New Blog Title...

Now that I'm in my 60's I figured it was time to make a few changes. I have many friends who think I'm a little strange, but they still like me! So, in that Spirit, I changed my Blog title to "My Mind is a Scary Place to Be..." and it really is!

In spite of a misspent youth of Sex, Drugs and Rock & Roll I still have a wicked wit and people find me Charming in a weird way. I'm quick with a quip or a snarky retort, depending on the situation. I'm an observer of Humanity and I can be Brutally Honest if I see something stupid.  I have a clear definition on the differences between being Dumb and being Stupid.

I'm not what you could call a Religious Person, but I have my own Faith in the Bigger Picture. I'm an Art Lover that enjoys all kinds of Art Styles and when I see a Young Person trying their hand at Drawing, Painting or Sculpting, I encourage them with one simple phrase, "Never let ANYONE tell you that you can't do it!"

I'm a Lover, not  Fighter, but I know many ways to hurt Bullies even though I'm in a Wheel Chair.  Mostly Verbal, but many physical ways too.

I love Women, all shapes and sizes, because they are all beautiful and they should see themselves the way I see them.  Ugliness is reflected in attitude and if you have an ugly attitude it show in how you act and treat others.  This goes for Men as well as women.

My attitude is often looked on as somewhat Archaic.  I offer respect and trust until you prove you deserve neither, but I believe in Second Chances. If I am wrong, I will admit it and apologize.  I consider myself a Gentleman of the Old School. I say Please and Thank You, Yes/No Sir/Ma'am and treat people the way I want to be treated.

I prefer Friends over enemies so I try to make friends where ever I go. It makes life much more enjoyable.

These are just a few of the lessons I have learned over the past 60 years and thanks for letting me share them.

HOW I ENDED UP IN A WHEEL CHAIR

People often ask me if I will be able to walk now that I have lost over 200 pounds and my answer may give them the impression that I’m just lazy. I am semi-mobile, which means that I can stand for short times and walk a little, just not very far.

When I was in my mid-40’s I was diagnosed with Sever Plaque Psoriasis, an Auto-immune disorder, and all the stuff that comes with it, especially Psoriatic Arthritis. It’s related to Rheumatoid Arthritis and my joints are inflamed and swollen and extremely painful, but I manage it with Medication. Methotrexate and Humira to be specific.  They keep my own skin from eating me alive and my joints from stopping me from being able to move at all. For a long time I felt sorry for myself and became housebound due to my lack of mobility. This lasted for almost five years until I got my first Power Chair.  Suddenly, I was mobile again!  I could go outside and get to my appointments and meet people again. My life began improving for the better.

Now, on to the other cause. I rode Motorcycles for almost 40 years and have had my fair share of accidents, mostly minor, and enjoyed feeling the Sun and Wind in my face.  It’s something I really miss and wish I could still do it.  While I was getting a chest X-Ray prior to being subscribed Humira, I was asked if I ever had back problems or numbness anywhere.  I had noticed some numbness in my right hand, but I attributed to having had half my right hand ring finger amputated.  When I asked why, the Doctor showed me two spots on my spine that looked, off, for lack of a better term. It seems that I had mangled two vertebra in my lower back and from what was pointed out to me they happened several years apart and are putting pressure on my spinal cord. Not a lot, but enough to impair my ambulatory motor functions.  Surgery would be risky and may do more damage than good, so I live with it.  To me, a little pain and numbness is much more preferable to possibly being paralyzed.  As I looked back, I remember hitting some deep potholes on my Motorcycle, apparently about 10 years apart.

 So much for being Stoic and Macho, suffering in silence!

I'm Back!

Well, I’m back.  Yeah, I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted anything, but my Muse kind of abandoned me after I got Throat Cancer. It’s been a little over a year since I completed the Radiation and Chemo and things are looking a lot better.

My throat and mouth were totally fried from the Radiation and one of the consequences of that was my Taste Buds and Saliva glands stopped working.  You all know from some of my past ramblings that I love good food. Imagine my chagrin when suddenly I could no longer enjoy even the simplest things, like soup.

Besides not being able to swallow anything with any kind of texture, food tasted weird. Things I knew weren’t salted tasted so salty I would gag. This drove my wife nuts because she couldn’t fix anything I could eat.  My sense of smell went into overdrive and food smells made me nauseous.  Even Bacon! And don’t get me started on Garlic.  I loved to cook with fresh whole garlic and when I would try to make something for my wife and son I almost vomited.

I finally went on a liquid diet after I passed out in the bathroom when I tried to bathe and had to go to the hospital to get checked out. They told me I was under nourished and dehydrated.  They tried to get me to eat solid food and I told them to take a look at my mouth and throat so they could see the scar tissue. My tongue and mouth were brown from the dead, burnt skin and my throat was swollen almost shut.  I WAS able to swallow some liquids as long as they were bland, so they put me on Liquid Diet of Ensure.  My stomach had shrunk so much I couldn't drink very much at a time and that limited me to three 8 oz. cans a day.  This went on for about six months and as I would feel a little better, I’d get adventurous and try some other liquid foods. OH Hell No!  Big mistake! Food began to taste even stranger than before. I can no longer stand the taste of Ice Cream or (gasp!) Chocolate in any form, Sugar tasted bitter and yogurt was sheer torture.

When I began this sojourn back to health I weighed approximately 465 pounds, with my average being in the neighborhood of 450.  Funny thing happened, I began to lose weight!  My clothes no longer fit me and hung on me like sacks.  Even my underwear was falling down when I managed to walk the short distance to the bathroom.  I’ve had to get new clothes to fit me so I could look at least halfway presentable. I still can’t walk very far or stand for very long but at least my clothes didn’t hang on me anymore.  I went from a 65” waist to a 54”! Hey, I was looking good again!  Even the wife said I was getting my SEXY back!

Long story short, since I began, I have lost over 200 pounds and my waist size is still shrinking as is my once humungous backside.  It’s almost flat again!  My taste buds are working again so my semi-liquid diet has flavor again.  I mostly eat Grits and Eggs for breakfast and cottage cheese for dinner. Every now and then I eat soups that I use a stick blender on in order to be able to swallow them to get other proteins to keep me alive.  My Battle Cry has been “I WANT A CHEESEBURGER, DAMMIT!” but that will come when my saliva glands start working again.

I want to thank all my friends and Family for all the support they’ve given me throughout my ordeal, because without them I would have been depressed and probably suicidal.  They convinced me that I was stronger than anything that was thrown at me and that the world still needs me. I Love You All!

Stay tuned and I will try to update you with the things going on in my renewed life!  Who knows, maybe I'll post some pictures next time out...

Greetings out there in Blogger Land!

If you remember my last posting, I had been diagnosed as having Throat Cancer and had vowed to beat it. Well, I did. The cancer is gone!  I went through seven weeks of Radiation Treatments and Chemotherapy, lost all the hair on my face and some on the back of my head and had a Burn on my neck for a while.

My sense of taste is shot and I can't eat very much right now because everything I try to eat tastes like Battery Acid, even things that are sweet! I miss my Sugar!  As a result of not being able to eat, I have lost over 80 pounds. I'm  down from 450 to 370. It's a struggle mainly because my mouth and tongue are still burned from the radiation, but are slowly healing.

The Biggest and Best news is I HAVE BEATEN CANCER!  Yes, the Cancer is GONE! I still have some follow up visits, but I am fully confident that I will come through with flying colors.  I want to thank all of my Friends and Family out there who sent Good Vibes, Prayers and Words of Support and Encouragement while I went through this.  I don't know what would have happened without you, so once again, Thank you all!

Been a long time...

Hey boys and girls!  Sorry for being gone for so long, but my life has taken a few twists and turns since September. Had a long Natural High from Comic-Con, meeting old friends and making new ones, sharing Pictures on here, On Facebook and on the Highlander Site.

Then I went through a bout  of  depression. Nothing really serious, just didn't feel like doing anything. Things started getting better in January when I managed to put some cash aside to try to buy a Membership to Comic-Con. THEN I got the email about Returning Press Registration after I had registered for a Badge.  Thanks to the nice person in charge of Press Registry, we got  it straightened out.  Next step is getting my Press Creds approved.  I'm now a Legitimate Reporter complete with a Press ID and Certificate of Accreditation as a Freelance Photographer/Reporter! YAY!

Now comes the down side. I had what I thought was a case of Tonsilitis, no biggie, I've had flare ups before.  Then it became inflamed and infected, or so I thought.  Had the Doctor give me some antibiotics to knock out the infection.  It didn't work.  Now my biggest fear may be coming true. I might have Throat Cancer.

Yeah, the Big Casino.  Best case scenario, a little Radiation, some Chemo and Bye-Bye Cancer.  Worst case, they have to go in and cut out a few things I'm really fond of. My Tongue, my Larynx and a few other things I use a lot.  Really Worst case, They can't do anything and I prepare to shuffle off this mortal coil, leaving behind all the people I know and love, Friends, Family, Relatives...

But, in the mean time, I plan on maintaining a POSITIVE Attitude.  I WILL BEAT THIS!!!!!

I'm not what you'd call a Religious Person, but any Good Karma you could send my way would be helpful.  Prayers, Good Vibes, Well Wishes, Burn Some Incense, Bang a Gong or Stare at your Belly Button for an Hour, Whatever works for you.

I have an Appointment with a Throat Guy on the 3rd of April, so I'll keep you in the Loop!

The Greatest Show on Earth!!!

I’m not talking about the Circus, I’m talking about the upcoming elections for next November.  You’d think it was a circus with all these self serving clowns vying for high offices in our joke of a Government.  Seriously, what has happened to this country?

This country used to stand for something.  The Government used to listen to us, The People.  Don’t get me wrong, I’d STILL fight for, and if needed, die for it, but I’m disappointed with what is going on in Washington and the rest of this once great nation.

Greed, corruption, Religious Zealots trying to take over, rampant stupidity in the guise of Political Correctness,   and Carpetbaggers twisting the political process to fit some agenda to alienate the Middle Class and Poor of this country.

We are in a recession, teetering extremely close to a Depression almost as bad the the one in the 30’s with one major difference that I can see.  Back then our Government did a lot to help people. Jobs were created by things like the WPA, the NRA, the TVA and many more so we could hold our heads up and put food on our tables.  What do we have now? Carpetbaggers.

Carpetbaggers.  I like that word.  It is a perfect description of what we are being offered as possible leaders and representatives to run this country. Wikipedia offers this tidbit about what a Carpetbagger is;

In United States history, "carpetbaggers" was a pejorative term Southerners gave to Northerners (also referred to as Yankees) who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era, between 1865 and 1877.

The term referred to the observation that these newcomers tended to carry "carpet bags," a common form of luggage at the time (sturdy and made from repurposed carpet). It was used as a derogatory term, suggesting opportunism and exploitation by the outsiders. Together with Republicans they are said to have politically manipulated and controlled former Confederate states for varying periods for their own financial and power gains. In sum, carpetbaggers were seen as insidious Northern outsiders with questionable objectives meddling in local politics, buying up plantations at fire-sale prices and taking advantage of Southerners. Carpetbagger is not to be confused with copperhead, which is a term given to a person from the North who sympathized with the Southern claim of right to Secession.

The term carpetbaggers was also used to describe the Republican political appointees who came South, arriving with their travel carpet bags. Southerners considered them ready to loot and plunder the defeated South.^[1]

In modern usage in the U.S., the term is sometimes used derisively to refer to a politician who runs for public office in an area where he or she does not have deep community ties, or has lived only for a short time. In the United Kingdom, the term was adopted to refer informally to those who join a mutual organization, such as a building society, in order to force it to demutualize, that is, to convert into a joint stock company, solely for personal financial gain.

Solely for Financial Gain.  That says a lot about the Teabaggers and Republicans, doesn’t it?  They couldn’t care less about the Middle Class and Poor. A lot of people out there put the blame on the President’s shoulders. Poor guy is trying to clean up a mess left by his predecessor and his cronies and is being blocked at every turn by greedy little weasels who see themselves as Kingmakers.  They don’t want a strong Leader, they want a puppet they can control for their own end.  Big Money Corporations, the Uber-Rich and yes, Foreign interests are trying to buy power in this country.  They want brainless idiots to be President.

I personally think it’s time to take our country back from these carpetbaggers and let them know who is supposed to be running this country.  If you agree with me, leave a comment and let me know.

The BEST Web-Series You're NOT Watching!

“We are The Hunted - survivors of vampire attacks who have banded together to protect ourselves from becoming cattle.

Like sharks in a feeding frenzy, vampires are drawn by the scent of those who have been bitten (unless masked by garlic pills), and continue to drain us until we turn and become one of them, unable to exist without a constant supply of fresh human blood.

Our only defense is to stick together. Several groups have been formed such as the VA (Vampires Anonymous) which meets on a regular basis to help members cope with various issues including blood addiction.

Be warned: it is virtually impossible to distinguish vampires from the rest of us. The tell-tale fangs and glowing red eyes are present only when they are feeding, enraged, or captured in flash photography. They have spread throughout our society, from law enforcement and political figures, to executive producers responsible for the nonstop flood of vampire-related entertainment pouring out of Hollywood.

And, like cockroaches, they have developed an immunity to practically everything over the years: crosses, sunlight, and holy water have no effect, and a stake in the heart just pisses them off. The only way they can be killed is to remove their head from their body.

Thus, many of us have become skilled swordsmen (and women) and call ourselves Slayers.  But even though some of us have acquired a hint of their invulnerability, strength, and speed, we have not acquired their powers (many of which are still unknown to us), we are not immortal, and we can be killed in the same way.

Our only other defense is through this website and internet series, in which we hope to prove the existence of vampires so that others may join our cause.”

Have I got your attention now? 

“The Hunted” is the first internet series based on user content, which means episodes can be shot by virtually anyone anywhere! In addition, regular contests feature cash prizes and are judged by Hollywood professionals.

There are a lot of Major Celebrities attached to this Great Series, among them Anthony DeLongis, F. Braun McAsh, Andrew Helm (who worked behind the scenes on Highlander: The Series) and Roberta Brown, (who worked on “Queen of Swords”), all working with my friend and and fellow Sword Aficionado, Robert Chapin, who has starred in "Ring of Steel" as well as giving Sword demos at various conventions with Anthony DeLongis. To find out what you’ve been missing out on, go here;

http://www.thehunted.tv

You’ll find Character Profiles of the “Slayers” and “Vampires” and learn their histories. There is a Forum you can join to talk about your favorite Episodes and Characters, learn how to shoot an episode, find out about the Contests and read about the upcoming Episodes that are still in Production.  “The Hunted” is also slated to become a Major Motion Picture! To find out more about this , go here;


http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thehunted/the-hunted-feature-film


 They even have collectibles you can buy to show your support and become a producer!  You’ll find links to Vampire Sites, Sword Training, Weapons and much more!

Want to see some pictures?  They have loads of Pics here;

http://www.facebook.com/thehuntedtv?sk=photos

Want a preview?  They got your previews right here;

http://www.youtube.com/user/thehuntedtv?blend=7&ob=5

In fact they have a whole shopping list of Goodies you can watch, so come join the fun and become a part of…