And the reason I'm back on blood thinners is I'm a genetic mutant. Three times over!
I'm currently taking suggestions for my X-Men name.
Friday, 30 January 2009
The love/hate for the NHS
I absolutely love the NHS, specifically that I get great health care at no price. However, with socialized medicine there are some minor set backs, which, while minor, can really annoy the hell out of you.
Today, I went to the doctor to get put back onto the Anti-Coagulant clinic's roster as I "hadn't been attending" since I had been removed from blood thinners (b t dubs, I'm back on them for what looks like the rest of my life), and the only way is to have my doctor call in for me. I tell the receptionist at my local doctor's that I need to talk about my warfarin and INR as soon as possible with the doctor and she gives me an appointment for the following Friday (mind you this is a whole week away at the time). Fine, whatever.
I wait it out, and go to the doctor today only to get lectured that I should have come to them sooner, that my INR might dangerously high, and I could have to spend the night in the hospital hooked up to a Vitamin K drip. Sounds like a stellar Friday, right?
My doctor asks me to call back at 5 PM to find out what my INR levels are. I call, the receptionist tells me they will call me Monday. I try to explain that I have to talk to the doctor on call tonight as my doctor instructed me to do so, she tells me to call back Monday (as that MUST be what my doctor really meant). Finally, I tell her that I need to talk to him to see if I have to spend the night in the hospital and that it's a near emergency at this point. Finally, she puts me through. I'm fine. No hospital tonight!
I think my major problem is that I don't know the magic words to get around the receptionist. I think I'm saying things to express the urgency, but it doesn't seem to work, and in order to get an urgent appointment, I apparently need to convince her it's really important. If anyone has some tips, please let me know. I've tried warfarin, i've tried INR, I've tried "the doctor told me to call back at this time" and yet it doesn't seem to work. Grr.
Okay, that complaint was more about the receptionist than the NHS, but it's kind of the same problem that I have with the whole NHS. It's not that you have to wait so long for the appointments as most people think, it's the bureaucracy of it all. You have to walk through so much red tape (hence the "I HAVE to see the doctor to get onto the clinic's list again but then I get in trouble for not getting the INR checked earlier"), that it slows down the process.
Many people have asked me about the NHS and socialized medicine as it was a hot topic during the election. As I've put it, if I feel I need something done quickly (that isn't an emergency) I'll get it done when I'm in the States. However, when I spent a week in the hospital for my stroke, I didn't have to pay a dime! Or I guess a 10p. So really, I shouldn't complain so much, but it's bureaucracy that's so prevalant in every day life in the UK that drives me nuts some times.
Today, I went to the doctor to get put back onto the Anti-Coagulant clinic's roster as I "hadn't been attending" since I had been removed from blood thinners (b t dubs, I'm back on them for what looks like the rest of my life), and the only way is to have my doctor call in for me. I tell the receptionist at my local doctor's that I need to talk about my warfarin and INR as soon as possible with the doctor and she gives me an appointment for the following Friday (mind you this is a whole week away at the time). Fine, whatever.
I wait it out, and go to the doctor today only to get lectured that I should have come to them sooner, that my INR might dangerously high, and I could have to spend the night in the hospital hooked up to a Vitamin K drip. Sounds like a stellar Friday, right?
My doctor asks me to call back at 5 PM to find out what my INR levels are. I call, the receptionist tells me they will call me Monday. I try to explain that I have to talk to the doctor on call tonight as my doctor instructed me to do so, she tells me to call back Monday (as that MUST be what my doctor really meant). Finally, I tell her that I need to talk to him to see if I have to spend the night in the hospital and that it's a near emergency at this point. Finally, she puts me through. I'm fine. No hospital tonight!
I think my major problem is that I don't know the magic words to get around the receptionist. I think I'm saying things to express the urgency, but it doesn't seem to work, and in order to get an urgent appointment, I apparently need to convince her it's really important. If anyone has some tips, please let me know. I've tried warfarin, i've tried INR, I've tried "the doctor told me to call back at this time" and yet it doesn't seem to work. Grr.
Okay, that complaint was more about the receptionist than the NHS, but it's kind of the same problem that I have with the whole NHS. It's not that you have to wait so long for the appointments as most people think, it's the bureaucracy of it all. You have to walk through so much red tape (hence the "I HAVE to see the doctor to get onto the clinic's list again but then I get in trouble for not getting the INR checked earlier"), that it slows down the process.
Many people have asked me about the NHS and socialized medicine as it was a hot topic during the election. As I've put it, if I feel I need something done quickly (that isn't an emergency) I'll get it done when I'm in the States. However, when I spent a week in the hospital for my stroke, I didn't have to pay a dime! Or I guess a 10p. So really, I shouldn't complain so much, but it's bureaucracy that's so prevalant in every day life in the UK that drives me nuts some times.
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Update (and things i don't like)
I'm trying to start this back up. The film festival is coming up so that might get me to blog a bit more. They're doing a retrospective of Audrey Hepburn (last year was Bette Davis), and although I was against the idea of going to Audrey Hepburn movies (she's a great actress but the fandom full of edgy hipsters/fashionistas is annoying), but I was talked into seeing Sabrina on Valentine's with my friend, then The Unforgiven (a less popular Audrey film), and ending the festival with MY FAIR LADY!!! I'm so excited to see that on the big screen. The costumes, the scenery, the ascot opening day! It's going to be brilliant to see it the way it was meant to be.
So far I also have tickets to see Drama/Mex (they're doing a whole strand on Mexican films and this one sounded the most interesting--next to my mexican shiva, I might have to check that out soon), Bronson (youtube it, it looks interesting, brutal, and theatrical), and finally Let the Right One In. Now I saw Let the Right One In back in Kansas over the holidays, BUT, this time the director is supposed to be coming to answer questions and introduce it. I'm very excited for that night.
B T Dubs, it was fun going to the volunteer induction and those in charge remembered me! Even Allison, one of the programmers and a such a fun lady. This year I plan on networking more. Going to the gala, working events, etc. I'm really going to try to get out there and do more. I told the women in charge I'm just doing research so I have a basically free schedule, that I'll help out prior to festival, and I might end up as a volunteer co-ordinator. They needed some more and they liked the idea of having someone who had volunteered before to 'run the show,' in that sense.
Anyway, as the title suggests I have a mini rant of one of the things don't like, and that would be Sky. We canceled our service in time that we wouldn't be charged, and yet they keep saying I owe them. Although, every time I would call about this they would say there is no debt on our account. So now they sent some debt collectors after me. I still call sky, they still say it's a mistake...
I ended up paying it. I don't need this over my head while they are deciding my visa. I'll talk to sky, but I'll at least get my name away from that. I don't need legal action taken against me while my passport is at the border agency. However, I ain't too happy about this, and someone will be getting a piece of my mind.
So far I also have tickets to see Drama/Mex (they're doing a whole strand on Mexican films and this one sounded the most interesting--next to my mexican shiva, I might have to check that out soon), Bronson (youtube it, it looks interesting, brutal, and theatrical), and finally Let the Right One In. Now I saw Let the Right One In back in Kansas over the holidays, BUT, this time the director is supposed to be coming to answer questions and introduce it. I'm very excited for that night.
B T Dubs, it was fun going to the volunteer induction and those in charge remembered me! Even Allison, one of the programmers and a such a fun lady. This year I plan on networking more. Going to the gala, working events, etc. I'm really going to try to get out there and do more. I told the women in charge I'm just doing research so I have a basically free schedule, that I'll help out prior to festival, and I might end up as a volunteer co-ordinator. They needed some more and they liked the idea of having someone who had volunteered before to 'run the show,' in that sense.
Anyway, as the title suggests I have a mini rant of one of the things don't like, and that would be Sky. We canceled our service in time that we wouldn't be charged, and yet they keep saying I owe them. Although, every time I would call about this they would say there is no debt on our account. So now they sent some debt collectors after me. I still call sky, they still say it's a mistake...
I ended up paying it. I don't need this over my head while they are deciding my visa. I'll talk to sky, but I'll at least get my name away from that. I don't need legal action taken against me while my passport is at the border agency. However, I ain't too happy about this, and someone will be getting a piece of my mind.
Thursday, 20 November 2008
Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge (Review)
With the anticipation I had for Pirates II: Stagnetti's Revenge, I'm very disappointed in how long it took me to finally watch it. However, I'm finding it hard to decide how I feel about the sequel as I've seen the original enough times to quote it and have developed it from an 'impressive porn' to a tale of female sexual discovery that nearly matches The Blue Lagoon. Needless to say, I'm being harsh on the sequel.
From the beginning, Pirates II promises to go above and beyond its predecessor. The teaser trailer featured more impressive graphics than the first, and the film's visual quality is up there with the best straight to video horror films blockbuster pulls out just in time for Halloween. However, I feel some of these graphics are direct rips from the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. I realize this is an homage to the Hollywood blockbusters, but when you see a ghost ship popping out of the water, you really do wonder if they just sourced the DVD. A similar reaction occurred during the scenes with the giant worms, expect Dune wasn't nearly this high tech, so I'm pretty sure these are original graphics.
Special effects aside, Stagnetti's Revenge really builds upon the high standards the first one set. I enjoyed creating a "12 Days of Christmas" song as I counted the threesomes, real boobs, and of the course the "5 hairy va-jay-jays" featured prominently. It needs to be noted, that Pirates II has diversified by having two Brunettes, 2 Asian female leads, and roughly 7 real sets of breasts. Not to mention a crazy Armenian obsessed with gold, a homoerotic Governor (Ben English--who I originally assumed was faking his English accent), and a near male rape scene between Jules (Jesse Jane) and Edward (Evan Stone). Compared to the boring blonde-performers-with-mas
Sadly, gone is my personal favorite Serena (Janine Lindemulder), who is replaced by her sister Olivia (played by Belladonna). However, Joone makes it up to me by providing Steven St. Croix (Marco) with more scenes to showcase his various 'talents' and great lines such as "I don't need you to love me, because I love myself." Who knew a porn would give actual relationship advice? Well, other than Bend Over Boyfriend of course. Now, while I do love me some Steven St. Croix acting, I think his final threesome involving Jules and Ai (Shay Jordan) expresses all the problems with this porn.
First, I don't want to necessarily point fingers, but Joey Pulgadas really let me down this time. As editor for both Pirates, I don't know what happened, but he seems to have forgotten anything he knew about continuity editing. I know this is just porn and you can't hold it to the same standards you would a Hollywood film, but when a woman is riding a man with her back to the camera then suddently is in the same position but facing the camera you're going to get screams of "wow! That woman has a hairy butt." Jump cuts like that just don't work in porn. Similarly, I know the majority of the audience doesn't need to see the foreplay, but it is distracting when they cut about 10-15 minutes and people are suddenly naked (except for the socks, Mr. Governor). Also, is it too much to ask for you to show the various sexual positions for a bit longer than a speedy cut a la Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge? Apparently.
Second, I could see why men find Jesse Jane attractive to watch, but I hope they watch her with the sound off. Her sex scenes are painful as she's always so angry and attacks her partners like she's a zombie feeding off of them (and this isn't an exageration, nor is it erotic) and she's obnoxiously loud! Anyone who's seen one of her movies knows she spasms and cries like a cat being skinned alive, and some people do get off on this, but do you need two painful screamers in one threesome? Shay Jordan is just as bad and the two women combined is just nuts (although you gotta love when Jordan proclaims "Ai come!"). I nearly had to turn the sound off during their threesome with St. Croix, but I (and my viewing partner) toughed it out, but this leads me to another major issue with this porn: gagging. If you are gagging while trying to deep throat, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Yes, yes, two girls-one cup proves that people do find vomiting arrousing, but she never actually spews on the penis so do we really need the excessive gagging sounds? I was afraid someone was going to have to perform the heimlich in order to extract St. Croix's penis! Is this just another way DP is trying to diversify their films, by utilizing a variety of fetishes? Personally, I find gagging a sign that you can't deep throat and kind of defeats the purpose and shames the 70s class as Linda showed no signs of a gag reflex.
Overall, I think its a great porn, but the first is far surperior. However, I have extremely high hopes for the next in the series, and there better be one or I'll personally find Joone and slap him upside the head for dangling a sister in distress and an all-female pirate ship in front of me. Oh, but leave out the vagina spankings. It's getting a bit excessive.
Click for review of the first Pirates.
Saturday, 27 September 2008
"What do I get out of this?" or "orgy of spending"
I'm watching the debates right now and I have a few things to say...
1) BBC.co.uk shows the debates live but only in the UK, mydebates.org, a branch of myspace is showing all the debates as well.
2) "Orgy of spending" in reference to Bush's economics, which got us into the current cluster fuck, is perhaps my new favorite phrase. It might be up there with "You forgot Poland" and "The only Bush I trust is my own" for amazing political phrases. Though the Polish phrase is amazing because it's hilarious that he even said it, I think "orgy of spending" is a great description of the past 8 years or so and I just like that Obama said orgy in the debates.
3) What do I get out of all this? Honestly, I would love to hear both candidates sit down with a family from the lower/middle class and tell them EXACTLY what they would get out of both of their plans. They speak in ideas and abstracts, but I wonder what would happen if they set down with me and told me what would benefit me, a Grad student with no health care, no job (yay credit crunch), and loans my grandchildren will be paying.
4) McCain says "we're not going back to the cold war." To be honest, I'm not sure we ever really left it. Yeah, we didn't fear the Soviet Union would try to nuke us, but we've replaced that fear with terrorism. We are a nation of fear, it doesn't matter what the 'evil opposition' looks like it's still the same underneath it all.
5) You know, I've been joking about running whorehouses in order to raise money if there was ever another Great Depression... it's a bit disturbing that it might actually be a possibility.
1) BBC.co.uk shows the debates live but only in the UK, mydebates.org, a branch of myspace is showing all the debates as well.
2) "Orgy of spending" in reference to Bush's economics, which got us into the current cluster fuck, is perhaps my new favorite phrase. It might be up there with "You forgot Poland" and "The only Bush I trust is my own" for amazing political phrases. Though the Polish phrase is amazing because it's hilarious that he even said it, I think "orgy of spending" is a great description of the past 8 years or so and I just like that Obama said orgy in the debates.
3) What do I get out of all this? Honestly, I would love to hear both candidates sit down with a family from the lower/middle class and tell them EXACTLY what they would get out of both of their plans. They speak in ideas and abstracts, but I wonder what would happen if they set down with me and told me what would benefit me, a Grad student with no health care, no job (yay credit crunch), and loans my grandchildren will be paying.
4) McCain says "we're not going back to the cold war." To be honest, I'm not sure we ever really left it. Yeah, we didn't fear the Soviet Union would try to nuke us, but we've replaced that fear with terrorism. We are a nation of fear, it doesn't matter what the 'evil opposition' looks like it's still the same underneath it all.
5) You know, I've been joking about running whorehouses in order to raise money if there was ever another Great Depression... it's a bit disturbing that it might actually be a possibility.
Monday, 25 August 2008
Update
Lately, I've been trying to work on my dissertation and having some major issues with feeling like it'll never get done. But I know it will.
Of course one of the major distractions from this is the biggest and best news I've had in over a year... drum roll please!
no more blood clot!!!!
That's right kids, the CT scan came back and I'm in the clear. Sadly, most celebrating has been put on hold until the 15th.
Of course one of the major distractions from this is the biggest and best news I've had in over a year... drum roll please!
no more blood clot!!!!
That's right kids, the CT scan came back and I'm in the clear. Sadly, most celebrating has been put on hold until the 15th.
Friday, 8 August 2008
Olympic Opening Ceremony
The Olympics start today and I've been watching the opening ceremony. Regardless of the human rights and international issues of the Olympics being in China, the opening ceremony is pretty damn cool. They've been doing short sample performances of various parts of Chinese culture. They had some puppets and Chinese opera music and what not. It's quite fascinating, but I have an issue with the "oh the Chinese are so precise... they're all about precision. They're so good at being precise" comments I'm getting from the BBC one commentators. Just comes across as one dimensional, slightly racist, and overall that they don't really much appreciation for Chinese traditional arts. From what I remember nearly every country does some mass precision performance at the opening or closing but whatever, it's apparently more fascinating when it's the Chinese.
On the other hand, the part where they progress through the various dynasties and "32 pillars reach towards the heavens" has hundreds of "serene women" walking along in these gorgeous gowns and I have to say I want one of those gowns. They're seriously amazing and beautiful. Full, floor length ball gowns basically, in pink and red and blue. Just gorgeous.
Some other highlights, 2,008 tai chi performers while children paint and recite poetry about nature (and the commentators point out how polluted China is), space men on wires fly around while a giant globe rises from the ground with people running around and doing acrobatics on wires "seemingly defying gravity," and Sarah Brightman with some guy (who's name I didn't catch) sing.
We've officially gone from being cool to being cheesy with Brightman singing while people hold giant pictures of various childrens' faces. All we need is Josh Groban to duet with Whitney Houston on "I believe the children are the future" and it would be the cheesiest Olympics ever.
Anyway, I think it's now about time for the marching and I'm losing interest. Judith Butler is calling. I'm outie, but everyone should check out the opening ceremony.
On the other hand, the part where they progress through the various dynasties and "32 pillars reach towards the heavens" has hundreds of "serene women" walking along in these gorgeous gowns and I have to say I want one of those gowns. They're seriously amazing and beautiful. Full, floor length ball gowns basically, in pink and red and blue. Just gorgeous.
Some other highlights, 2,008 tai chi performers while children paint and recite poetry about nature (and the commentators point out how polluted China is), space men on wires fly around while a giant globe rises from the ground with people running around and doing acrobatics on wires "seemingly defying gravity," and Sarah Brightman with some guy (who's name I didn't catch) sing.
We've officially gone from being cool to being cheesy with Brightman singing while people hold giant pictures of various childrens' faces. All we need is Josh Groban to duet with Whitney Houston on "I believe the children are the future" and it would be the cheesiest Olympics ever.
Anyway, I think it's now about time for the marching and I'm losing interest. Judith Butler is calling. I'm outie, but everyone should check out the opening ceremony.
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