Monday, January 31, 2011

Jargon

While I'm using Google to frantically search "nonarticulated fracture" and "interphalangeal joint" to understand my x-ray results... to understand them more than "CHRIST, MY FINGER IS BROKEN" and then shuddering violently at the idea of hand surgery... ugh, shudder... violently... I must say it is not very nice, Mr. Radiologist Lab Dude, to tell me - in writing! - that the rest of my metacarpals are "unremarkable."

You, sir, did not see all the football catches I made in practice before the one I missed broke the proximal phalanx of my left index finger. They were great, and rather remarkable, if I do say so myself.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Healing Lessons

Many things learned from a broken index finger, so far, not the least of which is that typing takes a while...

Also, in the way your gramma told you put on clean underwear in case you're hit by a bus, I'm telling you you should do the dishes before leaving the house. Because if you break a finger with a sink full of dishes waiting at home, your spouse will be too busy taking you for x-rays and making you meals (adding to the dish pile...) and thus not have the time or the fortitude to wash the ever-more-intimidating pile.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Huh?

In an article about home improvement stores trying to cater to 50% of their customers - women - this line was included:
  • True Value recently opened a corporate-owned store near Chicago that had wider aisles, better lighting and clear signs, part of an effort to attract women.
Wait, are we handicapped? Have bad vision?

Enter the Feminist.

I am really tired of having to soften my feminist views. So, instead of being tired of it, I'm giving it up. I no longer fear being called a Feminazi, and I'm no longer letting it slide by when something sexist or purposely/offensively heteronormative (or cisgender, if I want to be even more sensitive) gets tossed out there. I'm calling bullshit on it, and I don't have to have a sense of humor anymore.

When I was younger, I had no sense of humor about it and it was annoying. Because I was 19 and didn't know much about the world. But ten years of trying to be friendly and palatable about feminism is enough. I've seen a little more of the world now, and if something isn't funny or creative or thoughtful, I am not going to be the one who softens it with niceties.

Why all the ire? Did someone discriminate against me recently? Nope, not at all. I went to the annual Planned Parenthood Lunch in Portland this week, for the regional PP provider, and it fired me up.

There are a couple gems from the keynote that I want to share, but I'll start with the most-quoted line from it, regarding the protesters who claim PP targets black women and black babies, thus (in the theory of the great keynote speaker) associating donations to PP with racism, and driving away support:

These people are the pimples on the ass of time.

Man, she was great.

Thursday, January 27, 2011

Do you Twitter?

I do not. However, it is worth your time to read the "feed" of "Rahm Emanuel". Those are not misplaced quotes a la this hilarious grammar-nerd blog, but properly placed, since the Twitter account is not, of course, that of Chicago mayor contender Rahm Emanuel.

However, with tweets like this from the Bears-Packers championship game when the third string quarterback was sent in:

  • Jesus fucking Christ. They're just pulling people out of the fucking stands to be quarterback at this point, aren't they?

And then tweets like this, from his TV viewing of half State of the Union, half "I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant" marathon:

  • I thought the speech was pretty great. I mean, it's a tough situat... HOW THE FUCK DOES SHE NOT KNOW SHE'S FUCKING PREGANT?!

it is a gem.
And not for those who don't like swearing, clearly. Enjoy it here: http://twitter.com/mayoremanuel/

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

8.95 months later

Remember this? It was a trackback to an even earlier post, about giving a wedding gift to a relative and how long is too long for her to wait to cash the check.

Well, I wrote that check on May 27th and it was cashed today, a few days before the baby is born... the baby conceived on the honeymoon after the wedding for which I wrote said check.

A couple days shy of nine months is TOO LONG! It's official. And the saga is over, at least.

Saturday, January 22, 2011

When the sun comes out...

During an Oregon winter, I notice two things...

It's 5:20 PM and not pitch-black! We're movin' on up!

And yowza, you can really see the dust in my house with all this direct, natural light...

Wednesday, January 19, 2011

1 month later...

... give or take... since I last blogged. I'm taking 2011 seriously; more seriously than I have taken previous years. Is it the looming "THIRTY" that will arrive this year? Perhaps.

But I decided that something had to give while I sorted out some resolutions and new habits, and what gave way was the blog. Too much pressure! Too tough to keep it up for a handful of readers, and a rare smattering of commenters. It sort of epitomized how I've been living... give, give, give and be too busy to receive, receive, receive.

I've added some gym time to 2011, and am working to procrastinate less on the little things. (The big things? Eh, they're OK to procrastinate on, as far as I see it. But letting the dishes or laundry pile up, failing to prep a lunch or a gym bag, leaving mail stacked around... those are the things that really needle me, and wear down my temperament into a snide, snippy, sarcastic shrew.)

As for the blog? It may be time to take a turn with it, and use it for the next few months in one way only... work anecdotes, short slice of life anecdotes, tales from the spiritual advancement files, etc. Suggestions?