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????