October 25, 2008

What a week. Back to work, needing to work out but not having motivation, and a ton of family emergencies all add up to a stressful week. There have definitely been some good parts too, but all in all, I'm glad it's done.

First, the family stuff. On Wednesday, I had not one, not two, but THREE family members in surgery for the day. Not fun.

• The first surgery was Maria's mom, who was having a tummy-tuck performed. This had been scheduled for a long time, so it wasn't exactly a shock, and was more or less routine. That being said, any surgery is always worrisome, so we were glad when that resolved with no major complications or issues. Maria's mom is back at home resting up; she's in some discomfort, but no more than would normally be expected.

• The second surgery of the day was on my step-brother's newborn daughter, Cassie. Cassie and her proud parents were checking out of the hospital and undergoing the final checkups when the doctors decided that there might be something wrong with Cassie's heart.

It turns out that Cassie has something called PA VSD, a disorder that results when the heart does not fully develop during womb development. In Cassie's case, this meant that she had arteries that were outside the heart/not fully attached, and that her heart had a hole in it. It turns out that this hole is actually a good thing; it keeps the blood pressure from building up too much.

Now, this is apparently not as rare and uncommon as you'd think; according to Dad, there were two other children with similar problems in the hospital when they were there. This doesn't make it any less serious; what it does do is ensure that this is an issue that doctors know how to address and help.

Cassie was originally scheduled for open-heart surgery on Tuesday, but she ended up responding to the drugs well enough that they opted to do closed-heart, only attaching the arteries; they have decided that she is strong enough to easily make it for a few more months, giving her body time to get stronger and her heart time to get bigger, both of which will make the eventual corrective surgeries far easier.

It hasn't been a walk in the park since then; Cassie has had a lung collapse as well, apparently as a result of needing to be on a breathing tube. That being said, as of this writing, the lung is re-inflated and Cassie is doing very well and breathing on her own. So hopefully, this remains serious but treatable and non-life-threatening.

• The third surgery of Tuesday revolved around my grandfather, who was getting out of the shower a little while back and discovered a lump in his breast. The doctors sent it off for an immediate biopsy, but went ahead and scheduled a lumpectomy/mastectomy (for men, they're about the same), which was a smart move, as it turns out, because it came back as malignant.

So, you know how people always say that men can get breast cancer? I guess they can. Whee.

The operation went fine, and my grandfather was doing well enough that he was off of his pain pills the next morning, and mainly just grouchy that he couldn't use his hands. In addition, the preliminary and unofficial report from the doctors (read: eyeballing things during the surgery) seems like it was gotten and removed before it spread much, something we hope to get confirmed when the pathology comes back in the next few days.

So, in short, not a fun week. Combine that with my dad's otherwise stressful few weeks - he was fired from a job he's had for well over a decade and had a cat drop dead in front of him with no warning - and, well, in my dad's words: "I told [Vanessa] that if my life was a television show, I would be concerned that this is the last season."

That being said, it seems for now that everyone is doing more than fine, and we have positive outlooks on all three surgeries. So that's something.

On a more positive note, this week was also the first meeting of the film club that I've set up at Wilson Central. This is something I've been really, really excited about for a while; I mean, a chance to indulge my movie passion and pass along some cinematic gems to high school students? Man, I would have killed for something like this in high school.

So, how did it go?

Friggin' awesome.

We had about a dozen kids show up; this was well short of the 30 or so (!) that showed up for the organizational meeting, but considering that I didn't promote it that well and we're just back from break, not to mention it being our first meeting, I was thrilled with the crowd we got.

We started off the club with a showing of 1932's Freaks, a classic horror film that's a big favorite of mine. And as I watched it, I began to worry that this might have been a bad choice. Freaks is pure exploitation, more interested for much of its running time of playing "Hey, look at the freaks!" then telling a story or developing a plot. True, there's a lot of great scenes, and some wonderful character stuff, and a great atmosphere...but could a bunch of high schoolers sit through a meandering, slightly plotless black and white horror film that's not really even scary until the last ten minutes? And, yeah, the last ten minutes are absolutely awesome and intense, but could my kids get past the "Dude, is that a midget with a knife?" aspect of things?

I worried for nothing. The kids ended up really loving the movie, and the discussion I had planned for afterward lasted 30 minutes without breaks or lulls, with some really great input from the kids. They really enjoyed the movie and its weirdness, and displayed a passion for film that I was really excited about.

So where from here? Next on my list is the truly disastrous and awful Plan 9 from Outer Space (because I think it's more fun to illustrate what makes a good movie with a "how-NOT-to" list), then a Maltese Falcon/Blade Runner pairing which should be a lot of fun. And I'm having a passing impulse to stick American Movie in after Plan 9 for obvious reasons...

But in short, I'm really excited about this. I've always wanted to teach a film class, but I'm just not sure how feasible it is, and in many ways, this is like the fun of teaching film without any of the responsibilities. Not a bad thing at all.

So, a mixed week goes down in the books. Coming up next week:

• A college teacher takes over my class for a day
• My honors class becomes lab rats for a psych class
• I finally attend an official Rocky Horror Picture Show screening
• I get to see The Shining on the big screen
• I get to see Stanley Kubrick's first film, Fear and Desire
• I attempt to get back into working out, because my weight is sliding slowly back up...
• I hope and pray everyone stays healthy for a week

So, you know, let's see how it goes...

October 10, 2008

A few thoughts and musings brought about by this article...

Those of you who know me or read this blog are pretty aware that I don't like George W. Bush for any number of reasons, but the one that increasingly really bothers me is the way that Bush and his associates (most directly, Karl Rove) have changed the face of campaigning and politics, and not for the better.

I've complained on this blog before about how irritating it is to be a liberal in a very red state. It's not, however, because of being in a minority, or because of being stifled in conversation, although those are irritating. It's because of the abuse and vitriol that has been directed my way, both individually and collectively as a liberal, over the last eight years.

I mean, since Bush took office, I've been called a coward, an America-hater, a socialist, a communist, a moron, a terrorist, a troop-hater, unpatriotic, evil, sympathetic with 9/11 hijackers, and so on. And you know what? I'm sick of it.

But what Bush and Rove have proved is that negativity works. Well, no shit. Catering to the lowest common denominator has a long history of working, but at what cost? I think these incidents discussed in the article above are the inevitable product of this policy that leaves no name uncalled, no crime uncharged, and no personal attack unused. And the worst thing is that people have bought into it.

A friend of mine recently posted a blog entitled "Obamorons." I think the title alone explains his contempt for anyone who votes for Obama or dares to have issue with the Republican leadership. And he's not alone; perusing Facebook status reports all too often ends with criticism tossed my way willy-nilly, without a concern for the fact that there's no logic or thought behind it, just anger and hatred.

I know that politics has always been a heated and passionate affair, and I know there's a long history of personal attacks - go back and read some discussion of Lincoln for some hilarious examples. But I like to think that maybe, if the level of discourse were raised, maybe we'd rise to meet it. This certainly is the argument I wanted to make about Obama's speech about racism, and it seemed to me, in the opening stages of this campaign, that Obama and McCain might be the people who could push us to go somewhere better.

Then again, maybe not. Look at the reaction to McCain's debate discussions from Tuesday night. During the debate, McCain didn't bring up the Ayers accusations that seem to be dominating Palin's speeches as of late; instead, he focused on policy, on matters of actual importance.

The reaction from the right? Criticism for not laying into Obama with personal attacks.

Here's the thing: I actually have a lot of respect for John McCain. From 2000 to 2006, I often found myself wishing he had beaten GW in the election. It wasn't just his appearances on The Daily Show; sure, those helped, but more for what they said about McCain than anything he said. Those appearances told me that the man had a sense of humor about himself, that he was willing genuinely to reach out to people who disagreed with him, and treat them with respect and kindness.

Then, around two years ago, McCain tried for the presidency again, and he knew that the only way to win was to embrace the Rove strategy, to turn his back on his independence and honesty and toe the party line.

Has it worked? Undoubtedly. But at what cost? McCain may end up winning, but it seems to me that he's sold his soul in the process, and tarnished a character that once seemed unassailable and honorable.

I'm tired of personal attacks, and I'm tired of how Bush and Rove have shifted the debate away from policy and substance, and moved it back to personal slander and insults. But now, I'm not just tired of it, I'm not just sick of being mocked and insulted; I'm a little afraid of what they've unleashed. Is anyone really surprised that the constant push for the lowest common denominator, the incessant poking at people's fears, has resulted in this? Or that Palin, who perfectly encapsulates a lot of the worst characteristics of this movement, doesn't seem to care about what's beginning to build?

I've read that McCain has spoken out about these incidents, and tried to put a stop to them. Good; I would expect nothing less from McCain the man. But this movement has been going on for almost a decade, and I'm afraid that it may take a lot more than this to stop it. I respect McCain, but I wonder if he's not the sorcerer's apprentice here, and he's unleashed something he has no control over anymore.

By demanding ignorance, by protesting intelligence, by pushing for fear and xenophobia above substance and meaning, I worry that Bush's worst legacy may not be Iraq, or Katrina, or the economy, but rather a move further and further from the national unity right after 9/11 and back towards a splintered, fearful, bilious people - and we can't afford that anymore.

October 9, 2008

On our way home from vacation (Maria is driving as I type) - what a great week.

By and large, it's been a relaxing, really great trip. I think Maria wishes that we had had a little more time to ourselves, but I think we both agree that either way, having a few days with no parental responsibilities, no schedule, and no obligations has been very relaxing and wonderful for us both. We both definitely miss Aidan, which is part of what's making us more motivated to get home - I know Adam and Jim seemed a little confused when I said I was kind of ready to be home and be done with vacation, but it's less because I didn't enjoy vacation (I most certainly did) and more because I miss my son.

So what did we do with our trip? A lot of hanging out with Jim, Cammi, and Adam, and a lot of sight-seeing in Charleston. The hanging out was a lot of fun - we ended up doing a lot of meals together, and spent a great evening at Jim's house on Tuesday night imbibing adult beverages and playing increasingly uncoordinated games on Jim's Wii. Some fun things we learned from that night:

• Despite the fact that I look like a "squirrel," according to Cammi, I have a knack for Wii Boxing; of all the games to rack up a winning streak on, though, it would be the one that gets me exhausted, hot, and sweaty, Blech.
• Adam is apparently an idiot savant at Guitar Hero as he gets more and more intoxicated; by the time Maria and I left, he was playing expert level songs without a problem, despite having some difficulty with, you know, standing,
• If Cammi offers you a White Russian, just be aware that her dad makes his own Kahlua. It's not bad at all, but if you're unprepared for homemade Kahlua - which is much stronger than regular - it can be a bit of shock.
• Maria's amazing game of choice? Wii Bowling. I mean, 219? How insane is that?
• Wii Shoulder Injuries: Not Just a Myth.

So, yeah - a fun night.

Maria and I did have a nice time out on our own out and about Charleston, though. We went out to the Boone Hall plantation, which is a massive plantation on the outskirts of Charleston, and the one where they filmed The Notebook. SQUEEEEE! It was a beautiful set of grounds, even if the tour guides weren't all that interesting, personable, or listen-able at times. But, admittedly, it was all gorgeous. I am reminded, though, that despite my repeated claims that a lifetime of horror movies and books haven't affected me, old buildings continue to give me the jibblies. Come to think of it...the hibbly jibblies. (Mostly, I blame you, Blair Witch Project. Ten years later, and it still sticks with me...)

We also checked out the Charleston market, which is a lot like the little stands off of the French Market, except not quite as diverse and not quite as "local," but still had some cool stuff, including a wooden dinosaur we picked up for Aidan. Also nearby: a cool little winery with some excellent blackberry wine, a candy shop with lots of different gelato flavors (yum), and other miscellaneous cool little shops, nooks, and crannies.

Back to the historical aspects, though, we did quite a bit of sight-seeing throughout the city. Tuesday saw us taking a carriage ride through the city, learning cool details and feeling very poor as we looked at insanely pricey historical homes. We also made a stop at the old slave market, which has now been converted to a fascinating (if small) museum about the slave trade in Charleston, one that was filled with fascinating information.

My favorite of our tours, though, would have to be the harbor tour, which involved an hour-and-a-half ride around the harbor while our attention was directed to various landmarks, including the Civil War's starting point, Fort Sumter, as well as one of Blackbeard's coves and numerous historical buildings. It was a really relaxing and beautiful tour, one that we really enjoyed and I'd definitely recommend.

So, all in all, I definitely dug Charleston. I'd like to explore it more, but staying on the Isle of Palms kept us from exploring the town quite as much, but I definitely don't regret that. Walks on the beach, coasting waves, and almost no people: you know I definitely don't mind that.

So, Josh, any complaints? Well, I learned that really soft water is kind of disgusting feeling, leaving an almost slimy after-effect until you're dry. And I learned that the AC in our condo is purposely designed to be irritating, ineffective, and infuriating. But, regarding the former, the effects faded quickly after drying, and as for the latter? Keeping the windows open seemed to take care of that, given that we had a nice sea breeze and mostly good temperatures.

All in all, not a bad week. And I still have another week and a half until I'm back to work! (Yes, yes, I have grading to do before then. But let's not speak of that ever again.) Now, let's just see if I can make a dent in that DVR pile before I get back to the grind...

October 6, 2008

Day 1 of our Charleston/Isle of Palms vacation, and I have to say: Life is pretty great. I mean, I'm off of work for two weeks, I'm listening to the waves roll in, I got to sleep in and have a few beers last night, I got to see Jim and plan on hanging out with Adam and Jim both tonight...things could be much, much worse, you know what I mean?

The trip down was fairly uneventful, and I mean that in the best way. It was the first trip in a long time that I didn't have to listen to Diego or Clifford in the backseat, and that meant that we could listen to podcasts, including the Savage Love podcast, which is most assuredly not for listening to with Aidan around, all the way down in silence. Definitely a long trip - almost nine hours - but factor in me getting to read a book and Maria getting to listen to interesting discussions, and it didn't seem as long.

Of course, none of that means that we're not missing Aidan. Far from it, in fact. (A fun note, by the way: when you take your first trip without your child, your wife will not think it's funny when, 6 hours in, you look in the backseat and yell "OH SHIT! WE LEFT AIDAN AT HOME!" Just a handy note.) Maria's been more emotional than I have; I have the advantage of having taken a couple of trips before without him, so I've done this. (Of course, it didn't help that the book I read on the way down, Thud!, features a recurring thread about a father who ensures that he's home at six o'clock every day to read to his child, and has at least one powerful scene where he might not make it...let's just say that reading that on this trip may have been a dumb idea. I mean, it didn't help that it kept getting dusty in the car, and my eyes got all watery...) Maria, on the other hand...well, the only night she's spent away from him was the night when we were both so sick with the flu that we couldn't get off the couch, so I don't think that that evening counts really, you know? So she's been a little emotional for the trip, but mostly doing okay.

Aidan, from what we could tell last night, is doing fine. I mean, he's hanging out with Memaw, playing and seeing his cousins - how does it get any better?

Anyways, all in all, life is not too bad. The condo where we're staying is nice enough - a little small, but nice in general. And while we might not be right on the beach, we're close enough to be able to hear it, and be able to walk there within two minutes, so it's more than close enough to be able to get the atmosphere and noise of the ocean. Right now, for instance, I'm sitting on the couch in the living room area, listening to the ocean and birds, and am pretty damn relaxed.

The plan for the next few days? No plan, and that's the best news of all. We hung out with Jim and Cammi last night at a local bar; had a burger and a few beers, and had a good time. Today, we're considering seeing Charleston, or maybe the island, or maybe friends...but all in all, there's nothing concrete, and that makes me happier than anything else right now.