It's been a little rough over the last two weeks.
I'm still undergoing chemotherapy every three weeks for the cancer.
I learned that my position at work is being eliminated.
I was involved in a major road accident last Wednesday.
Now the silver lining. My treatments are going well and I expect them to be completed by early September. I am getting a small severance from work and will be eligible for unemployment while I search for a new job. I was not injured in the accident (a six car dust up on the highway - not my fault!) even though several people were taken away in ambulances.
My father is also taking this opportunity to get a new family car (primary user: me!) which is nice. He's getting a Ford Fusion. It's red but I still like it.
Friday, July 27, 2012
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Nausea
Chemotherapy is loosing it's charm.
The first couple of times it was okay; the novelty of it all, the day off from work. But now I'm over that. I have to get up very early in the morning and sit in a chair all day hooked up to bags of poison. At least there is WiFi available, but the drugs knock me out for several hours anyway. I have to unhook from the power supply and drag the stand into the bathroom with me. And they pump enough liquid in through my chest that I have to go to the bathroom a lot!
And I simply dread the week after a treatment.
They give me all kinds of anti-nausea medications, but I still get these random waves of stomach upheaval. Thankfully I don't actually throw up, but sometimes I feel that It might be better if I did. Eating does nothing to calm my stomach, nor does not eating... The anti-nausea meds are to mitigate the side effects of the actual chemo, but then I have to take pain meds for the side effects of the anti-nausea drugs. And all of these drugs make me drowsy. (I love the one that warns: prolonged or excessive exposure to direct and/or artificial sunlight should be avoided while taking this medication.)
I can only imagine what it would be like without the drugs...
At least I'm likely to live through all this, today I met a woman named Evelyn who listed the extensive cancers she was being treated for, including breast cancer (double mastectomy), several organ cancers including a brain tumor, bone cancer, and a seizure that she woke up from four days later. She still has an amazingly positive attitude, at least to people she's just met.
I don't put much stock in the idea that a good attitude can actually affect the cancer, or any disease for that matter, but it can definitely help you achieve a better quality of life during whatever time you have left.
(but that's true for people without horrible diseases too.)
The first couple of times it was okay; the novelty of it all, the day off from work. But now I'm over that. I have to get up very early in the morning and sit in a chair all day hooked up to bags of poison. At least there is WiFi available, but the drugs knock me out for several hours anyway. I have to unhook from the power supply and drag the stand into the bathroom with me. And they pump enough liquid in through my chest that I have to go to the bathroom a lot!
And I simply dread the week after a treatment.
They give me all kinds of anti-nausea medications, but I still get these random waves of stomach upheaval. Thankfully I don't actually throw up, but sometimes I feel that It might be better if I did. Eating does nothing to calm my stomach, nor does not eating... The anti-nausea meds are to mitigate the side effects of the actual chemo, but then I have to take pain meds for the side effects of the anti-nausea drugs. And all of these drugs make me drowsy. (I love the one that warns: prolonged or excessive exposure to direct and/or artificial sunlight should be avoided while taking this medication.)
I can only imagine what it would be like without the drugs...
At least I'm likely to live through all this, today I met a woman named Evelyn who listed the extensive cancers she was being treated for, including breast cancer (double mastectomy), several organ cancers including a brain tumor, bone cancer, and a seizure that she woke up from four days later. She still has an amazingly positive attitude, at least to people she's just met.
I don't put much stock in the idea that a good attitude can actually affect the cancer, or any disease for that matter, but it can definitely help you achieve a better quality of life during whatever time you have left.
(but that's true for people without horrible diseases too.)
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Too Bad About 'Prometheus'
SPOILERS!
SPOILERS!
SPOILERS!
Remember in 1979 when a movie called 'Alien' came out? Remember how it was good?'Prometheus' should have done more of that.
Bad Science. Bad Scientists. Unnecessarily secret competing agendas. The thing is really just a mess.
It suffers from what I call the five minute problem. If the major characters could just wait five minutes before jumping in there would be a lot less trouble. But then there would be less "drama" too. (notice the quotes)
The characters don't have what you could call personalities so it's hard to care about them. When Sigourney Weaver was running around in her underwear fighting for her life it was compelling (even apart from the underwear). When Noomi Rapace is running around in her underwear it's not very compelling (even in spite of the underwear).
If these supposed professional scientists on a direct corporate funded mission had a plan they could have all come home just fine. If the corporate backers had told anyone what the actual goals of the mission were, the plan would have been obvious.
Instead everyone just goes farting around like they're in someones back yard instead of on an alien planet! Y'know, just because the atmosphere is breathable doesn't mean its safe, don't take off your helmet! And please, lets not go wandering around getting lost until our magic floating balls finish making us a map of the endless caverns! Oh, and if you find a completely new alien life-form, don't poke it.
And let's not let the robot go wandering off and infecting the humans with alien bio-weapons with no more plan than 'let's see what might happen'. And hey, maybe we shouldn't go insulting the super-robot-man when he says things like 'Wouldn't you be mad if your creator said that to you?' I think he might take your anti-robot racism personally...
Also, there are about half a dozen examples of 'Chekhov's gun' in this film. I can't help but notice that stuff nowadays.
But it's got a wonderful cast, and really good production values.
Friday, June 8, 2012
Captain America's headgear
It is really a minor point, and I know I should be able to get past it but...
Oh, hell! You guys know me better than that - I can't stand this stuff.
They had a perfectly good helmet in his own movie:
It looked cool and appeared to be functional.
Then, in the Avengers, they had to go and fuck with it!
Now his head looks like a mushroom.
By the way; if you haven't seen The Avengers yet go see it! There is no better movie this year.
(okay, I haven't seen the new Batman flick yet... but you get the idea)
Oh, hell! You guys know me better than that - I can't stand this stuff.
They had a perfectly good helmet in his own movie:
It looked cool and appeared to be functional.
Then, in the Avengers, they had to go and fuck with it!
Now his head looks like a mushroom.
By the way; if you haven't seen The Avengers yet go see it! There is no better movie this year.
(okay, I haven't seen the new Batman flick yet... but you get the idea)
Saturday, June 2, 2012
More Pictures
Someone said there should be more pictures from the recent trip...
That's not every picture I took, but I think it's enough.
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| Apollo - Soyuz linkup |
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| Voyager and the Spirit of St Louis |
 | |
| A V-2 Rocket with Skylab in the background |
 | |
| A Statue - sometimes a sword is just a sword... |
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| The Grand Army of the Republic |
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| A Golden Naked Chick |
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| The Navy Memorial - Decked out for Memorial Day |
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| Lincoln in front of a Court House |
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| Ford's Theater |
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| The Department of Justice |
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| The Capitol Building |
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| Keith - We finally got him... |
That's not every picture I took, but I think it's enough.
Friday, June 1, 2012
What? You expect me to update this thing?
Okay, a couple things have happened since the last time I wrote an entry in here...
My friend Keith and I returned to our nations capitol memorial day weekend (just Sunday). We spent most of the day in the Air and Space Museum. That is one fun place! I took some photos...
We also went to the Spy Museum, they don't allow photos. :(
And also, as an aside, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma at Easter time.
My friend Keith and I returned to our nations capitol memorial day weekend (just Sunday). We spent most of the day in the Air and Space Museum. That is one fun place! I took some photos...
 |
| The Apollo Lander 'Eagle' |
 |
| John Glenn |
 |
| Space Mural |
 |
| Me, in front of the FBI building. |
We also went to the Spy Museum, they don't allow photos. :(
And also, as an aside, I was diagnosed with Lymphoma at Easter time.
Sunday, August 7, 2011
Poor Widdle Me...
I had to work all day Sunday again! It really sucks, our 'short' hours are from 10:00am to 8:00pm. I have to work a ten and a half hour shift, while my friends get to go out to the movies. (They saw the 'Planet of the Apes' movie.)
A more reasonable Sunday hours would be from 11:00am to 6:00pm, or even noon to six! That gives everyone plenty of time to get their 'emergency' shopping done (usually just returning junk they know they shouldn't have bought in the first place, but that's another rant altogether.) and I get to go out while the sun is still shining, maybe I'll even have time to have a little social life... one can dream.
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Now playing: Julie London - Blues in the Night
via FoxyTunes
A more reasonable Sunday hours would be from 11:00am to 6:00pm, or even noon to six! That gives everyone plenty of time to get their 'emergency' shopping done (usually just returning junk they know they shouldn't have bought in the first place, but that's another rant altogether.) and I get to go out while the sun is still shining, maybe I'll even have time to have a little social life... one can dream.
----------------
Now playing: Julie London - Blues in the Night
via FoxyTunes
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Captain America!
This is more like it!
After suffering through the atrocity that was Transformers, I needed something to rekindle my faith in movie makers.
This movie was that and more.
The plot, the pacing, the characterization, the effects, the acting! Every touchstone of a great film was hit! Usually, even in a film I like there are some small quibbles I have. (I like to complain!) But not this film, I enjoyed everything they did with this property.
I usually don't like 'origin' stories in movies of well known characters. Either we already know the origin or it doesn't matter to the story at hand how the main character came to be. We never needed a new origin story for James Bond or The Doctor every time they changed actors! But this one, much like the first Iron Man movie, tells the origin in a strong compelling way that doesn't leave the audience groaning through it thinking 'get on with it'!
But Captain America doesn't stop there. A compelling villain that actually seems threatening and an exciting series of missions that lead to an fantastic climactic confrontation! This movie delivers it all.
Even though just about anyone interested in the lore of Cap knows many of the touch-points of this story, the fate of Dr Erskine, the tragedy of Bucky, Cap's last mission, it all seemed fresh and exciting as when it was truly new.
The core of the movie, as with all good movies I think, is the characters. The writing and actors conspire to make us feel that these are real people and that the things they are struggling through matter.
If you couldn't tell; I really liked this movie and highly recommend it. It's not just a good superhero film, it's a good film in it's own right.
Here is a bit of Cap nostalgia!
After suffering through the atrocity that was Transformers, I needed something to rekindle my faith in movie makers.
This movie was that and more.
The plot, the pacing, the characterization, the effects, the acting! Every touchstone of a great film was hit! Usually, even in a film I like there are some small quibbles I have. (I like to complain!) But not this film, I enjoyed everything they did with this property.
I usually don't like 'origin' stories in movies of well known characters. Either we already know the origin or it doesn't matter to the story at hand how the main character came to be. We never needed a new origin story for James Bond or The Doctor every time they changed actors! But this one, much like the first Iron Man movie, tells the origin in a strong compelling way that doesn't leave the audience groaning through it thinking 'get on with it'!
But Captain America doesn't stop there. A compelling villain that actually seems threatening and an exciting series of missions that lead to an fantastic climactic confrontation! This movie delivers it all.
Even though just about anyone interested in the lore of Cap knows many of the touch-points of this story, the fate of Dr Erskine, the tragedy of Bucky, Cap's last mission, it all seemed fresh and exciting as when it was truly new.
The core of the movie, as with all good movies I think, is the characters. The writing and actors conspire to make us feel that these are real people and that the things they are struggling through matter.
If you couldn't tell; I really liked this movie and highly recommend it. It's not just a good superhero film, it's a good film in it's own right.
Here is a bit of Cap nostalgia!
Friday, July 22, 2011
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Transformers: The Dark of My Butt!
I was recently dragged, kicking and screaming out to see this... thing. I agreed to go because I wouldn't have to pay for my own ticket, ensuring that Michael Bay wouldn't get any of my money.
Not a scene went by that I didn't throw up my hands and say "What the Hell was that?"
Why was a very badly CGI President used in an unnecessarily long pre-credit opening scene instead of just a quick quote from his speech?
Why did the Decepticons on the moon need a teleporter when they could just fly down?
Why when the girl (what was her name?) is given an expensive car in a world threatened by Decepticons and having Decepticon sensors everywhere did no one say "Hey, look, a Decepticon!?"
Why was the Asian guy from the Hangover movies in this film?
Why was he playing the same character he did in the Hangover movies?
Why was there a huge chase scene where the heroes had to get a key character back to a base that he had never left?
Why when Cybertron gets teleported right next to Earth didn't it's mere presence tear both planets apart?
Why was John Malkovich in this film?
Why was John Turturo in this film?
There are no answers...
----------------
Now playing: The Tubes - Mr. Hate
via FoxyTunes
Not a scene went by that I didn't throw up my hands and say "What the Hell was that?"
Why was a very badly CGI President used in an unnecessarily long pre-credit opening scene instead of just a quick quote from his speech?
Why did the Decepticons on the moon need a teleporter when they could just fly down?
Why when the girl (what was her name?) is given an expensive car in a world threatened by Decepticons and having Decepticon sensors everywhere did no one say "Hey, look, a Decepticon!?"
Why was the Asian guy from the Hangover movies in this film?
Why was he playing the same character he did in the Hangover movies?
Why was there a huge chase scene where the heroes had to get a key character back to a base that he had never left?
Why when Cybertron gets teleported right next to Earth didn't it's mere presence tear both planets apart?
Why was John Malkovich in this film?
Why was John Turturo in this film?
There are no answers...
----------------
Now playing: The Tubes - Mr. Hate
via FoxyTunes
Sunday, May 29, 2011
Lemons is the New Cake
Cave Johnson is my hero.
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Now playing: Mike Morasky - portal2 want you gone
via FoxyTunes
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Now playing: Mike Morasky - portal2 want you gone
via FoxyTunes
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