Fixin' things

For those of you who've follow the saga of my foot, things came to a ,er ah, head this past weekend. I finally went into the emergency room, even though I have no funds. To make matters short, I've had an infection in the foot called cellulitus. It wasn't broken, nor did I have a circulatory problem, it was infected and the infection started to go up my leg. I first got an antibiotic, but I had such a negative reaction to that (some of the worst few hours I've ever had!) I went back to the ER. This time I had IV antibiotic, and am now taking a different one. It will take 3 days to see if it has fixed things totally, but I do notice the swelling is down. I am still quite drained, and am still in bathroom most of the day, but I'm drinking juices like mad,so hopefully, all will be well. I even found a good social worker who will help with the healthcare to pay for this.

Much thanks to Camie, LK, and M.Morrow for their much appreciated goading and support. You're the best of the best...

Now if I could just sleep...

Favorite Ginger Ad of the Moment

Movie Stars plug products -- always have, always will. But why the accordion maker thought the dancer would sell accordions....we'll never know.

Linkage for You!

I love finding new links, either through different feeder sites, or just stumbling across them on my own. So, let me pass along a few I hope you like!

Cool Food Blog: Tigers & Strawberries.

Wanna know about every snack food known to man?: Taquitos!

As a general purpose food review site, Chowhound is like riding a wave of questions, and responses about food. I love just watching the topics and posts fly by!

For those of you here in the US who want to bring back the Pure Funk of '70's basketball, there is no better site than Remember the ABA.

I grew up with a cartoon magazine about cars called CarTOONS....and, of course, there's a site about it.

Need to know about Soviet Calculators? Here ya go!

It hasn't been edited in 13 years, but if you need to know how to make a blowtorch out of a Strawberry Pop Tart, this is where you go.

Need an agent?

A really cool blog by a woman who drives a cab in New York. She now has a book coming too! Excellent writer!

Is that guy dead or not? Find out here!

The Mother Lode of Audrey Hepburn knowledge!

More pearls as I find them...

A splendid time was had!

While Camie was having the cool breakfast, the Stuffing household was preparing for the Pistons-Bulls Game 6 tong war! Cable is lacking now-a-days in la maison du fluff, but LK in Seattle sent us her rabbit ears which got us some mighty snow reception for local Pistons coverage. LK herself called with here time-delayed ESPN coverage blow-by-blow commentaries. Linda W. (know to Camie and I as "Linder") was coming by after work, around 9:30, Mike M. stopped by with videos and snappy comebacks (we seranaded LK with our duet of the Patty Duke Theme Music), and Mike P. finished his radio show, heard our ruckus and came downstairs from the back apartment, so the house was rockin'! Fortunately, Linder showed up with a $5 pizza, and an icepack for my foot. I told her if she were also wearing an evening gown while frying bacon she'd be the perfect woman....

There's little that can match 4 screamers at the TV and a long-distance call to boot for sheer entertainment...Mike M. fiddled with the short cable for the rabbit ears, but lacking an F-to-F connector (an "Indigo Girls" connector, he calls it) we could only go so far, but we did get color.

We finally cast the Bulls back to the hell-pits whence they came, and we probably get to duke it out with Bron-Bron from Cleveland, but hey, maybe Jersey! 5 straight Eastern Conference Finals for this crew of 'stons; Mighty Damn Impressive.

Lilacs

Here we have the prime view of the lilac bush that runs parallel to my house. It's May, and they're in bloom.


This is the view directly opposite my bedroom window.
And here we have the view across the street, looking into a portion of a golf course.


The lilacs won't last long, and I thought I'd share them before they go.

2 down, 1 to go

As regular readers of Fluffy Stuffin know, we having nothing but the bestest, deepest love for all of Family Vog over at Perfect Blue Buildings. Today, if you go and check it out, is a great series of milestones of accomplishment there -- a new home, Baby Vog, new wheels even! These are sublimely cool events, and in months to come, will get the support and care of us Fluffsters in all things cool....
But this is a post to show by comparisons, where the House of Fluff is at. Things aint too good.
In many ways, I'm getting overwhelmed here, much the same way Camie was last year. And now I'm having difficulties with my foot which makes things even worse. I have been in this state for a long time, and I'm sick to death of it.

I wanted to mention specifics here, but I find I can't do it. It's just all too touchy right now; I'm a roil of a variety of feelings and those feelings are keeping me from acting as best I can. But something that is different and positive is that I'm slugging through things a lot better. A few years ago I actually had some temporary respite financially, but I wasn't acting on that! That's because my mind was not in that good place it should have been, which just goes to show how bad things have been for a very long time. The base of the change from then to now, is really Camie, and being able to help with The Little Man as he has been growing up. They are as much family as I have ever known.

There are many, many problems remaining, but with love and support I will work through them as best as I can. Maybe next year a house of my own.

Sinko de Mayo

Ok, I did this yesterday....just like I was supposed to...


...and what? What happens? It's been a day...does Pancho Villa come down the chimney? Are there presents under the cactus tree?

Man, what a ripoff holiday...

Meanwhile, back in Dealey plaza...

Check it out!

It's not every day you find a Texas School Book Depository Building just the right size for my Lego re-creation of the Zapruder film! This is, of course, after I amass the huge quantity of Pez heads needed to reshoot Triumph of the Will!

(BTW, I love how in the Wikipedia article, Mick Jagger tells Leni Reifenstahl at his wedding that he's seen Triumph at least 15 times...What is Leni Reifenstahl doing at Mick Jagger's wedding?)

This place is really cool if you're into building models;
I want the Empire State Building -- with Blimp!

This place is just way cool also!

HobbleJones McGurk

Ok, the foot has bothered me into trying to take some kind of action. I think we will have another go at trying to lose a few of the excess pounds of Me, so we can at least take some of the gravity pressure off. As to how I'm going to do this...well, I plan on getting a stationary bike AND a recliner! The stationary bike has to be just so, and I do like Camie's which is a recumbant. This is what I would prefer. Does any of y'all have a lead on such a thing, as cash around here is as rare as eyebrows on eggs. The recliner serves another purpose. Ideally, it should be able to get the foot above my chest, minor experiments with here, have been successful. Another purpose is that there is no truly comfy furniture here at Fluffy Central, and this would be a first. Diet is another issue which I will work through, but in a way, that should be easier.

The key may be my ability to keep a positive tone about the process. For the most part, past efforts were grim affairs, which frankly were doomed to failure. Nor will scare tactics help the process. No, I've got to want to do this, and keep doing 6 months from now. I am intrigued by the prospect, and will rely on my friendly readers for support.

AL: Plot Concept -- The Band

In Almost Lynched the constant sub theme, besides Frank's development, is what happens to the band over the course of the film. The short answer is: Not much good. They eventually break up (duh!), and after trying to change styles -- What if CSNY went Glam? or Punk? -- they fall apart airing their idiotic childish grievances, as if they were the "cause" of the bands breakup, when they are really the end after effects. But in this film, failure isn't as evil and harsh as it might be in other venues. There are always comebacks, if you ever built a fan base to begin with. You can usually find some ground to work with some members of the band in some way. Hell, even Paul and John had moments of non hatred. Paul and George even held on briefly to work in 1994-5. The great lesson that Frank could have learned from hanging out with the band is that you can be a total fuck up and somehow have everything still work out. He never gets that. Many of us don't!

Sunday Morning Tableaux

First: pot of coffee, near the end of the Trader Joe's French Roast. Must somehow get some from Porto Rico coffee in NYC, while their sale is on! (first pound is $0.85!) with cream and sugar, Before and After Science playing in the background.

Second, hashbrowns with onion and a lot of black pepper, topped with a fried egg, well, ok two fried eggs, each loaded up with hot sauce, mucho slices of bacon, (baked in the oven!), sourdough toast. A ginger scone for later, as a digestivo! It's too early for grappa...

Third, That Darn Interweb. It used to be the Sunday Times, at first just reading above the fold, but plowing through most everything. Now, blogs, blogs blogs! It may be a good idea to organize my blog bookmarks that way: "Above the fold/ below the fold." Were I not a lardy carcass, I'd do that; as it is, I assign it to my Invisible Personal Assistant to do for me.

Fourth, sunshine? Eh, maybe...

Fifth, writing. Oh, yeah baby...

Find what bliss you can on this, the day of freedom from your corporate masters.

Don't worry, I ain't ferget ya!

Sorry about not posting for a bit, but it's been a mess of small things holding me up, most of them not so good.
To wit:

I've again been having trouble sleeping, which this time is leading to panic attacks that last all night and into the morning. These are terrible; I feel like a leaf in the wind, and just trying to calm down is difficult.

My left foot is sort of swollen and sore. Every answer for 'why' I bet won't cheer me up.

I'm running around doing a lot of small tasks to try to make sure I'm not thrown out of the house at the end of the month. So far, only about 25% good. Panic sets in.

My lungs are having a very hard time breathing, and they hurt in a raspy way, such that I have zero breath. I feel like I'm a 100 year old man.

But still....All this writing about AL has gotten me to start writing scenes, and filling out the plot more this week. That and watching all my Kubrick movies.

When I'm not panicking, I'm oddly centered. I think this is because I've been making a lot of efforts to connect to people lately, and these have tended to be women with small children, whom I'm enjoying more as I get older. I've also been a help to people lately, and have had some help come my way as well (Camie's futon!)

I've actually had 3 interviews this last week; not a job yet, but this is more progress than I would have thought.

Except for the lungs and the foot, I feel surprisingly good, physically! I've seen this in myself before. Once I can clear up the lung problems somehow, I get quite a bit of good energy.

I have to get The Little Man a birthday present soon...suggestions?

Send what vibes you can.

AL: Characters -- The Women

I find it interesting that the only person who really changes over the course of AL is Frank, and this change is not in a good way. The two major female leads think that they can interact with Frank and transform themselves through this interaction, but this does not become true. They both underestimate how much they determine their own fates, through their own actions, and not through what might be called a traditional female "supportive" role.

Eva, in particular, is a person who is stuck in a particular moment. It's as if achieving a personal "nirvana" means that's it, you'll not need to change anymore. Eva senses that she will fall behind the times soon, and thinks Frank is a 'divining rod' for the future, but Eva will see that 1.) he is not, and 2.) she still likes the self she has established so she couldn't get rid of her defining traits.

Evil Mrs. Partridge, (EMP) despite constantly hanging around artists, doesn't really like them. She hasn't seen one whom she doesn't think is either slow-witted or gullible, which are terms that arouse a lot of disgust in her. She realizes that Frank is neither of those and yet, she perceives his artistic temperment, and latches onto him in an effort to create a more sensitively attuned version of herself. She can't grasp that Frank may have a sensitive sense of perception, but this doesn't make him any more caring about others than she is.

Still more to come about these two.

Transition

So, I was doing the dishes, using the very end of a bottle of soap, and having to use quite a bit of it to cut through the grease I had in a pan, when I broke down and opened up a new bottle of the soap, same kind, and this new bottle? It really worked, much better than the old one, and I had to use only a fraction of it for much better cleaning. Not too mention that nice apple scent! But it got me to thinking; do even our cleaning products weary of things? Are they bored at a certain point, and just phoning it in? Yeah, yeah, science, I know. But perhaps ennui sets in in your Palmolive, and it would tell you about it -- like you'd listen! -- but it knows the end is coming soon and it bravely suffers in silence... Would a soap named Weltschmerz sell to arty types? Could be a market!

Camie's Getting Married Today!!!!

Today, of all days, my best friend Camie Vog (and Mr. Vog) are getting married! Geez, I had to write this down because I can barely believe it myself! L'incroyable! What are there like, only a few of those crucial life markers to worry about, Birth, Death, Marriage, stuff like that? Hell, the House of Vog has two of those in the last month or so!! Old Hat really, how can the encore compete? Well, perhaps if the Fluffster scores one or so we can celebrate those then. Make no mistake, though; these are the good times and we should savor them better than any wine you'll ever drink.

So if you love Camie as we here at Fluffy Stuffin' do, go on over to her blog, and give it up! Don't hold back! Say great things, things you and everyone who reads it should remember the rest of the day! There aren't a lot of these days, days where you actually encouraged to say your heart of hearts praises, sing 'em if you must, make 'em rhyme, make 'em crazy, obscene, delightful, personally yours, just be, as the Manolo says, SuperFantastic!

It's Friday -- to hell with work. Do this!

See the little yellow sliver? That's you. Don't fall off. Have a good weekend!

Yeah...that's about right!

Over at sweet Cynnie's she was running one of those quiz thingies...But rather than just put my answer up here, I tried one about answering this question:

What is the best trait of your perfect girl?

Intelligence Intelligence is most important in a girlfriend. You like to be able to talk about everything that is on your mind, and if your partner can't keep up, well, you know. You are very attracted to someone who can challenge you, and make you see things in a whole new way. Take this quiz at QuizGalaxy.com

I throw myself on the mercy of the blog populi!

It's Monday. Get back to work!

Do not doubt for one second that Sparky Godzilla here is unaware that you are probably asleep at your desk this morning. He's coming over to your office to A.) describe a fish he caught this weekend, B.) Brag yet again about his sexual prowess compared to yours, or C.) Consume your very soul with his razor sharp fangs that are designed to improve workgroup productivity. No matter how you slice it, thus begins another hellish week!

AL: Characters -- Frank.

One of the things I like about the central character of Frank is that he is the only character really internally driven. Everyone else is driven by what they do in life; Frank, by what's in his head. Have you ever met someone who has a remarkably clear set of life goals, but who is never happy? No matter what they accomplish, it always turns out to disappoint them. This constant disappointment never, I repeat never, causes them to think the problem may be them. Here is how they learn how evil the world is! Frank is like this.

What interests me is what his mind set inspires in others. Eva thinks he can be "saved", Evil Mrs. Partridge thinks he just needs to "learn what reality is." Both approaches are doomed to failure, even though they couldn't come from more different premises. This never stops people from trying...

More on the ladies next.

Almost Lynched, the first Couch Buddha film

This first film idea was inspired by both Almost Famous and Blue Velvet. I like Cameron Crowe's sweet story of a young lad who follows a band around gets those Valuable Life Lessons, but I've wondered this: What if the boy who gets exposed to Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll doesn't come out all sugar-spun and happy? What if he comes out like....Dennis Hopper in Blue Velvet? Perverse, angry, totally messed up inside and willing to blame his being in the wrong place (with a band) at the wrong time, (late '60's, early '70's) rather than admit that it was him. Almost Lynched is our story. In this post let's just describe our characters.

The Band

Our band is a kinda of 3rd rate Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young clone. They think they're striving for social relevance, but they haven't really thought about things that much. They're in it for the money and chicks, really, but they bring themselves to admit that. In the band are:

The Lead Singer -- Handsome, but as much as he thinks he is, and he can sing, but not as good as he thinks he is here either. He can play the guitar, but he's a poet and thinks that that's beneath him, despite counter -examples like Dylan. He's the object of desire of the groupies.

The Rhythm Guitarist -- The most talented member of the group, he thinks if he's just great that rewards will come his way. Yes, he believes that.

The Bass Player -- Been with the two guitarists forever, but hates rock and wishes he were a jazz soloist. Not enough guts to leave the band or be a soloist, so here he is!

The Drummer -- Implacable, inscrutable, kinda like Charlie Watts only more laconic.



The Others

Evil Ms. Partridge -- She drives the bus, she manages the group, and is taking them for every penny. Take every story you've ever heard about corrupt band management, and put it here.

Frank -- Our lead. Nervous, anxious, he just knows in his heart that the right combo of drugs, women and music will bring him to a higher state of being. He's a great guitar tech, and makes the group sound better than they are. He could care less.

Eva -- Sublimely beautiful lead groupie of a pack of groupies who define themselves in a pack hierarchy. Eva sets the aesthetic character of the group, and symbolically represents a truly sexually powerful woman whose great flaw is that she is eternally stuck in 1968.


This is just to start us off. I have a lot of this in my head and more will emerge.