Halloween. This day is normally my most favorite of the year. Candy, costumes, kids, crisp Autumn weather, pagan undertones. What's not to love? But today? Meh.
The annual Halloween party didn't happen. We didn't stock up on any candy for tonight. The porch light was never even turned on.
The surgery is still affecting me. I'm stressed at work. I wrote some things today I want to regret but I don't. I can't shake this bad mood. Not sure what's exactly is up.
UPDATE:
After 26 years in business the once renowned, premier music store ear X-tacy has forever shut their doors. I have previously blogged how their current store location is a sad shell of its once great footprint in the historic and eclectic Bardstown Road area. This news does not help my mood.
88.25% | 173.99 lbs. (165.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 83.29% (304 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
(Blog entry intentionally left blank)
(Blog entry intentionally left blank)
88.25% | 174.02 lbs. (165.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 83.01% (303 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Gratz, Chris and Amrita (Mr. and Mrs. Pettus)
Morning wedding in Indy. Traditional Sikh wedding. Mimosas. Indian treats. Shoes off. Head covered. Enter the Gurdwara. Prayers and hymns in Hindi. Sweet sacrament. More mimosas. Check in. Lunch. Paneer Masala. Naan. Gulab Jamun. Chill with friends. Walk to liquor store. Day drinking. Absolut fun. Shower. Spiff up. Cocktail hour. Fritters. Crab cakes. Tanq and Tonic. Tanq and Tonic. Kevin! Dinner. Speeches. More Indian delights. Mistaken identity. Tanq and Tonics (rinse, repeat). Dessert station. Congratulating and thanking the parents of the bride. DJ starts spinning... all Indian dance tunes. What's the over/under? Candy bag for Kevin. Scavenger hunting grrrls. Fizzies with Amy. Walk back in the cold. Eventually, a great night winds down to comforting sleep. It was neat!
88.25% | 174.06 lbs. (168.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.74% (302 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
88.25% | 174.06 lbs. (168.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.74% (302 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Friday, October 28, 2011
"... hundreds of thousands of dollars on the line..."
These words were spoken to me yesterday three different times by two different people as we geared up for an obviously critical deploy scheduled for later that day. I had plans to see off Papa Hayden but was gently guilted into cutting those plans short. I went to the mass, skipped the burial, and headed back to work right as the deploy was to kick off.
Nothing was kicking, suffice to say. And they are lucky I came back, 'cause I stayed 'til nearly 6:30pm straightening out the 11th hour issues we had discovered. Good for a Friday deploy, right? Well, I should hope so, even though we do not normally deploy on Fridays. And my boss was going to be right there in the thick of things to see things off right, right?!? Nope, he was leaving for Vegas.
Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot? C'mon, man. Seriously? I don't run the department technically, but I could. Does the department run without me? I guess technically they do. Anyway...
I did what needed to be done to push a noonish deploy. I drafted the change control doc. I delegated the lingering issues. I answered critical questions. I made last-minute judgment calls. We pushed on time. We overcame a hiccup or two with minimal effort. Emails were blasted out during the different stages of the deploy to keep everyone in the loop. In the end, we can all agree that is was a successful deploy. Now Monday, when we setup new subscribers, we'll see if those checks start pouring in.
The day continued positively with a light-hearted date night with Jooj. Dinner at Rafferty's (poor choice - bad recommendation), buzzed-shopping at Target, drinks at Joe's, then put a very happy Jooj to bed. I played CoH for a while, completing a Masters of Statesman TF (one of the hardest accomplishments) with Red Team, before heading to bed.
88.25% | 174.08 lbs. (166.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.47% (301 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Nothing was kicking, suffice to say. And they are lucky I came back, 'cause I stayed 'til nearly 6:30pm straightening out the 11th hour issues we had discovered. Good for a Friday deploy, right? Well, I should hope so, even though we do not normally deploy on Fridays. And my boss was going to be right there in the thick of things to see things off right, right?!? Nope, he was leaving for Vegas.
Whiskey. Tango. Foxtrot? C'mon, man. Seriously? I don't run the department technically, but I could. Does the department run without me? I guess technically they do. Anyway...
I did what needed to be done to push a noonish deploy. I drafted the change control doc. I delegated the lingering issues. I answered critical questions. I made last-minute judgment calls. We pushed on time. We overcame a hiccup or two with minimal effort. Emails were blasted out during the different stages of the deploy to keep everyone in the loop. In the end, we can all agree that is was a successful deploy. Now Monday, when we setup new subscribers, we'll see if those checks start pouring in.
The day continued positively with a light-hearted date night with Jooj. Dinner at Rafferty's (poor choice - bad recommendation), buzzed-shopping at Target, drinks at Joe's, then put a very happy Jooj to bed. I played CoH for a while, completing a Masters of Statesman TF (one of the hardest accomplishments) with Red Team, before heading to bed.
88.25% | 174.08 lbs. (166.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.47% (301 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Post 300 in 2011
"Deep Blue" - performed by Arcade Fire, from the album The Suburbs
Here are my place and time
And here in my own skin
I can finally begin
Let the century pass me by
Standing under night sky
Tomorrow means nothing
I was only a child then
Feeling barely alive when
I heard a song from the speaker of a passing car
And prayed to a dying star
The memory's fading
I can almost remember singing la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
We watched the end of the century
Compressed on a tiny screen
A dead star collapsing and we could see
That something was ending
Are you through pretending?
We saw its signs in the suburbs
You could never have predicted
That he could see through you
Kasparov, Deep Blue, nineteen-ninety-six
Your mind's pulling tricks now
The show is over so take a bow
We're living in the shadows la, la la, la la la la
Oh, la la, la la, la la la la
Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me
La la, la la, la la la la
(I'm not convinced these lyrics are 100% but this is the best these interwebs can currently offer)
I feel tired. And detached. And old. And the future seems like a scary thing for one of the few times in my life.
88.25% | 174.10 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.20% (300 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Here are my place and time
And here in my own skin
I can finally begin
Let the century pass me by
Standing under night sky
Tomorrow means nothing
I was only a child then
Feeling barely alive when
I heard a song from the speaker of a passing car
And prayed to a dying star
The memory's fading
I can almost remember singing la, la la, la la la la
La la, la la, la la la la
We watched the end of the century
Compressed on a tiny screen
A dead star collapsing and we could see
That something was ending
Are you through pretending?
We saw its signs in the suburbs
You could never have predicted
That he could see through you
Kasparov, Deep Blue, nineteen-ninety-six
Your mind's pulling tricks now
The show is over so take a bow
We're living in the shadows la, la la, la la la la
Oh, la la, la la, la la la la
Hey, put the cellphone down for a while
In the night there is something wild
Can you hear it breathing?
And hey, put the laptop down for a while
In the night there is something wild
I feel it, it's leaving me
La la, la la, la la la la
(I'm not convinced these lyrics are 100% but this is the best these interwebs can currently offer)
I feel tired. And detached. And old. And the future seems like a scary thing for one of the few times in my life.
88.25% | 174.10 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 82.20% (300 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Catching Up (And Random Shit)
Life, love, the universe, and everything is catching up to me. I've been moving too fast, too distracted, to allow myself to catch up to my self. My head is buzzing from all the buzzworthy buzz going on around me. Heavy feelings are taking their toll - are finally pulling on me, wearing me down. I feel pulled too taut, spread too thin, pushed too hard. At points today I have been overwhelmed, stunned, shocked, speechless, and utterly overcome. I am nearing surreal territory. I need a reality check. I need a break. And I need to stop listening to so much gawddamn sad music.
Here are some random thoughts:
Every one of us will miss the biggest gathering of our closest loved ones. We will totally miss it. They will all get together while we lay there in a casket. I'd like to have a gathering like that while I still walk this world.
I am getting job offers with starting salaries of over 150% of my current salary. What am I supposed to do with those dangling carrots?
The product code for bananas is 4011. How can I *not* self-checkout with that knowledge now?
AP Crafters isn't as bad as Debes led me to believe. The El Vez is a kick-ass burger. And their pretzel and beer cheese is super-duper. Yes, they serve too many fries.
Speaking of kick-ass, I had my ass kicked by the Bumblebee Red Hot at JGumbo's today. ASS KICKED!
I have some pretty spectacular friends. Fact.
The wee baby Logan is a good looking baby. I also noticed that he has 15 letters in his name - 5 in his first, 5 in his middle, and 5 in his last. Thought I should mention that in case anyone cares to know.
Today is today. Tomorrow I switch gears to tomorrow. Then the next day I'm back to today. And so on and so on.
88.25% | 174.12 lbs. (165.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 81.92% (299 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Here are some random thoughts:
Every one of us will miss the biggest gathering of our closest loved ones. We will totally miss it. They will all get together while we lay there in a casket. I'd like to have a gathering like that while I still walk this world.
I am getting job offers with starting salaries of over 150% of my current salary. What am I supposed to do with those dangling carrots?
The product code for bananas is 4011. How can I *not* self-checkout with that knowledge now?
AP Crafters isn't as bad as Debes led me to believe. The El Vez is a kick-ass burger. And their pretzel and beer cheese is super-duper. Yes, they serve too many fries.
Speaking of kick-ass, I had my ass kicked by the Bumblebee Red Hot at JGumbo's today. ASS KICKED!
I have some pretty spectacular friends. Fact.
The wee baby Logan is a good looking baby. I also noticed that he has 15 letters in his name - 5 in his first, 5 in his middle, and 5 in his last. Thought I should mention that in case anyone cares to know.
Today is today. Tomorrow I switch gears to tomorrow. Then the next day I'm back to today. And so on and so on.
88.25% | 174.12 lbs. (165.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 81.92% (299 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
"Stop Made By Will Bearden."
I have been waiting all season long to hear those words over the loudspeakers at a stadium. In the fourth quarter of the last game of the season last night, I finally heard it.
My excitement boiled over when I saw #32 enter the game. But the clock only had 12 seconds left and dwindling in the 3rd quarter. There wasn't time for a play! The horn sounded. Teams switched fields. My little #32 was still in. "Go Will!" we heard his dad yell over everything else. He lined up in his newly appointed position, Defensive End. The first defensive play saw him beat his offensive lineman and he wrapped up the quarterback. Unfortunately, the ball had only just left his hands. Incomplete. On the next play, #32 engaged his offensive lineman. The ball carrier was shooting through the hole and #32 disengaged and got a hand on the ball runner, taking him down in the process. "Stop Made By Will Bearden," echoed over the loudspeaker. The next play #32 found himself on the ground, under a lineman. Fourth down, he was overpowered by the lineman and on the ground again.
No matter! He returned to the sidelines amidst a roar of "Go Will!" from friends and teammates. There is no doubt in my mind now that we will see Will on the turf for JV, albeit the sidelines, for his sophomore year.
88.25% | 174.15 lbs. (167.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.64% (298 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
My excitement boiled over when I saw #32 enter the game. But the clock only had 12 seconds left and dwindling in the 3rd quarter. There wasn't time for a play! The horn sounded. Teams switched fields. My little #32 was still in. "Go Will!" we heard his dad yell over everything else. He lined up in his newly appointed position, Defensive End. The first defensive play saw him beat his offensive lineman and he wrapped up the quarterback. Unfortunately, the ball had only just left his hands. Incomplete. On the next play, #32 engaged his offensive lineman. The ball carrier was shooting through the hole and #32 disengaged and got a hand on the ball runner, taking him down in the process. "Stop Made By Will Bearden," echoed over the loudspeaker. The next play #32 found himself on the ground, under a lineman. Fourth down, he was overpowered by the lineman and on the ground again.
No matter! He returned to the sidelines amidst a roar of "Go Will!" from friends and teammates. There is no doubt in my mind now that we will see Will on the turf for JV, albeit the sidelines, for his sophomore year.
88.25% | 174.15 lbs. (167.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.64% (298 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Monday, October 24, 2011
Farewell, Papa Hayden... O Hai, Wee Baby Logan
Wow, the Lawd giveth and the Lawd taketh away. I saw the circle of life happen in the last 24 hours. Papa Hayden found peace after his long, hard battle with cancer. At the hospital across the street, the wee baby Logan made his way into the world.
Farewell, Papa Hayden. You were a good man. You've left behind good kids. You have good grandkids that will help carry on your legacy. You will be missed but the Hayden clan is strong. They will survive. They will tell stories about you for many years to come. You will live on in our memories. They will find comfort in that. Comfort, something I hope you have found. And I hope you have found peace. I hope you've gone home - wherever that place may be.
O hai, wee baby Logan! I don't know too many details but it sounds like you gave your mommy and daddy a bit of a scare. I know I hoped for the best when your daddy wasn't at work today. But then word came that things weren't going as well as we had hoped. We waited to bug your daddy as long as we could but I broke down and had to plead with someone to text your daddy to check in on you. Last we heard you were just about out of the woods, and I'm happy to hear it. I hope you enjoy everyday of your life of ups and downs ahead of you. Make your mommy and daddy proud.
Carbon-based lifeforms... funny things. Rise up from dust. Burn ever so brightly. Return to dust. So goes it.
88.25% | 174.18 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.37% (297 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Farewell, Papa Hayden. You were a good man. You've left behind good kids. You have good grandkids that will help carry on your legacy. You will be missed but the Hayden clan is strong. They will survive. They will tell stories about you for many years to come. You will live on in our memories. They will find comfort in that. Comfort, something I hope you have found. And I hope you have found peace. I hope you've gone home - wherever that place may be.
O hai, wee baby Logan! I don't know too many details but it sounds like you gave your mommy and daddy a bit of a scare. I know I hoped for the best when your daddy wasn't at work today. But then word came that things weren't going as well as we had hoped. We waited to bug your daddy as long as we could but I broke down and had to plead with someone to text your daddy to check in on you. Last we heard you were just about out of the woods, and I'm happy to hear it. I hope you enjoy everyday of your life of ups and downs ahead of you. Make your mommy and daddy proud.
Carbon-based lifeforms... funny things. Rise up from dust. Burn ever so brightly. Return to dust. So goes it.
88.25% | 174.18 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.37% (297 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Sunday, October 23, 2011
FFL Midseason Update (UPDATED)
I'm not happy. Between my two teams I am 7-7 (barring any miracles during the late games today) across 2 leagues in FFL. Neither team can score significant points on a regular basis. The Wyld Stallyns started the season 4-0 and have dropped 3 in a row since. The L'ville Gunners have been trading wins for losses and will end up 3-4 after today. I initially felt that both drafts were strong but my players are not showing the explosive traits I need them to have in order to shake out consistent wins on a weekly basis.
HOLD ON!!! While typing this blog entry, a touchdown from Cassel to Bowe must have been called back after review. That means that the Stallyns are still coming from behind but not as bad off as they were when I started writing this silly post! GO STALLYNS!!!
UPDATE #1:
With a quarter left to go the Stallyns are up by 1, leading 81-80. If this momentum holds this will easily be the most outrageous comeback I've ever witnessed (in my favor).
UPDATE #2:
Wow, just watched Mason Crosby connect on a 56-yard field goal for Green Bay. Most impressive!
UPDATE #3:
Lost, 77-89. Packers gave up more points to the Vikings and Dez Bryant made it into the end zone.
88.25% | 174.20 lbs. (169.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.10% (296 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
HOLD ON!!! While typing this blog entry, a touchdown from Cassel to Bowe must have been called back after review. That means that the Stallyns are still coming from behind but not as bad off as they were when I started writing this silly post! GO STALLYNS!!!
UPDATE #1:
With a quarter left to go the Stallyns are up by 1, leading 81-80. If this momentum holds this will easily be the most outrageous comeback I've ever witnessed (in my favor).
UPDATE #2:
Wow, just watched Mason Crosby connect on a 56-yard field goal for Green Bay. Most impressive!
UPDATE #3:
Lost, 77-89. Packers gave up more points to the Vikings and Dez Bryant made it into the end zone.
88.25% | 174.20 lbs. (169.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.10% (296 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Saturday, October 22, 2011
I am thinking of you, <INSERT NAME HERE>
I have a friend... whose father is hanging onto life. His fight with cancer has concluded and the time for peace is approaching. During this period of waiting I simply cannot imagine what their family members' bodies and minds are going through as they anxiously await the moment for it all to end. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is expecting their first child today. I am so excited for the new life that is about to enter this world and am convinced that my friend will be a wonderful parent. I haven't heard yet so I don't think the birth is happening. Hopefully it all happens fast - for everyone's sake. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is dealing with adjusting to a new situation at home during a tough transition over the coming months. I am proud of their spouse and I know that my friend has the strength to get through this. Keep your head up and take it one day at a time. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who will likely be facing a choice to move out of town, perhaps out of the country, in order to allow their spouse to accept an expected promotion. It's a tough spot. They don't want their spouse to not take the promotion and give the impression that upward momentum is not something they are interested in. But leaving home, no matter how far, is a tough call to make. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is having trouble with their spouse. I know they love each other very much. But my friend is questioning their marital resolve. The situation is complicated further by the two small children they share. I just want what's best and for my friend to be happy. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is recovering from gallbladder surgery and still doesn't feel like they are quite back into the swing of things. Just kidding! That's me :)
88.25% | 174.21 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.82% (295 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
I have a friend... who is expecting their first child today. I am so excited for the new life that is about to enter this world and am convinced that my friend will be a wonderful parent. I haven't heard yet so I don't think the birth is happening. Hopefully it all happens fast - for everyone's sake. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is dealing with adjusting to a new situation at home during a tough transition over the coming months. I am proud of their spouse and I know that my friend has the strength to get through this. Keep your head up and take it one day at a time. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who will likely be facing a choice to move out of town, perhaps out of the country, in order to allow their spouse to accept an expected promotion. It's a tough spot. They don't want their spouse to not take the promotion and give the impression that upward momentum is not something they are interested in. But leaving home, no matter how far, is a tough call to make. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is having trouble with their spouse. I know they love each other very much. But my friend is questioning their marital resolve. The situation is complicated further by the two small children they share. I just want what's best and for my friend to be happy. I am thinking of you.
I have a friend... who is recovering from gallbladder surgery and still doesn't feel like they are quite back into the swing of things. Just kidding! That's me :)
88.25% | 174.21 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.82% (295 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Friday, October 21, 2011
Ninja Scroll
Over the years I have shared some great anime, both classic and modern, with the kids. We've enjoyed tremendous films like Akira, Spirited Away, Princess Mononoke, Howl's Moving Castle, Nausicca of the Valley of the Wind, Appleseed, and Ghost in the Shell. Still, some were a few that were off-limits for one reason or another. Well, tonight, when Kels (who is home from Murray) asked if I'd like to watch some anime I jumped at the chance to bust out one of my all-time faves... Ninja Scroll.
Ninja Scroll . Jubei Kibagami. The Eight Devils of Kimon. Kagero. The Koga Ninja. Dakuan. The Shogun of the Dark. Blood. Swordplay. Nudity. Violence. Sodomy. Throwing stars. Spinning blades. Bamboo forests. Samurai. Ninja. Magic. Hot damn, this movie got it right years ago and, imho, still stands not only the test of time but continues to shine as a testament of what anime aims to be. Ninja Scroll is *not* for everyone. It is anime, in knowing as much you should expect misogynistic, crude, foul, violent imagery. And boy-o-boy this movie delivers.
Haha! I went back and found me gushing over Ninja Scroll years ago (forgive me for incorrectly referencing the Eight Devils of Kimon as the *Seven* Devils of Kimon - just rolls off the tongue better)...
Double Shot of Anime
88.25% | 174.23 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.55% (294 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Ninja Scroll . Jubei Kibagami. The Eight Devils of Kimon. Kagero. The Koga Ninja. Dakuan. The Shogun of the Dark. Blood. Swordplay. Nudity. Violence. Sodomy. Throwing stars. Spinning blades. Bamboo forests. Samurai. Ninja. Magic. Hot damn, this movie got it right years ago and, imho, still stands not only the test of time but continues to shine as a testament of what anime aims to be. Ninja Scroll is *not* for everyone. It is anime, in knowing as much you should expect misogynistic, crude, foul, violent imagery. And boy-o-boy this movie delivers.
Haha! I went back and found me gushing over Ninja Scroll years ago (forgive me for incorrectly referencing the Eight Devils of Kimon as the *Seven* Devils of Kimon - just rolls off the tongue better)...
Double Shot of Anime
88.25% | 174.23 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.55% (294 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
The Difference Between Vowels and Consonants
We all know that the letters a, e, i, o, u, and sometimes y are vowels. And we also know that everything else is a consonant. But do you know any difference beyond that? I didn't and I was quite impressed with what I found out.
According to dictionary.com...
... a vowel is a speech sound that is made without constriction of the vocal tract. What does that mean? It means that when you say a vowel, the sound is not stopped by your tongue, teeth, or cheeks. Try it! When you pronounce all of the vowels, your mouth stays open, but for every consonant, your tongue hits your teeth or the top of your mouth.
The word vowel comes from originally from the Latin vox meaning voice. Consonant means “with sound” from the Latin com (with) and sonare (sound).
Makes so much sense!! Furthermore...
Every language has vowels, though some have more vowel sounds than others. Across many languages, all words have to have vowel sounds, but not all words have to have consonants. This is because the sound and volume of spoken language comes from the vowels. The consonants break up the sound that the vowels generate. That’s why it’s impossible to say a string of consonants in a row. By nature, consonants stop the air flowing through the vocal tract, which is why you can say a vowel as long as you have breath, but you can’t draw out a sound like “l” unless you break it up with more vowels, as in “lalala.” This is also why vowels sit in the middle of syllables. They give language form and rhythm.
Strings of consonants sound like parts of words in English. Think of the phrases, “hmm” or “hmph.” They are not complete words, even though they do have some meaning. Without any vowels in languages, we would be left with meaningless consonant strings. Although some languages, like Polish, can have as many as five consonants in a row, in English, we’re typically restricted to three, like str in strict.
Vowels and consonants are oversimplified categories, of course—sounds are in reality more complicated than that. Take sounds like “s” or “z,” which don’t need to be broken up by vowels to continue. Are they vowels or consonants? You can say “z” forever. It’s the onomatopoetic sound of bees buzzing, to give just one example. These sounds are a subcategory of consonants called fricatives, made by pushing air through a very small space in your mouth.
88.25% | 174.25 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.27% (293 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
According to dictionary.com...
... a vowel is a speech sound that is made without constriction of the vocal tract. What does that mean? It means that when you say a vowel, the sound is not stopped by your tongue, teeth, or cheeks. Try it! When you pronounce all of the vowels, your mouth stays open, but for every consonant, your tongue hits your teeth or the top of your mouth.
The word vowel comes from originally from the Latin vox meaning voice. Consonant means “with sound” from the Latin com (with) and sonare (sound).
Makes so much sense!! Furthermore...
Every language has vowels, though some have more vowel sounds than others. Across many languages, all words have to have vowel sounds, but not all words have to have consonants. This is because the sound and volume of spoken language comes from the vowels. The consonants break up the sound that the vowels generate. That’s why it’s impossible to say a string of consonants in a row. By nature, consonants stop the air flowing through the vocal tract, which is why you can say a vowel as long as you have breath, but you can’t draw out a sound like “l” unless you break it up with more vowels, as in “lalala.” This is also why vowels sit in the middle of syllables. They give language form and rhythm.
Strings of consonants sound like parts of words in English. Think of the phrases, “hmm” or “hmph.” They are not complete words, even though they do have some meaning. Without any vowels in languages, we would be left with meaningless consonant strings. Although some languages, like Polish, can have as many as five consonants in a row, in English, we’re typically restricted to three, like str in strict.
Vowels and consonants are oversimplified categories, of course—sounds are in reality more complicated than that. Take sounds like “s” or “z,” which don’t need to be broken up by vowels to continue. Are they vowels or consonants? You can say “z” forever. It’s the onomatopoetic sound of bees buzzing, to give just one example. These sounds are a subcategory of consonants called fricatives, made by pushing air through a very small space in your mouth.
88.25% | 174.25 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.27% (293 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
Food Challenge
Will asked for cheese coneys from Skyline Chili last night. Mmm, that sounds delish! Well, I figured it was time to test out the new system. I ordered three cheese coneys, with onions and mustard, for him. I ordered *four* habanero cheese coneys, with onions and mustard, *and* an order of fries for me. I knew I was asking for trouble. And I figured if I was going to break some food rules I may as well go full tilt and maximize the taste along the way. I chowed down!
And nothing. Not even a burp. Or a toot. Not even a single twinge in the belly.
I'm not going to push it. I'm going to continue to eat with tepid apprehension. But it's good to know that there is at least one meal out there that I can throw down when I'm feeling like eating bad without gut-wrenching effects. Maybe more! We shall see.
Also want to take a quick moment to point out that I am exactly 80% through my New Years resolution to blog everyday with my 292nd post of the 365 days in 2011. It's been fun. Not sure if I'll keep it up in 2012 but perhaps I should.
88.25% | 174.27 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.00% (292 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
And nothing. Not even a burp. Or a toot. Not even a single twinge in the belly.
I'm not going to push it. I'm going to continue to eat with tepid apprehension. But it's good to know that there is at least one meal out there that I can throw down when I'm feeling like eating bad without gut-wrenching effects. Maybe more! We shall see.
Also want to take a quick moment to point out that I am exactly 80% through my New Years resolution to blog everyday with my 292nd post of the 365 days in 2011. It's been fun. Not sure if I'll keep it up in 2012 but perhaps I should.
88.25% | 174.27 lbs. (168.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 80.00% (292 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Things. Returning. To normal?
Wake up too early. Shower. Dress. Let dogs out. Let dogs in. Feed cats. Take Will to school. Pick up sympathy cards. Go to dentist. Two cavities filled. Go to work. Get marching orders. Hit ground running. Busy, busy. Lead meeting. Send emails. Log on. Log in. Log off. Mix. Match. Rearrange. Listen. Rip. Burn. Discuss fish hygiene. Open. Close. Run. Stop. Restart. Update. Build. Deploy. Clean. Small talk with CEO. Send. Receive. Eat nasty Chinese "candy". Eat cereal. Deploy to Prod. Test. Success. Research. Analyze. Estimate. Leave work. Talk with stranger in elevator. Drive through downtown. Pick up Will. Go home. Eat dinner. Change into comfy clothes. Watch last week's House on Hulu. Watch last night's House on DVR. Tuck in wife. Let dogs in. Let dogs out. Check email. Sent email. Guess it's too late. Say goodnight to Will. Ponder tonight's activities. Log onto CoH. Log off. Open Warlords IV. Close. Decide to go to bed early. Must blog first. Beat. Tired. Sore. Sleep. Dream? (too early to tell)
88.25% | 174.29 lbs. (168.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.73% (291 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
88.25% | 174.29 lbs. (168.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.73% (291 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Top Ten Lessons Steve Jobs Taught Us
I am republishing this list from Forbes in honor of both the passing of Steve Jobs as well as the inevitable passing of Papa Hayden - both on account of long, hard-fought battles with cancer:
1. The most enduring innovations marry art and science - Steve has always pointed out that the biggest difference between Apple and all the other computer (and post-PC) companies through history is that Apple always tried to marry art and science. Jobs pointed out the original team working on the Mac had backgrounds in anthropology, art, history, and poetry. That's always been important in making Apple's products stand out. It's the difference between the iPad and every other tablet computer that came before it or since. It is the look and feel of a product. It is its soul. But it is such a difficult thing for computer scientists or engineers to see that importance, so any company must have a leader that sees that importance.
2. To create the future, you can't do it through focus groups - There is a school of thought in management theory that - if you're in the consumer-facing space building products and services - you've got to listen to your customer. Steve Jobs was one of the first businessmen to say that was a waste of time. The customers today don't always know what they want, especially if it's something they've never seen, heard, or touched before. When it became clear that Apple would come out with a tablet, many were skeptical. When people heard the name (iPad), it was a joke in the Twitter-sphere for a day. But when people held one, and used it, it became a ‘must have.' They didn't know how they'd previously lived without one. It became the fastest growing Apple product in its history. Jobs (and the Apple team) trusted himself more than others. Picasso and great artists have done that for centuries. Jobs was the first in business.
3. Never fear failure - Jobs was fired by the successor he picked. It was one of the most public embarrassments of the last 30 years in business. Yet, he didn't become a venture capitalist never to be heard from again. He didn't start a production company and do a lot of lunches. He picked himself up and got back to work following his passion. Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he only had a few weeks to live. As Samuel Johnson said, there's nothing like your impending death to focus the mind. From Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement speech:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
4. You can't connect the dots forward - only backward - This is another gem from the 2005 Stanford speech. The idea behind the concept is that, as much as we try to plan our lives ahead in advance, there's always something that's completely unpredictable about life. What seems like bitter anguish and defeat in the moment - getting dumped by a girlfriend, not getting that job at McKinsey, "wasting" 4 years of your life on a start-up that didn't pan out as you wanted - can turn out to sow the seeds of your unimaginable success years from now. You can't be too attached to how you think your life is supposed to work out and instead trust that all the dots will be connected in the future. This is all part of the plan.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
5. Listen to that voice in the back of your head that tells you if you're on the right track or not - Most of us don't hear a voice inside our heads. We've simply decided that we're going to work in finance or be a doctor because that's what our parents told us we should do or because we wanted to make a lot of money. When we consciously or unconsciously make that decision, we snuff out that little voice in our head. From then on, most of us put it on automatic pilot. We mail it in. You have met these people. They're nice people. But they're not changing the world. Jobs has always been a restless soul. A man in a hurry. A man with a plan. His plan isn't for everyone. It was his plan. He wanted to build computers. Some people have a voice that tells them to fight for democracy. Some have one that tells them to become an expert in miniature spoons. When Jobs first saw an example of a Graphical User Interface - a GUI - he knew this was the future of computing and that he had to create it. That became the Macintosh. Whatever your voice is telling you, you would be smart to listen to it. Even if it tells you to quit your job, or move to China, or leave your partner.
6. Expect a lot from yourself and others - We have heard stories of Steve Jobs yelling or dressing down staff. He's a control freak, we've heard - a perfectionist. The bottom line is that he is in touch with his passion and that little voice in the back of his head. He gives a damn. He wants the best from himself and everyone who works for him. If they don't give a damn, he doesn't want them around. And yet - he keeps attracting amazing talent around him. Why? Because talent gives a damn too. There's a saying: if you're a "B" player, you'll hire "C" players below you because you don't want them to look smarter than you. If you're an "A" player, you'll hire "A+" players below you, because you want the best result.
7. Don't care about being right. Care about succeeding - Jobs used this line in an interview after he was fired by Apple. If you have to steal others' great ideas to make yours better, do it. You can't be married to your vision of how a product is going to work out, such that you forget about current reality. When the Apple III came out, it was hot and warped its motherboard even though Jobs had insisted it would be quiet and sleek. If Jobs had stuck with Lisa, Apple would have never developed the Mac.
8. Find the most talented people to surround yourself with - There is a misconception that Apple is Steve Jobs. Everyone else in the company is a faceless minion working to please the all-seeing and all-knowing Jobs. In reality, Jobs has surrounded himself with talent: Phil Schiller, Jony Ive, Peter Oppenheimer, Tim Cook, the former head of stores Ron Johnson. These are all super-talented people who don't get the credit they deserve. The fact that Apple's stock price has been so strong since Jobs left as CEO is a credit to the strength of the team. Jobs has hired bad managerial talent before. John Sculley ended up firing Jobs and - according to Jobs - almost killing the company. Give credit to Jobs for learning from this mistake and realizing that he can't do anything without great talent around him.
9. Stay hungry, stay foolish - Again from the end of Jobs' memorable Stanford speech:
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
10. Anything is possible through hard work, determination, and a sense of vision - Although he's the greatest CEO ever and the father of the modern computer, at the end of the day, Steve Jobs is just a guy. He's a husband, a father, a friend - like you and me. We can be just as special as he is - if we learn his lessons and start applying them in our lives. When Jobs returned to Apple in the 1990s, it was was weeks away from bankruptcy. It's now the biggest company in the world. Anything's possible in life if you continue to follow the simple lessons laid out above.
Originally posted by Eric Jackson on Forbes.com
88.25% | 174.32 lbs. (169.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.45% (290 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
1. The most enduring innovations marry art and science - Steve has always pointed out that the biggest difference between Apple and all the other computer (and post-PC) companies through history is that Apple always tried to marry art and science. Jobs pointed out the original team working on the Mac had backgrounds in anthropology, art, history, and poetry. That's always been important in making Apple's products stand out. It's the difference between the iPad and every other tablet computer that came before it or since. It is the look and feel of a product. It is its soul. But it is such a difficult thing for computer scientists or engineers to see that importance, so any company must have a leader that sees that importance.
2. To create the future, you can't do it through focus groups - There is a school of thought in management theory that - if you're in the consumer-facing space building products and services - you've got to listen to your customer. Steve Jobs was one of the first businessmen to say that was a waste of time. The customers today don't always know what they want, especially if it's something they've never seen, heard, or touched before. When it became clear that Apple would come out with a tablet, many were skeptical. When people heard the name (iPad), it was a joke in the Twitter-sphere for a day. But when people held one, and used it, it became a ‘must have.' They didn't know how they'd previously lived without one. It became the fastest growing Apple product in its history. Jobs (and the Apple team) trusted himself more than others. Picasso and great artists have done that for centuries. Jobs was the first in business.
3. Never fear failure - Jobs was fired by the successor he picked. It was one of the most public embarrassments of the last 30 years in business. Yet, he didn't become a venture capitalist never to be heard from again. He didn't start a production company and do a lot of lunches. He picked himself up and got back to work following his passion. Eight years ago, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and told he only had a few weeks to live. As Samuel Johnson said, there's nothing like your impending death to focus the mind. From Jobs' 2005 Stanford commencement speech:
No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don't want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because Death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is Life's change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma - which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
4. You can't connect the dots forward - only backward - This is another gem from the 2005 Stanford speech. The idea behind the concept is that, as much as we try to plan our lives ahead in advance, there's always something that's completely unpredictable about life. What seems like bitter anguish and defeat in the moment - getting dumped by a girlfriend, not getting that job at McKinsey, "wasting" 4 years of your life on a start-up that didn't pan out as you wanted - can turn out to sow the seeds of your unimaginable success years from now. You can't be too attached to how you think your life is supposed to work out and instead trust that all the dots will be connected in the future. This is all part of the plan.
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
5. Listen to that voice in the back of your head that tells you if you're on the right track or not - Most of us don't hear a voice inside our heads. We've simply decided that we're going to work in finance or be a doctor because that's what our parents told us we should do or because we wanted to make a lot of money. When we consciously or unconsciously make that decision, we snuff out that little voice in our head. From then on, most of us put it on automatic pilot. We mail it in. You have met these people. They're nice people. But they're not changing the world. Jobs has always been a restless soul. A man in a hurry. A man with a plan. His plan isn't for everyone. It was his plan. He wanted to build computers. Some people have a voice that tells them to fight for democracy. Some have one that tells them to become an expert in miniature spoons. When Jobs first saw an example of a Graphical User Interface - a GUI - he knew this was the future of computing and that he had to create it. That became the Macintosh. Whatever your voice is telling you, you would be smart to listen to it. Even if it tells you to quit your job, or move to China, or leave your partner.
6. Expect a lot from yourself and others - We have heard stories of Steve Jobs yelling or dressing down staff. He's a control freak, we've heard - a perfectionist. The bottom line is that he is in touch with his passion and that little voice in the back of his head. He gives a damn. He wants the best from himself and everyone who works for him. If they don't give a damn, he doesn't want them around. And yet - he keeps attracting amazing talent around him. Why? Because talent gives a damn too. There's a saying: if you're a "B" player, you'll hire "C" players below you because you don't want them to look smarter than you. If you're an "A" player, you'll hire "A+" players below you, because you want the best result.
7. Don't care about being right. Care about succeeding - Jobs used this line in an interview after he was fired by Apple. If you have to steal others' great ideas to make yours better, do it. You can't be married to your vision of how a product is going to work out, such that you forget about current reality. When the Apple III came out, it was hot and warped its motherboard even though Jobs had insisted it would be quiet and sleek. If Jobs had stuck with Lisa, Apple would have never developed the Mac.
8. Find the most talented people to surround yourself with - There is a misconception that Apple is Steve Jobs. Everyone else in the company is a faceless minion working to please the all-seeing and all-knowing Jobs. In reality, Jobs has surrounded himself with talent: Phil Schiller, Jony Ive, Peter Oppenheimer, Tim Cook, the former head of stores Ron Johnson. These are all super-talented people who don't get the credit they deserve. The fact that Apple's stock price has been so strong since Jobs left as CEO is a credit to the strength of the team. Jobs has hired bad managerial talent before. John Sculley ended up firing Jobs and - according to Jobs - almost killing the company. Give credit to Jobs for learning from this mistake and realizing that he can't do anything without great talent around him.
9. Stay hungry, stay foolish - Again from the end of Jobs' memorable Stanford speech:
When I was young, there was an amazing publication called The Whole Earth Catalog, which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960's, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: it was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.
Stewart and his team put out several issues of The Whole Earth Catalog, and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.
Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.
10. Anything is possible through hard work, determination, and a sense of vision - Although he's the greatest CEO ever and the father of the modern computer, at the end of the day, Steve Jobs is just a guy. He's a husband, a father, a friend - like you and me. We can be just as special as he is - if we learn his lessons and start applying them in our lives. When Jobs returned to Apple in the 1990s, it was was weeks away from bankruptcy. It's now the biggest company in the world. Anything's possible in life if you continue to follow the simple lessons laid out above.
Originally posted by Eric Jackson on Forbes.com
88.25% | 174.32 lbs. (169.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.45% (290 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
The Walking Dead Season 2 Premiere
AMC's The Walking Dead series begins its second season tonight. I'm so excited :)
UPDATE (NON-SPOILER): OMG, that was a fun episode. And it ends with a bang!
Had a great dinner with Jooj's side of the fam at Havana Rhumba tonight celebrating Pat's 50th. The meal was hearty and filling, and while it did a small number on me it wasn't nearly as bad as many other foodstuffs I've put in my belly recently.
Going to the doctor tomorrow for a checkup. Then I'm heading into work. Going to see how well that goes. My energy is still in the tank but I'm just so ready to get back into the swing of things.
88.25% | 174.34 lbs. (169.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.18% (289 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
UPDATE (NON-SPOILER): OMG, that was a fun episode. And it ends with a bang!
Had a great dinner with Jooj's side of the fam at Havana Rhumba tonight celebrating Pat's 50th. The meal was hearty and filling, and while it did a small number on me it wasn't nearly as bad as many other foodstuffs I've put in my belly recently.
Going to the doctor tomorrow for a checkup. Then I'm heading into work. Going to see how well that goes. My energy is still in the tank but I'm just so ready to get back into the swing of things.
88.25% | 174.34 lbs. (169.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 79.18% (289 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
What I Can/Can't Eat
Can:
Cereal, PBJ sammiches, snack mix (nuts, raisins, M&Ms), pudding, soup.
Can't:
Cheeseburgers (with and without bacon), frozen pizza, salad, swili (southwest chicken chili), grilled chicken sammiches, green beans, Wick's pizza, chicken patties.
Still going into coma after eating. I'm very concerned about that and will be the first thing I bring up with the doctor. I mean, it's one thing to not be able to eat what I want. It's another thing to go into a 3-hour coma every time I do. The bathroom part... well, that's a problem too.
Damn, I feel old. And broken. I think I'm a little depressed. I'm free of pain. I do have that going for me.
88.25% | 174.35 lbs. (169.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.9% (288 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Cereal, PBJ sammiches, snack mix (nuts, raisins, M&Ms), pudding, soup.
Can't:
Cheeseburgers (with and without bacon), frozen pizza, salad, swili (southwest chicken chili), grilled chicken sammiches, green beans, Wick's pizza, chicken patties.
Still going into coma after eating. I'm very concerned about that and will be the first thing I bring up with the doctor. I mean, it's one thing to not be able to eat what I want. It's another thing to go into a 3-hour coma every time I do. The bathroom part... well, that's a problem too.
Damn, I feel old. And broken. I think I'm a little depressed. I'm free of pain. I do have that going for me.
88.25% | 174.35 lbs. (169.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.9% (288 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Friday, October 14, 2011
Sleep
Okay, so today is my first day totally off the pain meds. And today also marks a day that I really put my gallbladder-less body to the test with Wick's pizza. For some reason, after I eat big and/or nasty meals my body goes into this coma-like state where my stomach hurts and I get super grumpy. Not sure what's up with that - definitely worth talking to the doctor about.
Anyway, free of pain meds. Well, those things have been wiring me. So I got up and then went back down around 9am. I slept 'til nearly 1:30pm. Sat around most of the afternoon. We had Wick's for dinner. Hit the coma/hurt state. Went down at 8pm. Slept 'til 11:30pm. Dudes, that's 8 hours of sleep... *after* the 8 or so hours I got from the night before.
Now it's 2:15am in the morning and I'm still wide awake. Jeez...
88.25% | 174.37 lbs. (168.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.63% (287 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Anyway, free of pain meds. Well, those things have been wiring me. So I got up and then went back down around 9am. I slept 'til nearly 1:30pm. Sat around most of the afternoon. We had Wick's for dinner. Hit the coma/hurt state. Went down at 8pm. Slept 'til 11:30pm. Dudes, that's 8 hours of sleep... *after* the 8 or so hours I got from the night before.
Now it's 2:15am in the morning and I'm still wide awake. Jeez...
88.25% | 174.37 lbs. (168.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.63% (287 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
Hospital Bill
My hospital bill came in.
Holy shit!
Twenty thousand one hundred sixty-six dollars and seventy-five cents.
$20,166.75.
Before I go into cardiac arrest, let's just wait and see how much insurance is going to pick up.
92.1% | 174.39 lbs. (169.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.36% (286 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Holy shit!
Twenty thousand one hundred sixty-six dollars and seventy-five cents.
$20,166.75.
Before I go into cardiac arrest, let's just wait and see how much insurance is going to pick up.
92.1% | 174.39 lbs. (169.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.36% (286 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Gallbladders and Gawd's Gifts
Sick and tired of reading about me bitching and moaning about my seemingly endless road to recovery from gallbladder surgery? Amen, brothers and sisters. I am sick and tired of walking this road. I start to feel a little better, mostly weened off the pain meds, and then I eat something that the gallbladder-less body doesn't like and BOoOM - I am overcome with that sick, sleepy, hazy feeling that is followed by a long, burning, unsatisfactory sit in the bathroom.
Gawd blesses us all with unique gifts. Two she gave me were the ability to fall asleep immediately and the ability to have award-winning, rapid-fire, on-the-clock bowel movements. I fear that gallbladder surgery has forever ruined my latter gift.
92.1% | 174.41 lbs. (168.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.08% (285 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Gawd blesses us all with unique gifts. Two she gave me were the ability to fall asleep immediately and the ability to have award-winning, rapid-fire, on-the-clock bowel movements. I fear that gallbladder surgery has forever ruined my latter gift.
92.1% | 174.41 lbs. (168.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 78.08% (285 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Fell asleep at the wheel today
So if there were still any doubts I had about me missing anymore work they were squelched. I'm not ready to return - period. After a morning appointment with the dentist for a cleaning (2 cavities - grrrr!) I headed over to mom and dad's for breakfast with Babuke. I ate and sat for about 1/2 an hour. I was feeling a bit wiped out so I headed home. On the way, while stopped at a traffic light, I feel asleep. I woke to a green light, no cars in front of me, the car behind me honking their horn. OH JEEBUS!
I made it home and went right to bed, where I slept for 5 hours. I woke but didn't feel awake for the rest of the day.
I guess I'll be missing at least Wednesday, suffice to say.
92.1% | 174.44 lbs. (169.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.81% (284 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
I made it home and went right to bed, where I slept for 5 hours. I woke but didn't feel awake for the rest of the day.
I guess I'll be missing at least Wednesday, suffice to say.
92.1% | 174.44 lbs. (169.4 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.81% (284 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Monday, October 10, 2011
I've run out of things to say
How sad.
Looking forward to getting out of the house, going on adventures, and having new stories to tell!
92.1% | 174.45 lbs. (171.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.53% (283 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Looking forward to getting out of the house, going on adventures, and having new stories to tell!
92.1% | 174.45 lbs. (171.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.53% (283 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Sunday Updates
Recovery from surgery is coming along I suppose. The incisions are ugly but are healing. I'm still sore. I still get tired very easily. I still have this bulge in the middle of my chest from the incision for the camera. My digestive system is still adjusting to dealing with intake with a missing organ. However, I'm so bored and so ready to get back into the action.
I'm revving up and hoping to get back to work later this week. Jooj let me do some grocery shopping yesterday. It pretty much wiped me out but I'm ready for more.
I have been filling my time with fun. I created a new Skirmish map for Warlords IV. And I scripted 4 custom quests. I love doing that stuff as much as I enjoy playing the game.
Speaking of games, I been getting back into City of Heroes. They are cranking out new stuff every week with this new Paragon Market system and it's such an exciting time to play. My buddies and sg mates missed me and are happy to have me back. Oh, and we beat our previous Hamidon record last night at 5 minutes 36 seconds. Twilight Avengers rule!
Lastly, what a weird day in football today. Vikings came out swinging. Buccaneers were crushed. Indy starts 0-5 for the only time I can remember. The L'ville Gunners in the GE league are going to lose. The Wyld Stallyns in the Genscape league probably will lose, and should by all accounts, but we're not quite out of it yet.
UPDATE: We lost.
92.1% | 174.47 lbs. (170.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.26% (282 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
I'm revving up and hoping to get back to work later this week. Jooj let me do some grocery shopping yesterday. It pretty much wiped me out but I'm ready for more.
I have been filling my time with fun. I created a new Skirmish map for Warlords IV. And I scripted 4 custom quests. I love doing that stuff as much as I enjoy playing the game.
Speaking of games, I been getting back into City of Heroes. They are cranking out new stuff every week with this new Paragon Market system and it's such an exciting time to play. My buddies and sg mates missed me and are happy to have me back. Oh, and we beat our previous Hamidon record last night at 5 minutes 36 seconds. Twilight Avengers rule!
Lastly, what a weird day in football today. Vikings came out swinging. Buccaneers were crushed. Indy starts 0-5 for the only time I can remember. The L'ville Gunners in the GE league are going to lose. The Wyld Stallyns in the Genscape league probably will lose, and should by all accounts, but we're not quite out of it yet.
UPDATE: We lost.
92.1% | 174.47 lbs. (170.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 77.26% (282 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
This time last week...
... my gut pain, after diminishing a bit in the morning, was cranking up to unbearable levels.
Wow. It's been a whole week since the Gallbladder Project began (my boss Eddie joked earlier this week that I didn't need to worry about the work being done in Oil IT and instead needed to focus my efforts on the Gallbladder Project... funny man). Time has simultaneously flown and crawled as I've struggled with boredom and play, all medically pain-free.
And do you know why I haven't had to worry about my day-to-day responsibilities and have had all of the necessary resources to focus on laying the fuck down (doctor's orders)? Jooj. She's been a super woman this week. She's stepped up like I never would have asked her. In my absence she's been Will's taxi driver, the zoo keeper, the errand runner, the garbage (wo)man, the gas fill-'er-up-er, and everything else that I normally do. She's done all this and *still* has made time to do what *she* normally does. And on top of that, she's been a pretty fantastic nurse (nothing kinky, you perverts!).
I've had the doctor call in another sortie of pain meds and Jooj says that Tuesday is the earliest she'll allow me back into the office. I drove a bit this morning and rode in the car a little after that. It pretty much wiped me out. So I suppose I'm not ready for the real world yet.
92.1% | 174.48 lbs. (169.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.99% (281 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Wow. It's been a whole week since the Gallbladder Project began (my boss Eddie joked earlier this week that I didn't need to worry about the work being done in Oil IT and instead needed to focus my efforts on the Gallbladder Project... funny man). Time has simultaneously flown and crawled as I've struggled with boredom and play, all medically pain-free.
And do you know why I haven't had to worry about my day-to-day responsibilities and have had all of the necessary resources to focus on laying the fuck down (doctor's orders)? Jooj. She's been a super woman this week. She's stepped up like I never would have asked her. In my absence she's been Will's taxi driver, the zoo keeper, the errand runner, the garbage (wo)man, the gas fill-'er-up-er, and everything else that I normally do. She's done all this and *still* has made time to do what *she* normally does. And on top of that, she's been a pretty fantastic nurse (nothing kinky, you perverts!).
I've had the doctor call in another sortie of pain meds and Jooj says that Tuesday is the earliest she'll allow me back into the office. I drove a bit this morning and rode in the car a little after that. It pretty much wiped me out. So I suppose I'm not ready for the real world yet.
92.1% | 174.48 lbs. (169.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.99% (281 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Friday, October 7, 2011
Return to City of Heroes
I logged onto City of Heroes tonight for Red Team Night - the first time I've logged onto CoH in 19 days. My fellow Red teammates, as well as my Twilight Avengers supergroup teammates, were all very happy to see me on. I was only able to run one TF with them (they were running the WTF twice last night) but had a good time during the time I was on. My old buddies Bender and Red were also on and happy to see me online. It's good to know people love you, even if it's virtual :)
I did stay on for a while and played with the new costume sets. I bought the Barbarian set and the Circle of Thorns set. I also purchased the new Street Justice and Beam Rifle powersets. I've got plans to create the following new toons to play:
Bella Muerte - a Necromancy/Dark Miasma Mastermind, she will command the dead and use her powers of darkness in the service of Arachnos (the bad guys). I'll eventually bring her over to rogue status and maybe even make her a hero.
William the Pleaser - a Demon Summoning/Time Manipulation Mastermind, he will command demons and manipulated the very flow of time. His name comes from the Tom Waits song "Lucinda"...
Well they call me William The Pleaser
I sold opium, fireworks and leadNow I'm telling my troubles to strangers
When the shadows get long I'll be dead
Diego En Fuego - a Street Justice/Fiery Aura Scrapper, he is a mutant luchador who has left the wrestling ring to pursue the wicked and pummel them. I'll probably make this guy a vigilante.
Jello Shooter - an Empathy/Beam Rifle Defender, he will be my latest Hami toon (hence the "Jello" in the name - trust me, it's nerd humor at its finest) on the Pinnacle server.
92.1% | 174.50 lbs. (169.8 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.71% (280 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Am I taking crazy pills?
What the hell did I even do today? I truthfully cannot tell you how I spent my day. I woke up. Ate breakfast. Took a pill. All of the sudden it was time for lunch. Talked FFL trades with Mike. Logged onto work. Nobody was around. Logged off. Ate lunch. Took a pill. All of the sudden it was time to get the fuck out of the house for once and go watch Will's football game. Game seemed to take forever and yet was over in the blink of an eye. They lost. Went to Walgreens. Went to St. X. Went home. Took a pill. All of the sudden it is midnight. What the hell? Where did the day go? Am I taking crazy pills?
92.1% | 174.52 lbs. (170.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.44% (279 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
92.1% | 174.52 lbs. (170.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.44% (279 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Popped Stitches, FFL, Pills, Warlords IV, Multi-Cultural Colored Pencils, Meatballs, Steve Jobs, South Park
I slept in today. Still in pain. I guess I am the only person surprised by this. I don't know why I thought I'd just bounce back from surgery as if nothing serious had just happened. I need to get it through my head that I went through a pretty big deal this weekend. And I'm not just going to jump out of bed and be back on my feet.
Anyway, I got the morning off with some yogurt and granola and three crackers. While in the kitchen I thought I would help out by putting the dishes away. I got two plates into the chore when I felt a sharp pain in my belly after bending over. It burned and I just stood still. The pain subsided. I bruised up quite nicely afterward over and under my belly button. Called the doctor. They said that I likely popped a stitch. They said not to worry about it but to LAY THE FUCK DOWN.
Next up I checked on my FFL teams, the Wyld Stallyns (4-0) and L'ville Gunners (2-2). Waivers were processed and things turned out the way I wanted them to. I feel great about the Stallyns. Wish I felt better about the Gunners. Both teams are heading into a tough matchup this week. Is it nearly the weekend already? Sheesh!
By this point in the morning the pain meds are kicking in. Sweet bliss. I decided to only take one pill at a time. I don't want to burn through them too fast. And I don't want to find myself craving more when I do finish them. Besides, one should do it at this point.
Besides laying about and watching movies and TV I've been playing an old video game fave, Warlords IV. I don't want to play any modern video game and get all worked up. But Warlords IV is like a big ass board game, to be played at a leisure pace with time spent on strategy rather than madly clicking. Not as clumsy or as random as a shooter, but an elegant game for a more civilized age (subtle Star Wars reference... muwahahaha!)
Got a random email from a buddy at work. It was a picture of a pack of Multi-Cultural Colored Pencils on the shelf. Now the non-white kids can illustrate their ethnicity too. SMH.
Had meatballs, egg noodles, and green beans for dinner. One or many of those items did not agree with me. My stomach is still rumblin'-stumblin'-bumblin'. I may take another Protonix until my poor stummy settles.
Just found out that Steve Jobs passed away today. He'd been sick, waging an unsuccessful battle against cancer. He is as much responsible for my career choice as any other peer of mine out there. It is a sad day.
Lastly, the night ended with the new season of South Park beginning. It was a funny episode. Stan was mistakenly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome after being inoculated for the flu. That's funny all on its own. But Cartman thought the disease was called Ass Burgers. Suffice to say, hilarity ensued.
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (173.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.16% (278 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Anyway, I got the morning off with some yogurt and granola and three crackers. While in the kitchen I thought I would help out by putting the dishes away. I got two plates into the chore when I felt a sharp pain in my belly after bending over. It burned and I just stood still. The pain subsided. I bruised up quite nicely afterward over and under my belly button. Called the doctor. They said that I likely popped a stitch. They said not to worry about it but to LAY THE FUCK DOWN.
Next up I checked on my FFL teams, the Wyld Stallyns (4-0) and L'ville Gunners (2-2). Waivers were processed and things turned out the way I wanted them to. I feel great about the Stallyns. Wish I felt better about the Gunners. Both teams are heading into a tough matchup this week. Is it nearly the weekend already? Sheesh!
By this point in the morning the pain meds are kicking in. Sweet bliss. I decided to only take one pill at a time. I don't want to burn through them too fast. And I don't want to find myself craving more when I do finish them. Besides, one should do it at this point.
Besides laying about and watching movies and TV I've been playing an old video game fave, Warlords IV. I don't want to play any modern video game and get all worked up. But Warlords IV is like a big ass board game, to be played at a leisure pace with time spent on strategy rather than madly clicking. Not as clumsy or as random as a shooter, but an elegant game for a more civilized age (subtle Star Wars reference... muwahahaha!)
Got a random email from a buddy at work. It was a picture of a pack of Multi-Cultural Colored Pencils on the shelf. Now the non-white kids can illustrate their ethnicity too. SMH.
Had meatballs, egg noodles, and green beans for dinner. One or many of those items did not agree with me. My stomach is still rumblin'-stumblin'-bumblin'. I may take another Protonix until my poor stummy settles.
Just found out that Steve Jobs passed away today. He'd been sick, waging an unsuccessful battle against cancer. He is as much responsible for my career choice as any other peer of mine out there. It is a sad day.
Lastly, the night ended with the new season of South Park beginning. It was a funny episode. Stan was mistakenly diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome after being inoculated for the flu. That's funny all on its own. But Cartman thought the disease was called Ass Burgers. Suffice to say, hilarity ensued.
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (173.6 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 76.16% (278 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Crazy Hazy Lazy Daze
Two days since gallbladder surgery. Two days since surviving unbearably, unbelievably unbearable pain. Two days of drug-addled, brain-numbing, pain-freeing, sleep-deprived daze. Alas, two days since my last significant bowel movement too.
During the course of my recovery I have come to realize that the Hydrocodone/APAP 10MG/325MG tablet serves as both my captor and my savior - both a source of torment and freedom. Under its influence I am able to function. I can sit straight up without discomfort. I can take deep breaths. I can walk up and down steps. These things are difficult without the pain-killing effects of the pill.
The pills hinder my cognitive skills. It takes so much concentration just to concentrate. I can't sleep soundly with them in my system. And they definitely are affecting my ability to shed weight. In the last three days my weight has sky-rocketed from 171.2 lbs. to 177.2 lbs. I obviously cannot exercise in my current shape but the "constipative" side-effects of the pill are disallowing proper "bodily flow".
In an effort to get some real sleep last night (and in a vain attempt to scoff at my dependency) I didn't take any pills before laying down after the Monday Night Football game. I slept hard. It felt great. So refreshing. However, the cold reality of the situation greeted me this morning when my body, devoid of pain-killing drugs, reminded me why the pills are both my friend and my foe. My incisions throbbed with pain. My chest hurt when I breathed. This cycle must be broken... now is not that time.
I loaded up on meds throughout the day. Eventually I hit a plateau of brain-numbing goodness that took the pain away again. I'm not a fan of this perpetual haze. This zany daze. This lazy craze. I'm sick of it. I just want to feel better... without the "help" of any medication.
I'm hoping tomorrow will be better. Maybe the pain will have lessened on its own. Maybe I'll poop. I want some sign that I'm returning back to the land of healthy, responsible adults.
92.1% | 174.54 lbs. (177.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.89% (277 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
During the course of my recovery I have come to realize that the Hydrocodone/APAP 10MG/325MG tablet serves as both my captor and my savior - both a source of torment and freedom. Under its influence I am able to function. I can sit straight up without discomfort. I can take deep breaths. I can walk up and down steps. These things are difficult without the pain-killing effects of the pill.
The pills hinder my cognitive skills. It takes so much concentration just to concentrate. I can't sleep soundly with them in my system. And they definitely are affecting my ability to shed weight. In the last three days my weight has sky-rocketed from 171.2 lbs. to 177.2 lbs. I obviously cannot exercise in my current shape but the "constipative" side-effects of the pill are disallowing proper "bodily flow".
In an effort to get some real sleep last night (and in a vain attempt to scoff at my dependency) I didn't take any pills before laying down after the Monday Night Football game. I slept hard. It felt great. So refreshing. However, the cold reality of the situation greeted me this morning when my body, devoid of pain-killing drugs, reminded me why the pills are both my friend and my foe. My incisions throbbed with pain. My chest hurt when I breathed. This cycle must be broken... now is not that time.
I loaded up on meds throughout the day. Eventually I hit a plateau of brain-numbing goodness that took the pain away again. I'm not a fan of this perpetual haze. This zany daze. This lazy craze. I'm sick of it. I just want to feel better... without the "help" of any medication.
I'm hoping tomorrow will be better. Maybe the pain will have lessened on its own. Maybe I'll poop. I want some sign that I'm returning back to the land of healthy, responsible adults.
92.1% | 174.54 lbs. (177.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.89% (277 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Annemarie and the Alligator
In all of the excitement over the weekend I never took the chance to mention one of the oddest conversations I have ever had in my entire life. It took place at Jed and Vian's as we celebrated Vian's birfday with their friends Friday night - the same party we were going to when Jooj exclaimed "Oh my Gawd, that's Kelsey!!!"
We arrived and, to no surprise of my own, did not know anyone besides our kind hosts. We grabbed some drinks and sat down. Another couple sat down and engaged in conversation. They were very nice and the conversation subject was very light - what you would expect at a party of loose acquaintances.
After a short while a woman pulled up her chair an introduced herself. She asked me what I did for a living and I told her that I was Java programmer by day and an artist by night. "I pegged you as an artist," she responded. I'm not sure if she found the connection in me being an artist or if I just have that warm, welcoming smile that begs for others to entrust their secrets in me. But the next 40 minutes took me down a series of conversation paths that I never could have expected.
This woman's daughter, Annemarie, was also an artist. She had created over 400 pieces during her short career - drawings and paintings and sculpture. She had also posed nude as a means of making some cash on the side, much to her mother's chagrin. She was a graduate of Murray State and worked in a consignment shop selling vintage clothing in Tennessee after graduating. Annemarie was simply full of life and was most definitely the apple in her mother's eye.
In May of 2006, while visiting some friends in Florida and swimming in a fresh water spring, Annemarie was attacked and killed by an alligator at the age of 23.
I'm going to give that sentence its own paragraph just to let it sink in. How horrific? I can't even begin to imagine. What do you say to someone who says that to you? I did my best to lend a sympathetic ear as she spun story after story. She told me of the silly things people said to her at Annemarie's wake, of that fact that she never saw her daughter due to their inability to put her back together, of the petty consignment shop owner who wanted "that black dress" back, of the "visits" Annemarie made to friends after her passing, of how no one could tell her what Annemarie was wearing when she was cremated, of the premonitions Annemarie had of her own death and even the nature of her demise only weeks before it happened, of the support groups for parents who have lost their children that she still attends and constantly overwhelms with her story of loss.
I just did a little digging and found the story: Alligator Kills Woman
Well, gawddam, if it didn't happen in Ocala. I hate Ocala.
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (174.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.62% (276 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
We arrived and, to no surprise of my own, did not know anyone besides our kind hosts. We grabbed some drinks and sat down. Another couple sat down and engaged in conversation. They were very nice and the conversation subject was very light - what you would expect at a party of loose acquaintances.
After a short while a woman pulled up her chair an introduced herself. She asked me what I did for a living and I told her that I was Java programmer by day and an artist by night. "I pegged you as an artist," she responded. I'm not sure if she found the connection in me being an artist or if I just have that warm, welcoming smile that begs for others to entrust their secrets in me. But the next 40 minutes took me down a series of conversation paths that I never could have expected.
This woman's daughter, Annemarie, was also an artist. She had created over 400 pieces during her short career - drawings and paintings and sculpture. She had also posed nude as a means of making some cash on the side, much to her mother's chagrin. She was a graduate of Murray State and worked in a consignment shop selling vintage clothing in Tennessee after graduating. Annemarie was simply full of life and was most definitely the apple in her mother's eye.
In May of 2006, while visiting some friends in Florida and swimming in a fresh water spring, Annemarie was attacked and killed by an alligator at the age of 23.
I'm going to give that sentence its own paragraph just to let it sink in. How horrific? I can't even begin to imagine. What do you say to someone who says that to you? I did my best to lend a sympathetic ear as she spun story after story. She told me of the silly things people said to her at Annemarie's wake, of that fact that she never saw her daughter due to their inability to put her back together, of the petty consignment shop owner who wanted "that black dress" back, of the "visits" Annemarie made to friends after her passing, of how no one could tell her what Annemarie was wearing when she was cremated, of the premonitions Annemarie had of her own death and even the nature of her demise only weeks before it happened, of the support groups for parents who have lost their children that she still attends and constantly overwhelms with her story of loss.
I just did a little digging and found the story: Alligator Kills Woman
Well, gawddam, if it didn't happen in Ocala. I hate Ocala.
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (174.0 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.62% (276 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
I lost something while I slept
I took a nap this morning and woke up with something missing. My gallbladder!
Yep, fatty here is 2 oz. to 2.3 oz. lighter thanks to the kind Dr. Whitely and his staff. The nurses came to my room around 10:45am and I was back in my room, enjoying my first meal in 26 hours, watching the 1st quarter of the early football games a little after 1pm.
I'm moving around. I've peed. I feel pretty good. I just told (the lovely) Monica that I think I'd like to start the discharge process so I can come home to my fam (especially my ever-loving wife... who is beaming laser beams at me after reading what I just wrote about [the lovely] Monica).
Funny thing. A social worker came in to verify some information. When she walked in Jooj was nestled in bed with me. After asking for my personal information she then needed to verify my wife's. She turned to Jooj and timidly asked, "Are you his wife?"
I guess she had to ask just to be sure. But how awkward would it have been had I said that she wasn't? Teehee!
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (???.? lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.34% (275 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Yep, fatty here is 2 oz. to 2.3 oz. lighter thanks to the kind Dr. Whitely and his staff. The nurses came to my room around 10:45am and I was back in my room, enjoying my first meal in 26 hours, watching the 1st quarter of the early football games a little after 1pm.
I'm moving around. I've peed. I feel pretty good. I just told (the lovely) Monica that I think I'd like to start the discharge process so I can come home to my fam (especially my ever-loving wife... who is beaming laser beams at me after reading what I just wrote about [the lovely] Monica).
Funny thing. A social worker came in to verify some information. When she walked in Jooj was nestled in bed with me. After asking for my personal information she then needed to verify my wife's. She turned to Jooj and timidly asked, "Are you his wife?"
I guess she had to ask just to be sure. But how awkward would it have been had I said that she wasn't? Teehee!
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (???.? lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.34% (275 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
On a scale of one to ten? ELEVEN!!!
Pain. Oh my Gawd - pain.
I've been through some painful episodes in my life. I suffered from migraines as a child. Those hurt. More recently I dislocated my finger. That hurt. When I was a child I smashed the tip of another finger off. That hurt too. In college I fell and broke my back. That really hurt. A nickel-sized wedge of pumpkin was lodged under my big toenail during a Halloween party (yeah, you read that right). That was some intense hurt. Four years ago I started suffering from burning abdominal pains. Those episodes were serious hurt. For serious.
I woke up with burning, gnawing pain. I took some medicine and went about my day. Jooj and I ran some errands, went to lunch, and come home to clean up the house. The pain returned. I took more medicine. This time, however, the pain did not cease. In fact, instead of subsiding it was increasing.
We struggled with the decision of what to do next. Ultimately, Jooj called our doctor and he asked us to go to the ER. Hells bells! Seriously? Shit, man. Isn't this weekend messed up enough already?
By the time I was being checked in at the ER my pain had surpassed a threshold of sustained discomfort that would have broken lesser men. On a scale of 1 to 10, the nurse looked at my body and my grimace and answered for me. Ten. I was writhing in pain for literally hours. Morphine did nothing. Please someone do something! On a scale of 1 to 10 I now had reached 11.
Some other injection put me in a place that insulated me from the pain. Hours went by. I slipped in and out of consciousness. Drank some contrast. Drank some Sprite. CT Scan. Another injection. Bliss.
"I have an answer," the nurse/doctor said as she walked in (I don't really know who was who). "You have gallbladder disease. You are filled with stones."
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!?! SRSLY???? For serious??? Seriously serious?!!1!?!!1??!!?one?!??!
I'm typing that and I still can't believe it.
So I've been admitted. It's 2am and time for another injection of bliss. I need to find out what this stuff is and become a closet junkie. Muwahahahaha!
(I'm just joking, Mr. DEA... call off the dogs)
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (171.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.07% (274 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
I've been through some painful episodes in my life. I suffered from migraines as a child. Those hurt. More recently I dislocated my finger. That hurt. When I was a child I smashed the tip of another finger off. That hurt too. In college I fell and broke my back. That really hurt. A nickel-sized wedge of pumpkin was lodged under my big toenail during a Halloween party (yeah, you read that right). That was some intense hurt. Four years ago I started suffering from burning abdominal pains. Those episodes were serious hurt. For serious.
I woke up with burning, gnawing pain. I took some medicine and went about my day. Jooj and I ran some errands, went to lunch, and come home to clean up the house. The pain returned. I took more medicine. This time, however, the pain did not cease. In fact, instead of subsiding it was increasing.
We struggled with the decision of what to do next. Ultimately, Jooj called our doctor and he asked us to go to the ER. Hells bells! Seriously? Shit, man. Isn't this weekend messed up enough already?
By the time I was being checked in at the ER my pain had surpassed a threshold of sustained discomfort that would have broken lesser men. On a scale of 1 to 10, the nurse looked at my body and my grimace and answered for me. Ten. I was writhing in pain for literally hours. Morphine did nothing. Please someone do something! On a scale of 1 to 10 I now had reached 11.
Some other injection put me in a place that insulated me from the pain. Hours went by. I slipped in and out of consciousness. Drank some contrast. Drank some Sprite. CT Scan. Another injection. Bliss.
"I have an answer," the nurse/doctor said as she walked in (I don't really know who was who). "You have gallbladder disease. You are filled with stones."
Seriously? SERIOUSLY?!?! SRSLY???? For serious??? Seriously serious?!!1!?!!1??!!?one?!??!
I'm typing that and I still can't believe it.
So I've been admitted. It's 2am and time for another injection of bliss. I need to find out what this stuff is and become a closet junkie. Muwahahahaha!
(I'm just joking, Mr. DEA... call off the dogs)
92.1% | 174.53 lbs. (171.2 lbs.) | 16% (8 of 50) | 75.07% (274 of 365) | 102/55 lbs.
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