Monday, July 30, 2007

frickin frack-ture

Yeah, so... Here are some words to fill in the blanks between those pictures from Saturday...

I done went and broke a bone on Saturday while playing volleyball at the beach. Yes, one of my own bones... and, thank Buddha, I didn't take anyone else out in the process. It happened when I banged my arm into the base of one of the net posts while diving for a ball.

We'd gotten a gorgeous day at the beach. 60 percent chance of rain turned out to be 100 percent awesome. =)

Early clouds of grey quickly blew and boiled away to reveal blue and sunny skies...

I was looking forward to a few good hours of "iron man" CR vball with a total crew of 4—Darcy, Beth, Andrew and myself. The net went up at about 10.30 and by the time I broke myself, we had played two games already and just started a third. I dug a ball and got it coming down a might tight to the net. Partner Beth did an awesome job of getting to it and popping it up, but it was still tight and going to the outside of the net on the right side. Unfortunately, I'd gambled that it would come off the net farther, so I was probably back at 15 feet. Most of you know how I play, so you can guess what I'd do, right? I threw myself at the ball, forward and sideways, out to the right, with my right arm out in front. I got the ball up, but at an angle that sent it into the net (boo). The play was over, but the momentum of my dive kept me moving out to the right and instinctively, I figured I'd just roll it out on the sand. Unfortunately, my right arm, still extended, crossed the center line, and while my body continued to move right, my arm stopped abruptly with a bang, colliding with the home-made wooden base I use to keep the net posts from sinking into the sand.


My hand went numb for a few seconds, but it wasn't doing anything obviously Wrong, like pointing 90 degrees in the wrong direction, y'know? I rubbed at the point of contact a while as a dull pain settled into my arm. Once I brushed away most of the sand, I found a bloody scratch, not bleeding, but red, from some missing skin. The drying blood marked a straight inch and a half slash across my right forearm, about halfway between my elbow and wrist. After a minute or so of running level 2 self-diagnostics, I managed to get myself up and into a chair. Darcy and Andrew went thru their first aid kits looking for supplies to help me clean and bandage. They also produced an ice pack for me to apply to keep down any swelling. After a few minutes, the ice numbed the dull throb in my arm, and I found that I had my full range of motion in my right hand and arm, but towards extreme positions, felt molasses-like resistance and more dull pain. I couldn't lift or push but the lightest and smallest things, but I really didn't think I'd broken anything. I expected that if I had, attempting to move my arm would bring on stars and tweety birds, blackout pain, y'know? So, we hung out a while. It had turned into a grand morning to be at the beach. Once I agreed w everyone else that I was not gonna play anymore that day, we broke down the net. They handled the heavy lifting, of course. We took a dip in the really pleasant (warm, for New England, at least =) ocean, just after high tide. Ocean water's good for cleaning a cut, right? The others helped me get my stuff to the car, and then I drove a half hour or so (tho I probably shouldn't have–huzzah for automatic transmission!) to get myself to an e/r near home. Almost three waiting hours later, my arm was x-rayed and the e/r doc explained to me that I had fractured my ulna, the smaller of the two forearm bones. Fun!


The doc set me up with a splint, bandages, and a sling... which, incidentally, makes typing this out a pretty time-consuming exercise. No biggie, tho, I've got a dvr'd MAD MEN playing in the background. Totally dig it, btw. A gorgeous drama bout a Madison Ave ad firm in the 1950s, but really about so much more. Check it out on AMC (and OnDemand for a while)!

I found out this morning that my follow-up with an ortho specialist is supposed to happen on Thursday, when I presume I'll get a full-on cast of some type and the official doctor's orders regarding how long I'm not allowed to play volleybal. The e/r doc told me it would be four to six weeks. Nuts. I couldn't do this to myself in September?

*sigh*

SO! I'm not available to play or to sub for at least a month. Depending on the details of the care and feeding of my cast, I may or may not continue to organize weekend trips to the beach. (Confidentially, I'm leaning towards "may." It *is* still a day at the beach after all! =)

It also means, work allowing, I'm more likely to be free to catch a weeknight movie. Not like I get a lot of requests for that, but I may have more opportunities to instigate some outings on my own and catch up on some flicks I've let slip by, as well as get back into the Brattle swing of things. I sorta lost steam a couple weeks after the SHAUN screening and have been an absentee member for months now.

Some of my vball buds may be wondering... "brian, have you learned your lesson?"

I know I'm stubborn and foolish about the go-for-everything way I play, and probably missing a piece of my brain, but the answer is yes, a resounding yes! This incident has definitely opened my eyes...

Something has got to change!

=)

Keep on keepin on~

p.s. Actually, I may just swap the wooden bases for plastic "sand kit" ones, or frisbees, which I've used in the past.

p.p.s. This sucks.

Sunday, July 29, 2007

short day at the beach

In which the volleyball Fates catch up to our hero...




Frack.

-ture.

Felgercarb.

Keep on keepin on~

Friday, July 27, 2007

Caged "Thriller"


Don't think about it. Don't ask questions. Just watch.

Thanks to Glen for passing along this wonderful madness. =)

* Later that day. Found some explanation provided by a blogger's research.

* The next morning. Somehow sad, but true. A video goes viral, gets enough hits in a week, and it becomes noozworthy. Not to be confused with real news, whatever that is, these days.

Keep on creepin on~

Thursday, July 26, 2007

goodbye kitty...


Came across this strange bit of reporting tonight... It's about a cat named Oscar, adopted by a Rhode Island nursing home, who's demonstrated an uncanny ability to predict when a patient is near death. He visits the person, curling up in bed beside him, and within hours, caregivers discover that the patient has passed away. A little ghoulish and creepy to my mind, but staffers say they appreciate the "advanced notice" Oscar provides, allowing them to contact family so that they can be there, with their loved one, for the imminent end.

I find one thing conspicuously missing from the reporting... The article doesn't mention the possibility that Oscar might himself be the cause...

Keep on keepin on~

Friday, July 20, 2007

SiCKO weekend!

If you know about or have heard about SiCKO but for some reason still haven't motivated to go see it, director Michael Moore is looking to sweeten the deal for you this weekend... He's giving away a free trip for two to the "universal health care country of your choice!" Specifically, those covered in the film, which means you can choose from a visit to Paris, London, or Toronto! For details read the message from Michael Moore at michaelmoore.com or the posting at miceSpace.

Y'know, regardless of the trip giveaway, you should check this film out. Righteous indignation and outrage is good exercise for the soul!

The people aren't supposed to be afraid of their government. The government is supposed to be afraid of its people.

Keep on keepin on~

Bush to undergo medical procedure

From today's online headlines, a report that Bush is visiting the hospital for a colonoscopy.

Hrmm... Actually, the article says it's to happen at Camp David, doesn't mention the hospital, or a physician, altho it includes the doctor's recommendation... So, he's getting a colonoscopy, somehow, at camp.

Doesn't this stuff usually come up under hypnosis? Recovery of repressed memories? Maybe he'll get some proprananol after the fact...

Perhaps it's part of Cheney's security and secrecy protocols...? Surveillance, donchaknow.

Anyhow, check out the lead-in...

US President George W Bush will have a routine colonoscopy on Saturday, temporarily transferring power to the vice-president, the White House says.

I know it's mostly just how my brain likes to turn things sideways, but does that sentence maybe possibly seem to imply something like a cause-and-effect link between the two events? As if one is directly related to the other? And not, y'know, in a simple legal, letter of the law sense, but rather, in a... umm... scientific, or even mechanical one?

Giving W a coloscopy (or perhaps in a more general form, insertion of a device into the president's caboose) results in his power flowing somehow to his VP. Anyone else see that? Imagining a device? Or some sort of nasty hentai eldritch process?

Has anyone ever been rendered incapacitated by a colonoscopy? I mean, he's gonna be sedated, but is there a risk of, like, losing him? Does power transfer to the Dick whenever W's asleep as well?

I had a thought that this might be an opportunity to sneak in some pardons without W actually making them. Not sure if there's an advantage there. Perhaps Dick has some people he wants to pardon quietly, that no one knows about...?

That lead-in is pretty awesome.

* Later that day... In other words, "Bush butt probed, Cheney in charge." From Axcess News. Apparently the X generation (whoever that is... me? you? I forget...) needs its own news. =)

Keep on keepin on~

Thursday, July 19, 2007

Simpsonize yourself...


I dunno. I don't QUITE see it. I'll hafta hunt down a better source photo and try again.

Simpsonize yourself.

Keep on keepin on~

a fish, a fishy, a-woo...

We're looking after Peter, a friend's fishy companion, for a few days. Today was change-the-water day... Without a scooper-net-thingamabob, I had to transfer him in stages to get him alone with as little of the dirty old water as possible before dropping him back in with the freshly treated goods. I hope I didn't traumatize him too badly...



My crappy photography doesn't really convey it, but he's a pretty dashing fellow. He's quiet, but, y'know, the kind of quiet that tells you he's deep.

Keep on keepin on~

Tuesday, July 17, 2007

"A date with the late show..."

These guys are more than just "Stacy's Mom," y'know.

Not that there's anything wrong with "Stacy's Mom," of course. =)

Keep on keepin on~

I'd like to show you my Harry Potter...

In honor of the arrival of the final volume of the Harry Potter series, the Brattle Theater and the Harvard Book Store are putting on a special Friday night screening of the film of the *first* chapter, HARRY POTTER & THE SORCERER'S STONE. For the $38 ticket price, you will be admitted to the show and at the conclusion of the show (152 minutes later, round midnight), you will receive a copy of the new book, HARRY POTTER & THE DEATHLY HALLOWS. Regular admission $10 tickets are also available. Details at the Brattle's site.

Keep on keepin on~

(space) travel in style...

Thanks to Larry for the space fashion pointer!

Keep on keepin on~

Monday, July 09, 2007

LOST: dramatic prairie dog...

Once he found his remixed way to the realm of LOST, how could I resist the steely gaze of El Rodento Dramatico? =)

LOST prairie dog...

* July 19, 2007. Just saw that the original posting was removed. Luckily, it's the internet, so... you can check it out over here =)

The 5-second internet smash clip...

And... his original appearance (on Japanese television, I believe?)

Keep on dramatically keepin on~

Friday, July 06, 2007

"I think we're dying..."

Please check out this news report. =)

Thanks to E for pointing me to the story.

Keep on keepin on~

Wednesday, July 04, 2007

Monday, July 02, 2007

the future is here, and it's...

A big-ass table...

Thanks to the G-man for passing this gem along.

Keep on keepin on~

p.s. If you wanna see the original promotional teaser...