MetaChat

The Flu Dance.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0K2wXPuyhM

Estonian health authorities are attempting to raise public flu awareness by means of viral marketing. A TV ad demonstrates a simple four-move dance that the viewers are encouraged to imitate, shoot a video and upload it to the web. A few more examples.

So, please, don't mention the Nazis.

http://www.ctvolympics.ca/news-centre/newsid=17981.html

"Through the hand-to-hand transmission of the eternal flame between both ordinary and extraordinary people, Games organizers ask us to see peace and friendship, hope and understanding, personal contact..."

Istanbul oR Constantinople?

irc://irc.slashnet.org/bunnies

Mary and Max.

http://www.maryandmax.com/

This was a good movie. I think you would like it. PS: It is not a kids' movie. Oh no, no, no.

Kindergarten 1976

http://www.flickr.com/photos/40147701@N00/sets/72157622755991518/

a flickr set, starring me, Dad's_Planet, Mom's_Planet, and Sister's_Planet. With a stripey suit in a supporting role.

everything is everything

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ym0LaSAn5n8&feature=related

Mushroom Ask MeCha.

99.9% sure I've identified this correctly.

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Can you tell me if these are indeed Birch Bracket A.K.A. Piptoporus betulinus? They were all growing on a dead birch log. I understand that most shelf fungus are edible, and I know Piptoporus betulinus is, but I just wanted to double check before I fry 'em up and eat 'em.

I know enough not to eat this one!

Happy pills report.

Ive been taking 20 milligrams Citalopram a day and it's made a huge difference in my life, for the positive. I'm here to tell you about it and to encourage others to consider pills if you need them for your depression. Feel free to post your experiences or anything else within.

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In reading the 'metachat is dying' post I ralised I had been cooking this post up for a while and should contribute it to the site.

Everything is going much better for me these days - work is still hard, my relationship is still hard, there are many. many MANY very profound changes and transitions going on in my life, but these pills have made me far less likely to freak out outwardly. While I am still low level anxious all the time the anxiety is less distracting and less intense.

There have not been any side effects I can see - interesting, as when I was on 10mgs of citalopram for a few months last year there was no positive effect and lots of side effects - and my sex drive has gone UP, if anything. Additionally I am more impulsive, but the self discipline, grace, and self awareness I have been working on cultivating has worked there.

My iPhone beeps at me and reminds me to take my pill every day and I say a little gratefulness prayer every time I take it.

I was astonished to have such a dramatic and positive effect and I am fully aware that the effect could lessen or go away entirely. But I will not be afraid of taking pills again, because I know they can and do work.

What's for lunch?

A Medical Saga

( with an OK ending, for now)

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The call came at 6pm last night while we were out to dinner. . .The lymph node biopsy was negative!

In early September I went to the dermatologist to get a pimple on my nose looked at, since I have had a basal cell carcinoma cut off it a few years ago. The dermatologist (actually his asst.) took a little bit of it for biopsy, and I also mentioned a spot on my shoulder. She looked at it, thought that it might also be a basal cell carcinoma or something benign, and took a sample, then gave each place a little stitch.

The following week, I go back to get the stitches out and she goes, "OMG the lab report says the thing on your shoulder is a melanoma and it's probably metastacized," at which point I went into shock. She proceeded to cut the whole thing out, along with a silver dollar sized piece of skin and then stretch the skin around it in order to stitch it up, and send it off.

A melanoma is VERY bad news, and it it's spread anywhere, stopping it is not a sure thing. So I am very upset, call my wife for a ride home (I was going to take the bus) and just fret. This was Sept 17, that I got the news.

A few days later, they called with the second biopsy results. ..yep, melanoma, intermediate thickness, not ulcerated, etc. Refer me to an olcologist in the same building with experience in these things. But could not get in for several weeks, so went ahead and went to NYC, very worried but not feeling sick at all. Had very good time in NYC, met a lot of your lovely selves, etc.

Two days after getting back, the appt. He is neutral about the prognosis but in the next few weeks, had a ct scan on my brain, a PET scan on my whole body (which is a two-hour scan to try to find "hot spots" anywhere). And a morning of MOHS surgery on my nose, which became a side show, even as painful as it was and as ugly as my nose still is.

Both scans negative for cancer activity, so then this last Tuesday, surgery to remove and biopsy the sentinel lymph node, which, after injecting some radioactive stuff in the original site and seeing where the lymph drains, which was my neck. So then I wake up with a bandage where a vampire would have bitten me, and pee blue the rest of the day, go home, and wait.

Of course I knew I should not surf the net about melanoma. The oncologist said that there was only like a 20% chance of spread, but of course I can't stay off the net about it and over the week, (really since the original news) reading everything I can about it and playing different scenarios out in my head.

Ironically livestrong.com pretty much said that if you have melanoma that has spread at all, you're screwed. Other sites were a tad more encouraging.

The news of all this was shared with my boss and a couple intimates at work and my best friend, and other than that, was not shared with anyone, because I really did not know what I was dealing with. I will now tell my mom and daughter this weekend, because, either way, the lymph node biopsy gives some definition to it.

So I feel very lucky, humble, and also foolish that I had this spot and the M word never even entered my consideration. I will have to go every three months to get every inch of skin looked at, and possibly other stuff, but for now, it's very good news. It could, of course change the other way in time, though.

I know that others here have dealt with cancer in their own bodies or their loved one's bodies, and I wish everyone well.

If you have gotten this far, thanks for listening. . .you are among the first outside my intimate circle to know.

Memory foam or innerspring?

Open Thread for Metachat Site Discussion...

carrying on from this thread. I think it would be great for the site to sort of collectively work out what should happen here, so please share your thoughts!

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I put my personal comment about my MIA status there, because it's so long and would be needlessly distracting in this thread. This is where I'd like everyone to speak up about how we should go forward, and maybe some ideas about passing the torch, and open discussion about how we want the site to grow/change. I don't think we need to organize details right now, but once we identify some main issues and possible actions, maybe we can branch off with other threads to address specific plans/proposals.

It's the weekend, so some voices will be missing at the beginning, but I'm thinking that this will go on during the next week, and if it gets unwieldy we can reorganize in another thread, maybe with bullet point ideas, or whatever.

This is green-light-open for all thoughts and ideas.

Marc-Andr� Hamelin

playing Leopold Godowsky's study for the left hand alone on Chopin's Etude No.6 Op.10.

Miss England Rachel Christie has given up her crown

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8347165.stm

after being arrested on suspicion of a nightclub assault. She is accused of punching Miss Manchester.

Boobies!!!

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Hah! Made you look!

Miss you guys. I'm still here, mostly in a lurking mode though. Whuffles and snugglasms to you all.

Three Point Status update:

weekend edition.

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1. I got a job

2. It's only a one-month contract

3. But it's work! And in my chosen field, not some crap job I'm only doing because I have to.

Bunny! OMG!

http://img94.imageshack.us/img94/5710/4074072694ce7e4e571cb.jpg

Constablatory Note from Oregon

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/index.ssf/2009/11/salem_man_calls_9-1-1_to_repor.html

o hai.

We appear to be cooking some sort of water buffalo patty. To have with eggs. For supper.

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srsly.

Also, a little bird told me about this thread, but it's 10 pm here... plus, you know, delicious water buffalo patty and all... So maybe tomorrow we can extend the discussion? If you'd like.

In the meantime, please tell us about your exotic patties. Ours is apparently "one of Greece�s most beguiling cured meats." Beguiling.

I Love Lunch! The Musical

http://improveverywhere.com/2009/11/05/i-love-lunch-the-musical/

Starring my buddy Jeff. Posted during my lunch hour. I'm singing along!

The Whelk Live And On Stage:

Normally I wouldn't mention this cause its an ongoing event, but I'm returning to Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Art School: NYC after a three month break. The theme is "Secret Identity" by Craig Yoe. There will be much geekery. Saturday the 7th, 4-8pm, LES.

If eating beef jerky for breakfast is wrong . . .

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I don't ever wanna be right.

Oops. Wrong folder.

http://unreasonablefaith.com/2009/11/06/uncomfortable-moment-during-the-announcements/

A priest in the Diocese of Scranton has been removed as administrator of three Throop parishes after he inadvertently displayed four photos of what a diocese spokesman called �minimally attired adult males� before the 8 a.m. Mass at St. Bridget�s Church

Deer Run

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7939423.stm

Photo Friday: The Birds and The Bees