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Oct. 13th, 2005
If you can stomach medical TMI, take a look at this photo - the author of that blog had a mastectomy a couple of days ago, and that's what it looks like.
I'm not including the picture to ram the reality of breast cancer down anyone's throat - doG knows, enough people reading this have been exposed to breast cancer in one way or another. Nor is this an injunction to slap a pink ribbon on your car or do your monthly breast check, because I think we all know better by now (except maybe me - I always forget my self-exam. Someone slap me upside the head, please?)
No, I link to the picture to remind myself that those of us with loved ones who have survived (or sadly sometimes not) a mastectomy don't often know how extensive the damage is, or how radical and invasive the surgery can be. My mother had breast cancer when I was in high school, and my own stupid teenage dramas combined with the fact that to all outward appearances she was fine (she didn't even lose her hair during chemotherapy) kept me from realizing for many years just how very bad it was. I never saw her scars and even when she was sick from the chemo she usually recuped while I was at school, and everything seemed so normal.
She still sees her onocologist (sp?) at least once a year and though she's never had a remission, I know it could happen, or at least I know it intellectually.
Not much else to add except to note what a selfish brat I was when I was 15. I really didn't get it, and I'm not sure I do now - maybe it's just a comfortable self-delusion NOT to.
I'm not including the picture to ram the reality of breast cancer down anyone's throat - doG knows, enough people reading this have been exposed to breast cancer in one way or another. Nor is this an injunction to slap a pink ribbon on your car or do your monthly breast check, because I think we all know better by now (except maybe me - I always forget my self-exam. Someone slap me upside the head, please?)
No, I link to the picture to remind myself that those of us with loved ones who have survived (or sadly sometimes not) a mastectomy don't often know how extensive the damage is, or how radical and invasive the surgery can be. My mother had breast cancer when I was in high school, and my own stupid teenage dramas combined with the fact that to all outward appearances she was fine (she didn't even lose her hair during chemotherapy) kept me from realizing for many years just how very bad it was. I never saw her scars and even when she was sick from the chemo she usually recuped while I was at school, and everything seemed so normal.
She still sees her onocologist (sp?) at least once a year and though she's never had a remission, I know it could happen, or at least I know it intellectually.
Not much else to add except to note what a selfish brat I was when I was 15. I really didn't get it, and I'm not sure I do now - maybe it's just a comfortable self-delusion NOT to.
fistful of linkage
Oct. 13th, 2005 06:02 pmLooks like I missed John Peel Day, but at least BBC has the track listings.
Stolen from![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
betnoir's Serenity thread: Serenity in 2000 Words or Less. Screamingly funny if you've seen the movie, spoil-o-rama if you've not ("there are people who've not seen Serenity?" I hear the fanpeeps peeping)...
Last but not least, plugging versions of my various names into this thing suggests that I should be a Top Gun Pilot, Litter Warden, princess, and Mime Artist. Makes for a hell of a resume!
Stolen from
betnoir's Serenity thread: Serenity in 2000 Words or Less. Screamingly funny if you've seen the movie, spoil-o-rama if you've not ("there are people who've not seen Serenity?" I hear the fanpeeps peeping)...Last but not least, plugging versions of my various names into this thing suggests that I should be a Top Gun Pilot, Litter Warden, princess, and Mime Artist. Makes for a hell of a resume!
poking people with pointy things
Oct. 13th, 2005 10:12 pmI did well at fencing tonight, but, doG, I had to work for it:
- disengage, not fruitless stabbing to the same line
- keeping distance so I have room to disengage
- disengage, disengage, and did I mention disengage?
A. broke a blade on me - I'm fine, and he's going to have to replace the blade, but I asked him to keep the broken one - when/if I ever do get around to making a fencing doublet I need something to test the materials for safety.
I lost the rubber safety tip on my foil and will need to replace it before next week. I've got a bunch of them but evidently they need to be boiled to soften them up and actually get them on the blade - rather like dental guards for sports. So, I'm cooking up plastic tips this weekend :P
I am cautiously contemplating getting an electric starter set if I pass my statistics class. I've been borrowing A.'s electric stuff for ~2 years now, and having a set would assure me I could fence at almost any club I might visit (because you never know....). If I do I will almost certainly replace the blade on this kit with a Triplette one - I'm used to them and pleased with them, and they're stiff enough that they won't do the dreaded "flick" action!
Re: "what's a flick?": flicking is the act of scoring a touch by making a whipping motion with the blade. It's bad form and bears no relation to what you'd use a "real" sword for, so I don't personally care for it. My form has suffered enough and I don't need more opportunities to decline :/
And I have declined in form/function. I got in early enough to watch the intermediate class drill and I can see that my motions are far wider than they need to be and I'm not using distance to my advantage. I don't want to just plateau, I want to improve!
- disengage, not fruitless stabbing to the same line
- keeping distance so I have room to disengage
- disengage, disengage, and did I mention disengage?
A. broke a blade on me - I'm fine, and he's going to have to replace the blade, but I asked him to keep the broken one - when/if I ever do get around to making a fencing doublet I need something to test the materials for safety.
I lost the rubber safety tip on my foil and will need to replace it before next week. I've got a bunch of them but evidently they need to be boiled to soften them up and actually get them on the blade - rather like dental guards for sports. So, I'm cooking up plastic tips this weekend :P
I am cautiously contemplating getting an electric starter set if I pass my statistics class. I've been borrowing A.'s electric stuff for ~2 years now, and having a set would assure me I could fence at almost any club I might visit (because you never know....). If I do I will almost certainly replace the blade on this kit with a Triplette one - I'm used to them and pleased with them, and they're stiff enough that they won't do the dreaded "flick" action!
Re: "what's a flick?": flicking is the act of scoring a touch by making a whipping motion with the blade. It's bad form and bears no relation to what you'd use a "real" sword for, so I don't personally care for it. My form has suffered enough and I don't need more opportunities to decline :/
And I have declined in form/function. I got in early enough to watch the intermediate class drill and I can see that my motions are far wider than they need to be and I'm not using distance to my advantage. I don't want to just plateau, I want to improve!