An opinionated comment on this.
Although it's difficult to get reliable numbers, it seems likely there are between one half and one million in vitro fertilized embryos frozen in clinics in the US alone. Its estimated that of these, tens, probably hundreds of thousands are unclaimed. It seems inevitable that the fate of these forgotten embryos will be to remain in frozen homostasis or to be thawed out and destroyed. Of the claimed hundreds of thousands of embryos in frozen storage, a significant percentage would not survive the freeze/thaw cycle prior to implantation, were that even to be attempted. Each time a couple enters a clinic upwards of twenty embryos are produced in vitro. Of these a few are used to attempt implantation. The majority are immediately destroyed.
The religious/political right apparently has no problem with any of this. Yet they have a serious problem with using a small number of embryos, only 4 to 8 cells large, for the generation of embryonic stem cell lines that may one day be used to alleviate people of the ravages of degenerative disease; perhaps to cure them.
Tell me again just how this fits in with their "Culture of Life"?
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
Question time
Now who can answer these questions?
1) The molecule you see above (under "Calismanic"), what would you call it?
2) If it were to indulge in an electrophilic substitution, at which carbon atom would the substitution take place? No, really, I want to know....
3) If you were to try and enhance the effects of said neurochemical with a legal substitute, where would you go?
4) Would you be wise in doing so?
5) Is this neurochemical important to us, I mean in terms of physiology and personality?
6) Do you find the simplicity of its structure somehow comforting, given the complexity of its effects?
7) What's your favorite color?
1) The molecule you see above (under "Calismanic"), what would you call it?
2) If it were to indulge in an electrophilic substitution, at which carbon atom would the substitution take place? No, really, I want to know....
3) If you were to try and enhance the effects of said neurochemical with a legal substitute, where would you go?
4) Would you be wise in doing so?
5) Is this neurochemical important to us, I mean in terms of physiology and personality?
6) Do you find the simplicity of its structure somehow comforting, given the complexity of its effects?
7) What's your favorite color?
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
"You want me to hit you? What, like in the face?" "Surprise me!"
Steve: "Why don't you write one of those 'Things about me that might surprise you' lists that other bloggers sometimes do?"
Cali: "Nah. Been done."
Steve: "Well how about 'Things about me that might surprise myself'?
Cali: "Wow, that'd be pretty tough - gimme an example."
Steve: "Well, lets think ...... Okay, how about this; 'I've never seen the movie Fight Club'. How's that?"
Cali: "Get the fuck outta here dude! You've never seen Fight Club?"
Steve: "Right, we've never seen Fight Club. Surprising, huh?"
Cali: "Damn right it is! Didn't you know you'd love that movie? Didn't you read Chuck Palahniuk's 'Lullaby' just recently and loved it?"
Steve; "Yep, he's my kind of writer, like an american Irvine Welsh."
Cali: "And aren't you a big fan of Norton and Pitt? And, hey, doesn't Brad think he looks like you?"
Steve: "Both true. And yes, Fight Club may be one of the most cited movie in blogger profiles - whatever THAT means."
Cali: "So you haven't seen it why?"
Steve: "Because everyone else has? I've always been kind of like that - unless I'm one of the first there, its tainted somehow. Stupid really."
Cali: "So, are you gonna see it?"
Steve: "Some day, some day."
Well, that's a conversation that may have taken place a few days ago. On the last day of my All You Can Watch For Free DVD month I rented out Fight Club and watched it for the first time. It actually surpassed expectations - simply brilliant. Rarely does a movie resonate so strongly with me, Trainspotting comes to mind, to extend the analogy. Pitt and Norton were outstanding and Helena Bonham Carter was a revelation as Marla. Moreover, the central theme of the movie strikes a chord truer now than when Palahniuk wrote it and Fincher filmed it. Besides, i don't remember ever watching a movie again the next night and enjoying it in a whole different light (knowing the ending).
So now how do I surprise myself?
Cali: "So shall i add Fight Club to my blogger profile?"
Steve: "Ummm, actually you don't have a profile."
Cali: "Well shouldn't I be the one to have the profile and you the one to have the resume?"
Steve: "Hmmm, maybe so, maybe so."
Brad: "Hey, you do look like me! And, by the way, you just broke the first and second rules."
Note: The conversation between S and C was a literary device. I'm not actually schizophrenic. At least not as far as we're aware.
Cali: "Nah. Been done."
Steve: "Well how about 'Things about me that might surprise myself'?
Cali: "Wow, that'd be pretty tough - gimme an example."
Steve: "Well, lets think ...... Okay, how about this; 'I've never seen the movie Fight Club'. How's that?"
Cali: "Get the fuck outta here dude! You've never seen Fight Club?"
Steve: "Right, we've never seen Fight Club. Surprising, huh?"
Cali: "Damn right it is! Didn't you know you'd love that movie? Didn't you read Chuck Palahniuk's 'Lullaby' just recently and loved it?"
Steve; "Yep, he's my kind of writer, like an american Irvine Welsh."
Cali: "And aren't you a big fan of Norton and Pitt? And, hey, doesn't Brad think he looks like you?"
Steve: "Both true. And yes, Fight Club may be one of the most cited movie in blogger profiles - whatever THAT means."
Cali: "So you haven't seen it why?"
Steve: "Because everyone else has? I've always been kind of like that - unless I'm one of the first there, its tainted somehow. Stupid really."
Cali: "So, are you gonna see it?"
Steve: "Some day, some day."
Well, that's a conversation that may have taken place a few days ago. On the last day of my All You Can Watch For Free DVD month I rented out Fight Club and watched it for the first time. It actually surpassed expectations - simply brilliant. Rarely does a movie resonate so strongly with me, Trainspotting comes to mind, to extend the analogy. Pitt and Norton were outstanding and Helena Bonham Carter was a revelation as Marla. Moreover, the central theme of the movie strikes a chord truer now than when Palahniuk wrote it and Fincher filmed it. Besides, i don't remember ever watching a movie again the next night and enjoying it in a whole different light (knowing the ending).
So now how do I surprise myself?
Cali: "So shall i add Fight Club to my blogger profile?"
Steve: "Ummm, actually you don't have a profile."
Cali: "Well shouldn't I be the one to have the profile and you the one to have the resume?"
Steve: "Hmmm, maybe so, maybe so."
Brad: "Hey, you do look like me! And, by the way, you just broke the first and second rules."
Note: The conversation between S and C was a literary device. I'm not actually schizophrenic. At least not as far as we're aware.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Women are from Venice, Men are from Mars.
On the subject of the differences between the sexes, which seems pervasive in many of the blogs I read, this supposedly from an English Professor at the University of Phoenix;
"Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth. Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely NO talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached."
The following was actually turned in by two of my English students:
Rebecca (last name deleted), and Gary (last name deleted).
THE STORY:
(first paragraph by Rebecca)
At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question.
(second paragraph by Gary)
Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he
could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.
(Rebecca)
He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously
excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspapers to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.
(Gary)
Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace disarmament Treaty through the congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the
hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine
headquarters on the ocean floor of the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized poor, stupid, Laurie and 85 million other Americans. The President slammed his fist on the conference table. "We can't allow this! I'm going to veto that treaty! Let's blow 'em out of the sky!"
(Rebecca)
This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic semi-literate adolescent.
(Gary)
Yeah? Well, you're a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. "Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of FUCKING TEA??? Oh no, I'm such an air headed bimbo who reads too many Danielle Steele novels!"
(Rebecca)
Asshole.
(Gary)
Bitch
(Rebecca)
FUCK YOU - YOU NEANDERTHAL!!!
(Gary)
Go drink some tea - whore.
(TEACHER)
A+ - I really liked this one
........ I particularly liked the way that Rebecca killed off Gary at the very first possible opportunity. From that point on Gary knew he'd missed a golden opportunity and was defeated, futile retribution being his only recourse. Score one to the Venetians.
"Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth. Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely NO talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached."
The following was actually turned in by two of my English students:
Rebecca (last name deleted), and Gary (last name deleted).
THE STORY:
(first paragraph by Rebecca)
At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question.
(second paragraph by Gary)
Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air-headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he
could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.
(Rebecca)
He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously
excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspapers to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.
(Gary)
Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace disarmament Treaty through the congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the
hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret mobile submarine
headquarters on the ocean floor of the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized poor, stupid, Laurie and 85 million other Americans. The President slammed his fist on the conference table. "We can't allow this! I'm going to veto that treaty! Let's blow 'em out of the sky!"
(Rebecca)
This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic semi-literate adolescent.
(Gary)
Yeah? Well, you're a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. "Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of FUCKING TEA??? Oh no, I'm such an air headed bimbo who reads too many Danielle Steele novels!"
(Rebecca)
Asshole.
(Gary)
Bitch
(Rebecca)
FUCK YOU - YOU NEANDERTHAL!!!
(Gary)
Go drink some tea - whore.
(TEACHER)
A+ - I really liked this one
........ I particularly liked the way that Rebecca killed off Gary at the very first possible opportunity. From that point on Gary knew he'd missed a golden opportunity and was defeated, futile retribution being his only recourse. Score one to the Venetians.
Thursday, April 28, 2005
It ain't over 'til the fat guy sings.
The Gods Must Be Crazy! Well, at least the american TV viewing public. Scott is still on 'Idol' - he wasn't even in the bottom three! Could it be that TV viewers now dislike Simon so much that they'll go out of their way to pick up the phone and vote for whoever he tells to "pack their suitcase"?
I can't believe the american public would vote to retain someone who repeatedly fails to meet even the most modest standards of ability.
Ohhh, wait a minute........
I can't believe the american public would vote to retain someone who repeatedly fails to meet even the most modest standards of ability.
Ohhh, wait a minute........
Friday, April 22, 2005
Bush cancels Earth Day.
This is the headline that greeted me as I opened up Yahoo this morning. Widening the box, I read the full headline, "Bush cancels Earth Day visit to the Smokies."
The sad thing? I wasn't surprised by the first headline.
The sad thing? I wasn't surprised by the first headline.
Thursday, April 21, 2005
Blogger is a jerk
Blogger is a jerk. Last night it started redirecting me to its home page when i clicked on certain links - after a while it wouldn't let me get to my own blog. I did get to one of my most frequently visited blogs (no doubt blogger was taking a much needed break from sustained jerkissitude) and then, being in a bad mood and apprehensive of a job interview (kinda) today, proceeded to leave a thoughtless, inappropriate and unnecessarily antagonistic comment on one of my favorite blogger's posts (sorry P). I went to bed in totally the wrong frame of mind in preparation for a job kinda interview.
I got up next morning, realizing I'd run out of my SSRI prescription and didn't have time to get it filled - nice start Steve. The interview was not so much an interview - a mutual friend had passed on my resume to someone at a local Biotech company - and we were to meet for lunch to "sound each other out". I got to the Biotech, waited in reception and shortly heard "Hi, you must be Steve." i turned and instantly both of us recognized each other. "We've met before." In unison. Within milliseconds I realized that the only time we could have met was at our mutual friend's party, one at which I'd gotten AMAZINGLY drunk, even by my extreme standards. Great, fucking great!
Lunch actually went okay, and for sure I didn't order a beer with it! I'm not holding my breath over the position - I've been rejected or, more often, never heard from them again, so often I don't really care anymore.
Apparently I'm also incapable of relearning organic chemistry for the MCAT teaching - its clear the human brain is not designed to assimilate the details of the Friedel-Crafts reaction after a certain age.
This post is so fucking whiney that I think I'll delete it soon.
Blogger is a jerk.
(edited)
I got up next morning, realizing I'd run out of my SSRI prescription and didn't have time to get it filled - nice start Steve. The interview was not so much an interview - a mutual friend had passed on my resume to someone at a local Biotech company - and we were to meet for lunch to "sound each other out". I got to the Biotech, waited in reception and shortly heard "Hi, you must be Steve." i turned and instantly both of us recognized each other. "We've met before." In unison. Within milliseconds I realized that the only time we could have met was at our mutual friend's party, one at which I'd gotten AMAZINGLY drunk, even by my extreme standards. Great, fucking great!
Lunch actually went okay, and for sure I didn't order a beer with it! I'm not holding my breath over the position - I've been rejected or, more often, never heard from them again, so often I don't really care anymore.
Apparently I'm also incapable of relearning organic chemistry for the MCAT teaching - its clear the human brain is not designed to assimilate the details of the Friedel-Crafts reaction after a certain age.
This post is so fucking whiney that I think I'll delete it soon.
Blogger is a jerk.
(edited)
Saturday, April 16, 2005
Q time (via P)
Apparently I don't have a visual memory. Can't come up with "mostest" answers for the pic Q's, representatives are;
What picture has brought to you the most joy?
S on the beach in Costa Rica collecting fallen almonds
What picture has brought to you the most introspection?
Sunset over the Pacific (also Costa Rica, but really a generic - could just as well be California or anywhere else looking west)
What picture has brought to you the most sadness?
An old photo of a close family friend taken at our (once) annual family/friends Xmas party, which i came across soon after he died of cancer. Usually the life and soul of the party it was a rare pic of a sad, reflective K, almost as if in anticipation
What picture has brought to you the most laughter?
Any one of many photos of K and our dear friend M (who also died of cancer not so long ago) at same Xmas parties, making everyone else laugh
What picture has brought to you the most frustration?
What song will always make you cry?
Anything by Good Charlotte. (I could have picked any one of a number pathetically lame artists/bands but I picked them because, well, I can)
What song will always make you dance?
Return of Forever - High Contrast
What song will always make you drive really, really fast?
Suburban Train - Tiesto; very loud, very fast
What song brings your best (in order to narrow the selection) outdoor memory?
Purple Haze - Jimi
What book was last given to you by someone else?
"Looking for Spinoza. (Joy, Sorrow and the Feeling Brain)." - Antonio Damasio
What book did you last refer to someone else?
"White Teeth" - Zadie Smith
What book will you keep with you always?
My PowerBook
Where do you like to be quiet?
In the kitchen when pouring another drink
Where do you like to be loud?
In the car
What is your favorite fruit juice?
Fresh grapefruit
I tag; Nelson Mandela, Trent Rasner, Stephen Hawkins and Lisa Simpson
What picture has brought to you the most joy?
S on the beach in Costa Rica collecting fallen almonds
What picture has brought to you the most introspection?
Sunset over the Pacific (also Costa Rica, but really a generic - could just as well be California or anywhere else looking west)
What picture has brought to you the most sadness?
An old photo of a close family friend taken at our (once) annual family/friends Xmas party, which i came across soon after he died of cancer. Usually the life and soul of the party it was a rare pic of a sad, reflective K, almost as if in anticipation
What picture has brought to you the most laughter?
Any one of many photos of K and our dear friend M (who also died of cancer not so long ago) at same Xmas parties, making everyone else laugh
What picture has brought to you the most frustration?
What song will always make you cry?
Anything by Good Charlotte. (I could have picked any one of a number pathetically lame artists/bands but I picked them because, well, I can)
What song will always make you dance?
Return of Forever - High Contrast
What song will always make you drive really, really fast?
Suburban Train - Tiesto; very loud, very fast
What song brings your best (in order to narrow the selection) outdoor memory?
Purple Haze - Jimi
What are you listening to right now?
In the Waiting Line - Zero 7
In the Waiting Line - Zero 7
What book was last given to you by someone else?
"Looking for Spinoza. (Joy, Sorrow and the Feeling Brain)." - Antonio Damasio
What book did you last refer to someone else?
"White Teeth" - Zadie Smith
What book will you keep with you always?
My PowerBook
Where do you like to be quiet?
In the kitchen when pouring another drink
Where do you like to be loud?
In the car
What is your favorite fruit juice?
Fresh grapefruit
I tag; Nelson Mandela, Trent Rasner, Stephen Hawkins and Lisa Simpson
Friday, April 15, 2005
Vacillation and acylation
I'm starting to wonder whether having four blogs - well, three really, since one is totally devoid of content - is such a good idea. I know what you're thinking - "he hardly ever posts on any of them, what's he complaining about?" - but it seems i'm becoming less and less able to multitask. Give me one thing to do and there's a slim chance it will get done. Give me a bunch a things and its a dead cert that not even the easiest will get done. Besides, i'm trying to memorize a whole organic chemistry course to take this MCAT teaching application test and its using up pretty much every available neuron. And, believe me, there ain't too many to spare. I hated organic chem way back in college so i skipped just about all the classes. I suspected that one day it would come back to haunt me and how right i was.
For the science blog i'm planning to write a follow up on embryonic stem cell research, based on recent progress in research and lack of progress in swaying the ideology of the current administration. However, I've been stalled by both inertia and inability to access key papers - the science publishing community is every bit as elitist as the science research community. In fact i was also considering a post on the failure of science publishing to communicate that which its meant to communicate. I've also been meaning for a while to write a piece on the biology of aging, but for some reason whenever i start to think about it I become disinterested. I wonder why this is.
As for the stupid lists blog, i've forgotten why i thought it was such a good idea in the first place. Maybe i should follow up my stupid list of Canadians with a list of stupid Americans. Plenty to choose from.
And this blog.... I did consider starting "Zerotonin: Memoirs of a Melancholy Mouse", which was to be included in Pura Vida, here instead; The story of Morris E. Mouse, a mouse with no serotonin receptors, in his search, along with his sister Marrie, for happiness. But it seems like so much work. And then there's the TV chat show interview with Genghis Khan. I don't know, I think the effects of SN1 nucleophilic substitution on chirality are making me kinda brain dead.
Woohoo! My first pointless post about nothing in particular. I'm just like you guys now!
For the science blog i'm planning to write a follow up on embryonic stem cell research, based on recent progress in research and lack of progress in swaying the ideology of the current administration. However, I've been stalled by both inertia and inability to access key papers - the science publishing community is every bit as elitist as the science research community. In fact i was also considering a post on the failure of science publishing to communicate that which its meant to communicate. I've also been meaning for a while to write a piece on the biology of aging, but for some reason whenever i start to think about it I become disinterested. I wonder why this is.
As for the stupid lists blog, i've forgotten why i thought it was such a good idea in the first place. Maybe i should follow up my stupid list of Canadians with a list of stupid Americans. Plenty to choose from.
And this blog.... I did consider starting "Zerotonin: Memoirs of a Melancholy Mouse", which was to be included in Pura Vida, here instead; The story of Morris E. Mouse, a mouse with no serotonin receptors, in his search, along with his sister Marrie, for happiness. But it seems like so much work. And then there's the TV chat show interview with Genghis Khan. I don't know, I think the effects of SN1 nucleophilic substitution on chirality are making me kinda brain dead.
Woohoo! My first pointless post about nothing in particular. I'm just like you guys now!
Saturday, April 09, 2005
On the beach
“So this guy wakes up on the beach only to find he’s the last person alive on Earth. Of course he has to leave the beach to find this out, but, anyway, seems the rest of humanity has been wiped out in some kind of nuclear Armageddon.”
“So how did this dude on the beach survive it?” one of the surfers asks perceptively.
“Uhh, I don’t know. Sunblock maybe?
“Anyway of course he finds he’s not really the last one alive and that there are other survivors and they band together to start civilization over. There’s a love interest there too I think. So it begins at the end and ends at the beginning, y’know?”
“So that’s why you come to the beach? You sleep on the beach and maybe the rest of the world goes away?” The perceptive surfer again.
“Hey, maybe it is, maybe it’s a metaphor.” But, how to explain just how the beach mirrors my destiny, how it comforts and then torments, how it nurtures and tortures. How the surf, sand and rocks are freedom themselves, and yet the beach entraps, between the raging surf and the hard, dry world. And how it gathers the lonely and the together, the happy and the dreamers, the adventurers and the voyeurs.
“I thought this was the metaphor.” Indee interrupts my reflection, arms in the air, hands open, meaning everything around us. The gesture and her comment seem to have attracted everyone’s attention.
“What??” I have no idea what she’s referring to.
Indee looks right to left, back again, eyes shifting, faux conspiratorial, leans forward and says, hushed but loud enough for all to hear, slowly,
“The blog.”
“What blog?” I reply, genuinely perplexed.
“This blog.” Again hushed yet loud enough.
I stare at her incredulously, no idea what to say. But she and everyone else are waiting for an answer.
“So how did this dude on the beach survive it?” one of the surfers asks perceptively.
“Uhh, I don’t know. Sunblock maybe?
“Anyway of course he finds he’s not really the last one alive and that there are other survivors and they band together to start civilization over. There’s a love interest there too I think. So it begins at the end and ends at the beginning, y’know?”
“So that’s why you come to the beach? You sleep on the beach and maybe the rest of the world goes away?” The perceptive surfer again.
“Hey, maybe it is, maybe it’s a metaphor.” But, how to explain just how the beach mirrors my destiny, how it comforts and then torments, how it nurtures and tortures. How the surf, sand and rocks are freedom themselves, and yet the beach entraps, between the raging surf and the hard, dry world. And how it gathers the lonely and the together, the happy and the dreamers, the adventurers and the voyeurs.
“I thought this was the metaphor.” Indee interrupts my reflection, arms in the air, hands open, meaning everything around us. The gesture and her comment seem to have attracted everyone’s attention.
“What??” I have no idea what she’s referring to.
Indee looks right to left, back again, eyes shifting, faux conspiratorial, leans forward and says, hushed but loud enough for all to hear, slowly,
“The blog.”
“What blog?” I reply, genuinely perplexed.
“This blog.” Again hushed yet loud enough.
I stare at her incredulously, no idea what to say. But she and everyone else are waiting for an answer.
Thursday, April 07, 2005
Pura Vida
I should be writing my novel, to be posted on Cali's sister blog (Pura Vida), but I'm not.
Settings: It is set largely in the US Southwest; San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and in Costa Rica. I imagine other locations will emerge.
The Premise: It features a small group of people from diverse backgrounds, though with strangely similar traits, dedicated to exposing untruths and deception within Science and the Pharmaceutical Industry. In particular, the rumored existence of the ultimate life-style drug being developed by a mega-international Pharma consortium. The drug in question, in ways laid out in the novel, is able to reset the brain's homeostasis mechanisms in the event of disturbance thereof. The question is, therefore, what is the brain's default status? Happy or sad? Passive or aggressive? Enlightened or in the dark? I don't know - that's why I'm writing the novel.
I should be writing my novel, but I'm not.......
Settings: It is set largely in the US Southwest; San Diego, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and in Costa Rica. I imagine other locations will emerge.
The Premise: It features a small group of people from diverse backgrounds, though with strangely similar traits, dedicated to exposing untruths and deception within Science and the Pharmaceutical Industry. In particular, the rumored existence of the ultimate life-style drug being developed by a mega-international Pharma consortium. The drug in question, in ways laid out in the novel, is able to reset the brain's homeostasis mechanisms in the event of disturbance thereof. The question is, therefore, what is the brain's default status? Happy or sad? Passive or aggressive? Enlightened or in the dark? I don't know - that's why I'm writing the novel.
I should be writing my novel, but I'm not.......
Monday, April 04, 2005
No lo vamos a olvidar!
I got one of those Blockbuster pass things; ten bucks for all you can watch for a month. So far we've seen the following;
"Purple Butterfly" with my favorite actress, Zhang Ziyi, or is it Ziyi Zhang. The movie was okay, she was as wonderful as ever.
"The Return", a thoughtful russian psychodrama, which pretty much sums it up.
"The Incredibles"; lots of fun. Plus, Mrs. Incredible (Elastica) is pretty hot.
"Harold and Kumar go to ...." Surprisingly fun and funny.
"Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring again" or something like that. I didn't watch it - S did while recovering from a cold, she says its sad - good thing I didn watch it.
"The Motorcycle Diaries" was quite simply one of the most amazing movies I've seen for, well, ever! What surprised me is that the movie, and the original diaries, had passed me by and I didn't know, until the very end of the movie that the main character and narrator was indeed a young "Che" Guevara.
I wish this movie had gotten more attention when it was in theatres. We desperately need another "Che" now.
"Purple Butterfly" with my favorite actress, Zhang Ziyi, or is it Ziyi Zhang. The movie was okay, she was as wonderful as ever.
"The Return", a thoughtful russian psychodrama, which pretty much sums it up.
"The Incredibles"; lots of fun. Plus, Mrs. Incredible (Elastica) is pretty hot.
"Harold and Kumar go to ...." Surprisingly fun and funny.
"Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter and Spring again" or something like that. I didn't watch it - S did while recovering from a cold, she says its sad - good thing I didn watch it.
"The Motorcycle Diaries" was quite simply one of the most amazing movies I've seen for, well, ever! What surprised me is that the movie, and the original diaries, had passed me by and I didn't know, until the very end of the movie that the main character and narrator was indeed a young "Che" Guevara.
I wish this movie had gotten more attention when it was in theatres. We desperately need another "Che" now.
Deposted.
I deleted a post I had put up a couple of days ago ("Pope dead, Illinois and North Carolina survive") since i thought some might find it disrespectful, which wasn't my intention. In spite of disagreeing with him on some obvious issues, the late Pope was, after all, opposed to the Iraq war and the death penalty and was clearly at heart a good and honest man. Which, lets face it, is more than be said of the world's most powerful religious leader, George W. Bush.
Thursday, March 31, 2005
Judge me not lest I come kick your ass.
I took the MCAT practice test and I suck - I REALLY suck - I suck worse than I'd imagined - I suck like a Dyson on meth. I wouldn't have gotten into UNLV med!
Now its personal........
Now its personal........
Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Back to School
I decided to apply for a part time position preparing kids for MCATs - a friend had suggested it and it seems a good idea. It would bring in some spending cash, give me something to do and it might even be fun. I visited the Princeton Review website and proceeded to fill out their questionnaire, submitted a resume and was about to nonchalantly click on the button that would send me to the admission test, when I paused. Would this be a test of my personal MCAT aptitude? When was the last time I took an MCAT anyway? Never. Hmmmm - maybe I should research this test before I fall flat on my face at the first step.
So, it was off to the library in search of MCAT practice test manuals. Now this, in itself, was quite an experience. Having spent many, many years studying, training and educating in science, one would assume I'd have detailed knowledge of the inner workings of libraries, yet in each of the institutions I've been at, I couldn't tell you where they are.
A remembered exchange when at Cornell;
Me (to an undergrad student working in the lab): Can you copy an article for me from the library please?
Her: What is it?
Me: It's a big building in the middle of campus with books in it.
I did, however, find an MCAT test book and proceeded to check it out - then I realized I'd have to check it out! I actually had a library card, since S had dragged in there some time before, and it turned out to be quite painless and easy.
Anyway, its just as well, since I clearly need some serious revision time before taking this application test. On the very first passage they got two of the seven questions wrong! Its gonna take some time to figure out just what kind of answers these morons are looking for. I'm gonna take a practice MCAT exam tomorrow morning - they better not question any of my answers.
So, it was off to the library in search of MCAT practice test manuals. Now this, in itself, was quite an experience. Having spent many, many years studying, training and educating in science, one would assume I'd have detailed knowledge of the inner workings of libraries, yet in each of the institutions I've been at, I couldn't tell you where they are.
A remembered exchange when at Cornell;
Me (to an undergrad student working in the lab): Can you copy an article for me from the library please?
Her: What is it?
Me: It's a big building in the middle of campus with books in it.
I did, however, find an MCAT test book and proceeded to check it out - then I realized I'd have to check it out! I actually had a library card, since S had dragged in there some time before, and it turned out to be quite painless and easy.
Anyway, its just as well, since I clearly need some serious revision time before taking this application test. On the very first passage they got two of the seven questions wrong! Its gonna take some time to figure out just what kind of answers these morons are looking for. I'm gonna take a practice MCAT exam tomorrow morning - they better not question any of my answers.
Monday, March 28, 2005
Leaving Color.
We drove up to LA yesterday to visit S's cousin, family and a bunch of friends on the occasion of "Holy", a Hindu celebration that I have no idea what the history of is. Got there around midday in time for conventional party-style stuff - lotsa delish indian food, beer and so on, after which was to come the "Festival of Colors" part of the party. I knew about this in advance and had purposefully worn one of my better linen shirts, to enable my justifiable excusing from the event. Naturally our hosts found an expendable T-shirt - I was not to escape coloring - no one was.
After clearing everything - everything! - away from the back garden, evnts started with a water fight. Water balloons, buckets of water, just the plain old hose - lots of running and screaming from kids - and more from grown ups (the water was freakin freezin). Then came out the bags of brightly colored paint powder - pink, red, orange and yellow - the object being to "paint" as many people as possible. Soon we were a blurred, multi-colored mass and, oh no, it dunn't wash out, uh uh.
Really it was a lot of fun - the kids enjoyed it tons - as did the grown ups. Those who'd grown up in India I think enjoyed the tradition and memories it evoked, the rookies enjoyed the strangely extreme yet fun nature of the festival. Though one guy was quite seriously contemplating just how the hell he was gonna drive home without seriously depreciating his car's value (this is, after all, Bel Air).
This morning i woke up a fairly bright pink, the red, orange and yellow having transferred to the sheets. Running late for my appointment with my therapist I took a not-long-enough shower, emerging still largely pink, and set off for Hillcrest. Now, Hillcrest is to san Diego what the Castro is to San Francisco, so I didn't feel too out of place, but I always like to keep a low profile at Psychiatry Outpatients! Another shower later and most of the pink's gone - except the toe nails, which seem to have a permanent nature to their coloring. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no issues with what others think about me in terms of my sexuality or anything - it matters nothing to me - its just that if I were to ever paint my toe nails, they would NOT be pink. They'd be some kind of metallic hue, like bronze, or maybe copper.
After clearing everything - everything! - away from the back garden, evnts started with a water fight. Water balloons, buckets of water, just the plain old hose - lots of running and screaming from kids - and more from grown ups (the water was freakin freezin). Then came out the bags of brightly colored paint powder - pink, red, orange and yellow - the object being to "paint" as many people as possible. Soon we were a blurred, multi-colored mass and, oh no, it dunn't wash out, uh uh.
Really it was a lot of fun - the kids enjoyed it tons - as did the grown ups. Those who'd grown up in India I think enjoyed the tradition and memories it evoked, the rookies enjoyed the strangely extreme yet fun nature of the festival. Though one guy was quite seriously contemplating just how the hell he was gonna drive home without seriously depreciating his car's value (this is, after all, Bel Air).
This morning i woke up a fairly bright pink, the red, orange and yellow having transferred to the sheets. Running late for my appointment with my therapist I took a not-long-enough shower, emerging still largely pink, and set off for Hillcrest. Now, Hillcrest is to san Diego what the Castro is to San Francisco, so I didn't feel too out of place, but I always like to keep a low profile at Psychiatry Outpatients! Another shower later and most of the pink's gone - except the toe nails, which seem to have a permanent nature to their coloring. Now, don't get me wrong, I have no issues with what others think about me in terms of my sexuality or anything - it matters nothing to me - its just that if I were to ever paint my toe nails, they would NOT be pink. They'd be some kind of metallic hue, like bronze, or maybe copper.
Sunday, February 27, 2005
On the last day of his life, Hunter S. Thompson woke with his usual breakfast of fresh fruit inside a thin layer of jello with gin and Grand Marnier drizzled on top.
His wife, Anita, carefully put a lemon on the side and hovered near his chair. It was 5 p.m., the time the writer normally began his day.
His wife, Anita, carefully put a lemon on the side and hovered near his chair. It was 5 p.m., the time the writer normally began his day.
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