I had to be on a liquids only diet for three days.... I was worried it was a significant Crohns flare up. But it seems to have subsided...... I think I had some sort of gastritis or enteritis going on that was exacerbated by my underlying disease process. Either way I feel better now.
I was sweating another trip to the hospital. Yuck, no thanks! In that same vein I am trying to sign up for a Crohns research study. $1,200 bucks baby! I'll take that to get a colonoscopy and few needle sticks. The last three drugs I took are supposed to give you cancer, so not like this could be any worse. Right?
And guess who gets to spend all day learning Windos 8 and coppying files from one lap top to an external hard drive and to another laptop? Yep, that'd be a pretty good guess, me.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
It's going to be an itchy weekend....
I'm a Gemini. I have a strong duality naturally. And right now I feel like such a drug addict and drug dealer. I'm counting my stash, figuring out just how I can use it and when. Rationing. Planning.
I'm trolling the internet, trying to find a hook up. Texting people I don't know and meeting them in a parking lot. Comparing the goods. Arguing on price. Some furtive looks over my shoulder and the deal is done.
And having been out of town, I got some new stuff. Stuff people here don't have. Not only do I buy and use, I also sell. Always trying to make it be to my advantage. The same deal, parking lot meetings with strangers and strings of text messages with numbers not in my phone book.
All for my habit. All for competition.

**for clarification, there is no commercially available 9mm ammo for sale right now. so i am reduced to buying from private parties to have enough ammunition to shoot and practice. thus the odd parallel between the drug trade and what i have to go through to continue in my chosen sport**
I'm trolling the internet, trying to find a hook up. Texting people I don't know and meeting them in a parking lot. Comparing the goods. Arguing on price. Some furtive looks over my shoulder and the deal is done.
And having been out of town, I got some new stuff. Stuff people here don't have. Not only do I buy and use, I also sell. Always trying to make it be to my advantage. The same deal, parking lot meetings with strangers and strings of text messages with numbers not in my phone book.
All for my habit. All for competition.

**for clarification, there is no commercially available 9mm ammo for sale right now. so i am reduced to buying from private parties to have enough ammunition to shoot and practice. thus the odd parallel between the drug trade and what i have to go through to continue in my chosen sport**
The easiest blog posts ever, lists!!
Every once in a while you hear what seems to be a trite saying or some sort of aphorism and eventually you realize its total truth. Back, way back, when I worked in the produce department of a grocery store my boss said, "You want to know the easiest way to do something? Ask the laziest person how to do it." And in some ways, I totally agree with this as long as the easiest way really is the best, most efficient way to do it.
Well when it comes to blogging, writing a post that is a list is the easiest way to make a post. No narrative, no exposition, no pictures even. Just a list. So for today, here is my 'list' post:
THINGS I NEED TO BUY/DO IN THE NEXT TWO or THREE DAYS
-shelving for storage closet DONE
-target stand. either store bought or materials to make my own. DONE
-aaa batteries DONE
-do an ammo swap or two DONE
-put tires on my mountain bike
-wash my truck
-put the registration sticker on the scooter DONE
-do 3 loads of laundry DONE
-buy a new lap top
-practice
-sign back up again for bootcamp
-call the crohns research study people back
-make my Arkansas travel arrangements
-water the outside plants DONE
-change a lightbulb in the kitchen
-buy new rags for the house keeper DONE
-clean and organize the storage closet in the second spare room DONE
There you have it. Even when I am my own boss, I still make myself a big list of junk to do. And now that I've finished Monday's work, for Tuesday I have.....
-put tires on my mnt bike (i don't have them yet)
-wash my truck (will do tomorrow morning)
-buy a lap top (fry's trip, it's near my house)
-practice (got my targets all ready!)
-renew for boot camp (should do tonight as well....)
-call research people back (i deleted their #, so this will take some effort)
-make travel plans for Arkansas trip (will do this very last i bet)
-change lightbulb in kitchen. (i'll do this now i bet, soon as i publish)
Well when it comes to blogging, writing a post that is a list is the easiest way to make a post. No narrative, no exposition, no pictures even. Just a list. So for today, here is my 'list' post:
THINGS I NEED TO BUY/DO IN THE NEXT TWO or THREE DAYS
-shelving for storage closet DONE
-target stand. either store bought or materials to make my own. DONE
-aaa batteries DONE
-do an ammo swap or two DONE
-put tires on my mountain bike
-wash my truck
-put the registration sticker on the scooter DONE
-do 3 loads of laundry DONE
-buy a new lap top
-practice
-sign back up again for bootcamp
-call the crohns research study people back
-make my Arkansas travel arrangements
-water the outside plants DONE
-change a lightbulb in the kitchen
-buy new rags for the house keeper DONE
-clean and organize the storage closet in the second spare room DONE
There you have it. Even when I am my own boss, I still make myself a big list of junk to do. And now that I've finished Monday's work, for Tuesday I have.....
-put tires on my mnt bike (i don't have them yet)
-wash my truck (will do tomorrow morning)
-buy a lap top (fry's trip, it's near my house)
-practice (got my targets all ready!)
-renew for boot camp (should do tonight as well....)
-call research people back (i deleted their #, so this will take some effort)
-make travel plans for Arkansas trip (will do this very last i bet)
-change lightbulb in kitchen. (i'll do this now i bet, soon as i publish)
Sunday, February 24, 2013
the NKVD, KGB, FSB called it "active measures", i call them youthful pranks!
Alright, published or not I got 3 comments requesting a post about my childhood pranks. You voted, you get what you ask for! Democracy at work.
Age 5. While outside playing "Star Trek" with my younger brother we were fighting over who got to be which character. I eventually won and got to be Captain Kirk, while he had to be Spock. In my child like, vengefulness I said to him "Hey Spock, come over here and tell me what this is." Well I knew exactly what it was and what I was going to do with it. A shovel full of dirt. His unwitting face.
"No Spock, bend down and look closer so you can really see what it is." BAM! I flung the shovel full of dirt into his face with all my 5 year old might.
Crying. Tears. Tattling. Incrimination. Spanking. I didn't care though, I got my revenge. (later i would always be han solo to his luke skywalker and so on. in my guilt i always let him be who he wanted when we were playing)
Age 8. Before a closer school was built we had to ride the bust for a few years of elementary school. The bus stop was about two blocks away in your standard west coast suburban neighborhood. Well like any group of kids we had ones we like and ones we didn't at the bus stop.
My creative little kid mind at work decided the best thing to do would be to hide each morning, all of us who first got to the bus stop. Thus whoever showed up "late", would think they missed the bus and have to trudge back home to face their mom's wrath and then be driven to school. Of course when we were late we made sure to really search the area well, just to make sure the same prank wasn't being played back on us.
Age 10. My sister at the time had a good collection of some very popular, rare and expensive dolls. Being a good little Cub Scout I knew all sorts of knots. Oh, like the hangman's noose for one. Hmmmmm....... Alright, a quick trip to the garage is in order.
Rope. Hammer. Nails. Step ladder.
Pound the nails into the top of the door frame. Step two tie 4 nooses. Step three is to slide the four little dollies heads into the nooses. Now the final step, just like in soo many cartoons with buckets and water that I'd seen, to finely balance them on top of the door so that when she went into her bedroom and opened the door BAM, down fall her precious little dollies right in front of her face! Hung 'dead'.
Maniacal laugh. Wait till she saw us (myself and her other older brother, Spock) teaching her cat how to be a submarine.
Age 12-14. Fireworks. Hiding in the closet to jump out. Egging houses. Snow balling cars. Using scotch tape to hold the sprayer handle down at the sink, soaking who ever unknowingly walked up to get some water out of the sink.
Changing time on all the clocks in the house. Taking money out of my dad's wallet, throwing it out the window and then waiting a hour to go out into the yard and "find" money. You know, these sorts of things.
And due to the statue of limitations on pranks with family or friends there is none, I can't go into anything from age 15 onward.
Age 5. While outside playing "Star Trek" with my younger brother we were fighting over who got to be which character. I eventually won and got to be Captain Kirk, while he had to be Spock. In my child like, vengefulness I said to him "Hey Spock, come over here and tell me what this is." Well I knew exactly what it was and what I was going to do with it. A shovel full of dirt. His unwitting face.
"No Spock, bend down and look closer so you can really see what it is." BAM! I flung the shovel full of dirt into his face with all my 5 year old might.
Crying. Tears. Tattling. Incrimination. Spanking. I didn't care though, I got my revenge. (later i would always be han solo to his luke skywalker and so on. in my guilt i always let him be who he wanted when we were playing)
Age 8. Before a closer school was built we had to ride the bust for a few years of elementary school. The bus stop was about two blocks away in your standard west coast suburban neighborhood. Well like any group of kids we had ones we like and ones we didn't at the bus stop.
My creative little kid mind at work decided the best thing to do would be to hide each morning, all of us who first got to the bus stop. Thus whoever showed up "late", would think they missed the bus and have to trudge back home to face their mom's wrath and then be driven to school. Of course when we were late we made sure to really search the area well, just to make sure the same prank wasn't being played back on us.
Age 10. My sister at the time had a good collection of some very popular, rare and expensive dolls. Being a good little Cub Scout I knew all sorts of knots. Oh, like the hangman's noose for one. Hmmmmm....... Alright, a quick trip to the garage is in order.
Rope. Hammer. Nails. Step ladder.
Pound the nails into the top of the door frame. Step two tie 4 nooses. Step three is to slide the four little dollies heads into the nooses. Now the final step, just like in soo many cartoons with buckets and water that I'd seen, to finely balance them on top of the door so that when she went into her bedroom and opened the door BAM, down fall her precious little dollies right in front of her face! Hung 'dead'.
Maniacal laugh. Wait till she saw us (myself and her other older brother, Spock) teaching her cat how to be a submarine.
Age 12-14. Fireworks. Hiding in the closet to jump out. Egging houses. Snow balling cars. Using scotch tape to hold the sprayer handle down at the sink, soaking who ever unknowingly walked up to get some water out of the sink.
Changing time on all the clocks in the house. Taking money out of my dad's wallet, throwing it out the window and then waiting a hour to go out into the yard and "find" money. You know, these sorts of things.
And due to the statue of limitations on pranks with family or friends there is none, I can't go into anything from age 15 onward.
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Stories from my youth....
Which would you like to hear a story about and I'll write it up?
A. Buying my first motorcycle, age 16
B. My first concussion, age 10
C. Childhood pranks, ages 5-15
D. My horrible luck with pets, age 5-9
E. My favorite things growing up in the 70's and 80's.
Pick one in the comments and I promise to write about it!
A. Buying my first motorcycle, age 16
B. My first concussion, age 10
C. Childhood pranks, ages 5-15
D. My horrible luck with pets, age 5-9
E. My favorite things growing up in the 70's and 80's.
Pick one in the comments and I promise to write about it!
Friday, February 15, 2013
I'm soooo old and slow.
Rode mnt bikes with dudes today 10 to 15 years younger than me. Needless to say I feel totally dead. It didn't used to be this way.....
Old. The fact I know people that I can hang out with who are that much younger than me also says..... I. Am. Old.
Then I had to trim hair in places I shouldn't today. Old.
And the very worst???????
I traded sleep for sex on Valentine's Day. Sorry Cupid......
So yeah, I'm feeling pretty freaking ancient today. Boo.

Old. The fact I know people that I can hang out with who are that much younger than me also says..... I. Am. Old.
Then I had to trim hair in places I shouldn't today. Old.
And the very worst???????
I traded sleep for sex on Valentine's Day. Sorry Cupid......
So yeah, I'm feeling pretty freaking ancient today. Boo.


Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
the "R" is for Raawwwrrr
Three weeks ago I was an overall winner at a local shoot.
Two weeks ago I won my division at one of the toughest clubs in california.
Last week I got cocky and got smoked.
In my quest to qualify and compete at the national championships for my shooting sport i signed up for 3 major matches between now and the nationals in september.
March 18th in Little Rock Arkansas.
April 6th in Phoenix Arizona.
May 11th in Mobile Alabama.
I have that nervous feeling in my stomach. My vision is hunting. My fingers are twitching. Desire. Hunger.
Every day. Every damn day for the next two months I am going to do something, anything, that will help me accomplish my goal.
-physical fitness
-hand eye coordination
-reading technique books
-sports psychology sessions
-dry fire practice
-live fire practice
-local competitions
-individual coaching sessions
One of the above is going to happen every day. I still have my other 'rowdy' things I'm doing. I mean, I'm going on two different mountain bike rides tomorrow for goodness sake. hahahaha. And I am working on my motorcycle Wednesday. And so on. Heck, I might even pick up a guitar.....
It's resistance that makes us stronger. I'm ready to put in a good push and fight for the next few months.
Two weeks ago I won my division at one of the toughest clubs in california.
Last week I got cocky and got smoked.
In my quest to qualify and compete at the national championships for my shooting sport i signed up for 3 major matches between now and the nationals in september.
March 18th in Little Rock Arkansas.
April 6th in Phoenix Arizona.
May 11th in Mobile Alabama.
I have that nervous feeling in my stomach. My vision is hunting. My fingers are twitching. Desire. Hunger.
Every day. Every damn day for the next two months I am going to do something, anything, that will help me accomplish my goal.
-physical fitness
-hand eye coordination
-reading technique books
-sports psychology sessions
-dry fire practice
-live fire practice
-local competitions
-individual coaching sessions
One of the above is going to happen every day. I still have my other 'rowdy' things I'm doing. I mean, I'm going on two different mountain bike rides tomorrow for goodness sake. hahahaha. And I am working on my motorcycle Wednesday. And so on. Heck, I might even pick up a guitar.....
It's resistance that makes us stronger. I'm ready to put in a good push and fight for the next few months.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
The Two Republics
CA median home price $250,000
TX median home price $145,000
CA income tax for my household 29%
TX income tax for my household 0%
CA sales tax 7.75%
TX sales tax 6.25%
Avg General Surgeon salary CA $220,000
Avg General Surgeon salary TX $198,000
There isn't enough good weather and mexican food to keep me in California a second longer than needed. In September 2015 don't be surprised if I bolt from the People's Republik of Kalifornia for the Republic of Texas.
California has turned into a crap hole of ridiculous laws, political correctness, taxes, mismanagement, the ultimate welfare and nanny state. What seemed once a bastion of opportunity, personal expression, acceptance is now the place that only wants it one way. The symbol of "The West". But no longer. And a way I want no part of for any longer than I have to.........
TX median home price $145,000
CA income tax for my household 29%
TX income tax for my household 0%
CA sales tax 7.75%
TX sales tax 6.25%
Avg General Surgeon salary CA $220,000
Avg General Surgeon salary TX $198,000
There isn't enough good weather and mexican food to keep me in California a second longer than needed. In September 2015 don't be surprised if I bolt from the People's Republik of Kalifornia for the Republic of Texas.
California has turned into a crap hole of ridiculous laws, political correctness, taxes, mismanagement, the ultimate welfare and nanny state. What seemed once a bastion of opportunity, personal expression, acceptance is now the place that only wants it one way. The symbol of "The West". But no longer. And a way I want no part of for any longer than I have to.........
Friday, February 8, 2013
Without their permission
I am reticent to talk about J, K and M on my blog. First because it is all about ME! Secondly, I value their privacy greatly. And while they are older and basically all on their own, things in their lives still have an effect on me.....
Killer-Somehow I need to get an activated debit card to him in S Korea without it being stolen along the way. And do his taxes for him. Nervous about doing both correctly.
Jeweled Malicious-Her only car got stolen in the middle of the day at work. Boo!! So difficult right now for her and J#2 to get things done as far as school and work. And it's just plain crappy when that happens. RAWR.
MK-This one kills me. Guy is getting tested February 27th to see if he has Crohns disease. Upper and lower endoscopy. I'm afraid for him. With his symptoms and family history I am not hopeful. He just moved. His family moved away from him. Just started a new job. Not done with school. And he enlisted in the Marine Corp but if he has Crohns they won't take him. So many challenging implications for him. And I feel like I never have done enough to help prepare him for these challenges.
So yeah.......
Killer-Somehow I need to get an activated debit card to him in S Korea without it being stolen along the way. And do his taxes for him. Nervous about doing both correctly.
Jeweled Malicious-Her only car got stolen in the middle of the day at work. Boo!! So difficult right now for her and J#2 to get things done as far as school and work. And it's just plain crappy when that happens. RAWR.
MK-This one kills me. Guy is getting tested February 27th to see if he has Crohns disease. Upper and lower endoscopy. I'm afraid for him. With his symptoms and family history I am not hopeful. He just moved. His family moved away from him. Just started a new job. Not done with school. And he enlisted in the Marine Corp but if he has Crohns they won't take him. So many challenging implications for him. And I feel like I never have done enough to help prepare him for these challenges.
So yeah.......
rain, jobs, cats, dogs, ect
Their is a saying in my line of work, doing temp stuff in the medical field, "You can't beat the home team." Even if the person who you are subbing for is worthless, you'll still never be better than them to the people who work regularly at your assignment.
Often I am at a hospital or clinic for two maybe three days maximum before moving to another one. Which I like!
This past assignment I have been there 5 weeks. I've started using personal pronouns when talking about it. My office. My work. My desk. Our patients and so on. Yuck!
Well in the if it rains it pours category this place is trying to recruit me. I will decline. The range I practice at asked me if I wanted a job, as they see me there soo often. I had an interview but I had to decline. They wanted me to work every Saturday or Sunday. Well dudes, the reason you see me there all the time is I am a competitive shooter, so I am practicing. Competitions are on weekends, so sorry. If I worked for you I could no longer compete.
Finally the chain of local bike shops I used to work for asked me if I would be interested in working at their proposed new store in Solana Beach. I might. I am going to talk about it with them today. The pay is crap, $10 a hour and it is a 30 minute drive from the house. But if we can set it up where I work weekday and just part time then I am in.
From no job to three jobs. Ain't that how it always is.....
Often I am at a hospital or clinic for two maybe three days maximum before moving to another one. Which I like!
This past assignment I have been there 5 weeks. I've started using personal pronouns when talking about it. My office. My work. My desk. Our patients and so on. Yuck!
Well in the if it rains it pours category this place is trying to recruit me. I will decline. The range I practice at asked me if I wanted a job, as they see me there soo often. I had an interview but I had to decline. They wanted me to work every Saturday or Sunday. Well dudes, the reason you see me there all the time is I am a competitive shooter, so I am practicing. Competitions are on weekends, so sorry. If I worked for you I could no longer compete.
Finally the chain of local bike shops I used to work for asked me if I would be interested in working at their proposed new store in Solana Beach. I might. I am going to talk about it with them today. The pay is crap, $10 a hour and it is a 30 minute drive from the house. But if we can set it up where I work weekday and just part time then I am in.
From no job to three jobs. Ain't that how it always is.....
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
A Rowdy Is........
So the Cub Scout thing I might have mentioned a few months ago? Not happening. And I think that is for the better.
In a different, more recent conversation I described myself as "scheming", personified by the way I rub my thumb and first two fingers together when contemplating, ok alright "scheming" about something.
In Scouts, there is a twelve point Boy Scout Law that reads:
A Scout is:
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly,
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient,
Cheerful,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean,
and Reverent.
Now if you apply that to a "rowdy" then what sort of law do you get?
A Rowdy is:
-scheming
-child like
-active
-gregarious
-adventurous
-fit
-emotional
-hard working
-strong
-patriotic
-inquisitive
-situationaly aware
-and always ready.
So, do you agree or disagree?
In a different, more recent conversation I described myself as "scheming", personified by the way I rub my thumb and first two fingers together when contemplating, ok alright "scheming" about something.
In Scouts, there is a twelve point Boy Scout Law that reads:
A Scout is:
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly,
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient,
Cheerful,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean,
and Reverent.
Now if you apply that to a "rowdy" then what sort of law do you get?
A Rowdy is:
-scheming
-child like
-active
-gregarious
-adventurous
-fit
-emotional
-hard working
-strong
-patriotic
-inquisitive
-situationaly aware
-and always ready.
So, do you agree or disagree?
Monday, February 4, 2013
Spend enough time together....
You know the saying about how pets and their masters begin to look alike in enough time? Well sometimes I think people who spend enough time together begin to take on some of the interests, characteristics or mannerisms of each other as well.
Proof? Case in point? Peep the pics below!
Guns? Motorcycles? Car racing? Rock climbing? What's next?!?!?!
Proof? Case in point? Peep the pics below!
Guns? Motorcycles? Car racing? Rock climbing? What's next?!?!?!
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Cobra Pose -OR- "I've never seen you like this before"
No, not this:
But more akin to this:
Normally, like 96% of the time I am just playful, fun ol' Rowdy. Until I feel pushed or threatened for no good reason. Then I go into what I've always described to myself as 'cobra mode'. I feel like I've reared up taller, my traps are flared out and I'm in an attack pose. Ready to strike.
Or if you're like me and took years of anatomy and physiology in school then you know it better as the sympathetic nervous system at work. Fight or flight. It's opposite is the parasympathetic nervous system aka feed and breed.
Very few of my friends have seen this side of me, the 'cobra mode'. Fight or flight kicking in on me often turns to fight when it comes to dealing with people. And often flight when it is just situational nervousness. Aron D saw it a few times when people tried to pick on me at a bar or a party or whatever when I was in college. "Bros" and the typical d-bag think a 5' 7", 140lb guy is an easy mark to try and alpha dog.
They learn that is not the case. Thankfully I've grown and calmed down, but with all that in the past I am still not afraid to fight and get physical when I feel it is time.
Yesterday some of my newer San Diego friends saw me start to slip into feeling it was time. They said things like, "wow, I've never seen you like that before", or "I didn't know you had that in you", or "whoa, look at Evil Rowdy" and stuff like that.
It's probably best not to tell the story in too much detail here, but someone in authority at my shooting competition on Saturday tried picking on me. 'Cause I'm not as famous as some of the other people involved, I was from out of town and people take me to be an easy mark.
The exchange was heated and I was in attack posture. Cobra mode. Verbal, quick, assertive and not backing down**. In a room full of 60 people with guns no less. (but as we're all responsible that wasn't even ever thought of as an issue. to me it is just funny in retrospect)
Rough. Ready. Rowdy.
**I prevailed in the exchange. To my benefit and that of 5 other shooters.
But more akin to this:
Normally, like 96% of the time I am just playful, fun ol' Rowdy. Until I feel pushed or threatened for no good reason. Then I go into what I've always described to myself as 'cobra mode'. I feel like I've reared up taller, my traps are flared out and I'm in an attack pose. Ready to strike.
Or if you're like me and took years of anatomy and physiology in school then you know it better as the sympathetic nervous system at work. Fight or flight. It's opposite is the parasympathetic nervous system aka feed and breed.
Very few of my friends have seen this side of me, the 'cobra mode'. Fight or flight kicking in on me often turns to fight when it comes to dealing with people. And often flight when it is just situational nervousness. Aron D saw it a few times when people tried to pick on me at a bar or a party or whatever when I was in college. "Bros" and the typical d-bag think a 5' 7", 140lb guy is an easy mark to try and alpha dog.
They learn that is not the case. Thankfully I've grown and calmed down, but with all that in the past I am still not afraid to fight and get physical when I feel it is time.
Yesterday some of my newer San Diego friends saw me start to slip into feeling it was time. They said things like, "wow, I've never seen you like that before", or "I didn't know you had that in you", or "whoa, look at Evil Rowdy" and stuff like that.
It's probably best not to tell the story in too much detail here, but someone in authority at my shooting competition on Saturday tried picking on me. 'Cause I'm not as famous as some of the other people involved, I was from out of town and people take me to be an easy mark.
The exchange was heated and I was in attack posture. Cobra mode. Verbal, quick, assertive and not backing down**. In a room full of 60 people with guns no less. (but as we're all responsible that wasn't even ever thought of as an issue. to me it is just funny in retrospect)
Rough. Ready. Rowdy.
**I prevailed in the exchange. To my benefit and that of 5 other shooters.
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