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¿Como se dice “snoring at the lap top?”

Distraction Free Writing. What a concept!

Here I am with just a large white screen o’ nothingness. Just a man and his computer white board.

This is part of my new updated Word Press site. I can click the screen, well, maybe press Escape, and it’s all gone. Really, it just ends right back to the dashboard. Then I click on this box of arrows, configured into an “X.” and it takes me back to the world of distraction free writing. Well, at least it is distraction free on the computer screen. I have millions of other objects to distract me in my peripheral vision.

Isn’t this fascinating? ¿No es este fascinante? I’m still taking advantage of my free Spanish lessons on Fluencia. One receives about 15 free lessons in Spanish before you have to pay. So far, the site has, at the very least, reminded me of what I learned in two semesters of college Spanish. That time wasn’t all that well spent but I did get a bit of good from it. I believe both of my Spanish professors are deceased so I shall not speak of them to avoid speaking ill of the dead. I suppose that sentence alone may offer a hint as to the esteem those people were held in my estimation.

Fluencia only pokes gentle fun at me when I get a word wrong.

Well, it looks as if I am back to “distracted” writing.  I suppose it doesn’t make any difference to me. But what does influence me is my nearing sleep at the keyboard. I seemed to get plenty of sleep overnight. Six hours or so. I think a lot of the sleepiness comes from sitting at the computer all day.

Also, I went to my first physical therapy session yesterday for rehabilitating the knee. It wasn’t too bad. But I am sore. Sore and sleepy. Until next time.

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Science does it again

Sometimes it seems that perhaps the medical industry and the media could just keep a lid on research until all the hypotheses and postulations on a particular study was a bit more well-developed.

For instance, I read today where younger adults with exposure to marijuana might have a higher risk of serious heart disease. This was based on a study by something called the French Addictovigilance Network. Really?

Now right away you might be suspicious of something called the “Addictovigilance Network.” Don’t think they’d have an ax to grind would they? For that matter, something starting with “French” … oh well, just a little friendly, fun French bashing. We still love the French here in America. You know, the French fries and French dip and French’s mustard.

The studies on major medical issues that surface each week reminds me of that old bit about “The News” George Carlin did in which he read “news headlines” such as:

“Scientists say saliva causes stomach cancer. (Pause) But only in small amounts over a very long period of time.”

Now I really don’t want stories about health breakthroughs quelled, being the semi-retired journalist that I am. Just, I don’t know, wait awhile before reporting on such a story to ensure the studies are well documented. Otherwise, you are destined to end up within a week having a headline that says: “Doctors say smoking a fatty each day can cause lengthy lives and perfect, white teeth.”

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My neglected blog reason revealed. The fault was all Jimmy Leg’s.

Looks like my friend, Paul in Tokyo, did some updating on this Word Press program or whatever it’s called. As far as I know there are no obvious outside changes but there are a number on my side. For instance, there are more than a dozen platforms from which I can embed videos.

I apologize, to myself mostly, for being neglectful of my blog as of late. Part of the excuse is that I now and, have been for some time, on a 32-hour per week work schedule. That isn’t just Monday-Thursday and three days off. My schedule can be seven hours Monday through Wednesday, six hours on Thursday and five hours on Friday. Crazy man. Like way out there, as some former president in the 20th century would say. Yes, I’m talking about George Herbert Walker Rodney Andrew Jackson Gamaliel Harding Bush Sr. Wow, that Warren G. Harding was a character.

I mean, I like Obama although he has certainly disappointed at times. But the real Obama haters out there are almost as bad as all the Gee Dubya Bush haters. And I wasn’t one of the latter, as I have said in the past, I talked to him before he was even running for governor and had no one accompanying him, and I found him to be pleasant enough. I guess where I really got crossways with him was Iraq. I’m beginning to  think Afghanistan as well but I haven’t made up my mind yet. I also shouldn’t have to remind folks but the subject deserves a caveat that I didn’t like the war or wars. But I was for the military men and women.

You may say hating war but liking the warriors isn’t possible. I say it is. Hey, the conservative Christians say it is possible to hate the sin but love the sinner, when speaking of homosexuality. That is a whole bucket of fishing worms where I shall not stick my hand. That may also be a thin analogy. At least I’m writing something.

Oh, and the other reason for my neglect of the blog has been my damned knee. There was a little more to it than a simple meniscus tear. No, it also involved the dreaded Jimmy leg. Nonetheless, I have probably another month of physical therapy and several more weeks of light duty at work. This doesn’t count the number of days I lost since my knee first began to act up in January. By the end of it, when I hopefully am back in acceptable condition, I will have spent 4-to-5 months tied up in one way or the other because of this knee. How ’bout those Jimmy Legs?

Thanks Paul, for updating my system. My fellow J-school friend moves in stealth these days, free from Facebook. I envy him.

 

 

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Today’s ‘entertainment’ news: We’re not dicking around, Mr. Johnson.

Here is some truly bizarre news. A rapper affiliated with the group the Wu Tang Clan reportedly severed his penis and leaped from his second-floor apartment in what was described as a suicide attempt, CNN reports. Christ Bearer, whose real name is Andre Johnson, performs with the group Northstar. Neither Johnson, nor Johnson’s severed Johnson should be confused with All-Pro Houston wide receiver Andre Johnson. The rapper survived the fall and was taken to a Los Angeles-area hospital in critical condition.

Apparently, it has yet to be reported if known whether Johnson and Johnson jumped together or separately. However, Johnson’s severed Johnson, or penis if you will, was taken along with the rapper Johnson to the hospital.

The hip-hop Wu Tang Clan emerged in 1993, according to is website. Among its original members were Method Man, Raekwon, RZA and the late Ol’ Dirty Bastard.

In other penis-related news … I just can’t bear to write about this. If you desire go ahead …

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Quick and woozy

My concentration is pretty much shot after taking two Vicodin a short while ago. I have taken a couple of other such Hydrocodone and Acetaminophen tablets today in efforts to relieve my post-operative knee pain.

The surgery went well, as far as I can tell. I can still walk. Yea! Although, my knee — all wrapped up in an Velcro-elastic bandage — is awful sore today. This isn’t unexpected although the knee felt pretty good all of yesterday. I replaced the bloody dressing from yesterday with band aids over the the three little punctures in the skin, two of which showed tiny stitches. It was certainly a quick operation. I remember myself nodding out just after my brother Billy,  who drove me to the clinic and home, left for the waiting room. I have to say I was glad my brother was there to help keep my mind occupied instead of worrying whether some kind of mishap might befall me while I lay in a very brief medically-induced coma.

I woke and I remember a flash view of the nurse taking the breathing tube away. That isn’t to say I remember the tube being removed from my throat, just taken. Each time I have had surgery, the recovery always seems to remind me of Dorothy waking up in her on bed after her wild haloucinogenic trip to Oz. And you were there, and you were there too Toto!

The doctor said the surgery took only 10 minutes or so. I kind of find that hard to believe from what I have read about an arthroscopic meniscetomy. Maybe 15-to-30 minutes but 10? Nevertheless, I am a bit lethargic with somewhat of a wooze factor. So, I’ll keep it short, shorty.