February 23, 2009
February 19, 2009
Dust Mites
We don't see them. We don't feel them. We do however share our beds with them.
For me - that's a problem. I'm allergic to the little bastards. Flannel sheets and my futon (neither are good for me, because they're both dust magnets) are warm but not helping me here.
Gotta find some good night time allergy meds, if I'm gonna sleep well.
Posted with LifeCast
For me - that's a problem. I'm allergic to the little bastards. Flannel sheets and my futon (neither are good for me, because they're both dust magnets) are warm but not helping me here.
Gotta find some good night time allergy meds, if I'm gonna sleep well.
Posted with LifeCast
February 18, 2009
February 11, 2009
I Love This Bridge
I found this picture, while searching for Boston backgrounds on the iPhone. The Zakim bridge really is spectacular, especially at night.Posted with LifeCast
February 10, 2009
Distant Shore
Okay, this is my new favorite iPhone app. It's from The Blimp Pilots LLC,the creators of the wildly popular Koi Pond app.On the face of it, this is brilliant in its simplicity. The user walks an endless beach, you hear the gulls, the pounding of the surf and the crunch of feet on the sand or in the water. The user can explore the beach or collect shells (five shells will generate a bottle that can be used to send messages) or bottles (which will allow you to respond to someone else's message).
The other users that you communicate with are anonymous. You don't know of any other way to communicate with them and they have no other way to communicate with them. There are no usernames or anything that would you give a clue about them -- it's no surprise that the most common question I've seen in the messages are requests for my age, gender and location.
Update: Just to be clear, you can still communicate with previous penpals, too.
February 7, 2009
February 2, 2009
Alas, Didn't Make the Cut...
Unfortunately, I was just short of the cut off for the medical study. In four weeks or so, I should be able to try again. I'm supposed to take multiple vitamins to try to get my vitamin and (hopefully) my enzyme levels up to what they should be. They'll test me again in another four weeks, if I still want to go forward with the trial.
*shrug* Don't see why not.
I can take a daily multi-vitamin that I probably should have been taking anyway.
*shrug* Don't see why not.
I can take a daily multi-vitamin that I probably should have been taking anyway.
January 28, 2009
More on the Medical Experimentation Front...
Today was interesting. Rushed out in the cold and the miserable to head over to the hospital to meet people at the MGH research building to find out more about this study. Read through the paperwork and offered up my arm for the blood samples that they'll need, before they can officially say whether that I'm eligible for the study or not.
The money seems nice, it doesn't seem like it'll take long and the downside seems minimal. And as an added bonus, I get something to write about, so it's win win all around.
The money seems nice, it doesn't seem like it'll take long and the downside seems minimal. And as an added bonus, I get something to write about, so it's win win all around.
January 27, 2009
I'm afraid I have no choice but to sell you all for medical experiments.
Last night, I was looking into the wonderful world of medical experimentation as an alternative monetary source. Today a few called back.
One was for a study on PTSD. They're looking for people that either have or don't have PTSD, and surprisingly I fit into that pool of possible subjects. They called back today and we talked about some of the less savory aspects of my formative years. I think the most disturbing thing for me was all of the times that I had to say 'Yes, but...' to questions about how I might be dealing with stress in a manner that was similar to PTSD. Unfortunately, I didn't make it into that study.
The other call was for a study on the effects of testosterone on bone density. I get to go to the hospital and talk to people about that tomorrow and get some blood taken. It might be interesting to see what happens with that.
And in other news, I had another phone interview and a request for a face to face interview. Finally, things seem to be turning around.
One was for a study on PTSD. They're looking for people that either have or don't have PTSD, and surprisingly I fit into that pool of possible subjects. They called back today and we talked about some of the less savory aspects of my formative years. I think the most disturbing thing for me was all of the times that I had to say 'Yes, but...' to questions about how I might be dealing with stress in a manner that was similar to PTSD. Unfortunately, I didn't make it into that study.
The other call was for a study on the effects of testosterone on bone density. I get to go to the hospital and talk to people about that tomorrow and get some blood taken. It might be interesting to see what happens with that.
And in other news, I had another phone interview and a request for a face to face interview. Finally, things seem to be turning around.
January 26, 2009
Why I hate buying crap...
Last week, I went to Bed, Bath and Beyond. I needed a couple of things for the apartment and they were easier to get to than Target. All I needed was an absorbent rug for the bathroom, because I was sick of the puddles of water after I got out of the shower and a laundry bag with a strap for the long cold walk to the laundromat. I ended up also buying an electric kettle to make hot tea, because I like tea and hate microwaving the whole damned cup to make a hot cup.
The rug worked perfectly. It lays on the floor, it sucks up water, and it even hangs nicely and dries. I can't say enough good things about it. Of course, I'm not sure how the hell they could have screwed it up. And considering how well everything else worked, I'm sure they tried.
The rest of it all has to be returned. I used the laundry bag for the first time this morning and when I closed it up to keep my socks and underwear from making a run for it, while I was running to wash them, the whole thing split along the seam. The split only got worse, when I repacked the damned thing after washing my clothes.
So I ran to Bed, Bath and Beyond so I could return it. Replaced the nylon one with a canvas one, hoping against hope that it might be more robust. And then before settling in to my computer to try to get more done, I decided that a cup of tea would be in order to help me relax. No luck, the kettle doesn't actually heat the damned water. So now that's going to have to be returned some time this week, too.
How is it so difficult to sell people things that actually work as advertised? Didn't there used to be pride in production? Writing an angry letter to Krups and then back to trying to get some crap done.
The rug worked perfectly. It lays on the floor, it sucks up water, and it even hangs nicely and dries. I can't say enough good things about it. Of course, I'm not sure how the hell they could have screwed it up. And considering how well everything else worked, I'm sure they tried.
The rest of it all has to be returned. I used the laundry bag for the first time this morning and when I closed it up to keep my socks and underwear from making a run for it, while I was running to wash them, the whole thing split along the seam. The split only got worse, when I repacked the damned thing after washing my clothes.
So I ran to Bed, Bath and Beyond so I could return it. Replaced the nylon one with a canvas one, hoping against hope that it might be more robust. And then before settling in to my computer to try to get more done, I decided that a cup of tea would be in order to help me relax. No luck, the kettle doesn't actually heat the damned water. So now that's going to have to be returned some time this week, too.
How is it so difficult to sell people things that actually work as advertised? Didn't there used to be pride in production? Writing an angry letter to Krups and then back to trying to get some crap done.
January 18, 2009
January 4, 2009
December 28, 2008
December 24, 2008
December 23, 2008
Go see "Milk"
If you haven't gone to see "Milk" yet, go. I found it a remarkably moving film about Harvey Milk, poltical activist, politician and martyr.It worked for me on a number of levels. First, it illustrated quite movingly, how far we've come in the Gay Rights movement in such a short period of time. Second, it had a number of parallels between the Anita Bryants and the Dade County anti-gay legislation of 30 years ago with today's reaction to the California's Prop 8 legislation today.
We need more politicians of conscience and after the eight years of the second Bush presidency, we'll get them.
December 22, 2008
December 2, 2008
I Hate Good-byes...
These days thanks to the ubiquitous nature of email, IM, and social networks physical proximity isn't as required for friendships the way it once was. But even with that said, I still hate saying good-bye both when I leave and when friends leave. Part of it is my own chickenshit nature: my inability to directly face adversity. I would much rather take my leave quickly and out of sight than work a room of friends.
Which is probably why I'm glad that I have friends that won't let me get away with that sort of thing. But I think that's what makes a friend a friend -- their way of pushing you to be more than you can be.
Posted with LifeCast
Which is probably why I'm glad that I have friends that won't let me get away with that sort of thing. But I think that's what makes a friend a friend -- their way of pushing you to be more than you can be.
Posted with LifeCast
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