Home From LibertyCon

[filkertom]

Trust me: when they warn you about heat sickness, they are not kidding. Just north of Knoxville yesterday, I suddenly thought I was having an attack of some kind. Scary. Pulled over, sat in the AC at a McDonald's for an hour until I felt better; by then it had cooled somewhat outside, and I forged on all the way to Dayton. Just got home an hour ago, and I need a nap.

Hope you're all well...?

Comments

[mimiheart.livejournal.com]

Heat Sickness is nothing to ignore. Living in Phoenix, you learn to respect what your body says when it comes to heat. Not fun.

[jimhines.livejournal.com]

Eep. Yeah, heat can be dangerous, especially if you're getting dehydrated. Glad you're home and doing a little better.

[stormsdotter.livejournal.com]

I need to have Nancy make me a button that says, "I'm trained in First Aid, don't make me use it!"

Seriously man, please take care of yourself. When your body tells you something is wrong, it's better in the long run to stop and listen rather than trying to ignore it.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Well, the heat was simply awful in the car. And the traffic was insane, and moving kinda slow, and I suddenly felt as if something was pressing against my chest, and I was having trouble getting a breath, and I got my ass off at the very next exit less than a mile later. Got inside the McD's with a bottle of spring water and just sat. After, I got some Gatorade, which certainly helped.

[allandaros.livejournal.com]

Eeek!

Stay well, Tom!

[alverant.livejournal.com]

Glad you made it back OK, Tom. Get some rest.

[lizziecrowe.livejournal.com]

YIKES! SO glad you made it home ok. You have AC at home, right? Hydrate, rest, and keep cool, hon. ((HUGS))

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Not having to deal with heat sickness, at any rate. Instead, I've been dealing with inconsiderate jerks (otherwise known as customers) who seem to think that it's perfectly all right to pay for a 73 cent purchase with a $20 bill, because I obviously have infinite change resources. (No, I don't.)

[kayshapero]

I do sometimes wonder if the decision to have ATMs only give out $20s has actually generated more trouble than having them give out multiple denominations would have done.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Well, the ATMs at my bank (the only ones I ever use) give out $10s and $20s, so I can't see why other banks couldn't do the same.

What really pisses me off is when you see that they have a $10 or even a $5, and they still pull out a $20. That's when they become what I now call a "Jackson Jackass." And when I politely ask them if they could pay with something smaller, they start whining, "But I need change!" Hey, I'm not the bank, you moron!

But what really takes the cake was something that happened last night. Someone tried to pay for that 73 cent purchase with a $100 bill. I flat out told him that I couldn't break it.

When did giving good customer service become synonymous with getting like crap by every mouth-breathing malcontent who thinks walking into your store gives them a license to treat you like a doormat?

[kayshapero]

I do wish the others had as much sense as your bank does (I recall that when ATMs first came out they all had both kinds of bill, but that didn't last very long.)

A $100 bill?! That's... special....

Naw, they're ruding without a license.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

I've had similar incidents with $100 bills. If they're doing something like buying a couple of cartons of cigarettes, I don't have a problem, because they aren't going to be getting that much change back. When they are clearly trying to get me to break their $100 (and little more than that), I have a problem.

Before the incident a few nights ago, the story I like to people was a guy who wanted to buy a 99 cent sweet roll with a $100. When I told him that didn't have enough money in my register to handle the $100, he goes off on a rant. "What do you mean you can't break a $100? That's bullshit!" A number of similar comments followed at he stomped out of the store without the Danish.

There was a line behind this clown, and none of them were particularly impressed with him. In fact, I think some of them might have been just as irritated with him as I was.

(And even if I did have enough money to break his $100, I was not going to do it, just on the principal of the thing.

[kayshapero]

Where are you working? Certainly the local mini-marts and similar things generally won't TAKE anything larger than a $20 (or in some cases a $50) from what the signs say.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Louisville. We won't take $50s or $100s after 10 PM, and I generally don't take $100s if the person is making a small purchase.

[kayshapero]

Well... I meant what kind of store, but what the hey. I'm in Los Angeles. And it sounds like wherever it is has a sensible policy, if, alas, no more immunity to idiots than anybody else gets.

[purpleranger.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I misunderstood. Circle K -- convenience store. Or as a former co-worker called it, "the freak show that is the Circle K." I tend to refer to it as Arkham Asylum.

[hms42]

Take care of your health. Glad to hear that you are OK.

[stevemb.livejournal.com]

Gah. I had what seems to be a sinus-infection flareup at Shore Leave over the weekend. starmalachite was sensible enough to insist that we go back to our hotel Saturday evening; I got some extra sleep and threw it off. (Just to be sure, I called in sick today; no sign of a relapse.)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[nagasvoice.livejournal.com]

Please remember that heat stroke and heat prostration are cumulative. If you've had a bad spell or three in the past, you will be more sensitized to it in future, and more easily overwhelmed at lower temperatures. Sitting in a tub of icewater (literally) would be my requirement to survive those conditions, having worked myself sick too often in the past. (Polar bears unite!)

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkferengi]

ozarque has recommended sitting in front of a fan in damp-to-wet nightwear [with beverage handy] to cool off.

[acelightning.livejournal.com]

[filkferengi]

A t-shirt or something light would do. The humidity is a bit of a problem, though.

[redaxe.livejournal.com]

Glad you're okay. Heat sickness can be a VERY Bad Thing, especially for those of us of large size. (Thank you, square-cube law :-)

Learned the just-missed-the-hard-way a few years ago, driving from Florida to New York in the summer with no A/C. Almost lost the road in South Carolina; pulled over and had some water, some Gatorade (it's true: when it tastes good, you really need it), and some time in the store, and wow!

Today have registered the kids for swim lessons, paid the car payment and arranged money so the new laptop doesn't make my credit card go 'splodey, and had lunch (good Gen. Tso's chicken with pork fried rice). Now to bed before the workweek starts this evening.

[bayushisan.livejournal.com]

I'm glad to hear you made it there and back ok. No AC in the heat is no fun at all.

[thistlethorn.livejournal.com]

Heat sickness is very real. If possible, next time freeze bottles of water for the trip to your destination and have them in the passenger seat in a cooler with ice. Put a washcloth or two in the ice, as well. On the way home, use refrigerated water from a store, again with ice and washcloths. That way you have a way to cool down while driving (within reach) -- cold water to stay hydrated and cold wet washcloths for your face, neck and wrists to cool pulse points. It really helped me on a 2.5 day car trip from AZ to MO with no AC in the car and 104+ temps. I also drove a fair amount at night (that was back when I could still drive at night).

I'm glad you were able to find a place to get out of the heat, but no wonder you're tired now.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

Good advice; I used to do that when I was driving for a living, and got vans with no AC in the summer.

[laurel-potter.livejournal.com]

I had that once when I was working at an outdoor festival. It was really hot, and I couldn't catch my breath and I felt like I was going to pass out. To make matters worse, the AC in my car didn't work, and the car was overheating. I went to a Meijer gas station, stayed in the AC for awhile, had someone help me put fluid in my car, then drove home with the windows open. And drank water. Water is your friend.

[kayshapero]

Yeeps - no kidding - been there, done that, do not want to do it again. Ever. I hope you're feeling better now!

[janedit.livejournal.com]

You were in Dayton and you didn't call to say hi? I'm desolate!
(I did the heat sickness thing years ago in the Yucatan. A refreshment stand appeared from nowhere and an ice-cold Coca-Cola saved my life. So I know whereof you speak.)

[catsittingstill.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you're okay.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are no joke.

[mythdude.livejournal.com]

Take care of yourself! *hugs*

[poltr1]

Glad you stopped to take care of yourself. I'm also glad that all it was was heat sickness. If it was me -- and it was me, several weeks ago -- I would have gone to an ER.

BTW, I might have been able to have met you in Dayton had I known you were coming through.

[batyatoon]

Waugh! NO DYING. NOT ALLOWED. *stern*

Heat sickness is awful, seriously. I'm glad you're okay.

[peachtales.livejournal.com]

I am happy you are home safe

Paddling along here, nose above the water so far and hoping to keep it that way. :)

Holy crap! No AC?!

[dspraker.livejournal.com]

I saw that you had the windows down when you left, but didn't think too much about it. But you came down to southern Tennessee in July without working AC?! My lord man, you're lucky to have made it out! I'm glad it ended up ok though. Just so you know, I posted a few pictures on the LC23 Facebook page from the concert... though not where you broke Kyle. I really thought I might have to pick him back up there for a minute or two.

It was great having you down again, and if you come back down after this scare two things: 1) you have to have working AC first, and 2) you have to let me buy you lunch next time. We're not Memphis, but we still have decent BBQ.

Re: Holy crap! No AC?!

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Usually, the lack of AC isn't a problem. The blower works, and having the windows open is plenty of air, and I always have water in the car. This time, however, the heat was just too damn much for too long. Caught up with me badly, and I'll not underestimate it again.

Kyle getting broken was great. :D "Rocky Horror Muppet Show" shtick.

Re: Holy crap! No AC?!

[filkferengi]

Do we need to have a "help Tom keep his cool" fundraiser?