by request....

i need to post something so that the pic of michael/farrah is not at the top.

click here to read an interview between beck & tom waits. here's a quote i loved:

It's like they found one of those van Gogh's at a garage sale. This woman bought it and she was using it to block out the sun in her kitchen. She was using it as a window shade, so it was getting all faded from the sun. And she cut it because it didn't fit the window. When they finally discovered she had a van Gogh as a window shade, they brought in all these experts from the museum and they were all filling in her living room and they said, "How can you cut off the top off this painting?" And she said, "It was just a little piece of the sky.

they also discuss the old oscar meyer weiner car, and here it is in the news today:

some random weirdness....

nature will kill you...

so this is the plant that caused me to blow up like a puffer fish and end up in the ER. i found a medical study that talks about people have really severe allergic reactions to psyllium. it's found in metamucil, and most laxatives and some bran cereal. it causes a reaction similar in some folks like bee stings or peanut allergies. it's good to know i'm not the only one who had this reaction!

of course i do have a history of some pretty bizarre medical problems.

i have to say that the decision i made saturday night, to "skip the wine and have a glass of metamucil instead!" is one i've come to regret. i've learned a valueable lesson: that eating healthy can kill you.

:)

harold & maude

i first saw this movie in 2005 and blogged about it here. it's a really strange film. it's very dated (you can tell it's the early 70's by the clothing and music in every scene.) but it's also still fresh & innovative. it doesn't look like any movie before it. you can see how it influenced modern filmakers, especially wes anderson.

the lead actor (bud cort) is the ultimate "cult actor" in the ultimate "cult film". there were moments when i thought he was a terrible actor. then he'd do something on screen that seemed so magical & brilliant.

i guess that sums up the movie for me. at times it's uncomfortable and awkward, then it becomes magical and heartbreaking. yeah.

weekend pics

the sea-monkeys are getting new digs!

some pics of bjork

how trying to be "healthy & proactive" almost killed me....

so yeah, i bought some metamucil. i got it for dan & i both because it's supposed to lower cholesterol, and also help with IBS if taken once a day. so, i was trying to be proactive and healthy. i took only the lowest dose with extra water to be safe.

but within a few minutes my lips were burning, my ears were burning on the inside tubes, and i knew it wasn't going to be good. by the time we realized i need to go to the ER, my entire face was bright red and ballooning up. i was covered in hives on my neck, upper thighs, etc...and start to have some trouble breathing.

i looked up metamucil before i took it, just to be safe. but i didn't look up its actual main ingredient: psyllium seed husks.

per wiki: Possible adverse reactions include allergic reactions such as anaphylaxis.
here's the 2nd part of the problem: my bariatric surgery. my stomach and the opening to it is smaller then normal. and i guess metamucil expands and then wads up and get stuck in the small stomach opening. again, i read a little about bariatric surgery and people who take this med and read a few "this is ok" thing. again, reading the wiki on pysillium husks would have give me the better info:

per wiki: Gastrointestinal tract obstruction may occur, especially for those with prior bowel surgeries or anatomic abnormalities, or if taken with inadequate amounts of water.

so i had a double whammy: a rare anaphylaxis (severe allergic) reaction to the ingredients, and then my crazy post-weightloss surgery plumbing (an anatomic abnormality) took the ingredient, which explaned and got stuck.

awesome! so we went to the ER. i had to bang on a double glass window to get anyone's attention (i was too freaked out to notice the call button.) they took me right back (since i was bright red and puffy and then next step in that kind of reaction is to stop breathing.) the lovely nurse (that dan knew from high school!) tried to get an IV started. no luck. my veins are small and they roll. so after multiple deep jabs with the needle, the vein blew out.

the doc came in and said with my history of IV problems (last time in the ER they ended up put a main line right into my heart.) so instead i got injections of steroids and ephedrine. after a while it finally started to work. we were in the ER about 3 hours total.

i'm home and it's breakfast time. the streoids are working (even my roseaca is gone for now). i'm hainvg a cup of coffee and some cooked spinach. my take it slow and not eat anythings to dense or hard to digest. but i'm fine. i'm ok, you're ok.

finally: the ER on a saturday night is a trainwreck and reminds me of the movie "jacob's ladder."

panda!!!!!

weird vinatge ads

this website i stole there from is here.

random overheard conversations & the oddities of salespeople....

i have a friend who started a new job. she sits in the middle of the sales department. she has noticed that salespeople are an odd breed. very funny and a bit neurotic. one sales guy she sits next to is especially funny. he tends to blurt things out when he's not on a sales call. he regularly fights with his girlfriend and jokingly accuses coworkers of having terrible drinking problems or STDs. he's friggin' hilarious, or so my friend tells me.

she tells me he's sort of handsome and looks a little like an actor she likes. she's been writing down some of the funny and random things he says. enjoy.

Why don’t you for once do something that makes sense? (said to his girlfriend on the phone)

I ordered a gigantic Italian sub, look at all the meat! I got chips & soda and now I’m gonna puke!

Oy vey!

I made a mistake!!! (Said loudly in a fake gay lisp)

If I clean my bedroom up, can we have houseguests? I’ll stay on the couch and take a dump outside if I need to.

(Sings “School’s Out Forever” by Alice Cooper)

She’s a total door knob.

Are you gonna try and drink this weekend? Could you have light beer maybe? I think your liver is going to be fine.

(Sings “Blame Canada” from Southpark)

We’re going to Ferrante Winery, but I’d like to load up at home first.

Belch.

People are committing suicide because of Michael Jackson. We’re really better off without them anyways. I need another big sub!

These customers want everything for free. What am I, Gandhi? (makes fart sound) Oh lord!

(Told this story to 3 different people:) I was on the treadmill last night and almost vomited!

Sings the Beatles, “Ob la dee ob la da…(blah blah blah)” (the “blahs” are his)

(Upon hearing another salesperson brag about a sale) Jeez, enough already. You made a sale. What, you want a medal? Jeez……..

Who orders double sausage on a pizza? Come on people!!!!

My wife left me for some guy at church. Used car salesmen, can you believe it??? It’s ok, I’ve got more time to hit the gym now.

Did you get a donut? I had 5. Isn’t that pathetic?

I’m up to 6 donuts and it’s not even noon. Yeah! I’m gonna be so constipated later!

What I need is a “Chatty Cathy” doll to talk to me while I work out at the gym. I get bored!

Judith Yamamoto??? (said in fake Asian accent)

Sings, “Sunday morning, Sunday morning, Sunday morning….” (not sure what song this is.)

Did you flip out on birth control pills? I’ve heard about that. Oh, your mom found your pills? Did you tell her girls in this country take them all the time?

Hey Mary! (no answer) where is everyone??? God, I hope she’s not out drinking again (giggles)

Nancy, you're bad. You'll perish in a lake of fire during the end times.

I feel so tired and achy and sore. I wonder what would cause that? Herpes Simplex 400!

Yawn.

Sings “Sister Christian” by Night Ranger

You like my socks? I call them my “black shorties”!

I’m gonna smack your fat face! I’m gonna smack your fat face! That’s a line from “Animal House”, which is a classic American Film.

I knew I was being recorded when I called the bill collector “ghetto”. I didn’t call her anything else. She was just getting all ghetto in her tone, which made me not want to pay the bill, I can tell you that right now!

I really think they are worthless and wish them dead. Do you hear me Susan???

I took a nap in my car at lunch. It was pretty awesome….

(Giggles loudly) I’m in loopy land!!!

Jesus Christmas, I forgot to do my timecard!

Ain’t life precious? (starts singing “Blue Moon of Kentucky” but doesn’t know the words after Kentucky)

Gosh, it really stinks in here. Heavens to Betsy, it stinks…

Sings “Step by Step” by New Kids on the Block, and knows all the words.

Who farted? (Spoken in fake drunken slur) (Giggles)

Beth, pick up the phone. Why would you call me and leave such a weird message? Are you trying to send me vibes? Did the cops show up again?

Starts shouting in a fake Indian accent, “My name is Babu! I’ve lost my glasses!!!”

Sings "What if God Were One of Us" repeatedly. Then "What if Spincter Were One of Us" (giggles & makes fart sounds...)

I love egg salad. I just get in the mood for it sometimes.

Answers his phone: Devil woman? How ya doing? Tell everyone talking in the background to shut up. I can hear your sister yapping. Was the funeral fun? I’m eating egg salad.

There’s no litterbox in the basement? I guess can go turd hunting when I get home. I've just been feeding the cats raw steak and they love it!

I wish I was a ninja.

this local news story is going national. here's the recap: a 75 year old lady in euclid killed a baby deer with a shovel, then bragged about it. she was pissed about deer eating her flowers. FYI- wildlife experts say baby deer are nursing and don't even eat plants. i know there are problems with deer overpopulation, and i would even agree with allowing hunting, but bashing them over the head is barberic and assinine.

this scientific study says the "power of positive thinking" is crap. i suck and it's ok!!!

i'm including a photo of a lady with a guitar on her head made of hair. yeah.

old friends.....

i love looking at old photos. these pics are my mom & here best friend, some horses and dads too. there's something magical about old photos....

wildlife, food, the media, and fashion...

the sangwich: i'm addicted to subway. i get all different kinds of subs. but what does BMT mean? i know it's greasy, salty lunch meats (which i might occasionally consume) but am wondering what BMT stands for.

the turban: i'm obsessed with turbans. specifically, the lead singer of "the fabulous thunderbirds" wearing one in early publicity photos. i remember elizabeth taylor wore them in the 70's. i need to bring that look back.

the phone: i hit some wrong buttons on my blackberry and lost everything except a set of phone numbers from a year ago. what a pain in the butt. i was going to throw it in the well and buy an iphone, then i saw how much they cost.

the deer: we have a large buck hanging around. his antlers are huge and they look almost furry. when i tried to walk to dogs out back, he didn't budge. i turned around and went back inside, since i'm told the deer are not so friendly. we also saw a mother deer nursing 3 little baby deer (fawn?) the other day. it was strange to see, almost surreal. they were so close to the road as we whizzed by.

the media: i watched a lot of news shows last night. a lot of coverage of the michael jackson story and today's funeral. i had a ton of stuff to say about it, but my lunch break's almost over. so i will say this: i think it's sad he died. and i think it's normal for fans to grieve the lost of a beloved artist. but the level of grief seems so off the charts.

i think people are looking for their own "generation changing event." for some folks it's JKF or MLK being shot. or maybe the end of the vietnam war. i remember a little about watergate, jonestown, and elvis dying. i think my big event was lady diana passing away in the car wreck. it was just shocking to me that someone so famous and beautiful could die like that. then 9/11 made that seem like a small ripple in a big pond.

maybe people are looking for a post 9/11 "event" to bring them together? who knows.... i'm just thinking out loud... and lunch break is over!