medical facility here in the Troy area, I can only cite the shortcomings of the  accompanying Parking Garage, dedicated in 2015 in the presence of Heinrich Medicus, the picture of such dedication accompanying the today's newspaper article:
                The Parking Garage is a monstrosity. Though it's abundantly used, no one prefers to park there, even though parking is free---at least for now. I have parked there about 5 times, and 3 of those times I've hit the curb with my rear tire on the passenger side. Drivers proceed up an incline, through an unusually narrow access lane, and then take a hard right past a now-unseeable jutting-out curb. On my way out of the garage, I've checked, and the end of the entry curb is marked and worn off with the remnants of rubber from unlucky tires. Once into the garage, you drive until you see a space.  Not there, that's a bank of Physicians Only, probably about a dozen or so.  And this day, all are empty. so, keep looking. Aha, you pull in, but then on the wall ahead of you a small sign saying Physicians Only, this time at a single space, tucked in among general parking. Repeat the process, only to see a Volunteers Only sign discreetly placed as to be visible only after you pull into the slot.Repeat this search.  Once you park, you step out into a gray and dim area, isolated except for the cars passing by where you are standing, trying to figure  where you need to go and how you can find your car after you return .
   The alternative to the Parking Garage is street parking, where you're not likely to ever find a space since that is where the hospital staff prefers to park and they arrive very early and stay for their shift.  I have asked several (though no physicians), and, without exception, each said they parked on the street. There remains the limited number of parking spaces next door in the Cardiology lot, a practice separate from St. Peter's, and the dwindling parking lot between the Cardiology office and the Parking Garage.  There you will find the lurkers. Their vehicles hang out in any available space, waiting, hoping, for some patient departure. AARP has provided hints that someone leaves a parking space every 22 minutes, so there's hope.  Anything but the Parking Garage. These lurking vehicles tend to back up rather suddenly and jump forward too, as the drivers sense an opening.  My wish would be to require the smiling group of officials honoring the opening of the garage to park their cars in the garage a time or two, before ballyhooing it as a wonderment.
   
     Near the end of a longish day, I listened to The Voice, while checking various sites at the computer. From my non-professional assessment, all the finalists sounded good. When that program segued into what was billed as a Christmas special, I decided to watch from the larger bed, and tucked myself in that bedroom, planning to try to lull myself to sleep listening to nice seasonal music. I don't even care about the picture on this smallish TV screen, just the music. I look and think the background looks garish and a bit bawdy, but as I said, just the music please.  I lie back trying to put together the happenings of the day, and hear ----oh, lordy----Pentatonix. Singing Christmas songs.  And a guest appearance by the winner of this year's America's Got Talent, the girl ventriloquist, now singing Christmas songs. Talented maybe, Annoying, definitely.
     I hang on, through the dismal news, waiting for Jimmy Fallon to deliver a few laughs. Opening is a simply dreadful interview with a sham second-line pageant contestant which mercifully is soon over.  Then he announces the night's celebrity guest is Martin Short.   NOOOOOOO!