Corrupted by Power?

Beware, Fearless Leader.

As George W. Bush recently discovered, alienating one’s most loyal followers is a mistake.

We’ve been good. We blogged, faithfully, prior to Duke City, and afterward. We trained. We showed up at Duke City. We finished, one of us despite surgery.

You were there with us. We didn’t look like Amway salesmen as we crossed that line, did we? Hell, no. We looked like warriors, every one. We crossed the finish line, limping and bloody. Triumphant. We took you in our arms.

We didn’t vote you in, so we can’t depose you.

But we can track you down and kick your ass.

Finding Out What We Know

"As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know. We also know there are known unknowns. That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know, but there are also unknown unknowns, the ones we don't know we don't know." —Donald Rumsfeld, Feb. 12, 2002, Department of Defense news briefing.

Some tribe members have expressed concern about the health conditions in New Orleans. I've been given the task of finding out what can be known about environmental quality in the area, post-Katrina, and reporting back to the tribe what I find.

Because clean-up is ongoing, environmental quality will change, and I expect to be making several reports over the next few months.

Right now, I am gathering sources of information and I would like to enlist your help in this part of the task. If you come across any news reports which provide sources of information, please forward these to me or otherwise let me know about them. Let me stress that such reports are not, themselves, scientific information; they are useful only if they cite actual scientific studies I am able to obtain, or if they provide links to legitimate, scientific sites which I can access. The best sources of information are those that will be conducting continuing testing in the area. So far, I have identified the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Louisiana State University and the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology.

I will gather what I can and I will start reporting on my findings in a few days. My posts will include the sources of the information so the tribe members can assess it for themselves.

What I find may serve only to, well, muddy the waters. As Mr. Rumsfeld said, there are unknown unknowns, and some tribe members may never feel comfortable with any risk, while others may not care to have the information at all.

That said, I would also like to remind everybody that health concerns are only one factor in many which may be used to determine whether we go to New Orleans or somewhere else, and that the ultimate decision about where the 600 lb. marathon is held is up to our two chiefs, although they will be interested to hear the tribe members’ opinions on the subject.

Beloved

My brother and I, although twisted in our own peculiar ways, both love literature and drama, and some of this can surely be traced to three recordings given to us by our parents as a joint birthday present, along with a portable record player, in 1970 or 1971. They were from a series called Tale Spinners for Children which was produced in the 1960's and which was basically a number of dramatic theater presentations of classic stories combined with orchestral music.

We received Robin Hood, William Tell and Sleeping Beauty. We also had Peter and the Wolf, but it was from another series and entirely too scary for me to listen to. Robin Hood and William Tell, in particular, caught our imaginations and we learned them by heart and acted them out as our favorite way to play together. If you can remember what it was like to be a child, check out this link and take a listen to William Tell or Robin Hood.

http://www.artsreformation.com/talespinners/

Age and time have done nothing to reduce their magic for me.

I've indulged myself by reproducing below a scene from each of them that my brother and I loved to reinact over and over again.

From Robin Hood

Robin: (Whistling and talking to himself) Ho, ho! What can that be? I’ve never seen such a big man in my life. (To Little John) Hey, you! Over there on the other side of the river!

Little John: Yes?!

Robin: Your legs are so long that you could cross this river in a couple of strides!

Little John: Ah, that may be. All the same, I’m going to walk across this tree trunk here. Everybody uses this as a bridge.

Robin: You’ll have to wait for me! I was here first.

Little John: Oh, come on, now. That’s not quite true. We arrived at the same time.

Robin: All right, then! I’m going to cross first.

Little John: Why should I give way to you?

Robin: Because I’m the stronger man!

Little John: Oh, ho! Just wait until I get near you. Then I’ll give you a taste of my stick!

Robin: Come on, then, and have a taste of mine!

Little John: Ha-ha! I like your reply, bantam! There seems to be quite a lot of courage in that little frame of yours!

Robin: Ha! Listen to me, then. We’ll fight it out between us, standing on the tree trunk! And I know who’s gonna find himself in the river!

Little John: Oh, right! A fight let it be! Come on, what are you waiting for?!

Robin: Um, I’m not waiting for anything, I’m just choosing the spot where I’m going to strike you. (A beat.) There you are, take that!! (Bap!)

Little John: Ha! Ha! Ha! You don’t get me like that! See how you like this!

Robin: Ah! (Bap!) Ha-ha! My stick was there to parry your blow, even before you struck! Come on, let me pass!

Little John: Never! Never!

Robin: Make way, I’m coming!

Little John: I’m going to split your head open!

(Cries and splashing)

(Both are laughing)

Robin: Who’s gonna pass first now?

Little John: Let’s forget all that. The scores are even! The best thing you and I can do is to swim to the bank again, and let the sun dry us.

Robin: Yes, I think you’re right.


From William Tell

Lackey 1: William Tell’s running away worries me a lot, Your Grace.

Lackey 2: I’m sure he’s turning up a revolt.

Gestler: I’ll soon master him. I didn’t come here to flatter the people, but to grind them down.

Peasant Woman: Pity, Your Grace! Pity!

Gestler: Get behind, you! What do you want?

Peasant Woman: My husband’s in prison and my children are hungry! Pity, I beg you!

Lackey 1: This is neither the time nor the place to present a petition. Come to the castle tomorrow.

Peasant Woman: And my husband did no wrong! Set him free!

Gestler: Get rid of this woman, would you?

Peasant Woman: I won’t move! I want justice!

Gestler: Get out of my way or my horse will trample you down.

Peasant Woman: Trample me down, then! All you’ll be doing will be to add one more to your list of crimes!

Gestler: I am the master, here, and you must bow to my wishes!

Peasant Woman: Oh, if only I weren’t a woman! But one day, someone will come to square the accounts with you! And that person, whoever he may be, will have the whole country behind him!

Gestler: Oh-ho-ho! Nonsense, woman! Nobody has the courage to do such a thing!

Tell: I have.

(Gasps and whispers by peasants all around.) It’s Tell! William Tell!

Gestler: William Tell.

Tell: The hour has come for you to pay for your crimes, Gestler. Prepare to die.

Lackey 2: Take him!

Lackey 1: Too late!

(Fwwwwp!)

Gestler: Arrrrrrrgh!

Lackey 2: The arrow has struck him right in the heart.

(The music, Rossini’s William Tell Overture, swells)


Great stuff.

Having a Good Time

I finished. My time was way slower than I would have expected a few months ago, but then I didn’t know I would be running this thing with virtually no training base, 10 days after surgery. It reminds me that I don’t know what the next few months will bring. I may face a challenge to the completion of the marathon that has not yet revealed itself. Although the half took me longer than I thought, the challenges I faced made crossing the finish line oh, so much sweeter to me than doing it without them would have been. I admit it – I had more than a few tears in my eyes when I crossed.

Are the fastest of our tribe the “serious” runners, while the others are not? Well, yes, in some ways, this is true, and I found that out yesterday. I didn’t see Mom except for a few minutes before the race, but Amy and Tim seemed to be experiencing a higher level of tension. For them, it isn’t enough to finish, they want to have a good time.

We will each bring our own devils to the marathon, but Duke City made me realize that I had allowed myself, unwittingly, to take on one of Tim’s as if it were my own. It wasn’t until the morning of the run, when I woke up with Tim, the Litigator, instead of Tim, the Boyfriend, that I understood I was hanging with the wrong crowd, at least for that morning. I let Amy and Tim go on ahead and quickly sought out Dan and Adolph, who helped me to set myself straight. We laughed and joked and got to the starting line in a great mood.

So, that’s my second goal at the marathon. I want to have a good time. At the finish line, at the starting line - heck, the whole time we’re there.

Be on the Watch for Fairytale Creatures - You Don't Know Where They've Been

Just got back from my post-surgical checkup and everything looks good. My nose, which in its current state is substantially smaller and straighter than any nose previously located on my face, is, my surgeon assures me, hugely swollen both inside and out, and while it will apparently not disappear entirely from my face, it will not attain its ultimate splendid petiteness for approximately three months.

He also gave me the dubious permission to blow my nose, something I haven't attempted since I broke it a little over two weeks ago. I wasn't quick enough to catch full sight of it, but I think a leprechaun or perhaps a small wood sprite may have sprung out and scurried away on my first timid, experimental attempt.

He says I can run on Sunday, but my nose will swell up even larger and hurt. I haven't decided for certain, but my thoughts are leaning heavily toward either walking the entire thing or abstaining entirely, but I'll be there.

Sitting

While I was in surgery and that evening and the next day, my mom came and took care of me. During my procedure she sat, waiting. Just in case.

A fellow tribe member made the comment that no matter how old we get, sometimes we just need our mommies. This is true for me, but I think it has only a little bit to do with the fact that she’s my mommy and much more to do with the fact that she’s a woman and my friend. She’s always there for me, but she’s there for her girlfriends as well.

Women do that. Sit, I mean. We sit and wait. Just in case.

We don’t do it because we think anything will go wrong. We sit and wait, just in case, because it is a way to show each other how much we love each other, how much we respect and care about each other. It’s just a thing we do. When we ask each other, “Will you come and sit with me?” we all know that’s what we’re talking about and, believe me, it isn’t about having a ride home.

Women know that when you’re in surgery, you just need to know somebody’s sitting out there, reading a book and looking at the clock, waiting. Not worrying about her job and wondering when she can get back to the office. Sitting. Waiting. Just in case.

You know my mom was out there, sitting for me, but what you don’t know is that one of my mom’s friends came and sat with her. She was there for my mom, not for me. She was sitting and waiting, for my mom. Just in case.

New Nose is Good Nose

Saw the doc today and the verdict is that I broke the darn thing in three places and the cartilage is, as I thought, shoved into a little folded ball in one nostril. Yes, it does feel just that comfortable, too.

Surgery next Wednesday.

Albuquerque? I'll be there.

Will I run? I think so. I'll let you nose.

Give Me Grace

I was going to have cosmetic surgery until I noticed that the doctor's office was full of portraits by Picasso. At least my nose is in the center of my face. With this guy, I could wake up and it could be in a guitar. – Rita Rudner

The recent lack of weight toward the bottom of my body has apparently caused my top to overbalance. I'd like to say this was caused by my boobs, but apparently it was my nose, because on Saturday evening I had the luck to land schnoz-first on the top step of my back stairs.

If you've never broken your nose, let me tell you that it is amazing how many people wave their arms about, or swing things near, other people's faces. I have just recently become (hyper) aware of this fact. Luckily, injuring one's nose creates a corresponding quickening of reflexes.

I have x-rays this afternoon, then a consultation with a specialist later this week. I'll keep you posted.