Flying Whale Productions

NaNo WriMo - Update 2

Up to 2070 words.

Have some sort gut bug I think.  Woke up at the crack of dawn to go vote and felt wretched.  Came home from voting and slept most of the morning.  Didn't get much writing done.  I hope I feel better tomorrow.

Download NaNoWriMo-Table.

NaNo WriMo - Update

Only 48,737 words left to go

Download Glassmaker-11-2-09

Download NaNoWriMo-Table

National Novel Writing Month

Yikes!!! 

Since my position as a Naturalist at Glenwood Gardens ended as of 10/31 and since I have not been sucessful at finding another job I've signed up to do NaNo WriMo.  I'm going to try and write a 50,000 word novel between now and November 30th.

I'm planning on revising and expanding a short story I did a while back.  If everything comes together I'll have a Steampunk version of Cinderella with a twist.

Like I said Yikes!!!

Yummy

Having watermelon fresh from my garden for breakfast.  It almost makes the horrid heat of summer worthwhile Kzin's not so sure.

The Pain of Being a Redhead

From  the New York Times

August 6, 2009, 2:20 pm

The Pain of Being a Redhead

By Tara Parker-Pope Chester Higgins Jr. for The New York Times

Do redheads feel more pain?

Nobody likes going to the dentist, but redheads may have good reason.

A growing body of research shows that people with red hair need larger doses of anesthesia and often are resistant to local pain blockers like Novocaine. As a result, redheads tend to be particularly nervous about dental procedures and are twice as likely to avoid going to the dentist as people with other hair colors, according to new research published in The Journal of the American Dental Association.

Researchers believe redheads are more sensitive to pain because of a mutation in a gene that affects hair color. In people with brown, black and blond hair, the gene, for the melanocortin-1 receptor, produces melanin. But a mutation in the MC1R gene results in the production of a substance called pheomelanin that results in red hair and fair skin.

The MC1R gene belongs to a family of receptors that include pain receptors in the brain, and as a result, a mutation in the gene appears to influence the body’s sensitivity to pain. A 2004 study showed that redheads require, on average, about 20 percent more general anesthesia than people with dark hair or blond coloring. And in 2005, researchers found that redheads are more resistant to the effects of local anesthesia, such as the numbing drugs used by dentists.

The mutation in the MC1R gene also occurs in brunets, although it’s less common. In the latest study, the researchers tested for the MC1R gene variant, finding it in 65 of 67 redheads and in 20 of 77 people with brown or black hair. The participants were surveyed about dental-care anxiety, fear of dental pain and whether they avoid going to the dentist.

People with the MC1R gene variant had more dental care–related anxiety and fear of dental pain than those without the gene variant. And they were more than twice as likely to avoid dental care.

Dr. Daniel I. Sessler, an anesthesiologist and chairman of the department of outcomes research at the Cleveland Clinic, said he began studying hair color after hearing so many colleagues speculate about redheads requiring more anesthesia.

“The reason we studied redheads in the beginning, it was essentially an urban legend in the anesthesia community saying redheads were difficult to anesthetize,” Dr. Sessler said. “This was so intriguing we went ahead and studied it. Redheads really do require more anesthesia, and by a clinically important amount.”

After publishing research on the topic, Dr. Sessler began hearing from redheads who complained about problems with dental pain and fear about going to the dentist. He said that when someone with red hair is considering a dental or other procedure requiring an anesthetic, they should talk to their doctor about the high probability that they are resistant to anesthetics.

“Because they’re resistant, many redheads have had bad experiences,” Dr. Sessler said. “If they go to the dentist or have a cut sutured, they’ll need more local anesthetic than other people.”

Today's "Teachable Moment"

Usually pop-culture catch phrases get on my nerves, but right now I'm loving the term "Teachable Moment".  It is just so applicable to working as a naturalist.  Today I was eating lunch with a co-worker when one of the gift shop volunteers came into the break-room and asked if we could come deal with a snake that was out walk.  Now in most workplaces that sort of question would be cause for distress, but for us it was a "I can't believe they are paying me to do this" experiences that makes the job so fun.

Turns out a large, about 6 foot,  black rat snake was curled out on the threshold of one of the Visitor Center doors.  He had part of his body wedged into the cracks between the flagstones and holding one tight.  He was not interested in leaving, not even when we tried to encourage him to move on with a gentle few nudges from a broomstick.  Some folks going by on their way into the Discovery Garden avertid their gaze when they realized we were dealing with a snake, but others stayed to watch.  After about fifteen minutes of attempted snake herding we had attracted quite a crowd. We kept them well back, but they must have been too much for the snake because it took off, not into the nearby plantings, but straight up the side of the building, across some gutters and window ledges, and eventual over the roof.  It was a great chance to do some impromptu public education about snakes.

 I really LOVE this job.



   

Want an Alien Pet?

My Latest Knitting project.  I'm knitting and felting these guys, then stuffing them.  Now all I need is a market. 

Aren't they almost as cute as a box of kittens?

Hey, wondering where I've been?

Seems like all I've been doing lately is making excuses for not posting anything on my blog.

I have a good excuse this time.  On July 18th I was diagnosed with Shingles.  I got it from my belly button over my hip bone to the small of my back.  That's one of those diseases that stand-up comics make fun of, and I have to admit I had NO CLUE how bad they could be.  I should have know better because my Mom and my Step-Grandma both had it and it hit them pretty bad.  

Thank heavens Mom's experience let me know what was going on with me and I caught things early enough that I started antiviral drugs only 12 hours after I broke out in blisters.  Even with that the pain was just crazy bad.  It was worse than when I was it by the semi or my cancer surgery.  I had a few bad days where I was thanking God every four hours for good pain drugs, but I only missed two days of work and I was pretty much back on my feet, if not 100% pain free, in six days.

Now, I'm having good and bad days. The position that hurts the most is laying down, so I've not been sleeping well.  I have not had the horrible itching that many people get with singles, but the whole affected area feels numb/pins-and-needles like it had a shot of Novocain that is wearing off.  Ice packs help that if it gets too bad.  Any sort of tight clothes like say, a snug sun dress, or tucked in t-shirt, can set off a feeling like someone is trying to shove a spike through my torso.  I've been told that could go on for a few months.

Joy! 

But things could have been much worse.

I've been taking it easy and have gotten a bunch of reading done so I should have a bunch of new book reviews soon

One week into my new job!

I'm almost finished with my first week at a Garden Naturalist at Glenwood Gardens.

 It's only part time, but I'm loving it so far.  Sure I'm hot and stinky a the end of the day, but I like the work and I live all the folks I've met there. 

I'm going to try and bring my camera next week and get some photos of the part to post here.

I have a sunburn.

Cleaned the deck today.  I think I'm sunburned.  I'm afraid to take off my t-shirt and look at my back.

On a good note.  We got the deck furniture clean and uncovered and put the pergola awning up.  Chris cleaned the grill and we had burgers and watermelon for dinner.

Life don't get much better.

The weather has just right. for outside work.  Warm, but not muggy, with a nice breeze.  It was just about a perfect Summer day.