Follow the Link...

...really cool performance!

Click HERE.

Hey Azyair, tell me what they are saying!

Imminent Death...and Taxes

(Edit: Lucky Bob reviewed this movie, like, over a week ago. I totally missed his post! But danggit, I already wrote this so you might as well read it! Ha.)

Tonight I went to see the movie Stranger Than Fiction, and loved it. It was unique, suprisingly well-acted, and universally themed. In a nutshell, this is a movie about a man who wakes one morning and hears his life narrated. He responds in the normal fashion to voices in the head until the voice announces his "imminent death"-- then he gets a bit worried.

The elements that created, added and otherwise spiced this film included some very well thought-out characters, interesting visual effects that support the main character's obsession with numbers, and a lovely unlikely pairing. There's a crazy author, some suprise scenes and twists, and Dustin Hoffman. Will Ferrell's plays the main character, a IRS man named Howard.

There's a scene between Will Ferrell and Dustin Hoffman's characters where "imminent death" is discussed, "everyone dies" says Hoffman. The stages are there: denial, anger, bargining, depression and acceptance. It's a dying man hearing there's no cure for the cancer. It's everyman's imagined conversation with the doctor. I teared up-- hearing my own voice in my own head saying, "yeah, but, isn't there anything you can DO?" It's heart-breaking.

There's another scene where Howard eats a cookie. He closes his eyes-- you can see it is the best most wonderful thing he's eaten in a long time-- maybe the best thing he's ever eaten in his life. There's enough of these types of scenes to merit sighs of contentment. There's funny moments thrown in for, well, fun. "I brought you flours". LOL.

The ending is interesting. I'm not sure how I feel about it. You should go see it-- then call me because this is one that you'll want to discuss. Truely the best and most clever movie I've seen since Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind. Maybe a tad more simple, and in some ways, more warm. Enjoy.

Happy Turkey Day

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Rumors of horrible traffic are horribly overstated. I drove in from Richmond, Virginia to Columbia, South Carolina in 7 hours Wednesday afternoon. Usually takes 6.5 hours and I stopped at Ruby Tuesdays this time for dinner. It was busy, but 70 mph the whole way. Occasionally spitting rain, but otherwise okay weather.

Grandma's got the stomach flu, so it was just mom, dad and myself. We made a mess of the meal, didn't have enough peanut oil to cover the turkey (dad laddled it for 40 minutes to insure it cooked the top), undercooked and then tried to mash the potatoes (those kitchen aids, when left on long enough, are able to cream undercooked potatoes), and totally forgot to make the stuffing. Opps. Still ate ourselves into turkey-coma and lazed around. Enjoyed the Macy's Day Parade, but for once was glad I was watching it on a big screen tv instead of out in the rain.

Hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving and ate large carbohydrate driven meals!!! And Turkey...

Test results on the electric test will be released in the next few days. I left them up in Richmond. I think you all may have passed. :-)

Healthcare Electrical Safety

I have to complete approximately 11-15 tests yearly for my company, and most jobs require me to complete similar tests when hired for my 3 month contract position. The result is, I can usually do the test cold or with minimal review of the information. This one really made me laugh in a "dur-da-dur" sort of way-as did the TB one but that's because I've taken too many TB tests. I challenge you to take my test-- so you too can know electricity dangers from a healthcare perspective. Good luck. I'll grade all comment responses for accuracy. :-)

True or False:

1. Electrical malfunction is the second leading cause of fires in the hospital.
2. An electric shock can kill you.
3. Rubber is a good conductor of electricity.
4. You cannot get a shock while standing on a rubber mat.
5. For shocks to be dangerous, the current must pass through vital organs.
6. An electrical arc can cause an explosion in an operating room.
7. Insulation on electrical cords is only for decorative purposes.
8. A cord that heats up when in use should be replaced.
9. To adapt a grounded plug to a 2-slot outlet, cut off the third prong.
10. Extension cords should not replace permanent wiring.
11. Allowing personal electrical appliances is a risk free way to make patients feel at home.
12. Patiens are at greater risk for electric shock when sweaty, incontinent or in a metal frame bed.
13. You should report any shock you receive on job, no matter how small.
14. Stay away from electrical equipment and outlets when working in wet areas.
15. It's okay to touch metal plumbing pipes when using a power tool.
16. Choose a heavy-duty metal ladder when doing electrical work over your head.
17. GFCI outlets should be checked regularly.
18. If an electrical device catches fire, you should grasp the plug and pull it out.
19. When working with a circuit breaker panel, keep one hand behind your back.
20. Use a dry chemical fire extinguisher rated ABC or BC to snuff out a small fire in an appliance outlet switch or light fixture.

Music, Massages, Miami and Mass

Two posts today, and I decided to make them separate.

I'm doing well. It's raining like crazy. I'm waiting for the mall to open so I can go shopping. I'm leaving Thursday morning (WAY TOO EARLY) for a conference in Miami and I think I've decided on wearing basic black the whole time to simplify my packing experience (I'll only be there 3 days- 2 nights). I need more comfy black shoes because the ones I own will most likely cause craters and blisters leading to infection and eventual amputation if I wear them 3 days in a row. They are strictly 2-3 hour shoes or shoes that may be worn ONE DAY and then allow feet to rest in comfy shoes for several recovery days. Here's to hopefully finding stylish black comfy shoes....

I saw Bare Naked Ladies last weekend with Baltimore buddy Emily. Way fun. They are indeed past their prime, but entirely too much fun to see in person. I managed to find a Speech Pathology shirt there-- more specifically, a shirt that spells out "BLAM" on the front and BNL with a whole bunch of their tour stops on the back-- in american sign language. They had another shirt that was laid out like a vision chart for the optomologist fans. They made me laugh, they made me cry, they made me sing, they made me want to go listen to all their stuff. Who cares if they are old news!

Saw the folks last weekend too. Will be seeing them again over Thanksgiving and on December 15-17th if I get an invite to that wedding. Has ANYONE gotten invites? Maybe I can drop more paint on dad.

Had a massage yesterday. It may be an addiction, and I may be cured now. I was talked into something called a "Moscow" massage. I had visions of a large Russian jumping on my back. It started off nice-- no worries. Then he says, "okay, we're getting to part where I'll stretch you." I said, "well, I'll tell you if it hurts". He laughed. Then he said, "No you won't- you'll grit your teeth and put up with it-- it's going to hurt." He then proceeded to "stretch" me. Ow. Today I feel as if I've overworked at the gym. I don't think anything was injured, per say, but it exhausted me more than relaxed me. I'm not sure the two things are the same! I may stick to just getting a pedicure every 3 months or so from now on!

Went to mass this morning. Ended up going to the early morning one-- woke up on my couch after falling asleep to a movie last night and decided just to get up, get dressed and go to mass rather than waiting for the 11am mass. Good sermon this morning talking about whether we should be using our "extra cash" verses our "needed cash" for donations-- and the church's responsibility not to waste that cash. No answers-- just some questions during this sermon.

Okay, time to finish these tests for Sunbelt. My next post will offer a chance to take one of the tests that has me chuckling.

Ohhhh, and my buddy Guppy had her boy. Glee and love to her and hers.