Tuesday, 20 Feb 2007

(last update: 4:45pm)

 

Reactions to the Martin / Harvick '500' flap...

(4:45pm) - URLs: Here's a selection of journalist reactions to what occurred in the closing seconds of the Daytona 500:

The best one, in my opinion:
NASCAR didn't cheat Martin, it just let him down

More:
Shell shock: Harvick denies Martin, wins Daytona 500
Martin's feel-good finish falls just painfully short


Monday, 19 Feb 2007

(last update: 12:15pm)

Not much of a surgery update...

(12:15pm) - TEXT: Surgery is still scheduled for Tuesday March 13th. I am so beat again today I may start using the *bad* (addictive) sinus spray and the new nasal-only mask I bought.


Daytona 500 ... Harvick wins!

(12:10pm) - TEXT: Very happy Sunday - Harvick came from sixth place down the backstretch on the final lap, narrowly missing getting caught up in the massive last-lap wreck, to scream by Mark Martin at the finish line by just a hair. Yep, Harvick's the bad guy - the sentimental favorite was Mark Martin.

But Harvick won it fair and square: NASCAR officials have confirmed that as the wreck behind them began, *Harvick* actually held the lead. Therefore, had the caution flag waved and frozen the field at that instant, Harvick would've gotten the victory anyway.

It was an exciting race at the end. All the wrecks happened with less than 50 laps (of 200) to go. I was a bit tickled, I gotta say, to see Tony Stewart and Kurt Busch take each other out. But I do feel bad for them and their fans. I only say this because neither Tony nor Kurt got hurt, and both of them were very mature, magnanimous, and accepting of their fate. It was quite an impressive show, actually, in that neither of them got angry, petty, and vindictive.

Gator Basketball Update...

(12:00pm) - TEXT: Sadly, the win streak came to an end on Saturday. The Gators got beaten rather soundly by Vanderbilt, 70-83. I didn't watch. I caught the score later Saturday night after the game. Haven't read about it - I'm just movin' along ... :)

Next game:

Wed Feb 21 ... v. S. Carolina ... in Gainesville ... 8:00PM

Friday, 16 Feb 2007

(last update: 8:45am)

Good weekend planned

(8:45am) - TEXT: TGIF !

I'm off at 12pm today for another Doctor's appointment. This one isn't sinus/septoplastic surgery related. This is my psychiatrist who monitors the Paroxetene (generic version of Paxil) I take for my depression. Should only be about 30 minutes at most.

After that, I'm going to go to the movies and catch Ghost Rider with Nicholas Cage. Maybe even turn it into a sneak double-feature. I'll finish watching Under the Tuscan Sun & at least start Hulk at home (Netflix!). I'm really trying to power through a bunch of the movies in my queue at Netflix since I've had it maxxed out for a long time :) .....

Anyway, Saturday will be busy. I've got to get up early to do my usual recycling run so I can make the Star Wars Fan Club meeting at 12:00pm. It'll break up around 2:00pm so I'll head home afterward and catch a nap before doing the St. Vincent de Paul $$$ collection at church for the 5:30pm Mass. When *that* is done, the Free Spirits group is having a champagne tasting party at one of our member's house. Who knows how long that'll go.

Sunday morning I'll get up early to make 8:30am Mass to do the collection. I'll stay there through 10am Mass and 11:30am Mass as well. After 12:30pm I'll head straight to Bonz to watch the Daytona 500 with Jody and whoever else is hangin' around the joint. After that - well, I'll just head home and probably finish watching the Hulk DVD and maybe Johnny English so I can send all four DVDs I currently have back to Netflix on Monday ... :)

Thursday, 15 Feb 2007

(last update: 7:25am)

If you ain't Gator ... you're Gator BAIT!

(7:25am) - TEXT: Florida basketball continued its winning ways, beating Alabama last night 76-67. Headline off the 'net: "Donovan building tradition" - Billy Donovan is a helluva coach who isn't just winning for now. He's builidng a successful foundation that should carry on far into the future. *Ah!!!*

Gators now 24-2, and 11-0 in the SEC. Next up:

Sat Feb 17 ... v. Vanderbilt ... in Nashville ... 1:00PM

Still depressed - but better

(6:55am) - BLOG: Work problems resolved - but my job still isn't ...well, good. Here lately, I've identified the one over-arching quality of my job that really makes it bad for me. The problem is the *isolation.* I do 90% of my communicating via email, just over 5% over the phone, and just under 5% talking in person to my co-workers.

And that includes my partner-in-crime, Steve, who also works this job! Abuse desk technician is stressful and isolationist. And still I do it...........

*sigh*

Wednesday, 14 Feb 2007

(last update: 11:45am)

Worst melancholia is work-induced ...

(12:30pm) - BLOG: *SIGH* Feeling a deep & bitter melancholy right now. Learned a new process that evidently has been official for a long time - and by not following it this morning I caused a few problems. Trying to resolve those problems is painful in the extreme, and not easy. At least it isn't a fire-able offense (I think!) so that extreme isn't something I have to worry about.

My sleep apnea is contributing to the problem: my brain is sluggish and I am so tired I *hurt* physically. When I'm able to sleep better at night because I have clearer sinuses and am using my CPAP machine - I'll be much happier.

*sigh*

Tuesday, 13 Feb 2007

(last update: 12:30pm)

*REAL* 1980's video games, for free...!

(12:30pm) - URL: A friend of mine (thanks, Tracey) sent me a link to some of the best 1980's video games I used to play in the arcade. And all for free :) .....here's the URL:

http://www.1980-games.com/us/

UMMM.... tinkering *done*

(12:00pm) - TEXT: Changes on this page are done. Heard Chubby Checker's "Limbo Rock" on Radio Margaritaville (free plug: Sirius Radio Ch. 31) , so I had to lighten the mood a little bit!

I also changed the caption pic (over there to the left) to part of another Kansas song...

In other words, UMMM.... is done :)

Cheers!

Surgery Update...

(9:00am) - TEXT: Called the scheduling service yesterday to see about a date, and it turned out the woman in charge just hadn't called me yet due to insurance factors: she doesn't know yet how much my insurance company will require that I pay as a deductible. Could be up to $1300 ca$h up front .....ouch!

But I was able to secure a Tuesday, March 13th date. I'm the first one scheduled, so I need to be there at 7:00am for 8:00am surgery. I'll be up and out of the hospital again by 12:00pm - my wonderful, saintly cousin Stephanie has volunteered to be my ride. She's great and I'm grateful to her :)

The following three days will, I'm told, be hidden in a drug-induced haze, but after that I should be back up and around with only minor (if any) pain. I took Tue to Fri that week off work, so by Monday the 19th I should be A-OK and back at work.

As for after-effects, I believe there may be some minor bleeding, as well as permanent requirements to *spray saline* to irrigate the nasal linings regulary going forward.

That's all for now. More later as the date gets closer.

Name changed to abuse the guilty ...

(8:10am) - TEXT: A blinding flash of insight, accompanied by choruses of angels singing hymns to the glory of God on High, led me to rename this page. Opposites attract, I think: I combine the self-deprecating "unsympathetic" with the conceit of "magnificent," for a combined effect that should at the very least elicit a groan or a smirk from you, my dear reader :) ...

Additionally, there's two grammatical factors working in its favor:

Alliteration: the duplication of the letter "s," followed by the duplication of the letter "m," provides a lilt and a poetic sort of justice to the name.

Abbreviation: in no small degree, the fact that the title of this page now abbreviates to "UMMM..." also had something to do with the stamp of approval.

I like it ... hope you do, too.

Gator Basketball Update...

(8:30am) - TEXT: The Gators beat Kentucky, 64-61, to improve overall to 23-2, and 10-0 in the SEC. The game Saturday was a real squeaker, though not as close through the whole game as the final score would indicate. Kentucky made a powerful late charge to make up a 12 point deficit, but came up just short. Phew: I was bitin' my nails again there at the end ... :)

Next up:

Wed Feb 14 ... v. Alabama ... in Gainesville ... 8:00PM

Unfortunately this one will be pay-per-view also, so I'll have to find a different place to go watch it besides Bonz...

Crikey! And I'll have to tape LOST too. Oh the sacrifices we make........


Thursday, 8 Feb 2007

(last update: 2:10pm)

SNL skit ... [Junk] in a Box

(2:10pm) - VIDEO: Drop everything RIGHT NOW and watch this (very sexually explicit). Yes it's a little late for a Christmas song, but forget that and just watch it already!

MOVIE REVIEW ... Pan's Labyrinth

(12:30pm) - REVIEW: This review hits the themes of the movie squarely and accurately, much better than I ever could. Warning - this film is extremely brutal and violent; an ADULT movie in every sense (do not take the kids!):

The article will spoil the movie for you if you intend to see it:

Georgia Rail Passenger Program

(10:00am) - LINK: Here's great information about a Georgia Dept. of Transportation plan to relieve traffic congestion (YAY!) by 2030 via opening existing freight/light rail lines for commuter trains.

GA Rail Passenger Program: http://www.garail.com/

I'm happier, though, at the likely lowered greenhouse gas emissions than I am about reduced traffic loads :)

Gator Basketball Update...

(9:30am) - TEXT: Gators 22-2 bay-beeeee! And 9-0 in SEC play, which is a *school record* actually, and something they didn't even do last year when they won the Championship.

Again ... next game:

Sat Feb 10 ... v. Kentucky ... in Lexington, KY ... 9:00PM

Surgery Update...

(9:00am) - URLs: Well, I'm going to be having a procedure done called "septoplasty." I'm also getting "turbinate reduction" done. It's like a nose-job ("rhinoplasty") but *inside* your head - click the links in the above lines for a brief Wikipedia definition. Here's a couple more URLs:

From his website I provide this nifty little paragraph:

Recovery from Septoplasty

  • Dr. Sinha uses small sponges instead of painful nasal packing and these are usually removed in one day (as opposed to the traditional 3-5 days). Most people take 1-5 days off of work. Pain is mild to moderate and is well controlled with pain medication. Usually, there is no bruising or external swelling of the nose. Avoidance of heavy exercise, heavy lifting or air travel is recommended for 2 weeks after surgery.

So I'll still be able to visit 'Becca, James, Tommy, and Katie that weekend :) !!

I don't have a specific date set in stone yet, but the Doc said that Tuesday Mar 6th was OK with him. Much more info to follow .... !


Wednesday, 7 Feb 2007

(last update: 2:00pm)

Gator Basketball Update...

(2:00pm) - TEXT: Currently they're 21-2. Next game for the Gators .... tonight!

Wed Feb 7 ... v. Georgia ... in Athens, GA ... 7:30PM

After that:

Sat Feb 10 ... v. Kentucky ... in Lexington, KY ... 9:00PM


Thursday, 2 Feb 2007

(last update: 12:00pm)

Gator Basketball Update...

(12:00pm) - TEXT: Holy COW! Sadly, it was on ESPN but only pay-per-view, which meant neither I nor my local sports watering hole carried it. Instead, I watched the Miami v. UNC game on ESPN2 to catch highlights and "Bottom Line" score updates.

But what a game ... ! At some point in the 2nd half, the Gators were losing 41 - 30, but they managed anyhow to come stormin' back and win 74-64. That amounts to a 44-23 run by the Gators at end the game, nearly doubling Vandy's points :)

Next game:

Sat Feb 3 ... Home v. Tennessee ... Gainesville, FL ... 3:00PM