me getting ready to bat for the Padres
stopping in Milpitas on my way to Seattle in 2019
Happy New Year!
I look forward to a great 2025! I hope it goes well! As I write, Ohio State is beating Oregon pretty badly in the college football playoffs. It’s the fourth quarter, and the game is pretty much over. There’s a new format with college playoffs. There are now 12 teams that begin, and after tomorrow, only four will remain.
I have a new hobby. I learned to launch and develop websites. Here are a few:
- maniac-nebula.com
- homercocktail.com
- rod-autobiography.xyz
These websites are usually fun, and they help me communicate in ways that nothing else does. This past football season, Charles ran a fantasy football league. It was my second year playing, and this time around, I won. I texted him and the nephews. I gave them the link to my newest page. It was made for the family. A lot has gone on in 2024. I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. I wanted to share nostalgic music and pictures.
And… there is important personal news.
I lost my right foot.
I was spending Christmas with at Jose’s mom’s house when I got a text message from Charles. He said he was sorry for what had happened. These things happen in life, and I wasn’t sure how to tell anyone. So the main page is…
rod-autobiography.xyz
… and when you scroll down to the bottom of the page, there are buttons. These buttons give you options. I created a music page, for example. I also created a “foot issue” page with pictures and explanations. For anyone who wants to know, all the info is there. It’s a little bit graphic, so I didn’t put the pictures on the front page.
I like writing books, and these websites have given me a new way to communicate. I had my autobiography finished last Christmas (in 2023) but my finances became tight. I was living in an AirBnb a year ago at this time. My job at SharkNinja was slower than usual, and I was let go. My new job was only forty hours per week. It’s hard to get ahead without overtime. At the end of March, I got a new job at Hyundai. It’s the most overtime I’ve had since I was working in Seattle. There was so much overtime that it was difficult to tend to ordinary business.
In July, my big toe on my right foot became infected. By the end of August, it spread to the rest of my foot. I had osteomyelitis and a bacteria ate into my ankle. On October 3rd, my right foot was amputated. I thought it was important to share that news with you.
John and Jose have been good with taking me to appointments and taking me shopping. I have a page dedicated to John at this “homercocktail” site. We used to play a video game called Pool of Radiance when we were teenagers. I developed John’s page in that style. I also included appointment dates, and I tried to make it fun.
I’m taking this well. I’m doing everything I can to make the most of life. I’ve started writing again, but I’m a little more focused on web pages than anything else. I’ve been out of St Bernardine’s since the end of October, and up until this past Sunday, I haven’t driven. Everything has to happen at the correct stage. Well, I started driving again, and it feels great. I drive with my left foot. It didn’t take too long for it to feel like ordinary driving. I get my prosthetic foot in a couple of weeks. My work expects me back on March 3rd. I’m not sure how that’s going to go. I’m doing everything I can to live as normally as possible. I haven’t worked since August, and I applied for EDD disability benefits, but I was somehow denied. I have a lawyer who’s helping me get my money. He’s a good guy. His name is Andy and he wrote a book on EDD benefits. I’m also going through a workers comp case. I have a different lawyer for that, and I’m scheduled to give a deposition on January 13th.
I hope you like these web pages. They make it easier for me to communicate. Usually, at the bottom of the pages, there are buttons. They give you options of where you might want to go next. I like to embed videos, and I like to post pictures. Often, if you click on the pictures, it might take you to music from YouTube, but I don’t always do that.
Well, it wasn’t the best year for the Raiders or the Cowboys, but they’ve shown fight. The Raiders were lined up for the first pick in the draft if they didn’t win their past two games. I think it’s always good to show fight. Happy New Year! I will try to keep the pages updated…
— Rod (I’ve been calling myself this since I released the autobio in PDF form)
🙂
