Friday, March 02, 2007

T.M.P

Mom took a look at my blog earlier and made some clarifications (i.e. revisions) to my previous post.
1. It is true that in vermont we suffered a mild earth quake but she did not take me outside as I remember but took me into her room. Apparently she thought it was a good idea to stay inside the house. I was three.
2. The story about the tape measure is incorrect. I didnt steal a tape measure but longed for one. Knowing that the guy down the street, behind Flow's house she says, had one I decided to go into the woods and ask if i could have my own tape measure. This was in vermont as well when I was three and not later in connecticut as I had first assumed. And I am amazed at how my memories are swirled together with my imaginings and re-dreamings.
3. One thing I know for certain is that behind our house there was a large red tractor that was really scary.

Its raining out and I decided not to go to class today. Even though im doing well in school now I dont think ill ever out-grow my laziness. Its genetic. Im certain. I think ill become a geneticist just to prove the fact. ill never really prove it or prove it in a half-assed way because, of course, im lazy. But i love taking antomy and phys. because while im at he the hospital drawing blood im picking up on more and more things when I see patients. For example, many patients exhibit edema in their arms from excess fluid. Before I never knew the cause. But now I know it is the plasma osmolality. This is when the blood reaches the capillary level it has diffused much of its substance such as ions like sodium and potassium. Blood, which is really mostly water, wants to travel from areas of low concentration to areas of high concentration. The body naturally counter acts this effect but re-introducing elements into the blood. But when this fails, plasma keeps diffusing into cells and causing them to swell with fluid. This is edema. Enough of this though. I have ten mins left.

Another interesting fact though. Phantom limb pain is a neurological phenomenon. When a person loses an arm, they may occasionally still fell pain in that limb, or phantom limb, when no limb actually exists. A neurologist, the name i forget, found that if you put a mirror in the middle of that person's face and have them close th eye that is on the limb-less side, say the right side, the other eye will perceive two left limbs, and for that matter two painless limbs. Amazing.

4 min. from memory:

"for memories, of a season perhaps, melt into a single snapshot, one cannot gaurd, treasure, that stalled moment. It is flowing, fleeting, a picture of flowing onto which movement is painted in blunt harsh strokes. And to ask for more than this is to become "the grass by the river?', the reeds playfully tugged at, and to participate in the action no more than this." John Ashbery

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

DenDen,
Your words barrage my mind guerrilla warfare style... I think. Very inspiring stuff. I am inspired to write about them in a sort of remark fashion... nay, comment. I had a friend once with only one leg and she would not allow you to place anything in the spot her missing leg would be. Once she woke up and yelled at us after I had waved a hand in the place her leg would be whilst she was sleeping. Fun stuff.

- call me