Week in Review

[kate_nepveu]

Annual cookout yesterday. It started out very well (though if I'd realized that Chad was trying to convince one of the kids that werewolves are allergic to Nerf, I would've intervened), but a couple hours in my vision started going wonky. I took my contacts out, but I knew even as I did so that it was futile: sure enough, it was a migraine. My standard response is Excedrin [*], but that has acetaminophen and I'd had a glass of wine earlier; probably I was being overly paranoid, but I really like having a functioning liver. So I quietly went upstairs and laid down. It actually passed quicker than I expected, but not enough for me to go back to the party, which was too bad because I was having fun.

[*] My migraines are extremely mild on the absolute scale of migraines, and don't show up that often. Excedrin knocks out the pain almost completely, though I'm not crazy about the side effects. I took a couple ibuprofen last night, though I have no reason to believe they did anything.

Today I had an appointment to give platelets at 9, for the first time since October. It didn't happen, but at least it wasn't my fault this time. Usually when I can't give blood it's because I've just developed a sinus infection, or my red cell count is too low, or, once, because they can't get a vein. Today they got both veins (for platelets they return the red blood cells and saline through the other arm), though the second, the left, hurt like a bitch; I don't know if it was a matter of skill or just a buildup of scar tissue on that vein. And then, a minute after the left arm's been done, the person who'd stuck my right arm made a this-isn't-right noise and started doing something; shortly after that, I found myself saying, "Okay, I don't know what that is, but it is uncomfortable."

The needle in the right arm had nicked the back of the vein. What I was feeling was saline being pumped into the surrounding muscle.

And then there was fussing and apologies and cleaning-up and futile attempts to find another vein, and then I came home.

I don't know what my arms are going to look like tomorrow, but actually the left, the one with the immediately-painful stick, hurt more after I got home. I'm icing both just to be safe.

I'm also feeling queasy and cranky and wiped out, which is pretty much how I felt after the time they spent a while fishing around for a vein. I don't know if the leftovers of the migraine are contributing, but I feel simultaneously wimpy, since it wasn't that painful, and worried that the Red Cross is going to give me a needle phobia, which would be bad news for both of us.

But at least I got to see half an hour of Ocean's Eleven, which I could re-watch very often indeed. After I got home, caught up on the Internet (our DSL had been out since Friday night), and ate, I finished re-watching the movie (well, I fast-forwarded all the Tess scenes). I just love the groove of the dialogue, especially between Danny and Rusty. I wish the plot of the second hadn't been so bad that it wiped my memory of whether its dialogue was as good.

Some follow-ups:

• Conclusions from the "Erie Canal" poll: people who know the song out-number those who don't 2 to 1. The vast majority know the variant I'm familiar with, which is not about gin. As I suspected, New York was the big leader for those who learned it in school (though not everyone who went to school in New York learned it), but there was a respectable geographical scattering

  Also, though I knew this already: ticking off boxes is fun.

• In related news, rachelmanija has a general poll on folk music familiarity and a follow-up post.
• I've just finished buying all seven seasons of Homicide on DVD for $20 a season (though only the set of seasons 1-2 has arrived so far). homicidereruns, here I come (when things settle down some). Also, if anyone wants to know how to get the DVDs cheaply, give a yell.
• papersky has a thoughtful post about lies springing off the whole MsScribe affair.

Finally, a request for advice. I have a few very small scrapes and dents on my car, at least one of which is fully three years old. I noticed this week that the paint around these is flaking and rust seems to showing. I blame the miserable weather we've been having basically all year, but whatever. The question is, is there anything I myself can do to stop the damage from getting worse, or is this a job for professionals?

Comments

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

Also, if anyone wants to know how to get the DVDs cheaply, give a yell.

I'm curious. I've heard excellent stuff about Homicide.

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Homicide is a brilliant, dour (but often funny), generally very realistic, and wonderfully acted cop show based on a non-fiction book about homicide detectives in Baltimore. There are seven seasons, of which the last two are very uneven but do contain a couple of don't-miss-incredible episodes.

The show acknowledges that some crimes don't get solved and some mysteries of the human heart are unknowable; it also has some of the best lengthy character arcs I've ever seen anywhere.

[scifantasy.livejournal.com]

I know what it is, thanks.

[kate_nepveu]

What I did: I bid $20 for Homicide DVDs on eBay as sold by A&E, which releases the DVDs. That was below the reserve price, so I didn't win the auctions--but A&E sent me a "Second Chance Offer" to buy the DVDs for my bid price after the auction closed.

The eBay seller ID is ae_tv. The way "Second Chance Offers" appear to work, the seller can only see a bid that's actually made. In other words, if an item has a starting price of $0.99, you bid $20 as a maximum, but no-one else bids, then the only public bid you've made is $0.99, and A&E has no interest in offering to sell you a DVD set for 99 cents.

So, paradoxically, if you want this to work quickly, you actually want to get in an auction that will bid you up to your maximum, one where other people are bidding.

You'll note, of course, that A&E is under no obligation to do this, but I got all six DVD sets for $20 (actually the lowest bid was $19.25) and free media mail shipping.

PS

[rachelmanija.livejournal.com]

Chad is hilarious.

Re: PS

[kate_nepveu]

He's not kidding when he says we have this kind of conversation all the time.

[laurel]

I'm curious re where you found the good deal on Homicide DVDs as I try to post that stuff in the Homicide DVD FAQ. (I have all the sets myself already, but am always enabling others). I haven't poked around to look at prices lately in the usual places and really should.

Which reminds me, I bet the FAQ is out of date and I've been slacking. Bad me. Shall fix soon.

[kate_nepveu]

Replied to a comment above: http://kate-nepveu.livejournal.com/187669.html?thread=1563925#t1563925

[papersky.livejournal.com]

The dialogue wasn't anything like as good on the second.

What I'm curious about is whether the dialogue and character interaction was that good in the original Oceans Eleven. Also, every time we see it, when they get to the casino Zorinth says it should have been these people and What's the Worst That Can Happen.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks.

I'm beginning to think that Dortmunder the character is unfilmable, but yes, I would really like to see the caper parts of that book done well.

*blink* IMDB tells me that _Ocean's Thirteen_ is in pre-production and due to start filming soon. I am surprised.

Presumably this one is about Linus. Hmm.

[od-mind.livejournal.com]

I'm beginning to think that Dortmunder the character is unfilmable

I'd like to see Steve Buscemi try it. (With Dennis Dugan (except that he's 60 years old now) as Andy Kelp.)

[kate_nepveu]

I think Buscemi's got too much "creepy" baggage as an actor. But it's a thought.

[fidelioscabinet.livejournal.com]

1. The great good thing about Ocean's Twelve was Vincent Cassel. Oh, and the moment near the end, when we find out that Cherry Jones's character is Linus' mother. (Also, the original movie from the 60s was not as good as the remake. It was an excuse for the Rat Pack to hang out in Vegas and get paid for it. Their Tess was more convincing, though.)

2. If it was just paint scratches, you could do something. If you're seeing rust, it needs to be seen by a pro before salt season (I mean snow season, sorry) starts again. It is possible, to sand, seal, and repaint yourself, but it will take a lot of time, and equipment you may not have. Also, the state office that handles consumer complaints is a better route for finding which is a bad body shop than the BBB.

[kate_nepveu]

Thanks; I was afraid that it would need professional work. I'm pretty happy with the dealership that I bought the car from, so I'll probably have them do the body work.

[culfinriel.livejournal.com]

Although it's probably prettier if you take it to the dealer, if the rusty bits are small, you really can do it yourself. You have to get the matching touch-up paint from the dealer, some good, fine scrubby pads/sand paper (I'll look and see if I can figure out where I got mine), and you can get the black sealing goo at an auto supply place. The one thing I remember was that the sealant had to be applied when it wasn't too humid out; it needs to be clean and dry and so does the sanded/buffed surface you're putting it on. However, it does take a little time and effort, so you might prefer to go to the dealer.

[kate_nepveu]

when it wasn't too humid out

*hollow laughter*