Whew. For some reason, all sorts of exhausted. Could be work. Could be the lack of working out. Could be the Maximus situation. Could be the scramble to deal with Akemi’s visa situation. Could just be the end of the week. Or, it could be I’m still feeling the repercussions of last weekend’s weird food blow-out at the CNE.
Not exactly weird, but notable…
Heard from my longtime Stargate VFX Supervisor, Mark Savela, who informs me he’ll be in town next week pitching Echoes. I foresee another Stargate alumni dinner in my future!
An interesting article our assistant, Trevor, sent our way: People are biased against creative ideas, studies find. Hmmmm.
Received the summary from Maximus’s second visit to University of Guelph. Among the points of interest:
Assessment: good response to the first RT but now has evidence of regional lymph node metastasis
Comments: Will include the lymph node for the next 3 radiation treatments and hope that the melanoma vaccine will turn on the immune system. Prognosis is still guarded with an expected survival of 6-8 months.
Today’s entry is dedicated to Debra.
What a shit week. Have a good night, all. xoxo
Hey Carl — Prettie, prettie, prettie good Larry David imitation.
I hope Echoes gets a shot. From what they’ve shown so far, it looks terrific. If they don’t, maybe we need to have a fundraiser for him–you know, that site where independent filmmakers go?
Doctors only know so much. When Buddy my second golden had congestive heart failure and I asked how much time he had, the vet refused to give me any estimate whatsoever. It kind of annoyed me, but now I’m kind of glad he did not.
Hoping for the best outcome for Maximus my friend. Sending positive vibes!
Joe, I’m pretty exhausted myself, but I think it’s from all the excitement of the week. 🙂 We have started packing for our move and are leaving from CA to go to AL on Monday.
Thanks to everyone for all the good wishes.
BMc@ My hubby said the exact same thing.
Tam Dixon@ We drove through Birmingham on our way out here, and it was quite pretty. I am familiar with the South as we were originally living in SC. Looking forward to getting back there and will make sure we have a working AC.
for the love of Beckett@ My understanding is that Birmingham is in the middle of the state. We are taking stuff to mail to a friend of mine tomorrow and are planning to get a corporate apartment once we get there. Will take a few months to get to know the are before getting a place of our own.
Have a good night!!!
One day I might have to make a trip back to Toronto for Fan Expo. But I am super excited cuz tomorrow I leave to visit friends in Alabama and then we are all going to DragonCon in Atlanta over Labour Day weekend! David Blue, Amanda Tapping, Louis Ferreira and Patrick Gilmore are all going to be there (plus even more Stargate people!) I am so excited to meet all of them!!!!!
I actually believe that study about a bias against creativity. I’ve felt it myself, when my son tries to convince me that his grand new way of doing things is going to be so much better than the tried and true things he’s been taught, lol!
The stereotype of the nutty inventor and the resistant townsfolk had to come from somewhere.
I imagine with all you’ve been having to deal with, it’s not surprising if you’re feeling run down. Please give Max and the other pups a scritch behind the ears for us.
That was a pretty, pretty, pretty funny video. I wonder why no one ever recognizes you or Carl or any other star you are with. Why aren’t people mobbing you?
I’ve decided cancer is a plague, and I don’t understand why after we have thown so much money into finding a cure, it hasn’t happened.
I’ll say a prayer tonight for the whole lot of you here…for your safety, protection, comfort, guideance, peace, and friendship.
I totally know about the bias against creativity by the same people who claim to love it. I don’t think I can read the study as it might get me too worked up.
Some of the very tame suggestions I made in a corporate environment that got me pegged as “swinging for the fences” and “thinking outside the box”…it was scary just how close that fence was and how small that box was. I kept my fool mouth as shut as I could manage.
Swinging for the fences: suggesting corporate coursework be less generic. Really? Someone used a RISK analogy to describe suggesting a curriculum change! Holy cow.
When the guy I told my secret to – that I’d consider a p-value up to 0.1 for an analysis of variance if it were to pick a direction for further research, but I’d go with convention when it came to changing existing processes – said I like thinking outside the box, I told him “No, I don’t like thinking outside the box. I’m trying to think more inside the box.” The irony is, admitting one is trying to think less outside the box would never be done by a conformer.
His poor, sweet face gets grayer every week. Poor baby. Extra love.
Sorry to read the summary item and associated comments.
Not the stuff of lifting spirits. And, you have been recipient of just all kinds of not so wonderful stuff. No wonder you are just tooooo pooped to pop!
The ice cream sandwich is the winner!
hugs to you all.
To our east coast friends – stay safe!
Thank you Joe and everyone. I am pretty much in the numb stage. I do fine with things I can control or do something about, but the helplessness is awful.
@SiSi- sorry about your uncle. I guess they figure even if not likely, the patient should get to try if they want.
I don’t know yet what he’ll do, just depends on this latest scan. He is going to go to Philadelphia but I don’t know if UPenn or Fox Chase. Someone else did suggest the Cancer Treatment Center.
das update: I talked to das tonight. She and her hubby and kitties have safely evacuated and are waiting out the hurricane further inland. Here’s hoping that the storm weakens and heads back to sea.
@Joe: Dang! With all that is going on in your life, it’s not wonder you’re exhausted. I hope that vaccine kicks in and jump starts Maximus’ immune system.
“…it’s no wonder…”
I better go to bed now; my brain has shut down and I can’t type. G’night all.
Craptastic week from Canada to Australia and craptastic-ed itself all along the way. Last seen heading past New Zealand.
Hope you have something on the cards to look forward to.
Take care.
Sheesh…Such sad news these last few days.
{{HUGS}} to Das and everyone on the East Coast who are having to deal with Irene. I hope you are able to evacuate safely, and that the flooding will be much less than expected.
And more {{HUGS}} to those here who have had family illnesses. It’s so hard to see loved ones suffer.
And for Max, a huge big bear HUG. He’s such a scrappy little guy, that I can’t help but think he’ll beat the odds. I hope Joe you can get some decent sleep. It sounds like that’s what you need most.
Best wishes to all and be safe.
I think anyone who has gone though the past few weeks as you have would be tired. Try not to be too hard on yourself. The number of truly craptastic things going on in your life that you have shared here is overwhelming. I hope that things get much better soon.
Love to Maximus and the rest of your pack.
Gina
Hope Max is having a good night tonight. I hear Toronto is under a Tornado watch, so take care.
@LisaR I know many, many people in the Birmingham area. In the early to mid 1990’s, I would go to our airport, fly to Birmingham, stay for business all week and fly home on Friday (most of the time–one time I stayed the weekend, rented a car and drove to Atlanta to see my sister who is now in NOrth Carolina. The people are just lovely. Most of my time was spent at Carrington Medical Center in Birmingham, the hospital in Boaz (Boaz has GREAT outlet malls) and the hospital in Guntersville. I would put their medical transcription department off-site (in essence, make them telecommuters, which increased their productivity). It was a lot of fun. However, I was newly married, we had just bought our house here in The Woodlands (north of Houston) and I was away so much that my neighbors thought I left Jeff. It was very funny.
@Ponytail You probably won’t like my response, but cancer is big money. They’ll keep people excited enough to keep them hoping they’ve made some progress, but their profit machine can’t go away overnight. I know that sounds cold, but I read an article in our Houston Chronicle about how bed space was down in hospitals throughout the city and suburbs because more and more things were being able to be taken care of at home and how hospitals are trying to find ways to fill up those bed spaces again (especially those hospitals that are NOT not-for-profit). However, they mention, M. D. Anderson Cancer Center was expecting a huge growth need and had added a whole wing, floor, etc. I thought how very sad. I’ll see if I can find the article. It was from a few months ago.
@Sparrow_Hawk: Please tell Das I am very pleased she left. At least I can now rest assured 2 people and their furry friends are out of harm’s way. I talked to my sis in Toms River and she claims areas around her in the same town have “mandatory evacuations” but her neighborhood has not. I tend not to believe her. I’m actually going to find out. Jeff’s family is in Northern NJ; my aunt in Northern NJ; friends in NJ/NY City/CT, Long Island (and LI also another family member). So we’re keeping tuned.
I just found out anybody going to the FanExpo in Canada, they are going to be showing the same 1-hour teaser of the first 2-hour episode of Terra Nova they showed at San Diego Comic Con. I saw it last night on my Fox VIP server (finally–they had it up the day after Comic Con and their servers were down until 2 days ago). Cool show. It’s more about family/drama than dinosaurs; the dinosaurs are just added bonus.
Lots of sleep, a couple of good workouts, and some quality time with Maximus and the rest of the ppoches is my recommendatikon for your weekend. I hope Maximus ends up on the far end of the statistical curve when it comes to survival. 24 hours and I should be watching Irene heading up towards New York.And finding out how much damage it does locally, and how long I’ll be without power at home(thank goodness for a job where I can shower and cook and do all the other human comfort things that makes life worth living) And very glad to hear Das is clear of the storm. I hope the other readers in the line of fire do the same.
Still praying for Maximus.
Liked the article, thanks.
Stress erodes health, take care.
What I love most about the WFPOTD video is how Carl just takes the waffle ice cream sandwich and bites into it–no questions, no hesitation.
Debra: sending hugs
Mr. M.: sending “nap” vibes. 😉
Lisa R: did you see the rocking chairs at the rest areas? So cute. Is Birmingham the city where they have these multi million dollar homes up on a bluff? Wowzer! If you have kids, I’ve heard good things about the schools there.
East Coast People: stay safe!
Oops, also sending Max a good belly rub. I hope you can keep him comfortable.
I feel for you on the tired front. Just finished week one with students, ‘nuf said.
Ice cream sandwich looks lovely – too big to get my mouth around, but lovely just the same.
You’re damned if you do and you’re damned if you don’t on the creativity. If you do, you’re weird and “out there” too much. If you don’t speak up at meetings, then you’re not contributing and aren’t an asset. You can’t win 🙁
The survival expectation for Max is actually quite a bit longer than most dogs with his condition. Apparently they feel that the treatments are making real progress – this is very positive news. Hopefully the little guy will beat the odds altogether and surprise everyone – that would be wonderful!
Nola S.
Hello,
How’s the prep going Das? My dad just came over and helped me tie things down. I got my kit together, and just hoping things go okay here in central NJ. Best wishes to you and everyone else in the area.
Best wishes,
Bryan
Ps. Went to the Barclay’s yesterday, and since the final round was cancelled, I got a free ticket to Bethpage Black next year!!!
some fans say there are furlings symbols on drones, does it mean something
Have a fun weekend, find time for a nap, the dogs will help you there. Take care of yourself.
@Tam Dixon: Yes, I did see those rocking chairs. They were cute. I don’t know about the homes on a bluff. We’ll have to ask hubby’s boss.
@PB Mom: I have talked to a lot of people who give Birmingham high marks. We are very very excited.
Or, it could be all of those things. No wonder you feel draggy. If you meet up with Mark Savela, say hi to him for me! I met him at the Vancouver con this past April and he is an awesome guy. Very easy to talk to and super nice.
Please give Maximus and extra hug and scratch behind the ear for me.