4 Years of Blogging

Recent events caused me to sort of miss my 4th anniversary of writing Random Thoughts Of A Random Guy From A Random Place Up In The Sky. A pretty good summary of the entire health story can be found here in a very good guest written article. So, allow me to crow a bit on this 4th anniversary about what I feel were pretty dang good articles and eat crow a bit about articles that failed.

Last year, I recorded a short video about writing this blog and it was 5 days before the first blood was in the urine, thus starting me down the long road that I am still walking on to this day. A lot can happen in a year. Have I pondered the health thing long enough now? OK, here are a few of the eat crow articles that come to mind.

In no particular order are the following, such as, "Riveting Testimony By Fetus", which I found funny, but has been by far the most ignored. Therefore, it is in the eat crow bin; I mean, only 8 views in four years? Maybe the counter for this one was 'accidentally' shut off. However, this next one was a definite stinker. What the hell was I thinking when writing and then publishing this one? Why didn't I just link the videos and be done with it? Then, there was this failed attempt at satire and political smugness. At least, that's what I thought I was going for, when I should have obviously been going for another bottle. Here, I'm just rehashing old opinions that have been better served and then stapling it to the cause du jour. Very eating crow-ish! Finally, I'll add this one because my gesture was NOT reciprocated and by pointing out that it was NOT reciprocated also shows I can be a bit vindictive at times.

All right, let's move on to the crow a bit articles. Again, in no particular order. OK, I'll admit I like this one because it was the very first and was largely ignored, too. "The Strange & Deadly Journey Of Navy Seal Team 6" is not only wildly popular (for my blog anyway), but I really like how it all came together in a coherent fashion. It's was strange and deadly narrative, too. What's this? More stuff about Obama? Well, for awhile there, him and his administration were a source of a lot of WTF moments. Nothing has happened since then to alter the facts written therein. Well, here is one of the several, "what the hell, this makes no sense, but is being passed off as average news that we won't examine any further" articles I have written. I will also admit I'm very pleased with this series of articles about John Lennon's songwriting and such during his tenure with that obscure rock combo from Liverpool. And just to round things off a bit, here are two more: one where I admit my guilty pleasure of enjoying "Gilligan's Island" and the still bafflingly overly popular post about Mitt Romney eating children. Baffling to me anyway why it's so dang popular. Yeah, it's funny and sort of pointed, but still...

Those are my choices and, as always, the reader is free to pick and choose their own. My biggest complaint, however, is the constant removal of links, photos and videos that can sometimes ruin an article. It's rather difficult keeping up with that and replacing said removals.

It's been an interesting four years as I went from living in Portland to making the huge leap of faith and moving to Los Angeles. Getting cancer along the way is what Mr. Spock might have called, "fascinating". Thanks again to you, kind and gentle readers, for supporting this blog, and I hope you continue to enjoy future random thoughts.

 

News Crew "Gunned" Down On Live TV?

CENSORSHIP UDATE!

NOW WITH 2ND UPDATE

The news broke early this morning that on television during a remote report being broadcast by Virginia television CBS affiliate WDBJ, an apparent fatal shooting was shown on live TV. While doing a standard stand up interview on a balcony with a woman from the local Chamber of Commerce, shots are heard off camera and the reporter starts screaming and running away while the woman being interview appears to duck and the cameraman drops the camera. A freeze frame from the news camera footage shows the 'shooter' pointing his gun at the cameraman who apparently is prone on the ground. It is later reported that both the reporter, Alison Parker, and the cameraman, Adam Ward, were shot dead and the woman being interviewed, Vicki Gardner, is in stable condition at the hospital.

(Anchor at studio: "OK, not sure what happened there." Exactly!)

The shooter, described as a disgruntled former employee of the TV station (as if there is any other kind), was even wearing a camera on his head and recorded the shooting (until the camera apparently falls to the ground). He then posted the video to both his Twitter and Facebook accounts before both were quickly removed. However, intrepid folks on the internet did managed to save copies of the especially troubling shooter POV video. It is disturbing in a number of ways but not because it purports to show people being shot. BTW, neither video is graphic. Here are the links from two sources with one of the videos embedded below (but for how long?).

Let's breakdown the POV video and I'll use screenshots, too, in case the video itself (maybe eventually) disappears. The first disturbing aspect is how a guy with a camera around his head just walks up to the scene without any acknowledgment by the people. The cameraman has his back to the guy and is concentrating on his shot, so that can be excused. However, neither woman, especially the woman being interviewed, appears to notice this guy walking right up to them wearing a camera on his head.

Et Tu, Cancer? Part 6 - Post-Op Ponderings

Sometimes slowly, sometimes rapidly, since I've been back home from the hospital, ponderings have been crossing my mind. At times they seem lucid, other times they seem rather random. This is a random thoughts blog after all.

This human activity, sleep. I find it embracing and elusive. Although not at the same time. Or so it seems.

It was so much easier to eat at the hospital! They would bring me food three times a day. Even if I didn't eat everything, it showed up. I find at home, even though I have a very good appetite, the idea of making a meal can be very unappealing. Maybe I should take a little stroll through the yard.

Drugs, drugs, drugs. Maybe it's the drugs talking. Maybe it's the drugs writing. Maybe it's just the way it is. Maybe I'm going on about the painkillers.

Abra the cat is a very nice fur ball.

I don't have to try too hard to remember that, although they may be few, the people who have stepped up to help me out have really made a huge difference in my new post-op job: concentrating on healing. Who knew how big a deal changing the cat litter box could be for me? Yes, Abra is a very nice fur ball, but still has not figured out how to change her own toilet!

When was the last time I weighed 150 pounds???

Who knew walking 600 feet would be a big accomplishment? I use to walk 1 to 3 miles a day pre-surgery.

The few good roommates have been more good since I've been back. Meanwhile, of course, the many bad roommates continue to be fucking moronic self-centered idiots.

Ditto.

My scar IS pretty gnarly, dude.

ICU was a terrible experience. ICU should stand for: Insensitive Care Unit.

I knew there were some people who just don't "get it" before my surgery, imagine how I think about that afterward. Wise people don't attempt to compare what I have been going through with their hangnails. Unwise people do. Sorry your car broke down, but I'm still confused how that's an issue bigger than how shitty I feel today - you know, that big scar meant organs were removed and moved about and such. Parts of my body are still numb. Much like parts of your brains apparently.

For future reference: morphine is very, very bad for me. It also doesn't kill the pain.

Who is that tapping at my chamber door?

I have a craving for biscuits and gravy! Ohhh, and there it goes!

Be good to one another.