Strong Magnetic Field

I spent over two hours today in an MRI chamber, while some very nice people took pictures of my brain. It was a very odd experience, but I wouldn't call it unpleasant. It seemed more like 30 - 40 minutes to me, and the imaging staff were very impressed that I stayed in there for so long without making a fuss.

I was vaguely aware of time only because of the number of songs that I could remember playing on the radio that I could faintly hear through my earplugs. The MRI machine itself makes so much noise, it's difficult to listen to anything else. The rhythmic grinding sound put me into a meditative state that was just above sleep.

The results of the MRI were very positive, and have eased some of the stress I've been under for the last couple of months. My surgery is a week from today, and I'm feeling much better about it now that I at least know what the problem is NOT.

Two hours in a small plastic pipe and I walk away with some peace of mind. I'll buy that for a dollar.

Succulent

I took this photo on a nature walk in the central coast. I think it's the cleanest succulent I've ever seen, and I loved the grayish color.

Why I Like Stitch

I have a small Stitch tucked under a bookshelf by my desk at work. I don't have a whole bunch of stuff decorating my work area, so it is conspicuous even though it is small.
Last year, a co-worker asked me why I liked Stitch, since she didn't feel that he was a particularly great character. I replied,

I like Stitch because he was designed to be an agent of evil and destruction, and yet because he feels compassion for his family, he decides to be good. He's resourceful, fast, indestructible, and has the brain of a super-computer, but he hangs out with this little girl because he loves her. I think Stitch represents that negative aspect in all of us that we can choose to ignore and do the right thing.

Me? Depressed? Duh!

Got this little gem from jayne who got it from joy, who btw, are both good people.




What type of Fae are you? I used to play a game called Changeling: The Dreaming, which was an RPG where you played the part of fae who had returned to Earth and were trying to bring magic back into the world. It was a lot of fun. I miss having that kind of creative time.

Yellow Flowers

I love this yellow and green combination. Yes, I continue to take pictures of flowers for no apparent reason. But still, aren't they pretty?

Stardust Memories

I just saw the movie Stardust. I went to the movies because I just wanted to get away from the world for even a tiny amount of time. I felt the film had a rough start, but once it got going, I was very happy with it. I loved the world of Stormhold and there were moments that this magical love story brought some tears to my eyes, but it's hard to tell because my left nasolacrimal duct is blocked, which makes it tear all the time. I loved all the cameo appearances with the exception of Robert De Niro, who was the only actor whose performance pulled me back into reality. I think De Niro is a fabulous actor, but this was not a good use of his talent. I can say with all honesty that my favorite part of the whole thing was Claire Danes. Some of her lines would have sounded just ridiculous, if she hadn't embraced what she was given and made it real. I really thought she was special.

No Biting!

Someone tried to eat my son. Seriously, he was playing at a playground and he pushed a boy out of the way (which is lame, I know) but then this boy hauls off and bites my son on the arm. He didn't break the skin, but this was enough of a bite that ten hours later, my son still has red teeth marks on his arm. My son was understandably upset by this because in his words,

That boy tried to eat me all gone!

How amazingly scary is that? I just had to go up and calm him down because he was having a nightmare about some cannibal kid trying to eat him!
Holy crap! What kind of mixed-up crazy world is this????

My Photographic Secret

I like to take pictures of flowers.

There. I've said it. I know it's weird, but I like taking pictures, especially of plants. Flowers are my favorites. I have a ton of photos like these. I have no idea why. I just like them.

I'm not sure what type of flower this is, but I think it's a dahlia. Maybe one of you botanical types could identify it for sure. I saw it near Cannery Row in Monterey and just had to get a few shots of it.

Angry Day

I'm just pissed off today for no real reason. I could easily, if asked, go into great detail of all the things I really hate and would like to see eliminated, crushed, burned, or covered with elephant excrement. There are even a few things that I hate so much I could only deal with my anger by building a time machine, going back in time and prevent those things from ever existing. Grrrr.

Blog World Expo

I just finalized all of my travel arrangements for the Blog World Expo in Vegas on November 8th and 9th. I'm pretty dang excited about getting out of town for a bit and learning more about this whole blogging insanity I've recently gotten myself wrapped up in. There's something about Vegas that is so nostalgic for me. My parents used to drag me and my brother there at least once or twice a year. We would end up stuck in the motel room watching television if there was anything on, or tossing cards into the motel trash can if there wasn't. How lame is that? The only time I remember it being sort of fun, was when we went to Circus Circus. I think it had just opened and we didn't stay at the actual hotel, but we were pretty close at some Travelodge. Circus Circus was fun. My parents would just abandon us on the arcade level and then we would make it back to the room somehow. This is also lame, but it was better than being stuck in a room.
As ironic as it may be, I have booked a room at the Circus Circus, which is fairly close to the convention center. I'm not sure why I did it, but there is some sense of satisfaction in being able to do things my parents never could. I feel a similar sense of satisfaction when I know I am being the parent my folks never were.

My Grey Soul

I took a quiz and apparently my soul is grey, which is somehow fitting considering I don't think it exists.

What color is your soul painted? Grey Your soul is painted the color grey, which embodies the characteristics of elegance, humility, respect, reverence, stability, subtlety, wisdom, strong emotions, balance, and cancellation. Grey falls under the element of Water, and symbolizes the moon, tide, ebb and flow. Click Here to Take This Quiz

Quizzes and Personality Tests

Fashion Magazines are Evil

Check out what Redbook magazine did to Faith Hill on Jezebel's Photoshop of Horrors. It's so sad how obsessed we are with a particular image.

Gong Yi Tanpai!

I'm suddenly concerned about young Xiaolin monk Omi being led down the path of evil by super ninja bad guy Chase Young. Xiaolin Showdown is this bizarre and extremely entertaining cartoon on Kids' WB network. There is also the fantastic Legion of Super-heroes cartoon. I'm not sure who enjoys the cartoon more, Ben or myself. They are so different that the cartoons I grew up watching. I don't recall Looney Tunes having these multi-episode story arcs...

I have to wonder if these cartoon will have an impact on my children as they grow up. I know that 99.99% of what I watched as a child made no difference to me whatsoever as an adolescent and as an adult; however, there was that old Warner Bros. cartoon "Pigs is pigs" that really stuck in my head, where it remains to this day, messing with me.

Nasolacrimal Duct Obstruction

That's much more interesting than "Hello World!"

I've recently discovered that the reason my left eye has watered for two years is because my tearduct is blocked. I'm actually going to have to have surgery to fix this stupid thing. I'm feeling a little apprehensive because, hey, it's MY EYE!!! The last surgery I had was a vasectomy and that didn't bother me at all, but you start messing with my eyes and I get all funky town.

I am so weird.