short note.

[gfrancie]

I wonder if there is a dwarf convention in town.
Today at work I saw something like five dwarves. It was most interesting.

Comments

[wankle.livejournal.com]

I heard they're filming an episode of "When Midgets Attack, Part 6" downtown. That's probably it.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

you are joking. You must be joking. *laughs*

[carrieann.livejournal.com]

Of course he is.

It's part 5. Such the kidder.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I should hope so. I was wondering for a moment...

[popcultureicon.livejournal.com]

i prefer to call them midgets, small people, or halflings.
Perhaps "not quite a man".

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

These were medically defined dwarfs.
Trust me, I know my nomenclature.
Dwarfs are people with little arms and little bodies.
Midgets are people with limbs that are in proportion to their bodies.
Dwarves aren't that lucky.

[exjb-986723.livejournal.com]

they represented the Lollipop Guild.

(not originally mine, sorry.)

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Of course how silly of me to forget.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Is it wrong to get an erection when you see a dwarf wandering the walkways of small suburban mega mall complexes hawking the synthetic heaving bossums of a heffer in a low cut pink negligee in a terribly risque pose?

I mean, just because I don't wish to knock the little guys in the head and all. That's just rude.

Just asking in case it happens. You know if I got to a mall today. As opposed ot yesterday. When the alleged event allegedly happened. Allegedly.

*whistles absently* How about them Nicks?

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

It is not wrong.
I understand it is required in the great state of Indiana when you see a dwarf walking around in public you must be arroused. Otherwise they take your hunting licence away from you and won't allow you to marry your cousin Lurleen.


I know a lot of guys named Nick, how about you?

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

*laughs* Actually, I know one, my Hetero Life Mate Nick who lives just a street away. Both our wives are currently quite amused at the HLM thing, as Nick's wife puts it, when Nick and I hang out, we're dating. If that were the case, I should break up with him for going with me to see League of Extraordinary gentlemen. What crap that was. A money and a dwarf would have made that so much better...

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

awwww you have a little friend. That is cute.
How much does your wife pay him to play with you?

We must forgive people for the bad things we do.
I once saw the film TomCats and I am still living down that shame.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

She's probably paying him enough to balance out the budget - we know how hard it is for most to tolerate me.

As for bad movies one still is trying to live the shame down of, I would like to add Dick Tracy and Ishtar to the list... what were we thinking...?

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Now Dick Tracy was kinda fun....of course I was a child when I saw it.
So never mind.

Oh yeah, well I saw Daredevil.
I want those two hours of my life back Mr. Ben Affleck.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

*twitches violently* You had to bring up the evil D movie, huh? I had so tried to purge that form my mind. Still, I think I had a worse reaction to League of Extraordinary Gentlemen. Or that really bad/stupid cold fusion movie where Keanu Reaves tries to pretend that he has a brain that could comprehend something more complicated than a sock puppet...

Oh the hours of my life lost...

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

We all do things we are ashamed of.
We musn't let it mark us for life.

If that was the case none of us would ever live down the shame of seeing Howard the Duck.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Or the shame that, deep down, some people might still hold a particular like for Howard the Duck... or at least one line...

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

what is your favorite line?

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

The girl: "Why don't you help/save him?"

the red-haired guy: "He ate my eggs."

I don't know why, but that line made my day the first time I saw that. Sadly, it still holds a odd place in my heart, like a bullet in Andrew Jackson.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

*laughs* That is pretty good.

We all have our guilty pleasures.

I have seen the film 1941 so many times I should be put in prison, but the film is just soooooooooooo enticing.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

That movie is great, I have to count it as a guilty love, but I think, a good one.

For a second I was going to put Roman Holiday down as a guilty pleasure, but honestly, what's to feel guilty about. It's wonderful. The only time Eddie Albert is kinda cool.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Anyone who admires 1941 is "good people".

Okay you want a guilty pleasure? I like watching the movie, "Harper Valley PTA".

Nuff said.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

*twitches* Damn... OK... I like watching "The Pirate Movie". Even bought it on VHS since amazingly, they'll make Cannonball Run 2 on DVD, but not that movie.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

*laughs* I like to watch, any of the Gidget movies.

Cannonball Run 2 is already on dvd. I remember seeing it at a store one day.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

I know. I twitched for an hour. Course, I was in Wal-Mart at the time, so I could have just catched a case of redneck jitters.

Random aside (well, not really, Gdiget reminded me of the Love Bug movies, with Buddy Hackett...) did you ever see a TV show on Fox a few years back called Action? It had Buddy hackett in it as a elderly bodyguard for a movie producer who would occasionally babble about only have one testicle. Somehow, it seemed like something you'd be up for. Personally, I thought it was hysterical, which of course means it was ripped off the air in no time.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

It really made me laugh that there are incredible films out there that are not available on dvd. Yet that one is.

Logic has flown the coop.

YES! I LOVED that show. It was so brilliant. Of course anything like that is always going to be taken off of the air.

fucks.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

*hugs* There there... they'll always be yet another American Survivor Dating my Father Idol Brother show...

Fuckheads all.

What I would give to see Buddy Hacket on TV again screaming about having only one testicle... At least they could put it on DVD... I'd buy it!

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Reality television for the most part gives me a raging case of crotch itch.
You can quote me on that!

I do like the reality shows on pbs, because there is a point to them. The people learn a lot of historical stuff and I can dig that in a major way. There isn't a prize of a million bucks at the end. It is more about learning how to function as a group.


I would pay a lot of cash to hear that again. I am sure it is somewhere in the bowels of the internet, waiting for you.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Actually, there's been only two reality shows I've watched, the recent Boy Meets Boy on Bravo and my ultimate fav, Rough Science, which was of course a BBC production. Rough Science was wonderful, take 5 scientists (usually a biologist or marine biologist, a botanist, two physicists and a chemist), put them on an island and give them 3 days to solve a serious of challenges They're given a basic set of tools (saw, screwdriver, hammer, nails, some candles and some various gauges of wire) and whatever they can find on the island. Challenges were: Figure out the exact logitude and latitude you're at, make a radio with only the cookware you have that works, build an underwater lightbulb, create toothpaste, create anti-insect lotion and create an antibiotic and prove to us scientifically that it works (which means they had to make a sterile environment). So fucking cool. Granted, being the science freakjob I am, I got an erection watching it. Really, it just reminded me of when I used to teach junior high students with my wife and they finally clued in that science wasn't boring, but actually cool, fun and even better, useful.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I haven't watched Boy Meets Boy. It just seems a bit much...I think because of the whining crying fag hag.
That is just a bit too Will and Grace for my taste.

I do enjoy Queer Eye. It keeps me fairly amused.


Rough Science? I do not believe I have seen that. I will have to look for that.

Andrew would like that. He likes geekesque things since he is a science freakjob as well.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

I love Queer Eye, very amusing. Boy meets Boy wasn't bad, mostly from the whole point of showing that sexual orientation doesn't matter. I was watching it more form that angle than anything else. Sort of made we want to tape the whole show (it was only six episodes) and force my father to watch it. He's quite the homophobic ass. As if a gay man was going to saunter up to him and try to pick him up or redo the decorations in his house. It really pisses me off and I've ended up in more than a few less than fun arguments. Blah, I babble.

And yes, the faghag is really annoying.

Rough Science is great, and if Andrew is even half the Science freakjob I am, he's going to drool over it. Here a couple of websites for the show: http://www.open2.net/science/roughscience/ and
http://www.pbs.org/weta/roughscience/

A thorough blast really. And if you can't find it, I might have about 3-5 episodes on tape. It came on one weekend on discovery Science when Heather was off collecting animals for her research and I knew she'd love to see it. Sadly, I haven't seen it since.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

You should sign your father up to be redone by the fab five. Maybe that ought to jolt his jowls a bit.

I found where Rought Science is playing, so I will have to make my freakjob watch it. He seems intrigued.

We are quite excited.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Where did you find it playing?

As for the Fab Five making over my dad, I think they're limiting themselves to New York City. That's where all the episodes have been so far. Might not be a bad idea... hope they have insurance and large bodyguards though if they do...

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Your dad seems like the type to drink scotch or gin.
There is something about certain types of bastards that like to drink republican liquor.

I used to date a guy who drank scotch..A LOT.

Anyways...back to your dad and gin.
Slip him a mickey, transport him to New York. Rent some piece of crap and have him wake up with the fab five.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Actually, my dad doesn't drink at all. He has this seriously major control issue, always wanting to be on control of himself (and of course everything around him). The sort of level opf control tha has him ask for a local during root canals, I shit you not. Fucking insane. So, back to the point, he doesn't drink at all, and the few times he does, it might be half a beer (nothing really good to be honest, or that bad - no Schlitz or anything). On a rare occasion, maybe a rum and coke, a glass of wine or the like.

He is Republican though. If he had been in Florida, he would not have been confused about voting for Bush. Why, I have no idea. Short, fat Mexicans shouldn't end up as a Republican, but there you go.

And with that sort of plan, I could get him into a gay strip club in a cowboy outfit complete with ass-less chaps... Second thought *shudder violently* Nasty image.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Oooo boy, now there is a fun guy. I bet he has a terrific sense of humor *snorts*
Well then, you may just have to put something in his food.

Ass-less chaps and my dad. (it could be an afterschool special)

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Probably has been. Ass-less Chap Dad and the special track lighting... Probably on ABC with Emmanuelle Lewis.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I would pay a lot of money to view that.

So other then having an ass-less chaps dad, how is life?

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Exhausting. And I'm off tomorrow morning bright and early to cross the state to the docile tones of Dueling Banjos... or might as well be. If I see Ned Beatty in skivies, I'm heading home. I've a lovely two day audit to do, which is going to be so much fun to do on 9/11 with the hectic nature of that day. Added to that the accompaniement of the VP of my area who as far as I can tell, does nothing all day but give answers that any politician would love. His answers involve saying yes and no to everything, which gets you no further to a decision than if you hadn't asked him in the first place. Annoying. And Heather is working 3 12 hour days a week, which sucks big time for her and reduces any time we have together. Such is grad school it seems.

How goes with you?

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

So may I ask, what exactly is your job? It seems like one of those vague boring office jobs where nothing ever gets done....you need to download some episodes of this British show called the Office. It is this fake documentary following this completely stupid stupid oblivious boss and his employees in this blah paper company in Swindon.
There are moments that are just so hilarious and awful all at once. you almost cringe at moments because the humour is so wry and subtle.
I think you would dig it.

My life...calm in a happy sort of way.
I work part time as a book wench, my financial woes are decreasing since my incredibly perfect boyfriends seems to be supporting me.
I am doing a bit of writing, and I am thinking casual thoughts of going to school someday.
woo.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

What do I do... that's a short question for a long answer. The whole job title is Manager of Audits and Quality Assurance. In real people speak: I'm primarily in charge of corrdinating and performing all audits for the blood center I work for. I observe every department to ensure that they are all trained, performing tasks as our procedures instruct them to be done and ensure that our procedures and practices all conform to industry, federal and state laws. So I have to know everything about my work from how things are ordered, received and checked in, to how to draw blood, criteria conditions that are and are not acceptable for someone to donate blood, product quality, donor safety, product safety, employee safety, viral and blood testing procedures, computer systems and most applicable rules and regulations put into place by the FDA and organizations that regulate our industry. And to do that I get to watch people at work and dig through papers all day. That's my main job. Attahced to that I coordinate how to keep our procedures up to date and compliant with the law, serve as a regulatory rule/law resource for the blood center, review quality control documentation, corrdinate planning meetings for any changes, train staff in my department, revise and update our procedures and write new ones as necessary, manage the staff in my department and anything else that I foolishly volunteer for or get saddled with. That's the short answer. ;)

In all honesty, I love my job, but I frequently find myself with a workload of 2-4 people, so it's exhausting. But I do love it. At the end of the day, after all the exhaustion, the annoyance, the frustration, the mind bending headaches at reading federal laws, I know when I'm driving home, that what I'm doing helps to ensure that somewhere, in my state or another, the blood products that may help save someone's loved one, family member or friend is there and safe for them to use. And that's why I do it. Perhaps a bit goofy and overly sentimental, but it can mean the difference between life and death for people, and it keeps me coming back when I get too tired or annoyed. In the end it's not about me, it's about people I'll never know. Bleh, I babble now...

You were talking about going back for political science right? Didn't you have an interest in international relations, or am I utterly on crack? And Book Wench is cool. I think I'd be broke working at a book store. Not that I have time to read the few books I still buy as it is... but to be around them... joy and heaven. Not to mention possibly learning how to rub my crotch into a stack of Al Franken books without getting a papercut... Writng? Been published? Someday I'll force myself to go back to writing, just too tired to do it now.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

Wow...that is some job.
So you are doing some good for the world unlike some folk. While I am sure it is mind-numbing atleast it has some sense of value.
Fuck...you do everything except suck the blood out.
I don't envy that gig.

Probably history. I originally was aiming for poli sci, but I didn't want to be depressed about the world everyday. (I felt like that when I was taking five classes)
I was keen on international relations and foreign policy which is a sick line of study.

I haven't been published...yet, but I am working up the courage to face a round of rejections from the various periodicals out there. But that is just my idea of fun.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that's they very same reason I haven't even tried to get my stories published. I have a low enough self-esteem when it comes to my writing as it is to have someone tell me to go blow. But over the past few weeks, for reasons I have no clue of, I've really been thinking about trying. I heard there is some magazine or something that gives a huge lists of publications and what their requirements are for submission and genres, but I don't remember what it is and I haven't had th chance to look into it yet.

History is fun, that was the minor to the first degree I finished. History I'mk guessing is not much better on the happy feel good, well depending on what area you study.

Yeah, I don't draw blood. I'd like to know how, in a perverse fascination, but I think I'm too wimpy to do it. But I do watch it occur on most audits. As for saying I do good work... I like to think so. Then again, when I walk into most any department but my own, people get nervous and start whispering because I'm the "evil" auditor. Oh well, nothing is perfect, but yeah, I think it's worth it in the end.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I am used to rejection. I have been on the stage since I was three so I can take a bit of the abuse.
I secretly think I like it at times.


Do you know how to draw blood though?
Because if you can I would be impressed.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

Really? I did theater ages back for a bit. I took a drama class my freshman year of high school since I was terrified of giving oral reports and ended up doing work at a city children's theater for the 4 years I was in high school, two years on stage and two as a stage manager. I stopped after one drama class in college. Performance sort of cared me and I never felt I was as good as others I saw. I miss it though. And rejection still sucks.

Do I know how to do phlebotomy? Sure, I can draw blood. Very easy really. Do I do it? Hell no. Never could get over the fact I'm stabbing someone in the arm with a needle, but push comes to shove, I could do it.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I love giving blood.
I like to take friends with me and have races (a camp counselor who was also an EMT got me hooked on doing that)
and see who can get out a pint the quickest.
No one can beat me, which is kind of creepy to think I can bleed that quickly.
It freaks out the people who are taking my blood.

My best time was 4.5 minutes.
My average is about 5.5. minutes.

So...um, should I be worried that I could donate a pint that quickly?
They always say it takes between 10-15 minutes.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't worry too much, honestly. In some places I'vd been the average has been around 7 minutes, so you're not freakishly fast or anything. Some people are just quick and others are not. Sometimes it has to do with the phlebotomist who sticks you, other times it's the quality of the vein.

*thinks enough to cause smoke to leak from his ears* You donate at the Pugent Sound Blood Center? Unless I'm mistaken, that's the main blood center up there in the Seattle area. I don't think it's Red Cross territory.

[gfrancie.livejournal.com]

I donate both places.
It just depends on who is throwing a blood fest?

I was told recently by someone that since I have been in England I can't donate blood?
I need to check out and see if that is true.
That seems a bit silly..yes yes...hoof and mouth plus that whole insane cown disease.


I admit I do have a bit of trouble clotting.
Nothing to really worry about I have been told, but still embarrassing.

[kitaryufinn.livejournal.com]

There is actually a deferral based on length of stay in England, and Europe for that matter. This is primarily a response to CJD, a prion based disease that is commonly referred to as Mad Cow's Disease in cows. With the large scale outbreak and erratic information on transmissibility, the rationale is to reduce the chance of risk to the blood supply. I don't want to say any more as policies of specific blood centers are not something I should really comment on.

On a wider note, this sort of deferral is not something blood centers want to do. It has dramaticly impacted the number of donor deferrals that have occured which has further impacted the blood supply, which is already short as it is. Adding to that SARS, West Nile Virus and changing malaria deferral areas, it has made a huge impact on our blood supply. But in the end, the ultimate goal is patient safety. Just 20 years ago, a less conservative and proactive series of decisions were made and HIV was allowed into the blood supply infecting a number of people. The scandel was disasterous to blodo centers and the blood supply, which has been striving ever since to reach those earlier donation levels. But more importantly, it infected people and lead to deaths. That is not something taken lightly, and while it's disheartening to have occurred in the first place, it is at least being remembered to help prevent a reoccurance now and hopefully in the future as well.

OK, sorry, I'll jump off the soap box...