Foolish

12:29pm: My lunch didn't keep well so I went to Wendy's for cheap lunch. I enjoyed eating just a few feet away from our trashmen who were joking about physics...

"You know, with e=mc^2, there is enough energy in a hamburger to power our entire country, and you're eating a double and just hauling trash!"

"Hey, I use as much as I can! Besides how wasteful can it be, we know it ultimately it can't be destroyed."

"Yeah, I'm just worried about when you start converting it into crapons and stinkons while we're working."

(general laughter)

"The first time I saw Hadron particles, you know I thought it said..."

"Yeah, right? Those particles start out excited!"

Somehow it reminded me of a Stephen King scene.

2:15pm: Passed on from satyrblade
(I'm to lazy to fix the links that didn't paste, so go to the original post for them HERE.

Good morning!

As many of you have heard (but many others have not), our beloved friend and bard S.J. "Sooj" Tucker has been in the hospital. At the moment, the cause of her distress remains uncertain, but appendicitis is the current diagnosis. In any case, her treatment has already been expensive, and will probably become much more so, especially if surgery becomes necessary.

Like many independent artists, Sooj has no medical insurance. And like most Americans without medical insurance, this leaves her utterly screwed without significant help from friends, fans and loved ones.

And so, we're spreading the word about "A Healthy Dose of Sooj" - a fund-raising effort to secure treatment and security for our ailing friend.

As the site reveals, this isn't a charity effort. Although donations are welcome, Sooj and her partner/ manager K are offering CDs, downloads, podcasts and other goodies in exchange for contributions. This way, you can help one of the country's brightest and hardest-working young artists survive a traumatic illness and you'll also get some kick-ass music for your own collection. Or - if you already have all of Sooj's albums - you can help spread the word and give the gift of Sooj to other folks. After all, Tucker is a grass-roots artist who spits in the eye of "The Big-Box Music Biz(TM." And that, my friends, is certainly worth supporting!

To that end, I'm also offering some of my own work as well.

I haven't mentioned this until now, but I've been working with artist Bryan Syme on an urban fantasy webcomic entitled String Theory. Inspired, in part, by Sooj herself, String Theory follows a young bard named Meghan Susan Green as she discovers just how strange her world - and her talents - truly are.

Bryan and I have been writing and drawing this project for months, and plan to go live with it as soon as we have 30 episodes ready to post. That goal is still somewhat in the future. Folks who contribute to Sooj's medical fund, however, can enjoy the following "sneak peeks" at this project-in-progress:

* Sponsors who contribute $15 to help Sooj will receive prints of five String Theory character modeling sketches, signed by Bryan. and I.

* Sponsors who contribute $25 to help Sooj will receive a signed print of an installment of String Theory, unlettered and signed by Bryan and I.

* Sponsors who contribute $50 will appear as characters within the strip, named and thanked at the bottom of the page when it appears. Those folks will also receive a print of that installment, signed by Bryan and I.

* For sponsors who contribute $100 or more, I'l create a fantasy version of you and make that character into a regular on the strip, with corresponding prints and credit (although rights to that character will remain attached to the String Theory property).

I'll be collecting donations via my PayPal account, then sending the funds to Sooj and K once I have the sponsor's address and so forth. Alternately, you could forward the funds to Sooj's own donations page, and then let me know what you contributed and where to send the prints. This adds a step, though, and may be harder to keep track of.

Either way, please help Save Our Sooj. In the absence of a working health-coverage system in our country, it falls to us to support one another - and, in sickness and in health, S.J. Tucker is one person worth supporting!

Thanks & Blessings!

1:08pm: Writer's Block: Use Your Power


I recently took one of those super power quizes and it said my power would be invisibility. Doesn't really resonate with me though.

Strangely, years ago a man in Las Vegas gave two of my friends super powers and they in turn gave them to me. It took a while to determine what our new super powers were, but slowly they came into focus. (unlike my memory... let's see what were all those powers...)

We each had two, if I remember correctly. One of mine was the uncanny ability to drive straight to a Taco Bell no matter what town I was in. zurich45 had the amazing ability to cause kittens to fall asleep in his lap. I'm having trouble remembering the others.

These aren't powers we chose, these were given to us. We, just like Peter Parker, take our abilities very seriously and know that with great power comes great responsibility.

Also, once Kung Fu is used for evil, there is no turning back.

8:09pm: Hey Sarah Palin...

5:25pm: Can't say I'm against this...
[edit : The math is all messed up on this, but it's still fun. Maybe if we were to add in the next year's worth of Iraq spending...]

THIS IS A PLAN -- MAN!!!!!!!

It really helps me realize just how much 85 billion dollars are.


THE BIRK ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN --

AN $85,000,000,000 Plan to give all Americans a 'We Deserve It Dividend'.

Our population is about 301,000,000 +/- counting every man, woman and child.

So to make the math simple, let's assume there are 200,000,000 bon-a-fide U.S. Citizens 18+ years and older.

If you divide 200 million adults 18+ into $85 billon that equals $425,000.00.


The Birk Economic Recovery Plan is to give $425,000 to every person 18+ as a 'We Deserve It Dividend'.

Of course, it would NOT be tax free. So let's assume a tax rate of 30%.

Every individual 18+ has to pay $127,500.00 in taxes. That sends $25,500,000,000 right back to Uncle Sam.

But it means that every adult 18+ has $297,500.00 in their pocket. A husband and wife has $595,000.00.

What would you do with $297,500.00 to $595,000.00 in your family?

Pay off your mortgage - housing crisis solved.

Repay college loans - what a great boost to new grads.

Put away money for college - it'll be there.

Save in a bank - create money to loan to entrepreneurs.

Buy a new car - create jobs.

Invest in the market - capital drives growth.

Pay for your parent's medical insurance - health care improves.

Enable Deadbeat Dads to come clean - or else.

The Birk Recovery Plan is for every adult U.S. Citizen 18+ and older, including the folks who lost their jobs at Lehman Brothers and every other company that is cutting back. It also includes all of those serving in the Armed Forces.

If we're going to re-distribute wealth let's really do it...instead of trickling out a puny $1000.00 ( "vote buy" ) economic incentive that is being proposed by one of our candidates for President.

If we're going to do an $85 billion bailout, let's bail out every adult U S Citizen 18+!

As for AIG - liquidate it.

Sell off its parts.


Let American General go back to being American General.

Sell off the real estate.

Let the private sector bargain hunters cut it up and clean it up.

Here's my rationale. We deserve it and AIG doesn't.


CAN YOU IMAGINE THE COAST-TO-COAST BLOCK PARTY!!!!!



How do you spell Economic Boom?


I trust my fellow adult Americans to know how to use the $85 Billion 'We Deserve It Dividend' more than I do the geniuses at AIG or in Washington DC .


And remember, The Birk plan only really costs $59.5 Billion because $25.5 Billion is returned instantly in taxes to Uncle Sam.


Ahhh...I feel so much better getting that off my chest.


Kindest personal regards,


Birk

T. J. Birkenmeier, A Creative Guy & Citizen of the Republic
PS: Feel free to pass this along to your pals as it's either good for a laugh or a tear or a very sobering thought on how to best use $85 Billion!!

12:56pm: Interesting
I just had a customer in the Netherlands cancel their order because they don't really trust financial transaction going through the US right now, even if it is just for cat toys.

Apparently the media hype over the Wall St. fluctuations is even more HYPE-ER-ER outside the US than it is here. Exciting. The over-reporting is going to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

2:31am: Sha-ZAM! Dropped a fairy-egg on yo ass!

10:44am: Comedian Bernie Mac died recently. The cause is being reported as "Pneumonia". When Reggie White died they also reported it as Pneumonia. They both has respiratory sarcoidosis. But nobody dies due to sarcoidosis.

It's very strange. it's almost like there is a cover-up.

2:48pm: Aha!

My spider friend IS the safe kind! The spider expert says it was very worthwhile to check out because Hobo Spiders are being seen in Colorado, but if they come to our house they will most likely be eaten by (dum da dum!) our friendly neighborhood House Spiders!

...who in turn might get eaten by the cats.

Now I feel bad about the little guy having to get destroyed in order for me to find out, but I had to make sure. *sigh*

11:02pm: So, we might need assistance in two areas; identifying the spider I caught tonight, and building a platform frame for our bed.

Now that I've caught a second of the same kind of spider, having a bed on the floor seems like an increasingly bad idea.

And I can't quite convince myself it isn't a Hobo Spider. If it is, it could be dangerous to the cats and not so pleasant for us. They aren't aggressive or even the least interested in humans but will bite if you accidentally threaten them.

*sigh* I am keeping this one outside in a jar. It will probably die in the jar, but I really want to get it identified and I can't get a good picture.

At least this one is smaller than the last one (though still awfully big).

8:29am: Heh heh... "Edgar Frog, Vampire hunter"

12:46pm: running low on gruntle today.

it's a good thing I don't sort mail or own firearms.

It's also a good thing I get gruntle refills every night.

10:34pm: Taking a pause while watching "Waking Life"... such a great movie.

8:11pm: People have been asking me "How's your face?" a lot lately.

It reminds me of that 3rd grade joke;
Does your face hurt you?
No, why?
Because it's killing me!

It was an infection, obviously. And I might not have to have a root canal because the Penicillin the 2nd Dentist gave me (as prep to have a root canal) and rinsing with Grapefruit Seed Extract dilution seems to have broken up the infection. No more Homer-face.

The detox process also made me lose my gut on a public sidewalk. Not all that nice, but since I feel much better now, I'll take it.

My appointment with dentist #3 was 3 hours after the sidewalk decorating and he pronounced that a root canal might not have to be done because what ever it is I'm doing seems to be taking care of the infection. We went ahead and made an appt anyway, since he is 3 weeks out on setting those kind of appointments and we can cancel it if need be.

Yay for winning! It still hurts and it isn't completely defeated, but I see an end in sight and I won't run out of pain meds for a good while anyway.

I know everyone is absolutely fascinated by my massive facial infection, so thank you for listening :)

10:07pm: Lookit mah damn lip!
Just because it's freaking me out, I'm posting a picture of my swollen lip.
The pain is now constantly all the way up into my nose a good bit.

oddly, I looked up tooth pain and found something that worked better than the prescription strength tylanol I was given; Rinsing the tooth with store-brand Nyquil. Bizarre, but it helps enough that I can sleep.

Tomorrow at 7am I am going to a DIFFERENT dentist to see what they think. The dentist that crowned me (I can go backwards now) pretty much just said "lets wait and see."

Wait and see WHAT? How horrible it can get before I'm curled up on the floor crying? That was just about 2pm today until I found out about the cough medicine rinse.

Anyway, the gratuitous swollen lip picture;




Also, LOOKIT MAH DAMN CAT!

No reason, except that he is a damn handsome beast of a cat.


Lastly, I'm not keeping up on email or LJ but I need to say... well, no, it deserves a separate post from all this grumbling.

8:40pm: I hate the fact that I am so negative in posts lately but...

MY TOOTH HURTS! I got a permanent crown put on the tooth that broke in half a year and a half-ago because the filling job they did came out on it's own.

But it hurts. It's been 4 days, is it supposed to hurt? I think they did something wrong.

I hope this doesn't mean they have to take it off and adjust it to put it back on. Maybe I'm wimpy about my teeth, but the removal of the crown from the nubbin of tooth that they left as an anchor is horrid. I have flash-backs like it was traumatizing or something.

If that's what has to been done to make this pain go away I will do it, but I am going to ask for valium or be knowcked out or something...

9:23pm: Best place to purchase a laptop battery?
I completed a goal and I get to choose my "treat" and I decided I want a new battery for my laptop. It's a mac 12" powerbook.

Any idea where the best place to purchase laptop batteries would be?

12:06pm: Accidentally wandered downtown yesterday and at first I was annoyed because yet another festival of some sort was blocking the streets. Then we remembered this is Pride Fest weekend :) So we ate lunch then wandered around Pride Fest for a while.

I was really struck by how happy Pride Fest is. When you go to the People’s Faire folks are just wandering around with blank looks on their faces, almost impersonating old ladies sitting at slot machines in Las Vegas. Pride Fest was different, people were laughing and singing and playing around, there were no fights, no rude obnoxious people and everybody was just having a good time.

Lately I avoid huge crowds, but that was a huge crowd that I really didn’t mind being in at all.

11:45pm: All Seven of the Seven Dirty Words!
http://uk.reuters.com/article/entertainmentNews/idUKN2339172520080623
Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker and Tits!

I had to learn those when I was in radio. Who would have guessed a comedy routine like that would have turned out to be so historically and culturally significant?

Since he believed in nothing, according to him, it doesn't seem right to say rest in peace... maybe it's just best to say Thanks, George.

5:39pm: Why are raisins coated in sugar so often? It makes no sense.

11:59pm: Last Friday I picked some wild catnip in the area around where I work and hung it upside down above my desk to let it dry.

Today I brought it home to see if the kitties would be interested. Oh yeah, they were interested...
I will never ever buy catnip again. There is tons of it growing around here!

6:11pm: Huh...
So, you know that sadsack post I did yesterday?

After doing that I felt much better! As a matter of fact I've felt great today! This is even despite the fact that it should have been a crappy day at work, but I was rolling with it like a pebble in a stream.

I guess I just needed to say things out loud. Wacky.

3:30pm: Obviously not obvious, easy answers are hardly ever easy
I hate the dead feeling that hides just beneath my smiles
It's like have a sinkhole under the new visitor center
And waiting for it to collapse
It's knowing the depth of the lie
When I answer "I'm OK, how are you?"
Please pass over how I am, because I'm not OK
And I don't even know why.
I've done a lot of thinking, rolling around in it,
And the obvious things aren't really the "why", just contributors;
Weight and water on the sinkhole's thin cover.
I know that my angel has x-ray vision
that penetrates even steel-strong smiles
and reflects the sink-hole in her own eyes.
I have one strong hope;
I have changed the medication that helps me breathe
And the old one has been known to rain on one's parade
Maybe as we take it away, the rain will dwindle to a trickle
And the saints can resume marching.
Yeah, I hope my problem is chemical
Prescriptions are easy to change.

Upside-down.
There is an upside
We have established that the issue in my lungs is fixing
Lung capacity is up "more than 10 clicks"
I now have about 70% lung capacity
The downside is that I will be visiting the doctor more often
Not that I don't like him
But I really don't want to.
But I will because we think we can fix my breathing
And we will
With a new prescription that doesn't make me crazy,
irritable, sleepless and depressed.
At least, I hope the prednisone is responsible for all that
I hope
I think I'm a little more OK today
...really.
(heh, that amused me. Must be getting better)

7:16pm: ( The first Father's Day I've celebrating in a long time... a bit late, I guess. )

7:01am: Last weekend I was wildly depressed and irritable... Lucky for me, furry goblins and my angel put up with me well. (thanks!)

My bank did a funny that cost $185 in fees, of which I got back $75 this week. This came at the same time that my fake front tooth decided to break, leaving me looking like a cartoon hillbilly and costing another $500 in dentistry that will take 3 weeks to finish.

This on top of my already not so great state of mind was pretty tough.

Got some money back from the bank and I am closing the account to move to CU's credit Union. I need a new place for the business account as well, but CU's business accounts are a bit costly in my opinion. If anybody wants to recommend a good bank for business accounts, I'm happy to hear it.

Had my first grinding dentist appointment yesterday. When they were sticking the needle deep into my gums I could have sworn I could feel it all the way up in my forehead. I thought I was getting a lobotomy for a second.

Anyway, some money back, progress on the tooth, got more sleep, the prednisone is helping me breathe (though I still hate it) and I am getting things settled out.

Feeling much better now, thank you.