For those about to debate ...

For anyone whose address I already had - your cards are going out this afternoon.

If you responded to my Last Call... post, the cards will be sent tomorrow morning!


And Ms. hotbabysponge, you've got something special coming to you in the next few days - although it may not arrive until right after Christmas!

That's all I can say.

I'm going home to St. Louis in two days - and what has me most nervous isn't seeing my family again, but seeing friends again.

People that I haven't seen since I skipped out of town at the very beginning of March, and kept in contact with to some degree.

I'm trying to remain calm, practicing deep breathing, all of that good stuff ... yet I'm anxious about seeing these people again.

yes ... Gael García Bernal is too sexy indeed.


Pardon me while I fan myself off ... as you can guess, I'm looking forward to Bad Education ... Gael in drag. *le sigh* In the meantime, I really should watch Y Tú Mama Tambíen sometime - and not just because I'd heard that the sex scenes were good and hot.

Last night, I went to see Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with Kellie and friends at a very cool theater in Oakland, Parkway Theater.

Before the movie started, we got to settle into Ikea couches with pizza and drinks, and big-ass bowls of fresh-popped popcorn with butter and salt, Bjork playing in the background - it has to be the best way to see a movie.


And the movie? Well, I'd always seen Willy Wonka on TV, never on the big screen, so this was especially cool for me. I've loved that film since I was a kid, still love it to this day - and some scenes just cracked me up more than others:

* When Mike TeeVee is interviewed as the latest ticket winner, he shoots his cap gun, then complains about not being able to have a real one. Dad's reply? "Not until you're 12, Mike."

* When Veruca Salt was in her dad's office, pushing him to get the ladies to work faster at opening the Wonka bar wrappers, she called one lady a twat.

I just have to say this:

Epilepsy - It's a literal Brainstorm



No, I haven't had seizures in a while ... but the meds have been kicking my ass something fierce.

I'm trying to keep up the desire to work through the last hour of the day, and not just skip out of here and curl up with the Resident Kitties at home.

Don't get me wrong, I think it's fantastic that many (if not, all) health insurance carriers have a 24-hour line staffed by RNs that people can call, when they're questioning whether or not to seek medical attention on something.

In the past, the Nurse Line staffed by United HealthCare has been very helpful when Dr. Mom wasn't available. :)

However, when I called the nurse line provided by Blue Cross of California - I seemed to get Nurse Ratchet, with an accent. I explained my situation - the dog bite. That I'd been treated after it happened, and I was doing my own aftercare at home - Neosporin and dressing changes twice daily. But, I was still in pain, and experiencing some swelling and discomfort - yet I didn't think it was ER-worthy.

Oh Good Goddess ... you would've thought that I called in and said that "I just had my right arm sliced off with a hatchet - but it's only a flesh wound." I was reprimanded for not getting to the ER post-dog bite *that day*, even though the dog had had all of her shots, and I'd had a tetanus shot less than 6 months ago.

Well pardon me ... I thought I was doing The Right Thing^TM, and I didn't think it was something that I should dash my ass into the Emergency Room over. If she'd taken off my toe - or bitten another appendage, or even my face, then hell yes, I'd be in the ER faster than anything.


But, since my internist is doing us all a favor and retiring next week, and I don't exactly want to make an appointment with a new doctor by stating "Hi - I was bitten by a dog on Saturday..." I will appease all involved by going to an Urgent Care clinic this afternoon, to get my foot checked out. To make sure that I have been doing The Right Thing^TM until I could get to a doctor, ensure that there is no damage to the joint or nerves in my toe, and most importantly, no infection in the wound site. And, of course, probably get reprimanded again for not seeking help sooner.

My argument would be that "Hey, at least I got it taken care of now, rather than letting it reach gangrene state." :-X


ETA: I went to Urgent Care on my lunch hour, and there is no sign of infection. Yes, my foot is supposed to be sore and swollen - the dog bite was like a glorified puncture wound/tissue trauma. I'd been doing the right things in changing the bandaging twice daily, keeping my foot elevated and taking Ibuprofin. The only changes are using Betadine instead of Neosporin on the bites, and leaving it uncovered in the evening, to help it heal. And oh yeah, I even got a prescription for some Vicodin to help with the pain and sleeping at night. (As though my seizure meds are stopping me from (over)sleeping right now!)

As for the ER - no reprimand. Just an agreement that if I'd have gone on Saturday, I probably would've been seen by now. ;)

Most Recent Photo:
( From the Company Open House )

One of the best things that Kellie and I saw this weekend happened in the Castro.

No, it didn't involve strobe lights popping up from the street, and a disco ball dropping down from the skies, while half-nekkid go-go bois did their thing in shop windows.

It was better. I know - you're wondering how *anything* could be better than the Castro during Pride Weekend. Well, this is - while waiting for the bus to get home, Kellie and I saw people hailing cabs. Not an unusual sight, except for the confounded young man that happened to be hailing a PIZZA DELIVERY GUY!

Yeah, Escape From New York Pizza is really going to get you home, dude. Sure, the sign looks *similar* to a taxi's - but look what's missing: the TAXI or FOR HIRE sign.

Almost as good as the tourists trying to hail hired cabs for a half-hour.

No siree ... not in San Francisco - especially not while riding the bus to work this morning!

Case in point: One particular stop was at Turk and Hyde - right in the heart of the Tenderloin area. Great neighborhood - if you're looking for a crackwhore, or like to watch people dealing with their DTs and coming down from crystal and smack highs.

Anyways, the bus stops, and a good number of people get off. While the back door is splayed wide open, one of the more colorful people walks up to the doors and shouts "Everybody put your hands up and give me $29.00!". Then he walks off and laughs.


I dunno ... kind of hard to put credence in the threats of someone whose weapons of choice are a carton of whole milk and a Hostess Honey Bun.

I don't think I've mentioned it, but right now, I hate my asthma/allergies.

The weather here (San Francisco) is turning colder on a more consistent basis, the office is still wicked cold, and with the heating system in our apartment, only certain rooms get heat - while others stay nice and chilly.

What does this mean for me? Well, it means that I'm hitting the rescue inhaler more often than usual (I was down to 'before exercise only' - which technically doesn't count), and I'm having to deal with coughing/chest tightness while in a nice, hot shower.

Of course, it would help if I were tracking my peak flows on a more consistent basis - I'd been lagging off - especially with the temperature changes, it might help A LOT when I go back to the Good Doctor in two weeks.


Besides that, I'm okay. I'm alive - which is always a good thing. :) So my occasional grumping is just a reminder that I'm thankful to still be around - and have a reason to complain over something.