Randman's World

Yeah, seems that when your child gets sick, you're going to get sick. So, I now have Charlie's illness, whatever it is. 100+ temp, weary, etc.

While I was on the road last week, I actually got to see a movie. Having a 2 year old at home really cuts into our movie watching time, as we have only seen one in the past year.

I went to see Mission Impossible III. Yes, I'm sick of Tom Cruise, yes, he's an idiot who has no grasp on real life, but I've enjoyed the other movies, and heard great reviews. Plus, I've enjoyed Alias, and MI:III was written and directed by J.J. Abrams, the creator of Alias.

When the movie ended, I was tickled, in a fan boy type of way. The entire film was about a MacGuffin, the rabbit's foot. So much so that they included a line of dialog at the end where the purposely don't say what the rabbit's foot is. They left it a MacGuffin.

I would hope that this was a tribute to Hitchcock's use of the MacGuffin in so many of his films. I enjoyed the movie, but particulary enjoyed this aspect of it.

Came across this today. In 1969, President Nixon proposed cutting the funding to start the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in half, from 20 million to 10 million. Fred Rogers appeared in front of a senate campaign to testify to keep the funding in place. He testified in front of Senator John O. Pastore, democrat from Rhode Island. Pastore starts off very gruff, but by the time Mr. Rogers is done with him, he's a little puppy.

I just found this to be so sweet, seeing the love that Fred Rogers had for children, even back in 1969, and how it won over a hard as nails senator.

I just returned from Palm Springs area on an investigation (actually stayed in Palm Desert, but same thing.) We had a dishonest employee set up his own propane company, and steal our assets to run it.

We (the general manager and myself) spent the week out there, driving around trying to find our propane tanks installed at customers houses, identifying and photographing them. To say Palm Springs gets a bit warm in the summer is an understatement.



We found the stash of our tanks. Several were repainted, and ready to go. Several still had our logos on them.

Apparently, one evening, we ventured into an area that we shouldn't have. Several "undocumented workers" approached our car. I waved at them, not stopping, and drove off.


At first, we thought we had been shot at, because that's what it sounded like. But, after we got out of there, and checked to make sure we weren't being followed, we checked the back seat and found a heavy pocket knife in the back seat.

Long story short, I got another rental car (after some explanation), interviewed our employee, got the confession, and got out of there. Flew the red eye back to KC, and spent the weekend with my son, who I swear grew while I was gone. I got home at about 1:30 a.m. My headlights in the driveway apparently woke Charlie up. When I peeked my head into his room, I heard the sweetest little voice say "Dada!"

As an update on the vertigo episode, I did some research, and found out that it's my Menier's Disease causing the problems. As a matter of fact, it's textbook Menier's. So, looks like I'll deal with this the rest of my life. Oh well. I found this quote (on the linked website) particularly accurate in describing the Menier's "Attack"

Most normal individuals probably cannot appreciate the devastating impact of this condition. Most of us are familiar with mild forms of vertigo or dizziness (from fair rides, excessive alcohol consumption, etc.). If you haven't recently experienced vertigo, try the following experiment (in a large open space, on a soft surface such as grass). Take hold of a heavy object at arms length (my son recommends a school backpack full of books) and spin around, leaning slightly backwards to balance the bag. Spin around 10-20 times at a rate of about 2 revolutions /second. Alternatively, if you don't want to injure yourself by falling over, sit in an "executive" swivel chair and have someone spin you around as fast as they can without the chair becoming unstable, for 20-30 seconds. In both these cases, you will experience rotatory vertigo for a few seconds when you stop rotating. You will have the sensation you are still spinning, your eyes will exhibit nystagmus (a beating from side to side) and if you continue, you may experience nausea.

Based on this experience, you now partially understand the problem. There are additional factors which the patient must deal with. One is that their vertigo may last from hours to days, compared with the few seconds you experienced. With the brief episode you experienced, the vertigo declined quickly with time. For a patient, the vertigo may be sustained, or even increase in intensity over a few hours. Another difficulty the patient may have is that the vertigo can be made worse by "external" stimuli, such as head movements or loud sounds. Even TVs and radios may have to be avoided.

It should also be considered that in this exercise, you had control over your situation and you knew you could stop when you wanted. You also knew that you would be fine tomorrow. The Meniere's patient has to deal with a lack of control of their situation, except for the limited control provided by taking anti-vertiginous drugs. Even when the symptoms have passed, they must face the stress and uncertainty of when the next episode will occur, and whether it will be more or less severe than previous ones. It is generally true that most people underestimate how disruptive episodic rotatory vertigo can be to an individual's life.

Yesterday, at about 11:40 a.m., I got hit with a round of intense vertigo. The entire world was spinning, and slightly sloped down to the right. I was somehow able to drive myself to the doctor's office (an accomplishment that I should not have undertaken, and one if I try again, my wife and in-laws have promised to whomp me).

I sat out in the parking lot for about 20 minutes, laying down in the car, hoping for the spinning to stop. It didn't. So, I finally decided to try to walk into the doctors office. BIG MISTAKE. Needless to say, the nausea caught up with me, and I began quickly regretting the Enormous Omlette Sandwhich I had for breakfast.

After a few rounds, I made it inside, and the nurses came and got me, took me into a room, where I layed on a bed for about 30 minutes, sweating and shivering. It was lunch time, and the doctors were out. Thanksfully, Dr. Kanne came back and treated me. I got a shot of stuff to stop the nausea (although I'm quite sure it was just gasoline they injected in my butt. That stuff hurt). Then, some valium, which is apparently the best stuff to stop the inner ear nerves from firing wrong information to the brain.

My darling wife came and picked me up, and took me home. But, on the way out of the room, while I was in a wheelchair, it hit again, and I think my stomach travelled back in time to find things to throw up, because I was sure everything was gone on the first round.

At home, I layed down, went to sleep, and woke up a few hours later, stoned out of my gord, but no dizziness.

Unfortunately, I had to call off my performance at Comedycity last night. I felt really bad about doing that, but there was just no way I could do anything. I should make it tonight, though.

As for the 23 year record I mentioned . . . I had not thrown up in 23 years. The last time was my freshman year of college, when I drank an entire pint of Southern Comfort in less than an hour with my friend Mike Ploof. I had not thrown up since. But, alas, yesterday, my streak was broken. All records must fall.

Today, I'm better. Still a bit of a valium hangover, and sore stomach muscles, but I'll live.

Well, it's back on the road for a week in southern California. We have a bad employee doing bad things, and I have to go catch him doing it. So, it's a week away from the family. Not happy about that, but it comes with the job.

But, my wife scored big time with my birthday present. She bought a Garmin Quest GPS system. Man, will that come in handy while driving around L.A., and out into the desert. I've been playing with it around here, and it's pretty darned accurate. It talks to you, tells you where to turn, and even reroutes you if you screw up. Pretty sweet.

Tonight and Tomorrow are Monkeys with Handgrenades. I've been gone for several months while I was working with the church improv group (who did their first show and rocked the joint, in the most Christian manner, of course). I don't have any of my plays in this month, but at least next week will give me the opportunity to write while I'm on the road. I write my best stuff while I'm bored in a hotel room.

Tomorrow, I turn 41. In many ways, I don't feel 41. In many ways, I do.

Trying to keep up with Charlie - Feel 41
Playing with Charlie at the park - Don't Feel 41

My Career - Feel 41
My Improv Hobby - Don't Feel 41

Going to Walt Disney World - Don't Feel 41
Paying for Walt Disney World - Feel 41

Kim has promised me a birthday present that will "knock my socks off". I've irritated her so many times in the past by guessing my presents that this year, I'm not really trying to guess. I'm messing with her a bit, but I'll let it be a surprise.

41. 41. 41.

This is the last year that I'll have been illegal to drink longer than I've been legal to drink.

I've been driving 5 more years than half my life.

I've been married more than 1/3 of my life.

The soonest I will be a grandfather will be when I'm 57 (and hopefully, closer to 60).

I've already paid in more social security than I'll ever get out.

41.

This is the first year that smaller roman numerals surrond a larger roman numeral in displaying my age.

41.

Time for a mid-life crisis. How much is a new Mustang?

This is for the new Phillips/Norelco Bodygroom. Without a doubt, this is one of the best website campaigns I've ever seen. I laughed my {{BEEP}} off watching it.

(NOTICE: This site discusses a sensitive subject, so be aware up front)

He may have serious morning hair, but it's a very funny video. Beat box, video editing style.

Deal or No Deal is now online. Granted, you're not risking real money, and there are no beautiful women holding briefcases, but it's still interesting.



Click to Play Deal Or No Deal

We made it back from our trip to San Francisco. We had really good trip, and I couldn't have been prouder of Charlie. He behaved so well on the long plane rides. Several people came up to us in baggage claim and told us how good he was. He had a total of about 10 minutes of unhappy behavior on the entire flight. Mostly, he looked out the window, slept, played with the window shade, played cars, ate goldfish crackers, and read books.

We got to San Francisco, where Kim's cousin Rick met us. He was a great host, and made sure that we got to do anything we wanted. We drove over to Kim's Uncle Gale's house, to visit with him. To say that his house is beautiful is an understatement (click on the photos to really truly see how nice the house and yard is).

Uncle Gale's backyard is like a park. He landscaped it beautifully, including a creek bed, lemon tree, bridge, and other beautiful additions. Charlie loved the backyard, and spent most of his time out there, going up and down the deck stairs.




We traveled to the Oakland Zoo, which was fun. Charlie rode the Merry-Go-Round, although he didn't really seem to enjoy it that much. He did calm down once it started up, and then seemed to "tolerate" it.

We also visted downtown San Francisco, and did some of the touristy stuff. We went to Pier 39, and got a picture of Charlie in front of Alcatraz, where his grandpa Charlie worked.
And, of course, the most photographed sign in the country. And took a trip to the Golden Gate Bridge, for another postcard type photograph. We'll probably send this one back to Russia on one of our post placement reports, just to show everywhere Charlie has been.

Needless to say, the time change, plus the traveling and touring took it's toll on Charlie most evenings.


Charlie liked Uncle (actually Cousin) Rick a lot, and they had a grand time playing in the backyard.


Overall, the trip was great. And, according to Charlie, it was lots of fun.

We're off to California, to visit Kim's relatives near San Francisco. Not sure how Charlie will do on this flight. He's changed so much since his first flight home, so I'm really a bit nervous about his having to sit on our laps for 3 1/2 hours. We'll have to wait and see.

I've rejoined Monkey's with Handgrenades. It was good to see everyone, and get back in the process. It's a fun show.

The group at church that I have been directing will have their first improv show on Friday, May 12, at 7:30 p.m. They've chosen the name, "On The Spot". It should be a lot of fun.

Lastly, here is a link to a video clip that I'm sure has been around a long time, but it's something I just discovered. It's a computer animated Neil Peart playing drums to YYZ from Rush. It's pretty cool.

UPDATE: They have posted a teaser trailer for Casino Royale, the new Bond flick. I'm still unconvinced on this Daniel Craig guy. He just doesn't look like Bond.