Only a Slightly Great Update

Let’s see…what’s been happening since my last update.

Well, my grandmother was diagnosed with spinal cancer. She is, of course, in denial about it and, despite her sister also having Cancer, is convinced that it’s something to do with her lungs. She’s refusing any kind of medical treatment under the assumption that, somehow, her minister and church will heal her of her “lung problem”. Kind of reminds me of the story about the guy in the flood who gets angry with god for leaving him to die.

Aside from that, still no telephone or Internet. I’m currently at the Library, on my laptop, listening to the annoying sounds of a bunch of whin…I mean the adorable sounds of a bunch of vocally gifted darling children shri…exercising their ability to vocalize in high pitched format.

Rotten little bastards.

Anyway.

I don’t really want to go home today. Parts of me would much rather find some way of spending the night here in the Library, if only to have Internet access, but I know that they’re not going to let me. I weep. I weep for my lack of access to the really real world.

I’m looking forward to going to Bethesda if only to have access for a longer period of time via their wireless service. I’ll have to take my power cord and I’m hoping it won’t be a problem. My cord is a’frayed and, in the manual at least, it talks a great deal about not bringing such things in. I don’t have money to go to even Radio Shit for a new one though, so I just don’t know.

Aside from this, I’m Rapid Cycling. I just came from across the street actually. I explained to my psychiatrist what was going on and she’s talking of upping the dose of Depakote. -_-

Yeah, ok.

I really miss my friends most of all. I mean, I have addresses and all, but it’s not the same as being able to fire off an e-mail in a fit of inspiration or have a long conversation via IM. That’s something you really cannot beat.

Anyway, I’d better go. I still need to get some stuff done before my battery runs out.

P-A-I-D and S-H-O-P-P-I-N-G

I managed to feed the payment for the NIDDK medical study to my pet bank accounts. They’re happily playing the part of a sleeping contented Hobbes while they await the next monetary injection.

 

Still without either Internet or even telephone. In desperation for my mother to have something to do, I may buy a Tracphone or something just to keep her from constantly asking me what I’m doing. I wish she’d do something more constructive like reading or something but I can’t twist her arm to do it, no matter how much I might wish her to expand herself.

 

Heck, I’m sitting at the Library right now using the FREE computers and she doesn’t even want to come in for the purpose of checking out a book or something to occupy her time. Sad.

 

I suppose my main reason for logging in and making this post is this:

 

My beloved Lot Store at the Reisterstown Road Plaza is closing its doors and is having the sale of a lifetime. Things that were $20.00USD are now $6.00USD and the price is only going to go lower since they’re closing in less than two weeks. If I were anyone reading this in the Baltimore Metropolitan area, I would descend upon the place like a swarm of locusts to get cheap buys on a lot of really great stuff.

 

Things like cleaning implements, curtains, all types of clothing, electronics, bath and body products, storage solutions, novelties, and bedding. You name it, they’ve carried it. You should get to it before it’s all bought up.

 

I’m really hoping that they’ll open elsewhere in the Plaza but, given that this is their second move in the past ten years, I really wonder. I love going in there to get deals and I’m actually planning on going back to get a few Sterite storage bins so I can have something to store my knitted works and excess yarn. Since I only use acrylic (so far), it’s not like I have moths to worry about but I would like to give them a scent before sending them off. Some sandalwood or other incense sticks in with the various scarves, hats, and other things would be just the ticket and the ability to close it in via a lid would make it absorb all the more scent.

 

So, as I said, check out the Lot Store at the Reisterstown Road Plaza before they close in two weeks time. Believe me, you won’t regret going there.

Early as Hell

Currently, I’m sitting here in the NIDDK main clinic utilizing their Internet resources since my own have been decimated by the cruel fate of telephone disconnectivity.

 

*sniffle*

 

I’m starved, dehydrated, and bored stuff, but I’m here.

 

I think now, I’m going to wander the NIH looking for something to do between now and later this afternoon. I’m meant to have the meeting at 4:30pm but I got here around noon. I figure it’s better to be early than late. I think I just may have taken it a bit too far though. :p

 

Well, I’m off.

Gas Money?

I knew gas prices were bad…but wow!

New Zealand man sells his soul to ‘Hell’

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — A New Zealand man has sold his soul to hell — Hell Pizza, that is.

The New Zealand pizza chain said Thursday it had struck a deal with Walter Scott, 24, to buy a deed to his soul, shortly after an online auction site that initially agreed to the sale withdrew it from the Internet because of complaints it was in bad taste.

Scott offered his soul on the TradeMe site on Wednesday, saying he had not found it to be much use.

“I can’t see it, touch it or feel it, but I can sell it, so I’m going to palm it off to the highest bidder,” Scott, 24, said on the sale site.

The auction attracted more than 32,000 hits and more than 100 bids before it was taken down.

*looks askance at the pile of overdue bills and nearly empty food stores…*

Pbbbbbt. I’m going to hit the shower and then the library. I’ve got a book hold and I can’t afford to pay the week fee.

Black Models Get No Luv…

It’ll be on Oprah and Tyra any day now. Tyra…*spaced out drooling*

Er…*shakes head clear*

Black is finally in fashion at Vogue

By Ian Johnston and Photini Philippidou
Sunday, 27 April 2008

It’s an open secret in the fashion industry: black models rarely get jobs on catwalks, in magazines and on billboards. According to executives, they do not inspire women to spend money.

Apart from Naomi Campbell in one Louis Vuitton advertisement this season, it would be difficult to find a single black model in a prominent position in a magazine. Carole White of the Premier Model Agency says she has received casting briefs requesting “no ethnics” and adds: “According to magazines, black models don’t sell.” (More)

I personally couldn’t give a flying…duck what the fashion world thought of me. I’d like to think I have more to me than something as vapid as ‘fashion consciousness’ but that’s just me. It seems odd that almost no one is stressing any kind of intellectual stimulation to girls (of all backgrounds) but are, in place of this, pushing forward an idiotic idealization that one must fit into this standardized casting in order to be accepted in society. Bullshit.

Now that I’ve got my personal views out of the way. This is about as old as the hills. For what it’s worth, it’s nice to see someone (aside from Yves Saint-Laurent and the few others like him) take any note of it and specifically address the issue. I still think it’s a shame they’re not modeling academic caps and gowns or…dare I say it? Doctorates in the fields of Mathematics and the various Sciences?

I doubt anyone will take the challenge of not cutting darker skinned models out of their promotions (damn and blast you Covergirl for cutting that commercial with the very beautiful Alek Wek!) as seriously, but my hat goes off to this Nick Knight fellow.

Heh, cool name too. :p

Random Ridiculous Thoughts

Yarn Harlot has a much more patient blogger at the helm than I. How anyone could interpret this post as “Anti-American”…

Some people seriously need to get their heads examined. That’s really saying a lot coming from me.

Anywho…

Out of nowhere, I decided to make some slippers for my next Inpatient event at the NIDDK at the NIH. Country Rose and Royalty Blue. Caron and Red Heart. Acrylic, of course. I’m using a slipper pattern that now costs money but, when I first saw it, was going for free and was linked on the Knitting Help site.

…I won’t say it either.

As I said, I’m making it with a combination of the two above named colors and I’m knitting both strands as one. Since it’s copyrighted, I’ll try to show a picture of a sample swatch. You could also just hold two different colored strands of yarn together and knit it yourself probably long before I could ever hear back from anyone. I’ve got one lonely square that I’m soon to cast off and then I’ll switch between (mumbles) the scarf for the paternal parental, the slippers, and learning to crochet.

I got an infection site… *singsong voice*

Ironically, I got jabbed with a pencil length/Yarn needle width lipo needle, walked the length and breadth of a hospital environment wearing only socks (and clothing!), and all that other good stuff. Where do I get the infection? The Microdialysis site. Lower Left Abdomen, Bruise City. Not all the other potential sites that had a much higher probability. The only other problem I’m having is some localized swelling under the puncture site where the catheter was put in my arm. This one is jutting out just below my elbow on the right arm. No limitation in range of motion, redness, or anything. It just hurts when touched.

Me goes to doctor in the morning for Visit of Sickness.

I’m also considering evicting the Tomato plant. It’s getting flowers and I am not hand pollenating it. I don’t have acetone to clean a nail polish brush, nor the fine motor function right now. My little friends outside will just have to do the work. Actually, I may take all of them out.

The window crew currently consist of:

1. One Tomato Plant
2. One Purple Heart
3. One Medjool Date Palm
4. One Wax Begonia

The Purple Heart and Wax Begonia are Garden Department Rescues I got last year. Both need bigger pots and more soil.

The ‘Medjool’ Date palm is a donated seed from an exboyfriend. His mother sent him a bunch of food from Morocco and he laughed when he saw me keeping the seeds. That was 2003. My baby is still here and growing as of its planting in 2006. Positive wording: I AM going to have a place to plant it one day. I don’t know the sex yet since its still only a few leaves but I’m looking forward to finding out and really hoping for a girl.

Ok, the preceeding paragraph sounds sooooooo weird. It is kind of ironic, he’s the one I almost went with but, sadly, religion was a big thing. He wanted me to convert and I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. Honesty and Integrity are important to me. I’m not doing a façade conversion for anyone and it wasn’t right of him to even make the suggestion.

Money For Somebody ‘Round Here

I got this little love note in the e-mail from the nice people at Baltimore Research up in Towson:

Dear (Name Redacted),

ASTHMA SUFFERERS – Earn $100 cash!


Blue Study: We are looking for men and women with a high school education or less, who currently treat their asthma with the following medication: XOLAIR. We are interested only in your opinions; thera are no sales involved and all information is kept confidential. Please call 410-583-9991 and reference the BLUE study to see if you qualify!

Date: Monday, July 14, 2008
Incentive: $100 cash
Times: Various start times depending on qualification.

**This is only an invitation to see if you qualify. Please call to be screened for participation.**

I’m being good today. It’s a study I only technically don’t qualify for but wish I could. I’m one medication short of taking it really. Anyway, the Marketing firm is called ‘Baltimore Research‘ and they’re up on Bellona Avenue in Towson, MD. If you qualify, getting there is quite annoying but probably easier in a car. Just drive north on Charles Street from GMBC and hit the left onto Bellona Avenue (The HORIZONTAL/EAST-WEST Bellona Avenue) below the Beltway (so I’ve been told. I’m not a driver). You should see a business park. Go down to the light colored ‘Residential’ looking business park and you’re there.

They’ve got great furnishings, lovely artwork, and (if you get the same building as I did when I went) free Hershey’s Kisses! Be sure to arrive early and take your knitting/crochet!

I hope you enjoy the $100.00USD, whoever you are. Just for the record, I get nothing out of this other than the satisfaction of knowing that someone, somewhere, got $100.00USD for an hour or so of questions. Pay the goodness forward please and have a great day.

International Relations

ACK! Arg!!! I totally mentally lapsed.

And…I’ve been brainwashed by Pirates apparently.

I know way too many Canadians (including a blood relation!) to have forgotten Canada Day. Yet, it took a swing over to the Yarn Harlot blog before I got a reminder. TGFCs…(Thank Goodness For Canadians)

*rushes off to say ‘Happy Canada Day’ to sixteen people*

So True…

“Not every Muslim is a terrorist, not every black male is a drug dealer, not every white man wears a white sheet, not every Christian blows up abortion clinics. Its the few who cause issues for the rest.” – tbowman1965 (Taken from Huda’s Islam Blog on About.com)

If only more people would realize this…