Thursday, July 30, 2009

What kind of machines wrap around your head?

I finally went for my head CT scan today. With all the worrying about whether or not my insurance company was going to allow it I didn't have time to obsess over how much I hate things like that. Someone very dear to me died getting a CT scan of his head and not thinking about that is impossible.

So I try to concentrate on my breathing and ignore everything else. Do I need to say that didn't work?

Then I pretended I was doing extra work. What kind of extra work involves putting your head in a big machine? I started running down possible TV shows. Star Trek. Star Trek TNG. Warehouse 13. X-Files. Freaky Links. A bunch of others. Then I started with authors. Scalzi's work of course since there is memory transfer. Robin Wasserman's Skinned. I thought of so many that the CT scan ended before I ran out of names.

The funny thing is I never thought of any medical shows, just science fiction or paranormal.

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Wednesday, July 29, 2009

A blog for everything

More proof that there is a blog for everything.

The cat ladder blog, dedicated to ladders to help kitties make their way into upstairs windows. http://catladder.blogspot.com/


And the nadshot blog, which features a bunch of dudes getting hit in the balls. http://nadshot.com/

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

HIV and dead people

A surprising number of people are worried about catching HIV from the deceased. One guy is even worried about catching it a full ten years after the body was buried! http://www.thebody.com/Forums/AIDS/SafeSex/Current/Q202960.html?ic=700101

In completely different news here is a sweet picture of a soap bubble nebula. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/blog/2009/jul/24/soap-bubble-nebula

An in still more unrelated news my PT/INR is still too high, clocking in at 3.8. No coumadin today and retest in a week. Unfortunately it took six days, including the day I took the test, to get the results so who knows if I'm actually higher than that. Apparantly the lab never sent the results to my doctor and every time I called to get the results I got the answering machine. it's extremely frustrating.

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Monday, July 27, 2009

Blah, blah, blah

Went to the endocrinologist today and came away with a script for a CT scan, to make sure there isn't any bleeding in my brain. He said I should be able to go across the street and get one right away.

Instead I have get it precerted and my insurance company says that takes 24 to 72 hours after my doctor sends in my information. Which is nice because that way there will be plenty of bleeding before we get a look, making the cost of the test worthwhile, right? Or maybe I'll just keel over dead before I can get the test, which saves the company money. Hooray for our healthcare system!

Sunday, July 26, 2009

Crazy stuff going on

A cruise ship comes into port with a whale on the bow. Really, I kid you not. Article here.

A cerebrospinal fluid research report states "Under investigation is a knockout mouse that develops IH shortly after weaning." You can access the report here. I feel sorry for the mice. They're no sooner weaned when they start in with the headaches, nausea, etc. Can mice even throw up? I don't know.

Cam is watching the Lipizzaners in Anchorage today. I went with my mom when I was his age so it's nice that he's getting a similar chance albeit seeing them with his dad. http://www.lipizzaner.com/home.asp

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Saturday, July 25, 2009

Bleah

I've been sick since Monday, throwing up and dizzzy every day. It's extremely annoying and I don't know what's causing it. Maybe my intracranial pressure is spiking again. Or possibly it's becuase of the elevated PT/INR. I'm not sure if that's any better yet. I got a blood test on Thursday but nobody answered the phone at the hematologist on Friday so I don't know if things are back to normal. I hope they are as I'm back on the coumadin.

In other news Cam is learning to shoot a gun today with his dad. That should be interesting.

I had a dream that Conan hired me to write jokes on his show, which was really surreal because I was nervous and babbling. Maybe that's how he likes his writers.

Reading Cassie Clare's City of Bones. You know you're sick when you're too tired to hold the book and your vision keeps doubling, making it hard to see the letters. Ugh.

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Thursday, July 23, 2009

Best wishes to the happy couple

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Wednesday, July 22, 2009

Old Jews Telling Jokes

This is a fun site. I especially like today's joke, which is over almost as soon as it starts.

http://oldjewstellingjokes.com/post/145905845/paul-eisenman-a-tourist-in-new-york-city-paul

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Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Um what?

According to Friday's Credit Union Journal Briefing "the House Financial Services Committee voted to attach an amendment to a pending housing bill that will allow guns in public housing projects"

That sounds great, doesn't it? Because there aren't enough guns in the projects. Hooray!

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Monday, July 20, 2009

PT/INR trouble again

Once again my PT/INR is too high, clocking in at 7.5, when it's meant to be around two. I've got a drastic headache and was throwing up today, which is hopefully just a coincidence.

Plan is to skip warfarin today and tomorrow, go back to just five mgs a day and retest on Thursday.

I'm thoroughly sick of this.

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Sunday, July 19, 2009

Best Quote of the Day so Far

"We completely understand the public's concern about futuristic robots feeding on the human population, but that is not our mission," said Harry Schoell, the chief executive of Cyclone Power Technologies, one of the companies behind the machine.
Feel better now? http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/2009/jul/19/robots-research

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Saturday, July 18, 2009

The Gables - summer cottage no more

I saw something at work recently about Edith Wharton's summer residence going up for auction. Formerly called the Pines it's been known as the Gables for a very long time. While not as fabulous as The Mount, it's still been an impressive piece of architecture for more than one hundred years.

Sadly the Gables isn't being sold as a cottage. It's been converted into five condos and four of those are actually what was up for auction. More details can be found here http://www.24-7pressrelease.com/press-release/novelist-edith-whartons-former-family-summer-home-to-be-sold-to-highest-bidders-107023.php.

I think one of the reasons condos can have a bad reputation is because so often a grand house is turned into condos. The same thing is meant to happen, or may already have happened, to the orphanage Anne Rice bought. http://www.annerice.com/NewOrleans-SaintElizabeths.html

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Friday, July 17, 2009

Exhausted

I stayed up reading four nights out of five this week. Three of those nights was reading John Green's books and last night was The Forest of Hands and Teeth. I'm so tired I can barely move.

I also had six tubes of blood drawn today in preparation for my visit to the oncologist/hematologist next week so that didn't leave me feeling any perkier.

Still have to post my column and brush my teeth. Then maybe I can get some sleep...

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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Dude Watchin' With the Brontes

This is a great comic. I've always had trouble with the creepers the Bronte heroines are attracted to. I've never thought they were romantic or attractive and I think brooding on the moors can be a warning sign. Is that really who you want for your partner? Someone who is out for revenge and skulks around all the time? Thanks but no thanks. http://www.harkavagrant.com/index.php?id=202

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Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Swan Upping

Swan Upping starts on Monday. I had never heard of this event before but it sounds pretty interesting. From the Queen's website:

In the Swan Upping ceremony, The Queen's Swan Marker, the Royal Swan Uppers and the Swan Uppers of the Vintners' and Dyers' livery companies use six traditional Thames rowing skiffs in their five-day journey up-river.

The Queen's Swan Uppers wear traditional scarlet uniforms and each boat flies appropriate flags and pennants.

When a brood of cygnets is sighted, a cry of "All up!" is given to signal that the boats should get into position. On passing Windsor Castle, the rowers stand to attention in their boat with oars raised and salute "Her Majesty The Queen, Seigneur of the Swans".



Sounds fancy doesn't it? There's also a video if you click through to the site.

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Monday, July 13, 2009

I feel so left out

Apparently everybody but me was at the FBI range shooting the tommy guns today. So totally unfair.

And by everybody I mean Kelley Armstrong and Jeri Smith Ready. I'm wildly jealous.

Had to cancel my appointment to get my crown today because I had some kind of stomach virus. Not too thrilled about that either. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. I'll accept the lack of tommy guns so long as my stomach settles down.

Sunday, July 12, 2009

John Green gave me a migraine

I had trouble sleeping last night so I started reading Looking for Alaska by John Green. I stayed up all night reading it and then I was so sad by the story that I couldn't sleep.

It's a fantastic story, well written, well developed characters, but man oh man it was not a good choice for me, esp. when I was already having trouble sleeping.

Chris comes back to town today. He's got an appointment tomorrow. I do too. I'm getting my crown, which will be nice but will cost the earth. Then a blood test, always fun, in preparation for my visit with the hematologist later this month. I'm already exhausted just thinking about it.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Things for sale

Cullen tells me he saw little vials of oil for sale in Alaska. It's billed as some of the actual oil from the Exxon Valdez spill. It says something about the oil soaking the wildlife. I'm not clear on whether the oil is meant to be oil that was on a bird or an otter or whatever but it's quite creepy.

The other big item is of course moose poop, much like you can buy buffalo poop when you're in some states in the midwest. Ah capitalism, it's fantastic!

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Thursday, July 09, 2009

Not going far enough

A long time ago I wrote a script about an inventor who invents, among many other things, a GPS device to put on your dog's collar so you can find it if gets lost or stolen. (This was well before the current GPS in every car craze.) I was tweeting with another author today who was on a walk and a friend's beagle pup broke her leash and was gone for an hour. That's a nightmare right there. Beagles are bred to run and find things, not stick by your side and they'll take off and keep going, sometimes for days.

Obviously my character's invention was only half the story. It also needs to include anti-grav capabilities so it can lift your hound and carry it back to you when you activate the device. Now that's a useful tool to have.

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Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Good advice from Cesar Millan

I got a direct message from Cesar Millan on Twitter today, thanking me for a follow and ending with the words "Stay calm and assertive!" That's good advice for dog training but it's also good advice for daily life.

He also had some fantastic advice about walking your dog, saying you can only let your dog lead the way twentyfive percent of the time. You need to lead the way and you need to have the dog walk beside you most of the time. He also said never let the dog lead on the way home. I never thought about it before but from a pack perspective it makes perfect sense. It's kind of like not letting your horse walk faster coming back to the barn. Next thing you know it's galloping and you're falling off...

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Tuesday, July 07, 2009

witch wanted

Must not mind living in a cave.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8138665.stm

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Monday, July 06, 2009

Have a student loan?

Make sure you read this. http://shoestringliving.com/content/student-loan-update

You should be aware of recent changes to repayment schedules for student loans. This is especially important if you're unemployed or underemployed.

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Saturday, July 04, 2009

The cuckold sign

I was surprised and intrigued to see that Portugal's Economy Minister Manuel Pinho resigned after making the cuckold sign at an opposition MP. I didn't realize it was still considered an insult.

This piece from BBC News does a nice job explaining why it's such a terrible insult and also includes some feedback from readers, although I find the one about "I fill the air with my private aroma." a little suspect. Do you know anyone from New York who talks like that or uses these gestures? I'm just sayin'

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A disturbing tweet


Maybe it's just me but this sound kind of gross.

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Friday, July 03, 2009

I predict a pandemic

F Minus

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Thursday, July 02, 2009

XKCD Nails it Again

I love this comic. I've been subjected to exactly this kind of rhetoric more times than I can stand to think about.

http://xkcd.com/603/

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Wednesday, July 01, 2009

A comic from Cullen

One of Cullen's favorite strips. Enjoy.

http://threepanelsoul.com/view.php?date=2008-08-26

In other news Chris and I went to see Star Trek. The website said 5:55. We got there and it was actually 11:35. Baffling. We didn't want to see Transformers two or Year One so we came home. Bummer.

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