Da Goddess

May 12, 2008

Mikey is Homeward Bound

Mikey's been making such great strides over the last few days that the doctors have said he's going home tomorrow.

Woo hoo!

Posted by Da Goddess at 11:11 PM | Comments (1)

May 05, 2008

Lots of Reading, I Know, But This is Important. Really.

Look, I'm in the middle of a mental (some may call it psychotic, but they'd only be half-right) meltdown with editing work and upcoming projects. My sudden burst of posting can be attributed directly to the fact I'm avoiding as much work as possible for as long as possible. That's just how I roll.

Anyhow, here's a post that MUST BE READ.

Because of our American military, America is blessed not to be ‘war-weary’. However, instead of facing a barrage of bullets, missiles, bombs, and suicide-murderers, we have an onslaught of the MSM telling us ‘we are bad Americans. We are killing all these really nice people. Those nice people hate us because we are in their country. Let’s all sing kumbaya* and then no one will be war-weary’.

Hat tip: Pam.

Posted by Da Goddess at 03:28 PM | Comments (0)

Break Out The Cerveza, It's Cinco De Mayo

I've been getting loads of hits for people looking for info on Cinco de Mayo (although they're spelling it Cinco DA Mayo, which is totally wrong and just so we're all clear here, I prefer Dia De Los Muertos to the 5th of May -- I just don't get the same buzz off a 5th of May like I used to so I've switched to a 5th of whiskey) thus it's entirely warranted that I update a post from the borked archives of way back in Aught-Four.

I'm including an old photo after the old post, too, cuz you haven't had enough of those picture thingies lately, have you? (Surly -- at 6am -- without any alcohol...this is why I'm considered a "catch".)

Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not the date of Mexico's freedom from Spain (that occurs on September 16.) Cinco de Mayo is the celebration of Mexico's victory against the French in the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862.

Old Town San Diego held its Fiesta Cinco de Mayo last weekend. [ed. note: there was another celebration this weekend, too. Funny how they seem to do it year after year at the same time.]

You can do a little celebrating yourself with some tasty food and a little cerveza.

Click below for a yummy Pork Empanada and Chipotle Salsa recipes. Enjoy!

Pork Empanada

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 12-ounce pork tenderloin, trimmed, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
1 jalapeño chili, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons sour cream

Dough
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon water
2 large eggs

Chipotle Salsa (see recipe)
Sour cream

For filling:
Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork, serrano chili, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and allspice to skillet and stir 3 minutes. Add lime juice; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 1 minute. Remove from heat. Mix in sour cream. Season with salt and pepper. Cool.

For dough:
Butter 2 large baking sheets. Mix flour, Masa Harina, baking powder and salt in large bowl. Stir in melted butter. Whisk water and 1 egg in small bowl to blend. Add to flour mixture; knead in bowl until smooth pliable dough forms, about 2 minutes. Working with half of dough at a time, roll out on floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Using 3 3/4-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, cut out rounds. Reroll scraps and cut out additional rounds for a total of 12 rounds per dough half.

Whisk remaining egg in small bowl to blend. Place 1 tablespoon filling in center of each dough round. Lightly brush edges with egg. Fold dough over, pressing edges with fork to seal. Place on prepared baking sheets. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap; chill.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Brush empanadas with beaten egg. Bake until light golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve with Chipotle Salsa and sour cream.

Chipotle Salsa

3/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped canned chipotle chilies in adobo sauce (sold at Latin American markets)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin

Combine all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Makes about 3 cups.

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:02 AM | Comments (0)

May 04, 2008

Pickles! I Hate Pickles

I'm in more trouble than I thought. Instead of having to dig myself out of the lens hole by Thursday, I was just informed I have until tomorrow afternoon.

Uh...um...guess I better get out there and find some shelves NOW.

Holy &*$@*&!

Well, I knew this was going to be an issue. I just didn't know it was going to be one so soon. And you know what? I deserve this. I was too eager on my purchase (although it was a necessary one and a damn good deal). I have no buyer's remorse. No, this is more like dread at having to explain myself to someone who doesn't believe in me or what I might accomplish with my camera.

You know, I think that's what makes all of this so "dreadful" for me. I know my roommate doesn't believe in what I'm doing or hoping to do. It's disappointing for me. I'm surrounded by a lot of wonderful folks who DO, but he doesn't. It puts a distinct strain on our friendship. If he were a believer, he'd understand and support me. If he were a believer, he wouldn't be resentful of the time I spend with the camera trying to learn, to improve, to achieve. As it is, we don't go many places together anymore. For him, he feels abandoned when I take off to shoot. For me, I feel trapped in having to keep someone company when I think they should be lost in the music. Makes me wonder how this friendship ever survived to begin with. Maybe he thought the camera thing was "cute" at first, but it's become an issue since then.

Wow, that's more thought on the subject than I've given it in a long time.

I don't feel guilty about my lens purchase (and if you want to know exactly what I got and why it was such a good thing, there's a great review of the lens on eBay). Not at all. I know it was the right thing at the right time, but I know it won't be viewed that way by the roomie. I was supposed to get shelves, dammit. That'll be the sticking point. But I was also supposed to have four more days and could have pulled that off if the parameters hadn't changed without warning.

This is my pickle and it's not a particularly tasty one. Not that I like ANY pickles anyway, but you know what I mean. Figuratively, this pickle is sour and floppy and in the middle of a really yummy burger.

Phhttt.

Oh well. I hear the music. I'll have to pay the piper and I'll do it with my head held high.

Now I have to go get something to eat since I conjured up an image of a big juicy hamburger.

Posted by Da Goddess at 12:23 PM | Comments (0)

May 03, 2008

Dazed and Confused

Mrs. Mikey said our favorite patient was being stubborn. Why am I not surprised?

Mikey's had to have a little more sedation because he's not happy when they hook him up for dialysis. Seems he's ripping things out again, things that need to be hooked up. It's that whole medication haze that gets 'em every time. Most patients require a long, gradual weaning from the meds used in deep sedation. And with Mikey, well, he's special. He doesn't like the meds, he doesn't like not having control of himself, he doesn't like not knowing what's happening. That's actually pretty normal, too.

Reports are that when he's awake he knows he was in an accident, but doesn't get how bad it really was. He's also thinking Mini Mikey was with him (she wasn't). All this is part of the battle with the meds and his brain worrying about the family. In a way, it's a really good thing that he's working at coming to grips with reality. He'll get there soon enough.

Once he's properly weaned from meds, he'll be more cooperative and a little less stubborn about his lines and the treatments he's getting. It's nothing that's going to happen overnight and that's just fine. He's alive and getting well and that's just what the doctor ordered.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:50 PM | Comments (0)

May 01, 2008

Looking Good

We just got back from the hospital and I can happily report that Mikey is looking pretty damn good! (dancing and joyous laughter)

Surgery on his arm was yesterday, natch. Today he was weaned off the vent and has stayed off. They've removed his restraints as well, which is a no brainer when you realize they really only had him in them to keep him from pulling tubes and such.

Mrs. Mikey and Mini Mikey were in good spirits. LD and Mini Mikey "did homework" while the Mrs. and I went in to see Mikey. Thank God for the ride home otherwise I don't think LD's homework would have ever been done. Oh well, kids need diversion and distraction in stressful situations and that's why LD was along for this particular visit.

Anyhow, back to the patient.

Mikey really does look good. There's some faint bruising on his left chest (seatbelt compression), a huge lump on his right arm (no break), bruises on his legs, a massive bandage and cast on the left arm from the surgical repair, and a small, open pressure sore on his right wrist from the restraints (he was writhing so much, it was bound to happen). Oh, and the really good news about the left arm is that they were able to save the graft/fistula for his dialysis! They won't be able to use it until his cast if off, but it was saved. Yay!

Now, he wasn't awake enough yet for conversation. Well, he was earlier for Mrs. Mikey, but not by the time I got there. Still, seeing is believing and I believe he's going to be back to his old self in no time.

The same can't be said for his truck, though. That was scary! I'm hoping Mrs. Mikey's photos make their way into my mailbox soon so I can show you just how bad it was and how lucky we are Mikey lived.

And there you have it. Mikey's making strides!

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:33 PM | Comments (0)

April 30, 2008

Mikey's Post-Op Update

Thank you all again for all of your well wishes!! Your prayers and good juju have been working!!

Mike had a really good day today! He had his surgery on his arm and it went great. He also had his head and neck CT today and the preliminary (reading) looks great. The CT results still need to be looked over by a radiologist before the results are official but again they look good. So the plan for tomorrow is to start to wean him off of the ventilator and the sedation meds. Yah!!! They plan to try to get him to start breathing on his own and get back to consciousness; they are hoping he will be able to be awake tomorrow but they plan to let him make the pace. So I am really hopeful he will be home sometime next week! YAHHHHH!!!!

Anyways, thank you all so very much for helping our little family yet again. We truly are blessed to have all of you in our lives!!

I will update you all as soon as I have something new.

Tomorrow, Little Dude and I are heading down to the hospital. We'll help keep Mini Mikey company and help distract her. She's having a rough go of it this time around. Can you blame her? No kid should ever have to see his or her parents in a coma, let alone twice. Forget that this one is medically induced. The fact that Mini Mikey has held up so well until now is a miracle. Same with Mrs. Mikey. She is undoubtedly the strongest woman I know. But this has to be weighing on her. I can't imagine.

Keep up the kind thoughts, the prayers...all of it.

Posted by Da Goddess at 10:46 PM | Comments (0)

From Mrs. Mikey

First, I would like to say thank you to everyone for all of your support, prayers, and good juju! We couldn’t do this with out your support and love.

Mike is still stable yet listed as critical. He was not able to have the surgery on his arm today. They have it scheduled for tomorrow at 2pm. They will also be doing another head CT tomorrow because he is still very disoriented and they are concerned that he may have a head injury. I was informed today that they found he has a fractured sternum; probably caused by the seatbelt, nothing serious though. Mike’s BP is still a major concern; they are having trouble keeping it in a normal range. At this time there is no way of knowing how long he will be there. I was told it could be any where from 1 week to several weeks it all depends on Mikey’s progress.

I didn't go down to the hospital yesterday. Mrs. Mikey had other friends with her and keeping visitors to a minimum is actually more helpful, I think. Less overwhelming. Anyhow, we did talk on her way to the hospital in the morning and she was rather optimistic. When I called later on in the day, her phone had died (all those calls asking about Mikey, no doubt). I wasn't worried. I knew I'd get an update later on.

Sounds like things are moving along. That's good. It's not major progress, but that's fine. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Right.

Keep on praying, folks.

Posted by Da Goddess at 08:07 AM | Comments (1)

April 28, 2008

Things Could Be Worse

Mikey's accident made the news. What drama! His wife and I teased him about this while we stood by his bed and tried to carry on one-sided conversations with him. Or was it a three-way convo with only two active participants? Hard to tell.

Anyway, here's the latest:

His arm is severely broken. They were talking about doing surgery tonight, but it won't happen until tomorrow.

He's heavily sedated because he's super combative otherwise. He's on a vent again, but without the extra tubes and machines that they had for his head last time, it doesn't looks quite so bad. Mikey was a little agitated off and on while Mrs. Mikey and I were in with him. He calmed down quickly though. Seems like anytime housekeeping was causing any sort of noise with trash, he'd get all riled up. And when respiratory came in, he'd get a bit restless.

Blood pressure is looking good for now. The fluid around the heart and in the lungs is, well, they don't know what that's from. It could be there because he had a shorter dialysis session today or from the impact. Nobody knows.

His left shoulder is a bit swollen from the shoulder belt, but isn't too bad.

They'll be doing more films and such tomorrow, I'm sure, checking to see if his back and head still look good. You never know with these things.

While Amy and I were outside talking and waiting to get in to see him, I thought I recognized someone across the parking lot. I walked a bit closer, then a little closer, and finally I realized I had it right -- two local musicians (who've been very good to me and who have brought good luck my way in the past plus they're proudly using one of MY PHOTOS on their site at this very moment) were smack dab in front of me! It was a surreal moment to be sure, but I took this as a very good sign. If Nate and Ben could magically appear in the parking lot of the hospital, Mikey would HAVE to be okay.

Things aren't nearly as bad as they were last time, but Mikey has a long way to go. Say a prayer, think good thoughts, do whatever you have to in order for Mikey to get well.

I'll try to keep everyone updated as best I can.

Oh, and do me a favor and add a prayer for our friend Gracie who is having part one of her sinus surgery in the morning.

Gotta keep everyone healthy from now on, right?

Posted by Da Goddess at 10:38 PM | Comments (3)

Mikey Hospitalized

Mad Mikey was in a horrible car accident today and is currently in the hospital.

He's responsive to pain, which is good, but otherwise not so much. There's swelling around the heart and lungs, and who knows what else.

I'm on my way down right now. I'll have more details when I return.

Say a prayer for our buddy, please.

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:43 PM | Comments (1)

April 24, 2008

Beta Testing

One of the funny little things I did this past year was to volunteer as a beta tester for a company that produces computer games. I don't test every game, but I do try to tackle as many as possible.

This time around: a hidden object game based on a James Patterson book!

Woo hoo!

Aside from a few typos and a need for better explanations of certain types of clues, the game looks to be ready for release. The colors were great, the details were amazing, and the story was pretty darn good.

Forgoing stale TV fare, I put my brain to work today and found a good way to keep my mind off the pain. It's not much, but it's still progress in the right direction!

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:49 PM | Comments (2)

April 23, 2008

Boom De Yada

Dear Discovery Channel, er, Network,

Thank you for your great new commercial. You know, the one featuring Bear Grylls, Mike Rowe, Jamie and Adam, an egyptianologist, and a cast of many others singing the praises of our amazing world. It's no "Ahh, the Atmosphere", but it's pretty damn cool.

Imagine my surprise and delight to find a second, longer version on YouTube. (See both below*)

Discovery, A&E, and Bravo have saved my sanity, such as it is, during my confinement. Tonight's episode of Mythbusters hit close to home. They did a segment on cabin fever. Yes, that's the sound of bells ringing for them knowing exactly what I've been going through cooped up here.

Last night, of course, was Deadliest Catch. Sigh. I love the raw energy of the show. It's the real man vs. wild (no offense, Bear) aspect that keeps me on the edge of my seat and wishing each episode had an extra hour or two every week. The captains, the crews, the weather, and even the crab fascinate me. Crab fishing is brutally hard, requires a fiercely independent spirit (and some would say a death wish), and again, there's that epic battle between the adventurous men and often unruly Mother Nature. It's the best kind of reality television -- little artifice, some selective editing, and yet, it's the real lives of real men and even some women. Take that, Big Brother.

I should point out that as big a fan as I am of Captains Sig Hansen, Johnathan Hillstrand, Phil Harris, and all the rest (though in no way of less importance -- it's the meds, guys, my apologies), you will not find me on message boards discussing them, their lives, writing fan fiction, or scheming of ways to someday meet them. I leave that to the rest of their very weird, rabid fanbase. Although, I do admit that the new book from the Hillstrands looks pretty damn interesting. Anyhow, should I ever decide I really did want to meet any of them, I'd do it for portrait sessions and a subsequent book of essays on the men and their lives, natch.

After countless hours spent medicated and bored, I looked forward to evening TV. I've already seen every episode of JAG, Nash Bridges, Golden Girls, and The Nanny. The only upside to daytime is catching up on Matlock. I never watched it while it was in first run, so it's new to me now. Give me prime time TV anytime and I'm much happier.

I'm tapering off my Flexeril, Vicodin, and Tylenol with high hopes of being med-free by the weekend. I have yet to see my darling son since before he left on his trip. I'm taking baby steps forward, folks.

For now, I must return to Discover the world from my living room sofa. (Thanks to the roomie, it's actually more easily visible with an early birthday gift.)

Signed,

Your Semi-Medicated Cabin Fever Goddess

* Take your pick (I love them both)

Shorter version (the one with which I've become most familiar):

Longer version:

My favorite Discovery.com commercial ever:

Don't miss out on Fellow Partially Eaten Fish and Hello Mosquito

Posted by Da Goddess at 10:35 PM | Comments (2)

April 18, 2008

Sick Leave

Not feeling so great. Sorry for lack of updates. My back hurts like a mofo and I have limited patience with trying to compose actual words right now.

I shall return.

Promise.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:49 AM | Comments (6)

April 10, 2008

Flickr Schmickr

Flickr's response to those of us against video on the site is, to say the least, unimpressive, if not more than a little flip.

Here's what they said in the forums (and despite Heather being one of the founders, she seems to not understand using spellcheck or perhaps doesn't care that she comes across poorly) -- Round One:

heather says:

Marie Antoinette I am not. I think we've responded to constructive critcism throughout and we're definitely pow wowing here back at Flickr HQ. That said, these forums topics are like surfing a wild tsunami and feedback that we do provide can easily be lost.

I've been with the team through a variety of feature launches that have brought change to the community. Through it all, we've been hear listening to feedback, making change where necessary to make Flickr better. We want to hear your feedback and I think that for the most part, we take all comers.

Personally, the emerging side of feedback that's become almost abusive via protest images in comments leaves me mostly speachless (and I'm a talker). But we understand that it's important for people to have their say. We haven't implemented any sort of "clean up" tool for this, leaving it up to individuals to determine what they are comfortable with within their own photostream.

I'm not sure what to say to those who don't want peanut butter in their chocolate (so to speak). Video is now part of the Flickr DNA and while we will definitely be addressing some of the great feedback for ways that the implementation can be massaged towards better things, we're not pulling up stakes and rolling back. When we're ready, we'll share those changes with you hear (if you've seen any of Dunstan and I tripping overourselves regarding video in Explore, you'll appreciate that we want to have our ducks in a row).

We have a wonderfully passionate community and whether your imagery moves or stays still appears to be divisive. I mentioned earlier in this thread that I was very much against it when I heard that it was on the road map. If I had my way, I'd chuck all things digitial (even your beautiful DSLR) and dial the flickrverse back to all things film. That's not going to happen. I have to respect that there will be change and that the flickrverse is really a multiverse of people all who have different ideas of how they want to share the world around them.

Just as there are more megapixels now than there even a few years ago, I think that how we capture both still and moving is going to change dramatically over the next few years. Including video within Flickr will enable those who choose to....

I think I've gone off on a tangent, but as I began this post with Marie Anne I am not, I want to finish that we're about being inclusive. While there are a few rough edges that need to be polished out, I think that in the long run, video on Flickr is a wondeful complement what's been built so far.

People weren't happy with that, so the comments continued, which led to Round Two:

heather says:

If you missed it, please read what I wrote last night.

Here’s our response to what we see as frequent feedback here in the forum (I’ve paraphrased the feedback in some instances):

“I don’t want video on Flickr.”
We’re sorry, but video is here to stay. We’d love for everyone to give it a shot. If it’s not to your taste, then you should change the default on autoplay. You can distinguish between video and photos by the white arrow bottom left.

“I think video should have it’s own separate site.”
Just as with our international launch last year and building language on top of our global community, we wanted to avoid siloing what is after all, just another format.

“…did none of the staff see this coming?”
Given our experience with the outrage in moving sets from the left-hand side of the page to the right a few years ago (and various adventures since then), we’re very familiar with the passionate response of our members. We can’t be afraid of that. We need to continue to improve, release new features and iterate.

Feedback and iteration are very much part of our process. We very much value the feedback that we receive after features launch. It gives us a chance to take something good and give it that extra polish.

“I should be able to filter video out of my view of Flickr.”
There needs to be a balance between the “voice” of the creator and visitors. While it’s one thing to exclude certain content while searching, it’s quite another thing to presumptively curate what a member is choosing to share in their photostrem.

“I haven’t uploaded any video, why do you say “view [member name]’s photos and videos”
Yup. This is stupid. We’re working on fixing this.

“My group pool is photos only, why does the language reference video?”
Yup. This is stupid. We’re working on fixing this.

“it should not default to auto-play….”
“videos shouldn’t begin to pre-load until I press play”
“video shouldn’t be in explore….”
“I shouldn’t have to use extended search to filter out video”

These are things that we’re pow-wowing about here at Flickr HQ.

And my favourite:

“…We're like the toilet paper she wipes her a-s with!”
I promise you that I don't think of you all as soft, fluffy rolls of triple ply toilet paper. Kittens maybe.... (some with sharp, pointy claws....).

[edit : common --> frequent]

Without addressing some of our concerns directly, Heather's deftly danced around and around, picking and choosing her non-battles. When folks brought up specific existing problems, they were ignored. We've all been ignored. Easier to circumvent the issues with blah blah blah than actual solutions. And, "oh, by the way, we added thusandsuch." That's not a solution. That wasn't even part of the question. Maybe if they'd sent someone other than Heather and her flippant responses, that would have placated some of us. But no.

TopTechWriter.US probably said it best:

flickr can't be bothered to fix comment notification so it doesn't repeatedly blurt out that I've got NEW COMMENTS.

And flickr won't give us options to format the screen background so I can try a nice black or charcoal gray background with understated caption colors that don't scream for attention. Anything but the minimalist Web 2.0 nightmare that is the current color scheme.

But flickr will give us 90-seconds of video that apparently very few people want (and of those who want their minute-and-a-half of fame, far fewer know what to do with it).

But I'm not upset--and y'know why?

Because flickr LOVES ME!! It says so right on the logo.

And you always hurt the one's you love

Yeah, they love us. Sure. I believe it. And I believe their check's in the mail, too. Does Flickr really care what its users want? If so, why haven't they fixed known bugs? Why wasn't there more notice about this new "feature"? Or at least a general polling of paid users? Give us the chance to weigh in and determine what's most important in the way the site functions. We're the ones who use it, why not find out what we really want? The answer lies in the push to compete with other sites and to make more money, obviously. It's not about the paying customer.

Anyhow... My response to all of this was:

Look, not all of my shots are works of art, but I do have clients who use my site to look through all the photos I've taken to determine what will work best for their needs. They've always marveled at the way Flickr was set up because it was obviously all about photography. Not so much anymore.

My personal (photography) site is limited as far as storage and the ability to display my work for clients. That's why I chose Flickr.

What this really boils down to -- for me -- is that the people who visit me occasionally wander about, getting ideas from other photographers about something they'd like to have me try, to find inspiration, and I've always thought that's a good thing. But now they're going to get video as well. These are people who eschew myspace and facebook because they don't want to be bombarded by crap. I value their business and their support, but I'm afraid they're going to run far far away when they can't get past video, no matter what the size.

I just renewed my subscription for TWO years. I had to work to do it because the paypal feature went missing, but fine, fine. Whatever. I did it. Now I feel stuck in a very abusive relationship with someone who doesn't give a rat's posterior what will work best for me, for us. I can't afford to leave at this point, not unless someone's willing to spring for me to make the move.

The blasé attitude and the blatant disregard for what many PAID users are saying is bad business, if you ask me. If I treated my clients like this (even my freebies), I'd be out of business.

Additionally, I pay in advance for Flickr's services. Instead of supporting and improving the available and much-needed functions of the site, they throw bells and whistles and shiny things at our feet, hoping to distract us from the poor quality of their customer service relations.

That's it in a nutshell, I think. They're trying to distract us from the lack of service and/or their lack of concern over the quality of their service.

A lot of folks have said Flickr's video option will lead to a Myspace type of atmosphere. And one has to wonder if that's where all this is heading. After all, we're told "more surprises to come!" If I wanted moving photo montages, I could go to Myspace or webshots or photobucket. Flickr was always safe from that sort of thing. Good, bad, or ugly, it was about photography and the photographer. No matter how it was used, it was about the images and that's what people saw. Once they started allowing people to host photos that didn't belong to them (original terms of service forbid this), the slippery slope was drenched.

Perhaps if Flickr had fixed many of the existing problems and shown us some proof of their love, we'd be actually get behind new features. It would definitely be better than their current approach. Instead, we've been summarily dismissed.

It may seem silly to have my panties in a bunch over this, but as a paying customer, I want to feel valued for more than just the money I pay them. I want my opinion to matter. I want my voice to be heard. Flickr's throwing all that out the window. If customers no longer matter, they'll lose all credibility and they'll lose business. It's really that simple.

Posted by Da Goddess at 11:28 PM | Comments (0)

April 09, 2008

No Way, Flickse

This just ain't what flickr needs.

Look, there are already issues with load times of photos, photos going missing, and a million other bugs. Do we really need videos, even short videos, adding to the strain on the system? I think not.

Maybe I'm just bitter and pissy right now, but no, not so much upon second thought. Flickr is about PHOTOGRAPHY. We don't need video there.

Consider this a big raspberry pointed in Flickr's direction.

And to further illustrate what can go wrong, I got this message when trying to post this (because I'm very "advance flickr" and special and can post a photo directly to my blogs, not to mention totally full of crap sometimes):

Your blog posting failed. If your configuration details have changed, update them now. Sometimes web services can be a bit flaky - click the button below to try again.

Flickr? This is the kettle calling. You're black.

Posted by Da Goddess at 01:30 PM | Comments (4)

Hot Footin'

First my hip started to feel warm and I thought maybe I'd sat on something hot. Nope, that wasn't it.

Then my foot got super warm and I had to look down to see what was going on. Nothing there. Weirdness.

And then it dawned on me. Earth to Goddess...it's the nerves being tweaked. D'oh! Sometimes my blonde roots run deeper than I think.

Felt pretty crappy most of yesterday afternoon. I'd started off so well, too. As soon as I began to move around, it was obvious I hadn't knocked out the pain like I'd hoped. Still, I had a quick shoot to help with very close to home. I hobbled out to the car, got over to the park, played assistant, took a couple photos, and then dropped my friend off at her house. While I was there, we were digging through photos and talking shop, of course. All of a sudden, I was overwhelmed by intense nausea. WTF? I had nothing to purge myself of, so emesis wasn't forthcoming. It lasted about 10 minutes and then was gone. I've had a bit of a headache and the hot foot thing to keep me company though.

Watching Craig Ferguson tonight, er...last night...and he has a comic on named Clinton Jackson. Guy has a CD called Do You See The Ducks Now? I thought of Mikey, natch.

Got my third update from Little Dude's teacher. Lots of photos and lots of happy little faces to be seen. By all accounts, it sounds like everyone's enjoying the trip. The group heads off to the FBI Academy tomorrow (fine! TODAY). That'll be lots of fun. The day after (4-10) is Arlington and the wreath. LD and I worked on his speech last week and it was good. Really good.

Okay, back to my fascination for the night: Highland cows. Wish I could claim ownership of the photo at the end of that link, but alas and alack, I cannot. Gorgeous creatures, aren't they? Run a search on flickr for Highland Cows and enjoy! Guess I should close the browser and finish uploading and editing my own work, eh? (Just dawned on my why I might like these critters: they remind me of Zach Galifianakis -- if they could only grow more hair.)

Blah blah blah. Whatev.

Vicodin, oh Vicodin, where in the heck is my dear old Vicodin? (I'd totally settle for a muscle relaxer at this point. Means I have to actually move to find either. Or should that be "mooooove"?)

Posted by Da Goddess at 01:21 AM | Comments (2)

April 07, 2008

So It's Like That

I absolutely overdid it last week and have spent the last few days paying for it.

I knew Thursday that I'd done too much and my back was screaming like a mofo the whole night.

Friday was spent in a medicated haze. Even with the meds, I was in terrible pain. It sucked.

Saturday, I made a huge effort to get out to the Soldiers' Angels event I'd volunteered for. Can't let the troops down, right? While I wasn't comfortable, I kept telling myself there were injured troops who were in worse shape and I could tough it out. I managed to get through my scheduled hours and was glad I did. I met some wonderful volunteers and while I was there, we'd sold two First Response backpacks, which include sweats, basic toiletries, a phone card, and many other items. Why is this important? Well, the description of the pack on the SA site tells it best:

When our wounded arrive at these hospitals they often have only what they were wearing in the battlefield and considering they were injured, it usually is not in very good condition. It can take up to a couple of days before they receive replacement supplies and it is often weeks before their belongings catch up to them. The military does all it can to provide for our wounded heroes and more than meets his or hers basic needs. These backpacks, however, ensure that our wounded soldiers have a little love from home to comfort them until their family can reach them and/or they return to the states. A wounded soldier certainly can wear a hospital gown for the first 24 hours before his replacement clothing is issued, but having a quick change of clothing is priceless.

The kindness of two San Diegans means two more of our wounded have a little something extra to help them through their first days in hospital.

We also had folks signing Blankets of Hope and get well/thank you cards to be handed out by the chaplain teams.

The event buoyed my spirits, even though I didn't feel so hot. The best part though, was knowing the day was a success for Soldiers' Angels. Yay!

The rest of my Saturday was spent resting, praying I'd feel better. Sunday was spent heavily medicated again. I wanted to wake up today feeling great, but that didn't happen. And so that meant I had to make a phone call to San Diego Momma to let her know I'd be missing out on the super fun evening with the other San Diego blogging moms. There was even going to be a special appearance from a traveling blog mom. Feh.

So here I sit, bummed that I'm missing out on meeting all these amazing ladies who are gathered together to welcome the traveling one. I can only hope they each have an extra drink to make up for the ones I'm not consuming.

Sigh.

Oh well, there'll be other get togethers, but Bossy won't be there. Maybe I'll just have to stalk her through her blog. It'll be easy cuz she takes some gorgeous photos and you know how I love photos.

Ladies, I'm there in spirit. Physically, I'm here, at home on the sofa, watching crap TV until Little People, Big World and Jon & Kate Plus 8 come on. Small consolation. I'd rather be laughing and having fun with the gals.

I couldn't even check email since Thursday night.
That's pretty rare for me, but it does happen. But, early this morning, I was so pleased to find an email from Little Dude's teacher filling us in on the flight from San Diego to the east coast, the kids' experiences on their first day in Virginia, and the exhaustion everyone's feeling. Plus there were photos. Including one of LD with his camera...I can't wait to see what he took. I can't wait until he gets home. I miss my baby already.

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:15 PM | Comments (5)

April 03, 2008

Lost Post

I was halfway through a very moving post about what LD and I experienced at his school today. Then, from out of nowhere, a gigantic, raging mouse came charging across the laptop and wiped the whole thing out.

SFPD. And that ain't no San Francisco police department abbreviation.

I'm really pissed that a careless half click destroyed such an amazing and brilliant bit of writing. Okay, maybe the writing wasn't brilliant, but the subject was.

Can't reconstruct it right now. We're working on a speech and preparing for tonight's play. Later, though. Later.

Posted by Da Goddess at 03:51 PM | Comments (0)

April 02, 2008

Some Days Are Diamonds, Some Days Are Dirt

Despite the fact I didn't carry the first bagful of clothes to the laundry room, I found myself having to haul a second, smaller bag over. I also made three trips to the apartment so as not to anger my already aching back. So why is it that I couldn't get comfortable after, or sleep without meds?

Today, I'm hunched over and looking like I spent the last week on my knees scrubbing floors with a toothbrush. Maybe it was a combination of that and my long, but leisurely walk on Monday. (I had a meeting and was without a car. It was a good walk, but I felt it deeply the whole way. Oh, and the meeting went very well.)

I had to bow out of picking Little Dude up from school so I could stay medicated and get myself feeling better for his big day tomorrow.

"Another big day for LD?" you ask. Why, yes. Tomorrow night, two of the 5th grade classes are performing in a fantastic play, complete with singing and dancing. They've been rehearsing for a few months. It's about music from every decade of the last century.

But, there's more. Earlier in the day, they'll have the family of a fallen Marine in class. They have a special surprise for the family and the local news crews will be there as well. We'll have a long day ahead of us. Given a choice, I'd rather miss today and be there tomorrow.

With permission from the family, I will share more details about their son and I'll post pictures. Until then, I'm doped to the gills and resting. Plus, all the laundry's done and I'm reading a very cool book written by a fellow blogger who comments here frequently.

Speaking of other bloggers, the Gardenwife has a special favor to ask and it only requires a moment of your time to vote for Sarahbou & Caribou.

Update: I was so dopey earlier, I was throwing question marks around like they belonged in statements and other random spots. Why aren't you folks proofing my posts?

Posted by Da Goddess at 02:51 PM | Comments (6)

March 31, 2008

Trippin' Down Memory Lane

The Fat Guy has a sweet collection of music videos for you. Go forth and enjoy.

And just so I get to throw in my own unique little twist, here's Foghat with (my crush) Honeyboy Edwards.

And then there's Foghat with Johnny Winter and Muddy Waters.

Did you really think I'd play along and not throw in the blues? Really?

Posted by Da Goddess at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)

March 27, 2008

Vote For Me

I'm not asking for much, just a quick vote. You can do that for me, right? Good. Well, here I am.

I chose the "Fresh" category for this one because it was a "fresh" point of view. Definitely different from the fruit and brightly colored girls in most of the photos I'd seen on JPG thus far. Who says fresh needs to be all bright and sunny anyway?

If you vote for me, I promise to leave you alone for at least a day. Honest. I would not lie to you about this. Not even a little.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:33 AM | Comments (2)

March 21, 2008

Thank You For Your Support

What? Did you honestly think I'd throw out a Bartles & Jaymes reference and not include some sort of visual? I thought you knew me better than that by now.

For shame.

Posted by Da Goddess at 11:40 PM | Comments (0)

March 20, 2008

Sorry, Pardon Me, Excuse Me, Sorry

I had to turn Blacklist back on because the spammers went hog wild. I promise to turn it off again soon. I'm going to figure this damn thing out if it's the last second to last thing I do. (I want the last thing to be FUN! Can you blame me?)

In the meantime, try to avoid ellipses (...) in your comments, as well as emoticons, and if at first you don't succeed, gimme a fake email address and leave the URL blank. Oh, and when you submit the comment for the second time, go all the way back out to the post and hit "comments" again. For some reason, when I try hitting "back" and then re-enter the comment, it won't take it if I haven't been all the way back out.

Blacklist has its benefits, even though it sucks mightily.

My apologies for this temporary inconvenience and for any comments I may have accidentally deleted along the way.

Thank you for your support.

Signed,
Bartles and Jaymes

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:32 PM | Comments (7)

March 17, 2008

Varifrank

Anyone got a current email address for Frank? Anyone? Bueller?

Posted by Da Goddess at 09:52 PM | Comments (0)

Comments Welcome and the Cleanup Crew

Look, I know y'all are busy and stuff, but really, comments are kinda nice.

And for those of you who are gonna say, "but Goddess, my comments are always denied for questionable content", guess what? I think I fixed the damn thing. Really! I just tried it and included the dreaded ellipses, emoticons, and every swear word I could think of, as well as invoking the mighty medicinal names of Cialis and phentermine. If those can get through, you can get through.

If, perchance, your comment is flagged for some reason, you'll at least have a new message to read.

But really, seriously, if you loved me, you'd write more often. I spent hours in labor with you actual time writing - not for me - for you. Yes, you. YOU!

Now, about that blogroll. I had about a million links that led absolutely nowhere. I've fixed them. Or most of them. Or something like that. I tried to get everything. I even added a couple who'd been missing for some odd reason. Anyhow, if you're not on there and think you should be, please leave a comment (cuz now you can) and tell me where to find you.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:18 PM | Comments (6)

Re:Miss

I've been remiss. I should have blogged this weekend but I was too busy recovering from Friday night. I had a blues society event that lasted way longer than anyone had planned.

I got there at about 8pm and didn't walk back in the house until after 2am. I was beat. Saturday, I was sore. I anticipated that from doing so much standing. What I didn't anticipate was how awful I felt yesterday.

Much of my Sunday was spent sleeping or lounging around, trying to pretend I didn't hurt as much as I did. That's pretty typical of what happens when I'm too active anymore. I know this and try to plan around it.

Still, I was bummed that I didn't get to do some of the other things I wanted to over the weekend, but it was worth it. I think I secured another interview with a bluesman for Little Dude. It's an artist he likes and wanted to see, but couldn't since he's so young. If all the groveling I did pays off, he'll have another interview under his belt and he'll be a happy boy.

By the way, in case you missed it, there's a big Soldiers' Angels logo atop my sidebar for a reason. I'm officially a volunteer. Let me just say this: you don't have to wait for a fundraiser to get involved with SA. Go adopt a troop, send a care package, send a letter, donate a couple bucks, ANYTHING...do it now. Your whole week will be so much better if you do.

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:14 AM | Comments (0)

March 13, 2008

Angering the BTs

I think the MRI pissed off the old BTs yesterday. They've been screaming and fighting for control of my body ever since. In fact, THEY are responsible for my foul mood and any outward displays of surliness.

This would be such a great excuse if I believed in body thetans, wouldn't it?

Scientology absolves one of all personal responsibility blame. I totally understand why some celebs love it so much.

I'm not being religiously intolerant. Not in the least. I don't consider scientology anything more than a very successful marketing ploy, now with more brainwashing!

If I had fewer body aches and nothing more important to do, I might actually have fun joining Anonymous on Saturday. Not that I don't consider this important, but I have other things I MUST do if I'm up and walking. Still, the idea of capturing all activity (check out the pics from San Diego in Feb.) is tempting...

I'm all for religious freedom, but Co$ ain't it. I won't try to speak for all the harm done by those in power at Co$, I leave that to one of my very capable friends. The thing is, this organization is nothing more than a sham, created by a man who wrote sci-fi books and saw the chance to make some serious money. He made plenty. Then he died. But his scams live on. And the crazy mob mentality amongst the leaders has led to some horrifying consequences for too many people. Lives ruined, lives lost. All for what? Money? Power?

It's not just gullible adults seeking belonging who are drawn to this idiocy. Their children are dragged along for the ride. Some escape, some don't.

It's one thing to have FAITH, it's another thing to have to pay for it, to have it ruin lives, to kill.

What started off as a silly throwaway post has morphed into something else. Take away what you will from it. Learn the truth and don't take any wooden nickels.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:44 AM | Comments (1)

March 10, 2008

Babalu To The Rescue

When I blogged about my frustration with the "education" my daughter was receiving regarding Che, Cuba, and "blame America" at school, I also sent out an email to the always wonderful Val. Who else would I possibly ask for some facts to counter the fiction Mojo's been fed?

Well, he and his friends over at Babalu Blog are helping me assemble some good references to share with my daughter to further her education. She should know about the real Che and they explain what Cuba is truly like for the people who live there.

Gracias, mi amigo. Usted es un caballero verdadero.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:08 AM | Comments (2)

February 23, 2008

Smiley

Forgive my laziness, but this was languishing in my very complicated archives. Originally posted on June 30, 2003, "Smiley":

There was a time when I worked at a pizza joint. I started in high school and I worked a lot of hours.

One of our regulars, beyond the little league/softball/soccer teams, was an older man. He came in every Saturday, without fail. He had a scowl plastered on his face. You know, the kind that made him look as though he were trying to pass a humongous sour lemon turd. Think constipate Clint Eastwood, without the rugged good looks. That was Smiley. Well, that's what I called him.

Never having been one to just let things be, it became my personal challenge to see if I couldn't elicit a grin from the man. I would attempt to engage him in conversation at every opportunity. Sometimes he'd actually say something beyond his usual, "gimme a black beer." Still, no smile.

Around this same time I had gone back to help out a family for whom I'd been a nanny for two years. I babysat the twins while they were between gals and got in the habit of correcting the boys' manners. Per their mom's request, I'd threaten them with spankings for large infractions (but, I'd have to do it in Hebrew, the official language of punishment in their home) and chase after them as if I really meant it. I also got into the habit of finishing their sentences with "please" and "thank you."

After working with the twins, daily, for a month and a half, it was no surprise that I started correcting everyone else. One Saturday, Smiley walked in. I was tired. Really tired. He stepped up to the counter and grumbled, "gimme a black beer" to which I added, "please." He about bust a gut with that one. Not only did I get a smile, the man was laughing his ass off. I hadn't realized what I'd done. I just knew that I had Smiley smiling and laughing. My first thought was that I must be bleeding profusely from some appendage.

"That was a good one," Smiley said.

"What was?" I asked.

"'Please.'"

"I didn't just say that, did I?"

"You sure did!" He replied, while wiping tears from his eyes.

"Oh...my...I...I...I...I'm sorry!"

"No, no. Don't be sorry. That was the first time someone's reminded me to be polite since I was 10. Thank you."

I was dumbfounded. And, I was pleased. I made the old sourpuss smile.

I discovered that he'd come in and have his "black beer" while waiting for his wife to have her hair done. He told me that he hated having to drag her up to the beauty parlor. He was resentful that she'd never learned to drive. Still, he said he was glad to have some time to himself after dropping her off and savored that beer as he could have none at home. Forty plus years of marriage without beer in the house. Yeah, I'd think I'd stop smiling, too.

Later, I would become the only person to whom he'd speak or smile. I kinda liked that. He was my sourpuss.

Posted by Da Goddess at 04:51 AM | Comments (2)

February 19, 2008

The Little Story That Wasn't

I had a great little story to tell and then lost the post. Harrumph!

I'll try to recreate it as best as I can once I'm done with my gig calendar (a project that takes me a whole day to complete in the best of circumstances). I hope y'all like onions.

Posted by Da Goddess at 01:27 AM | Comments (0)

February 16, 2008

Stupid Celebrities

Britney thinks she's special:

Troubled star Britney Spears is desperate for California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's help in her ongoing custody battle, according to reports. The singer - whose lawyers from legal firm Trope & Trope last month filed a motion requesting permission to withdraw as her counsel - allegedly believes her inability to keep an attorney in her custody case with ex-husband Kevin Federline violates her "civil rights." Spears' estranged manager Sam Lutfi reportedly contacted Schwarzenegger's former publicist to help put the 26-year-old in touch with the state commander. A source tells the New York Daily News, "Britney says her civil rights have been violated and she wants to talk to Arnold about it. She wants the governor to look into why she can't get an attorney. Sam was chewing on his dinner while he was saying all this into the phone. He wanted Schwarzenegger to call him, and he said he'd hand Britney the phone." Spears lost the right to visit her sons Sean Preston, two, and Jayden James, one, last month after a breakdown at her Beverly Hills home at the end of a scheduled visit, which resulted in a three-hour police stand-off.

Um, Brit, you fucked up all on your own and you don't get to ask for special favors from the Governator just because you're a celeb. You held a kid hostage, ran around barely dressed for months, refused to appear for depositions and court dates, and essentially made one bad choice after another in every aspect of your life. That doesn't scream "troubled" to you? Honey, go back to the hospital and get yourself better. THEN work on getting visiting time with your kids. Stay sober and sane for a few months and maybe then you'll find a judge willing to believe you're capable of being a halfway decent parent.

Paris is pounded for propogating pups:

Paris Hilton's dog love has landed her at the center of a new Los Angeles Department of Animal Services investigation, after the heiress boasted about owning 17 pets on a TV show. The socialite told chat show host Ellen DeGeneres all about the extent of her pooch collection on the comedienne's show on Monday - not realizing it's illegal to have more than three dogs at any one non-kennel, non-breeder, residential address in Los Angeles. Animal Services sources tell Tmz.com that bosses of an animal rescue organization took heed of Hilton's dog boast and complained to the officials, who paid her a visit on Tuesday. The website reports Animal Services representatives turned up at Hilton's home, but Paris and her dogs were not there. They left a message with a maid and now plan to return to conduct a full inspection.

Paris was aware it was illegal. She's been visited by Animal Services before (2005). She also reportedly bought a kangaroo in Australia, owned a kinkajou, has a ferret, cats, snakes, rats, monkeys, and states she bought a bobcat. Not only is it illegal for her to own a bobcat, but the kinkajou was taken away because it too was illegal and there's no word on what happened to her purchased roo.

Worse, on Ellen's show, when asked why she had so many dogs, she replied, "Cuz they keep having babies, and I feel bad to give them away, because I feel like if I had a baby and someone gave it away it would be mean, so I feel bad for my dogs." I feel bad for her dogs, too. But only because their human mommy's a major idiot. Dogs are wonderful pets, but they're not like humans. Giving away a puppy doesn't in any manner compare to having a human baby taken from its mother.

Whatever world this chick's living in, there's obviously no one around to give her a good old fashioned reality check via a bitch slap. I don't care how much money you have or if you have someone tending to the animals for you, if you have pets, you absolutely must be a responsible caretaker, and that includes getting your pets spayed or neutered. Oh hell, if she has someone else caring for the animals anyway, what's the point of owning so many? You can't take any real pleasure in them if you don't spend time with them. And yes, that's the official reason she has her own zookeeper...she's so busy working, she can't take care of the animals on her own.

I doubt she takes any real joy in having these animals. They're possessions. One more thing she can claim to own. They likely fill some twisted need to find unconditional love from something, anything in her very materialistic and empty life. Money can buy you a pet, dear, but it can't buy you love, even from those animals.

My life is far from perfect, however, I feel so far ahead of the game when I look at these two. Thank God.

Posted by Da Goddess at 11:55 PM | Comments (2)

February 14, 2008

Fat. Naked. Dangerous.

Yes, as a matter of fact I am. So what?

Posted by Da Goddess at 02:22 PM | Comments (6)

Come On In My Kitchen

You'd better come on in my kitchen
babe it going to be rainin' outdoors

Yes, it's raining and windy and after this front moves out we're due to get Santa Anas. I hate Santa Anas. Dry air, dry wind, dry mucous membranes, no humor, blech. So, I'm gonna sit here and revel in the rainy, windy goodness for as long as it lasts, thankyouverymuch.

Now, on to more important business:

From vd.meish.org or meish.org/vd, whichever you prefer.

Posted by Da Goddess at 02:06 PM | Comments (0)

January 29, 2008

Cameras, Photos, and Deals, Oh My!

Some extremely nice person wrote to ask me about the photo shoot I just did. While I'm pleased with most of the images, I see where I'm lacking and what I have to reshoot. I was having issues with my camera early on and I was so uncomfortable because I felt extremely unprofessional. No backup camera. Nothing. All I had was a quick fix plan that I prayed would work. It did. But I was still left feeling like I had failed to complete my assignment properly.

When I look at the photos (see link above), I have a few favorites. I'm also picking apart everything that's wrong with them. I can usually critique my own work fairly well, although I tend to pick things apart more than most people would.

So what do I see? Imperfect color balance. Sure, I can do some post-production work on them, but it's not true to life color that I would like. I see digital noise and loss of sharpness due to 1) my camera's limits and 2) aging equipment. It happens with fixed-lens cameras. There's no way to properly clean sensors or between glass. It just can't be done unless you have someone take the whole thing apart (which costs as much as a replacement cam).

I also see a limited field. I can't just pop on a wide-angle lens and compensate for close quarters.

Even with all those criticisms, I am proud of some of the portraits. If you knew this band, and their energy, the little bit of playfulness in a few shots makes perfect sense. I'm proud that I managed to get any of that when I think of how I had to stop shooting to fix my fussy camera. I mean, I lost some of the momentum with the band. I lost the immediacy. They started wandering off. It's not how I operate. Had my camera functioned properly, I would have kept shooting and the guys would have stayed focused and loose. Do those two terms even belong in the same sentence? Well, yes. It's a precious thing that happens when you're on a roll.

Immediate solution to immediate problem: retake the headshots. Maybe borrow a better camera for the group shot.

Longterm solution: get new gear.

I mentioned briefly a while back that I'd had an offer to help me get a new camera. There are stipulations and the like, but it's a viable plan. But only if I have help.

So here's what was offered to me.

I have to raise money -- through donations. All funds raised can only be put toward new gear. I can't pay rent or bills with that money. The whole idea being that a good camera will allow me to earn money to pay for the necessities. All funds raised will be matched, dollar for dollar, by people who believe in my photography. I also have to come up with a print portfolio (which I've started) to show potential clients. I'm responsible for developing my own clients (and I've already had, thanks to this last job, referrals to other bands and to a community events planning board). If I raise more money (coupled with the matching funds) than I need to buy the camera I want, I must use those funds to invest in lenses and other essentials.

Which cameras am I looking at? The Canon Rebel XTi and the Nikon D40x. Both are approximately 10MP and come with a 2GB card and 18-55mm lenses. One offers a bonus 55-200mm lens. If I go through Costco, I'm looking to spend between $650-800 on the camera itself. In store, the price is comparable. I will eventually need to look into more lenses and lighting, but I can likely borrow until then. I'm also looking at other vendors, but few can match the bulk rate discount Costco does. I could drop to 6 or 8MP and spend less, but photography trends dictate the need for better resolution NOW. (I just missed another magazine opportunity because of my puny 3.2MP situation.) I'm approaching this as an investment in my future ability to earn a living outside of nursing. I'm not looking to remain a hobby photographer. And I'm not looking to invest way out of my range because I'm realistic. I know I can work with either camera and produce quality results. If I can manage to do good work with crap, imagine what I can do with better gear! I also want to keep costs down to be able to raise the money needed in a shorter time frame.

I'm serious as hell about making this happen. I don't have a husband to help me out of my current situation. Nor do I have a house against which I could take a loan. I'm not asking for reasons of vanity or entitlement. I want to make life work for me instead of working against me (or feeling as such). I can't wait for my work comp case to settle. I can't wait to win the lottery (I don't even play). I have to make it happen and this is my chance.

As I've mentioned to a few people, asking for help is very hard for me to do. However, I feel some opportunities are worth taking the risk. This is worth the risk.

It's a doable plan, but only if I get those donations. Do you believe in my eye? Do you like what you see? Brother (sister), can you spare a dime?

Update: I've adjusted my goal a bit after being yelled at for not considering sales tax and shipping (I've found I can get a better price on a camera and two lenses by going through a company my friend uses). For once, I'm heeding advice from those who know and those who are interested in me getting the best deal possible. They speak, I listen.

Posted by Da Goddess at 01:08 AM | Comments (6)

January 11, 2008

Pppphhhttt....It's Jodi's Fault

She memed. And I liked.

Generate a fake band and its first album:

1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
The first article title on the page is the name of your band.

2. http://www.quotationspage.com/random.php3
The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album.

3. http://www.flickr.com/explore/interesting/7days/
The third picture, no matter what it is, will be your album cover.

Alternate versions below the fold

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:36 AM | Comments (2)

January 10, 2008

One More To "Out"

My brain has melted and run right out my ass. Or something like that. Screw this being sick crap.

I forgot one item on my "Out" list...

Fedoras. I don't care if Brit, Justin, Jessica, and half the population of Hollywood and/or whatever the music capitol of the world is, the point is: they're so last week it's not even funny.

In case you've not seen a single photo of any celeb in the last year and a half, the vast majority of them are sporting what is, in my opinion, a great hat. And they're doing it a grave injustice.

The fedora has become the new do rag (although Hulk Hogan never got the memo that he's out of style) and neither item should be showing up on the pages of Variety, People, or Us. It's over and done with, so let's give it a rest, m'kay?

When SHOULD a fedora be worn and who should wear one? Blues and jazz musicians can wear them. Cute little old men. Nattily dressed detectives a la The First 48. Dashing leading men like Harrison Ford and Sean Connery. Real cool cats with tattoos and classic cars. On stage, on camera, out to dinner. But not your run of the mill media circus celebs. The fedora is a topper with a sense of history and character, both of which are seriously lacking in La La Land.

So, remember, unless you're on my very short list, resist the temptation to cover your pate with one. Go play with sequined headbands or something. Please. Leave my fedoras alone.

Posted by Da Goddess at 12:55 AM | Comments (0)

January 09, 2008

Maybe It's The Fever Talking

But...

I am officially declaring the following things are no longer cool or interesting (as if some ever were):

• Tramp stamps, or as Barney said on How I Met Your Mother: "You know, a ho tag. Ass Antlers. A Panama City license plate." Seriously, if you're going to get a tattoo, pick a different location and a more interesting design than the typical angel wings, butterfly, fairy, etc. We're through with looking at lower backs and cookie cutter images. Quit insulting tattoo artists with your lack of imagination and us with your need to say you like to do it doggy style.
• Paris, Britney, Lindsay, J-Lo, Brangelina, Tom, and every other overexposed attention whore. In order to get more press, they've resorted to sex tapes, psychotic breaks, foreign adoption, and acting as spokesmodels for high priced cults. They're done. DONE, I say. D.O.N.E. We don't care, so quit with the media coverage.
• Wrestling. Enough already! The staged antics and pseudo drama of wrestling is so over the top it practically screams "watch me or I'll body slam ya". No longer is it good vs. evil, but bad guy against even badder guy. Each year, the shows ramp up the stunts to the point where you're no longer watching guys (and gals) in spandex, but a three ring circus act, occasionally with explosions and sex scenes. Huh? Yeah. I don't watch it, I just read about the stupidity. Whatever happened to the good old days of Gorilla Monsoon, Ox Baker, Chief Jay Strongbow, and countless others? You know, the days before steroids and multiple camera. There was a certain artistry to what old school wrestlers did (yes, I know this because my "adopted" uncle's father was a wrestler and boxer long, long ago and I used to comb through scrapbooks filled with articles and photos). Now it's muscle-bound thugs prancing about, posturing, and attempting to prove what bad asses they are. No more. No thanks. Buh-bye!
• Network programming execs with their heads up their butts. These ass clowns don't seem to understand a couple of simple concepts. 1) We can't watch every show on TV -- try as we might -- and are constantly forced to abandoned much beloved shows because the executards have decided to take on a juggernaut in certain time slots. Why do they think so many viewers end up watching episodes online? 2) We resent them messing with our viewing habits. 3) Ratings will continue to decline because we'll refuse to play their games.
• Copycat Programs. Mythbusters rocks, Smash Lab mocks. That's but one example of what I mean. While I appreciate the whole idea of making science exciting (hey, I like seeing my son trying to think a few steps ahead and predicting outcomes -- that's what science is all about), Smash Lab comes across as a poorly executed clone with more explosions. Mythbusters has the 4:1 male/female personality ratio and Smash Lab went 3:1. It's true that our favorite myth busters can tackle just so much, but c'mon, Discovery, surely you could have tried a little harder! I could offer up another dozen shows to gripe about, but that would take ages.
• Nick@Nite. The Fresh Prince has gone stale. It seems as though we have had night after night of "blocks" and marathons of Will and the gang. We know every episode by heart. Can we please have a little variety? Wait, we're not asking, we're demanding! We want something else. I'll even take more episodes of the Jeff Foxworthy Show to escape from this hell. Or better still, if I want to watch a rapper on the telly, I'll check out Snoop Dogg's Father Hood, fo' shizzle. But seriously, we really don't need more than two episodes of any show in a single night except on special occasions. Bring back Newhart, Mad About You, Designing Women, Car 54 Where Are You?, My Mother The Car...anything.
• Scientology. Not even considered a "religion" in most countries, Scientology is nothing more than a cult for everyone who lost faith in JZ Knight and Ramtha. Don't remember that? It's okay. I don't think Linda Evans does either. Back to Scientology though. A creation of a sci-fi writer. Aliens. Levels. Psychiatry bad, invisible braces for adults good. As if outward appearance is all that really matters. My own child called it utter stupidity. Nuff said.
• "Open the eyes of my heart" again and I'll throw up. Please, dear God, call upon Your contemporary Christian composers to write new songs and let's do away with all these commercials advertising the same old songs over and over and over and over and over and over again. "I could sing of Your love forever" myself, but 1) You'd lose followers and 2) it's been done to death. Let's put all these songs on the cross and move on.
• Speaking of music, let's do away with all the breathy ingenues, plastic pop princesses, and hackneyed wannabes. As well, let's ditch the crappy compilations, especially those with songs reworked so they're kid-friendly. Our children deserve better.
• Oprah. Anything Oprah-related.
• The flu. I'm already sick of it. Get it? Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha heh...he...[insert death rattle here]

I'm obviously much sicker than I anticipated. Or perhaps it's more like illness brings out my true nature. Whatever. I'm going to ask Granny for some of her tonic while Jed and Jethro are off hunting for possum.

Posted by Da Goddess at 01:45 AM | Comments (4)

December 30, 2007

Portroid

It's not as painful as it sounds, so don't go reaching for the Preparation-H just yet!

My latest guilty online pleasure. Or would that be online guilty pleasure? Whatever. You know what I mean.

Favorite pics are of Nick Arrojo and Peter Dinklage. (Go to the celeb page to find out who they are if you don't already know.)

Special notes to friends: See? I'm not the only person who takes pictures of everyone and everything!

Posted by Da Goddess at 03:51 AM | Comments (2)

December 27, 2007

Achieving the Impossible and Other Tales

If I were to tell you what impossible event happened yesterday, you'd never believe me. You'd just think I was making things up out of (as Little Dude calls it) boreditism. But, you'd be totally wrong. So wrong. So very wrong. Way wrong. Wrongest.

You don't believe me, do you? You think I'm just baiting you. I know you. I know your type. I hear that derisive snort followed by a curt chortle. Hmmm...Curt Chortle. There's a good name for a comedian if I ever heard one.

I bet Mr. Chortle would be the sort of guy who lives in the basement of his parents' house. Of course, he has his own entrance, so it's like a completely separate realm and all that rationalized crap. He'd also wear flannel shirts, have football helmets on his bedspread, and be proudly displaying his massive collection of dusty shot glasses he's had since he was 19. As well, he'd be one of those guys who jumps right into Whiskerino and then ends up in the hall of shame within a week and a half. No staying power (and another reason why he doesn't have a girlfriend at the moment...or ever). Go figure.

Anyhow, Curt Chortle aside, I burned my eyelid while doing laundry last night. My pants are responsible. My hands just aided and abetted.

I dare you to find anyone else who can say they've done the same thing. I'm unique if nothing else.

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:34 PM | Comments (3)

December 18, 2007

Dustman Down

Sean Dustman, our favorite Doc in the Box, is currently in the hospital. He was coughing up significant amounts of blood and generally not feeling so well.

He's been poked, prodded, scanned, scoped, and auscultated nine ways to Sunday and is currently resting comfortably, thanks to some morphine. He sounds in great spirits, despite watching quality programming like America's Most Smartest Model. Morphine can make anything seem interesting. Anyhow, I told him AMSM was good for a laugh or two (yes, I will admit to watching the last have of the series) but he should really watch The Shot, which is total photo geek fun. He'll like that.

Go on over to his site and wish him well, okay?

Update - December 19: Back in San Diego, Sean's sounding much better and getting ready for the holidays.

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:09 PM | Comments (3)

November 29, 2007

Payment Due

Major bitch below. Read at your own peril.

I'm fuming mad. I've never been as angry as I am right now.

You know, you help someone out because you're a nice person. And there's a cool reciprocity to the situation. Physically, I needed help. Financially, he was strapped for the time being. Until he could get his cash flow in the black, he had a nice warm place to stay, food on the table, and all amenities. As soon as the money came in, he'd pay me. He also had some physical problems at the time, so it seemed like a good idea. Sort of a Wimpy/Popeye thing. That was always the understanding. One hand helping the other. At least, that's what you'd THINK.

I should have known better. I've been burned on this one before. I never seem to fucking learn, though. But, damn. I operate on the belief that each person should be judged separately, not by the actions of others. That's the way it should work, right?

Y'see, my roommate for the last year and a half is skipping out on rent and other bills. If you figure the actual cost of things, and the amount he's actually contributed over the last 18+ months, there's still a debit in his column. And he's not gonna make good on it.

Right now, we're deadlocked and we're both pissed. He told me to stay off his computer until he leaves. I don't think so. I'm paying the damn Internet bill. He wants to leave and I have his car keys. Kinda hard for him to exit without that. He says he should have left while I was off house sitting. Yeah, sure...but then when would he have had time to rifle through my belongings AGAIN?

Am I totally wrong on the car keys? Am I wrong to expect someone to make good on their word? And what the fuck am I going to do? After I pay my phone and cable...and if I don't pay the electric bill, I'm still short a good $1100 for rent. That's without food for my son. That also leaves us without a car for me to get him from school or drop him off. My car, by the way, he drove whenever he could and he was the one driving it as it fell apart, mostly because his car was parked "too far away". But hey, whatever. At least I got to drive his after mine died. He's also responsible for $1500 worth of tickets on the thing while it was still running. Did he pay for those? Nope.

When we moved into this place, he knew he had an obligation to make good on the finances. And, to be honest, he did contribute. But he knew there was more he still owed. Lots more. The whole point of our arrangement was so neither of us would end up out in the cold. No desperate situation for anyone. Except he changed the rules of engagement. I am livid. I'm at a loss here.

I feel betrayed, cheated, duped, desperate, and totally screwed over.

I'm sick of cowardly people. I'm tired of being Little Miss Welcome Mat. In some ways, I know I'm more trusting than I should be. I'm afraid to go to sleep now. I'm afraid to go to lunch with my mom. She's been after me to go for a week and now I don't feel like I can leave. Could someone just kick me in the ass...hard? I couldn't feel any worse than I do right now.

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:52 AM | Comments (3)

October 25, 2007

Pleasant Surprise

Thank you, Laughing Wolf, for the phone call to check up on me and mine and for catching me up on all your recent travels and experiences.

And thanks to all you other bloggers and readers for stopping by here to check in on me. Hugs all around!

One of the many problems that comes with having one's head stuck up her ass is that I've missed out on what's happening with everyone else. It's not been just the fires. No, I've been wrapped up in my own little world for a while now. It took the fires and the phone call for me to realize I need to pull my head out and start interacting with people again. Somehow, spending my days wishing and waiting for the lovely Curtis Stone to pick me up in a local grocery store just doesn't seem like a good enough reason to have disappeared.

My apologies to all of you who have done more than their fair share of trying to rouse me out of my stupor. I suck and I know it.

Maybe once I don't have to share a computer anymore I'll get better at blogging regularly. (Just don't ask me to promise.)

Laughing Wolf...welcome home and thank you for making such an extraordinary trip.

Posted by Da Goddess at 05:14 PM | Comments (3)

October 01, 2007

C'mon and Give The Girls A Hand (or Two)

It's that time of year again! Do your part and support the Boobies!

Boobie-Thon 2007 is here so pick a button and spread the news!

Remember, all the chestal regions appearing on the Boobie-Thon site are there voluntarily because the participants believe in raising money for breast cancer research and education. If you can't stand the site, don't bitch...donate elsewhere and do your part!

Posted by Da Goddess at 02:51 AM | Comments (0)

October 29, 2006

New Face of Blogcritics

Blogcritics has a new look. It's pretty damn sharp, too. Now, if only I could get a makeover for the house...

Posted by Da Goddess at 09:18 AM | Comments (0)

Expected Outage and Unexpected Outrage

Just so you know, I'm having all sorts of difficulty with renewing this domain name. The registrar has some weird new policy wherein the name registered with them since its inception suddenly must be "transfered". It's already failed to transfer once.

I'm not altogether thrilled with the registrar for a number of reasons, but this latest bit of nonsense has pretty much made them an enemy of Da Goddess. Ah, well, what's a girl to do? All I can do, really, is to let you know what's going on, right? Right. So there you go.

Now, as frustrating as this silliness is, it doesn't even come close to the nastiness I've encountered with a javascript spreading heinous malware. Sites as benign as Pogo.com and MSN games have managed to wreak havoc with the computer. I have a couple of great security systems in place, which quickly identified the malware. However, when attempting to remove the malware, I lost my desktop, start menu, and task bar. I've searched the technogeek forums for answers and means of restoring what I've "lost", but none offer anything remotely simple enough for me to comprehend. Yes, I'm a technotard and have admitted this many times before.

Using task manager, I can see all my documents and other files, but can't really access them. I can't get to the control panel, can't find the tools necessary to fix the damn problem, and I can't find my marbles anymore. I hate losing my marbles. Grrr.

I hate Gromozon for screwing with me. And I hate being too dense to find my way out of this paper bag.

I expect I'll be reinstalling Windows in the next couple of days, probably while this site is down because of the domain transfer issue.

I'd probably be much less irritated if I weren't mid-flare up with my back. But, that's how it goes, I guess. Yeah, like pain and not being able to pee when I want isn't bad enough...I get computer BS as the bright red cherry atop the crap sundae.

The good news is -- I'm no longer suffering from "boreditism" (LD's word for boredom). And, as a bonus, if the site's down, I can't get spammed.

Posted by Da Goddess at 02:31 AM | Comments (5)

October 03, 2006

Got Boobs?

Boobiethon 2006 officially kicked off on Sunday and will run through October 7.

If you have breast tissue, you should care about the progress made in fighting breast cancer. And, men, this includes you! No one is immune!

Posted by Da Goddess at 06:15 AM | Comments (0)

September 12, 2006

And Now For Some Fun & Games

Cowboy Blob reinvents the silent movie.

Jocularity, jocularity.

I just wish I'd been his prize woman. Sigh.

Posted by Da Goddess at 10:06 PM | Comments (0)

August 08, 2006

Pretend I'm Not Here

Just pretend I'm not here, m'kay? 'kay.

Yeah, it's going to be an interesting week. Being whisked away for a conference, courtesy of the mysterious Group (don't ask). I should have photos and stories upon my return.

Wish me luck!

Posted by Da Goddess at 04:12 AM | Comments (6)

July 27, 2006

Threes

FbL started it, so blame her.

Here are Three--

1. --things that scare me:
a. Not having money
b. Needing someone
c. Leeches

2. --people who make me laugh:
a. Little Dude
b. Craig Ferguson
c. All of humanity

3. --things I hate the most:
a. Ignorance
b. Indecisiveness, I think
c. Network programmers

4. --things I don't understand:
a. Network programmers, they're idiots intent on giving viewers repetitive stress injuries from having to use the remote to switch between four shows airing at the same time
b. My doctors
c. All of humanity

5. --things I'm doing right now:
a. Fighting nausea and other dyspeptic symptoms, as well as a headache
b. Blogging while avoiding writing a major article due yesterday
c. Laying on my back with the laptop on my stomach.

6. --things I want to do before I die:
a. Have a real marriage
b. See one of my photos on the cover of a magazine, one I don't have to publish myself
c. Fly a plane

7. --things I can do:
a. Take photos
b. Write (even if most don't get a chance to read my best stuff)
c. Talk your ear off

8. --ways to describe my personality:
a. Goofy
b. Creative
c. Loving

9. --things I can't do:
a. Sing (unless you like offkey vocal stylings)
b. Touch my toes unless I'm sitting down
c. Watch anything with Jay Leno/Carrot Top/Renée Zellweger

10. --things I think you should listen to:
a. Joe Bonamassa, natch (Start with You & Me, then get Blues Deluxe, Had To Cry Today, A New Day Yesterday, and So It's Like That)
b. Anything by Honeyboy Edwards
c. The wait staff as they give you the daily specials

11. --things you should never listen to:
a. Activist groups or Michael Bolton, whichever you find more heinous
b. Whiners
c. Guitarboy

12. --absolute favorite foods
a. Steak
b. Meatloaf
c. Mashed Potatoes

13. --things I'd like to learn:
a. Guitar
b. Knitting
c. How to effectively use the DNR function on PS Elements 4.0

14. --beverages I drink regularly:
a. Water
b. Iced Tea
c. Lemonade

15. --shows I watched as a kid:
a. Brady Bunch
b. Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
c. Laugh-In

16. --people I'm tagging
a. Madame B
b. Brian B in Oregon
c. Madman, or Sarge - whoever's on duty at the time

Posted by Da Goddess at 09:34 PM | Comments (12)

July 23, 2006

Long Distance Calls and Other Stuff

Doc in the Box called the other day. I was rather surprised to hear from him since he's in Iraq and all, but once I figured out who it was (the number was different), I was quite excited.

Sean's doing well and rarely gets to check blogs. Only three months left. Yay! I'm sure his wife is happier about this than the rest of us are, but we friends are still pretty damn happy.

Other news? It's hot in San Diego. Super duper hot. So much so, we've resorted to air conditioning. In the two and a half years I've lived in this place, I've only had the AC on once before. An out of town guest was staying with me and even he thought it was pretty freakin' hot at the time.

The AC was on today but only worked for a short time before the circuit went. It's back on now, thankfully. Sure, it's heading into the evening, but at least I can cool down for a bit before I turn it off. Maybe I'll sleep a little better.

What else? I got to meet FBL! Yes, yes, yes! She of the fantastic Project Valour-IT fundraising abilities. She is as sweet and lovely as one imagines and I'm very glad we had the chance to get together. Mrs. Smash, Gracie, Mikey, Mikey's youngster, Little Dude, FBL and I got together for a nice lunch at Souplantation. All you can eat in sumptuous air conditioned comfort. We dined, we chatted, we laughed, and then we passed around the phone to talk with Smash. (Like Doc in the Box, he'll be home in a few months, too.) And, dagnabbit, that $16 and coin for LD and I to eat in comfort for a change was more than worth it. We don't eat out often, but when we do, it's a great treat for us. The $20 I just spent on a haircut? Also a treat and also worth it. (My hair was getting too long and too hot.)

Best part of it all, FBL will be able to join our crazy group in some of our many activities. Plus, we get to join her in some of the Soldiers' Angels activities. All good things. Very good things.

That's about it for an update. I'm off to read more of Kevin Smith's blog.

Oh, and just in case anyone cares, I think the entire purpose of the TV show Lost is to take a huge, meaty-pawed swipe at Scientology. Yep. That's my theory. And if you look at all the Dharma Initiative stuff, the odd things happening, the creepy appearance of William Mapother, and the fact J.J. Abrams left Scientology, it all seems possible.

Posted by Da Goddess at 07:37 PM | Comments (7)

June 27, 2006

Comments Are Back?

Thanks to Laughing Wolf, the comments work again are closer to being usable.

Posted by Da Goddess at 12:48 PM | Comments (5)

June 21, 2006

Out Out Damn Blacklist!

Arrgghhhhhhhhhhhhhh! It seems Blacklist has gone absolutely crazy on me and now there are no comments at all. The spam's stopped, which is great, but now no one can leave even the most innocuous of comments in any form.

I will give my first born...er...um...my kingdom for the removal of the evil Blacklist. I will give even more to have have this site completely revamped. More, meaning anything not involving money (of which I have none). Or sex. Or anything more than my undying gratitude. Okay, fine. If I win the lottery, we split it 50-50, m'kay?

Posted by Da Goddess at 08:22 AM | Comments (0)

June 12, 2006

The Project Valour IT Support List

Mudville Gazette
The Donovan at CastleArgghhh!
Blackfive
Smash
BloodSpite
Boston Maggie
Small Town Veteran
Righty in a Lefty State
Homefront Six
One Marine's View
A Rose By Any Other Name
Echo9er

If you're still confused, I wrote something up (see below) on the current Valour IT need.

Support the supporters! Go show them your willingness to help.

Posted by Da Goddess at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)

Project Valour IT

Imagine not being able to log onto your computer and check your email, read the news, or catch up on the latest photos of your children or other family. You want to, but your hands and arms, for whatever reason, aren't available to you. Or maybe you can't see. Good Lord, you can't see anything or use your arms! Imagine being far away from friends and family and feeling completely isolated while you lie in a hospital bed, scared. For less than $700, a wounded soldier, airman, sailor, or Marine can reconnect with loved ones, erasing the miles and much of the fear that comes with being alone while fighting to recover from severe injuries that have robbed you of your independence.

Project Valour IT makes this all possible. Or rather, Valour IT and YOU make this possible.

• Dell C610 laptop computer
  (P3 1 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 40 GB HD, WiFi, DVD-R/W, Windows XP, MS Office) $625
  
• Voice Activated Software with Headset No Cost
  
• TOTAL per laptop (incl. shipping, est. $35): $660.00

Less than $700 to give our wounded warriors a little independence and the gift of communication.

Amazing, isn't it?

Captain Chuck Ziegenfuss has been there. He experienced the benefits of voice activated technology as he recovered from injuries sustained in Iraq. Sergeant Elijah Allen knows how wonderful a gift these computers are, too. These men represent almost 500 others who know the power of communication as distributed by Project Valour IT and the generosity of folks like you.

I wish I had money to buy someone a computer straight out, but I'm working on a loaner myself. When I think of the independence and opportunities I have with this laptop, I can only imagine how much worse it is for someone who can't access the keyboard or see what's on the screen. Too many hours spent lying alone with no means of communication is lonely and depressing and frustrating. I would be nowhere without my borrowed laptop on days when I'm immobile. Weeks, months, and years would be completely unbearable.

If you can donate a dollar or two, that brings someone in need one step closer to independent communication. It's such an easy thing to do. So very easy. As easy as clicking on a link such as this one.

Posted by Da Goddess at 12:00 AM | Comments (3)

March 18, 2006

And Pimps Think They Have It Hard

After a recent spate of complaints, I began to think I should give up editing for Blogcritics and become a pimp. They have it easy compared to what editors go through. Don't mind me...I'm feeling somewhat goofy and loopy from pain meds.

Oh, the glorious life of an editor. Yeah, I know you're all thinking that we editors sit around in some room, passing the bottles of booze, the smokes, and the haute cuisine. Sure. Wouldn't that be a beautiful thing?

Reality check!

Fact is, the life of an editor is a lonely job. Unless you count the endless emails.

Imagine a handful of people sitting around in their individual abodes. Contrary to popular belief, we do not live in a commune on some exotic island.

So there we sit. Alone. We look at the volumes of emails all screaming for attention. Editor 1 has sent out a missive letting everyone else know that they're working on an article requiring input from others. "Is this going to get us in legal trouble?" "Is it just me or does this read like someone fed a dictionary to a hamster and ran it through a duck press to see what came out?" "Can someone please edit my article about the breaking news story from three days ago?" Ah, yes, even editors must wait in line. And we're regularly stumped by some of the articles we read. Yes, we read all the articles. Forget the sexy centerfolds, we have to read everything!

Then, after six hours of nonstop emails, queries from writers and other editors, and near-blindness, I realize I need to use the bathroom (Damn, is it supposed to hurt that much when I pee? Why can't I just have a foley catheter and skip the whole 'pee like a racehorse' thing twice a day?), tend to a starving or bleeding child, nod at a spouse or significant other, and maybe grab a piece of that stale and suspicious looking piece of pizza in the back of the fridge. As I step over the pile of unread mail and newspapers and dirty clothes, I grab the milk from the fridge and sniff at it warily. I think, "when was the last time I went to the store? It smells iffy. If I drink it, will I collapse on the floor and writhe in pain for hours? If I take my chances on the milk and the pizza, end up with food poisoning, do you think the writers will understand that I can't reach the computer from the bathroom and their articles are going to have to wait?"

The crying from another room remains largely unheeded. For me, I know my boyfriend will live if he doesn't see me for a few more hours. Hell, I got him those movies to keep him busy. Why can't be occupy his time like my son does - with Gameboy Advance and the Blades of Thunder game? "Look at me! Be with me! I have needs, too!" Men.

The lonely and beleaguered editor settles down in front of the computer again, having tended briefly to personal needs. Said editor contemplates trifocals for a split second, dismissing the thought as another time wasting activity. Who needs vision? Oh, well. Whatever.

Climbing over the bodies of editors past, I approach the pending queue. How could there be another forty articles in pending since I walked away thirty-eight seconds ago? Don't these writers have lives? Must they churn out an endless stream of content? Crikey!

Diving in, I consider the possibility of joining the circus. Surely, it would be quieter in one of the three rings and cleaning up after the elephants. What on earth is this? What does the author mean by "the talker in the movie spun around and disappeared after talking to the other talker"? Huh? Isn't this an article about the latest takeover of the L.A. Times by the Branch Davidians? I'm confused. Hmm, I'll email the other editors, maybe they'll get it. HOLD FOR CLARIFICATION. I email the author, while I'm at it.

After emailing everyone, I notice someone else has a question about something I know a lot about. I read that. Wha-aat? Oh, okay. I'll handle it. Except Yahoo groups is slow and the issue has already been resolved and I'm just mucking things up. Crap!

Moving on, I pick up another article. Oooh! My luck's changing. I should buy a lottery ticket. This piece doesn't require anything from me other than hitting "publish". I start humming "Glory, Glory, Hallelujah" and wiggle delightedly on the sofa. I let the phone ring as I embrace the next article with great anticipation and hope for another easy edit.

Suddenly the sky darkens and theme song from Jaws is heard in the background. I haven't a clue as to what this is about. I'll email the editor of that section. Oh, wait...that editor's in the hospital. Hmm, what to do? Oh, I know, I'll ask EO to have a look at it. Yeah, that's the ticket. I know he's not busy. Right. He emails me back asking why Advance hasn't been updated and why the hell haven't I written anything on the latest concert or TV show. Uh, I'll pretend I don't see that email.

Going back to the pending queue, I realize that it's been another four hours since I heard a peep from anyone in the house. I briefly consider hobbling up the stairs to check for signs of life. Nah, if they needed something they'd have shrieked or rattled their chains.

Next article is fairly straightforward. No attribution for the quoted text, but hell, who cares? Oh, wait. This is looking really familiar. Google. That's what I'll do. Googling the quoted passage, I discover the whole article is simply a collection of paragraphs from the forty articles on GNews. Another email to the author and the editor group.

On to the next item.

Crap! Was that a mouse that just ran over my foot? Oh, no...it was just the weeds swirling around in the water. Water? Uh oh. Fine, whatever. I'll deal with that later.

The food poisoning is starting to get the best of me. I ignore the rumblings in my belly and publish another four articles. I'm not sure they made any sense, but I hope. I'm a hopeful person.

There are 12 BC Yahoo groups digests in my mailbox. Do I dare read them? Nah. I'll wait.

I finally read EO's email and respond. He sends one back telling me not to worry, he was just curious and wanted to update the affiliates with good news. I quickly check Advance, realize that I forgot to publish the articles I added to the site, make the changes, and publish. I wonder where my template went for the articles. I create a new one. EO's happy. The affiliates are happy. My kid shows up at my side, having gnawed through his restraints, and he wants food. Didn't I just feed him last week? Whatever.

Crap. There goes the power. Damn. I knew I forgot something. Those people at the electric company sure expect a lot, don't they? Money, money, money. I make a call and beg for them to restore service. After all, I can't run the respirator for my boyfriend manually and well, you know. No such luck. It'll be three days before they can turn the power back on. Fine. I pick up the laptop, grab the kid, step over the trash that's collected by the front door and head off to Panera where I can feed my kid AND have free wifi.

I publish another couple articles. Amazing how much faster this goes when one's eaten and had a chance to clear one's brain for a few minutes.

I'm feeling good about everything and start to do a little happy dance in the middle of the restaurant. People look at me with pained expressions. C'mon, I'm not that bad! I then realize that I've been sitting in the place in a long t-shirt and nothing else. And, what's that smell? Oh man, when did I last shower?

Eh, if they can't handle it, screw 'em.

Back at the computer, I see the writers I contacted earlier have responded. Ouch! Such language! I kick it up to EO. He has nothing going on, right? Right.

My son nudges me and tells me that they're kicking us out of Panera. Reluctantly, I load everything into the car and head back to the bleakness of my powerless home. By some miracle, there's a light shining from within. Whoa! The candle I left burning in the bathroom after my earlier visit seems to have set off some sort of chain reaction and the place is on fire. I grab the cell phone and dial 911. Thankfully, there wasn't much to burn what with the flood from earlier. Whatever.

I send my child over to his dad's house and call a friend asking for a place to stay for a couple days. I secure a room, a shower, some clothes, and most importantly, Internet access!

All is right with the world once again.

Maybe I should try my hand at the Presidency. That shouldn't be too hard after all this, right? Oh, crap. I can't. I have to get back to editing. And, really. Why would I give up my glamorous life as an editor for such a thankless job as that?

Posted by Da Goddess at 09:17 PM | Comments (1)

January 20, 2006

Thumbs Up!

The nurse asked Mikey, who is still sedated, to give her a thumbs up and he did!

This is the best news yet.

He's being moved to a private room due to "something viral", according to Smash.

That's the latest. I'll update when there's more.

Posted by Da Goddess at 04:00 PM | Comments (3)

January 16, 2006

Hospital Report - Mikey

Went to the hospital today to see Mikey and he's holding steady. Sort of.

His intracranial pressure (ICP) was down to 12-14 when I first got there. His blood pressure was 129-130/50s and 60s. As the day progressed, all his pressures were rising.

Just before I left, he was receiving dialysis, along with some blood. The blood was needed because his potassium level was too high and frankly, he's "dry".

He's on a ventilator, has wires coming out of his head and chest, and requires total care. He will remain in the medically induced coma for a while still.

CT scan, EEG (measures brain activity), and angiogram are all on hold because he's too unstable to withstand those tests. They can't lower the head of his bed because of the ICP elevation.

Mikey looks so fragile and frail right now that it's hard to imagine him as the same Mikey we all know and love. But imagine him that way, we must. It's too difficult to imagine anything else.

We tried to tell him that CodePINK heard about his hospitalization and were protesting outside the hospital, but that wasn't enough to rouse him from his current state.

His daughter and wife are both trying hard to hold it together. There's so much to process! His daughter, thankfully, has innocence and youth to bolster her spirits. His wife, well, all the friendship and loving support from others isn't the same as having her husband awake and talking, helping her through this.

Their Costco membership was renewed last night so Mrs. Mikey can continue to get gasoline at a better price. We're going to get cash/gift cards to a local grocery store. And, we're going to determine what their needs are as far as utilities and other living expenses so that there are fewer things to worry about. The list is developing and we'll get it all together in the next couple of days.

One of the big things is that we need to get Mrs. Mikey's mom here to help with keeping the house running. She needs her mom. That's a given. So, anyone with flight vouchers or such should speak up and help us do this. Mrs. Mikey's mom would need to fly out of Colorado Springs into San Diego.

Is this something YOU can help with? If so, let us know.

Mikey may be only 38, but he's been through so much already. We could scream and cry and wail about how this isn't fair (and it isn't - it never is), but that w