I watch the ripples change their size
But never leave the stream
Of warm impermanence
And so the days float through my eyes
But still the days seem the same
And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations
They're quite aware of what they're goin' through

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Linkee-poo is dancing sky clad beneath his clothes today

Scott Lynch talks about the Big D. "Let me assure you, it is easier than you can imagine to spend years assuring yourself that you're merely feeling blue, and not seriously ill." Yes, that. Been there, done that. Let it go on too long and now I think it's put me into a cycle where it's more likely I'll get Big D than not. And this is why I'm still taking Welbutrin. Although last week I went the whole week without a dose and didn't feel Big D's tentacles sinking in. Okay, well, one tentacle. And old nemesis. (personal reminder to write post on writing progress) (Grokked from Sarah Goslee)

Of relation to my posts on the limits of science, Phil Plait on the supernatural not existing. I agree with everything he says, even though the main argument is a tautology (ie. everything in existence can be studied scientifically, therefore it becomes "natural", therefore it is not "supernatural", and that which science can't prove, does not exist). (Grokked from Jay Lake)

A discussion on the brave new world of e-books. Some of this goes into the category of "wouldn't it be great if advertisers know where we were and could customize ads to places? It would be great as you're walking/driving past a great bagel shop you never been in and all of a sudden you get a half-off two coupon for that shop?" Or shopping, "Wouldn't it be great if you just filled up your cart and then walked right out the door of the store, and the store would just bill your credit card for the amount." Or the latest I saw this weekend, "Your cupboards or refrigerator could contact your smart phone, which would realize you were in a supermarket and query them, and as you walked down the aisle the products you need would light up to remind you to buy them." To which I look at my compatriots and say, "A dream for you, a nightmare for consumers." Some people are in love with tech. And I'll admit here, I am a little bit too. Hey, I own an iPod Touch and an iPad. But I'm now old enough to have seen plenty of promise of tech turn to ashes in our mouths.

Tobias Buckell with the true cost of gas. It's those "externalities" that get you every time (and much of my support for the HCR/ACA is because of those, it's also how the argument of "failure to buy insurance is an economic activity" works, ie. they don't buy, so we all pay for their choice).

I'll sleep better knowing that we reduced and changed safety standards at our nuclear reactors just so they could keep working. Also a nice introduction on why reducing regulation is not good for the common cause, ie. your health. (pointed to by Dan)

They say they want their America back. The song from NetRoots. Video okay, but words are NSFW. Asking the question I've been asking for over 2 years. (pointed to by Dan). Video and lyrics at Vince's place.

Besides the radical shift to the right, yet another reason I'm no longer a Republican. Serious. That trend started with Reagan and just accelerated with every Republican gain since then.

3 comments:

Random Michelle K said...

Don't do anything silly re the Big D meds. :)

I'm going to be on meds for life, but I think I'm OK with that.

Steve Buchheit said...

Well, it was more of a schedule mixup. I had my prescription ready (hit the expiration date), had called in the metformin, and was all ready to pick them all up on Monday afternoon on the way home. Unfortunately that was the weekend I got the syllabus to the online class and realized it would be less of a schedule issue if I took the regular class, both started that Monday. So I didn't go that way home to get my meds until Friday. I had enough metformin to last, but had run out of the Welbutrin Sunday night.

I don't think I'm ready to give up on my hope to go med free. I take them because I have to. And they help. But just like the metformin, I want to get myself to the point that I don't need it.

The good thing is that I know my tell-tails. Or at least I know the majority of them. So when I've gone off them before voluntarily, I've been able to notice when Big D started in again. And I would start taking the meds again. Each time I've done that I've made it longer (first was two weeks, second was a month and a half).

I will say, I would rather take the meds for life than go through another couple of years in the grips of Big D. I never want to go back there again.

Steve Buchheit said...

I should also say here, that running out might have been the perfect opportunity to test being med free again. I don't think I'm in a good enough place mentally at the moment to do that (high stress, uncertainty, and a need to be in control for this class - that would require too much explanation that I don't want to get into at the moment). So now wouldn't be a good time to try it. It would be all too easy to slip beneath the waves quickly.