Travel

This week has been very relaxing. Alison and I have been able to spend a lot of time with my grandparents, who have always been a big influence on me. Wednesday morning we'll travel home in order to get Alison back in to the doctor on Thursday.

The quote by my profile isn't mine. It's from Shantaram, which is turning out to be a book most like the act of reading a book at the pool. Relaxing and pleasant, insightful and by no means under any rush to be done.

See you in Carolina.

The Coach is Gone, Pt. 2

The Goshen News published another article about Coach Sorrell. A few players wrote in to remember him. If you'd like to check it out, click here.

History Lessons

liquor
Originally uploaded by This Cat Tom.

I picked this piece up in a two-piece duo at His House in West Columbia, South Carolina. It's a little small for use as a hutch, so I passed on it the first day. The glass door is old glass, as in irregular, not mass-produced. It had pendants on either side, and stood on lathed-legs. So it had my attention.

Then I thought of using it as a great big huge liquor cabinet, which is funny two ways: 1) I just tore apart my old liquor cabinet because it was too large, and 2) I really don't drink much.

But taking this one down to repair it was interesting. I was really hoping to find a maker and a date. But all I found was mysteries. Who makes square-pegs? More precisely, how is it efficient to make a square hole for that square shelf-holder? Then I noticed that the door is bevelled. At about 17 degrees. So is the opening on both sides. That takes planning. The drawer has dovetail construction, which suffered under an attempted repair that made it necessary for me to sawz'all it open.

It has every indication of being really old except one: plywood. It IS oak ply, but that can't be that old, Nothing like Wikipedia to stand me corrected. This cabinet is a true antique. I feel really bad about painting it. Really bad. Maybe I'd feel better if I knew its history. Click on the photo to see all the pictures at Flickr.

The Coach Is Gone

Yesterday one of the greatest influences in my life passed away.

C. Michael Sorrell had a quite unique style of coaching and mentoring. Those who know him know that he was controversial. He did things his way. He had a lot of friends and a lot of enemies for it. He taught me about adversity. He also taught me about success. But his main lesson to me that it is more important to do what's right, what's true.

The coach was full of stories. That's what I'll remember most about him. He'd tell us all kinds of stories that seemed unrelated to what we were doing. But after my seven years under him, I knew that each story was a puzzle piece. Alone they never made much sense, never really served a critical purpose, but as a body of work, they showed a perspective, a set of values, a way to live your life. He mentored us bit by bit until we were each better for it.

That kind of dedication takes patience and planning. What other coach in any sport would hack off the first 40 minutes of practice every day to sit everyone down on the court and talk? About baseball? About being a good person? About not walking on the grass? He talked how basketball wasn't everything, but it showed something.

Last year I wrote him a letter. It was the first time in six years we'd talked. Since then, we've steadily corresponded in letters. I am so glad I didn't miss the opportunity to thank him and to tell him the effect he had on me. I very easily could have let it slide. I do that. But not here. Not with Coach Sorrell. So I'd like to take another chance here to thank him.

Coach, you are missed.

That Corps of Engineers

Tire Reef goes very bad. Have you heard?

Gender Roles

Yesterday I picked up Ali's valentine's day presents from a Mom's and Pop's Joint downtown. They giftwrap, and I appreciate that.
So while I was waiting, the ladies were talking about getting flowers. One of them was particularly disgruntled and doubtful that she'd receive any from her husband. The other suggested that she call him and thank him for the wonderful flowers, but mention that it was weird that the card didn't come with it.
She asked me if that was a good idea, and I thought of the commercial that the girl jams her glass into the front of the refridgerator saying, 'honey, something's wrong with the ice maker.'
So I said, "No, not the best. What did you do for him?"
And much to my surprise, she skoffed and said, "I'M A WOMAN."
I had to smile.
What do you say to that? I thought about how he probably thinks HE'S A MAN and should simply exist to watch football and drink beer.
But I thought better of saying that.
I simply said, "Well, I hope that approach works out for you."

How 'bout them gender roles?
I mean, how presumptuous? It's got me reeling.
So here's my rant:
::Lady, how can you expect to get if you don't give? Does being a woman preclude you from showing love, but demand that you receive it? How's that working for you? Are you happy with that? Because I'm SURE he reciprocates your thoughts about double standards, and his actions are in accordance with his thinking about what a man is supposed to do. He thinks and email is enough, and it's your fault!::
I left there happy, thinking I was glad I wasn't married to her.

The News: The Story

Today we went to the doctor at 10:00 for an 11:30 appointment. For some reason, I had 10 in my mind. So when we got there, they said they weren't very busy, and that we could see the doctor early. But then he was called over to the hospital and we thought, 'Hey, why not start chemo, and catch him on the flippy.'
That's when the nurse practitioner told us we shouldn't because the CT had mixed results, and she wasn't certain that the doctor would want to proceed with the same drugs.

Here's my imagination
:: In other news, local Marine dies tragically of heart failure after receiving bad and unexpected results from his wife's CT scan. ::

I'd had my hopes WAY up; I couldn't help it.

When the doctor finally returned, he said, "Well, the radiologist said the tumor in your mid gut decreased in size, but several other lesions [in your liver] are more prominent."

More prominent??? That's not a simile of the larger, bigger, more developed group. It's a simile of 'more pronounced.'
That means 'showed up mo' betta.' Which could mean Alison drank more of the contrast this time.

::News break, local Marine pronounced dead earlier has been resuscitated by his wife's Syrian oncologist. All is well in the world.::

Twenty-Seven

For about three months now, I've been a hilljack. I'm one right now because I have a missing tooth, albeit a molar. So yesterday I went for a crown fitting, hoping to end my tenure within the redneck realm. But what I got was a humbling experience.

I'm laying there in the dentist chair, while the tech is measuring my mouth and the missing tooth. The dentist comments on how my jaw makes my teeth really broad, but I know it's because I have an abnormally large head. Then comes the bad part, which went something like this:

"This one's close."

"I think you need to go yellower."

"This one's good."

"A little more stained."

"Ah, this one, that's it!"

In otherwords, I suck.

I should've crest whitened them before hand. Now I'll have yellow porcelain teeth, just in case I ever whiten the real ones. You know, when nobody notices, it's okay to not have pearlies. But when you're called out, it's like we're all seven on the playground, and the dentist is dancing around me saying "Tom Tom, yellow tooth, your teeth are as dirty as the roof!"

Oh and the twenty-seven title means I'm way young, but ten years over 17, which many songs are written about. It's Mr. Yellowtooth's Birthday...

Back and Updating

Alison and I arrived home last night. We needed to have Sunday to adjust to being home, because she's going to have a busy week. Her CT scan (fingers crossed) is Monday morning. We'll also look at her blood counts so we can pump her up on Tuesday if necessary. Wednesday through Friday are taken up by chemotherapy. And to end the week, Sunday she's scheduled for Neulasta.

It's supposed to be upper 50's/low 60's today. I need to unthaw.