Posts in the “personal” category

Senator,

Every day, 91 people are killed by rapid-fire assault phasers. Pass common-sense phaser laws now.

Worf, Son of Mogh
Security Chief, Starship Enterprise

(adapted from this tweet)

I have always known the song Blinded by the Light to be performed by Manfred Mann’s Earth Band, but I learned last night that the song was originally written and performed by Bruce Springsteen. I had a hard time believing that Springsteen would write lyrics like this, but I looked it up, and it’s true.

Here’s the version I’ve always known:

“Deeds, not words.”

Sticks and stones may break my bones
Words will also hurt me
Compliments make me uncomfortable
I have social anxiety
I’m a wreck
Just go.

(a clever poem, from this twitter page)

This is a good article by Joe Posnanski about the Oakland A’s continued success with a very low payroll and crummy ballpark, The Oakland Way. “We’re no smarter than anybody else,” Oakland’s Director of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi says. “We’re not trying to be smarter than anybody else.

Tho’ much is taken, much abides; and tho’
We are not now that strength which in old days
Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are;
One equal temper of heroic hearts,
Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will
To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield.

This is a song called “Furnace Room Lullaby,” by Neko Case & Her Boyfriends. It’s included as a special feature on The Gift DVD (the movie released in 2000, featuring Cate Blanchett, directed by Sam Raimi, written by Billy Bob Thornton and Tom Epperson). It’s an unusual song that I might expect to find on a David Lynch movie.

“Why are they repaving perfectly good streets?”

“Election year.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“I’d rather regret the things I've done than regret the things I haven’t done.”

~ Lucille Ball

Today’s song of the day is Kele Lao, by an artist named Hooshere. It is featured in a Season 1 episode of the tv series Life named Civil War.

There’s not enough going on in my life, so I get to be tested for prostate cancer today. (And I’m not referring to a PSA test.)

Woo-hoo. #FakeEnthusiasm

One positive thing I learned from an ex-business partner is that if you have to tell someone bad news, it’s best to just blurt it out. Generally speaking, you’re better off saying, “Joe, I’m sorry, but I’m firing you,” and then following that with an explanation. That’s much better than trying to lead up to that sentence with a bunch of reasons for why you’re firing them.

(Unless you’re on the tv show Chopped. There it’s much more entertaining to enumerate all of the reasons first.)

It’s like when you’re breaking up with someone, it’s a lot better to say, “I’m sorry, this isn’t working for me, I’m breaking up with you” — again followed by an explanation — but the discussion comes after you’ve said the main point. I can’t recall an instance where trying to break this sort of news to someone gently has ever worked well for me.

Summary: when the words are hard to say, I find it’s best just to blurt them out to get the conversation started.

“I know it’s a cornball thing, but love is passion. Obsession. Someone you can’t live without. I say fall head over heels. Find someone you can love like crazy, and who’ll love you the same way back. How do you you find ’em? Well, you forget your head and you listen to your heart. Because the truth is, there’s no sense living your life without this. To make the journey and not fall deeply in love, well, you haven’t lived a life at all. But you have to try, because if you haven’t tried, you haven’t lived.”

~ Spoken by Anthony Hopkins in Meet Joe Black

If you’ve never seen it, Meet Joe Black is a good movie about Death, life, and love.

“You’re a butterfly
And butterflies are free to fly,
Fly away, high away, bye bye.”

Some lyrics from the song of the day, Someone Saved My Life Tonight, by Elton John:

For the sixth time in my life lightning struck within a block of where I was standing (or sitting, in one case). Always love those crackling and popping sounds afterwards, it reminds me of bacon being cooked.

I’m currently reading The Power of Now, by Eckhart Tolle, and as I read the section on “now” that begins at page 47, I was reminded of how I recently wasted my own time and energy.

It was very humbling to be at a research hospital today. There were so many people in bandages, casts, wheelchairs, missing limbs, tubes hanging out, oxygen tanks, some people barely able to walk, and several people crying very hard in the hallways.

*at the new hospital filling out paperwork* Question: Are you depressed because of your illness?

Me: *checks “No.”*

Receptionist: “Hi. Are you depressed because of your illness?”

Me: “No, I’m fine, how are you?”

1st Medical Person: “Are you depressed because of your illness?”

Me: “No. Why does everyone keep asking? Do I look depressed?”

2nd Medical Person: “Are you depressed because of your illness?”

Me: “I was fine ten minutes ago.”

3rd Medical Person: “Are you depressed because of your illness?”

Me: “No, but I’m starting to get a little irritable.”

Doctor: “Hi.”

Me: (thinking, “If you ask if I’m depressed because of my illness I’m going to punch you in the neck!”)

Doctor: “It looks like your blood pressure is a little high ...”

Me: Goodnight.

Brain: Pssst.

Me: What?

Brain: What disease do you think we have?

(quoted from multiple people on twitter)

This pheochromocytoma-paraganglioma tumor (or whatever is going on) gives new meaning to the term, “Manic Monday.” Anybody want to run a marathon? Right now?

Before I go into spontaneous human combustion, here’s the song of the day, Manic Monday, by The Bangles: