Random Blatherings

Head In The Clouds

Virtual Reality

Suquamish, WA - 11 Jun 2023

     Sunny Sunday and looking for ways to keep my sister in-law entertained. Today we went to see the Little Mermaid. I wasn't sure what I would think of it. The older animated version was great. Those were the days before CGI graphics took over Disney animation. Those were the days when Disney artists had very special ways of expressing themselves. I have the artwork to prove it. Anyway, the story was close to the original and the music was embellished with a few new tunes added. There was also the interesting Disney humor that could be appreciated in different ways depending on the viewer. In some scenes there was some innuendo, but the kids in the theater made it clear in their comments that they didn't catch the adult meaning. As a guy old enough to remember some of the older movies, I have to say that Disney studios still has it. 

     We wanted to take advantage of the good weather. It had been raining since Al arrived so we went to a local Italian restaurant that has outdoor seating. Since my wife and her sister ate their fill of popcorn at the theater, they opted for salad and antipasto. I, the perpetually ravenous beast, went for the house made tagliatelle. I'm a sucker for good pasta and these great wide and hefty noodles in just the right amount of bolognese sauce really hit the spot. I paired that with a nice chianti which was perfect in the breezy waterside table we had. 

     Home now and winding down. Pulled up the YouTube video of Typewriter Club live to see what their special announcement is. Looks like a typewriter themed summer camp is afoot. There is no set location. Instead a package is purchased, a kit of sorts to set up the surf camp at the location of choice. This reminds me of virtual foot races I have done in the day. The runner would sign up as in a conventional race and the race packet would be sent to the participant. The packet contained the usual finisher swag of a t-shirt and a participant medal. On the day of the race the runners would run a course of their choice. The only requirement was a valid distance. The course could be challenging or not. This would be timed with a GPS device to keep things honest and true and the results uploaded. In the end, the only thing one would have is bragging rights. I did one and I wasn't a fan. I think there is something about being present with the participants, seeing the winners receive their prizes, tossing back a beer or two and telling tales of adventure and intrigue about the competition. But, that's me. Your mileage may vary. 

Keep on truckin' 

-Mike

Come and Get It

Northern Exposure

 

Stir Crazy

Squamous in Suquamish

Suquamish, WA - 6 Jun 2023

         Off work again today. It seems lately that my life is a series of appointments at various medical clinics. Today I had to make a long drive to Gig Harbor. It seems that little piece of me that I donated to the pathologist a few weeks back turned out to be skin cancer. I wasn't surprised, but had hoped it would be something easy to fix. Not so.

         Because my dad had a number of cancers removed in his lifetime I was a good candidate for trouble down the road. Today I spent some quality time with a Mohs surgeon. Skin cancer isn't something that old people get. I probably started this back in my twenties when I was invincible and spent a good deal of time running around shirtless. When I was on Okinawa I would often go surf fishing. A good way to spend the day while enjoying the outside, ocean breeze and heat. Good times often finished with a bright rubor to mark me as having spent far too much time under old Sol. Being of Mediterranean descent and an olive complexion it took time for me to burn to the point of pain. By then it was too late. Of course, I could heal overnight. Twenty somethings have that power. In addition to that exposure I had lots of time in Florida when I was assigned there and during some tours in desert climes and the Mediterranean to continue in my sinful ways. Now at the end of my seventh decade I am discovering what all those exposures have done to me.

         Squamous cell carcinoma is not the killer that melanoma is, though it has the potential to metastasize — a bad thing. Because of that these sorts of things can’t be just frozen or shaved off. It requires a specialist, a Mohs surgeon. Mohs surgery is interesting. The doctor marks off an area where the suspected cancer lives and then marks around that where the precancerous stuff extends. This is where the fun begins. The first step is to remove a chunk where the cancer is. For me that was an area roughly a centimeter in diameter. This is taken to the full thickness of the skin. I got to see the picture... It was cool. The doctor took it all the way down to the subcutaneous layer. That chunk goes off to pathology and I get to sit and think for a long time. I read the three letters I got in the mail yesterday and a good portion of Cannery Row, my current read.

         What happens next is that if the specimen shows cancer cells in the margins then another trip into the hole in my face would warranted. This goes on until all the margins are clear. Good news for me is that the surgeon got it all in the first pass. Some fancy wound revision a pile of sutures later and I had a nice incision from the corner of my eye to my ear. I'm going to look like a pirate when this is all finished.

         Home now with what looks like a battle dressing on the side of the face. I also got a free pass for three days off and a no honey do chit. Cool. On top of that I am a member of the lifetime regular follow-up club with my dermatologist. We're going to be besties, I just know it! Meanwhile, I am outside enjoying the no chore thing and hammering away on an electronic typer with Dave Koz in my ear and a no alcohol brew at my side — Hazy IPA from Athletic Brewing. One of very few non alcoholic beverages that actually tastes like beer. 

Keep on truckin' 

-Mike

Bad Cops and Shifty Lawyers

That Run Down Feeling

Bear With Me

Pardon the mis-spellings. Eddie not Eddiw.  Stomach does not and in "k"  Oh dear.  Too many r's in that long word a few lines above.