Queereaders discussion

Rick, in the other thread you were mentioning one handedness, and I asked if the cast was coming off soon. That just brought to mind your friend's wedding. How did everything go at the wedding with your fabulously colored cast? Hope you had a great time!

Pip is having trouble eating due to the tumor. When I came back from Oregon, I found that Ron had discovered Pip could better tolerate baby food; so he's been giving him baby food meats (chicken, etc). So there are jars of baby food everywhere. One of those moments where I really remember why I love this man. Goodness knows he's not perfect (neither an I), but he has such a a good heart.

Pip seems to still feel ok - affectionate, not hiding, seeks us out. I dread the decision point later when he gets very bad and we have to decide whether to put him to sleep. Neither of us is good with those kinds of things.

But I'm going to decide not to think about that for now .. best to just enjoy Pip while we have him.

That's so sweet! It's got to be so nice to be with someone who's got your back (and your family's, including the furry ones). The sad part about loving animals is they never live as long as we'd like, but you've got it right that it's just important to pack in as much love as you can while you can!

Well it is officially official. Papers signed, donations made. I just adopted an ex-racehorse. She's 3 years old, sixteen hands high (HUGE), and a very lovely grey.

The coming months are bound to be full of learning experiences for us both. She has a small tendon tear that's slowly healing, so I'll spend the winter doing rehab with her.

Really looking forward to this. I've always wanted to try training (or retraining, in this case) my own horse from this age.

I have not been around much the last couple of weeks. I'm plagued with ennui.

There's a cream for that.

I think the suppository is more effective.

:-)

Sorry Kernos, I couldn't help it. :D

A chuckle always helps :)

Kernos wrote: "I have not been around much the last couple of weeks. I'm plagued with ennui."

Hope things get better Kernos, cream or no cream :)

A. wrote: "Well it is officially official. Papers signed, donations made. I just adopted an ex-racehorse. She's 3 years old, sixteen hands high (HUGE), and a very lovely grey.

The coming months are bound to ..."

Great Arin! Maybe post a picture sometime if you can? I'd love seeing your lovely gray racehorse!

So glad everything worked out with the purchase!

You'd think I could figure out how to post one. In this age of cell phones I'm used to tapping a few buttons to send pictures. I'm tapping my fingers off, I swear!

Ok linking it via post while in car is SO not working but there's a picture of her under the photos part of my profile. I'll try to figure it out on a real desktop later tonight. ;)

Ok here we go. Let's see if this works:



Oh go me. There are 3 pictures total. I didn't want to flood this post with pics so if you'd like to check them out I've tossed them onto my website temporarily at this address

Greg wrote: "Rick, in the other thread you were mentioning one handedness, and I asked if the cast was coming off soon. That just brought to mind your friend's wedding. How did everything go at the wedding with..."

Had a great time, but I miscalculated on my pain meds and crashed the next day, because I completely over taxed myself since I was feeling no pain at all. I basically slept most of Sunday and good chunk of Monday. Me and medications don't mix well. But had a great time at the wedding & reception. I had to relate the details of the accident so many times, I almost started having flashbacks. One if the pictures we took was all the groomsmen giving a thumbs up because my left thumb is in a perpetual thumbs up. If I get an ecopy I'll see about posting it.
Hopefully the cast will be coming off on October 1st. Hopefully. ;-)

Greg wrote: "Pip is having trouble eating due to the tumor. ..."

Give him a kiss on the forehead for me.

A. wrote: "Well it is officially official. Papers signed, donations made. I just adopted an ex-racehorse. She's 3 years old, sixteen hands high (HUGE), and a very lovely grey. ..."

Congratulations!

A. wrote: "Ok here we go. Let's see if this works:



Oh go me. There are 3 pictures total. I didn't want to flood this post with pics so if you'd like to check them out I've tossed them onto my website tempo..."

What a beautiful horse Arin! I love the picture of Belle facing the camera on the website especially, something about the expression. Congratulations on the new family member!

Rick wrote: "Had a great time, but I miscalculated on my pain meds and crashed the next day, because I completely over taxed myself since I was feeling no pain at all. I basically slept most of Sunday and good chunk of Monday. Me and medications don't ..."

Sounds like a great time Rick, except maybe the flashbacks part. Definitely post the picture if you get an ecopy!

I'm rooting for you that it be off on October 1 .. only a couple weeks left!

Fuming over the whole VolksWagen thing at the moment. I drive one of those. It was supposed to be clean AND efficient.

Bastards.

The kicker is I LOVE my car. And now I don't want to drive it.

Maybe I should go buy that Tesla I've been drooling over. All I'd have to do is sell my house. And all my worldly possessions. But I'd have a WAY cooler car.

A. wrote: "Fuming over the whole VolksWagen thing at the moment. I drive one of those. It was supposed to be clean AND efficient.

Bastards.

The kicker is I LOVE my car. And now I don't want to drive it.

M..."

I saw there was some controversy about Volkswagen, but I didn't get the details. What happened? They falsified tests or something?

Apparently they basically built in a 'cheat' into their software so the car can detect the rhythms used during an emissions test and will go into 'clean' mode to pass the test, then turn back off. I might be oversimplifying or not entirely correct there but I'm not a mechanic or an engineer.

They CAN fix it so you have a clean Diesel engine but it won't be as efficient and get good mileage, which is why most of us purchased these cars - for the awesome efficiency and environmental responsibility.

I'm so pissed off at having been cheated, essentially, that I'd rather just have my money back. I'm not rich and this car was a huge investment for me, you know? Entry level computer job, struggling wannabe author, and horse enthusiast - yeah, money doesn't happen for me. So I'm pretty peeved about the company having lied to me about the product I purchased and even more peeved at the fact that the car I love has been pumping out higher levels of nox than it should be, and contributing to some poor person's asthma.

A. wrote: "Apparently they basically built in a 'cheat' into their software so the car can detect the rhythms used during an emissions test and will go into 'clean' mode to pass the test, then turn back off. ..."

Wow that's horrible Arin - I'm shocked they would try something so transparent! That sounds like out-and-out fraud! Many of the carmakers game the regulation system, but this sounds much worse!

In the scheme of things, your individual car isn't going to have a huge affect if you keep it, but I know what you mean. It sucks that you were trying to be responsible and were duped. I would be very angry too because I also look at emissions and gas mileage before I buy. What a reprehensible thing for Volkswagen to do!

Speaking of cars. I drive a Honda CRZ hybrid which averages about 38 mpg combined. I', needing a different vehicle since with my spinal stenosis I have trouble getting out of it, it's a manual transmission and my legs are week and with only 37,000 miles, I'm on my 3rd set of tires because of the gravel roads I have to travel every day and the CRZ has low profile, narrow tires which are not made for gravel.

I'm looking for a small SUV type, but want something that gets good milage. A Jeep would be perfect, but the MPG sucks. Does anyone have any suggestions? Having larger sturdy tires is a must.

Today, after I finish with Queereaders, I'm off to work. Busy day.

Yeah I find it pretty insulting. I did a lot of research into this car before I took the plunge and out all my savings on the down payment 2 years ago. And I love the thing. I'm just waiting right now to see what news pops up since it's so recent. There will be more tests I'm sure and eventually a recall.

Kernos, have you considered a Subaru Outback? I drove an Outback wagon for a while. I'm not tall, so I don't like cars that sit low. The Outback doesn't get the best mileage but it's not terrible. And I found the slightly higher elevation of the seat to be much more comfortable for me.

I have issues with American-made cars... They are all VERY low-slung, it feels. I've never driven one that doesn't make me feel like I'm craning my neck. I know that's not the issue you're having but it seems like we're seeking the same solution nonetheless!

Kernos wrote: "Speaking of cars. I drive a Honda CRZ hybrid which averages about 38 mpg combined. I', needing a different vehicle since with my spinal stenosis I have trouble getting out of it, it's a manual tran..."

I was going to suggest a Toyota Matrix. I'm on my second one now, but...

They have issues with gravel as well. They do sit a little higher than most American cars these days without having to climb up into it. Unfortunstely they don't make them in the states anymore.

A. wrote: "Yeah I find it pretty insulting. I did a lot of research into this car before I took the plunge and out all my savings on the down payment 2 years ago. And I love the thing. I'm just waiting right ..."

Yeah, this whole thing was a shock. A friend of mine swears by them. I haven't from him since this broke, but I bet he's pissed off as well.

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: "That sounds like out-and-out fraud!"

Class action, anyone?"

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened - I'm not a lawyer, but at least in my ignorant view, they'd have a case, especially since resale values have gone down.

Right now? I'm doing laundry while the TV in the laundromat has the Pope giving a speech in DC.

Phillip wrote: "Greg wrote: "I'm not a lawyer, but at least in my ignorant view, they'd have a case, especially since resale values have gone down"

Unfortunately, the car owners will receive only a negligible amo..."

That's a shame Phillip. :( And in my limited knowledge I completely agree with you, both in class actions being necessary to address consumer wrongs as well as the problem with them being trickle down.

Yeah I'd read about this same thing. So I don't expect much to come of this myself. I'm hoping there's some reasonable recourse for those of us who got ripped off.

Sorry... Have been in baby horse land for at least a week. There will be a recall to fix the software in the cars eventually, but doing so will screw their efficiency. That's what angers me. Yes, I want the clean diesel I thought I was buying but I paid for clean and efficient, and that isn't what they delivered.

Time will tell I suppose. I honestly love my car. Just peeved beyond reason with VW.

It's okay. I have baby horse land to keep me feeling warm fuzzies for the time being. :D

Good news. No more cast. Although - now Mr. Left Thumb thinks too good to anything any more. He's decided he doesn't want to be opposable any longer. He just wants flop there like Mr. Left Pinky and be a feckless phalange.

Well, we'll just have to see about that!

Rick wrote: "Good news. No more cast. Although - now Mr. Left Thumb thinks too good to anything any more. He's decided he doesn't want to be opposable any longer. He just wants flop there like Mr. Left Pinky an..."

Oh I'm glad you got your cast off! I hope they can rehab your thumb. Or, failing that, jump start it with electric shock 'therapy' or something! Hey, it could work!

A. wrote: " Oh I'm glad you got your cast off! I hope they can rehab your thumb. Or, failing that, jump start it with electric shock 'therapy' or something! Hey, it could work!"

Thanks, I might try that. ;-)

Actually progress is bring made. By Friday evening I could just get it too bend enough to touch my thumb to the tip of my first finger and now today I can just stretch it enough with strain to reach the second fingers's tip. Slowly but surely... :-)

Hey they shocked the heck out of my foot when I had ankle surgery, it was freaky but effective!

I'm glad you're making progress though. Having to rehab an injury is pretty stressful, especially if you're the impatient 'I want it better NOW' type!

Wow, and here I thought you were joking. Hey, if it works I'll be willing to try it. ;-)

I was halfway joking... The shock therapy really helped loosen up the parts of my foot around the tendon they removed most of. It wasn't a permanent fix but after they used the electro-pads on me I had a much easier time completing the rest of the exercises, and the flexibility stayed for a few days after.

It was weird watching my toes jump around on their own because normally I can't move my toes much. And the sensation was, I don't know, unpleasant but good at the same time if that makes any sense. Between that and about 15 minutes of massage I was able to move my foot quite well. :D

I cut a tendon in my left index finger and got shocked with my hand in a pan of water+. It felt like fireants crawling all over my hand, esp when they cranked it up.

OTOH, I get my back electrostimed for spinal stenosis and it is most relaxing, especially when combined with heat.

As you're discovering the physical therapy is as important as the surgery.

Rick wrote: "ctually progress is bring made. By Friday evening I could just get it too bend enough to touch my thumb to the tip of my first finger and now today I can just stretch it enough with strain to reach the second fingers's tip. Slowly but surely... :-) ..."

So good to hear Rick! :)

A. wrote: "I was halfway joking... The shock therapy really helped loosen up the parts of my foot around the tendon they removed most of. It wasn't a permanent fix but after they used the electro-pads on me I..."

Glad it all worked out in the end Arin, though it sounds like it might've been a nightmare in the middle there with the surgery and shocks!

Sorry to have dropped off the face of the Earth for a week or two everyone!

I'm temporarily on a Mon-Sat work schedule because we're working on a key project (so tiring!) Plus Ron & I have been working hard on some pre-Halloween spring cleaning so we can decorate, and Pip has been needing a lot of care.

Kernos wrote: "I cut a tendon in my left index finger and got shocked with my hand in a pan of water+. It felt like fireants crawling all over my hand, esp when they cranked it up.

OTOH, I get my back electrost..."

That sounds painful Kernos! Makes me cringe just thinking about it!

I crimged too ;-) What's worse, the tendon repair did not work and I cannot bend the distal phalanx of my left index finger. It stopped me from playing the piano.

Kernos wrote: "I crimged too ;-) What's worse, the tendon repair did not work and I cannot bend the distal phalanx of my left index finger. It stopped me from playing the piano."

That's too bad Kernos!

When did you learn to play the piano, as a child or an adult? I learned a bit as a child but forgot it all by not keeping it up.

I learned as a child, got mediocre, but quit because I wanted to do outside things. A familiar story. I wish I had continued.

Glad you're back Greg, hope Pip is doing ok!

The surgery wasn't awful until I got a blood clot in my leg which went to my lungs. That almost killed me. I spent a very scary night coughing up blood and passing out repeatedly. Wound up in the hospital for a week and spent the next 9 months on blood thinners. Such fun!

I'm sorry your piano-playing was never to be, Kernos. It sounds like a painful thing to go through. Amazing how a little thing like a finger can cause such trouble.

A. wrote: "...Amazing how a little thing like a finger can cause such trouble. "

What an opening ;-)

We just watched Star Trek: Renegades, crowdfunded FanFic starring Chekov, Tuvok, The Supreme commander from V (old series), Icheb, the kid from Terminator 2, Gary Graham from Alien Nation, Corin Nemec from Stargate et all.

It was better than expected with good CGI and an interesting story. It's sort of a cross between Star Trek and Firefly. Trekkies will enjoy it; others who cares ;-)

http://startrekrenegades.com/