StupidHurts

I have a rule about never letting other borrow my camera. I usually get pics on it from someone whom it is their first time on a slr and they suck, but every now and then I get the equivalent of a drunken Annie Leibovitz.  Niven’s Birthday party was a few weeks ago and I only recently got to digging through the pictures, here is only a few of what I got, after passing my camera around so I could just enjoy a party for a change.

This is one from a salsa class I went to earlier that day.

This came from http://www.jenwang.net/art/comics/dance/, I have known about it for ages. Someone gave it to me when I flew somewhere before. It has always made me happy. I thought of if while watching my zoned out flight attendant on the first flight, and had time to find the beginning and this part during my first layover in North Carolina.

And then it got weird.

Very quickly to. Before I left the house I was already agitated, because the original layover in Phoenix was about 30 minutes, and the one in North Carolina was about 3 hours.  But after going out to the front desk in what turned out to be a wasted attempt to change the ticket in North Carolina and coming back through security feeling violated the way a sex crime victim does, underwear inside out for everyone to see, I had already wasted a hour. I have had that  short of a layover in Phoenix before and I know just how big Sky Harbour airport is.  (if I ever get a t.v. show part of it will be running Sky Harour with full luggage from one concourse to another)  . I knew I would not be able to get out of the airport and back through security in 30 minutes so I gave up on changing the ticket for then.

My first flight from Alabama into North Carolina was 15 minutes late, I thought it would not affect my next flight because of my huge 3 huge lay over, then I found out pretty much every flight on the concourse was at least 15 minutes late, so they would be boarding the flights leaving a little over 15 minutes late, which meant pretty much my entire 30 minute layover in Phoenix was gone. I mentioned this to boarding gate clerk in North Carolina where she smiled her best customer service smile, verified my name, and then handed me a pre-printed boarding pass for a flight leaving out of Phoenix the next morning that apparently had been waiting for me. this was not really what I had in mind or paid for. The odds of me making my the layover at that point were slim, The clerk in North Carolina made it clear they would not be giving me a hotel room, and they had already said to my face, they didn’t want me sleeping in the North Carolina airport. So my best bet was to use my ticket and go to Phoenix.

Luckily for me I sill have friends and stuff in Phoenix, so with a little effort I managed to have dinner and a place to stay before I walked down the concourse to the plane. There are not many places in the country I can do this, but most of the ones I can, tend to have major airports. The landing time of my current flight to Phoenix was 2 minutes after the takeoff time of the next stretch of my flight, considering it was a small 6 person turbo prop plane, I wasn’t expecting them to wait for me.  According to my boarding passes the two gates would only be 5 spaces apart. So maybe I wouldn’t have that far to run.

My luck is epic sometimes. The pilot managed to have no turbulence and shaved 11 minutes off the expected flight time. That would have been great, but he landed and the wrong gate very far across the airport. I have to admit I was not expecting that one. I am still curious how you mistake A24 with B5. So I find myself dashing across the airport with a 30 some odd pound messenger bag on. I was hoping the entire way that they were having delays just like everyone else in the free world had bad. Unfortunately they were not, apparently Sky Harbor airport prides themselves on timely flights. The flight I was hoping to make, made it out on time, and I got to watch out the window as it left. So it is about 10:pm my time I didn’t feel like figuring out local and I was stranded until in the morning, I saw several people asleep in the corners. I really wanted a shower and a bed at that point, so I went and told the girl at the desk what my case was. She was nice and gave me a hotel room for the night and a shuttle ticket both to and from the airport.

So a little sleep and a shower later I felt ready to tackle to the world. I got to ride back to the airport with a pilot. They are interesting people to talk to, and he had a few stories to tell. The one he told me involved the engine falling off a plane mid-flight. So at this point I still had one more expected flight on my trip, no planned layovers. The only bad part be because they bumped my flight a return car trip in rush hour traffic on Friday in California. I told this to the girl behind the counter, and she changed my ticket to an express jet to a municipal airport that put me maybe 15 minutes away from the small town I needed to be at. In the ended I made it were I needed to be.

You know, it is sorta sad, but the high point of my day so far was being told by a doctor I need to consider taking Jesus into my life. Considering I have already been told by a different doctor I am not going to live all that long, and was given a number if they don’t figure things out or perform brain surgery. I figure it is a little late, and probably should not have mentioned I have already accepted Mr. Rogers as my lord and savior.

I have been changing drugs lately. From Keppra to Tegratol. Both are 75% caffeine so I can tell when it is getting to be time for a new dose, I am not a nice person even for me.  It is also sorta interesting being on three different mood stabilizers at once and dealing with caffeine withdrawl on top of normal life issues, that leads to burning head aches.  I stated to a friend in confidence not too long ago, I can’t write when I am happy and high amount of caffiene and mood stabilizers, means I am euphoric for a big chunk of my day to. Makes writing difficult.

While happy tonight I found it is best to spend that time with my hands busy, I spent four hours last night winding the most expensive wool yarn I have ever handled and casting them onto bamboo needles. The goal is to replace a scarf I made for someone that was lost in the mail a few months ago. I kinda regret not getting postal insurance this one time, because I would be asking some rediculous price right now, seeing as it took me forever and a few days to make that scarf.

Luckily I have at what looks like an 8-10 hour flight tomorrow from Alabama to California. So I will be getting some knitting done, 20,000 knits can go suprisingly fast. The click of bamboo needles against each other is relaxing maybe hypnotic almost.

I have thought of passing the website to someone else, or changing the format because of how quiet it has been around here lately, still giving it thought since a big part of this trip involves my family, and that always proves interesting.

Yes that neurology appointment I scheduled back on March 3rd or so, just went down a few days ago. The good thing is,  I got to see one of my favorite left-handed adhd doc’s, but unfortunately very little useful actually came from the whole ordeal. It is always fun watching him deal with forms designed for right handed people plus he likes to draw pictures while he talks, sometimes to help get his point across. I will be changing medicine soon, that means fewer pain killers, and more “mood stabilizers.”

We will see how that goes.

I haven’t updated the site in two weeks, that’s actually kind of a long time for me. The past few weeks have been aggravating but fairly tame.

Someone brought the image below to my attention because it reminded them of me, and the fact I started Celexa a few weeks ago, and Stupidhurts has been really quiet as of late.

The above image came from Post Secret

I found out yesterday I was denied for disability benefits by the Social Security council, one of the reasons I was given, was because they  felt I was too well spoken and articulate for the issue to be that severe. Seemed to be a bit of an odd criticular standard to me. I basically got 12 pages of why they choice to decline my case. Over the course of  those pages they repeated or contradicted themselves several times. Like the fact they felt I was non-compliant because I attempted to get a job, but it did not note the fact I was fired from the job because of the epilepsy, the entire reason I applied for benefits. It also noted I was not taking my medicine at one point in time, but it did not note the medicine cost between $800-1200 a month at its highest and I simply could not afford it and eat, and if I could, I would have no real reason to apply for benefits.  I appealed the choice as soon as I got the letter, but I was told the appeal may take up to 6 months.

It is amazing how no matter what happens, it almost always comes back to a woman or at least a girl . Few people know I am a massive fan of the blues and of guitar music in general.

These next two links are of B.B. King. The first being a short reminder that stupid hurts. The second being a song about Lucille. I understand where he is coming from at several points of his song. There is a reason only one of my bicycles has a name.

Why the B.B King’s guitar is named Lucille

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

The song “Lucille”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y8QxOjuYHg

I spent most of the morning and part of last night working on this.

http://criticalmass.wikia.com/wiki/Birmingham%2CAL

The Critical Mass rides meet at 6:00pm, Pedals turn at 6:30pm,  on the last Friday of the month near The Story Teller Fountain. In Five Points South in front of the Highlands United Methodist Church where 20th Street South, 11th Court South & Magnolia Avenue South converg.

[Google map link]

Please help start this event! Copy and distribute the flier below.

I was talking to my dad last week, and he suggested that I become famous for a living, apparently that’s how several people are currently making their living, and I did get interviewed again this weekend, but that was mostly for the traveling I have done, not just for being generally awesome. I think I take myself too seriously for something like that to. On a side note, part of the reason I haven’t been writing as much lately, is because i have not been able to find my rhythm. Most of the things I write, or at least the stuff that is worth anything, tends to be written at some beat or another. On rare occasion it is iambic pentameter, but not often, that’s kinda hard.

I have gotten my glasses and someone took several pictures of me for her camera class in them. Surprisingly enough I actually got a complaint that there are no close-ups of me in them.

But I am at least not wearing my usual psychotic look, so that is a step in the right direction. in return for allowing her to shoot pictures of me, I shot several of her. Usually I actively avoid shooting pictures of people, but it was nice to have the practice standard and realize what I have been doing wrong. What I realized, is that most of my portraits do not show any emotion whatsoever. I think I need to work on that. I have been reading and studying several photo books. But, it is still a practice sorta thing.

I am sorta wrapped up in several projects at the same time. My room looks like an A.d.h.d librarian is busy taking care of it, between volunteer work at the bookstore, sewing a bag, reading two books, nursing one comic book, and editing several hundred pictures. It is suprising I actually manage to get one project done.

Stupid Hurts, and sometimes being smart does to.

I had my disabilty case today. Unfortunately I was told there is a chance I have too many skills and I am over educated. That was a bit surprising to me. I was told that I have to wait 30-60 more days for a decision.

I hosted two more couch surfers yesterday. Two guys Al and Owen, who where traveling by motorcycle to California. They where fun to talk to, and talk motorcycles with for a bit.

World pillow fight day was April the 4th.

Someone came to me for this picture, and published it on their site.

http://www.nowpublic.com/culture/world-pillow-fight-day-april-4th-grab-your-pillows?import_id=49d7f0cdb73717.67711901

Which is pretty amusing, that’s the second or third time someone has come to me about that picture in particular. It is also a bit surprising because I don’t think it is my best picture from that event.

Unfortunately since my drugs have been adjusted, it has been a bit obvious. For one my seizures have gotten worse.  I went from one a day up to three a day. It could easily be stress from the upcoming court date, but that seems a bit unlikely. We will see how things work out.