For those about to debate ...

Good Riddance to me?

I know it's Carly Fiorina at HP ... but seeing that header, I almost had a heart attack. Then, I saw it was from the Slate feed.

Ooops.

Britney Spears - An Insurance Agent's Worst Nightmare

How *anyone* can forget arthroscopic surgery that was performed five years ago is beyond me. It's not like getting a tooth filled - arthroscopic surgery is serious, and leaves you incapacitated for at least several days.


Sigh. My prediction? She'll lose the case for withholding the information on her pre-existing condition (even if it was one month shy of the 5 year threshold ... it's still in the "within 5 years" category). In layman's terms? She willfully omitted information, in order to obtain the policy.

It's like telling your agent that you've had no accidents in 3 years, getting the coverage, having an accident, then the company finds out that you had an accident 2 years ago. Basically, she could be considered to have committed insurance fraud. *eg*

As much as I like the idea of having a place I can go to, to discuss living with such a "fun" neurological disorder as epilepsy, epileptics is starting to get its share of people that are perpetually wearing Pissy Pants.

Apparently, if you express a dissenting opinion, you get shot down. G*d forbid you should suggest that someone with epilepsy severe enough to merit going on Disability actually consider surrendering their license.

My epilepsy may not be that severe - but it is unpredictable (duh), and I'm not in the right mindset once a seizure happens to think "maybe I should pull the car off the road...", so I voluntarily do not drive. It's just safer that way for all involved.

It just occurred to me that 20 years ago, this month, I had my first seizure. Next month will be the anniversary of my diagnosis as epileptic.


In that time, I've gone from information passed along by well-meaning doctors telling me that as an epileptic, I would not be able to live alone; take baths - only showers; go on roller coasters; use gas stoves or sharp objects; or even go swimming - to having lived on my own, developed a major love of roller coasters, had gas stoves in every apartment I've lived in, enjoyed bubble baths, and go swimming on occasion.

It's amazing, isn't it? In two decades, they've gone from treating epileptics like we were incapable of living independently, to realizing that independence is a good thing - as well as finding better medications and treatments to keep seizures under control.


Still, it almost blows my mind to think of how much progress has made. At least they're not assuming that we're receiving divine visitation - or being demonically possessed, and wanting to put us into sanitariums for time immemorial.

Apparently there's a discussion going in faghags over what constitutes a "True" fag hag. Basically, are you a fag hag if you date/fool around with gay men, or are you a fag hag if you just about mother them?

If I'm not mistaken, "fag hag" originally referred to a straight woman that wanted to sleep with a gay man - and made no bones about it. Somehow, it's evolved into a name for the gay guy's best girl-friend. Someone that he can be fun and bitchy with - without sexual tension getting in the way.


Where does that leave the Queer girls that love their gay guy friends - but don't want to fuck them eight ways to Sunday? And what of the straight and queer girls that like the idea of two guys getting it on ... but wouldn't want to join in, just watch?

Yeah, I'm asking about where us Slashers fit into the whole scenario. (Oh wait ... I guess that makes us girlfags. Or something.)

It's interesting how life (or at the least, my body) tends to put me in my place, whether I need it or not.

Today is no exception. I was all ready to go to work this morning - had my clothes out and everything. Instead, my brain decided to go haywire on me and I had my first seizure in about 8 months. Thankfully, Kellie was around when it happened, and took care of me in between conference calls and putting out work-related fires.

Typically, I have no idea what happens when I have a seizure. I just know that I have that weird "deja-vu/funky aura/hallucination" feeling - and I'm rendered incapacitated until after I've taken a nap, and had time to recover. Kellie wrote something in her blog about what happened, and what it was like from her point of view - so I'm borrowing that and posting it here.

( A literal brain storm )

The aftermath is this: I slept until about 8:30 a.m. (the seizure happened around 7:45 a.m.), and when I woke up, I thought I'd overslept and barely recalled Kellie calling Susan (my boss) to let her know that I wouldn't be in because of the seizure, and I was going to need my rest. So, I went back to sleep until about 10:30 or 11 - stayed awake for an hour or so, then went back to sleep until almost 4 p.m.

I'd bitten the tip of my tongue - hard enough that it's bruised - during the seizure, and I have a bruise on my right shoulder from either the magazine rack or the doorknob. My head still hurts, and I'm hoping for an uneventful evening - maybe even a somewhat uneventful weekend. (Not that I don't want to go out and do the usual running - "uneventful" here means no more seizures to ruin the day!)

It's strange that I'd have a seizure - but, I did have a trigger: my period. No unusual stress levels, no sleep deprivation - just my period.


Damn body.

Altruistic Intentions - or Bad Taste?

Personally, I have nothing against re-releasing a bath bomb named for a city in Thailand (Phuket) - with proceeds going to tsunami relief.

Yet, a few people consider it bad taste.

No, bad taste would be calling it "Tsunami Mami" or some other dreck-y, gimmick-y name.


Besides, I've never used the Phuket bomb ... so it'll be fun to try it - and even have the money go to a good cause. :-)

It may not be the prettiest jewelry in the world - but unlike a diamond ring, it can save my life.

Yes, I'm talking about a MedicAlert bracelet. Since I'm dealing in conditions that can render me unable to tell a doctor or EMT about my medications and such, it helps in that regard. All they have to do is call the toll-free number, and find out what meds I'm on, who my doctor is, and even have loved ones contacted.

This is my bracelet, engraved with Asthma and Epilepsy.

Personally, I also like these - but I'll wait before getting another bracelet.

In the meantime, if they had bracelets that looked like this, I would've worn it more often when I was 12 years old and really needed it. Instead, about 20 years ago, this was the only option - unless you wanted a necklace, of course.


So ... if you don't have one, but you have a condition that could merit your wearing one, go to MedicAlert for more information. Even if you don't need it, but know of someone that could use it - pass the URL onto them, and save a life! :-)

Borrowed from fellow Metallica fan dpaul007:

Scan my interest list and pick out the one that seems the most odd to you. Leave a comment asking me about it, and I’ll explain it.

Then post this in your journal so other people can ask you about your interests.