I'd rather stick needles in my eyes, not

Mun Mun went to another eye specialist today who thinks Mun Mun has a rare condition called punctate inner choroidopathy, which I guess is part of a spectrum of disorders called Multiple Evanescent White Dot Syndrome (MEWDS). What is it with my family and rare diseases that only 1 in 100,000 people get?

The doctor is going to track the blob in my eye. I may have to get an injection of steroids in my eyeball to make the inflammation go down at some point. If it comes to that, bring on the Valium.

There was little boy ahead of me when I was waiting to get blood drawn to see if I have West Nile Virus or some shit. The boy was screaming his head off for about 15 minutes while they were trying to pin him down to draw his blood. He screamed that he wanted to get his lollipop and go home. I could relate.

Two Great Toys That Play Great Together

My in-laws have bought the perfect pair of toys. They have an off-road version of the Segway and own a couple of remote control airplanes. That way when they fly the toy airplane and it crash-lands far away, they can just jump on the Segway and retrieve it.

I got to ride the Segway yesterday at a family reunion and it was fun!

I have so many nieces under two years of age all of a sudden.

Fluorescent Pee

Mun Mun had a medical procedure today where they injected dye into my blood, so they could take pictures of the veins in my eyeballs. I turned away when they injected the dye and didn't see what color it was. I was surprised later when I went to the bathroom and the pee was highlighter-pen yellow. You could have dyed Easter eggs in that pee it was so yellow.

It turns out the blob in Mun Mun's eyeball that is screwing up Mun Mun's vision has gotten smaller. So, I may not be going blind after all.

Wouldn't it be nice if one could just expect one's body to go on being healthy?

Not Mun Mun's Week

Mun Mun has suddenly lost some vision in left eye. Doctors are testing. What is wrong with Mun Mun???!!! Might be Mun Mun going blind, or has an infection, or even has parasite. Mun Mun suspects toxoplasmosis. Mun Mun's life surrounds cleaning cat litter.

Trails

A favorite new hangout of TK and me is Trails Cafe in Griffith Park. I went there last Wednesday when I got out unexpectedly early from a CPR and defibrillator class I was taking for work. On the way up there were two coyotes brazenly walking around in broad daylight, unbeknownst to two sunbathers a few yards away.

After a delightful ice coffee at Trails, I decided to take a little hike up a trail I had not been on before. I noticed a lot of men hanging around solo that gave me the creeps. On one nook of the trail there was a guy lurking behind a tree smoking when I walked up and on the way back.

I found out later some of the Griffith Park trails are gay cruising areas. Someone I know has actually come upon people having sex on one of these trails that was littered with amyl nitrate poppers. As long as nobody's going to pounce on a female, I guess I don't care. It's a weird vibe though. It reminded me of walking around red light areas of Amsterdam and seeing creepy men on the prowl.

Chocolate now a vitamin?

When I was a kid I used to pretend my M&M's were prescription pills. I wasn't far off base.

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/cocoa-vitamin-health-benefits-could-outshine-penicillin-12768.html

Dear Tokey...

My friend "Sundiver" has a fun, new drug (and drinking) etiquette advice column. You should submit a question gentle readers!

The moment I became a Cher fan

Around the late 1980's, I saw Diane Sawyer interview Cher on TV. At the time, Cher was in the gossip magazines because she was dating a younger man, Robert Camilletti. I believe Diane Sawyer was already married to Mike Nichols at that point. I didn't know a lot about Cher, but I knew she had experienced a lot in her life, including marriage, motherhood, many different relationships, long-time independence, and career highs and lows. At a certain point in the interview, Diane Sawyer asked some questions about Robert Camilletti. Then, there was this exchange:

Diane Sawyer (bright eyed): So, is he...the One?!

Cher stared at Sawyer wearily for a prolonged moment.

Cher: You know, I really expected more from you.

I don't remember how the rest of the interview went, but Cher earned my deep respect that day. I can't watch Diane Sawyer on TV without thinking of that dumbfuck question. It just doesn't seem right to ask such a thing of an old soul, such as Cher.

AFI reject: 100 Flicks 100 Trips

Mun Mun's husband's best friend works at the American Film Institute where they have put out various fun movie lists, such as 100 Years 100 Cheers: the 100 Most Inspiring Films of All Time and 100 Years, 100 Movie Quotes.

Mun Mun made a suggestion for a list, but apparently AFI is giving up the lists soon. Here's my idea:

100 Flicks 100 Trips

The hundred most surreal moments in American film

Nominees

1. Salvador Dali dream sequence - Spellbound
2. Brainwashing/garden party - Manchurian Candidate
3.Bathroom becomes torture chamber - Head
4. Jack Nicholson in red bar room - The Shining
5. Tracking through the woods - Evil Dead 2
6. Zoom in, dolly out on Roy Scheider's face - Jaws
7. Ghouls thrashing - Jacob's Ladder
8. Talking trees - Wizard of Oz
9. Closet door opening repeatedly - Patty Hearst
9. Erasing memories - Flash Gordon
10. Everyone looks like John Malkovich - Being John Malkovich
11. River sequence - Night of the Hunter
12. The mirror becomes liquid - Donnie Darko
13. In heaven everything is fine dance from Eraserhead
14. Circus Circus scene from Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas
15. Brooms carrying water in the Sorceror's Apprentice - Fantasia
16. Cantina scene - Star Wars
17. Cereal falling in slow motion on boy - Mysterious Skin
18. Typewriter bug - Naked Lunch
19. Large Marge - Pee Wee's Big Adventure
20 Baby old man - 2001
21. Pink elephants - Dumbo
22.Replicant workshop with little Prussian soldier - Blade Runner
23. Fight scenes - Matrix
24. Rollerskating guys with one beard from 5000 fingers of Dr. T.
25. Talking fish from the Road to Utopia.

Can you think of any more nominees? Maybe I need to consult the Psychotronic Film Guide. I guess more science fiction and horror films could go on this list.

Your Natural Selection At Work

Morning Dove,
originally uploaded by hearman.

A few years ago at my old apartment, before I had cats, a mourning dove built a nest in the window box on my porch and laid an egg. It was lovely having it there. However, one morning I woke up to total carnage; feathers and nest scattered everywhere, egg gone. Either a cat or a raccoon got it.

The past couple of days, outside my new place with TK, a mourning dove has been hanging out on a low wall. I am hearing that chirpy sound mourning doves make when they fly over and over. It's probably building a nest on the wall, goddamnit. Stupid bird. My cats are indoors, but there are about four outdoor cats that live here.