IMMORTAL?

Here's an excerpt from the article, published on Telegraph. It's the Benji Jelly Belly Button! Support stem cell research.
The Turritopsis Nutricula is able to revert back to a juvenile form once it mates after becoming sexually mature.
Marine biologists say the jellyfish numbers are rocketing because they need not die.
Dr Maria Miglietta of the Smithsonian Tropical Marine Institute said: "We are looking at a worldwide silent invasion."
The jellyfish are originally from the Caribbean but have spready all over the world.
Turritopsis Nutricula is technically known as a hydrozoan and is the only known animal that is capable of reverting completely to its younger self.
It does this through the cell development process of transdifferentiation.
Scientists believe the cycle can repeat indefinitely, rendering it potentially immortal.
While most members of the jellyfish family usually die after propagating, the Turritopsis nutricula has developed the unique ability to return to a polyp state.
Having stumbled upon the font of eternal youth, this tiny creature which is just 5mm long is the focus of many intricate studies by marine biologists and geneticists to see exactly how it manages to literally reverse its aging process.

Do you Reckon?

If you like animals don't read this article

Puke. Here are a bunch of violently, and IMHO, comically inspired dishes. 

Obama Arrives in Washington

Read this!

Roadtrip Splice with Liz

Thanks for the Giftage

Here is pic with my gifts. One from Catherine, (beautiful boquet of flowers!!) and Kelley (balloon and everything bagel). ** The bagel had already been eaten at this point.** Thanks!!

First Outing

Yesterday, Liz, Stefan and I went to see Slumdog Millionaire at the Cinema Art Centre. It was so great to get out. We took Wallace and my crutches along. It was nice to ride through the lively streets of Huntington.

The Cinema Arts Center is a great place to not only see movies, but it's great because of its handicap accessibility. It's like one big ramp. There are tons of old people there all the time. So this made life easy. Stefan wheeled me into the place...and I'm not gonna lie, we hit a few bumps and I shoulda been wearing my seat belt but wasn't. My good leg kept me from flying off. We were able to make these two women switch their seats because that was the handicap aisle. BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE. 

My review of the movie goes as follows: Great cinematography. Great imagery. Captured my attention. But had very cliche (even with the modern twist of "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" TV show) storyline. 

I got a lot of stares and looks of confusion. I would just respond and say, "new years. new years."

Thank God for Wallace

Crutches ain't easy. In fact, I would say they are rather archaic. No one walks so straight forward. No one hops. I mean, crutching down a wide and clear hallway, well now, that's no so hard. But add some incline, a few steps, hell even a rug can create the most hazardous of obstacles.

I'm used to having a swagger. 

It's funny. When this all happened, my mother had brought me crutches (we have about 30 

pairs in the basement) from home. The hospital also gave me a pair. They are aluminum and look identical to each other. For the first few days I had been using one old crutch and one new crutch. They were uneven and unfitted for my height. It wasn't until Liz, who just recently became a Wilderness First Responder, was on the scene. After she figured it all out, moving around on the crutches wasn't so bad. But let it be known, if I didn't have Wallace, things would be horrendous. 

Who is Wallace? Wallace is my plaid, Scottish wheelchair. 

He is reliable and has got one hell of a pair of wheels. 

And, he's also got this really awesome back pouch. I love it. I keep my house phone, cell phone, cigarettes, lighter and a snack in here. Unfortunately, a girl by the name of Kelley used it as a garbage today behind my back ( so to speak). Oh the adventures!

I may be gaining some lbs, but I love Wallace.

Sideways Dancing 1

Here's a snippet from one of our Sideways Dance Parties. We like shadow puppets. 

-Vicasso

The Details, part 2

11:35 At this point I really need some water. I have a flashback. It's sticky and sweet and red. Hawaiian Fruit Punch.  Why, why was I drinking that? Because I wanted a pinky mustache of course. 

11:45 Stop at Woodbury Deli. Aunt Donna brings me a Poland Spring and a buttered roll. Smile. 

12:00 Arrive at Huntington Hospital Emergency Room. Mother knows everyone there. Feel like a celebrity as you step out of the car and the Greeter man says, "I see a foot!" Scoff under your breath. 

12:15 You look around the waiting area of the emergency room. Lots of drinking related injuries. A few babies. A few, what you think, looks like domestic abuse cases. You overhear one man come up to woman on her cell phone. He says to her, "Is that your son in there?" She says, "Yes." He then replies, "I am a priest, may I go pray on him?" She then speaks in her cell phone and tells the person on the other line to hold on. She replies, "Uh. No you may not. Don't try to sell me nothing either." 

12:20 Go to register and the woman asks you, "And what insurance do you have?" You reply, "None." Her jaw drops. She looks at me as if to say, "Geez lady, that really SUCKS." 

12:30 Mother pushes Artic Chill Dentyne Ice into my hand. "Chew this. You reek of alcohol," she says. I take it. I'll do anything to keep my mind off the throbbing. 

12:35 A woman walks into the waiting room. She is wearing the exact same coat as my aunt, except it's in a different color. It's not a common coat. It's suede and warm and long and expensive. My aunt's is in a dark brown. This woman is wearing it in a light khaki brown. My mother says a little too loud, "Donna's coat is nicer, don't you think?" She giggles and the woman, who is big, black and has green eyes, stares me down. I say, "they both look warm."

12:40 My name is called. I am finally back where the action is. Every person I pass looks to my mother and says, "Karen, what are you doing here?" Then they look down at me, STILL IN MY GLITTERY TOP, BLACK BLAZER and TIRED EYELINER EYES.  They would say, "Oh." It happened eight times. 

12:45 After passing a man who only had two toes, I am wheeled into a corner. I NEED PAIN MEDICINE. The nurse says, "What's wrong?" I show her my deformed lower extremity. Another "Oh," comes my way. 

1:15 Still waiting. No medicine. 

1:30 Still waiting. No medicine.

1:35 I start breaking down. Crying and sobering up. 

1:40 Nurse says to me, "Okay honey, we'll give you some pain medicine. Perkaset." I say, "Are you sure, I sometimes get sick." She says, "I'm sure."

1:41 X-Ray technician comes and puts me on a stretcher and wheels me into the X-ray room. He asks me if I was drinking. I tell him I need pain medicine. He ignores my request and proceeds to twist and turn my ankle and take pictures.

1:55 Nurse comes with pain medicine. I throw my scarf over my face and wail. 

2:05 I ask everyone around me what the x in x-ray stands for. No one knows. 

2:20 Pain medicine kicks in. I feel like I am riding through the Drake Passage connecting the Atlantic, Pacific and Southern (Antarctic) oceans. 

3:00 A candy striper lady comes by and offers me a blanket. First she warms it up in the blanket warming machine. Soothing. 

3:05 Still. No one knows what the x in x-ray stands for. 

3:30 They tell me it's not broken. They say to follow up and see an orthopedic doctor. They wrap it in a cast and I ask for a puke bucket. False alarm. 

4:00 Still in Emergency room, waiting for discharge note.

4:45 Home sweet home. Grandma's house.

The Damn Ugly Thang

5 DAYS AFTER IMPACT

Freedoms

"Freedom is what you do with what's been done to you." - Jean-Paul Sartre

The Details, part 1

I sprained my ankle on New Year's Eve. It was a small step. Not much larger than the height of a few rugs piled on top of each other. It was dark. Icy. Black. It's what they call a "third-degree" sprain. What it means is that I tore most of the ligaments that attach my bones to one another and as a result, have limited mobility. 

I've started this blog mainly to record the quirks, the weebles and the woobles. It will document my recovery and perhaps evolve and develop its own digital voice. Anyways, I'm not really good at this stuff but the story needs to be told. Here's an outline for reference and contention. 

6:34 Board train from C.S.H. to Penn Station

7:40 Take Downtown (1) Train to Rector Street

7:53 Purchase two bottles of Canada Dry Lemon Lime Club Soda

7:54 Walk East and discover the grave site of Alexander Hamilton and the birthplace of Columbia University.

7:55 Hit Wall Street and realize you're walking the wrong way.

8:00 Walk in the wind towards Hudson River and Lindsay and Justin's apartment.

8:05 Arrive at the beautiful apartment de Bregman y Stanwix

8:30 Chit chat about life and Justin's wonderful family history. See here.

Also discuss irony of Linsday's lack of family history. See here.

9:30 Enough Said.

10:30 Taxi ride to 14 E 4th Street. Wooohoot!

10:45 Mingle and jingle in anticipating the Holiday fantasmo. Say hello to former coworker, Sabrina, who invited you there in the first place. She's wearing a fantastic sequined dress. Gorgeous. Vogue.

11:00 Dance. Not sure who with. 

11:45 Watch the moments pass before ball drops. Toast to people you don't know. Doubly fall in love again with Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper. Both of whom are far too pale for HDTV. Thankfully, it's all broad casted from a projector on to the wall. 

12:00 2009 is here. Make out with Justin's random friend. Talk to lots of people. Tell them your name is Cruella.

1:00 Bathroom break. There's abstract art everywhere. You try to tell the owner, Taki, about the art you make. But somehow, somewhere, you forget how to form a sentence and more importantly, how to explain that you use RUBBER CEMENT not DRY RUB in your paintings. 

2:30 Try to leave apartment. Lindsay helps you find your blazer and your coat. Say Ciao and go down the elevator.

2:35 Fantasize about Greenwich Vill. Pizza and other food. 

3:00 Leave apartment building and BAM! BOOM! ZAP! ZAZZAM!  Slip and fall to ground.

3:01 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3:02 AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3:03 Lindsay and Justin and friend (Brian?) help me to my feet. Try to look for a cab, but it's New Year's and it's New York City and everyone and their Ohioian mother are in town.

3:15 Fine a gypsy black cab and tell them I don't care about the charge take me to the hospital.

3:17 Lindsay tells me no. She reminds me it's New Year's and that my ankle would be low priority.

3:30 Hobble everywhere in Lindsay's apartment building. Scream. Cry.

3:45 Lay on couch and Lindsay removes your boot to look at the destruction. More crying.

4:00 Justin and Lindsay move you to the spare bedroom. Say, "I just want to be in the hall. Where all the action is." 

4:05 Deny offers of Ambien and take Tylenol instead. 

8:30 Wake up and realize it's not a dream. You've got cold, defrosted peas on your foot and it's resting atop 4 pillows. You need to pee. 

8:35 Call your sister and tell her you've "broked" your ankle and that you're stranded in New York City. She tells you she's sleeping and to call Mom.

9:00 Call Mom. Relay the story. Daydream about ice cold water. Move the warm bag of peas to the floor. She agrees to come rescue you. 

11:oo Mother and Aunt Donna arrive. Use crutches that Mom brought to exit apartment. Lindsay follows downstairs to lobby in her PJ's. Exhausted from the walk, tell the bellhop you need the luggage carrier to sit on. Get wheeled out of the building on the luggage carrier and tell the bellhop that this experience doesn't even fit in your top ten most embarrassing moments. Tell him this is a walk in the park. Remind yourself that you're lying. 

11:30 Feel every bump and pothole and scratch in Manhattan vibrate through your ankle as your Aunt drives toward the Midtown Tunnel. Detour somehow through Canal Street and wish that you could browse all the faux leather makers and "sterling" silver jewels.

For more Sprained off the island of Manhattan, check for "The Details, part 2."

The Facts

BEFORE

AFTER