msb-0076 Empathy & Sympathy

msb-0076 Empathy & Sympathy

Feedback comes first so...

You guys are in for a treat. I managed to get MDMH von PA to write something about all the bloggers he's been encountering on his travels across the web. I still can't get him to read it so I'm trying something else.

(I now know his real name and he now knows mine. I'm worse off by one hyphenation so, while while I respect his wish for mystery, I don't thing he's that badly off. :-)

Here not, without further ado, is MDMH von PA:

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A weekly MS Gossip Roundup of all the ups and downs of our fellow MS Cadre in the Blogosphere. Now I know there are a lot of other folks out there with lots going on in their lives so I'm just going down a list and picking up some of the most recent/vocal/prolific blabber-mouths. And yes, I know every time I point a finger there are four pointing right back at me.

First off, let's drop in on PB at The Multiple Sclerosis Companion. She just married off her daughter in a wedding where nothing, absolutely NOTHING went ... wrong. Well, throw me in a skirt and call me Sally. If the big things can go as planned, there is yet hope for all of us.

Dave, at ms not just a diary is doing his best to fend off neighbors of dubious intent and reasserting his desire to be a hermit. That aside, I've never seen someone with so much to say. The blog-mister runs a handful of active literary outlets all while managing to entertain and keep his romantic interests queued up. In spite if what his kin may say, I really do not think he is gay. A bit jolly perhaps ... but the verdict is not out yet.

Pam out of the hinterlands re-emerges with a cautionary tale of woe regarding the 'flu time of the year'. If you are susceptible to UR infections, do not play tough-guy. Myself and Miss Chris can attest that the tougher you are, the harder you fall. And Ohhh boy, what a fall it can be. Need I show you my bruised ankle? But enough of the foot fetish nonsense, I left a link in the comment section at Pam's joint that you really should follow! Also, a linkless community site I've been visiting has some interesting questions regarding this topic. Travis posts 3 times a week and usually has something meaty to chew on. Did I mention he used to be a chef?

A good friend and lovingly maternal mother, Patricia, is contending with a bit of grief right now. Seems to be going around. She put up a wonderful eulogy for her departed friend. Go on over and get the whole gestalt of her post. Leave a comment, support helps.

In the mean-time, a few of the 'AWOL' blogger have popped back up. One of my secret ninja posters is Sister Jane. She shoots from the hip and takes no sass. That said, she is moving on over to the East Cost soon to show us flat-landers just what it means to be from the Fly-Over states. Maryland will never be the same. And unfortunately for Montana, neither will the West. If you are near Gaithersburg, keep an eye out for her and give her a hearty welcome.

Speaking of hearty ... wait ... did I mean 'farty?' Anyways, Linda is back from swabbing the decks with her male counterparts. She is just as cheesy as ever and is soliciting other ms/support folk for some crafty material. She just put up a pretty lengthy post on Halloween History for all you who care to look beyond the commercial factor. Me? More snicker's bars please ... hold the sweet-tarts.

Hmmm, what else ... oh, yes. Some good news and bad news. Friday's Child is professing her love by announcing her 9th anniversary of wedded bliss to Mr Man. No illness, no loss, no hurricane nor dusty ceiling fan can break that bond. They are about to move back into their place down there in New Orleans so if you feel the urge, give her some verbal house-warming gifts. The bad news ... JodyV is closing up shop. Sorry to see you go Mam, you were one of my first links. Wish her well in her future endeavors or beg her to stay.

What? You still here? You want more of this? Huh? Well then, Shoester is railing against the HMO/pharmacy machine. Doug, that name ... as a lawyer, it seems a bit suspicious! As one curmudgeon to another, I hope you get what you need for the pain management. Nothing like a grouchy MS sufferer not getting enough sleep. I think the only thing worse is probably a wife of a grouchy MS sufferer also not getting enough sleep. I am now patiently waiting for the transcendental whack from the Mrs ... OW!

MC-Jamie is ripping it up and going out on the RF to sell that CD. She is one motivated lady. Just goes to show you that there are every-day heroes (heroines?) out there. You don't need to drive a race-car, run a marathon or climb mountains to be an inspiration.

Technorati Tags:Multiple Sclerosis | Heros

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Thank you MDMH von PA.

I still can't seem to get Mr. Scott Sigler to record a promo for his podcast novels.

Well screw you "Mr. Big Shot, I haven't got time for you and you and your little podcast".

I can tell you myself that his novels (Earthcore, Ancestor, Infection, and The Rookie,) are tightly written, edge-of-your-seat, when's the next episode coming out already, quality writing and well worth the download. (Huh , dude, like its free. Yeah and well worth it. I even paid for Earthcore from podiobooks.com and it was still well worth it.)

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I'm listening to a podcast of Science and the City, ( http://www.nyas.org/snc/podcasts.asp?PartnerCD=iTunes&TrackCD=pcast ) How Human Brains Are Wired to Connect.

It was actually fascinating to hear about mirror neurons, which fire when we contemplate the motion of others, and which I must have had a plenty since most of my musical training consisted of aping the hands of other musicians and then coming up with my own "dance of the fingers."

Well I was mainly a visual learner apart from learning theory with the pantonal system, (to read about the PanTonal system, go to http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.com/index.cfm?PgNm=TCE&Params=U1ARTU0002706 and to read about Edward Siegner, my music teacher at Dawson College in Montréal, Québec, Canada, who passed away recently, go to http://dc37.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/news/images/stories/docs/discoverapril06.pdf .)

Now I'm not so sure. I watch videos, like the flailing arms of the dancers in the "Vogue" video by Madonna, and I can't do the gestures anymore, not even in my head. [sigh]

Anyway, it gives us some physiological basis for empathy. It seems that we are able to mirror now only the motions that we observe but also the motivations for those motions.

Actually, that explains the behavior of mobs of people, all feeding off of each other in gestures and in motivation, leading to mob violence or even just prejudicial feedback.

Its rarely good, like in bigotry and hatred, which gets into the evening news, but it can be, like in group nurturing, poly-amory or other expressions of altruism.

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I'm still plugging Erik Kjelland's album "Everybody Falls" which is extremely inexpensive and supports the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America (the MSAA who can be found at http://www.msaa.com )


Its a good album, well worth listening to and buying. (And because its so lame to just talk about music, I'm trying to secure some rights to play a track off of his album or to get him to put a track on the PMN [Podsafe Music Network.] Done. He replied quickly to my email.)

Here now is the podcast premiere of "Brighter" by Erik Kjelland.

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I'm still plugging "Who's in Control of Your Multiple Sclerosis" by William E. Code.

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Carlo Magno will not be completing his trek across the USA because of insurance hassles, plus its snowing sideways (He got out of the snow on the 13th of October and turned around. Smart man... :-). (See his blog at http://www.thespiritofhope.org/blog/ )

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This week, the show notes are filled with links and that's what we want.

No more suffering in silence, one person at a time; divided and conquered; cast off like lint picked from the cloak of humanity.

I'd like nothing better than to have all 300,000 MSers in my address book, ready to answer a call or reply to an email from any of them.

Okay, its not pure altruism. I figure Dr King was right and that none of us is free while any of us is in fetters.

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Don't forget: Restrictions on mobility, bad. Our vote, good. No go out there and bug your representatives.