I will first apologize for taking forever to make another post. This is due to pain and projects. First the pain. The insurance still hasn't approved or denied my surgery. This complicates thing, esp since management at my work only understands 'productivity' issues. As it turns out there is a line between people they like and therefore understand, and those whom they don't. I wont elaborate on that, however you get the idea. My knee has been swollen since my injury, and to complicate it a lack of use has invited my other good friend gout over. The pain is horrible. So pain meds, and rest have been my best friend.
During my moments of clarity I have been working hard on the project I asked for volunteers for earlier in my blog. As things are progressing, I will keep you posted. I am very fortunate to know so many talented individuals. This has the potential to be a real game changer when it comes to starting something big.
Anyhow I a sure hope you are doing better than I. I would not curse this condition on my worst enemy. :)
Friday, September 17, 2010
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
The Sum of all my parts...
Nothing like going to the doctors office and waiting an hour to see the doctor. Well I went to go see the orthopedic specialist and as it turns out I need surgery. Yup, I managed to tear my minisus in two spots, and the doc says it is possible that I may have to endure micro fracturing. (the drilling of small holes in a bone to create a more natural cartilage replacement. If this is the case then I will be down for up to six weeks. That is before I start physical therapy. The Doc wants to do the surgery as soon as possible, it all comes down to when the insurance will approve it. One nurse remarked that it could take up to a month before that happens. (oh joy)
On a much brighter note, now that I am on stronger meds I have kinda returned to work. Kinda is because even though I am physically there, I am not mentally all there. I also found out that my first doctor jipped me, he kept sending paperwork to my work that says 'Full Duty', ya let me climb ladders or move boxes in this condition. We will see what happens from here.
On a much much brighter note, I have been able to successfully begun gathering a group of highly trained specialists. I will have the privileged of working these highly skilled individuals on the big blog project. As soon as things are up and running I will announce to everyone what the sites name is and what it will be about. I am very excited because I have landed some of the best talent out there.
On a much brighter note, now that I am on stronger meds I have kinda returned to work. Kinda is because even though I am physically there, I am not mentally all there. I also found out that my first doctor jipped me, he kept sending paperwork to my work that says 'Full Duty', ya let me climb ladders or move boxes in this condition. We will see what happens from here.
On a much much brighter note, I have been able to successfully begun gathering a group of highly trained specialists. I will have the privileged of working these highly skilled individuals on the big blog project. As soon as things are up and running I will announce to everyone what the sites name is and what it will be about. I am very excited because I have landed some of the best talent out there.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Possabilites...
I realized early on in life that the human imagination and general creativity are limitless. Actually I should say they are limited by the individual. When I was young I would speculate on the places I would go and the things I could become. As I got older those became limited, I would tell myself that I wasn't shorting myself, but making my imagination more realistic. I had fallen victim to the all powerful reality. In this moment I had forgotten what imagination and creativity were for. Sure they seemed like goal and aspirations, but those are different things altogether. I have been given a second chance to revitalize my imagination and creativity. I happen to be very fortunate, first I have a very creative wife who can imagine things into reality, just check her etsy shop. (http://www.etsy.com/shop/Darlingstitch) Second, I have children who tell me ideas and points of view, often expressing their young developing imagination. Third, I have friends who never cease to amaze me, wither its the amazing travels they go on, the interesting people they meet, or adventures their everyday lives have to offer.
I am going to be honest, I always thought of myself as a creative person, but now I have been given a glimpse. This new perspective is promising, esp since I am slated to start new stories, and books.
On a different topic altogether, I had a dream that really began to show my age. The dream was that I was in China, and was one of several chaperons escorting this large group of sixteen and seventeen years olds, and they were in China to compete in a video game competition. I was there only to watch. Ya that pretty much was a killer, since I am a very video game person.
I am going to be honest, I always thought of myself as a creative person, but now I have been given a glimpse. This new perspective is promising, esp since I am slated to start new stories, and books.
On a different topic altogether, I had a dream that really began to show my age. The dream was that I was in China, and was one of several chaperons escorting this large group of sixteen and seventeen years olds, and they were in China to compete in a video game competition. I was there only to watch. Ya that pretty much was a killer, since I am a very video game person.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Mixed can of nuts....
So several things happened today. My brother came out to help me watch the kids, esp since I am down with injury (tomorrow I find out more on the details). While he was out here, I was able to hang out (in my legal drug induced state). My wife was able to take my youngest son to the hospital to get looked over. I have decided that there needs to be a video instruction when you walk into a hospital, it should say something like this, "Whatever happens please do not panic, we are highly trained specialists who may not fully understand the art of tactful conversation, also if we do not jump up and down screaming or rushing you to some awkward emergency area of the hospital, you will probably be just fine." There of course should be much more covered, but that should be the beginning. I would go as far as to say that Patrick Stewart should do the voice for the video. My son is due back Friday in the hospital for follow ups and more tests. I would as always recommend avoiding the hospital whenever convenient, please note for gushing blood and other life threatening conditions, please see hospital.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Definatly Blog Worthy
So today I woke up, pretty much just like I always have. Today was different, today two events took place that I thought were impossible or nearly impossible. Nope, didn't win the lottery, or any lump sum of money. However the day started when I got a call from the doctors office to schedule my MRI, given their recent history, I did not think this event was ever going to happen. Then the second surprise happened I got a friend request on facebook (of course I have friends on facebook, and yes I have received requests before, but this was different). This was from my long lost childhood best friend Jeff.
It has been 13 1/2 years since we had seen each other, and even longer since we had really hung out together. When I tell people that I was a fish growing up in Phoenix, it was mostly Jeffs house that I was swimming at. We had shot bb guns together, killed countless army guys, melted priceless star wars toys (they weren't that priceless at the time), we had played archon (a commador 64 game), we played chess with a giant chess set, and endless rubber band wars (with the really thick heavy duty ones).
So here is to the medical community finally doing their jobs, and long lost friends!
It has been 13 1/2 years since we had seen each other, and even longer since we had really hung out together. When I tell people that I was a fish growing up in Phoenix, it was mostly Jeffs house that I was swimming at. We had shot bb guns together, killed countless army guys, melted priceless star wars toys (they weren't that priceless at the time), we had played archon (a commador 64 game), we played chess with a giant chess set, and endless rubber band wars (with the really thick heavy duty ones).
So here is to the medical community finally doing their jobs, and long lost friends!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Bold new project needs volunteers....
So I have had several opportunities to think about writing more and on a more challenging level. I had toyed with the idea of creating a new blog that would be a constantly streaming story anyone could read. It would be updated about once a week, though I like the thought of trying to tackle it on an every few days level. This is based on the short mini books authors used to put out in between each novel. One of my best friends was toying with the idea of doing kinda the same thing. However dare to be bold, and strike out in the face of overwhelming odds.
'Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead'
I thought of a 'brilliant' idea as Dr. Who would put it. What if I had a collaborative of writers who wrote on the same story but took turns every few days. Thus each writer would only write once a week or so. No worries, I am gearing up to take on a challenge like this on my own, but it is so much more fun with friends.
I know I am trying to commit to this even on strong medications, and in a constant level of pain in my leg. I think these tangents can only add to the interesting topic.
So come on lets have some fun, contact me here or via other communications and let me know. :)
'Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead'
I thought of a 'brilliant' idea as Dr. Who would put it. What if I had a collaborative of writers who wrote on the same story but took turns every few days. Thus each writer would only write once a week or so. No worries, I am gearing up to take on a challenge like this on my own, but it is so much more fun with friends.
I know I am trying to commit to this even on strong medications, and in a constant level of pain in my leg. I think these tangents can only add to the interesting topic.
So come on lets have some fun, contact me here or via other communications and let me know. :)
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Stores, edits and greatful for friends....
I had given a copy of what I have written so far on my newest fantasy story to one of my best friends. Yesterday she offered me a printed and hand edited copy of it. All I can say is that I look forward to the opportunities to see what others think critically of my work. I often encourage people whom I offer rough drafts of my work to be hard on the work. This gives me a real prospective as opposed to a slight look. Within just minutes of begin handed the edited copy, I read it two and then three times. I would often nod my head and occasionally throw up an eyebrow. All are signs that I felt that the edit was a good one, once again one of my favorite best friend editors came through. This was gold. If you are working on a story or a project, I encourage you to share it with your friends and family, and not wait until you think it is 'perfect'. Those moments can be disappointing, as opposed to working with people and refining it to perfection.
In return one of my best friends offered to let me look at their story. I poured over it and read it in quick fashion. Though I have only read it once, and haven't made any corrections. It was brilliant. I am all to excited to see this work make it to book form.
In general I need to throw out an all encompassing 'Thank You' to my friends. This is because having time to think alot in my current injured state, I have been able to reflect on all the best times of my life, and they are all shared with friends. I especially need to thank those friends who are willing to put up with me dispite my great flaws. Most of all I need to thank my best-st friend of all, my wife.
In return one of my best friends offered to let me look at their story. I poured over it and read it in quick fashion. Though I have only read it once, and haven't made any corrections. It was brilliant. I am all to excited to see this work make it to book form.
In general I need to throw out an all encompassing 'Thank You' to my friends. This is because having time to think alot in my current injured state, I have been able to reflect on all the best times of my life, and they are all shared with friends. I especially need to thank those friends who are willing to put up with me dispite my great flaws. Most of all I need to thank my best-st friend of all, my wife.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Today seemed alot like a couple of days ago.
Its interesting, if you go to work, come home, eat, sleep, and wake up to restart the day, it gets repetitive and seemingly boring. People stuck in that routine have no idea how fantastic that is, as opposed to my repeat situation. Wake up, hobble around, lay down, rest, rest some more, eat, eventually sleep, and wake up to repeat all while in pain.
Today was one of those average 'pain' days. The people who manage my work related injury tell me that my MRI has been approved, and I am just waiting to hear from them. The pain in managed with typical prescription ibprophen, loratab, and the good days are when the doc gives me a shot for the pain on top of that. All I can say is this sucks. It saps my ability to write, as I easily get side tracked or begin to fall asleep.
I hope to return to work soon. As it turns out money does not in fact grow on trees or bushes. And as another mater of fact as soon as some sort of bureaucracy enters the equation between you and a corporation and money is involved, well I might see it, and possibility about the time I retire or so it seems.
So now here I am helplessly pecking away at the keyboard attemping to not get distracted and trying to keep from falling asleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Today was one of those average 'pain' days. The people who manage my work related injury tell me that my MRI has been approved, and I am just waiting to hear from them. The pain in managed with typical prescription ibprophen, loratab, and the good days are when the doc gives me a shot for the pain on top of that. All I can say is this sucks. It saps my ability to write, as I easily get side tracked or begin to fall asleep.
I hope to return to work soon. As it turns out money does not in fact grow on trees or bushes. And as another mater of fact as soon as some sort of bureaucracy enters the equation between you and a corporation and money is involved, well I might see it, and possibility about the time I retire or so it seems.
So now here I am helplessly pecking away at the keyboard attemping to not get distracted and trying to keep from falling asleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Sliver of the pie as promised...
As stated in my last post I promised to show a glimpse of my newest book. Of course this is an uber rough draft of the piece, but it would give a sense of the style. On a side note my computer is running fast since I opened it up and cleaned it out. It has only been a couple of months since I last cleaned it, and oh man the amount of dust that can gather in such a short time is amazing. Well with out further adieu...
Gorth hefted the his usual leather pouch over his sixty two year old shoulder. This time it was filled with other various supplies. He opened the doors to the lower library, and slowly walked to the center of the room. The lower library was the location of the notorious underclassmen who really put forth serious effort to move up in the order. The irony of the library was that it was so poorly lit, and everyone was studying so hard, it was difficult to find the underclassmen. As was tradition he laid out a paper on the large center table, and with a quick stroke of his hand wrote ‘six to undertake extremely dangerous duty assigned by the head monk himself, all those who volunteer be presentable at the front door in five minutes. He exited the lower library just as slow as he walked in, his next destination only two floors down. He reached the ornate stairs he paused a moment to revel in its glory, as he always had. The stairs themselves were a splendid white marble, and the railing was a dark stained oak, with gold and silver designs. The most impressive part of the stairs is the walls. The walls were a gigantic single painting, depicting major events in the world’s history. The best part was that everything actually moved, with figures of good and evil charging into battle, treaties being signed, and great heroes and antiheroes. It was not recommend to stare at the walls if you were faint of heart, as it showed every gruesome, and gory detail, along side every wildly passionate moment. Gorth knew he had to be careful watching the walls could make you lose track of time.
Gorth hefted the his usual leather pouch over his sixty two year old shoulder. This time it was filled with other various supplies. He opened the doors to the lower library, and slowly walked to the center of the room. The lower library was the location of the notorious underclassmen who really put forth serious effort to move up in the order. The irony of the library was that it was so poorly lit, and everyone was studying so hard, it was difficult to find the underclassmen. As was tradition he laid out a paper on the large center table, and with a quick stroke of his hand wrote ‘six to undertake extremely dangerous duty assigned by the head monk himself, all those who volunteer be presentable at the front door in five minutes. He exited the lower library just as slow as he walked in, his next destination only two floors down. He reached the ornate stairs he paused a moment to revel in its glory, as he always had. The stairs themselves were a splendid white marble, and the railing was a dark stained oak, with gold and silver designs. The most impressive part of the stairs is the walls. The walls were a gigantic single painting, depicting major events in the world’s history. The best part was that everything actually moved, with figures of good and evil charging into battle, treaties being signed, and great heroes and antiheroes. It was not recommend to stare at the walls if you were faint of heart, as it showed every gruesome, and gory detail, along side every wildly passionate moment. Gorth knew he had to be careful watching the walls could make you lose track of time.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Complicated... and possably more complicated... and hopefully not really complicated
So here I am nearly burnt out on every video game I play. Still laid up from this injury, I would give most anything to not be in this situation. Out of curiosity my wife looked up on webmd.com to see if there could be any other issues. Tragically it seems it is one of the three things I have possibly been diagnosed with. I hobble about with my two crutches (not very easy since the four kids like their toys). What gets complicated is the fact that everyone at work says, "Just come in." Yea, like the pain was nothing. The doctor has already given me multiple shots for pain and directly excused me from work.
So today my son started school. This could prove possibly complicated only because the number of possible things my son can be involved with. What I mean is besides the variety of classes he has available to him (which include foreign language classes ie. French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, and more) there are a slew of clubs for him to participate in. His eyes lit up with excitement as we attended the online assembly and the outlined the details. There are far more things available to him than at the regular public school. It seems that the public schools approach is 'no real reason to encourage music or art, when there are ways to make more money'. It was written about in the fantastic book 'The World is Flat'. In there a great deal of time when into studies of American students vs foreign students. Sure we were behind in advanced math, and science. However despite disparagement Americans were still leading in top jobs and positions around the world. This was accredited to one simple detail, Americans were more creative thanks to electives such as music and art. These formed unique problem solving skills. But enough of that little side track....
The thing I am really hopefully does not get really complicated is that I am working on writing another book. However unlike my first book (very Tom Clancyish www.jaredquan.com), this next book is very different, I mean elves, dwarfs, and such. I am hopeful that my relatively small fan base does not ditch me for the change. Of course I have secretly been harboring a few book ideas, some developed with friends that I would love to write. I will post a little piece of my newest book on my next post, then I will start to find out who likes it and who doesn't really care for it.
So today my son started school. This could prove possibly complicated only because the number of possible things my son can be involved with. What I mean is besides the variety of classes he has available to him (which include foreign language classes ie. French, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, and more) there are a slew of clubs for him to participate in. His eyes lit up with excitement as we attended the online assembly and the outlined the details. There are far more things available to him than at the regular public school. It seems that the public schools approach is 'no real reason to encourage music or art, when there are ways to make more money'. It was written about in the fantastic book 'The World is Flat'. In there a great deal of time when into studies of American students vs foreign students. Sure we were behind in advanced math, and science. However despite disparagement Americans were still leading in top jobs and positions around the world. This was accredited to one simple detail, Americans were more creative thanks to electives such as music and art. These formed unique problem solving skills. But enough of that little side track....
The thing I am really hopefully does not get really complicated is that I am working on writing another book. However unlike my first book (very Tom Clancyish www.jaredquan.com), this next book is very different, I mean elves, dwarfs, and such. I am hopeful that my relatively small fan base does not ditch me for the change. Of course I have secretly been harboring a few book ideas, some developed with friends that I would love to write. I will post a little piece of my newest book on my next post, then I will start to find out who likes it and who doesn't really care for it.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Video Gaming Nation....
I think that video games tend to get a bad rap... Ok so I am kind of bias in that field of opinion. However recent studies by Harvard, Yale, MIT, and Columbia discovered some food for thought. In fact there are more middle age female game players than there are teenage boys. Also video games have offered a medical advancement. Doctors who play a marble game on the WII for 30 min before performing surgery were statistically less prone to make mistakes, and finish the surgery quicker. The results were so dramatic, nearly fifty hospitals around the country now practice this. Also probably not so surprising the US military has changed warfare to more of a multi tasking environment that modern generations are mentally able to handle the amount of information and make quick decisions. Video games are also now used in schooling than ever, as a mater of fact some in congress have proposed an education program that kids get their laptops at a very young age and simply carry it through graduation, for them to keep.
I'm not saying that video games don't have a dark side. Then again most everything has a dark side, I mean look at competition sports, or caffeine, or evil knitting. Ok So maybe not Everything has a dark side, but you get the point.
Most ironically I decided to write this post just moments after finishing a very satisfying game of Modern Warfare 2, during which I ended the multiplayer game with the last shot. A very violent moment where I ran around a corner and shot a bad guy with a shotgun at point blank range. I am skeptical that the middle age women who are gaming are not playing this game so much, as something a little more peaceful (farmville or the likes) But I say enjoy what you like to do, and don't spend too many hours on it.... (notice I did not specify how many hours are too many hours....)
I'm not saying that video games don't have a dark side. Then again most everything has a dark side, I mean look at competition sports, or caffeine, or evil knitting. Ok So maybe not Everything has a dark side, but you get the point.
Most ironically I decided to write this post just moments after finishing a very satisfying game of Modern Warfare 2, during which I ended the multiplayer game with the last shot. A very violent moment where I ran around a corner and shot a bad guy with a shotgun at point blank range. I am skeptical that the middle age women who are gaming are not playing this game so much, as something a little more peaceful (farmville or the likes) But I say enjoy what you like to do, and don't spend too many hours on it.... (notice I did not specify how many hours are too many hours....)
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Obsolete facts, and Obscure notions....
I decided right off the bat that I would create a title from the first words out of my inner voice. What an interesting combination of words. I quickly wondered what obsolete facts I would talk about, would I bring up the facts on gun control in the 80's and the role abortion most likely played in it, as presented in 'Freakanomics' (soon to be a movie). Or would I talk about interesting history channel info, like that Great Brittan killed over 2,000 french sailors during the outset of world war II (this was a very deliberate act). Or would I talk about General George Washington's seriously sub par military career before he took command of the continental army. (nothing but losses, and lucky to be alive). Or would I bring up the very diffrent findings that show that china, and vikings both had settlements in North America before Columbus or America Vaspuchi were even a possibility of existence. (Very compelling evidence). Or would I bring up the fact that the high school I graduated from discontinued the school newspaper for four years after I was editor and chief. (They waited for the freshman who read my work graduated). Or would I bring up the fact that used to be able to buy cell phones from Circuit City for three cents. (I was an associate). I can't seem to decided so I will move onto the next topic.
Obscure notions is another interesting topic to try and dwell on. After all given my work history I have met an extreme individuals from every spectrum ever. Each of these unique would share a tid bit of information on notions they had.
I once worked with a guy that thought airport security should all carry weapons of various types, including but not restricted to, hand gun, shot gun, assault rife, grenades, c4, and so on. The theory he would say is 'who would want to mess with a large group of trigger happy security people?'
I worked with a guy that thought that he 'could get rich, playing video games'. Ironically he does make money playing video games, just not very much.
Anyhow I am going to encourage you the fantastic reader to list any Obsolete facts or Obscure notions....
Obscure notions is another interesting topic to try and dwell on. After all given my work history I have met an extreme individuals from every spectrum ever. Each of these unique would share a tid bit of information on notions they had.
I once worked with a guy that thought airport security should all carry weapons of various types, including but not restricted to, hand gun, shot gun, assault rife, grenades, c4, and so on. The theory he would say is 'who would want to mess with a large group of trigger happy security people?'
I worked with a guy that thought that he 'could get rich, playing video games'. Ironically he does make money playing video games, just not very much.
Anyhow I am going to encourage you the fantastic reader to list any Obsolete facts or Obscure notions....
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
The butt of the joke.... and a lost recommendation....
The good news for everyone especially myself is that I wont have to blog about physical therapy (at least for now). The doctor heard my plea and discontinued physical therapy, (until the mri says otherwise or after surgery) instead he decided to help me out with the pain. He painfully ordered me to stay home from work for a couple of days, and then he had the nurses give me a shot in the bum. This of course was both awkward and embarrassing. The medicine that was administered was a hefty anti inflammatory used on people after surgery. (This was only temporary, however it was very nice during the time it was working). To make things fun, I was waking up several times during the night due to pain, so the doc has put me on loritab at bedtime. Thus far it has let me sleep and created some very interesting dreams, actually when I say interesting I mean warped, well actually when I say warped I really mean crazy with a mix of twilight zone meets star trek, star wars, and a various host of other movies. Here is my best written story rendition of a part of the 'dream'.
Sweat dripped from my forehead and I was almost out of breath, but I knew that I had to get somewhere with great urgency. I continued to run down the corridor. It was a classic star trek corridor, the lights were flashing red and there was no one in sight. I glanced over my shoulder to see a group of four Klingons running after me. I barged into a transporter room, to see the kilingons continue running past. That's when I realized they weren't running after me, they were running away from, ah yes a classic piece of film history, they were running from a small white bunny rabbit. (very Holy Grail). The rabbit turned in my direction and I jumped for the transporter pad. I was instantly beamed to a much smaller ship, the lights were flashing on and off, and the floor was shaking. Then Han Solo (as played by Harrison Ford), came running past, and stopped to ask C-3PO "Who is that?" "I'm not quite sure," C-3PO replied. "Well get him off my ship!" Solo shouted as he continued on. Then without warning I was jettisoned into space. Where I didn't have to breath because this was a dream thankfully. While floating in space, I was able to watch the start of the ultimate space battle. There was Star Wars (all movies represented), Star Trek (all movies represented), Babylon 5, robotech, battlestar gallactica (old and new), classic Buck Rogers, and more that I cant seem to recall what movies they were from. Disappointingly I woke up just as the fighting began.
Anyhow, before I went to bed, Lisa had found a new show on netflix, called 'The lost room' it was a Si-Fi original mini series. Actually I would recommend it for a one time watcher, it has some great ideas that make you think. Anyhow I got to go wrap my knee in ice again, and take more pain meds.
(Disclaimer: I do not endorse the use of pain medications for the reproduction of science fiction dream, and do not claim that all people with pain medications will have such a dream. Overuse of pain medications can lead to side effects.... too many to list... please use under doctors orders only)
Sweat dripped from my forehead and I was almost out of breath, but I knew that I had to get somewhere with great urgency. I continued to run down the corridor. It was a classic star trek corridor, the lights were flashing red and there was no one in sight. I glanced over my shoulder to see a group of four Klingons running after me. I barged into a transporter room, to see the kilingons continue running past. That's when I realized they weren't running after me, they were running away from, ah yes a classic piece of film history, they were running from a small white bunny rabbit. (very Holy Grail). The rabbit turned in my direction and I jumped for the transporter pad. I was instantly beamed to a much smaller ship, the lights were flashing on and off, and the floor was shaking. Then Han Solo (as played by Harrison Ford), came running past, and stopped to ask C-3PO "Who is that?" "I'm not quite sure," C-3PO replied. "Well get him off my ship!" Solo shouted as he continued on. Then without warning I was jettisoned into space. Where I didn't have to breath because this was a dream thankfully. While floating in space, I was able to watch the start of the ultimate space battle. There was Star Wars (all movies represented), Star Trek (all movies represented), Babylon 5, robotech, battlestar gallactica (old and new), classic Buck Rogers, and more that I cant seem to recall what movies they were from. Disappointingly I woke up just as the fighting began.
Anyhow, before I went to bed, Lisa had found a new show on netflix, called 'The lost room' it was a Si-Fi original mini series. Actually I would recommend it for a one time watcher, it has some great ideas that make you think. Anyhow I got to go wrap my knee in ice again, and take more pain meds.
(Disclaimer: I do not endorse the use of pain medications for the reproduction of science fiction dream, and do not claim that all people with pain medications will have such a dream. Overuse of pain medications can lead to side effects.... too many to list... please use under doctors orders only)
Monday, August 16, 2010
Words to live by...
If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!
–Rudyard Kipling
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you
But make allowance for their doubting too,
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,
Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,
And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:
If you can dream–and not make dreams your master,
If you can think–and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two impostors just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build ‘em up with worn-out tools:
If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it all on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: “Hold on!”
If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings–nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much,
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,
Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,
And–which is more–you’ll be a Man, my son!
Sunday, August 15, 2010
School on the horizon...
So last school year, I got fed up with the Tooele School District. More specifically, I got fed up with the way they were treating my oldest son. As it turns out if your child does not fit the teachers preconceived place in their social jigsaw puzzle, then they move you to a program. They did not move my oldest son because his test scores, as a mater of fact he constantly tested above grade level. They did not move him, because of a learning disability, he was always given credit to learning quickly and adapting. He was moved to another program, because the teacher and principle did not know how to work with him. So their answer was special education.
I talk with parents about this program, and every single one is horrified to find out that it exists. They lock kids in a closet (they call it a booth, but a closed in four walls as tall as the ceiling, and a door, I call that a closet. The don't let the students out until the allotted time, even if they have to use the restroom, and they get more time tacked on if they talk while in there) any time the kids talk without raising their hands enough, or if they act like children. This practice was abandoned by most of America when they found out it didn't work in the late 70's early 80's. It gets better. Anytime the kids kind of break down, or get frustrated, the teachers physically restrain the students and eventually put them in the closet. (This proves that a teacher is incapable of talking with a student) The straw that broke the camels back was when I was called to the school because the teacher felt it necessary to call the cops on my 8 year old son. When I arrived there I found out that the teacher had physically restrained my son, and put him in the closet. When he came out he knocked over his chair, I'm guessing in frustration. Well the teacher decided because he knocked his desk over he would clear the classroom, and let him mess up the classroom. After he cleared the classroom, and did not even try to stop my son, he called the cops on him for destruction of property. I talked with the cops and found out that this was a regular occurrence with this classroom. I asked the school district to let him out of the program, and they told me that he could not attend school anywhere in the district without passing this class.
Long story short (and yet the story gets much longer), we pulled him out of school. This year he will be attending the Utah Virtual Academy. Ya pretty much home school but much cooler. The Virtual Academy provided him with a brand new computer, course content for the school year, and even was offered a foreign language. So it the big picture he can do school at his own pace under the guidance of several offsite teachers. He is required to do 5 hours of schooling, but can do more, and finish a class off before the end of the year, and start a new one. We have his school area set up and ready to go. He is just as excited as we are.
Oh yea, the Tooele City Prosecutors called us a couple of weeks after the 'event' and said the Tooele school district was pressing charges against my son for a twenty dollar stapler, and they couldn't produce the damaged evidence. The prosecutor said that this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen and said not to worry about it because he and the city had no intention of going after my 8 year old son.
I'll keep you posted about how things progress from here....
I talk with parents about this program, and every single one is horrified to find out that it exists. They lock kids in a closet (they call it a booth, but a closed in four walls as tall as the ceiling, and a door, I call that a closet. The don't let the students out until the allotted time, even if they have to use the restroom, and they get more time tacked on if they talk while in there) any time the kids talk without raising their hands enough, or if they act like children. This practice was abandoned by most of America when they found out it didn't work in the late 70's early 80's. It gets better. Anytime the kids kind of break down, or get frustrated, the teachers physically restrain the students and eventually put them in the closet. (This proves that a teacher is incapable of talking with a student) The straw that broke the camels back was when I was called to the school because the teacher felt it necessary to call the cops on my 8 year old son. When I arrived there I found out that the teacher had physically restrained my son, and put him in the closet. When he came out he knocked over his chair, I'm guessing in frustration. Well the teacher decided because he knocked his desk over he would clear the classroom, and let him mess up the classroom. After he cleared the classroom, and did not even try to stop my son, he called the cops on him for destruction of property. I talked with the cops and found out that this was a regular occurrence with this classroom. I asked the school district to let him out of the program, and they told me that he could not attend school anywhere in the district without passing this class.
Long story short (and yet the story gets much longer), we pulled him out of school. This year he will be attending the Utah Virtual Academy. Ya pretty much home school but much cooler. The Virtual Academy provided him with a brand new computer, course content for the school year, and even was offered a foreign language. So it the big picture he can do school at his own pace under the guidance of several offsite teachers. He is required to do 5 hours of schooling, but can do more, and finish a class off before the end of the year, and start a new one. We have his school area set up and ready to go. He is just as excited as we are.
Oh yea, the Tooele City Prosecutors called us a couple of weeks after the 'event' and said the Tooele school district was pressing charges against my son for a twenty dollar stapler, and they couldn't produce the damaged evidence. The prosecutor said that this was the most ridiculous thing he had ever seen and said not to worry about it because he and the city had no intention of going after my 8 year old son.
I'll keep you posted about how things progress from here....
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Strike Three.... I'm out.... almost in the line of fire....
I'm done with talking about physical therapy, more importantly I am so done with going to physical therapy. I have an appointment on Monday to see the actual doctor, doctor. I plan on impressing my thoughts of physical therapy on him, the goal being to try and get him to order up an MRI on my knee. The x-rays that were taken were less than helpful, as a mater of fact they did more damage. "How so?" one might ask. Well as it turns out the x-rays showed three other future problems with my leg, but none of them have anything to do with my current knee injury.
So since I do not want to talk about physical therapy anymore, lets talk about how the house almost caught on fire, and probably taken most all our possessions with it.
I have a love hate relationship with my house, I love that it shelters the family from the rain, stores all of our junk, and creates a tax write off. I hate that it has sub-par plumbing, the electrical wiring it crap, and that we have a jury rigged washer dryer setup.
When I was a kid I vividly remember a moment in my life that was literally burned into my brain. There was a fire at my house in Phoenix, it all originated in the laundry room with the dryer. The details as to how it happened escape me, but the images and smells stuck with me. The damage to the house with very minor.
Just the other day I had Duncan change the laundry as it is his chore to do so. What I did not know and Duncan failed to realize was that as he was transferring the clothes, he moved a couple of pillows, one of which had broken open in the wash. So he moved the damaged pillow into the dryer. The filling from the dryer clogged the filter, and began to collect on the back of the drum. As the dryer heated up, it began to fuse the loose fibers together, and melt. The dryer stopped just before the melted goo could start on fire all the way, but it was close, and far closer than I am comfortable with.
So since I do not want to talk about physical therapy anymore, lets talk about how the house almost caught on fire, and probably taken most all our possessions with it.
I have a love hate relationship with my house, I love that it shelters the family from the rain, stores all of our junk, and creates a tax write off. I hate that it has sub-par plumbing, the electrical wiring it crap, and that we have a jury rigged washer dryer setup.
When I was a kid I vividly remember a moment in my life that was literally burned into my brain. There was a fire at my house in Phoenix, it all originated in the laundry room with the dryer. The details as to how it happened escape me, but the images and smells stuck with me. The damage to the house with very minor.
Just the other day I had Duncan change the laundry as it is his chore to do so. What I did not know and Duncan failed to realize was that as he was transferring the clothes, he moved a couple of pillows, one of which had broken open in the wash. So he moved the damaged pillow into the dryer. The filling from the dryer clogged the filter, and began to collect on the back of the drum. As the dryer heated up, it began to fuse the loose fibers together, and melt. The dryer stopped just before the melted goo could start on fire all the way, but it was close, and far closer than I am comfortable with.
Physical Therapy day two attack of the pain...
After my first visit and first session of physical therapy I decided to skip the whole, lets wear the doctors shorts. (It was getting a little creepy). So I wore my comfy basketball shorts, and my super cool 'Alliance' shirt, Jake got me from blizzcon last year. Yup, I am a proud world of warcraft (world of war crack) player. Proud in the sense that I am up to speed with the culture and most of the lingo, and yes I do have a level 80 character, but not so proud as to sacrifice years of my life (just months).
Anyways, my pain had held steady at a 4 on average but would sometimes hit 6 or 7. After my first session my knee was very swollen and hurt more than ever. I complained to the doctor about the aftermath of the first therapy, and he said 'That is to be expected, and today we will just have you do the easy fun stuff".
I was instantly wary of the comment, why hadn't he told me to expect that in the first place, and I doubted that there was going to be anything easy or fun. So again with the electricity, this time they cranked it up a little, and my spidy sense was not only tingling, it was blaring, "Holy cow, I think you might need to escape, doc oc is trying to get you." After the electricity it was onto the ultrasound, good news, not twins. This was less than thrilling as they were short handed and the secretary from the desk was rubbing the ultrasound wand on my knee. There were a couple of times I kinda scooted over on the already narrow beds that were made for average size people from the fifty's, as I could swear she was touching my leg with her other hand on occasion. (She is like 80 years old, ok probably only 65). Anyhow that wonderful treat behind me, I moved onto the same stretches as the day before. At this point I knew I had been jipped, there was nothing easy or fun, and before I knew it we were icing the knee.
While I lay there contemplating my knees existence, and the pain therein I took comfort that I had my trusty cellphone in hand, surfing the web. This was exciting until I found out that there were no sports updates posted by espn or si on any of my teams. As soon as I was done icing the doc asks me 'So how is the pain?"
I replied, "A three, I think."
He just nodded his head and I hobbled out the door with my two crutches, which I had now named, lefty, and hand solo. I figured that I must look something like a strider from the dark crystal, or ironically worse, an old man. This is worse because well I'm not that old dang it. First I discovered that I had acid reflux, then crones disease, gout, preachilles bursitis, and now a bum knee. Brilliant I am just waiting for the Alzheimers to kick in....
At any rate by the time I reached my car, which was not close by any stretch of the imagination, my pain had already hit a 4 again, but this time was even more swollen than the day before. By the time I reached home, it was larger and even more painful. I had been duped, I fell for the classic athlete trick. What I mean by that is I recently found out that when a doctor rushes out on the the field, court, or whatever, they spray something right on the injured area, and then something else altogether in the mouth. The athlete is then asked how they feel, and more often than not, they say 'better, I think' and get right back in the game. What the athlete didn't know is that the doctor sprayed an antiseptic on the wound, and just cold water in the mouth. These are just psychological tools, that merely mask some pain enough for the person to try and carry on. I was the one who had fallen of it.
So I find myself lost in a long game of Modern Warfare 2, where I duped myself again, but this time on purpose. Running around a game, where I am a superior player, and controlling every aspect of the game, against real people, made my knee feel better for the time i was playing. Go figure... hey at least I finished with a 31 - 3 only using my trusty 50 caliber sniper rifle, and my shotgun.....
Anyways, my pain had held steady at a 4 on average but would sometimes hit 6 or 7. After my first session my knee was very swollen and hurt more than ever. I complained to the doctor about the aftermath of the first therapy, and he said 'That is to be expected, and today we will just have you do the easy fun stuff".
I was instantly wary of the comment, why hadn't he told me to expect that in the first place, and I doubted that there was going to be anything easy or fun. So again with the electricity, this time they cranked it up a little, and my spidy sense was not only tingling, it was blaring, "Holy cow, I think you might need to escape, doc oc is trying to get you." After the electricity it was onto the ultrasound, good news, not twins. This was less than thrilling as they were short handed and the secretary from the desk was rubbing the ultrasound wand on my knee. There were a couple of times I kinda scooted over on the already narrow beds that were made for average size people from the fifty's, as I could swear she was touching my leg with her other hand on occasion. (She is like 80 years old, ok probably only 65). Anyhow that wonderful treat behind me, I moved onto the same stretches as the day before. At this point I knew I had been jipped, there was nothing easy or fun, and before I knew it we were icing the knee.
While I lay there contemplating my knees existence, and the pain therein I took comfort that I had my trusty cellphone in hand, surfing the web. This was exciting until I found out that there were no sports updates posted by espn or si on any of my teams. As soon as I was done icing the doc asks me 'So how is the pain?"
I replied, "A three, I think."
He just nodded his head and I hobbled out the door with my two crutches, which I had now named, lefty, and hand solo. I figured that I must look something like a strider from the dark crystal, or ironically worse, an old man. This is worse because well I'm not that old dang it. First I discovered that I had acid reflux, then crones disease, gout, preachilles bursitis, and now a bum knee. Brilliant I am just waiting for the Alzheimers to kick in....
At any rate by the time I reached my car, which was not close by any stretch of the imagination, my pain had already hit a 4 again, but this time was even more swollen than the day before. By the time I reached home, it was larger and even more painful. I had been duped, I fell for the classic athlete trick. What I mean by that is I recently found out that when a doctor rushes out on the the field, court, or whatever, they spray something right on the injured area, and then something else altogether in the mouth. The athlete is then asked how they feel, and more often than not, they say 'better, I think' and get right back in the game. What the athlete didn't know is that the doctor sprayed an antiseptic on the wound, and just cold water in the mouth. These are just psychological tools, that merely mask some pain enough for the person to try and carry on. I was the one who had fallen of it.
So I find myself lost in a long game of Modern Warfare 2, where I duped myself again, but this time on purpose. Running around a game, where I am a superior player, and controlling every aspect of the game, against real people, made my knee feel better for the time i was playing. Go figure... hey at least I finished with a 31 - 3 only using my trusty 50 caliber sniper rifle, and my shotgun.....
Thursday, August 12, 2010
On the first day of physical therapy.... pain....
This should come as no great surprise but on the first day of physical therapy everything was awkward and interesting. There I was in the doctors black Utah Jazz shorts, and I was hobbling about with my two crutches, trying not to touch the ground with my injured leg. In short order I was again laying on a table. I was informed that they were going to run electricity into my leg, and that it would feel like it was falling asleep. The thought was not a pleasant one, but I realized 'hey, they wouldn't let them do anything dangerous in here, right?'. Sure enough they attached wires to my leg from a nifty little machine. The theme was for me to notify them when it was strong but tolerable. Tolerable, now that is an interesting tangent, I was beginning to think about what is tolerable and what isn't, 'Cleaning up after the kids - Tolerable, Best friends eating with a loud chomping sound - Tolerable, strangers eating with a loud chomping noise - Not tolerable, People who cheat on video games (esp MW2) - Very not tolerable,' and then oh ya my whole leg felt numb, and I realized that this was the limit on tolerable. A heat pack was added to my knee as the current cause me to have a sensation that I always imagined spider man had to tell him he was in danger, yup I was having a spidy sense. My brain was telling me that this was not only not natural, but probably not going to end up good. My muscles began to tighten and contract in my leg, in different patterns, this was both odd and annoying. About the time it was beginning to really get on my nerves, it was over, and I was informed that I was going to have an ultrasound.
"Will this tell me how far along I am?" I asked the nurse. Humor was now my only defense against the akward.
The nurse strained her eyes and her forehead furrowed, "Huh?" she asked.
"You know ultra sound, and all," I tried to explain, this made me look and feel pretty dumb, the nurse let out a complementary chuckle.
It seemed like only moment later before I was doing a series stretches, and being iced. Once the two hour long session was over I was hobbling around with my crutches again, and the doctor asked me how the pain was. 'The same," I replied. This was true at the moment, but when I returned home I noticed my knee not only hurt more, but it was far more swollen.
I should not have been surprised at the results, I was doomed to pain....
"Will this tell me how far along I am?" I asked the nurse. Humor was now my only defense against the akward.
The nurse strained her eyes and her forehead furrowed, "Huh?" she asked.
"You know ultra sound, and all," I tried to explain, this made me look and feel pretty dumb, the nurse let out a complementary chuckle.
It seemed like only moment later before I was doing a series stretches, and being iced. Once the two hour long session was over I was hobbling around with my crutches again, and the doctor asked me how the pain was. 'The same," I replied. This was true at the moment, but when I returned home I noticed my knee not only hurt more, but it was far more swollen.
I should not have been surprised at the results, I was doomed to pain....
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
The birth of a blog
There I was laying on a table in a doctors office. Since I do not particularly care to hang out in hospitals or doctors office, it was already awkward to begin with. Things quickly became complicated for me as I was wearing a pair of shorts provided by the doctor, they were a dark black with a Utah Jazz logo printed on the lower right hand leg.
Lets back up a little here, I had injured my knee at work a week earlier, and I had already received two different prognosis. The emergency room said torn cartilage, and the primary doctor said torn meniscus. So I was following up now at the physical therapists. The irony of the situation was that each doctors visit got more painful.
So there I was laying on the table when physical therapist asks while poking at my knee, "Are you from around here?"
I simply answer, "I'm from Phoenix originally."
"What brings you up here?" He asks pushing harder in different spots on my knee.
"My wi.... (insert groans of agony and painful cringe)..fe couldn't stand the heat," I somehow manage to say.
"And you moved here?" He asks still probing my leg, despite finding pain.
"She is fr.... (insert louder groans of agony and serious painful cringe)... om up north," I say, while thinking, 'do I know you? have I somehow offended you in some way? are you a part of the mob?'
"Well how did you two meet if you were so far apart?" He calmly asks, still probing and pushing on my knee.
"We met in Ne.... (now at this moment it took every part of my not to simply scream out, however I was defiantly writhing in agony... As I think back, it may be as close to what Luke Skywalker was feeling when the emperor was attacking him with lightning)," I did not finish my sentence.
"That hurts huh?" The doctor asks.
All I could muster was a, "Ya."
What I didn't know is that this was only the beginning of the interesting events, and this blog....
Lets back up a little here, I had injured my knee at work a week earlier, and I had already received two different prognosis. The emergency room said torn cartilage, and the primary doctor said torn meniscus. So I was following up now at the physical therapists. The irony of the situation was that each doctors visit got more painful.
So there I was laying on the table when physical therapist asks while poking at my knee, "Are you from around here?"
I simply answer, "I'm from Phoenix originally."
"What brings you up here?" He asks pushing harder in different spots on my knee.
"My wi.... (insert groans of agony and painful cringe)..fe couldn't stand the heat," I somehow manage to say.
"And you moved here?" He asks still probing my leg, despite finding pain.
"She is fr.... (insert louder groans of agony and serious painful cringe)... om up north," I say, while thinking, 'do I know you? have I somehow offended you in some way? are you a part of the mob?'
"Well how did you two meet if you were so far apart?" He calmly asks, still probing and pushing on my knee.
"We met in Ne.... (now at this moment it took every part of my not to simply scream out, however I was defiantly writhing in agony... As I think back, it may be as close to what Luke Skywalker was feeling when the emperor was attacking him with lightning)," I did not finish my sentence.
"That hurts huh?" The doctor asks.
All I could muster was a, "Ya."
What I didn't know is that this was only the beginning of the interesting events, and this blog....
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