This is a witty title, pregnant with meaning and suspense.

WTTAHTTI

lafinjack — Tue, 05 May 2020 21:00:31 GMT

opinion

patience

thought

2%

absolutes

bullying

direction

music

lafinjack — Tue, 09 Oct 2018 03:41:55 GMT

Mercy does exist, like karma, but like karma may come from unusual vectors.

lafinjack — Sun, 05 Aug 2018 02:42:34 GMT

Greetings, Sapients! I bring to you news of medical import. The short version: While in the Army I fell from a vehicle and messed up my back. Lots of things happened, then I was medically discharged from the Army in July of 2003. This has ruined my body, it has ruined my career, it has ruined my life. At first, I could barely hold a job. I drank, hard, for ten years. I went through a lot of therapy, body and mind. Now, my daily life is a step and a half (pun not intended) above being an invalid. I don't mind talking about it, but I don't go out of my way to talk about it because nobody wants to feel helpless about this stranger on the internet.

Luckily, my back has degenerated enough to the point where major surgery could help. It'll be totlally metal. Medical grade titanium, even, threaded up the sides of my spine and screwed into my vertebrae. This will act as a brace to flex my back into the right shape and posture, from the inside.

This is at least six months away, which is fine. The doctor understandably wants me to do some "pre-habbing", lose more weight, do core work like a boss, and generally get this body into some kind of shape where it's a worthwhile cost-positive to jam rods into someone's vertebrae and hope it helps.

This, from a totally awesome orthopedic surgeon at the Hines Veteran Hospital, Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Lauren Matteini. Here's the annotated version.

Her theory is that the extent my issues have gone to symptoms-wise was only triggered by my fall back in the Army fifteen years ago, because it happened to combine with the way my spine has been growing from birth, a condition called Scheuermann's disease, or Scheuermann's kyphosis (Greek for humping). Basically normal vertebrae are stacked like Jenga blocks, but mine are stacked like orange wedges. In severe cases the person grows up with a severe hump instead of a supportive curve. But because my humpy back was flexing to compensate for an injury, my lumbar spine has curved forward reactively over time to compensate for my thoracic spine, giving me what Dr. Matteini calls a bubble butt. Add a little extra spinal degeneration from the extra work my back has to do to function, and you've got a shit sandwich. So yes, I'm a degenerate humpback, but with a bubble butt.

This Scheuermann's disease thing isn't a major change from a normal spine, but it may explain a thing or two about minor problems I had as a kid, and I would have grown up mostly normally spine-wise, just a bit more wedgey. Except for this narrowing my vertebrae had, I probably would have healed through most or all of my fall injuries, enough for a desk job, but they teamed up together (plus a couple other theories I have about my health record) and messed everything up. Boo hoo.

But anyway, titanium rods, totally metal, bitchin' technology!

So I hope that explains all of that.

My tweets

lafinjack — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 17:00:20 GMT

Mon, 16:10: Sorta like a bonus. https://t.co/mpzNYyTM28
Mon, 17:44: In the case of @ProPublica v. @seanspicer, @realdonaldtrump, @whitehouse, et al. https://t.co/0faUA8Pily
Mon, 22:31: RT @GoodWorkAndy: @wilw Star Trek helped me come out. I
Mon, 22:37: RT @wilw: On behalf of Star Trek: you've missed the entire point of the Star Trek universe, and your bigotry has no place in our fandom. Al…
Mon, 22:55: Is there anybody ever who actually truly thought their coating cologne/perfume/incense made their shit smell https://t.co/vd7IZEDLNb
Tue, 00:09: @DonGeronimoShow - Top Youtube hits for 'good day sacramento sausages'. Apparently 2011 was a good year. https://t.co/fiRdYPLgz4
Tue, 08:08: LiveJournal represented social media without borders. https://t.co/Qw4dYn1RPZ

LiveJournal represented social media without borders.

lafinjack — Tue, 04 Apr 2017 13:08:35 GMT

Please to be warned:

"As of a few days [before 30 December 2016], the IP addresses for blogging service LiveJournal have moved to 81.19.74.*, a block that lookup services locate in Moscow, Russia. Now users -- especially those who do not trust the Russian government -- are leaving the platform and advising others to leave." - "LiveJournal represents social media without borders."

If you're coming from LiveJournal to Dreamwidth: Importing

Chechen Authorities Arresting and Killing Gay Men, Russian Paper Says

My tweets

lafinjack — Mon, 03 Apr 2017 17:00:19 GMT

Mon, 10:52: Want to go get a mint? https://t.co/xyLtvnBb6h

My tweets

lafinjack — Sun, 02 Apr 2017 17:00:19 GMT

Sat, 18:37: Where's an adz when you need one?

lafinjack — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 23:37:34 GMT

Where's an adz when you need one?

My tweets

lafinjack — Sat, 01 Apr 2017 17:00:17 GMT

Fri, 12:07: Why Japan’s Rail Workers Can’t Stop Pointing at Things https://t.co/CeLHly6g89
Fri, 17:28: RT @SarkaAaron: @politico Maybe we should have elected someone who actually wanted to be president?
Fri, 17:28: RT @eastman_shelby: @SarkaAaron @politico Oh, he wanted to be president, I just don't think he knew what that meant.

My tweets

lafinjack — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 17:00:22 GMT

Thu, 18:11: RAAAAGH MOTHERLAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnn ddddd.... https://t.co/yPP2x86y00
Thu, 21:21: RT @MALTSCHLITZMANN: @destroyed4com4t is there anything more useless than a social media post beginning with "LEGAL NOTICE"
Thu, 21:21: RT @destroyed4com4t: Alt-Right: This "punch a Nazi" thing should be abhorred by everyone it's a slippery slope Alt-Right: If I ever see a…

My tweets

lafinjack — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 17:00:21 GMT

Thu, 10:28: Who are you? https://t.co/y6a5a96Fvp

Who are you?

lafinjack — Thu, 30 Mar 2017 15:28:15 GMT

To steal a bit better done by our friend porphyre:

Who are you?

I don't know how obvious it is, but I will talk to and take friend requests from anybody. I already have issues with names - one guy will tell you I could never remember his name in person, but even he doesn't know we had been Facebook friends for a couple weeks before I connected Dave the person with Dave the name. (It doesn't help that his profile picture isn't is face.)

So: Who are you? How's it going? What do you like doing? Why do birds suddenly appear when you are near? And anything else you'd like to add.

My tweets

lafinjack — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 17:00:26 GMT

Tue, 17:31: RT @realphilhendrie: Why? 9 out of 10 Twitter profiles beginning with the words "Proud father, Christian.." belong to unmitigated assholes
Tue, 21:25: It's like when you switch from the plunger you've been using for the past several years which you purchased because https://t.co/RjkyCtT7NH

lafinjack — Wed, 29 Mar 2017 02:25:12 GMT

It's like when you switch from the plunger you've been using for the past several years which you purchased because it had a drip holder thing but was smaller than your old one and eventually developed a crack at the top of the bell which reduced the available water pressure for plunging and go back to the big black motherfucker that feels about a pound heavier and nearly breaks the plumbing when you first plunge it since you're used to the subpar plunger and yet the old plunger still fits nicely in the drip thing.

My tweets

lafinjack — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 17:00:22 GMT

Mon, 13:38: ⚡️ “He tried going to a conservative source.” https://t.co/xWLfqWihM6
Mon, 18:18: The best gays rights, terrific rights, huge tracks of rights, with blackjack and hookers, big league, much believe, very me, wow. Mediocre!

My tweets

lafinjack — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 17:00:24 GMT

Fri, 14:23: Pick up that can. Now keep walking. https://t.co/MCA1SOTbqU
Sat, 09:31: The Kinsley Gaffe , 12 March 2013: https://t.co/pwwB7jLxWc

My tweets

lafinjack — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 17:00:28 GMT

Thu, 15:01: @CarmChris1 - You gonna die, clown? I think @DonGeronimoShow's yoyo clip made you hurt something.
Thu, 23:33: Why do WE have to exist in this stupidest timeline?

My tweets

lafinjack — Thu, 23 Mar 2017 17:00:19 GMT

Wed, 13:07: Meanwhile... https://t.co/7k1xmSzYAD
Wed, 13:40: Leave it! https://t.co/dsOAJrcyDc
Wed, 15:33: Penn, once you do write up that @ACLU in @TimesSquareNYC it will definitely get me to remember to buy a @pennjillette book. #freemarket

My tweets

lafinjack — Wed, 22 Mar 2017 17:00:15 GMT

Tue, 16:56: There are a lot of adjectives one could use to describe having picked up all kinds of sayings and verbal tics and https://t.co/breqIlVA6z

lafinjack — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 21:56:25 GMT

There are a lot of adjectives one could use to describe having picked up all kinds of sayings and verbal tics and general conversational style from years of listening to Car Talk.

I think I'm sticking with 'proud'.

My tweets

lafinjack — Tue, 21 Mar 2017 17:00:16 GMT

Mon, 16:01: Interpretations https://t.co/kCAVaaoiSH
Mon, 16:57: Thanks for bringing back "Jesus Had A Swimmer's Body", @pennjillette!
Mon, 20:11: Assuming there is no emergent hazmat situation, what is the smallest coin denomination you will stop to pick up? https://t.co/9PmbDNjwds
Tue, 10:28: "TheBlaze is the digital network that provides a platform for a new generation of authentic and unfiltered voices." https://t.co/HWlgpsfaHr

My tweets

lafinjack — Mon, 20 Mar 2017 17:00:23 GMT

Sun, 12:41: Washington Post: Tim Allen Claims Hollywood Conservatives Are Oppressed “Like in ’30s Germany” https://t.co/aBCCpTjcMA
Sun, 12:46: RT @Mobute: make love to me on a bus @realDonaldTrump
Sun, 12:46: RT @Mobute: I feel sad for the haters and losers who can't see the beauty of our love. This is the most exclusive B&B in Opp, Alabama. @rea…
Sun, 23:50: RT @OhPoorPup: what idiot called it a "charging dock" and not a "power bottom"
Sun, 23:51: RT @uncooldana: @OhPoorPup who called it a "Switch" and not "My Little Video Game Slut, Yeah You Like It When I Press Your Buttons, Don't Y…
Sun, 23:51: RT @izaleu: @OhPoorPup @AmyDentata This is so good it makes me angry
Sun, 23:51: RT @mirihawke: @OhPoorPup who called it a wired video game controller and not bondage play? that one might be clunky

My tweets

lafinjack — Sun, 19 Mar 2017 17:00:20 GMT

Sun, 11:32: NATO and Defense Spending by @IvoHDaalder https://t.co/3JeON1xWfh

My tweets

lafinjack — Sat, 18 Mar 2017 17:00:14 GMT

Fri, 14:39: Oh good, I came across this again. https://t.co/fvVSlMNmfl
Fri, 18:11: Home > Store > Other > Skulls https://t.co/f4SCQi3MoD
Fri, 20:37: CBC: Myth of Irish 'slavery' promoted by white supremacists ahead of St. Patrick's Day https://t.co/YJkXjKStd3

My tweets

lafinjack — Fri, 17 Mar 2017 17:00:21 GMT

Thu, 17:41: James Corden Has Trump's Tax Returns https://t.co/v0lQ9KksGY
Thu, 19:18: THAT'S what they think will last a year? Amateurs. https://t.co/Rj7X2a0heu
Thu, 21:48: Been getting tempeh confused with tempurah and tiramisu my whole life apparently.
Thu, 22:56: RT @originalgriz: A billionaire makes us pay for his golf weekends and tells us we can't have food, health, science or art. #MAGA
Fri, 00:21: NPR: Vibrator Maker To Pay Millions Over Claims It Secretly Tracked Use https://t.co/ej8v4WefzQ #gurrrrrrrrrrl