As a paramedic I’ve encountered many patients who complain of being SOB
( that stands for short of breath, now be nice!) after having cleaned their bathrooms or kitchens. Usually the wheezing etc can be attributed to the fact that these folks never took chemistry or played Dungeons & Dragons. Anyone who’s done both will be  much safer than the average bear when pursuing home repairs/ upkeep.
   
Why you ask?

First let us consider the case above, the issue is that Ammonia NH3, and Bleach NaOCl combine in the following reaction:

2(parts)NaOCl + 2NH3 --> 2NaONH3 + Cl2

Wow, you say, that looks like a test I took once, but so what? And what does D&D have to do with any of this?

Answer: Cl2 is Chlorine gas…

Reply: Yeah, so what?

Answer: chlorine gas is the breath weapon of GREEN DRAGONS in the AD&D 1st edition, thus the D&D/ Science geeks among us know to avoid such breath attacks!

AD&D players will do well in many areas if the remember their dragons:

BLUE Dragon breath weapon: lightening ( shut off the main household power before re-wiring)
WHITE Dragon breath weapon: Cone of cold ( insulate your den)
RED Dragon breath weapon: Fire ( smoke detectors are your friends)
BLACK Dragon breath weapon: Acid ( Dispose of batteries safely and be careful if you jump a car!)

Next safety update:  Sprites in your kitchen… a fairy surprising morning!

Tags: funny ( i hope)
Current Mood: geeky

The frosted window

Tags: writer's block

    I've not been around because I've been busy. I passed a certified procurement coordinator test which was a big relief as increases marketability and status within my industry, and I've accrued enough points in my final class to obtain an associate of arts in nothing in particular (non terminal degree no major).
    So now, since it’s what I do, I made a plan about the future. Perhaps this is a weakness, I’m bad at being in the now. At any rate, I’m going to finish nursing school so that I’ll be able to feel that I can always eat, have health care and a place to live pretty much no matter what, but unless I’m doing critical care transport I can’t see myself really loving work as a nurse.
    What do I want to be when I grow up? Trees and big water make me happy, or at last peaceful, but forest rangers can barely eat. In my current role I love the autonomy and that I’m paid, in large part, to think. I want to be paid to think in all future jobs. While I might teach EMS at some point that isn’t a full time thing unless you get into administration which means clerical work which I loathe. There is also the question of what schooling I’ll need for the future and how to get it. A good friend once observed that I’m happier when taking classes, and this is true, but only if I care about the content.
    So my master plan….
Finish the RN, seek an undergrad certificate from CSU in Bioethics, use that cert as my electives for a BA in philosophy. Why bioethics and philosophy? I care about how people should act,  individual rights, patients, and medicine. That’s a too-short summary I know, but anyone who’s met me can figure out that it’s a good fit, the bigger question why PHIL.
    I spend a lot of time railing and whining about things which don’t matter, and I think that in part it’s because I don’t see them clearly. You can go to a lawyer and say, “This guy is evil, that one is unfair, this is wrong…” and the lawyer will look at this disorganized mess being spewed and define the actual issue at hand. I want to be clear on the origins, border/limits, context of issues before me. I think practicing such thought will bring me some measure of peace if only because I’ll look at what is, which is usually smaller that what isn’t. Also there are my issues with death, which I’ve made quite a career of, and thinking about he meaning of life might be a good thing, but for me it is much more the former issue of clear thought.
     

Tags: inner peace, school, thought patterns, vocation

For years I was a loyal Earthlink customer.  I’ve been paying 39.95/ month for 1.5 Mbps DSL for some time. I recently checked with Earthlink to find out if I could upgrade the speed. I live literally right next door to a central office.  I was told that the line was the limiting factor and contact At&T. I did so and was told that the line could handle 6 Mbps just fine. I asked if their deal with Earthlink meant the latter couldn’t offer 6/ sec. I was told no such restriction exists. I called Eathlink back and was told that the line limitation was old info and that I could 6 for the price I was already paying. While  would have liked Earthlink to mention this before I asked about I  was content, and willing to wait the, “ Up to 72 business hours” for a seamless upgrade. Then it didn’t happen. I called again and was told the work order had an error.  Asked if Earthlink had tried to resolve the error prior to this call. They were unclear on that. Then I was told that the upgrade would entail 3 days to disconnect my service and up to 5 more to reconnect it at the faster rate. I’m taking online classes, and my work involves a lot of internet use. I can’t be down for more than a single planned day. I called Earthlink back to ask why it would take so long to hook things back up, and was told that that 1.5 was the best they could do.
    I called AT&T. 2 days later after a seamless upgrade I was able to enjoy a real speed of about 5/sec per  http://www.speakeasy.net/speedtest/  ;
(personal info not required just click a city server)
 I’m to pay $35/month. For the next couple months I‘ll pay 10 to keep the Earthlink emails active.
  By the by, everyone at AT&T seemed to know what they were talking about and transferred me to appropriate staff. Everyone at Earthlink seemed disorganized and confused. The latter also seemed to be in a call center in India.

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Tags: 3g to 2g network conversion, i phone

You are The Magician

Skill, wisdom, adaptation. Craft, cunning, depending on dignity.

Eleoquent and charismatic both verbally and in writing,
you are clever, witty, inventive and persuasive.

The Magician is the male power of creation, creation by willpower and desire. In that ancient sense, it is the ability to make things so just by speaking them aloud. Reflecting this is the fact that the Magician is represented by Mercury. He represents the gift of tongues, a smooth talker, a salesman. Also clever with the slight of hand and a medicine man - either a real doctor or someone trying to sell you snake oil.

What Tarot Card are You?
Take the Test to Find Out.

To " " yuki_onna
:
"As I mentioned before, this weekend I'll be reading with zakbar at Suspect Thoughts Books at 4903 Clarke Ave in Cleveland."

Well sjseibert and I went and let me tell you, both authors were great, though of very different styles, nor is the atmosphere at this gleaming gem of a book shop to be missed.  Want community, acceptance, and warmth? Then go to this shop!
  yuki_onna makes you work, makes you climb along behind her, but oh the view once you reach a summit, and how many mountains there are in each range she paints! I almost don't want to be able to understand how she thinks, as that might take some of the fun out of her works. It isn't how I think, but is really, really like that. I like putting on her prismatic, astral glasses and catching feeling my breath catch. This is art folks.  This is what agriculture made possible...hurray for farmers....

  zakbar, despite redeeming one's faith in Youngstown, OH, doesn't make you work. He lets you slide in and recline in sometimes plush, sometimes utilitarian cushions.  There is something simple and clean in his writing, and while I listened to a short story of his my mind popped with clear images. I bought his book, without any more urging than that.

After that we went to the Greenville Inn in Chagrin Falls. There, despite a loud and zany band, we met up with a  friend of mine from critical care class, who is considering buying a double-wide trainer.  I must admit this concept of low cost owner occupied housing seems as romantic to me as buying a motorcycle and  taking a now cliché road trip to "discover America." The thing is one could get both autonomy and mobility, the latter due to a lack of economic constraints. I will keep my house, this is a buyers’ market anyway, but in 10 years who knows?

Tags: art, mobile homes, trailer, writing

Tevanian's 2nd best assassin, Dr. Jonathan Hemlock liked to spend his time with his pictures, and glass of Laphroaig.  I’m also fond of single malt Isle scotch. My favorite so far is Caol Ila 18 yr, and I’d avoid Ardberg 10 yr, it’s just what it could be.

Under the heading, “ LIFE is TOO DAMN short FOR BAD BOOZE” bellow please find a link to my favorite scotch review site, wine coinsures have nothing on us!

http://www.whisky-distilleries.info/DR_IsleOfIslay_EN.shtml

Tags: scotch
Current Mood: chipper

I was at the store yesterday, buying dinner ingredients, and I bought a hyacinth plant, just starting to flower. I’m allergic to pollen, and most artificial scents, and so have never been into aromatherapy. However the flower seems quite a pick me up. The whole house now smells of spring, which I’m ready to welcome.

Tags: flowers, scents, smells, spring
Current Mood: grateful

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Tags: emergency medicine, fucked up, paramedicine, pediatric death, story