Do You Realize?

Photo Hunt Saturday--Self

This week's theme is: Self. Pretty easy. Except that I'm usually the one behind the camera, not in front of it! I'm even the one behind the camera for this one; I'm just also in front of it.

Osteosarcoma

It even sounds insidious, doesn't it? We just got an initial diagnosis of it for Poogan yesterday afternoon. I'm headed to a specialist this morning for confirmation. Please send positive thoughts and even prayers, if prayers are more your thing. Thank you!

Update Friday 5/30/08:  Yesterday's visit to the surgeon brought good and bad news. The bad news is that this is, indeed, a cancer, and amputation will still be necessary, so Monday begins a new challenge of three-leggedness for Poogan. The good news is that he does not suspect osteosarcoma, which is very aggressive and invasive. Rather, because of its presentation, he suspects a rarer, but less aggressive, form of cancer, synovial cell cancer. Only pathology of the limb will tell us for sure, and that will take about a week post-surgery.

WTF?!? Wednesday

Please pardon my recent absence. I've had some terrible unidentified stomach ailment. Yesterday I ate 4 saltines and a key lime soda (Whole Foods version of Sprite, except sweetened with cane juice). The pain and chills came on almost immediately on Sunday night and come and go at will now. Just shoot me.

This morning I was on CNN.com catching up on some news, and I came across something that totally incensed me. Well, I came across a lot of things that incensed me, but since I suspect that enough people will be be blogging about the political crap, I'll take on Hulk Hogan's bratty, entitled, titty-baby son. Because not enough people blog about celebrities nowadays, you know.

For those of you who've been living in a bubble (or who don't give a rat's ass about worthless celebrity chattering), as backstory, in August 2007, Nick Bollea, Hulk Hogan's then-sixteen-year-old son (Terry Bollea is Hogan's real name. "Hulk" is not. Imagine that.), was intoxicated and street racing with his friend John Graziano in the passenger seat. In the interest of full disclosure, Graziano was not wearing his seat belt. (And, lest you think I'm letting John Graziano off the hook as a totally innocent bystander, forget about it. He knew he was getting into a high-powered car with an intoxicated friend to do something dangerous and illegal. He has culpability, too, but he received a life sentence for not wearing his seatbelt. That's hardly justice.) Nick was driving a Dodge Viper, which belonged to his dad, and the other street racer, a friend, was driving a Toyota Supra, which also belonged to Hogan. Nick had already, in less than one year, accumulated three speeding tickets, two of which were given for speeds in excess of 100 mph; Hulk was in the car for one of those. Linda, Nick's other model parent, had appeared in a DVD called "Vehicular Lunatics" teaching street racing. On the night of the crash, Nick lost control of his car and wrapped it around a palm tree (photos here... yeah, that used to look like a car), critically injuring his friend and passenger, Graziano. Doctors have since had to remove a portion of Graziano's brain, and he is in a minimally conscious state, with little hope for any meaningful recovery. Nick was recently sentenced to eight months in jail and five years probation, during which time he cannot drive or drink alcohol (so he can't drink alcohol until he's 21... harsh). During the trial, Nick and his family painted themselves as remorseful and contrite, blathering about how much they loved John, and how they've set up a fund to help pay his medical expenses.

In the last few days, though, several jailhouse recorded phone calls have been released to the press which absolutely appalled me and, I hope, anyone with any modicum of humanity. In the tapes, Nick tells his mother that "all you do is sit there and think, and there's nothing to think about." Ummmmm... perhaps you could think about how your actions have stolen a life from another human being? Just a suggestion.

Also in the tapes, Hulk says, "Well, I don't know what type of person John was, or what he did to get himself in this situation, but I know he was pretty agressive, and used to yell at people, and used to do stuff. But some, some, for some reason, man, God laid some heavy shit on that kid, man, I don't know what he was into." To which Nick replies, "John was a negative person." Yes, Mr. Bollea, let's help your son learn about taking responsibility by implying that John Graziano is completely to blame for his injuries. That is the epitome of good parenting. What did your son do to get himself into his situation? For that matter, what did your son do to get John in this situation?

We also learn from the tapes that Nick is already thinking about his future... in reality television. Yes, his daddy is already laying the groundwork for a "real-ality deal" (Nick pronounces it this way not once, not twice, but three times.) "the minute I walk out of wherever I walk out of." At least he's thinking about his future. Now if we could just get him to contemplate John Graziano's future.

Adding insult to injury, Linda Hogan says in the tapes that Graziano's mother doesn't care about him, and that she, Linda, is the one who is suffering, and seems outraged that no one understands that. "I knew him more than his own mother knew him. She has no other recourse than to be nasty and vindictive now... She's not sad. She's just acting angry like she wants the money. John never meant anything to her or Ed... I miss John and I miss you two. [maybe "miss you, too."?] She's not suffering, I am. She didn't give two shits."

There are so many more outrageously egregious statements in these tapes I can hardly contain my contempt for the entire lot of this morally bankrupted family. But the fact is, there will be plenty of people who will watch Nick's "real-ality show" if it ever comes to fruition. And there are plenty of people who, unfortunately, think that The Hulkster and Linda's behavior is normal for any parent whose child is in a tough situation. I happen to not be one of them.

Identification, please.

Can any of you kind and generous souls please impart your wisdom regarding these nefarious bastards? What are they? How can I kill them without chemicals? Are they perennial (my guess, as they suspiciously look like a type of grass) or annual? If I don't dig my hand down four to six inches underground and remove all the little... spiky thingies... will they keep coming back forever and ever? Thank you in advance, dear readers. A blessing be upon whomever lifts this curse from my flowerbeds.

Catching up...

It's Memorial Day, people. Today's post will have nothing to do with Memorial Day, or even anything terribly deep and meaningful. Please read last year's Memorial Day post for deep and meaningful; it's one of my favorite posts ever.

I spent the weekend at a Westin Resort with six of my girlfriends, getting spa treatments and mani/pedis; drinking wine, and vodka and grapefruit, and Midori sours; making some beautiful and creative jewelry; getting in touch with our inner authors; and generally letting our proverbial hair down without the company of husbands or children. Since I did that, I seem to be unwilling or unable to really get back into the swing of "real life," thus the short post. Today, I'm chillin'. Well, at least until Youngest wakes up and it's time to climb on the Bipolar Pony and ride.

Wordless Wednesday--Stop it, already!

Photo taken in Austin, Texas; March 2008.

Serving my civic duty...

I was summoned today, for jury duty. I spent four and a half hours of my day with forty-nine strangers with whom I had nothing in common and to whom I had nothing to say. My face must have been one of the twelve prettiest in the room, because they want to see it again tomorrow. I am a Chosen One. Joy.

Edited to add: It wasn't terrible. I actually felt pretty good about it afterwards. I hope our decision will help send a message to the insurance/workman's compensation industries that mental health issues are extremely important, and that their current policies need to be reconsidered.

Green Thumb Sunday

I took a photo of my divinely scented jasmine yesterday. Looking through my photo library, I found an almost identical shot I took a couple of months ago. The photo on the left was taken March 4. The photo on the right was taken May 17. What a difference! One sad update: the baby cardinal in the nest in this jasmine died on Mother's Day.

Photo Hunt Saturday--Candy

Looks like I took a hiatus this week. Totally unintentional. Youngest is cycling again; there have been four separate therapies this week for various combinations of family members, as well as a huge medication change. Luckily, the medication change seems to be working; I even tested his boundaries tonight by telling him something he did not like and did not want to hear, and he didn't come unglued... success, however temporary, is a beautiful thing with bipolar children.

Now, on to the Photo Hunt! This week's theme is:  Candy. I took this photo in July 2007 while visiting Portland, Oregon. This was one of the most amazing doughnuts I've ever put in my mouth. I'd read about this little local place called Voodoo Doughnut, which makes weird original doughnut flavors (like Pepto Bismol, or Nyquil doughnuts, neither of which are still available because they might taste like ass for some weird reason). This is a Grape Ape, which is a glazed doughnut with vanilla icing, grape Tang-like drink powder, and purple candy sprinkles; sounds absolutely disgusting freaking amazing, huh? I have no idea what possessed me to pick this over, say, the chocolate glazed one with peanut butter Cap'n Crunch cereal, but I'm glad I did. If I close my eyes and concentrate really hard, I can almost taste this little jewel again... mmmmmmm...

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who are reading, as well as to all the grandmothers, aunts, and fathers who stand in for mothers on a daily basis (I know there are a lot of you out there, that might not be recognized on "Mother's Day" often).