Someone
I think the kidney stone is on the move. But i'm not sure.

Kidney stone, ouch. Had one about ten years back, when it passed through it was agony. After it came out I had to take it in for the doc, he just says “I should have given you better pain relief.” No kidding. If giving birth is half as painful no wonder women complain.

Lonnehart
If that kidney stone doesn't come out, maybe I can use my brand new swinging blade to cut it out? :evil:

I'm trying to determine if that'll cause more problems than it's worth…

Genejoke
Kidney stone, ouch. Had one about ten years back, when it passed through it was agony. After it came out I had to take it in for the doc, he just says “I should have given you better pain relief.” No kidding. If giving birth is half as painful no wonder women complain.

mines 3mm. most docs have said “it's going to be pretty painless”. I don't know if they meant as far as kidney stones go, or it's actually not going to hurt that much. They also don't know if it's ever going to leave my kidney. sometimes my ureter kinda hurts. maybe. It could all be psychosomatic.

seventy2
maybe. It could all be psychosomatic.

If it does end up hurting, it'll be self-evident that it's not in your head. I've been told when kidney stones are painful, they are painful. I don't really think it's something you'll be able to miss.

On the other hand, that's a relatively small kidney stone. And it sounds like you got a good prognosis from the doctors, too. That's always good. :)

—–

I've been listening to a lot of Louis Armstrong lately. Stumbled upon the “Summertime” duet with Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong and I just about had an orjazzsm. It's that good.

The kids are having fun with it too. We've been learning to swing dance together. We push the coffee table and the armchair up against the wall and have a regular throw down right in the middle of our living room floor.

On a related note, I'm pretty sure my neighbors think we're lunatics…

Ally
On a related note, I'm pretty sure my neighbors think we're lunatics…

Happens to the best of us, I'm afraid.

*eats live goldfish*


Also, that's good news that its only small Seventy, I mean, it still sucks that you have it, but at least it's small.

OFaV, I just realized something:

It's Thursday, about 6 in the morning for me right now. Using my (rusty) math skills, it's somewhere around 9 o'clock at night on Thursday for you.

Which means you've already lived through this Thursday, and I have yet to experience it.

So….

Was this Thursday interesting? Because if it wasn't, let me know and I think I'm gonna go ahead and go on back to bed now.

Ally Haert
OFaV, I just realized something:

It's Thursday, about 6 in the morning for me right now. Using my (rusty) math skills, it's somewhere around 9 o'clock at night on Thursday for you.

Which means you've already lived through this Thursday, and I have yet to experience it.

So….

Was this Thursday interesting? Because if it wasn't, let me know and I think I'm gonna go ahead and go on back to bed now.

Indeed, it is 9:17 pm Thursday here.

Well. I can't tell you a whole lot, being on the other side of the world and all.

But I can tell you the world hasn't ended or anything.


Oh, but there is this new race of Ant Overlords enslaving humanity. Might want to take note of that. :)

OnlyFoolsAndVikings
Oh, but there is this new race of Ant Overlords enslaving humanity. Might want to take note of that.

The new masters of humanity are here. They caught us by surprise because we expected it to be aliens or mutants, not insects.

Someone
mines 3mm. most docs have said “it's going to be pretty painless”. I don't know if they meant as far as kidney stones go, or it's actually not going to hurt that much. They also don't know if it's ever going to leave my kidney. sometimes my ureter kinda hurts. maybe. It could all be psychosomatic.

I didn't know about mine until it start working its way out. All I could do was dose up on pain relief and wait until I pissed it out.

ozoneocean
Oh yeah… I was a Robotech tragic. STIll am in a lot of ways, though I never went so far as to get the video games or the crappy comics or even the crappy novels- just the cartoons and a couple of toys.

I've bought and watched the entire series of both Super Dimension Cavalry of the Southern Cross (or whatever it's called), and Mospeeda Genesis climber in their original formats. So I know all the bits that were cut out and changed around. They're not bad, but the conversion they did to make them into Robotech did actually improve them, if you can believe it.
The only thing that's better about seeing the originals is that some of the details of the technology and weapons, social structures of the societies, costume details etc make much more sense.

As for Macross (the first series of Robotech), I've only seen the hacked up video they made of it (“Do You Remember Love”), not the full series. It was pretty good though!

Actually, it's not a hacked up video, it's a separate movie. And it's explained a… hmm… how to put it… ok, say the tv series and our world are the same, and in our world we had William Wallace. And then someone makes the movie about past events and in the Macross world you get the “Do You Remember Love?” movie whereas we get Braveheart, a dramatization based on real events. So it's a movie within the world of the series, so at the same time it is not in canon (for the series are the official version) but it also is since it's a piece of fiction that supposedly was created in that world. Do I even make sense? :D

Late last year I bought the remastered full set re-release of Robotech and I'm still slowly working my way though it. They left in ALL of the previously censored stuff, so there're lots of nude scenes in the shower, panty-shots, any cheeky sexy stuff, blood, people dying. None of that is cut, which is nice.
The only thing I didn't like what that they changed the original opening and closing credit scenes so instead of showing stuff from all series along with those cool sound effects on the original, now they only show scenes from the original series that you're watching and the sound effects are lame.
It's a shame since the original opening and closing credits of Robotech were almost better than the show itself.

yeah, it seems to be the way to do it now. Both Robotech and Voltron dvds restore everything, and I think it's the general trend these days. Why is that happening?
I think it might have to do overall popularity of the anime. Fans who grew up on the cartoons won't mind seeing the “full” version that they were not given before (in a way, the show matures with them for they get more mature themes), and new potential fans wouldn't be interested in heavily censored versions (if they would be interested at all).

As for Power Rangers… there are no Power Rangers in Japan but there is Super Sentai, which is the show that's recut for the PR show. I remember watching the first season on tv back in the day and wondering why when they fight on the ground it's a small town but when the big robots come out it's suddenly a massive city around them? Do they switch to a more crowded location to avoid trampling the small town? Who cares about casualties, they're just a bunch of big city pricks, right? :D

- - - - -

Yesterday: two new characters designed. That sets me at nine down, whazillion to go.

Is it just me, or is swimming in open water absolutely terrifying. Rivers never feel half as bad. Maybe it's the constant motion of the current. Maybe it's the fact that open water always feels more vast. Or maybe it's the fact that river water never feels as deep and unfathomable.

A few years back my cousins and I paddled out into the bay near my grandma's house. They all insisted on tearing their clothes off and jumping out of the boat. They invited me in and all I could think was -

Sharks. Killer jellyfish with tentacles half a mile long. Squid that could shoot up out of the black depths to swallow a man whole.

Is this normal? :(

Ally Haert
Or maybe it's the fact that river water never feels as deep and unfathomable.



Sharks. Killer jellyfish with tentacles half a mile long. Squid that could shoot up out of the black depths to swallow a man whole.

Is this normal? :(

yes.
When i was in the caribbean that's all i could think about when i'd leave the cove in my snorkel gear. I'd follow the group, out of peer pressure, but it was scary for me.
I relate it to fear of the dark. You're not terrified of your room, you're terrified about what's just beyond your vision.

Ally Haert
Is it just me, or is swimming in open water absolutely terrifying. Rivers never feel half as bad. Maybe it's the constant motion of the current. Maybe it's the fact that open water always feels more vast. Or maybe it's the fact that river water never feels as deep and unfathomable.

A few years back my cousins and I paddled out into the bay near my grandma's house. They all insisted on tearing their clothes off and jumping out of the boat. They invited me in and all I could think was -

Sharks. Killer jellyfish with tentacles half a mile long. Squid that could shoot up out of the black depths to swallow a man whole.

Is this normal? :(

oh yeah. i love the ocean, yet it terrifies the hell outa me. you dont even have to be in the open ocean. did you know a major shark attack can happen in just a few feet of water? dont completely trust those rivers either. if you're by an inlet, Bull Sharks can swim up a fresh water stream and have been found inland. and rivers and lakes?…at least in the ocean, unless yer by a ship yard, you can at least see. rivers and lakes, their usually so murky you have no clue what's down there under you.dead bodies, large murky sightless fish full of hate. for all you know a sink hole could open up while yer in it and cause a vortex and suck you down to have ya.

@seventy2: my husband had a wicked time a few years back with his tones. Both were small, but having two complicated things. The real problem for him was that the larger one was very jagged in shape, which I guess is rather uncommon.

He's just dandy now.

—

After seeing JAWS, ocean swimming has since seemed like a “conditional” exercise. But then having experienced little nibbles when swimming in a lake I wasn't thrilled with that either.
At least the Jersey shore has a sandy bottom. I've been in lakes where you sink past your ankles in mud and WTF is in that mud? eeewwww

—

on the home front, it looks like we finally have a good resolution to the major problem for one of the kids. yay! now it's the other kid's turn.

The kids are certainly old enough that the only thing I should do is sit on the sidelines until a crash-and-burn happens. Even when asked for my opinion, I know I shouldn't really give it - they have to follow their own hearts and make their own decisions

But for a recovering control freak like me, that's practically torture.

Not saying it's easier when they're little, but what I ran into was that as soon as you got pretty experienced at dealing with one thing (like, interpreting the baby's different cries - becoming instant cracker-jack at changing diapers), then they matured out of that stage and into brand-new territory.

I'm just cranky because my left ear is still wack-o. Why are you called a patient when the last thinkg you have is patience?

Does anyone else get strange requests out of the blue to join Linked in? Not spammy ones either…
————-

I've swum in the ocean since I was a teeny baby and it still scares me. Not because of sharks or depths or anything like that, it's just the power of the waves that gets me. o_o
Even a big swell. I feel like I could be crushed. And when they turn into big breaking waves several times my height, towering above my head, folding over ready to flatten me… MAN, my mind freezes and all I can think of is to try and get out of there as FAST as possible.

When I inevitably can't get away, and going right into the shallows away from a big about-to-be-breaking wave is literally suicide, the only choice is to dive under and come out the other side… But it's like going into another world where you can't really exist for very long and you don't know whether you'll ever escape again. And if it DOES breal while you're inside then you are stuck in there for an eternity, smashed into the bottom and swirled around like a lost sock in the washing-machine from hell… no breath, lungs bursting.
I hate it.

So I don't swim in the ocean every much any longer. Unless it's deep open ocean with no waves, or some sheltered beach somewhere.
Rivers are much worse because you can't see what's in there and there have been too many times when massive sharp, slimy submerged trees have injured people who've blundered into them here.. Very nasty, horrible injuries -_-

ayesinback
@—

I'm just cranky because my left ear is still wack-o. Why are you called a patient when the last thinkg you have is patience?

It's a combination of irony and wishful thinking.

—

So it's the 95 degrees plus and hazy, hot and humid. New Jersey in June. Naturally the regular overnight guy called out because he can't breathe in this soup. I just wish he'd call out before 11pm. Dinner last night was a PB just in time for him to wake up, sniff the air and see if he can breathe.

I think video games probably sabotage as many relationships as alcoholism, drug abuse, or gambling.

There, I said it.

Someone
Does anyone else get strange requests out of the blue to join Linked in? Not spammy ones either…

yes, got one today.

Genejoke

Someone
Does anyone else get strange requests out of the blue to join Linked in? Not spammy ones either…

yes, got one today.

this may be related.

Everyone at work received this forwarded message that was distributed at Telcordia:

Subject: Virus Alert: LinkedIn Spam E-Mails

To All Members of Telcordia:

Telcordia Corporate IT has become aware of a malware campaign that targets LinkedIn users. It starts with a simple “connect request” sent to the victim's mailbox, appearing to come from LinkedIn. The fake LinkedIn request is very similar to the legitimate ones.

If the user clicks the “Confirm that you know” link on the genuine e-mail, it takes the user to LinkedIn's website. However, if the same button is clicked on the fraudulent email, it takes the user to a malicious website that downloads malware onto the user’s computer.

The malware provides a doorway for hackers to access the infected PC and to record any activity performed by the PC (including passwords, pins, banking information and other credentials entered into web sites and login screens accessed from that PC).

Never click on e-mail links from social networking websites. Instead, access your social networking website, such as LinkedIn, by typing the address into your browser (by typing, not clicking) and then log into your account and read your messages, process access requests and perform other activities directly from your account.

Telcordia Corporate IT

OnlyFoolsAndVikings
Oh, but there is this new race of Ant Overlords enslaving humanity. Might want to take note of that. :)

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.



I'd like to remind them that as a trusted moderator I could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

Just finished Quackcast recording, I've uploaded it and I'm off to bed…

But I'll add to this.
The link to Linked in was genuine, though I haven't got an account there, and this was the person's details:

May M. Hassan
May M. Hassan
Legal Consultant at ABA
Egypt
Current
* Legal Consultant at American Bar Association
* Creator at IMVU
Past
* Paralegal at International Professional Consultants
* Senior Web/Graphic Designer at EgyGo Dot Net
* Graphic Designer & Junior Creative at Market Compass Communications MKC

Strange career path from graphic designer to legal guy and back, but not improbable… I don't know the person though. Although I was good friends with an Egyptian graphic designer (we went to uni together) so it's not out of the question there could be some connection… Ah well I suppose I'll just ignore it like I usually do with Linked in stuff.

I don't use it either but some folk in my address book do, i guess that's why I got some.

Bah. I applied to a bank and today they called me and I was like “Yay!” so I called back and it was just about my bank account. : (
I have no idea where I'm going to get a full-time job.

Came home from work and just realized something… the video game Pacman MUST BE the first survival horror game! He's being chased by undead in a maze, has very few options to take the fight to them (that become less effective to useless over time), and he has to collect (or in this case eat) every pellet in the maze to escape it and its ghosts… only to be trapped in another maze!

Okay… now I have to wait patiently for my coffee to brew…

*and I'm an idiot…*

Hmmm… Been up and down this last month with sickness and caring for sick children. It's given me lots of down time on the couch (I'm usually an active person). (Re)Discovered my favorite TV shows. They are as follows, in no particular order:

The X-Files
The Simpsons
Friends
Firefly


What have ya'll been watching?

I recently rewatched firefly. it upsets me every time as it was such a great show.

but not as good as game of thrones has been, that is just brilliant.

Camelot ain't too bad either.

House has been a bit meh this season.

My wife is eagerly awaiting the new season of true blood.

Product Placement

OnlyFoolsAndVikings
Oh, but there is this new race of Ant Overlords enslaving humanity. Might want to take note of that. :)

I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords.
I'd like to remind them that as a trusted moderator I could be helpful in rounding up others to toil in their underground sugar caves.

I was hoping someone would catch the reference! :D Hahahaha.

———-

As for swimming in open water, I've done it all my life, grew up in the Country O' Beaches. I'm not scared of it, particularly when I can see the bottom and my feet are stil on the sand. What I AM scared of, is swimming in murky water where I can't see, or through weed.

And actually, swimmin in rivers here is ill-advise, due to the fact heaps of Bull Sharks have been caught several K's up stream. I'm in the “West” region here, about 70 K'ms from the coast, and we get MASSIVE bull sharks in our big river the Hawkesbury.

So no, I hate swimming in rivers/lakes but actyually don't mind swimming in open water. :D

Yay, good news!

So I was waiting for Ka-blam to add my new comic to the Indyplanet store, and waiting and waiting… until finally I asked htem what' going on. Comesout there was some glitch or somesuch and the thing didn't go through. They asked me to re-submit the book.
So I did it.
And it went into the store STRAIGHT AWAY :D

Now to somehow sell 8 or more copies!

fffffffffffuuuuuuuuuuuuuu….my knee.

Finally figured out how to use that formula used for circles to move things at any angle I wish in the shooter game I'm creating. Now if I experiment enough with this I should be able to make intricate patterns of death that the player will have to frantically dodge. I won't add the so called “grazing”… making the bullet pass very close to you without actually hitting you in order to score more points. I think I'll use the scoring system used in 1943: Joint Strike… kill an enemy as close to you as possible for the best score.

Maybe after this I'll create a vampire/werewolf/boys love visual novel or dating simulation…

I'm kidding about the vampire/werewolf/boys love bit. From what I've seen from the rash of Boys Love webcomics long ago on Drunkduck, it'd be too easy to get popular that way… I think…

OnlyFoolsAndVikings
I was hoping someone would catch the reference!

Catching references is what I do.