Preventing Nap Time

One of the things that always gets me in trouble is the attitude of "I can do that!".  How many times have I tackled a project at home as a result of I can do that, then in the middle of it, Im thinking, maybe I bit off a little too much.  Except it is too late.  Engineers are famous for that.  My wife (teachers) is also famous for that.  I have a history of taking on things at her encouragement.

As I contemplate ideas for a new short film, it is a combination of what the hell am I doing and hey, wouldn't it be neat if I could do the film on.....   But it come down to this is a story that needs to be told.  It is obvious that there are more folks out there that believe I can, but there remains the time and creativity to put it together.

I look at the styles that I can emulate.  I tend to find them on TV.  NHK is one of the channels I watch with a simple style of story telling and narration, I love the opening of the series the Closer.  I always liked the style of 60 minutes and it's format.  I like the theme songs of the Andy Griffith Show, WKRP, and of course Hawaii five O.  I tend to watch old tv shows late at night for ideas.

I notice on some shows the background music is the same or inappropriate, music rights are complicated and expensive.  It has gotten to the point what few movies I see, I look for music incorporation.  But our class is teaching us about the things that are not only basic, but what makes a good film.

All of these nuances enhance the film.  There is a difference between talking heads and an entertaining film.  30 seconds is an eternity on film where most cuts in TV are 5 to 10 seconds long,
We have an obligation to tell a story, but we have an obligation to create a film where people feel and understand the story and not want to walk out or take a nap.

The Sounds of Silence

I have noticed that which each visit to the hospital ERs, I find new rooms and additions I haven't seen before.  Wait, just how many times have I been in the ERs of Torrance Memorial and Providence Little Company of Mary?  Today was another visit, in a section I have never seen.  For some reason my BP was elevated and would not go down. Now my normal BP is on the high side with meds, but this time there were associated side affects that freaked Gayle out.

You know it is serious if you are taken in right away when you check in and never see the waiting room again.  The frequency of Nurses and Doctors coming in and out of your room indicates how serious your condition is.  Did you know that at 3 in the morning there aren't that many people in there?

I'm used to being in the hospital and it's procedures.  Go there and wait, get up and go over there for this test, return and wait.  Strip down and put on this gown, open side in back.  Roll over and let me perform these invasive procedures.  It's time to suck more blood out of that tube in your arm and by the way,  it's time for your hourly temp, BP and oxy level check, did I wake you?

Side note:  Gayle did not drop me off across the parking lot, but in front of the front door.  Which brings up the other side of these visits.  While it has become familiar and almost comfortable to me, it drives Gayle up the wall.  I can lay there in calm, pain or nauseousness, but she sits in constant turmoil and worry.  Something I tend to not see.  It is the family that suffers in silence.

You Might Be a Psychopath if You Like Your Coffee Black

A 2015 study from the University of Innsbruck in Austria found a trend that suggested a correlation between preferences for black coffee and other bitter tastes, and sadistic or psychopathic personality traits.   Wait,  I like it black........

Senior Occurences

Senior Occurrences is my euphemism for elderly events.   Or maybe Elderly events is a euphemism for old folks accidents.  Last week I was attending a series of lectures held at the Center for Democracy across from the JANM.  It conflicted with my video class at the Visual Communications Center around the corner and across the parking lot.

In my rush to get to class, I had asked a question of the guard as I was leaving the Democracy Center and turned to smash into the glass window with a bang. I quickly recovered and exited the center through the glass door and noticed I was bleeding profusely.  We all know nose bleeds can be a bit of a mess, and as blood was pouring out of me, I was rushing across the parking lot to the class.

As I entered the class I rushed by my classmates dumping my notebook and headed straight to the restroom.  It was there that I started to realize how much I was bleeding.  It took about a good 30 minutes for the bleeding to stop and puzzled looks from my classmates.  They were more worried about my condition than I was, but then I didn't really see all the blood over my face and clothes.

Trips, falls, wrong turns, mis-identified facts, forgotten names are becoming more frequent.  I first tried to attribute it to the heart attack or chemo brain, but I am realizing that it is more about old age.
I was hoping to be one of those old folks whose brain is still sharp as a tack.  In fact one of my classmates can be defined that way.  But I am starting to doubt my brain will outlast my body.  Of course it helps to have an exceptional brain to begin with.....

This week as I attended my VC class, I was able to follow my trail of blood up the back stairs and was relieved that it stopped at the door.  Did I mention that the sun was shining brightly through the glass? Or at least I think it was.....

                                             The window is on the right, door on the left.