Rabbit hole. Or, why the internet sucks time.

Hmm... down the rabbit hole.  A websearch on non-prescription bifocal reading glasses (because I need them) page, led to an marketing blog explanation of bifocal, which led to the discovery of a paper on the theoretical mechanics of identifying whether or not the document was a translation or the root source and if so, the source language of a translated document, and the concept of a field of study devoted to linguistics.

I never did find a cheap source of say... 1.50 and 2.00 diopter reading glasses.  (About $0.99 at the local 99cents store for cheap single focus).

HoneyDo

One of the traditions started by my Mom and sister in the last few years; is that instead of most gifts, I bring labor and fix those things which they find difficult, annoying or impossible. It is usually tech, but has veered off to carpet steaming and mopping of floors (my sister has large dogs of advanced and infirm age) and accidents happen, to computer help (installing the new OS, fixing the most recent virus incursion or general cleanup and upgrade)... and repair of any and all appliances that have an electrical component. Since I am an engineer, and relatively handy... it goes just about as you would expect. Stains are defeated, simple and obvious problems with fuses and the like are overcome, and I'm running about 50/50 on the whole Microsoft mess; thanks Bill (et al) for making me look more incompetent than usual. This time, both my sister's and my mother's computers timed out on the Windows 10 preview; both because the continual beta upgrade seems to have been discontinued, and because updates (by me or them) were not run on time or at all. I'm not sure of this, but it looks like the pool of beta equipment (inspite of rumor-mill advertising to the contrary) seems to have been shrunken and "we" are outside the loop for most of it. Anyway, the result is a non-functioning machine that I have to rescue. This time, the "upgrade and save user data" selection didn't work for my sister, and I'm now combing the hard drive for deleted files (documents and pictures) that I would have backed up to other media if I had been thinking. (insert curses here) The Cuisinart coffee maker has defeated me for now, my sister does not have the requisite 2 or 3 mm hex lobed screwdriver, and of course... that's the inset screws in the base where the thermal fuse is. And so it goes. At least tomorrow (early) we get to go and take my Mom to her appointment, so I'm (a) up early, and (b) spending time with loved ones instead of tech. At least... that is the theory. I'll work on the contract stuff; after.

and a time for every season

I flew up to visit my mother on Sunday, before Christmas.  She fell last week and broke her femur, re-acquired pneumonia, and has gone in and out of emergency and ICU.  Now, she is back in rehabilitation trying to walk and stand on her own again.  It is amazing how we take such simple matters for granted, like getting out of bed unassisted, going to the toilet and finishing and leaving the bathroom without assistance.  Oxygen and 24x7 supervision are now a fact of life until she gets back "on her feet", which is a bit problematic because she has told myself and my sister that she wants to die.  That is upsetting; especially given that many folk are much worse off than she currently is, but the change from fully independent and the current lack of control of her environment... makes her depressed.
One of the dilemmas we face, is that the individual has certain rights, and in the state of Oregon, even the right to take their own life. To have assistance in ending an existance that they find unbearable.  But, the dilemma is in the equilibrium.  When is it time?

In the Netherlands, they made assisted suicide legal, and noted an uptick in voluntary deaths including a number where the decision was made on "trivial" matters, a minor reversal, a rejection, a "hangnail" if you will.  This is troubling to me because it signifies a lack of both compassion and intervention for the individual where someone says "that is insufficient reasons" or "it isn't that bad" and have any leverage or moral basis to act.  How do we tell when it is time?  How do we correctly acertain that an individual has made a rational (in right mind) and reasonable choice.  I am not saying that a cancer patient does not have the right to avoid suffering, or that a incurable illness should not short-circuit the end process;  but I do feel that ending existance for trivial manners, without an objection from us, is a  abrogation of our responsibility to be good caregivers and to provide balenced council.  In other words, the ethic of "being our brother's keeper", and no... I'm not a Christian.
But, to balance our willingness to accept the decisions made, where do we say that we should do something to prevent a "tragedy" as we see it.

I do not know.  It is a complex problem.  How can I convince my mother that live is still worth living, and that her function and ability will progress and even recover?
That's the true question.