Bad News
After recovering from cancer surgery a few years ago, my mom has quite naturally been getting a LOT of checkups...all X-Rays have come back negative though. Friday, when seeing a doctor for an unrelated matter (chest pains) she had an ultrasound done. The heart doctor immediately sent her to get an MRI. It seems that Mom has a rather rare form of cancer that does not show up on X-Rays...and it has been steadily growing these last three years...to the point that it is causing her pain now. There is not much information other than the fact that there is a LOT of it and her recent symptoms (extreme fatigue, dizzyness and nausea) are not at all encouraging. I've moved back into the sewing room at my parents house as I will undoubtedly be needed shortly and we await further word. But this does not look good.
For a student of Japanese at ODU, the Virginia Beach Cherry Blossom Festival is sort of an annual requirement lest one get scowels on the following Monday. I had much to do today between work, family matters and studying but I was able to make it out to Red Wing Park in time to make the last hour or so. For the first time In my experience, the festival was held on a day that was warm and rain free.
Not only that, but the Cherry Blossoms were actually in bloom during the festival for the first time ever in the 5 years they've been holding it.
...and there are no fireworks. I must say that the attendance was surprisingly large. (These pics were taken as the festival was disbanding). Despite the mud (It's rained here for 5 days straight) the enthusiasm was high and many people decided to dress up for the festival in culturally appropriate attire...
Exams Upon Me
Posting has been light due to 17 credits worth of midterms and papers. Tomorrow is a cram day. The rest of the week is exams. Light posting will continue, so here is a pic of Yuki Nagato as compensation.
And how the heck did a pachinko manufacturer manage to get Yamato's infamously tangled rights straight enough to make something like that? Did they just ignore the IP matter entirely?
Posted by: Mitch H. at Mon Feb 23 13:16:54 2009 (jwKxK)
1
It's never fun when your car dies, and it's not like you need the extra suffering. For what it's worth though, I had a car that had a bad habit of eating an alternator, starter, or voltage regulator every three months or so. It wasnt until I replaced all three at once that the problem went away, apparently they were damaging each other on failure. Replacing the alternator and voltage regulator at once, while painful on your wallet right now, was probably the correct choice in the long run.
Posted by: David at Mon Feb 16 00:46:40 2009 (n/RK7)
The Home Stretch
Apologies, my first post in a week and it focuses on my Walter Mitty lifestyle...so here is an unrelated picture of a Vespa as compensation.....
While 2008 did indeed suck for many people in many ways, Tigerhawk has put it into some proper perspective.
For my part, since January 1 is my birthday, I went to my folks house and was presented with the best birthday cake evah!
A steak with a candle in it.
Traditionally this is the time to set goals, and I once again have a few. Continue loosing the weight. Get my TESOL certificate. Graduate college (this is more dependent on the proper courses being offered in the summer or fall than anything). Stay within budget. Keep my hurricane kit stocked and...umm... a dust mask in the glove compartment at all times.
A pretty short list. In addition, if, by the summer, I'm actually on track for a December graduation, I plan to return to Japan in August and hunt for a teaching job (to begin next April). In that event I resolve to not rent an apartment that combusts, not to break my heel, and, having not broken my heel, to climb Mt. Fuji.
I hope everyone has safe a wonderful year!
Here, for your amusement, is a gratuitous hyperactive chibit.
Our volume Friday at my UPS center was perfectly normal....for a Wednesday
in July. After the big rush before and immediately after Thanksgiving, volume has
been dropping in increasing increments each day. I won't mention specific volume numbers of course, but I've been at UPS 16 years, I was hired during the recession in '92...I've
NEVER seen anything like this.
On the up side the hours are still christmassy....UPS is afraid of
getting hit short of time when the actual presents arrive so they are keeping the extended sort time as a hedge for now in the expectation of a late spike. This is prudent from a customer service standpoint and I'm pulling long
days of double shifts (wo0t)... I still expect layoffs after Christmas though.
I'm going in early to help park the trucks and staying late to help pull them out of the building. I actually managed to make more overtime than straight time last Friday (double secret overtime!?). Anyway I'm tired, so tired that I got home Friday put the key in the door to unlock it and was momentarily puzzled when it wouldn't start...
I'm taking all the hours I can now because this may be it. Some UPS centers in Virginia are reportedly going to close after the holidays and as I mentioned previously there are lots of layoffs on the horizon. There was a big spike in volume up to yesterday but I suspect that this is companies desperately clearing inventory for tax purposes...and it is Christmas at UPS after all.
On the home front, the pickup of peril is now sporting a clutch. (yay!)
I leave for work momentarily, but here are a couple of.....
Hobby Space News of the commercial space industry A Babe In The Universe Rather Eclectic Cosmology Encyclopedia Astronautica Superb spacecraft resource The Unwanted Blog Scott Lowther blogs about forgotten aerospace projects and sells amazingly informative articles on the same. Also, there are cats. Transterrestrial Musings Commentary on Infinity...and beyond! Colony WorldsSpace colonization news! The Alternate Energy Blog It's a blog about alternate energy (DUH!) Next Big Future Brian Wang: Tracking our progress to the FUTURE. Nuclear Green Charles Barton, who seems to be either a cool curmudgeon, or a rational hippy, talks about energy policy and the terrible environmental consequences of not going nuclear Energy From Thorium Focuses on the merits of thorium cycle nuclear reactors WizBang Current events commentary...with a wiz and a bang The Gates of Vienna Tenaciously studying a very old war The Anchoress insightful blogging, presumably from the catacombs Murdoc Online"Howling Mad Murdoc" has a millblog...golly! EaglespeakMaritime security matters Commander Salamander Fullbore blackshoe blogging! Belmont Club Richard Fernandez blogs on current events BaldilocksUnderstated and interesting blog on current events The Dissident Frogman French bi-lingual current events blog The "Moderate" VoiceI don't think that word means what they think it does....but this lefty blog is a worthy read nonetheless. Meryl Yourish News, Jews and Meryls' Views Classical Values Eric Scheie blogs about the culture war and its incompatibility with our republic. Jerry Pournell: Chaos ManorOne of Science fictions greats blogs on futurism, current events, technology and wisdom A Distant Soil The website of Colleen Dorans' superb fantasy comic, includes a blog focused on the comic industry, creator issues and human rights. John C. Wright The Sci-Fi/ Fantasy writer muses on a wide range of topics. Now Read This! The founder of the UK Comics Creators Guild blogs on comics past and present. The Rambling Rebuilder Charity, relief work, roleplaying games Rats NestThe Art and rantings of Vince Riley Gorilla Daze Allan Harvey, UK based cartoonist and comics historian has a comicophillic blog! Pulpjunkie Tim Driscoll reviews old movies, silents and talkies, classics and clunkers. Suburban Banshee Just like a suburban Leprechaun....but taller, more dangerous and a certified genius. Satharn's Musings Through TimeThe Crazy Catlady of The Barony of Tir Ysgithr アニ・ノート(Ani-Nouto) Thoughtful, curmudgeonly, otakuism that pulls no punches and suffers no fools. Chizumatic Stephen Den Beste analyzes anime...with a microscope, a slide rule and a tricorder. Wonderduck Anime, Formula One Racing, Sad Girls in Snow...Duck Triumphalism Beta Waffle What will likely be the most thoroughly tested waffle evah! Zoopraxiscope Too In this thrilling sequel to Zoopraxiscope, Don, Middle American Man of Mystery, keeps tabs on anime, orchids, and absurdities. Mahou Meido MeganekkoUbu blogs on Anime, computer games and other non-vital interests Twentysided More geekery than you can shake a stick at Shoplifting in the Marketplace of Ideas Sounds like Plaigarism...but isn't Ambient IronyAll Meenuvians Praise the lathe of the maker! Hail Pixy!!
Damn, man, you have my sympathy. 
Exams upon me...posting light....
