9.02.2010
9.01.2010
Really delayed gifts involving scorpions
Late one night in Sudan I was getting ready to go to bed. I headed off to the latrine with my trusty headlamp turned on, pulled the plastic tarp nailed to some boards that we euphemistically referred to as a "door" open and had my heart stop for a few seconds. Camped out right next to the toilet paper (on the ground) was a scorpion. A big one. Probably of the deathstalker variety. It was late and I had been and continued to be sick and weak, so I went in search of someone with sufficient upper body strength and testicular fortitude to kill the nasty thing with a shovel.
Eventually most of the team wound up hanging around the latrine to peek at the scorpion. Finally Tom wanders by along with another male member of the team - Scott. A debate ensues regarding whether we should kill the scorpion, chase it off, or catch it and release it somewhere else. Mostly, I really need to pee and I was almost asleep on my feet so I finally snarled something to the effect of "get it the hell out of there so I can pee, dammit."
Scott went off to fetch a tin can and somehow got the scorpion into it. I got Tom to stand guard outside the latrine while I used it as though that would somehow protect me from scorpions. Then I went to bed.
Meanwhile, Scott was showing off his new friend, "Pinchy."
Image by shovelingtom via Flickr
After a while, Scott took Pinchy off into the desert and let him go. The villagers were less than pleased by Pinchy's reprieve - scorpions are serious business. While a scorpion sting usually kills only the very young, old, or sick, the pain is supposed to be horrific and nearly maddening and often there isn't much that can be done but wait it out. Thus, they kill the little bastards on sight.
Anyway, several months later after we'd all come home and Tom and I wound up moving to a different apartment, Scott sent us a lovely housewarming gift and I decided he needed to have a memento to remind him of Pinchy and his 2 months in the Sudanese desert with a bunch of crazy people.
So, I crocheted a scorpion. I think I borrowed the claw pattern from a free lobster pattern and made up the rest as I went along. And found a can to put it in. And then let it sit on my desk for a year because procrastination is cool or something.
So, after staring at it and thinking "hrm, I should put together the package of stuff for Scott and mail it" for the thousandth time today, I decided to actually, you know, do it. Yay!
I made sure to document Pinchy too.
Eventually most of the team wound up hanging around the latrine to peek at the scorpion. Finally Tom wanders by along with another male member of the team - Scott. A debate ensues regarding whether we should kill the scorpion, chase it off, or catch it and release it somewhere else. Mostly, I really need to pee and I was almost asleep on my feet so I finally snarled something to the effect of "get it the hell out of there so I can pee, dammit."
Scott went off to fetch a tin can and somehow got the scorpion into it. I got Tom to stand guard outside the latrine while I used it as though that would somehow protect me from scorpions. Then I went to bed.
Meanwhile, Scott was showing off his new friend, "Pinchy."
Image by shovelingtom via FlickrAfter a while, Scott took Pinchy off into the desert and let him go. The villagers were less than pleased by Pinchy's reprieve - scorpions are serious business. While a scorpion sting usually kills only the very young, old, or sick, the pain is supposed to be horrific and nearly maddening and often there isn't much that can be done but wait it out. Thus, they kill the little bastards on sight.
Anyway, several months later after we'd all come home and Tom and I wound up moving to a different apartment, Scott sent us a lovely housewarming gift and I decided he needed to have a memento to remind him of Pinchy and his 2 months in the Sudanese desert with a bunch of crazy people.
So, I crocheted a scorpion. I think I borrowed the claw pattern from a free lobster pattern and made up the rest as I went along. And found a can to put it in. And then let it sit on my desk for a year because procrastination is cool or something.
So, after staring at it and thinking "hrm, I should put together the package of stuff for Scott and mail it" for the thousandth time today, I decided to actually, you know, do it. Yay!
I made sure to document Pinchy too.
 |
| Re-enactment of discovering Pinchy in the latrine |
 |
| Recreation of Pinchy's temporary home. |
 |
| Pinchy, hanging out where he blends in like the sneaky little bastard he is. |
 |
| Close-up. He can smell your fear. |
8.31.2010
Fairy Wand
One of the groups I belong to on Ravelry for people with chronic illness decided we should have a fairy wand swap. The idea was to make something fun and sort of whimsical to cheer each other up and maybe have to take to doctor's appointments and hit people with.Every one who participated got assigned a random recipient and we had some basic information about likes, dislikes, allergies, etc.
My recipient is a fan of ribbon and feathers and pink, blue, and teal.
I started with a wooden dowel cut down to size and made a marbled polymer clay handle. The handle was sealed with Mod Podge and polyurethan sealant. I painted glitter Mod Podge onto the rest of the wand and sealed it as well.
I found the rose on top in the $1 section of Michael's crafts - it was supposed to be a sort of bath poof thing. I cut off the hanging loop and glued it to the end of the wand.
I drilled a hole near the end of the wand and ran some beaded cords and various types of ribbon through, along with the pink maribou feather boa thing.
Then I made the grip decoration. I dyed some white feathers with food coloring to get the blues and teals and made some bows with more ribbon. And I made a little polymer clay brooch sort of thing and stamped it with some meaningful initials.
Amazingly, I had this done well before the due date and managed to send it off.
The recipient seems to really like it. I had a blast making it. I definitely went for the nearly ridiculous level of silly fun with it.
8.27.2010
Sudan gold miners vie with archaeologists for desert riches
Sudan gold miners vie with archaeologists for desert riches
We actually had a Sudani guy pan for gold with some soil samples from one of our sites.
Interesting that the gold rush is going on. I understand the concern for archaeological sites, but most of the guys who served as archaeological workmen probably realize that there usually isn't much left in the way of gold in most of the cemeteries - they were typically robbed in antiquity.
Competent excavators were finding the different colored in-fill after removing the tomb superstructures that showed exactly where ancient people were tunneling to grab valuables - usually they went right for the head/neck, sometimes near the pelvis for belts or girdles.
We actually had a Sudani guy pan for gold with some soil samples from one of our sites.
Interesting that the gold rush is going on. I understand the concern for archaeological sites, but most of the guys who served as archaeological workmen probably realize that there usually isn't much left in the way of gold in most of the cemeteries - they were typically robbed in antiquity.
Competent excavators were finding the different colored in-fill after removing the tomb superstructures that showed exactly where ancient people were tunneling to grab valuables - usually they went right for the head/neck, sometimes near the pelvis for belts or girdles.
8.24.2010
James Hance - Relentlessly Cheerful Art
James Hance - Relentlessly Cheerful Art
Some fabulous stuff here and the prints seem very reasonably priced. We have a few bare walls that need decorating...
Some fabulous stuff here and the prints seem very reasonably priced. We have a few bare walls that need decorating...
8.16.2010
First Day
I had my first day of work today after being out of work for about 2 years. It was only about 5 1/2 hours, but I feel like a zombie. Probably the combo of lots of information to take in and having to pay attention for that long at a stretch. And I'm tired lately anyway - I think doing my PT exercises 3 times a day is a bit too much for me.
Everyone was very nice, though, and it was good to have a fairly thorough run-through of the basics of the job. I am fairly confident I can manage even an 8 hour shift, especially if I have a day or more of down-time in between.
I'll do a bit more training later in the week and talk about schedules, etc. I'll be subbing for people much of the time, so I may not have a super-consistent schedule.
Tomorrow is physical and brain therapy day. Wooo.
And it seems the heat-wave has finally broken so I should be able to get some chores done and spend some time crafting without worrying about heat-stroke or stuff melting or felting.
Also, we established within the first hour that I'm not allowed to hit or clothesline people with my cane. The fact that the response to that question was laughter is a very good sign. :P
Everyone was very nice, though, and it was good to have a fairly thorough run-through of the basics of the job. I am fairly confident I can manage even an 8 hour shift, especially if I have a day or more of down-time in between.
I'll do a bit more training later in the week and talk about schedules, etc. I'll be subbing for people much of the time, so I may not have a super-consistent schedule.
Tomorrow is physical and brain therapy day. Wooo.
And it seems the heat-wave has finally broken so I should be able to get some chores done and spend some time crafting without worrying about heat-stroke or stuff melting or felting.
Also, we established within the first hour that I'm not allowed to hit or clothesline people with my cane. The fact that the response to that question was laughter is a very good sign. :P
8.12.2010
Trepanation
Image via WikipediaI think I understand why people used to use it as a solution for migraine. I'm finding the idea rather appealing myself, right now.For unknown reasons, my migraine frequency and severity has shot up this summer. After flipping through my calendar I realized I've had a migraine every day this week and over the weekend. A few of them have been ones that lasted more than a day. Others hit later in the day or afternoon after several hours of blissful normality.
This is not cool. Worse, I'm not getting good response to my usual abortive med - Excedrin. This is a bit complicated by the fact that I've had more arthritis pain lately for which I usually take naproxen which hangs around in the body for 8-12 hours during which you're not supposed to take another NSAID. Suck.
I've been using an ice pack. I've been using my Neti Pot. I've been lying down, doing gentle stretches, trying to relax. I've been trying to have pain-med free days so as not to trigger rebound headaches or medication overuse headaches.
I'm in the second month of trying butterbur extract as a preventative (obviously with no result). Unfortunately, the very hot, humid summer we're having along with lots of allergens are probably what's causing the problem and those aren't exactly triggers I can avoid without moving (which would be fine except for that whole we need jobs and a place to live thing).
This is bad enough as it is, but is now a really major problem as I've gotten a part-time job that starts next week. (Yay!) I can't really get to, let alone do said job at times when drilling a hole in my head to let the pain/demons/cerebrospinal fluid out seems like a good idea.
Nor does this ancient Egyptian remedy of tying a clay crocodile stuffed with herbs to my head seem all that appealing. Well, actually pressure plus heat or cold does help sometimes, but I suspect if there isn't already something in the dress code about that there would be after I showed up with one. (Though having rules made/added as a direct result of my actions is usually entertaining.)
In the past, I was on nortriptyline, one of the tricyclic antidepressants, for depression and discovered happily that it also prevented migraines. Unfortunately I also gained a lot of weight in a short amount of time and had some weird blood pressure issues and a few other less worrisome but mildly annoying side effects, so I switched to Cymbalta. So today I emailed my neuro and begged for help, suggesting maybe a low dose of the nortriptyline would help prevent migraine and not interact overmuch with the Cymbalta or be as likely to cause side effects. She got back to me and agreed to phone in an Rx. I'll check with my psychiatrist tomorrow to be sure they have no objection and hopefully my clever plan will succeed. It may take 1-3 weeks to really notice a difference, but that's fine. Hopefully the combo won't tip me into serotonin syndrome or cause any other nasty problems. At this point, the risk is worth it, especially since I know what to look for.
Failing that, I may well try to start a fashion for clay crocodiles as hipster head-wear.
Either way - job! Should be fairly low-stress, no one I met during my interviews seemed sociopathic, the job is done when I leave and I'll be bringing in some money to help pay down some debt and other stuff. I can do other stuff like knit while I'm there so long as it doesn't distract me too much (so, stockinette in the round) and I'm hoping I'll still have the energy to keep slowly plugging away at getting some crafts ready for sale.
8.07.2010
Post-Exertional Malaise in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Post-Exertional Malaise: Perception and Reality
Very interesting synthesis of some recent finding regarding fatigue, specifically "post-exertional malaise" in CFS. "Post-exterional malaise" refers to extended fatigue and general craptastic feeling after exertion - exercise, work, whatever - that lasts longer than would otherwise be considered normal. It's a very common issue for people with CFS.
The article notes that there are now some ways of actually quantifying and objectively identifying differences in PEM among patients with CFS vs. normal control groups.
There also seems to be a connection between aerobic exercise and PEM for people with CFS, which is not so much the case for people with other conditions with a large fatigue component, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS.
I have a tendency to avoid aerobic activity because it's in the category of exercises that "suck; a lot" for me. I tend to have more physical discomfort and feel generally shittier after things that I consider highly "aerobic" (what I think is "aerobic" and what actually is may be different things). So, things like the Obstacle Course, Step Aerobics, Running, etc., in Wii Fit Plus or in "actual: practice tend to make me miserable. Actually, in general, anything that significantly elevates my heart rate and breathing tends to make me miserable and tire me out a lot faster. I thought that just meant I was a wuss. :P
Interesting.
Yoga, stretching, walking, range of motion stuff I can do for longer and tend to feel less discomfort during and after.
I may need to try paying attention to this more. It may be that I'm out of shape or it may be CFS-related.
Very interesting synthesis of some recent finding regarding fatigue, specifically "post-exertional malaise" in CFS. "Post-exterional malaise" refers to extended fatigue and general craptastic feeling after exertion - exercise, work, whatever - that lasts longer than would otherwise be considered normal. It's a very common issue for people with CFS.
The article notes that there are now some ways of actually quantifying and objectively identifying differences in PEM among patients with CFS vs. normal control groups.
There also seems to be a connection between aerobic exercise and PEM for people with CFS, which is not so much the case for people with other conditions with a large fatigue component, like lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and MS.
I have a tendency to avoid aerobic activity because it's in the category of exercises that "suck; a lot" for me. I tend to have more physical discomfort and feel generally shittier after things that I consider highly "aerobic" (what I think is "aerobic" and what actually is may be different things). So, things like the Obstacle Course, Step Aerobics, Running, etc., in Wii Fit Plus or in "actual: practice tend to make me miserable. Actually, in general, anything that significantly elevates my heart rate and breathing tends to make me miserable and tire me out a lot faster. I thought that just meant I was a wuss. :P
Interesting.
Yoga, stretching, walking, range of motion stuff I can do for longer and tend to feel less discomfort during and after.
I may need to try paying attention to this more. It may be that I'm out of shape or it may be CFS-related.
8.06.2010
Twitch
Image via WikipediaFun times.
I don't know if I over-did it yesterday or if something else is going on or what. Joys of Functional Movement Disorder - no one can tell you why you have it, why you have symptoms, when you'll have symptoms, or really what to do about it.
Now to decide whether to deal, drink some valerian tea, or take a Klonopin. The later two options are likely to lead to varying degrees of space-cadet-ness. Doing nothing will just make me sore and grouchy.
On top of this, my right elbow is a mess of itchy rash and I have eczema on my palms. Awesome.
8.05.2010
Ferrets Have a Record-Breaking Breeding Season at the National Zoo
Ferrets Have a Record-Breaking Breeding Season at the National Zoo
Oh yeah, baby! We'll soon be taking over the world!
Thanks to SamuraiKnitter for the tip.
Oh yeah, baby! We'll soon be taking over the world!
Thanks to SamuraiKnitter for the tip.
8.03.2010
Happi amigurumi kokeshi
I haven't featured an amigurumi in a while, but Happi caught my eye. She's part of a beautiful series of dolls with some really lovely detailing with beads and embroidery.
Be sure to check out dustymom's Etsy shop for her amigurumi.
Be sure to check out dustymom's Etsy shop for her amigurumi.
NAMI Walks
Wow! Less than 24 hours and I've already hit my fund raising goal of $100. Big thank you and kisses to my sponsors!
I had kept the goal low because I know money is tight for a lot of people right now - I was expecting $5 here and there, but some lovely friends have been wonderfully generous!
You can still sponsor or join the team! We still have 47 days to go.
I had kept the goal low because I know money is tight for a lot of people right now - I was expecting $5 here and there, but some lovely friends have been wonderfully generous!
You can still sponsor or join the team! We still have 47 days to go.
8.02.2010
National Alliance on Mental Illness Chicago Walk
Tom and I and some friends will be walking in the National Alliance on Mental Illness walk in Chicago on September 19. This is an important cause for me in particular for a lot of reasons.
One is that regular therapy over the past few years has probably been one of the most, if not the most useful treatment I've received in terms of learning to cope with becoming disabled, having chronic health conditions, dealing with the unknown and unexpected, etc., etc. I'm deeply appreciative of all the professionals who have helped me and continue to help me.
Another is that I am all too aware of the stigma associated with mental illness. I understand it to a certain degree but I don't like it. I like it even less now that if affects me personally. I want to walk to show solidarity with others who have or have had mental illnesses of any kind.
A third is that the state of mental health care, particularly access to mental health care is in many ways absolutely pitiful. Public funding has been cut in many circumstances. Some of the people who most desperately need help and support whether it be crisis intervention or long term care often have little or no access to the help they need. I have been remarkably lucky in that our health insurance covers mental health care at all and that our coverage recently removed the yearly cap on office visits. Others are not so lucky.
Here is the link to my personal walker page: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks10/GCH/shovelingferret
And here's the link for our team page: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks10/GCH/jamesgang
Any support, whether it be moral support, sponsorship in any amount, or joining our team if you're in the Chicago area will be immensely appreciated, not only by me but by all the other people your donation will help.
I'm hoping to figure out a way to stick a permanent link/gauge over on my sidebar as well...
One is that regular therapy over the past few years has probably been one of the most, if not the most useful treatment I've received in terms of learning to cope with becoming disabled, having chronic health conditions, dealing with the unknown and unexpected, etc., etc. I'm deeply appreciative of all the professionals who have helped me and continue to help me.
Another is that I am all too aware of the stigma associated with mental illness. I understand it to a certain degree but I don't like it. I like it even less now that if affects me personally. I want to walk to show solidarity with others who have or have had mental illnesses of any kind.
A third is that the state of mental health care, particularly access to mental health care is in many ways absolutely pitiful. Public funding has been cut in many circumstances. Some of the people who most desperately need help and support whether it be crisis intervention or long term care often have little or no access to the help they need. I have been remarkably lucky in that our health insurance covers mental health care at all and that our coverage recently removed the yearly cap on office visits. Others are not so lucky.
Here is the link to my personal walker page: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks10/GCH/shovelingferret
And here's the link for our team page: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks10/GCH/jamesgang
Any support, whether it be moral support, sponsorship in any amount, or joining our team if you're in the Chicago area will be immensely appreciated, not only by me but by all the other people your donation will help.
I'm hoping to figure out a way to stick a permanent link/gauge over on my sidebar as well...
Evolution of the Alphabet
The Oriental Institute Museum has a regular series of special exhibits. At the moment, the show is Pioneer to the Past about the trip of the OI's founder, James Henry Breasted through Egypt and the Middle East visiting various significant sites, many of which the OI at the time had projects exploring.
Coming this fall will be Visible Language: Inventions of Writing in the Ancient Middle East.
Should be pretty cool.
My husband has been working on various behind-the-scenes stuff for the show, one of which is this awesome, awesome video showing the evolution of signs from Egyptian hieroglyphs to our own alphabet. The link goes to the OI's Facebook page, which you should be able to view even if you aren't a member of Facebook. There are some other sneak-peaks of the upcoming show there too.
It's both an excellent explanatory tool, but I'm also very impressed with the video in general. Very awesome.
I know many of you are interested in the origins of writing, etc., so I thought you'd especially enjoy this. Even if you can't make it to Chicago for the show, I do encourage you to check out the OI Facebook presence and the website for all kinds of fun photos and videos and other snippets of info.
Coming this fall will be Visible Language: Inventions of Writing in the Ancient Middle East.
Should be pretty cool.
My husband has been working on various behind-the-scenes stuff for the show, one of which is this awesome, awesome video showing the evolution of signs from Egyptian hieroglyphs to our own alphabet. The link goes to the OI's Facebook page, which you should be able to view even if you aren't a member of Facebook. There are some other sneak-peaks of the upcoming show there too.
It's both an excellent explanatory tool, but I'm also very impressed with the video in general. Very awesome.
I know many of you are interested in the origins of writing, etc., so I thought you'd especially enjoy this. Even if you can't make it to Chicago for the show, I do encourage you to check out the OI Facebook presence and the website for all kinds of fun photos and videos and other snippets of info.
8.01.2010
Motivation - I needs some
Image via WikipediaI mentioned I felt like I was spinning my wheels health-wise a few days ago. I feel like I'm spinning my wheels in general lately too.
Lots of plans and ideas, but no action on them.
I think this is partly a matter of fear - of failure, of wasted time and money experimenting (because my perfectionist self insists that "failed" experiments are wastes), of wearing myself out.
It's also an issue of TOO MUCH STUFF running around my brain.
I want to start selling crafts online.
Do I go with Etsy or Artfire. Or both?
I have ideas about branding and packaging and photography style and theme (an overall archaeological theme). Do I do that stuff now or wait until I actually have an inventory of stuff to actually, you know, sell? Also, I am intimidated by Inkscape and Scribus, etc. I have a start on part of my planned logo, but I still have Inkscape-fear.
What about bookkeeping? Will I go nuts with that? I already have some excellent spreadsheet setups, but, but, numbers are the debil!
Oh, and what do I actually sell? The overall theme here is archaeological/Egyptological inspired stuff (I'm being vague out of an additional fear that someone will steal my ideas!!!eleventy!) :Looks around shiftily:
- Amigurumi patterns (that I need to actually make and write and layout and test and make look purty)
- Jewelry (that I need to actually make to be sure it isn't hideous because at the moment all the designs exist solely in my head and run around and mock me when I'm trying to sleep). And do I stick with all polymer clay (with the exception of findings) or do mixed media pieces? There's a learning curve here as well - I haven't done much jewelry. How much experimenting (and therefore time and money spent) am I going to need to do?
- Fascinators and hair bobbles (that won't necessarily fit with the rest of the theme, but are easy and fast and fun to make)
- Hand printed textiles?
Photography:
My hands shake. I suck at photography. The light is bad. I hate fiddling with stuff. I do have awesome ideas for settings and composition though. And a tripod. And a husband who is a photography hobbyist.
So, in general, I look at all of the above, get overwhelmed, twitch a little and then go back to aimlessly surfing the internet and reading about nuclear weapons or UFO accounts or mid-19th Century European royalty and politics instead of doing anything productive. I read various blog posts from various awesome people in the crafty world talking about a lot of the stuff (the crafting, not the UFOs) above, but I still do *nothing.*
It's a little bit like the classic paper-writing conundrum of getting so caught up in research that you never actually write anything. Or getting so caught up in collecting sources you don't so much read them as acquire them.
So - how do I kick myself in the ass/brain? And how do I do it in a way that doesn't wear me out physically or mentally?
7.30.2010
National Geographic Channel to produce comedy set in ancient Egypt
National Geographic Channel to produce comedy set in ancient Egypt
I...what?
Anyway, Tony Robinson (Baldric from Blackadder) is involved but mostly, I'm just really confused.
I...what?
Anyway, Tony Robinson (Baldric from Blackadder) is involved but mostly, I'm just really confused.
7.28.2010
Review of Little Bodice Ripper on the Prairie
I finished it late last night. Blah.
There wasn't a great deal of information that isn't already available (obviously that probably wasn't the case in the late 1970s). Pretty much re-summarizes the events of the books while adding in a few tidbits of outside information from contemporary newspapers or diaries. Still not as interesting as one might hope.
Zochert seems to take for granted how Laura must have felt in certain circumstances, which I found annoying. And my lord did he hammer home the "holy crap their lives were harsh!" in the first years after Laura and Almanzo were married. But not by actual description or relation of events, just by saying "OMG it was soooo hard" over and over again.
There is very little at all about Rose. Next to nothing about life after the books in general, really.
Definitely no bodice ripping.
There wasn't a great deal of information that isn't already available (obviously that probably wasn't the case in the late 1970s). Pretty much re-summarizes the events of the books while adding in a few tidbits of outside information from contemporary newspapers or diaries. Still not as interesting as one might hope.
Zochert seems to take for granted how Laura must have felt in certain circumstances, which I found annoying. And my lord did he hammer home the "holy crap their lives were harsh!" in the first years after Laura and Almanzo were married. But not by actual description or relation of events, just by saying "OMG it was soooo hard" over and over again.
There is very little at all about Rose. Next to nothing about life after the books in general, really.
Definitely no bodice ripping.
7.27.2010
Totally Metal
I was looking through Ancient Egyptian Jewelry
and stumbled on a photo of the mummy of Katebet (BM EA 6665). Her mask and pectoral cover include her hands (made of wood). Some of the fingers are broken off. If you go take a look at her photo on the British Museum website you can see that she is totally (almost) rocking some devil-horns.
This makes perfect sense, as she was a Chantress of Amun. I bet she got crazy with the sistrum and was all dunn nuh nuh nuh nuh dunnnnuhnuh, Amun is the best! Woo!
Tom has suggested she be renamed "Metal-amun" so start your letter-writing campaign to the British Museum now. I'm sure they love getting crazy emails from random people - I know I did when I worked for a museum. They may even have a Greatest Hits file.
and stumbled on a photo of the mummy of Katebet (BM EA 6665). Her mask and pectoral cover include her hands (made of wood). Some of the fingers are broken off. If you go take a look at her photo on the British Museum website you can see that she is totally (almost) rocking some devil-horns.This makes perfect sense, as she was a Chantress of Amun. I bet she got crazy with the sistrum and was all dunn nuh nuh nuh nuh dunnnnuhnuh, Amun is the best! Woo!
Tom has suggested she be renamed "Metal-amun" so start your letter-writing campaign to the British Museum now. I'm sure they love getting crazy emails from random people - I know I did when I worked for a museum. They may even have a Greatest Hits file.
7.26.2010
Medieval News: Ground Mouse and Cheese Mold: Looking for Medical Miracles in Medieval Manuscripts
Medieval News: Ground Mouse and Cheese Mold: Looking for Medical Miracles in Medieval Manuscripts
Link to an interesting article in Der Spiegel (in English, I'm not that nuts) about examining medieval texts containing medical information and looking into the efficacy of various treatments.
I've always found folk medicine and herbal remedies interesting, especially when combined with a healthy dose of scientific research and basic caution. Nifty.
Link to an interesting article in Der Spiegel (in English, I'm not that nuts) about examining medieval texts containing medical information and looking into the efficacy of various treatments.
I've always found folk medicine and herbal remedies interesting, especially when combined with a healthy dose of scientific research and basic caution. Nifty.
Update on the Nana
I just got off the phone with my Nana. She sounds really good, so I am much relieved. Apparently she was having trouble swallowing anything without a whole lot of pain. Her doctor was right on top of things though and even gave her his cell phone number (yay, good doctors!) and she's improved a great deal.
She said she's still being careful taking small bites and chewing a lot, but she is able to eat. Yay!
She's been drinking Boost, which is one of those nutrition beverages like Ensure. Only one a day - half in the morning and half in the afternoon. I told her to be sure not to hit it too hard or anything, which made her laugh. :P I think I may tell Mom to take her the tackiest shot glass she can buy in the Vegas airport.
So, good news for the hard-core 87 year old! Thanks for all the good wishes, everyone!
She said she's still being careful taking small bites and chewing a lot, but she is able to eat. Yay!
She's been drinking Boost, which is one of those nutrition beverages like Ensure. Only one a day - half in the morning and half in the afternoon. I told her to be sure not to hit it too hard or anything, which made her laugh. :P I think I may tell Mom to take her the tackiest shot glass she can buy in the Vegas airport.
So, good news for the hard-core 87 year old! Thanks for all the good wishes, everyone!
Spinning My Wheels
What little reliable information I can find about Functional Movement Disorders says that, while improvement may occur over time, there will be highs and lows in that overall trend toward improvement.
I'm not sure if the last week or so has been a low or a plateau or what, but it hasn't been pleasant.
I've been dealing with a constant sore throat and general feeling of mank for a month or more. I often describe my general overall sense of health as feeling as though I'm just coming down with or just getting over a cold or flu. This has been a touch worse, but something I can generally cope with. I'm guessing it's more related to allergies and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome than FMD. I have noticed that the general feeling of flu-ish-ness gets worse if I over do it physically.
The past week or so, though, has seen what seem to me anyway, like setbacks or stuckedness with my movement issues. I've been far more tremory. A certain level of tremor in my hands is "normal" for me and has been since about 2007, but this has been body-wide. Wii Fit Plus exercises have been more challenging and I haven't been doing as well at them - that, at least, is a more objective measure than my overall sense - the scores are there to see. And I can't seem to push past 12 or 13 minutes without trouble.
I've had or been getting over or coming down with a migraine what seems like almost constantly all summer.
I've been under a bit of stress - I suppose the job interview last week might have contributed a bit. My pelvic movements have been the worst they've been since May starting Wednesday evening. I'd barely had *any* major involuntary movement in my pelvis/lower torso since May, actually. It's deeply frustrating. It's also uncomfortable.
I've been in more pain in general lately and had more brain-fog days.
I've been sleeping 12-14 hours a day and still feeling exhausted. And my sleep schedule is shot to hell.
It would be easy, at this point, to say "screw it" and give up, but obviously that's not what I'm going to do. I do my Wii Fit every day. I try to get out and walk (though the heat wave made that hard). My new therapist has arrived and settled in and I had my first appointment with her last week. My formal physical therapy is coming up in August. I try to be as active as my brain and body allow in any given day. It's very rare I spend a day in bed.
It's just deeply frustrating and a little frightening. I'm trying, I really am and I do feel better, but not well. And the very nature of FMD or psychogenic disorders or whatever you want to call them suggests that the ability to heal resides directly with me. Which makes it very easy to feel guilty about not being better. To wonder if I really want to be better. Is my brain playing tricks on me? Am I playing tricks on myself? Despite all the evidence that I am reasonably insightful am I missing some huge part of the picture. Am I, in fact, seeing some benefit to being sick that I just refuse to acknowledge? Something powerful enough to keep me disabled?
Or is that a bunch of bull-shit?
And on top of that - does it matter?
I'm not sure if the last week or so has been a low or a plateau or what, but it hasn't been pleasant.
I've been dealing with a constant sore throat and general feeling of mank for a month or more. I often describe my general overall sense of health as feeling as though I'm just coming down with or just getting over a cold or flu. This has been a touch worse, but something I can generally cope with. I'm guessing it's more related to allergies and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome than FMD. I have noticed that the general feeling of flu-ish-ness gets worse if I over do it physically.
The past week or so, though, has seen what seem to me anyway, like setbacks or stuckedness with my movement issues. I've been far more tremory. A certain level of tremor in my hands is "normal" for me and has been since about 2007, but this has been body-wide. Wii Fit Plus exercises have been more challenging and I haven't been doing as well at them - that, at least, is a more objective measure than my overall sense - the scores are there to see. And I can't seem to push past 12 or 13 minutes without trouble.
I've had or been getting over or coming down with a migraine what seems like almost constantly all summer.
I've been under a bit of stress - I suppose the job interview last week might have contributed a bit. My pelvic movements have been the worst they've been since May starting Wednesday evening. I'd barely had *any* major involuntary movement in my pelvis/lower torso since May, actually. It's deeply frustrating. It's also uncomfortable.
I've been in more pain in general lately and had more brain-fog days.
I've been sleeping 12-14 hours a day and still feeling exhausted. And my sleep schedule is shot to hell.
It would be easy, at this point, to say "screw it" and give up, but obviously that's not what I'm going to do. I do my Wii Fit every day. I try to get out and walk (though the heat wave made that hard). My new therapist has arrived and settled in and I had my first appointment with her last week. My formal physical therapy is coming up in August. I try to be as active as my brain and body allow in any given day. It's very rare I spend a day in bed.
It's just deeply frustrating and a little frightening. I'm trying, I really am and I do feel better, but not well. And the very nature of FMD or psychogenic disorders or whatever you want to call them suggests that the ability to heal resides directly with me. Which makes it very easy to feel guilty about not being better. To wonder if I really want to be better. Is my brain playing tricks on me? Am I playing tricks on myself? Despite all the evidence that I am reasonably insightful am I missing some huge part of the picture. Am I, in fact, seeing some benefit to being sick that I just refuse to acknowledge? Something powerful enough to keep me disabled?
Or is that a bunch of bull-shit?
And on top of that - does it matter?
7.25.2010
Good Thoughts, Please
I debated about posting about this, wondering if it was too personal and then reminded myself that I post about rashes and medical tests and symptoms all the damn time, so, really, I'm probably in the clear. Not to mention, we're all about some random up in here.
My much beloved Nana, who is also my only living grandparent, is apparently not doing very well. Something is going on with her swallowing and she dropped quite a bit of weight recently. She did go to the doctor and was treated in office with success and is now home. (All this is via my parents, who also didn't get a ton of details - you know how it can be.) I tried calling this evening, but no answer so I'll try again later tonight or tomorrow. My Mom was already planning a visit for next weekend, so that will also get us some more information.
My Nana is a remarkably tough lady and in her mid-80s and we share a first name along with a few other characteristics - most of them involving smallness and feistiness and stubbornness and an abiding fondness for my husband (seriously, she has some major love for the Tom) and feeding pasta to Oreo. She's the child of Irish immigrants who married the child of Italian immigrants (that went over well) and learned Italian and a whole new style of cooking to do so. She went to every Big Band show and swing dance she could during WWII. She kept her house in an intimidating level of cleanliness and orderliness and worked as a dealer in a casino and raised three kids all at the same time. She is hilarious. She still smokes (extra longs, because they're more ladylike) and has no intention of quitting (sigh). She only recently quit driving, which is probably good for all concerned, because she scared the crap out of me driving me around when I was a kid (seriously, I think her driving is what kept me from freaking out in cabs in Egypt and Sudan). Her house is still frighteningly clean and orderly. I'd appreciate it if people would keep her in their thoughts if they're so inclined.
I'm not sure if I/we can make it out to visit any time soon, but I'm investigating ways and means.
My much beloved Nana, who is also my only living grandparent, is apparently not doing very well. Something is going on with her swallowing and she dropped quite a bit of weight recently. She did go to the doctor and was treated in office with success and is now home. (All this is via my parents, who also didn't get a ton of details - you know how it can be.) I tried calling this evening, but no answer so I'll try again later tonight or tomorrow. My Mom was already planning a visit for next weekend, so that will also get us some more information.
My Nana is a remarkably tough lady and in her mid-80s and we share a first name along with a few other characteristics - most of them involving smallness and feistiness and stubbornness and an abiding fondness for my husband (seriously, she has some major love for the Tom) and feeding pasta to Oreo. She's the child of Irish immigrants who married the child of Italian immigrants (that went over well) and learned Italian and a whole new style of cooking to do so. She went to every Big Band show and swing dance she could during WWII. She kept her house in an intimidating level of cleanliness and orderliness and worked as a dealer in a casino and raised three kids all at the same time. She is hilarious. She still smokes (extra longs, because they're more ladylike) and has no intention of quitting (sigh). She only recently quit driving, which is probably good for all concerned, because she scared the crap out of me driving me around when I was a kid (seriously, I think her driving is what kept me from freaking out in cabs in Egypt and Sudan). Her house is still frighteningly clean and orderly. I'd appreciate it if people would keep her in their thoughts if they're so inclined.
I'm not sure if I/we can make it out to visit any time soon, but I'm investigating ways and means.
 |
| Nana at our wedding in 2003, rocking some pink jewelry |
7.24.2010
Little Bodice Ripper on the Prairie?
I have a deep and abiding fondness for the works of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Read them as a child and adored them, then picked them up again a couple years ago as comfort reading and discovered they were still wonderful. As an archaeologist and historian and general nerd, I was also interested in more information about Laura and her family. So, there's this book - Laura: The Life of Laura Ingalls Wilder
by Donald Zochert. I scored it from Paperback Swap. The cover is tripping me out.
Yeah. I have many questions.
I'm assuming that's Laura over there on the left.
What isn't clear is why she has her blouse unbuttoned halfway to her navel. Or why she has short, Brady Bunch hair.
On the right, I'm guessing Almanzo Wilder. I was unaware until now that his family had Neanderthal ancestry of sufficient recentness to give him a really distinctive brow-ridge. Or that he apparently highlighted his hair.
Seriously - WTF?
The author, Zochert, writes in a weird, simplistic kind of folksy way that is sort of like Laura's. I can't decide if this is annoying yet.
I definitely have not hit any bodice ripping yet.
by Donald Zochert. I scored it from Paperback Swap. The cover is tripping me out.
The front cover isn't so bad. They were clearly trying to capitalize on the Little House on the Prairie TV show without getting too far into potential lawsuit territory, which explains the Michael Landon looking dude on the left there.
Then there's the back cover:
Then there's the back cover:
I'm assuming that's Laura over there on the left.
What isn't clear is why she has her blouse unbuttoned halfway to her navel. Or why she has short, Brady Bunch hair.
On the right, I'm guessing Almanzo Wilder. I was unaware until now that his family had Neanderthal ancestry of sufficient recentness to give him a really distinctive brow-ridge. Or that he apparently highlighted his hair.
Seriously - WTF?
The author, Zochert, writes in a weird, simplistic kind of folksy way that is sort of like Laura's. I can't decide if this is annoying yet.
I definitely have not hit any bodice ripping yet.
Can't Sleep. Don't Think Clowns Will Eat Me
Delayed Sleep Phase Disorder plus migraines plus being over-tired and overheated is awesome for turning one into a vampire. I slept until 6 PM last night. So, I'm still awake now.
Since I can't sleep, I decided to play with the new "Template Designer" Blogger has put out. Yeah. It makes it slightly easier to move around page elements and probably do stuff from scratch, but I decided to try out one of the pre-loaded templates and just fiddle with width and gadgets.
Thoughts?
In other news, I had an interview for a part time job on Wednesday. It went fairly well. I would essentially be filling in for other people as needed, which should be doable for me. The heat index here has been insanely high. I'm far more sensitive to heat/humidity than I used to be, so this sucks more than usual.
Since I can't sleep, I decided to play with the new "Template Designer" Blogger has put out. Yeah. It makes it slightly easier to move around page elements and probably do stuff from scratch, but I decided to try out one of the pre-loaded templates and just fiddle with width and gadgets.
Thoughts?
In other news, I had an interview for a part time job on Wednesday. It went fairly well. I would essentially be filling in for other people as needed, which should be doable for me. The heat index here has been insanely high. I'm far more sensitive to heat/humidity than I used to be, so this sucks more than usual.
7.16.2010
Archaeological Field Records as Art
I was just messing around surfing on Wiki and glanced at the entry for the Hallstatt culture (Iron Age in Central Europe) and found this glorious watercolor of a series of graves excavated by Johann Georg Ramsauer in the mid 19th Century. The records were apparently never published, but survived as folios.
Really, really awesome (to me at least). Field records can be that way, especially when dealing with highly decorative or "artistic" assemblages, but making these pit burials beautiful and alive was probably far more challenging. Very cool.
Really, really awesome (to me at least). Field records can be that way, especially when dealing with highly decorative or "artistic" assemblages, but making these pit burials beautiful and alive was probably far more challenging. Very cool.
7.15.2010
Really?
I write like
David Foster Wallace
David Foster Wallace
I Write Like by Mémoires, Mac journal software. Analyze your writing!
Really?
This is based on multiple blog posts I've input. Vaguely tempted to try some of my academic papers. Honestly not sure how to feel about this. Everything I've heard or read about Wallace's work has turned me off, big time.
At least it wasn't Dan Brown.
7.13.2010
Ancient Letter to Pharaoh Found : Discovery News
Ancient Letter to Pharaoh Found : Discovery News
Apparently addressed to Akhenaten, it's Akkadian written in cuneiform (which was the common language of diplomacy at the time) and was found outside the city walls of Old Jerusalem.
Only a few words can be made out, so I think it's time for a rousing game of mad-libs.
Here are the words if you're too lazy to read the whole article:
“you,” “you were,” “later,” “to do” and “them,”
My tentative reconstruction:
Dear Akhenaten:
You look like a freak in all your depictions. What the hell is up with that? Also, you were supposed to help me whup up on my neighboring city-states, but you just keep sending me letters blathering about the sun disk and telling me "we'll take care of it later, it's on my to do list." I'm getting tired of waiting. Those asshats at Gezer keep talking smack and saying that we suck. I seriously hate them. Please send lots of gold and an army so that I might smite their asses in your glorious, moobied name.
Sincerely,
Vassal King Who Will Be Ignored
Apparently addressed to Akhenaten, it's Akkadian written in cuneiform (which was the common language of diplomacy at the time) and was found outside the city walls of Old Jerusalem.
Only a few words can be made out, so I think it's time for a rousing game of mad-libs.
Here are the words if you're too lazy to read the whole article:
“you,” “you were,” “later,” “to do” and “them,”
My tentative reconstruction:
Dear Akhenaten:
You look like a freak in all your depictions. What the hell is up with that? Also, you were supposed to help me whup up on my neighboring city-states, but you just keep sending me letters blathering about the sun disk and telling me "we'll take care of it later, it's on my to do list." I'm getting tired of waiting. Those asshats at Gezer keep talking smack and saying that we suck. I seriously hate them. Please send lots of gold and an army so that I might smite their asses in your glorious, moobied name.
Sincerely,
Vassal King Who Will Be Ignored
7.12.2010
I Fail at Blogging!
Still alive. Totally forgotten to post. Probably just as well as I haven't been up to terribly much. Well, I have, but it's gifts for people who might read this so I can't exactly go on at length. Health has been being varying between okay and stupid and annoying lately. This is to be expected with both Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Functional Movement Disorder, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating at times. While there may be noticeable waves and troughs over time, the general trend should be toward improvement.
The Wii Fit Plus is still a huge success as far as I'm concerned. I use it nearly every day (I usually take one day off a week). I started out at about 5 minutes, moved up to around 7, then up to 10, and last week up to 15. I have seen some improvement in my stability and balance and coordination. My neurologist was impressed. Unfortunately, it seems 15 minutes was too much, so I've dropped back down to 10 for another week and will try ramping up again, maybe in 2-3 minute increments.
I've been trying to get in a daily walk of at least 10 minutes but have slacked off on that lately - it's been insanely hot.
I've been experimenting with taking butterbur root extract supplements to help prevent migraines (it works as a calcium channel blocker, which may help). I'm not sure that it's doing much, as I'm still having at least one migraine every 10 days. The weather has been dreadful, with lots of thunderstorms recently, so that may also be contributing in a big way. I'll keep up with the butterbur as it doesn't seem to have any ill effects to see how I do long-term.
My sleep schedule, which was doing so well for a few months there, is now royally screwed again. I stopped using my SAD-lamp thing once spring/summer was well underway, but I am beginning to suspect that I should go ahead and keep turning it on when I first get up anyway, even if it seems fairly bright in the living room to help reinforce the message to my brain about when morning and night actually are. Being overtired and in pain also contributes to insomnia, so all that together probably explains the suck. Still annoying as hell. It saps a great deal out of my already tiny amount of productivity to be awake(ish) at night and sleep all day.
The latest crap is that my acne has gone nuts and the occasional weird insanely itchy rashes I get on my ankles have gone full on wacked. I have a dermatologist appointment this week. I wouldn't care so much about the acne, but it hurts like hell and is spreading down my back and chest. There's another annoyances too that I can no longer handle with OTC stuff, so off to the doctor. Possibly related to the Plaquenil I've been taking (which was supposed to *help* with some of the rashes).
Plaquenil is driving me nuts in other ways too - my GI tract is not a fan. Still planning to stick it out the full 6 month trial (that will end in September), but I'm not seeing a huge improvement. I think I might be better off with a daily OTC anti-inflammatory and treating the arthritis and rashes on their own as needed. It certainly doesn't seem to have helped with fatigue.
I am planning on meditating daily now to put my zafu to good use. I've found a ton of guided meditation podcasts through iTunes to work with, so that should be fun. Oreo likes to come be near me, but not bothersome, when I meditate, which I think is adorable.
I've also found sitting on the zafu to knit or crochet for brief periods is surprisingly comfortable.
In other news, I love PaperBackSwap.com. I now have a huge pile of to-be-read books and have sent many of my own no-longer-wanted books off to happy new homes. Awesomesauce.
The Wii Fit Plus is still a huge success as far as I'm concerned. I use it nearly every day (I usually take one day off a week). I started out at about 5 minutes, moved up to around 7, then up to 10, and last week up to 15. I have seen some improvement in my stability and balance and coordination. My neurologist was impressed. Unfortunately, it seems 15 minutes was too much, so I've dropped back down to 10 for another week and will try ramping up again, maybe in 2-3 minute increments.
I've been trying to get in a daily walk of at least 10 minutes but have slacked off on that lately - it's been insanely hot.
I've been experimenting with taking butterbur root extract supplements to help prevent migraines (it works as a calcium channel blocker, which may help). I'm not sure that it's doing much, as I'm still having at least one migraine every 10 days. The weather has been dreadful, with lots of thunderstorms recently, so that may also be contributing in a big way. I'll keep up with the butterbur as it doesn't seem to have any ill effects to see how I do long-term.
My sleep schedule, which was doing so well for a few months there, is now royally screwed again. I stopped using my SAD-lamp thing once spring/summer was well underway, but I am beginning to suspect that I should go ahead and keep turning it on when I first get up anyway, even if it seems fairly bright in the living room to help reinforce the message to my brain about when morning and night actually are. Being overtired and in pain also contributes to insomnia, so all that together probably explains the suck. Still annoying as hell. It saps a great deal out of my already tiny amount of productivity to be awake(ish) at night and sleep all day.
The latest crap is that my acne has gone nuts and the occasional weird insanely itchy rashes I get on my ankles have gone full on wacked. I have a dermatologist appointment this week. I wouldn't care so much about the acne, but it hurts like hell and is spreading down my back and chest. There's another annoyances too that I can no longer handle with OTC stuff, so off to the doctor. Possibly related to the Plaquenil I've been taking (which was supposed to *help* with some of the rashes).
Plaquenil is driving me nuts in other ways too - my GI tract is not a fan. Still planning to stick it out the full 6 month trial (that will end in September), but I'm not seeing a huge improvement. I think I might be better off with a daily OTC anti-inflammatory and treating the arthritis and rashes on their own as needed. It certainly doesn't seem to have helped with fatigue.
I am planning on meditating daily now to put my zafu to good use. I've found a ton of guided meditation podcasts through iTunes to work with, so that should be fun. Oreo likes to come be near me, but not bothersome, when I meditate, which I think is adorable.
I've also found sitting on the zafu to knit or crochet for brief periods is surprisingly comfortable.
In other news, I love PaperBackSwap.com. I now have a huge pile of to-be-read books and have sent many of my own no-longer-wanted books off to happy new homes. Awesomesauce.
7.04.2010
7.01.2010
Yet Again, I'm Glad I No Longer Have Cable
So far as I can tell, this is not a joke. Well, it is a joke, but wasn't intended as such. Ima go rock back and forth in a corner and cry now.
Bonus points for the truly ridiculous descriptions available in the episode guide plus the suggestion that viewers might also enjoy shows about ancient aliens.
Hilariously, I think I was one of many people who received email invitations to apply/audition for a place on the show. I'm fairly certain I read the message, giggled, and deleted it, but I'll have to dig through old archives to be sure, just in case there's some added hilarity.
Another silver lining to my lack of cable access is probably the fact that it will keep me from live-blogging the shows via Twitter and getting sued. :P
6.28.2010
CultureLab: On the trail of Tutankhamen's penis
CultureLab: On the trail of Tutankhamen's penis
In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I am so sick of Tut stuff I could vomit, but this was enough to make me post again. Also, I suck for not keeping up with the ongoing Egyptian history and archaeology posts that I promised to do. I'm actually hoping to start those up again soonish.
First of all, while Irwin Braverman of Yale Medical School and Philip Mackowiak of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland (doctors mentioned in the article as supporting the idea of a genetic disorder who wrote to JAMA regarding that very thing) may be perfectly good doctors, they are not Egyptologists. As I've discussed before, there is no requirement that a medical explanation be found for the "bizarre" or "androgynous" appearance of individuals in depictions from the Amarna Period as there is very good evidence that the unusual depictions have more to do with artistic convention that reality. So, that's mildly annoying, but only mildly because, really, that horse will never be fully beaten to death.
More annoying is this:
Marchant is at least good enough to admit this later on after having spoken to John Taylor at the British Museum. Unfortunately she doesn't mention that the recently published JAMA article indicates that of the remains investigated by the researches, only Yuya had a cephalic index indicating an unusually elongated skull. In fact, she suggests that photos should be taken/made available to compare the skulls of the remains identified as Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Bear in mind, the "unusually elongated skull" is one of the many signs that people jump all over when trying to diagnose Tut and family with various diseases, syndromes, and disorders.
Sigh.
For those wanting more info or citations- I direct you to The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut)
by Nicholas Reeves, pp 116-118 discuss the mummy and Carter and his team unwrapping it. The photo on p. 117 clearly shows Tut's penis attached to his body and it's precise positioning and details of wrapping are briefly discussed on that same page.
Damage to the chest was caused by a combination of poor embalming technique and the subsequent unwrapping of the body by Carter et al.
The mummy and the unwrapping is also described by Carter in The Tomb of Tutankamen
, pp 174-198, though more attention is given to the multitude of jewelry, amulets, etc., placed on the body.
And as an aside, I sincerely hope the first comment on the article itself is a joke. Please.
I think this may also call for an addition to my Time Travel To-Do List:
1. If someone invents a time machine and I go back to ancient Egypt, scribes better watch out. I will be pimp-slapping every last one of those bastards.
2. Claim Europe.
3. Print this out and take a copy to Charles Darwin. For the lulz.
4. Find the Trolololo guy and kill him.
5. Take photos of Akhenaten and his extended family. And blood samples. And possibly penis measurements (that's totally getting farmed out to some grad student I hate).
In the interest of full disclosure, I should note that I am so sick of Tut stuff I could vomit, but this was enough to make me post again. Also, I suck for not keeping up with the ongoing Egyptian history and archaeology posts that I promised to do. I'm actually hoping to start those up again soonish.
First of all, while Irwin Braverman of Yale Medical School and Philip Mackowiak of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland (doctors mentioned in the article as supporting the idea of a genetic disorder who wrote to JAMA regarding that very thing) may be perfectly good doctors, they are not Egyptologists. As I've discussed before, there is no requirement that a medical explanation be found for the "bizarre" or "androgynous" appearance of individuals in depictions from the Amarna Period as there is very good evidence that the unusual depictions have more to do with artistic convention that reality. So, that's mildly annoying, but only mildly because, really, that horse will never be fully beaten to death.
More annoying is this:
I smelled a conspiracy. Could ancient Egyptian embalmers have replaced the royal member to hide the fact that their king's manhood was somewhat lacking? What's more, the front of Tut's chest is missing, so it's impossible to check whether he did indeed have breasts. Was this part of the mummy's anatomy sabotaged too?Yes, let's introduce unfounded speculation into an article on a site called "The New Scientist!" Woo! Never mind that there isn't really any reason to suspect that someone swapped out Tut's wang and replaced it with a bigger one or that his chest was deliberately damaged to hide evidence of moobs other than this journalist deciding she wants to be provocative.
Marchant is at least good enough to admit this later on after having spoken to John Taylor at the British Museum. Unfortunately she doesn't mention that the recently published JAMA article indicates that of the remains investigated by the researches, only Yuya had a cephalic index indicating an unusually elongated skull. In fact, she suggests that photos should be taken/made available to compare the skulls of the remains identified as Akhenaten and Tutankhamun. Bear in mind, the "unusually elongated skull" is one of the many signs that people jump all over when trying to diagnose Tut and family with various diseases, syndromes, and disorders.
Sigh.
For those wanting more info or citations- I direct you to The Complete Tutankhamun: The King, the Tomb, the Royal Treasure (King Tut)
by Nicholas Reeves, pp 116-118 discuss the mummy and Carter and his team unwrapping it. The photo on p. 117 clearly shows Tut's penis attached to his body and it's precise positioning and details of wrapping are briefly discussed on that same page.Damage to the chest was caused by a combination of poor embalming technique and the subsequent unwrapping of the body by Carter et al.
The mummy and the unwrapping is also described by Carter in The Tomb of Tutankamen
, pp 174-198, though more attention is given to the multitude of jewelry, amulets, etc., placed on the body.And as an aside, I sincerely hope the first comment on the article itself is a joke. Please.
I think this may also call for an addition to my Time Travel To-Do List:
1. If someone invents a time machine and I go back to ancient Egypt, scribes better watch out. I will be pimp-slapping every last one of those bastards.
2. Claim Europe.
3. Print this out and take a copy to Charles Darwin. For the lulz.
4. Find the Trolololo guy and kill him.
5. Take photos of Akhenaten and his extended family. And blood samples. And possibly penis measurements (that's totally getting farmed out to some grad student I hate).
6.24.2010
Speedos and Pageant Ribbons
I've branched out from only using Instant Play from Netflix (and thus having DVDs sitting around unwatched for weeks) and have actually been watching DVDs. Yesterday I got Star Trek: The Animated Series.
I read the novelization of the episodes years ago, but had never seen the actual show.
Oh, it's awesome.
All the cast except Walter Koenig (Chekov) play their roles.
The music sounds like it's from The Love Boat.
The animation is at times hilariously bad.
But it's Star Trek and I love it.
Today I watched the episode Yesteryear. It involves adult Spock going back in time to rescue himself as a child from being eaten by a green scaly mountain lion. This was always one of my favorite stories.
I was knitting (in the round with DPNs, no less) while this was on so didn't see all of it so much as listen and glance up every now and then.
One of the things I glanced up to see was this:
Why are male Vulcan children typically (?) dressed in Speedos and pageant ribbons? It's a freakin' desert planet. Wouldn't there be unfortunate burns and chafing? Also, that chubby one better watch his back before the other bullies turn on him. And do I want to know what the girls wear?
I realize it was the 70s, but seriously - who decided on this outfit? Was it a nod the tradition of dressing females on the show in as little as possible? More shopping at Intergalactic Disco Pimps R Us?
It really is a cool episode. We get a bit of back story for Spock and his childhood, including seeing his pet sehlat.
Still disturbed by the outfits.
Photo credit: Shamelessly stolen from Star Trek: The Animated Series website
I read the novelization of the episodes years ago, but had never seen the actual show.
Oh, it's awesome.
All the cast except Walter Koenig (Chekov) play their roles.
The music sounds like it's from The Love Boat.
The animation is at times hilariously bad.
But it's Star Trek and I love it.
Today I watched the episode Yesteryear. It involves adult Spock going back in time to rescue himself as a child from being eaten by a green scaly mountain lion. This was always one of my favorite stories.
I was knitting (in the round with DPNs, no less) while this was on so didn't see all of it so much as listen and glance up every now and then.
One of the things I glanced up to see was this:
I realize it was the 70s, but seriously - who decided on this outfit? Was it a nod the tradition of dressing females on the show in as little as possible? More shopping at Intergalactic Disco Pimps R Us?
It really is a cool episode. We get a bit of back story for Spock and his childhood, including seeing his pet sehlat.
Still disturbed by the outfits.
Photo credit: Shamelessly stolen from Star Trek: The Animated Series website
Exploration. We do it.
From this evening's walk around the Point:
I remain disappointed by the lack of bears, badgers, bats, or hobos. Survey will continue as appropriate.
I remain disappointed by the lack of bears, badgers, bats, or hobos. Survey will continue as appropriate.
6.22.2010
6.21.2010
Whatever, Animal Psychologists
Supposedly a good way to deal with doggies who are frightened by thunderstorms is not to comfort or soothe them because that reinforces the idea that something is wrong or that they should be afraid. Instead, you should try to distract them by playing or something.
Yeah. Right.
I just tried to get Oreo to play with one of his tugs and got the look of utter doggy disdain. The expression that clearly says "Woman, what the hell is wrong with you? There is a freakin' THUNDERMONSTER right outside and you taunt me with that stupid toy thing?"
Just a few minutes prior he was trying to claw his way into the bathroom with me. If I hadn't already been in there, he may well have been trying to herd me in there because, apparently, he is aware that bathrooms are often the safest rooms in the event of thunderstorms or tornadoes. He regularly tries to get me into the bathroom during storms. The very same dog who occasionally runs to the wrong door of the apartment when Tom comes home and who still has trouble grasping the idea of looking at what you're pointing at instead of at your finger is somehow conversant with basic emergency procedure.
I pointed out to him that I don't understand why he always comes to me when there's a storm. Tom is much bigger and therefore likely better protection. For once he listened to me:
Notice the paw carefully placed over one of Tom's feet so as to keep the protective shin fence in place. Also, he looks extra pitiful. And keeps looking at the door uneasily now and then.
Thundermonsters: serious business. Water falling from the sky and leaving puddles in which I could DROWN: also serious business.
It's going to be a hard night for a little dog. And probably for me too because odds are he's going to wind up sleeping on my CPAP hose trying to get as close to me as possible.
Yeah. Right.
I just tried to get Oreo to play with one of his tugs and got the look of utter doggy disdain. The expression that clearly says "Woman, what the hell is wrong with you? There is a freakin' THUNDERMONSTER right outside and you taunt me with that stupid toy thing?"
Just a few minutes prior he was trying to claw his way into the bathroom with me. If I hadn't already been in there, he may well have been trying to herd me in there because, apparently, he is aware that bathrooms are often the safest rooms in the event of thunderstorms or tornadoes. He regularly tries to get me into the bathroom during storms. The very same dog who occasionally runs to the wrong door of the apartment when Tom comes home and who still has trouble grasping the idea of looking at what you're pointing at instead of at your finger is somehow conversant with basic emergency procedure.
I pointed out to him that I don't understand why he always comes to me when there's a storm. Tom is much bigger and therefore likely better protection. For once he listened to me:
Notice the paw carefully placed over one of Tom's feet so as to keep the protective shin fence in place. Also, he looks extra pitiful. And keeps looking at the door uneasily now and then.
Thundermonsters: serious business. Water falling from the sky and leaving puddles in which I could DROWN: also serious business.
It's going to be a hard night for a little dog. And probably for me too because odds are he's going to wind up sleeping on my CPAP hose trying to get as close to me as possible.
Exhaustion
Tom found this chair during the end of academic year move-out and brought it home. Guess who spends the most time in it?Granny Square
I agreed to contribute a square to a sympathy afghan for a friend of a friend who had a sudden health crisis in the last few months. Finally got around to actually making the square today.I used a pattern from SmoothFox - a Celtic Granny Square and worked it up in some Pine Simply Soft Eco. It went much faster than expected andI think it turned out lovely. The free pattern includes instructions for single or multiple colors, so I may works with this a bit more in future.
Plus I got to use one of my polymer clay handled crochet hooks.
I did most of it sitting on my zafu while watching the first episode of Elizabeth R. My back is less than pleased about this. I've now retreated to the couch and my "boyfriend pillow" and heating pad.
Not terribly much else going on lately. I had one of my very bad migraines starting Thursday night with the major pain lasting through Friday and residual suckage through today. The concurrent thunderstorms aren't helping.
I've also been a bit depressed, but I suspect the migraine had a role in that.
Hoping to get going on some other projects this week. I'd like to try designing my own amigurumi for sale as finished objects and/or as patterns, but keep feeling inadequate to the actual task and so keep doing loads of "research" into pattern templates, etc., etc., without actually doing anything.
The same with polymer clay stuff. Must actually do instead of just thinking.
There's also sewing to be done. I'm finding long-ish skirts more and more comfortable lately for a variety of reasons and would like to make some out of cotton in some good neutral colors. I've got fabric and pattern for jammies waiting. And I've still got an excessive amount of buckwheat hulls and a ton of fabric a lovely friend from Ravelry sent to me waiting to be made into pillows and hot/cold packs.
I also need to quit daydreaming about the homestead. It'll happen when it happens. Chickens! Vegetables! Goats! Bunnehs! Horsies!
Not terribly much else going on lately. I had one of my very bad migraines starting Thursday night with the major pain lasting through Friday and residual suckage through today. The concurrent thunderstorms aren't helping.
I've also been a bit depressed, but I suspect the migraine had a role in that.
Hoping to get going on some other projects this week. I'd like to try designing my own amigurumi for sale as finished objects and/or as patterns, but keep feeling inadequate to the actual task and so keep doing loads of "research" into pattern templates, etc., etc., without actually doing anything.
The same with polymer clay stuff. Must actually do instead of just thinking.
There's also sewing to be done. I'm finding long-ish skirts more and more comfortable lately for a variety of reasons and would like to make some out of cotton in some good neutral colors. I've got fabric and pattern for jammies waiting. And I've still got an excessive amount of buckwheat hulls and a ton of fabric a lovely friend from Ravelry sent to me waiting to be made into pillows and hot/cold packs.
I also need to quit daydreaming about the homestead. It'll happen when it happens. Chickens! Vegetables! Goats! Bunnehs! Horsies!
6.18.2010
Seven Years Ago Today
Tom and I got married. It was an adventure. Continues to be one, really. Wouldn't trade it for anything.
Last two photos were taken during our first season in Sudan by one of our team-mates. One at the end of a fairly windy day (sunscreen plus wind plus facing into the dirt = messy) and the other sitting on the bank of the Nile just before going for a quick swim.
Also, the finest ass in Buhen Temple. And a very tasteful picture of it at that.
Also, the finest ass in Buhen Temple. And a very tasteful picture of it at that.
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