They tell me medical tests are necessary for my well being. So I have to wonder: why do they upset me so much and why do none of the terrible things they predict ever seem to materialize?
Take last week. I was feeling fine, doing well, perhaps even over-doing. Driving, chores, went out with my husband for a little while, normal stuff. Until I got home from the library and found two voice messages from two doctors.
It seems my liver numbers were very naughty. Three times what they are supposed to be. The doctors wanted to know if I experiencing any symptoms of this or that? (It would have been helpful to know what those symptoms were actually.)
I guess I have the advantage and I use the word loosely, if not sarcastically, that I have actually worked in a lab. And I know a little about what goes on sometimes. There's a little thing called "sink tests" where exhausted medical technicians, working several jobs, will dump all the samples down the sink drain and mark them all negative. For anyone who has had a lot of lab work done, this will probably explain some mystifying results.
I was once discharged from the hospital with a raging urinary tract infection. I knew that's what it was because 1) I'd had a catheter and they are notorious for causing those infections, and 2) my symptoms, of which I am going to spare you (you're welcome) told me so. Twice I crawled over to the national lab chain. Twice the results came back clean and clear. I managed, with my husband's help to get to the doctor's office where his nurse, the Remarkable Kerri, ran the test herself. The results were really bad. Yes, they agreed, I really did have a raging infection. The doctor wondered how the lab missed it, twice, but I was far too sick to explain.
Now there is concern and fear over my liver numbers! I'm not going to stress over them. I figure chances are they are someone else's test results. If my liver has anything to say to me, it can tell me directly.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Interview - Nick Meyers
On an autumn day in Tucson, the college classroom hums with the muted sound of many people talking while trying to be quiet about it. The words "why" and "when" can be made out occasionally as the journalism class practices their interviewing skills on each other. I am assigned to interview Nick Meyer, the dark haired young man who sits next to me.
He turns out to be a dream to interview. He answers my questions quickly and thoughtfully, knowing both where he is going and his back-up plan, although he doesnb’t refer to it as such. "I’m an accounting major right now, but I might go into broadcasting," he told me.
The idea came from his mother, who sounds like a bright lady. "She said if I couldn’t participate in sports the way I wanted to, I could go into broadcasting. That way I would still be involved." Nick is very in the know about stats, players, history, scores and all that sporty stuff.
His teams are the Yankees and the Miami Dolphins. I told him about my brother-in-laws fan behavior (named his daughter after his team) and it turns out that one of Nick’s relatives is apparently doing the same thing! Nick says he’s not quite that committed.
At his last interview, he learned that he enjoys interviewing and believes he will get better at it as he practices. He interviewed his high school football coach and learned all about the man’s history in sports.
The theme that emerged through the interview was that sports is definitely his field and I hope he can find a way to earn a living by being involved.
He turns out to be a dream to interview. He answers my questions quickly and thoughtfully, knowing both where he is going and his back-up plan, although he doesnb’t refer to it as such. "I’m an accounting major right now, but I might go into broadcasting," he told me.
The idea came from his mother, who sounds like a bright lady. "She said if I couldn’t participate in sports the way I wanted to, I could go into broadcasting. That way I would still be involved." Nick is very in the know about stats, players, history, scores and all that sporty stuff.
His teams are the Yankees and the Miami Dolphins. I told him about my brother-in-laws fan behavior (named his daughter after his team) and it turns out that one of Nick’s relatives is apparently doing the same thing! Nick says he’s not quite that committed.
At his last interview, he learned that he enjoys interviewing and believes he will get better at it as he practices. He interviewed his high school football coach and learned all about the man’s history in sports.
The theme that emerged through the interview was that sports is definitely his field and I hope he can find a way to earn a living by being involved.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Weekly Blog 5 - Train to YuccaPukeA
The hardest part of staying happy is the Train to YuccaPukeA. The sign on the way into town reads,"YuccaPukeA - Where there's always mold in the refrigerator door."
The train to YuccaPukeA is passing constantly. In Grandpa's day, the express trains would blow past a station and a curved metal hook would be dangled out to scoop up the mail bags. Many modern day riders on the Train to YuccaPukeA do the same thing. Since they want company for their miserable journey, they dangle those emotional hooks to capture you onto the train. It takes effort to avoid that hook. We all have reason to ride that train, but we don't HAVE to. Don't stand on the platform by the station so the hook can catch you. In other words, don't throw yourself pity parties all the time and be vulnerable to another's gloom and doom. The one great thing about the Train is this: You can always get off!
The train to YuccaPukeA is passing constantly. In Grandpa's day, the express trains would blow past a station and a curved metal hook would be dangled out to scoop up the mail bags. Many modern day riders on the Train to YuccaPukeA do the same thing. Since they want company for their miserable journey, they dangle those emotional hooks to capture you onto the train. It takes effort to avoid that hook. We all have reason to ride that train, but we don't HAVE to. Don't stand on the platform by the station so the hook can catch you. In other words, don't throw yourself pity parties all the time and be vulnerable to another's gloom and doom. The one great thing about the Train is this: You can always get off!
Opinion On Opinion
"Why I Refuse To Text Message" from Salon Magazine. Link Here
I am not at sure what the writer is saying, as to why he will not text. The beginning of the article starts out well, funny and interesting.Then is sort of devolves. I wonder if he had a deadline and ran out of time. He seems to be saying, perhaps, I am guessing, that he is not going to be pushed into texting by peer pressure and sarcasm. Which I totally agree with. I think that if there is any reason for humans to divide into "us and them" camps, we will find it. Color, religion, political party, so on and on. So his contention that we are now dividing into texters and non-texters, phoners and non-message leavers is a correct one in my opinion.
I am not at sure what the writer is saying, as to why he will not text. The beginning of the article starts out well, funny and interesting.Then is sort of devolves. I wonder if he had a deadline and ran out of time. He seems to be saying, perhaps, I am guessing, that he is not going to be pushed into texting by peer pressure and sarcasm. Which I totally agree with. I think that if there is any reason for humans to divide into "us and them" camps, we will find it. Color, religion, political party, so on and on. So his contention that we are now dividing into texters and non-texters, phoners and non-message leavers is a correct one in my opinion.
Monday, October 17, 2011
Make $ Blogging
According to Money Help for Christians, "My three primary sources of income include selling eBooks, doing freelance writing, and advertising revenue from my blog." I originally thought the site was Making Money For CHRISTMAS. I haven't yet determined what being a Christian has to do with it. I am a Christian and certainly mean no disrespect, but the actual mechanisms for making Internet money don't exactly appear in Ecclesiastics.
Anyhoo, all the different sites seem to boil down to one formula. Being different, plus being interesting, plus being productive, multiplied by popularity equals someone paying you. Preferably LOTS of someones paying you. Deceptively simple. Some sites, like Slate's Blogging For Dollars recommend putting ads on the site, some sell things through Amazon and get a percent of all sales, some people got some subscribers to give them money although that doesn't seem to have worked out. The author at the beginning of the paragraph writes the e-books he sells. Some sell a product such as recipes, while the blog discusses them. Many sites sell tips on selling blogging tips.
This advice is from BlueBook, who claims to have replaced his salary as private attorney by blogging."If it's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that persistent adaptation, continuous self education, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and the uncanny ability to function with little sleep - are traits that can truly be turned into financial success."
Since I count sleeping right after eating in my list of favorite things to do, I don't know that I can be a successful blogger. I guess I'll have to think about it sometime when I'm awake...
Anyhoo, all the different sites seem to boil down to one formula. Being different, plus being interesting, plus being productive, multiplied by popularity equals someone paying you. Preferably LOTS of someones paying you. Deceptively simple. Some sites, like Slate's Blogging For Dollars recommend putting ads on the site, some sell things through Amazon and get a percent of all sales, some people got some subscribers to give them money although that doesn't seem to have worked out. The author at the beginning of the paragraph writes the e-books he sells. Some sell a product such as recipes, while the blog discusses them. Many sites sell tips on selling blogging tips.
This advice is from BlueBook, who claims to have replaced his salary as private attorney by blogging."If it's one thing I've learned over the years, it's that persistent adaptation, continuous self education, a strong entrepreneurial spirit, and the uncanny ability to function with little sleep - are traits that can truly be turned into financial success."
Since I count sleeping right after eating in my list of favorite things to do, I don't know that I can be a successful blogger. I guess I'll have to think about it sometime when I'm awake...
Review of The Thing
The Macomb Daily Review (Serving Macomb County) of The Thing is surprising negative. Usually a reviewer will find something to like, but not in this case. Remakes are always tough, of course.
I have seen the 1982 version of The Thing maybe 25 times over the years. Kurt Russell and gang are awesome and the monster is one of my favorites. So I am curious about this new version. Do we want to spend the $20 it always seems to cost to go see it?
Reviewer Sean O'Connell is not impressed. He starts out, "Here's the thing about the new "The Thing." It isn't as satisfying as the old "The Thing." And it's nowhere near as enthralling as the vintage "Thing," which inspired every other "Thing" to follow."
This pretty much tells us what he thinks about this new version of "my" movie. Now I don't know this guy, don't know his preferences, his similarities, if any, to me. But he sure seems to know what he's talking about. I learned the history of the movie (short story in 1938) and the nuances of the various versions of the story. So I am tending to lean toward listening to this previous stranger, Sean O'Connell.
This part is especially not good. "Van Heijningen trades methodically established tensions for cheap, easy horror jolts, swapping the paranoia and distrust of Carpenter's version for simplistic rage and aggression. Where Carpenter carefully sliced into our deepest fears with the precision of a surgeon, van Heijningen bluntly hacks away at our nervous systems like a maniac wielding a chainsaw."
Hmmm.
He goes on to technical matters, special effects, camera shots and so on, all of which fall far short of the 1982 classic.
The review has balance, authority good tone and no snark. I don't think we will pay to see the movie at the theater.
I have seen the 1982 version of The Thing maybe 25 times over the years. Kurt Russell and gang are awesome and the monster is one of my favorites. So I am curious about this new version. Do we want to spend the $20 it always seems to cost to go see it?
Reviewer Sean O'Connell is not impressed. He starts out, "Here's the thing about the new "The Thing." It isn't as satisfying as the old "The Thing." And it's nowhere near as enthralling as the vintage "Thing," which inspired every other "Thing" to follow."
This pretty much tells us what he thinks about this new version of "my" movie. Now I don't know this guy, don't know his preferences, his similarities, if any, to me. But he sure seems to know what he's talking about. I learned the history of the movie (short story in 1938) and the nuances of the various versions of the story. So I am tending to lean toward listening to this previous stranger, Sean O'Connell.
This part is especially not good. "Van Heijningen trades methodically established tensions for cheap, easy horror jolts, swapping the paranoia and distrust of Carpenter's version for simplistic rage and aggression. Where Carpenter carefully sliced into our deepest fears with the precision of a surgeon, van Heijningen bluntly hacks away at our nervous systems like a maniac wielding a chainsaw."
Hmmm.
He goes on to technical matters, special effects, camera shots and so on, all of which fall far short of the 1982 classic.
The review has balance, authority good tone and no snark. I don't think we will pay to see the movie at the theater.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Five Blog Sites
- From Lifehackers, frugality tips from We Wear Khakis
Here's what they have to say for themselves:
WeWearKhakis.com is all about being frugal and being awesome. More specifically, it is a compilation of blog posts dedicated to our own journey (and yours) to become financially free while not missing out on life. We have crawled our way through school, marriage, and even children to reach our ultimate goal of financial freedom – we write about it here.
- Hella Heaven Anybody that loves that little black and white surprised kitten as much as me is worth following,. A blog to celebrate "all good things people create in arts, science, leisure, ideas, no matter where or when."
- As We Were Saying Greater Fort Worth Writers blogging about writers, writing, publishing, and everything in between. This links to an article about using your less than great experiences for" fun and profit.
- Here's what the Pioneer Woman says:
I am a desperate housewife.
I live in the country. I channel Lucille Ball, Vivien Leigh, and Ethel Merman. Welcome to my frontier!"
There's food and Photshop and grammar errors are corrected. Who could ask for more?
That’ll do it for now. This really ought to keep you busy for awhile!
Paparazzo is Italian for Hunter
- This article is from Jezebel Reporting, by Dodai Stewart, The Day I Trailed A Paparazzo.
The subject is a working paparazzi named Wagner AZ, who is presented as a hardworking nice guy. This is a great article, both entertaining and informative. I would recommend this article to anyone curious about how the world works. I learned how hard those guys work and that many, if not most, of them are nice. They are in it for the money, not to be creepazoids. Paparazzidom is a job like any other.
So there I was, reading the article about the paparazzo and thinking, "This is hunting. It's not just the shooting similarity, it's the stalking and reporting to each other where and when their targets will appear." And the writer says, "No actual Kardashians out in the wild," and I am not the only one who sees this obviousness. Just as the big game hunter waits by the pond at sunrise, the paparazzi wait outside buildings at school time.
The central conflict is well explained by the author. Basically it is the celebs' right to privacy vs. the photographers' right to earn a living. The celebs earn more money by being seen and photographed. The paparazzi have extended the viewing session time to 24/7.
The article makes the excellent point that some paparazzi are assholes, just like some teachers and doctors. All human subgroups have reps that are less that stellar beings. That in itself does not make them wrong. The hypocrisy is astounding. Everybody hates paparazzi because they take unbidden photos of people and we all know this because we like to look at and so buy the pics! Larger issues within larger issues. The more famous you are, the more they follow you and annoy you and make you more famous and richer.
Look how the paparazzi have made the Kardashians, who don't actually do much of anything, famous. As with the Gabor sisters, they are famous for being famous. Without the excitement and buzz of being followed by men with cameras they are but overdressed women, hair and make-up by expensive pros, powdered and lotioned and massaged to within an inch of their lives. So? Ah, but with the papas they are something else again, mysterious and glamorous and those elusive things many of us crave.
So they get lots of attention and money and we get satisfaction from being part of their glamorous world. All thanks to the paparazzo that we profess to look down upon.
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