One More Red Nightmare

Tonight is the night. If I don't sleep tonight, I swear to the lord above that I will not be able to move tomorrow. Sleep is seriously the greatest thing about human life. Not interaction, not learning, not eating. Sleeping. I usually wouldn't say this. For a long time, I have been a fan of staying up as late as possible doing next to nothing, reading, watching movies, or expanding my mind with gambling and other vices. Now, that it has been OVER a week since I have had any fruitful sleep, I realize that sleeping is NOT for the birds (since if this were summer, lord knows I'd hear them chirpping away like crazy at 2am) but is the greatest American past time. Here is a nifty little article on how much sleep rules. And check out the stages of sleep. They all have clever names. There are 5 stages. They are called 1,2,3,4 and REM. The best part of this is that they explain morning wood. During REM, dudes get penile erections. So ladies, get over it if I'm hiding my wood early in the morn. That is nature, baby.

Back to sleeping, I definitely have Insomnia. Here is my proof.

Illness or medical problems.--It is not uncommon for people experiencing illness or medical problems to suffer from insomnia. Common conditions that often cause or exacerbate insomnia include: arthritis, chronic pain, breathing problems, heart conditions, hormonal or digestive disorders.

Fun fun fun. Now, how to I remedy this you might be asking? And why am I so confident?
Well, thanks to good ol' Dr. Higgins (my doc), I got a perscription of these teeny tiny pills called Lorazepam and I am taking max dosage tonight (2 pills) and hoping that I don't wake up until at least 5pm tomorrow afternoon. I don't see how I'm going to get better if I'm not sleeping.

So adventures in codine didn't work. So the T3:Rise of the Lorazepam better do the trick. If not, seriously... I will not be back in action till after break. At least that's what I'm fearing if I don't get some sleep tonight.

So keep me in your hearts for a while and hope I can make it to Mr. Ealer's B-Day this saturday. I'm not counting on it.

All Bets Are Off

The winner is... Mono.

The Sickness Unto Death Part III

So I'm still sick as a dog. I missed every class this week and will probably miss Seydow tomorrow unless some miracle comes to me in the night. Don't count on that though. I have a high fever again and my throat is closing up so much that I can feel the two sides rub against each other in this kinky, disgusting dance that is causing huge amounts of pain. Yuck.
I went to the Doc again today, and got some blood work done. I want my friends to know I have some huge possibilities of bad sickness or just the usual case of Mono (which yes I hope its that.) Here are the contenders. Place your bets:

(Disclaimer: This may be kinda gross and sharing a lot of info about how I'm feeling, but since no one has asked me much, I figured let it all out before the word comes back. Don't read if you don't want to know. Scroll to the bottom for a message for the queasy and uneasy!)

1. Infectious mononucleosis (3 to 1 odds) - also called "mono" or "the kissing disease" (funny because I haven't been kissing anyone for a good long while)- is an acute infection of the lymphatic system caused by the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV). It is usually characterized by fatigue, fever, sore throat, and swollen glands in the neck. However, some mild cases are largely asymptomatic. Early on, vague complaints of "not feeling well," headache, tiredness, chilliness, puffy eyelids, and decreased appetite are common. Later, fever, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands at the side and back of the neck, and also under the arm and in the groin may appear. The firm, tender glands vary from bean to egg size for several days to a few weeks. A fever for about five days is usual, and may continue intermittently for one to three weeks. Tonsillitis, trouble swallowing and bleeding gums may be present. Some people may develop a rash.

In half of all cases, the spleen, an organ under the left rib cage, will be enlarged. Liver enlargement, under the right rib, occurs about 20 percent of the time. Rarely, yellowing of the skin (jaundice) is seen. In most people, infection with EBV confers life long immunity. (This is important because of the other possible things I may have... read on if you are interested in my battle with healt.)

This is looking most likely. Although I have some other symptoms which we will get to later.

2. Hepatitis A:(45 to 1 odds-- All I have to say is Jesus Titty Fucking Christ it better not be this) is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis A virus (HAV). Hepatitis A can affect anyone. In the United States, hepatitis A can occur in situations ranging from isolated cases of disease to widespread epidemics.
Persons with hepatitis A virus infection may not have any signs or symptoms of the disease. Older persons are more likely to have symptoms than children. If symptoms are present, they usually occur abruptly and may include fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dark urine, and jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Symptoms usually last less than 2 months; a few persons are ill for as long as 6 months. The average incubation period for hepatitis A is 28 days (range: 15–50 days).
This is scary because I have most of these symptoms (except im super hungry) and nausea is the biggest thing I have been seeing.

3. Some other liver problems (90 to 1 odds). Doc said it could be something else, but until blood comes back, you can't be sure. Jesus... that is scary.

4. Some other stomach virus (125 to 1 odds)- This is rediculous because anyone who has a stomach virus or even food poisoning isn't sick for a whole month. That's rediculous.

Place your bets. All bets are off as soon as I get the informationi tomorrow from the Doc. If anyone bets on Hep A, I hope you lose.

Click here if you skipped it all.

The Sickness Unto Death Part II

Sick again. Yes. A-fucking-gain. It sucks. And since I haven't posted in ages, I will update you on what has happened in the past few weeks since (wow it's a long time) the super bowl. The truth is, not much at all. But suspended animation is what this month has felt like. I feel like I was sick the entire month (which may be the case, but the jury is still out on that one.) Missing school sucks. But here are some highlights:

I quit my day job and am now focusing on my craft. Wow Video is dead to me (except I have a paycheck to pick up and a tax return to claim in a few months... money will be good to get around that time.)
I am officially placing an embargo on a relationship. Seems like anything I try is a failure. Probably goes to show taht I'm not ready like I thought I was. Some broken lamps just come floating back to you.
I have a new addiction...and his name is Dump. He has a cd of all Prince covers called That Skinny Mother Fucker With the High Voice? that is simply too addictive. If this sounds like your bag, let me know and I can burn you a copy of the disc. It's more out of print than anything you've ever thought could be possible.
Side Note: Raspberry Beret is so addictive that sometimes I have to listen to the Prince version, the Dump Version AND the Warren Zevon version in a row and several times over. It will take a girl with such a hat that she might find at a second hand store to end the embargo.
Neil Young: Heart of Gold is amazing. Yes, Neil is my fav singer/songwriter after this movie because the stories behind his new album are so touching and beautiful that it is almost impossible to think he is a genius. Pick up a copy of Praire Wind ASAP and go see the flick.
My script has taken a halt, sadly, due to writers block, super busy school schedule being demanding as fuck and all that other jazz. Maybe over the summer I will film it, who knows. I want to do this so bad, but it might just have to take hold.
Grauke is the man. Seydow is even better. Bro. Gerry is awesome and Droppliger isn't as bad as it could be. Maybe that's because of Team Maximum Carnage.

Other than all this, my i-ship is going well, my reading is coming along and thats all I got. Back to movies, sulking, coughing, sleeping and eating toast because that's alL I can stomach (I hope.)

Steel City Baby!

Since about the 7th grade, my infatuation with my PA brothers from the west has always had a spot in my heart. That, of course, is the Steelers. Jerome Bettis and Bill Cower have always had a special place in my all time favs of football. And I've always felt bad that they had missed out on the grand occasion that is the Superbowl. And this year, I knew, was there year. It took a long time to come. So in full battle regalia, myslef, Dino, Dr. Ryan Carey, Stev and Hyslop traversed to Starters Pub near Bethlehem PA to enjoy the game at the #1 spot to see the Steelers play with Mr. Danno Somavilla. It was GLORIOUS! Beyond Dino rockin' some LaSallian girls digits, having a waitress who not only was super cute and cool, but gave me special a winning ticket for a Terrible Towel, good food, Steel City Beer! and of course, A Steelers Win!! Jerome Bettis can retire with a championship that he totally deserved after years of service. This past week (and two weeks at that) have been pretty downer. Lonely, boring and let downs all around, This was the way to start it all up again.

Let's hope life in all terms gets a jump start with this glorious victory for the Steel City. It's a good prelude to the goods.

Artistry Part II

art·ist·ry ( P ) (ärt-str) n.
Artistic ability: a sculptor of great artistry.
Artistic quality or craft: the artistry of a poem.

So I did one of these posts before talking about some rockin' great artists (writers, sculptors, poets, rock artists) and I feel it is time to rediscover what I love about art.

Art is something that makes life worth living. It brings out the joy in people's daily grind. Without some form of artwork, be it a film or a poem or a painting, life would be eat, work and sleep. That's about it. We wouldn't learn anything in our schools but science and math and that just plain sucks. Who in their right mind can think of their favorite professor and say "Had to have been my freshman math prof." and not cringe at that thought. It's the arts that bring the best out of us. So here are a few more of my favorites. Most of these are new to the list, but some are old standards. So here tis. Artistry Part II! (This one has been in reserve for a while, so I'm finally providing the goods.

Tom Robbins (novelist)- Thanks to Prof. Jack Seydow, I have had my eyes opened to the greatness that is Mr. Robbins. His style of writing is nothing short of insanity. It's more poetic than it is straight prose. Something about his word choice strikes a chord in my head, my heart and my entire being that makes me love it more than anything (maybe not Kurt, but it's a different love affair.) His book, Jitterbug Perfume, is the only one I have read so far, but I plan on getting my hands on whatever else I can find. His interesting characters and narritive structure sucks you in like a vortex and doesn't let go till it spits you out on the other side. Here is one of my favorite passages.
"Of our nine planets, Saturn is the one that looks like fun. Of our tres, the palm is obviously the stand-up comedian. Among the fowl, the jester's cap is worn by the duck. Of our fruits and vegetables, the tomato could play Falstaff, the banana a more slapstick role. As Hamlet-or Macbeth-the beet is cast. In largely vegetarian India, the beet is rarely eaten because its color is suggestive of blood. Out, damned mangel-wurzel..."

Robert Rauschenberg (painter)- When I went up to NYC a few weeks back, I visited the MET for the first time and saw their special exhibit on this man. It was really interesting, powerfully weird stuff. And Lord knows I like my stuff weird. His art was a mix medium that had a weird aura to it. As later described by my sister, a lot of it has to do with anal sex, but what in art doesn't mean sex, penetration, pahllic symbols blah blah blah. Regardless, it was awesome stuff to see. Here are a few pieces that struck me as wicked cool. This one wasn't there, but thats really cool. Here is another part of the car. Just cool stuff. I don't know much about painters and paintings, but anyone who can find art in random stuff and mix it all up into one bigger picture, that takes some talent.

Jean Pierre Jeunet (director)- The finest French auetur if there ever was. His films have an air about them that suck you into a dream world of greatness that no other director can do. He is France's Terry Gilliam, but his films seem to be more about reality then the skewed visions of Gilliam's mind that sometimes shine through. The only blemish on his career of course is Alien:Ressurection (yes he did that) but even in that film, you can see him trying to make his mark. His greatest acheivment is, of course, Amelie. The beauty of the film alone is like a painting in itself. A starker beautiful image of his work can be found in A Very Long Engagement. Even in it's darker story of lost love during the slaughter of World War I in France, the love story beats through with awesome intensity and beauty. Check those out and Delicatessen which is just as brilliant as the last two, and sometimes I like it the best. Just do it for yourself if you are at all interested in film.

King Crimson- Everyone knows I've been addicted to the 70's avant garde movement lately listening to a lot of later Bowie, early Talking Heads and Brian Eno. No single band, however, has had this many talents stem from it for this style of music. This band managed to outdo themselves forever on their first album. And yes, it's the first song on that album. "21st Century Schizoid Man" is a rediculous effort in prog rock that moves with such intensity that by the end, it sounds like the band didn't really know how to end the song except in a fury of sound from all instruments. Their career greatness didn't end there. Yes, some albums seem a little less awesome with a lot of jammy stuff from a few of their early albums, but this is a band that within the years of 69-74 released seven albums. That takes a lot of work. Each member from both phases (they stopped recording until the 80's as Crimson after Red in late 74) is amazing. Robert Fripp at the helm with his "frippertronics" guitar stylings, Bill Bruford on the skins with the ability to find a hole in a sogn and fill it with furious beats, the bassists from both eras, First John Wetton who was a little more subdued then the later bass work of Tony Levin. However, each of them are fitfully brilliant and fast players. Lastly was second era guitarist Andrew Belew who made his guitar howl like a wolf on the prowl. All these members had side proj's, AND worked on the albums of the other aformentioned 70's genius above! Talk about hard working genius! They love the music. Check out In The Court of the Crimson King, Red, and Discipline for the best work of their early and later career.

That's all I got.

The Sickness Unto Death

So here it is. Day Two of the sickness. And it sucks. Fever (highest being 101.9), cough (howling like J Masics on the song "Don't"), nausea (with puking in the commuter lounge last night), cold sweats (my lord... probably the worst part), back pain (so it's sounding like the flu), and stomach pain (the doctor says if this continues, that its not good.)

So if that wasn't bad enough, I had to skip my classes, not finish Jitterbug Perfume for the God that is Seydow and sit in bed all day long. SUCK!

Anyways, the one good thing was I got to watch to classic films during the day and after I try to hold some food down, I will continue to viddy films. The first was Heaven Help Us with the incomperable Andrew McCarthy and Mary Stuart Masterson. Such a hilarious comedy with a lot of heart. It also proves that John Heard (the dad from Home Alone) is actually a really good actor. He's also in After Hours so that's proof enough. Then I watched Swimming With Sharks and forgot how brilliant it was. So dark and hilarious and scary at points. Frank Whaley (the guy Sam Jax interrogates in Pulp Fiction) and Kevin Spacey (that guy who won two Oscars) have such an intense chemistry that its hard to not love it. Definitely worth checking out.

Not sure what I will watch next. All I know is I regret trying to sleep tonight. Between the coughing and the sweats, I wont get much sleep.

Just drop me a line or a hello so I feel better.