So, the site where I had my blog wanted to charge me or they were going to wipe it away...
So I moved everything here.
Blogger gives me more flexibility to work with my Google Picasa account.
The bummer is I could not back date my posts .. so ... everything looks like I published it today.
Oh well ... Enjoy!
Friday, December 01, 2006
GeoCaching
(Originally Published 11/6/2006)
Now that the weather is getting cool, we have picked up the geocaching trips. Geoacaching is a treasure hunt using a GPS, the internet (Google Earth) and a little sense of adventure. Here are the girls by a recent cache:
More information on Geocaching can be found here: Geocaching
Now that the weather is getting cool, we have picked up the geocaching trips. Geoacaching is a treasure hunt using a GPS, the internet (Google Earth) and a little sense of adventure. Here are the girls by a recent cache:
More information on Geocaching can be found here: Geocaching
Another Dead Man's Party Concert - 10/27/06
(Originally Published 10/28/2006)
I missed the Vatos’ show. Unfortunately I was not able to make it to SoCal last weekend. That pissed me off. The silver lining for me was that I still got to see a Halloween Boingo show. For me, DMP is Boingo from the 80s. The fervor and sprit of Rob and the band is what I saw from Boingo in the 80s.
Last night was the 10th DMP show I have seen (do I get a award?). I have now driven from Arizona to California 10 times just to see a band. How pathetic is that? I guess I am a familiar face now. Before the concert, the “trumpet guy” (inside joke there) Jake came up to me and shook my hand. It was nice of him to remember me. I found out later that he lives in AZ too. Hey Jake, next time we can carpool!
This is my first mixed review of DMP. Driving home, I had a lot of time to think about the show and would like to share my thoughts. As disjointed as I can be, I will try to keep focused on two main points in this review: technical stuff and spirit stuff.
I want to start of by saying last night was another GREAT time. As usual Rob and crew put on an intense show. They had many “new “ songs and a couple surprises. The show opened up with “Insanity”. I am pretty sure this is the first song I have seen them perform from the “Boingo” album. The performance was great. The band was tight sounded great. However, The main vocals were not there. I could not hear Rob singing at all. By the end of this song, they got it together.
The problems with the main vocals seem to go on all night. Rob’s microphone kept fading in and out. One point during “Grey Matter” Rob was singing and I couldn’t hear him at all. I would imagine this annoyed the hell out of some people. For me, I could have cared less. The crowd was singing to every song and the combined energy of the band and the crowd made up for the sound issues.
The Surprise of the night (besides the dude in the yellow Vegas Showgirl costume) had to be the performance of “Don’t go in the Basement”. What a great song AND they nailed it. Great job guys. Another nice surprise came when they performed “Water”. I have a lot of basic rules in my life. One of them happens to be any performance I see with a Mandolin is brilliant.
Once again the horn section was tight. Performance wise, they did not miss a beat with the new trombone player. He is a great replacement musically (that comment means something as I am a low brass player). However, I missed Darin’s enthusiasm. Darin brought a lot to the show and he was missed.
At some point during the show, Rob thanked the crowd. He pointed out a few people and then pointed right at me and said “and you, I’ve seen you at a lot of shows, thanks”. Rob, I thought we had a moment last show (at the Belly Up) when you blew me a kiss. Bummer, such is life J.
This review would not be complete without commenting on Mike Ryon, The lead guitarist (“Bartek”). I watched him and listened for his stuff tonight. I got to say Mike is a brilliant player. He is so focused on playing and ads a lot of his own stuff when he can. Mike is a great musician and does a remarkable job trying to fill the shoes of the best guitarist in the world.
Overall the show last night was brilliant. Another 2 ½ hour marathon complete with a mosh pit and a stage dive. The energy and enthusiasm of the band and the crowd made up for any “technical” issues. It was great to see a packed house, hear some “new” stuff and get a chance to slam dance. Great job guys! (Sorry for not having a set list, I was busy abusing my body on the dance floor)
I got home to Phoenix just in time to host a Radio show on www.radiofreephoenix.com (replayed 10/29 @ 3 PM AZ time – 2 PM Cali time). I led the show of with Cry of the Vatos. 26 years later and I still can’t get enough of this music.
I missed the Vatos’ show. Unfortunately I was not able to make it to SoCal last weekend. That pissed me off. The silver lining for me was that I still got to see a Halloween Boingo show. For me, DMP is Boingo from the 80s. The fervor and sprit of Rob and the band is what I saw from Boingo in the 80s.
Last night was the 10th DMP show I have seen (do I get a award?). I have now driven from Arizona to California 10 times just to see a band. How pathetic is that? I guess I am a familiar face now. Before the concert, the “trumpet guy” (inside joke there) Jake came up to me and shook my hand. It was nice of him to remember me. I found out later that he lives in AZ too. Hey Jake, next time we can carpool!
This is my first mixed review of DMP. Driving home, I had a lot of time to think about the show and would like to share my thoughts. As disjointed as I can be, I will try to keep focused on two main points in this review: technical stuff and spirit stuff.
I want to start of by saying last night was another GREAT time. As usual Rob and crew put on an intense show. They had many “new “ songs and a couple surprises. The show opened up with “Insanity”. I am pretty sure this is the first song I have seen them perform from the “Boingo” album. The performance was great. The band was tight sounded great. However, The main vocals were not there. I could not hear Rob singing at all. By the end of this song, they got it together.
The problems with the main vocals seem to go on all night. Rob’s microphone kept fading in and out. One point during “Grey Matter” Rob was singing and I couldn’t hear him at all. I would imagine this annoyed the hell out of some people. For me, I could have cared less. The crowd was singing to every song and the combined energy of the band and the crowd made up for the sound issues.
The Surprise of the night (besides the dude in the yellow Vegas Showgirl costume) had to be the performance of “Don’t go in the Basement”. What a great song AND they nailed it. Great job guys. Another nice surprise came when they performed “Water”. I have a lot of basic rules in my life. One of them happens to be any performance I see with a Mandolin is brilliant.
Once again the horn section was tight. Performance wise, they did not miss a beat with the new trombone player. He is a great replacement musically (that comment means something as I am a low brass player). However, I missed Darin’s enthusiasm. Darin brought a lot to the show and he was missed.
At some point during the show, Rob thanked the crowd. He pointed out a few people and then pointed right at me and said “and you, I’ve seen you at a lot of shows, thanks”. Rob, I thought we had a moment last show (at the Belly Up) when you blew me a kiss. Bummer, such is life J.
This review would not be complete without commenting on Mike Ryon, The lead guitarist (“Bartek”). I watched him and listened for his stuff tonight. I got to say Mike is a brilliant player. He is so focused on playing and ads a lot of his own stuff when he can. Mike is a great musician and does a remarkable job trying to fill the shoes of the best guitarist in the world.
Overall the show last night was brilliant. Another 2 ½ hour marathon complete with a mosh pit and a stage dive. The energy and enthusiasm of the band and the crowd made up for any “technical” issues. It was great to see a packed house, hear some “new” stuff and get a chance to slam dance. Great job guys! (Sorry for not having a set list, I was busy abusing my body on the dance floor)
I got home to Phoenix just in time to host a Radio show on www.radiofreephoenix.com (replayed 10/29 @ 3 PM AZ time – 2 PM Cali time). I led the show of with Cry of the Vatos. 26 years later and I still can’t get enough of this music.
DMP - 8/19/06
(Originally Published 8/20/2006)
I packed 3 t-shirts as possibilities to wear to the DMP show last night. I had my Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party” tour (Circa 1986), my farewell shirt or my new Dead Man’s Party shirt. While trying to figure out what shirt to wear, I had an epiphany. DMP is their own band; they are coming into their own as performers. While they play only Boingo music, they have a style and passion that separates them from an ordinary “tribute” band. These folks are talented musicians playing the music of my youth. (Thus, I picked the new DMP shirt). Editors note: in actuality I would have worn the shirt from 1986, but the damn thing doesn’t make it over my belly!
DMP had another impressive outing at the Belly Up last night. While the ideas of ”Fantasy set lists” and “obscure Boingo song you want to hear at the Halloween show” are floated around, one group is bringing us Boingo in a way it was meant to be. It is sooo nice to have semi-monthly Boingo performances back in my life again.
First, the obligatory set list (courtesy of OSJ):
01. The Winning Side
02. Just Another Day
03. Little Girls
04. Good For Your Soul
05. On the Outside
06. Dead Man's Party
07. It Only Makes Me Laugh
08. Running on a Treadmill
09. Nasty Habits
10. Capitalism
11. Little Guns
12. You Really Got Me
13. Only A Lad
14. Private Life
15. Nothing to Fear
16. Insects
17. Not My Slave
18. Gratitude
19. Reptiles & Samurai
20. Wild Sex
21. No One Lives Forever
22. Country Sweat
23. No Spill Blood
24. Ain't This the Life
25. Controller
26. Who Do You Want to Be
Encore
27. Grey Matter
28. Cinderella Undercover
29. Violent Love
30. Goodbye, Goodbye
I know my past reviews have been very broad, so if you have the time, I’ll try to give a detailed review.
Overall, I love what Rob does with the flow of the concert. They start off with the obligatory slow and mellow stuff. They got to play “Dead Mans Party” I suppose, but, I personally wish that song would die a swift and painless death. Sometime mid-show, they crank it up and don’t stop till the end. I applaud the energy and drive of the whole group.
Tonight, I started the show stage left, sitting right near the horn section. I can honestly say they are so tight really make DMP. Not only are Bruce, Darren and Jake (the trumpet guy) spot on, the three of them are incredibly talented musicians that appear to be having way too much fun. It was noted that this was Darren’s last gig with DMP. I hope this section survives. It’s not hard to find a replacement t-bone player, even a talented t-bone player is easy to find. But, the boys will have a tough time finding someone that brings the talent, drive and fun that Darren has added to the many shows I have seen.
Back to the show… Some time around Nothing to Fear I was summoned to the dance floor. I got off my big fat ass and went dancing. The dance floor was packed (anyone want to bet we were on the brink of breaking some fire regulation) and everyone was having a good time. The next 10-12 songs were a combination of pushing, shoving, and dancing akin to the best dance shows I saw in the 80s. Rob even blew me a kiss during No One Lives for Ever. If I were a chick, I’d be floored. Instead, I suppose I’m a little creeped out. I do find it funny that all of us 30 and 40 year olds are out there on the dance floor, knowing we should be slam dancing, but not having the courage or energy to start a pit.
The only negative for the evening came during the performance of Grey Matter. I know the bells are someone iconic symbol and need to be worshiped when they are on stage. The problem is that the sound guy seems to think a lot about them too. Way too much bells.
In closing, I would like to encourage all Boingo fans to get behind DMP. These guys love the music and are very good. NO ONE will ever replace Danny’s voice, but Rob is doing a great job adding his own style to the voice and performance. For those who never saw the real Boingo, the evolution of DMP is the same thing Boingo went through in the 80s. These guys are doing it in their spare time, though.
The small venue dance concert is the only way to see Boingo music performed. I am so glad DMP cares enough to keep the legend alive and am proud to be a fan.
I packed 3 t-shirts as possibilities to wear to the DMP show last night. I had my Oingo Boingo “Dead Man’s Party” tour (Circa 1986), my farewell shirt or my new Dead Man’s Party shirt. While trying to figure out what shirt to wear, I had an epiphany. DMP is their own band; they are coming into their own as performers. While they play only Boingo music, they have a style and passion that separates them from an ordinary “tribute” band. These folks are talented musicians playing the music of my youth. (Thus, I picked the new DMP shirt). Editors note: in actuality I would have worn the shirt from 1986, but the damn thing doesn’t make it over my belly!
DMP had another impressive outing at the Belly Up last night. While the ideas of ”Fantasy set lists” and “obscure Boingo song you want to hear at the Halloween show” are floated around, one group is bringing us Boingo in a way it was meant to be. It is sooo nice to have semi-monthly Boingo performances back in my life again.
First, the obligatory set list (courtesy of OSJ):
01. The Winning Side
02. Just Another Day
03. Little Girls
04. Good For Your Soul
05. On the Outside
06. Dead Man's Party
07. It Only Makes Me Laugh
08. Running on a Treadmill
09. Nasty Habits
10. Capitalism
11. Little Guns
12. You Really Got Me
13. Only A Lad
14. Private Life
15. Nothing to Fear
16. Insects
17. Not My Slave
18. Gratitude
19. Reptiles & Samurai
20. Wild Sex
21. No One Lives Forever
22. Country Sweat
23. No Spill Blood
24. Ain't This the Life
25. Controller
26. Who Do You Want to Be
Encore
27. Grey Matter
28. Cinderella Undercover
29. Violent Love
30. Goodbye, Goodbye
I know my past reviews have been very broad, so if you have the time, I’ll try to give a detailed review.
Overall, I love what Rob does with the flow of the concert. They start off with the obligatory slow and mellow stuff. They got to play “Dead Mans Party” I suppose, but, I personally wish that song would die a swift and painless death. Sometime mid-show, they crank it up and don’t stop till the end. I applaud the energy and drive of the whole group.
Tonight, I started the show stage left, sitting right near the horn section. I can honestly say they are so tight really make DMP. Not only are Bruce, Darren and Jake (the trumpet guy) spot on, the three of them are incredibly talented musicians that appear to be having way too much fun. It was noted that this was Darren’s last gig with DMP. I hope this section survives. It’s not hard to find a replacement t-bone player, even a talented t-bone player is easy to find. But, the boys will have a tough time finding someone that brings the talent, drive and fun that Darren has added to the many shows I have seen.
Back to the show… Some time around Nothing to Fear I was summoned to the dance floor. I got off my big fat ass and went dancing. The dance floor was packed (anyone want to bet we were on the brink of breaking some fire regulation) and everyone was having a good time. The next 10-12 songs were a combination of pushing, shoving, and dancing akin to the best dance shows I saw in the 80s. Rob even blew me a kiss during No One Lives for Ever. If I were a chick, I’d be floored. Instead, I suppose I’m a little creeped out. I do find it funny that all of us 30 and 40 year olds are out there on the dance floor, knowing we should be slam dancing, but not having the courage or energy to start a pit.
The only negative for the evening came during the performance of Grey Matter. I know the bells are someone iconic symbol and need to be worshiped when they are on stage. The problem is that the sound guy seems to think a lot about them too. Way too much bells.
In closing, I would like to encourage all Boingo fans to get behind DMP. These guys love the music and are very good. NO ONE will ever replace Danny’s voice, but Rob is doing a great job adding his own style to the voice and performance. For those who never saw the real Boingo, the evolution of DMP is the same thing Boingo went through in the 80s. These guys are doing it in their spare time, though.
The small venue dance concert is the only way to see Boingo music performed. I am so glad DMP cares enough to keep the legend alive and am proud to be a fan.
Stan Ridgeway - 6/14/06
(Originally Published on 6/15/2006)
I went to Stan Ridgeway’s concert last night not really knowing what to expect. It had been some time since I seen him live and I also really only listen to “The Big Heat” and “Mosquito”.
Lonely Town
The Roadblock
Mr. Smith
Big Dumb Town
Monsters of the Id
God Sleeps in a Caboose
The Big Heat
Camouflage
Goin’ on down to the Barbeque
Drive She Said
Ring of Fire
encore (“We really don’t need to walk all the way back to the dressing room do we?”)
Factory
Mexican Radio
Call of the West
Mexican Radio
Call of the West
I highly recommend re-engaging Stan Ridgeway. This $12.00 concert was well worth it. He sounds great and his music is timeless.
My Eye Update
9originally Published 5/29/2007)
Really not much to say, everything is normal. Here are two pictures to gross you out. Can you see the stitches?
Really not much to say, everything is normal. Here are two pictures to gross you out. Can you see the stitches?
Costa Rica
(Originally Published 5/27/2006)
I spent last week in Costa Rica on business. Tough job I got. Here are some pictures:
I spent last week in Costa Rica on business. Tough job I got. Here are some pictures:
Oingo Boingo Weekend
(Orginally Published 5/21/2006)
What a great weekend. I drove to San Diego to see Dead Man's Party perform. These guys are a Oingo Boingo Tribute Band. I have seen them many times, but this time was the best. Here is the review I posted on Steve Bartek's Site
The next day I was lucky enough to be chosen to be on 91X "Hey Mom" show. This is where Steve West lets you come in and play your music for a hour. It was great. Here is my set list:
Oingo Boingo - Cry of the Vatos B52s - Private Idaho Big Country - Wonderland Jane's Addiction - Summertime Rolls Morrissey - November Spawned A Monster GuadalCanal Diary - Litany Berlin - World of Smiles Sparks - Pretending to be Drunk (Steve changed my Sparks pick) X - Surprise, Surprise Oingo Boingo - Insects
Also on the List (but not played)...
Elvis Costello - Allison Iggy Pop - Candy Stan Ridgeway - Pile Driver The Smiths - There’s a light that goes out … Thompson Twins - If you were Here XTC - Senses working overtime Yaz - Nobody’s Diary Psychedelic Furs - The Ghost in You R.E.M. - South Central Rain Split Endz - Six months in a leaky boat Sinead O'Conner - Three Babies Sparks - Popularity
and here is a picture of me "in the studio":
What a great weekend. I drove to San Diego to see Dead Man's Party perform. These guys are a Oingo Boingo Tribute Band. I have seen them many times, but this time was the best. Here is the review I posted on Steve Bartek's Site
My review of DMP’s show last night starts back at the Farwell concert in 1995. I was there, tears streaming down my face, thinking “I’ll never see this again”. I was wrong.
Simply put, last night’s DMP show kicked ass. More on that later. Going into last night, I was ready to have fun. I have seen DMP 5 times. I knew what to expect. A fun show with moments of memories “like it used to be”. I never have expected DMP to be anything like the real thing was many years ago. With Danny’s voice and Steve’s guitar playing, how could they?
Have I mentioned I was wrong? From the open notes of Ain’t this the life, till the final sounds of Goodbye, Goodbye Rob and his cast of characters were brilliant. I don’t know what Rob’s been taking, but his “Elfman Voice” was spot on. Although they did not have a sax player, Darren Conway more than made up for it by sitting in on trombone.
Set List:
Ain't This the Life
Dead Man's Party
Just Another Day
Little Girls
Private Life
It Only Makes Me Laugh
I'm So Bad
On The Outside
Insects
Nasty Habits
Capitalism
Little Guns
Fill The Void
Wild Sex
Violent Love
Reptiles and Samurai
Not My Slave
No One Lives Forever
Controller
Sweat
Who do You want to Be
Squeezit the Moocher
Nothing to Fear
No Spill Blood
Only A Lad
Goodbye Goodbye
The crowd was excellent. As DMP plowed through there set, we just got wilder and wilder and the mosh pit grew, each of us reliving memories of days gone by when we could actually slam dance for more than 30 second.
From No One Lives forever to the end, I was in heaven. I have seen Boingo well over 30 times (and DMP 6). This concert rates in the top 3 performances of Oingo Boingo music I have witnessed.
The DMP show on May 20, 2006 marked the return of Oingo Boingo music being performed with energy and enthusiasm that I have not seen in many, many years. Run; don’t walk to get your tickets to the next show.
Here is a picture. That is me, center stage (with the bald spot):Simply put, last night’s DMP show kicked ass. More on that later. Going into last night, I was ready to have fun. I have seen DMP 5 times. I knew what to expect. A fun show with moments of memories “like it used to be”. I never have expected DMP to be anything like the real thing was many years ago. With Danny’s voice and Steve’s guitar playing, how could they?
Have I mentioned I was wrong? From the open notes of Ain’t this the life, till the final sounds of Goodbye, Goodbye Rob and his cast of characters were brilliant. I don’t know what Rob’s been taking, but his “Elfman Voice” was spot on. Although they did not have a sax player, Darren Conway more than made up for it by sitting in on trombone.
Set List:
Ain't This the Life
Dead Man's Party
Just Another Day
Little Girls
Private Life
It Only Makes Me Laugh
I'm So Bad
On The Outside
Insects
Nasty Habits
Capitalism
Little Guns
Fill The Void
Wild Sex
Violent Love
Reptiles and Samurai
Not My Slave
No One Lives Forever
Controller
Sweat
Who do You want to Be
Squeezit the Moocher
Nothing to Fear
No Spill Blood
Only A Lad
Goodbye Goodbye
The crowd was excellent. As DMP plowed through there set, we just got wilder and wilder and the mosh pit grew, each of us reliving memories of days gone by when we could actually slam dance for more than 30 second.
From No One Lives forever to the end, I was in heaven. I have seen Boingo well over 30 times (and DMP 6). This concert rates in the top 3 performances of Oingo Boingo music I have witnessed.
The DMP show on May 20, 2006 marked the return of Oingo Boingo music being performed with energy and enthusiasm that I have not seen in many, many years. Run; don’t walk to get your tickets to the next show.
The next day I was lucky enough to be chosen to be on 91X "Hey Mom" show. This is where Steve West lets you come in and play your music for a hour. It was great. Here is my set list:
Oingo Boingo - Cry of the Vatos B52s - Private Idaho Big Country - Wonderland Jane's Addiction - Summertime Rolls Morrissey - November Spawned A Monster GuadalCanal Diary - Litany Berlin - World of Smiles Sparks - Pretending to be Drunk (Steve changed my Sparks pick) X - Surprise, Surprise Oingo Boingo - Insects
Also on the List (but not played)...
Elvis Costello - Allison Iggy Pop - Candy Stan Ridgeway - Pile Driver The Smiths - There’s a light that goes out … Thompson Twins - If you were Here XTC - Senses working overtime Yaz - Nobody’s Diary Psychedelic Furs - The Ghost in You R.E.M. - South Central Rain Split Endz - Six months in a leaky boat Sinead O'Conner - Three Babies Sparks - Popularity
and here is a picture of me "in the studio":
They Call Me Droppy Eye
(Orignally Published 4/7/2006)
Day 3
This morning I woke up and noticed a lot less eye irritation. This is a good thing as it means my eye is healing. It still constantly feels like something is in my eye, but much less today.
However, I gotta say that me whole "eye area" is totally swollen and kinda lethargic. This has resulted in having total droopy eye. It is very hard to open my eye all the way and its really annoying the hell out of me.
I did sleep a lot better last night than the first night. Last night there was no need for gauze under the eye patch, so all I had was a eye patch taped to my eye. This is in place so I don't inadvertently knock my eye at night.
One more complaint - The kit the eye doctor gave me came with tape for the eye patch. When I took the tape off this morning, most of the sticky stuff stayed behind. This sucked (and is not good cause I had to wash it off near the eye - still under orders not to touch the eye).
Another thing I found out yesterday is that I am banned from playing the tuba for at least one month. This gives me no practice for our May 6th concert in the park. What a pisser. I can't help but think I've let a whole bunch of people down.
I figure now is a good time to talk about the eye drops I have to use. I am using 3 different eye drops, 4 times a day:
1.) Pred Forte - This is a milky white eye dropthat contains a steroid medication that eases redness, irritation, and swelling due to inflammation of the eye..
2.) Zymar - Zymar is indicated for the treatment of bacterial conjunctivitis caused by susceptible strains of Corynebacterium propinquum,* Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus mitis,* Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Haemophilus influenzae.
3.) Systane - Lubricant Eye Drops represent a revolution in dry eye care. SYSTANE® is the first artificial tear clinically proven to reduce both signs and symptoms of dry eye.
That's it for today ... more to come !!
It Itches !!!
(Originally Published 4/5/2006)
Morning of day 2 They said it is normal to experience minor discomfort. They were right. These stitches in my eyes are VERY iritating. UGH.... The good news is I just took the patch off my eye and can see!!! My vision is 1000% better. TCW held up some fingers and I could actually tell her how many she had up. Yippe!!! I'm off to the eye doctor this morning. I'll try to update later on...
Morning of day 2 They said it is normal to experience minor discomfort. They were right. These stitches in my eyes are VERY iritating. UGH.... The good news is I just took the patch off my eye and can see!!! My vision is 1000% better. TCW held up some fingers and I could actually tell her how many she had up. Yippe!!! I'm off to the eye doctor this morning. I'll try to update later on...
I Had Eye Surgrey Today
(Originally Published 4/4/2006)
Today was the day ... out with the old and in with the new. I am writing this entry about 4 hours after my surgery and am feeling fine.
The whole day was kind of a trip. First of all, I was not able to eat or drink since 7 AM. The eating part is fine, but, I was suffering with not being able to drink water. We showed up at 2:00 and filled out the mountain of paper work that goes along with this sort of thing. We were then shuffled off to the waiting room. We waited in there for 1 hour. Strange thing happened in the waiting room. The cable went out and all the nursing techs took it upon themselves to "fix" it. I will never understand why someone tries to rewire the whole setup when something like this happens. The firggin cable is out, call the cable company.
But this is not about the stupid cable in the waiting room. About an hour later, they came and got me. The showed me into the bathroom and had me wash my face. Then it was off to the pre-operation room. I laid down on the table and got hooked up to the necessary alarms and buzzers .. and waited some more.
Then the anesthesiologist came over and told me what was going to happen,. A few minutes later, it happened. They put me under for about 5 minutes while they stuck needles in my eyes to numb it. After about 5 minutes, I would up to a numb face.
The whole day was kind of a trip. First of all, I was not able to eat or drink since 7 AM. The eating part is fine, but, I was suffering with not being able to drink water. We showed up at 2:00 and filled out the mountain of paper work that goes along with this sort of thing. We were then shuffled off to the waiting room. We waited in there for 1 hour. Strange thing happened in the waiting room. The cable went out and all the nursing techs took it upon themselves to "fix" it. I will never understand why someone tries to rewire the whole setup when something like this happens. The firggin cable is out, call the cable company.
But this is not about the stupid cable in the waiting room. About an hour later, they came and got me. The showed me into the bathroom and had me wash my face. Then it was off to the pre-operation room. I laid down on the table and got hooked up to the necessary alarms and buzzers .. and waited some more.
Then the anesthesiologist came over and told me what was going to happen,. A few minutes later, it happened. They put me under for about 5 minutes while they stuck needles in my eyes to numb it. After about 5 minutes, I would up to a numb face.
***Note: If you have never had anesthesia, I highly recommend it ***
The guy then spends about 15 minutes poking my numb face and shooting more local into my eye. It certainly is a trip to see needles being put in your eye and not feeling a thing.
Then they wheel me to the surgery waiting area. This was the first time they gave me a tranquilizer to relax me. It was explained to me that during the surgery, there is about 15 minute while the cornea is off and the new one is being put on. During this time, you can't cough or sneeze. If you do, your eye juice and eyeball will shot out the hole. The calming drugs were great too. I was happy.
The surgery itself was a trip, Basically, it went just like the picture a few entries back. Out with the old cornea, in with the new. It takes the doctor about 45 minutes to sew the new one in place. I have 12 stitches plus a zig-zag stitch all around my eye. I forgot to mention, every 10 minutes or so, Dr. Feelgood would give me some more calming medicine. It was quite a cool feeling.
On a semi-sad note, I think I know where the cornea came from. For a young guy like me, they want a young cornea. Well, the doctor told me that mine was from a 15 year old donor and it was quite a tragic story. I think I got one of these guys:
Link
I don't know how I feel about knowing that.
In closing, my eye is really starting to itch (normal). I have to wear the patch until tomorrow morning, then every night for a while. When I get the path off, I'll be sure to post pictures !!!
Then they wheel me to the surgery waiting area. This was the first time they gave me a tranquilizer to relax me. It was explained to me that during the surgery, there is about 15 minute while the cornea is off and the new one is being put on. During this time, you can't cough or sneeze. If you do, your eye juice and eyeball will shot out the hole. The calming drugs were great too. I was happy.
The surgery itself was a trip, Basically, it went just like the picture a few entries back. Out with the old cornea, in with the new. It takes the doctor about 45 minutes to sew the new one in place. I have 12 stitches plus a zig-zag stitch all around my eye. I forgot to mention, every 10 minutes or so, Dr. Feelgood would give me some more calming medicine. It was quite a cool feeling.
On a semi-sad note, I think I know where the cornea came from. For a young guy like me, they want a young cornea. Well, the doctor told me that mine was from a 15 year old donor and it was quite a tragic story. I think I got one of these guys:
Link
I don't know how I feel about knowing that.
In closing, my eye is really starting to itch (normal). I have to wear the patch until tomorrow morning, then every night for a while. When I get the path off, I'll be sure to post pictures !!!
A New Car
(Originally Published march 26, 2006)
What is a family supposed to do? The Minivan is approaching 100,000 miles. Well, we realized that all of Wendy's driving is around town. So, we went and did something stupid:
This is the Pollock's contribution to saving mother earth.
What is a family supposed to do? The Minivan is approaching 100,000 miles. Well, we realized that all of Wendy's driving is around town. So, we went and did something stupid:
This is the Pollock's contribution to saving mother earth.
Aaron Copland
(Originally published 3/20/2006)
Short rant tonight ...
This season, the orchestra is performing a concert called "Cowboys, Country and Copland".
IMHO, this Copland dude was on crack when composing some of the music we are playing. Sure it sounds nice, but, some of the stuff we are playing is out there. Anyway, if your interested in more about Copeland, go to here:
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95nov/copland.html
Here is the flyer for our concert:
Short rant tonight ...
This season, the orchestra is performing a concert called "Cowboys, Country and Copland".
IMHO, this Copland dude was on crack when composing some of the music we are playing. Sure it sounds nice, but, some of the stuff we are playing is out there. Anyway, if your interested in more about Copeland, go to here:
http://www.lucidcafe.com/library/95nov/copland.html
Here is the flyer for our concert:
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