"In my garbage truck. Truck truck truck"
This is probably going to be a long one. A lot has happened since I last posted, and even though there's a rugby match on (Wales v Australia...they're 9th and 2nd in the rankings, so I won't have to pay TOO much attention), it's probably time to get this all out there, for whomever still reads this/is interested in my life outside the strictures of Facebook status updates.
OT: WHY are there pyrotechnics for Wales mounting the pitch? Why are there pyrotechnics at Millenium Stadium at all? This does not make sense. At least the Australians are singing their terrible anthem. And the Welsh look about 14, and Mortlock isn't playing. Anyway.
So, in reference to the last things I talked about, my PhD applications are in, and I've got confirmation that they've been duly received etc, so that's a weight off my mind. Though I will probably send my referees emails this week and just double-check that they've sent their letters or are at least still working on them. I'm nervous, you see. I REALLY want this to work out. Plus there were some problems with transcripts (a. they're not cheap and b. some places want TWO copies of them, which I hadn't taken into account when ordering them), and application fees turned out to be WAY more expensive than I had expected overall...but what can you do?
Less positive but still potentially problem-solving is my medical odyssey. For about seven years, nearly eight now, I've had digestive problems. I'll spare you the gory detils, but basically I have had bad reactions to more and more foods over the course of these years, to the point where now, basically anything I eat causes those bad reactions. So I finally asked the doctors about it, and a few tests later, it seems pretty likely that the problem is with my gallbladder.
OT: Oh for God's sake Australia you're just GIVING these penalties away. Offsides is pretty easy to avoid, let me just say. Also Wales have a player called James Hook, and I'm pretty sure I forget about him after every match I see him in, but it's still amazing. I hope he sails. Hey guys, this is more than a second - place and roll away! TRY Australia! Moving on.
So, my gallbladder. After an ultrasound determined I don't have gallstones, I got to have a scan where they injected me with radiation and put me under a Geiger counter camera thing for an hour to find my liver and gallbladder. then, I got another injection to make my gallbladder think I'd eaten so that it would react and they could then see, with the radiation, how well/fast it works. It turns out, it barely works at all, much less quickly. Your gallbladder is supposed to empty 30 or more percent of itself into your intestines when it thinks you've eaten, to help you digest properly and help your liver along etc. Mine...doesn't. It empties 7.1% over the course of a half-hour. This is apparently called biliary dyskinesia, and to my knowledge the only thing they can do is take out my gallbladder entirely. I'm not super clear on why this is, or how it'll help, but from all the research I've tried to do, it's the best suggestion. I'm going to ask the doctor I see here (I'm back in Sheffield, btw) if they have any other suggestions, but I'm scheduled to see a surgeon the 19th of this month for a consultation at noon and I'm pencilled in for surgery in the evening, should we decide I need it after all (believe me, it made the most sense to do it this way for a million boring reasons).
Because of this, I'm going to be back in Valpo earlier and longer than anticipated for Thanksgiving, though if plans go as they are, I will be in Missouri for Thanksgiving proper (NOT flying, though, now that I'll probably have had surgery).
OT: Good to see that even international pro scrums sometimes collapse. This Welsh tighthead is a slob, though. They're lucky they're 7ish kilos heavier than the Australian scrum...and Australia's not generally strong in the scrum. Aaaaand Stephen Jones misses the kick? Wow. This ref is really chatty and whistle-happy, but he's not wrong.
Otherwise, there are a few things these developments change for me, but not that many that they change for other people. Like, I'm not really going to commit to NaNo this year because I'll be travelling too much etc, but I would like to work more on my NaNo from last year, as well as figure out a way to flesh out another idea I have into actually having a plot.
OT: This Pocock kid is ALL MUSCLE holy shit Also I would never have realized he came from Zimbabwe. Huh. Are you guys even really playing, though, Australia? You're giving away a LOT of ground...oh, nevermind, well done. UGH now STOP giving up scrums - you're not winning any, so stop letting them happen! Or, alternately, STAY IN the scrums, so you might have a shot. Wales are dominating at this.
There have been other developments which are important emotionally, but not really plan-changing or anything, so I guess until they become more relevant I won't bother about them. Still no solid plans for What Happens Next, or even how to manage between now and then, but we'll work it out. I've got until February before my visa runs out, and we've got a contract we can probably use to have a place to live through then, if we so choose. We'll just have to decide how to handle the in-between time, before we find out about my acceptances/ decide where to move in terms of storage and travel and so-on.
OT: HIGH TACKLE good lord you nearly ripped his head off! I'm very disappointed in Australia's performance this first half. Or very pleasantly surprised by Wales's. Also, I'd like to point out that some of these wingers are the same age as my baby brother. And THIS one (James O'Connor) is a year older (20) but playing his TWENTY-FIFTH international match. Jesus.
I'll be nice and not keep up the rugby commentary through the second half, since I'm sure it's not really the part any of you care about XD I think I've probably covered all I wanted to talk about, though it's been harder to concentrate than I anticipated with this match on - sorry! Then again, if I think of anything else, I can always post again when the rugby's not on XD
OT: WHY are there pyrotechnics for Wales mounting the pitch? Why are there pyrotechnics at Millenium Stadium at all? This does not make sense. At least the Australians are singing their terrible anthem. And the Welsh look about 14, and Mortlock isn't playing. Anyway.
So, in reference to the last things I talked about, my PhD applications are in, and I've got confirmation that they've been duly received etc, so that's a weight off my mind. Though I will probably send my referees emails this week and just double-check that they've sent their letters or are at least still working on them. I'm nervous, you see. I REALLY want this to work out. Plus there were some problems with transcripts (a. they're not cheap and b. some places want TWO copies of them, which I hadn't taken into account when ordering them), and application fees turned out to be WAY more expensive than I had expected overall...but what can you do?
Less positive but still potentially problem-solving is my medical odyssey. For about seven years, nearly eight now, I've had digestive problems. I'll spare you the gory detils, but basically I have had bad reactions to more and more foods over the course of these years, to the point where now, basically anything I eat causes those bad reactions. So I finally asked the doctors about it, and a few tests later, it seems pretty likely that the problem is with my gallbladder.
OT: Oh for God's sake Australia you're just GIVING these penalties away. Offsides is pretty easy to avoid, let me just say. Also Wales have a player called James Hook, and I'm pretty sure I forget about him after every match I see him in, but it's still amazing. I hope he sails. Hey guys, this is more than a second - place and roll away! TRY Australia! Moving on.
So, my gallbladder. After an ultrasound determined I don't have gallstones, I got to have a scan where they injected me with radiation and put me under a Geiger counter camera thing for an hour to find my liver and gallbladder. then, I got another injection to make my gallbladder think I'd eaten so that it would react and they could then see, with the radiation, how well/fast it works. It turns out, it barely works at all, much less quickly. Your gallbladder is supposed to empty 30 or more percent of itself into your intestines when it thinks you've eaten, to help you digest properly and help your liver along etc. Mine...doesn't. It empties 7.1% over the course of a half-hour. This is apparently called biliary dyskinesia, and to my knowledge the only thing they can do is take out my gallbladder entirely. I'm not super clear on why this is, or how it'll help, but from all the research I've tried to do, it's the best suggestion. I'm going to ask the doctor I see here (I'm back in Sheffield, btw) if they have any other suggestions, but I'm scheduled to see a surgeon the 19th of this month for a consultation at noon and I'm pencilled in for surgery in the evening, should we decide I need it after all (believe me, it made the most sense to do it this way for a million boring reasons).
Because of this, I'm going to be back in Valpo earlier and longer than anticipated for Thanksgiving, though if plans go as they are, I will be in Missouri for Thanksgiving proper (NOT flying, though, now that I'll probably have had surgery).
OT: Good to see that even international pro scrums sometimes collapse. This Welsh tighthead is a slob, though. They're lucky they're 7ish kilos heavier than the Australian scrum...and Australia's not generally strong in the scrum. Aaaaand Stephen Jones misses the kick? Wow. This ref is really chatty and whistle-happy, but he's not wrong.
Otherwise, there are a few things these developments change for me, but not that many that they change for other people. Like, I'm not really going to commit to NaNo this year because I'll be travelling too much etc, but I would like to work more on my NaNo from last year, as well as figure out a way to flesh out another idea I have into actually having a plot.
OT: This Pocock kid is ALL MUSCLE holy shit Also I would never have realized he came from Zimbabwe. Huh. Are you guys even really playing, though, Australia? You're giving away a LOT of ground...oh, nevermind, well done. UGH now STOP giving up scrums - you're not winning any, so stop letting them happen! Or, alternately, STAY IN the scrums, so you might have a shot. Wales are dominating at this.
There have been other developments which are important emotionally, but not really plan-changing or anything, so I guess until they become more relevant I won't bother about them. Still no solid plans for What Happens Next, or even how to manage between now and then, but we'll work it out. I've got until February before my visa runs out, and we've got a contract we can probably use to have a place to live through then, if we so choose. We'll just have to decide how to handle the in-between time, before we find out about my acceptances/ decide where to move in terms of storage and travel and so-on.
OT: HIGH TACKLE good lord you nearly ripped his head off! I'm very disappointed in Australia's performance this first half. Or very pleasantly surprised by Wales's. Also, I'd like to point out that some of these wingers are the same age as my baby brother. And THIS one (James O'Connor) is a year older (20) but playing his TWENTY-FIFTH international match. Jesus.
I'll be nice and not keep up the rugby commentary through the second half, since I'm sure it's not really the part any of you care about XD I think I've probably covered all I wanted to talk about, though it's been harder to concentrate than I anticipated with this match on - sorry! Then again, if I think of anything else, I can always post again when the rugby's not on XD