Should I be concerned

that when measured, my rear end (if you include the curve around) is as wide as a piano ?

Eeek!!!

Seen on a T-shirt

your quote for the day

I'm not suffering from insanity; I'm enjoying every minute of it.

PS Y, Let me know if you can read the complete entries now.

Oh, and a quick update...I'm working theoretically three jobs at the moment, plus all the stuff I do that's not technically work but sure seems like it, so that's why I haven't blogged much. It also means that Cerys, my dog, has gone into doggie daycare with some loving pack members, and it seems to be working out well. She's happier, which makes me happier. The cats, on the other hand, are just rather pissed (although thankfully not literally, because being cats, that's always a danger) with me and cling to my pillow at night. (Three of us--one pillow. Fun). But I feel better because they have each other and frankly cats mostly nap during the day anyway, and I give lots of love every chance I get, for it is unwise to make a cat cranky, and besides, what can I say, they're my babies.

Anyway, that's all for now. Have a great (long, for those in the US) weekend. Oh, and happy birthday Sunday for my grandmother. She'll be 81!

Farewell to a man who made classy films of bygone eras

Ismail Merchant, doyen of the film industry, passes away

Thus ends the partnership of Merchant-Ivory and their bevy of beautifully cinematographed offerings. Although Jim Ivory was primarily the one who directed, none of those films with their exquisite depth, talent, and sense of history could have been made without Merchant, responsible for the money side of things...the hiring, the fund-raising, the actual producing.

A colleague from Chicago has offered

some knitting needles to fuel my habit. Thank you, L!

I really like

Marc Broussard's 'Home'. It has wonderful percussion, a great blues sound, but for some reason I only hear it on the radio really late at night. I have to admit I crank up my radio to catch all the words as I drive. It's obvious he's absorbed the genre of music into his very pores, but I'd never have thought he was 22 from his voice. It's great to hear someone so...into...a song. That's the only way I can describe it. It reminds me a little of a friend's talent, only with a rougher style, and it definitely takes me back to where I grew up, Louisiana. I'll definitely have to check out his other music.

Kudos to Orbitz

for its game-show themed TV commercial targeting lesbian and gay travellers during episodes of Will & Grace. It was amazing to see a commercial specifically aimed at gay people on the air in the middle of the afternoon. It was a teensy bit stereotypical, but not bad all around.

Back after a hiatus

related to the move. I cannot say enough about how refreshing America's Best Moving & Storage was after the fiasco of Tuesday. Their men were friendly and courteous, took no breaks, got everything moved within a couple of hours, and were much cheaper. Needless to say, they got a tip. They really came through when the other movers dropped the ball (see the previous diatribe for that story).

So, it's been tiring and at one point I was up for 24 hours straight and went about 48 with only 7 hours total sleep, but now there's just a couple of carloads to take care of and the unpacking to do. (The thought of unpacking makes me a little weak in the knees.) I'm sure I've lost weight over the last few days, even eating mainly at McDonald's. I've certainly been working off the calories.

Sorry for no updates during that time; I really wasn't near a computer. But I'm back, and hopefully I'll find something to spout about.

Something funny

Thanks, N., for passing this on.

KIDS BIBLE STUDY

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING.
IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS! IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS. THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN. THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED. INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.
2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.
3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.
4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.
5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.
6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.
7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS.
8. THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.
9. THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.
10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.
11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.
12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.
13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.
14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.
15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.
16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.
17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.
18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.
19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.
20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.
21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.
22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.
23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.
24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.
25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY !

Why I will never use or recommend

Two Men and a Truck - Lexington, KY

A review based on actual experience:

1. Although told in detail what to expect, erroneous information was passed onto the movers by the office.
   
2. Because of that error, the estimate suddenly doubled on the spot.
   
3. This meant the movers sat and smoked for an hour whilst the move was re-negotiated. This ran from not doing the job, to doing a partial job (which defeats the purpose of hiring movers), to an offer to cancel the move with the company and let the guys do it on the side with a rented truck (surely unethical and a huge liability for anyone stupid enough to take them up on that one, since any injuries would be the homeowner's and not workman's comp). Eventually it was agreed to go ahead and do the whole move. At one point someone from the office had to come out in person and as he put it, 'light a fire' in getting them going.
   
4. Once up and going, they did a relatively good job, although they took frequent smoking breaks and overall spent about as much time sitting on their butts, smoking or on cell phones than working. Not fun when you're being charged an hourly rate.
   
5. They increasingly became more surly and complaining as the day went on, especially the foreman. Granted, they expected a quicker move, but that was the office's error. They also complained about having to move furniture that they had been repeatedly told was not going.
   
6. Two-thirds of the way through the move, a comment from one of the subordinates indicated that they were going to abandon the move.
   
7. When confronted, a lame excuse was presented for not returning for a second run. Certain comments and behaviours seem to indicate that some amount of prejudice went into the decision. Or perhaps they were just tired. Or just didn't give a damn. A 45-minute interlude of renegotiation with the home office ensued. Another team was dispatched, but they apparently communicated with the first and when that team arrived, they decided not to take on the move, either; again some amount of bigotry is suspected.
   
8. Meaning, of course, that although most of what remained was fairly light and could have been quickly moved in a truck (but would not fit in a car), another company had to be called and arrangements to finish the move were made for another day, including rearranging of schedules.
   
9. Know what they're motto is? 'Movers who care (TM)'. I found that to be a crock.
   
10. Needless to say, I think there will be a complaint to the Better Business Bureau over this one.
    

Save your money and make your move less stressful by skipping these folks. I'd like to say it was just this group, but both teams dropped the ball and I've heard reports of other moves from acquaintances that run from, 'oh, they're okay, but a little vulgar' to 'the cops had to be called because of the way they treated so and so'. I suppose you're okay if you have just a few items (although that's hardly worth the trouble, when a friend with a pickup who works for pizza is much cheaper). Or perhaps they're okay if you're a good ol' boy or from a similar racial or social group or just meek enough to go along with any snafu that arises. At least that's my opinion (so nevermind suing me for libel, I'm just relating my experience and reviewing the work as I saw it). You're welcome to ignore it if you like.

This was my first adult experience with movers (we moved a lot when I was a kid). It wasn't a good first impression. Hopefully the new moving company will be more professional (they are at least cheaper). In the meantime, thanks to E for really coming through and helping to get some necessities to the new place in the meantime--you made the day...a day that's thankfully over. I've been up for 24 hours followed by about 2 and a half hours of sleep, so hopefully this is at least coherent.

So how was your Tuesday??? :)

Came across this

National Anxiety Foundation, Helping Sufferers of Panic, Anxiety and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and was intrigued since it's based here in town. I may see about volunteering with them, since I have a vested interest due to OCD, social anxiety, and other anxiety issues for which I'm under treatment (and doing well, I might add).

Busy-ness this week

Today I'm working my main job and training at the temp phoneathon one. Plus, I'm preparing things for tomorrow, which will be the culmination of a move for which I've been preparing for weeks. I'll be off galavanting across town for that. Then there will be the aftermath to deal with. In all, I'm going to be very busy over the next six weeks, with the three jobs and unpacking. I found out the other day I can stay at the distance learning job at least until they hire a new teacher to replace my boss (who's getting married and moving to San Francisco). That means I can still get some hours in per week until the end of the summer, depending on how another job possibility turns out. I'll know more about that on Wednesday. Thursday I plan to work and then spend some time relaxing.

In retrospect it's good that I didn't get to go to the MLA conference. Who has the time??? :)

Back on Earth

Our intrepid gaming group has now managed to return to the Earth of the Dreamlands (of Cthulhu Mythos fame, see horror by HP Lovecraft or the game by Chaosium if you have no idea of what I speak). We also avoided being assassinated by our misogynist captain, and now we're trying to outrun the ships sent from the Moon to destroy us. Meanwhile, Nyarlothotep was not able to eat our souls, we destroyed the Man in the Moon (temporarily), his betrothed, his servant, and his library, and generally speaking although we are at least back on Earth we're by no means safe, and we've royally pissed off both the Crawling Chaos and his minion.

I love this game.

This was followed by the penultimate episode of the season for 'Charmed', where a daemon finally managed to get the Book of Shadows (played by Oded Fehr, Ardath Bey from the movie The Mummy, who I really think is hot). Yikes! The day's fictional endeavours were complete with 'Mystery!', a Miss Marple story, 'What Mrs McGillicuddy Saw'.

It was a good Sunday overall. Yes, this is what I do for fun and relaxation--that and read, which I haven't had time to do of late.

Documentary time

I:

1. Spent most of the day watching a mother bird caring for her baby who had fallen from her nest in last night's rain and keeping an inquisitive dog from scaring the poor thing to death, although at one point the dog and bird were nose-to-nose and neither of them knew what to do at that point.
   
2. Felt like the subject of one of those nature programmes as thunderstorms came and went and my energy fell with each darkening sky and naptime ensued.
   
3. I watched an interesting documentary-style programme on Discovery called 'Alien Planet' which showed what Earth probes to another system and their encounters might be like. It was very good.
   

I'm off work today

and busily taking care of some things, so no major blogging today. Will resume as soon as possible.

In the meantime, happy Friday the 13th. It's been immensely lucky so far. Plus, I got a phone call out of the blue yesterday that could mean something very, very good if it pans out. Will give the details when I know more, but just keep your fingers crossed for me for now...it could mean finally being solvent and self-supportive if it works out.

Nifty Aegyptology news

Is this the face of Tutankhamun?

A team of American, Aegyptian, and French scientists have worked with deep scans of King Tut's mummy to produce three different yet similar versions of what he may have looked like, mostly with differences of the nose and ears (the soft cartilage areas). The images also show that ancient portraits in line with the actual body's features. The face shows a young man with chubby cheeks and his family's overbite, with a receding chin. They also believe that rather than a blow to the head, he may have been killed by gangrene setting in quickly after suffering a broken leg. They also discovered that he was a healthy 19-year-old who had not suffered childhood illnesses that left any lasting effects and was about 5' 6".

Here are more links...

Face-to-Face with King Tut
Tutankhamun Riddle Solved
Face of Tutankhamun Reconstructed

The French is probably the most life-like attempt; the US one was done without any knowledge of whose skull it was from which they worked.

The buzz

throughout medical librarianship is the approaching MLA national meeting. Once again, I find myself staying home as others enjoy the excitement. I've been a medical librarian for eight years and a librarian for twelve. The closest I ever came to attending a national conference was as a student when we were all set to go down to New Orleans, stay cheaply at Tulane, enjoy the whole conference for 25 bucks (student rates), and one of our professors was going to drive us down in a van, so it would have cost almost nothing. Everyone else backed out. :(

This year I had some hope of going to San Antonio since I knew that I could stay with relatives, but my travel budget is nil and I wouldn't have been able to afford the conference rates and travel costs. So, well, here I am. One of these days I will go, I hope. Until then, the medical librarian lists will be quiet except for those of us left behind, and who knows how many interlibrary loans at small institutions will shut down. Oh, well, someday...

Kudos to Time magazine

for it's story The Cruelest Cut about the practice of cutting, a behaviour that many people, especially young women, engage in as an attempt to feel emotions or block out emotional pain. It usually involves cuts with a razor or knife on the arms or other parts of the bodies. In short, it's self-mutilation.

Cutting and other forms of self-harm are an important diagnostic criterion for borderline personality disorder, although not everyone who cuts themselves is borderline.

I understand the impetus to cut, although I'm not a cutter. I do have the urge to do it, have imagined doing it and have even gone through the motions without actually cutting, but I can usually find something else to do instead. Sometimes I do something constructive, but my main alternatives are to eat or to pick at my arms to the point that they are scarred. When I finally confessed this to a friend one day, he was horrified. It makes no sense to a rational person, I suppose. But it isn't rational. It's a way of blocking out the world for me. I don't know if the picking is due to the obsessive-compulsive disorder or borderline personality--both of which I've been diagnosed as having--but I do know when I am under stress I do it more. The times I have the urge to cut are when I'm at my most emotionally labile. When I'm not actively doing it, though, I'm embarrassed by my weight and by rough skin on my arms, and it's a viscious cycle as I become more acutely aware of my body and what I've done to it. Then I think of ways to control my eating or otherwise get some control over my life, and I worry sometimes that I'll develop an eating disorder, if my binge eating itself doesn't count as one.

Yeah, I'm a mess. But hey, someone has to write these sorts of things so that others can know their not alone, right? And somehow despite everything I manage to get through each day, hold down 2-3 jobs, and maintain contact with the people who are important in my life. So I guess that says something. We all have daemons. These are some of mine, the result of whacky brain chemistry and a background of abuse.

Well, that makes sense

AP Wire 05/10/2005 Gay men respond differently to pheromones

They respond similarly to women in brain imaging studies done with pheromones. In fact, they respond strongest to pheromones of other gay men, whereas heterosexual women and men and for that matter lesbians respond least to gay pheromones.

One more tally in the genetics vs. learnt behaviour as a means of explaining homosexuality.

So do bisexuals respond indiscriminately to everybody's pheromones? Or just to gay same-sex or straight opposite-sex odours? Hmmmm. I think my brain is flawed; I seem to be attracted to gay men, more's the pity. Anyway, it's an interesting study; I hope they keep up the investigation.

Nifty

Creation of Black Hole Detected
A flash of light accompanying a gamma ray burst heralded the merger of two neutron stars to create a small black hole--an event that took place 2 million years ago, but unfolded for us just yesterday.

I Should Have Bet

I always pick a grey horse, if there is one, in the field for the Derby. No, it's not scientific at all. I just like grey horses. If there isn't a grey one, then I go with black. Nevermind that the only grey, Giacomo, was 50-1 odds.

Of course, I didn't actually see the paper which listed the colours until right after the Derby was won. But if I'd been at a Derby party this year, I would probably have put in a little bet for Giacomo. Wow.

Apparently he's named for Sting's son (his owner is in the record business). The fact that he came up grinding from 18th position has some excited about how he'll do in the longer races of the Triple Crown. All I know is, my (figurative) money is on the grey horse.

Man's (or Baby Girl's) Best Friend

Stray Dog in Kenya Saves Abandoned Baby

The dog found the baby in a plastic bag. She carried it across a busy road and through barbed wire to a shed where she was keeping her own puppies.

Always remember

March a way to feel loss, reaffirm life

A librarian-related Garfield

The Vault Strip

Okay, it's stereotyped, what's new. But I did think it was funny.

Hmmm...an interesting bit of health news

Stem Cell Findings Could Shine Light on Fertility Problems

Adult ovarian stem cells can be transformed into mature eggs capable of being fertilised. Although in early stages of investigation, data suggest that this might be an alternative for some women facing fertility issues. Since it deals with stem cells taken from adult ovaries, it avoids much of the heated debate over embryonic stem cells and their uses.

I've been a Bookcrosser for awhile

and one of the reasons I like this community so well is the wording of the release alerts:

Until next time, I tirelessly remain, Your Friendly Release Alert Robot

Much nicer than the kill-you-dead-and-ask-questions-later robot, no?

I've mostly released, and I have an entire pile to be released soon, but I haven't caught any yet. Here's hoping I do soon.

I'm on cloud nine by association

After many trials and much expectation, D's baby boy is here! JMK was born last night and I'm just ecstatic for the happy family. Poor D is no doubt exhausted and sore, but I dare say that everything she's gone through has been worth it. D used to have a blog that chronicled some of the issues she dealt with in trying to have a baby. Since it was linked here, you may have read it--it was called 'Open Escape'. Now all those hopes and dreams--and all the tribulations on the road to motherhood--have come to fruition. Congratulations, D & E, and welcome to the world, baby J. I'm going to give mum a bit of a rest before checking on her tomorrow, but it is the perfect Mother's Day gift, don't you think?

Sounds like John

is having some of the same problems I was the last couple of weeks. Money-food-meds-dental work...it's a balancing act, and his is worsened by the sheer rigour of trying to get a dentist who is accepting new National Health patients.

Send him some encouraging thoughts!

Meanwhile, I'm sitting in a building of mirrored glass and a robin keeps attacking his reflection. I don't think he's hurt himself yet, although it makes a remarkable squeaky noise when his beak scrapes the glass. I feel like that robin some days. How about you?

The last of my active corpses has been posted

(boy, that title seems odd if you didn't know what I was talking about). :)

Listening to: 'I Dreamed a Dream'; 'Lovely Ladies', Les Mis

An Exquisite Corpse: elementa/not here/in big cups/out there

Again, we all kept with a space/moon theme. Weird.

This was a good set of things to remember

Listening to: 'The Bishop'; 'Valjean's Soliloquy', Les Misérables


J sent this to me. It was attributed to the Dalai Lama. I don't know if that's really the case, but they definitely are things to consider and incorporate in life, and several are things that my own mentor has tried to teach me.

1. Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
   
2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
   
3. Follow the three Rs:
   
   • Respect for self
     
   • Respect for others
     
   • Responsibility for all our actions.
     
   
   
4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
   
5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
   
6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
   
7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
   
8. Spend some time alone every day.
   
9. Open arms to change, but don't let go of your values.
   
10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
    
11. Live a good, honourable life. Then when you get older and think back you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
    
12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
    
13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
    
14. Share your knowledge. It¹s a way to achieve immortality.
    
15. Be gentle with the Earth.
    
16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.
    
17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
    
18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
    
19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.