You know, nothing will kill that post-inaugural glow like taking a hunk of flesh off the end of your thumb while attempting the incredibly dangerous act of slicing cheese. With a dinner knife.

Yeah, I made up new curse words, thank you very much.

*bimbles off*

I can’t begin to express how proud I am of our country today. Having sat in an auditorium with my co-workers, sharing this historic moment with a great diversity of people, was such a moving thing. We rose to our feet, cheered, amen-ed, laughed, hugged and cried. And, that was just for the VIP procession.

I know this day will go down in history and I’m proud to have participated in it. It is, indeed, morning in America.

*bimbles off*

Only one more day Shrub and his assorted posse of lackeys, frat boys, religious wackjobs and the unrepentant, power-hungry pit bull know as “The Big Dick.”

And, in case you are a bit euphoric over Obama’s inauguration tomorrow (aren’t we all?), AlterNet has a nice piece on the top ten reasons (only the top ten, remember) this asshat should be remembered as the worst president ever:

1. The worst recession since the 1930s.
2. The worst financial crisis since the 1930s.
3. The worst foreign policy mistake in the history of this country.
4. Unprecedented rejection of human rights.
5. Watergate-style abuses of power.
6. Unprecedented increases in inequality.
7. A culture of sleaze.
8. Blind rejection of science.
9. Utter refusal to protect the health, safety and legal rights of Americans.
10. Presiding over our nation’s worst natural disaster, and not caring.

The Compassionate Conservatives, ladies and gentlemen. Worried about your values, not theirs.

*bimbles off*

Pixel seems unaffected by the cold weather.

For more cat-bloggy goodness, please visit the Friday Ark today and the Carnival of the Cats on Sunday.

*bimbles off*

May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.
~~ George Carlin

From Atheist Revolution comes the news that the Indianapolis Star is dropping a daily prayer from its newspaper, offering, in part, the following statement:

We appreciate that this has been a long tradition in The Star. But we are re-evaluating our mission and all that we do. I believe that prayer is a very personal thing and that offering prayers is something for individuals and their churches. We are a newspaper, not a church.

Also, we do live in a society in which there are many, many different beliefs. We respect all religions, and the prayer was written only from the Christian perspective.

Sounds like the staff made a thoughtful and considerate decision. There was plenty insane christian bleating about the war on christians and how god’s wrath shall smite the paper, blah, blah, on the site, but that was to be expected. What made me nearly lose my morning coffee was, in response to the post at Atheist Revolution, one person wrote:

“Well, now, boys, once you have got rid of the Christians, are you going to start on Islam? Because if you do, good luck! They will be a harder nut to crack.”

I love it when christians (or any other religious folk) start the “you atheists are trying to end religion” argument. *sigh* Atheism has NO goal, no agenda. Atheism is simply no belief in a deity. Pure and simple. I cannot hate something I don’t believe in, therefore I don’t hate god or allah or whomever. I do not wish the death of religion because it is (or should be) a wholly personal choice and practice, just like atheism.

Asking that the government, at all levels, honor what is set out in our Constitution is NOT calling for the end of christianity as a religion or declaring a some fictional war on christians. We simply ask for the separation of church and state, as called for by law.

But, then again, when your whole belief system is set up on the idea of persecution, you can’t help but play the victim.

*bimbles off*

If you’ve never seen an elephant ski, then you’ve never been on acid.
~~ Eddie Izzard

“I’ve always relied upon the kindness of strangers.” ~~ Blanche DuBois, A Streetcar Named Desire

So, yesterday, a package arrived from San Diego. Inside was a groovy-colored tin wrapped in tissue and a bit of ribbon. Inside THAT was a wee little charm shaped like a cowboy boot, with a spur on it. Apparently, I needed it because I’m from Texas, according the most fabulous Felyne.

*Apologies for the quality of the picture. My real camera is broke, so
this was grabbed with a camera. I couldn’t even begin to get a decent
one of the charm. BOO! HISS!*

I don’t have her telephone number or she could have heard me “SQUEEE!” live. Probably for the best.

So, my biggest *hugs* and *smootchies* go out to Felyne today. And, to Pierre, whom I will be stalking now that I know the address.

*bimbles off*

If at first you don’t succeed, excessive force is probably the answer.
~~ Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning

So, yesterday, I overslept, started rushing around, fell in the shower, bumped my head and hit my knee, went to the doctor, then got carted to the ER in an ambulance where I spent four hours tied to a cardiac machine and an IV drip and was subjected to being monitored by a snarky nurse.

Like you do.

All in all, it wasn’t as bad as it sounds. Yes, I fell. My foot slipped and I ended up falling on my left knee and my head hit the tile on the side of the shower. Sadly, 20, even 10 years ago, I would have simply gotten up, shaken it off and continued my mad rush to get to work. Now, I go down like a shot deer.

Anyhoo…. keeping in mind I had been fighting a head cold for a couple of days, I couldn’t shake being dizzy. And, my fucking knee hurt like a bitch. So, walking was an adventure. JS insisted I go to the doctor to make sure I didn’t have a concussion. I didn’t want to go. He insisted. We ended up seeing the doctor’s nurse practitioner (that’s what… a nurse who actually practices?) and she took one look into my eyes with shiny thingie and said I needed to go to the hospital. She said my eyes looked “glassy.” I said something witty like, “Well, I guess that’s better than flat” and was promptly ignored.

JS and the nurse start talking over me. You know, like I’m not in the room or I’m a child. I will admit I was a bit foggy and was having trouble walking, but I didn’t think it merited going to the ER in an ambulance. I’m waving my hand and trying to say I don’t want to go. Like that worked. A few minutes later, I’m actually put in a real ambulance by two real parametics who, I’m guessing, drew the short end of the straw went it came to pickups for that day.

This is all like some surreal dream now. One of the parametics tried to start an IV and couldn’t find a good vein. When I got to the ER, I’m promptly surrounded by about six people who are all asking questions and a nurse who is pounding on my left arm looking for a vein to start the IV. In all this, it somehow gets to the doctor on call that I fainted in the shower, hit my head and have a concussion.

Remember, these are professionals.

The upshot after five hours of medical manhandling? I fell and, quite understandably, got a little dizzy. However, due to being sick and – as it is turns out – dehydrated, my body just didn’t recover very quickly. (Dehydration also accounts for nobody being able to start an IV on me, when normally, I’m a phlebotomists’ wet dream.) Hence the continued dizziness and disorientation. I could have just laid down, put ice on my knee and drank Gatorade for the rest of the day and been fine.

Throughout the day, JS is calling my boss. My boss is very, very busy and trying to relay the information to my co-workers. At the end of the day, they all think I hit my head and was in the hospital with a concussion. Imagine their surprise when I show up this morning with only the sniffles, Sudefed and a sore knee.

My life is so weird.

*bimbles off*

PS: *hands paper to Rook*