msb-0077 The Ouch! podcast is continuing

msb-0077 The Ouch! podcast is continuing

Feedback come first so ....

Here's some musings from the Haupertonian MS Cabal

[m d m h von p a's piece didn't make it in time, unless it gets here in the couple of hour, I'll just release it on its own as soon as it does.]

----

Feedback that I've got from the Malcolm Friend of the MSAA, Jaime and Eric Kjelland is very positive. (Erik's now looking into the Podsafe Music Network for spreading the word and the good vibrations wider afield than I want to or can reach.)

Man feel good about that.

----

I had a surprise from the podcast quadrant of the multiverse (whaat?) last Thursday, (2006.11.12)

The BBC put out issue 8 of the "Ouch! podcast" Yay!

I enjoy listening to Mat Frazer and Liz Carr and the rest of the Ouch! crew. And they know about all kinds of disabilities, including MSs' sequellae.

I can only dream of having somebody like the BBC behind me.

But American television doesn't work that way.

Instead it all about the ratings and with a target audience that's only 0.0833% of the population, nobody's interested.

So I'm stuck trying to entice visitors into buying stuff from Cafe Press (the first item in the linkage section at MBPodcast.com,) or to donate via PayPal (the second item in the linkage section at MSBPodcast.com.)

In that respect I'm like Tim Henson of "Distorted View Daily." Unlike him, I've at least got a chance at finding sponsorship. (If you don't know "Distorted View Daily" let just say that its a show that is doomed to be a success, [partly because Tim is such an ass-hole, {and I mean that in the nicest, least malicious way possible,}] but will never attract sponsors because the advertising model is too hypocritical to admit that a sponsor actually supports the show. :-)

And we don't need to go far to get into a non-commercial model coexisting, albeit un-easily, with the commercial model. I'm listening to the "CBC Radio: Quirks & Quarks Complete Show" podcast as I type this.

----

This episode you're going to be subjected to my latest, well, crush does not describe it,
infatuation doesn't do it either, obsession really is too-too much.

Its just that is so rare that you can find somebody who's so damn original and seems to have mastered every genre out there.

Guess what?

That someone is George Rhab...

I've found his stuff on the PMN, the podsafe music network, so I can use it.

I've also found him at the iTune Music Store and at CD Baby. (I've got three of his four albums. I'll get the next one real soon now. :-)

I figure, no I know, you'll either love him or hate him. I can understand that he's not everybody's cup of tea, but just wait 'till the next song and the music will have changed completely.

He's a very creative and inventive soul. I like him.

----

I went to a support group meeting on Wednesday.

The people were lovely and the speaker was a Physical Therapist who was lively and extremely well informed.

It was unfortunately an extremely small group which while making for a very intimate, uh, congregation, does greatly limit what you can actually do.

There are various problems with being in Jersey City. Of course these are related to the usual problems of real estate; those being location, location and location.

Location: We're just across the Hudson river from New York City. Who wouldn't rather be in the Big Apple? (Right up until you try to get around in the Big Apple. Then you'd rather be anywhere else. Its expensive, dirty, noisy, smelly, definitely not ADA compliant everywhere, the subways are only partially handicapped accessible [usually not where you're going,], cabs are hard to get because somebody healthy is going to take it before you can, and its rarely pleasant in the rain or snow. [As "Seinfeld" said in one of his comedy routines, in winter the city has a certain unidentifiable something, but come summer, you know that its urine.])

Location: Through accidents of history, the group meets in the synagogue of a rehab facility. Its merely the latest re-incarnation of the building. It has morphed several times while the MS group has been there. I'm almost allergic to religion in all forms so sitting in the back behind rows of pews, looking at menorahs and an altar covered by a Star of David, sort of gives me a headache.

Location: The location is off the beaten path (read "an access P.I.T.A.") It may be at ground level and the building may be ADA compliant but its tucked away in a dense residential neighborhood where public transportation is problematic at best and parking is virtually non-existent.

Add to this the insurance problems. (Imagine you're an administrator. "What if somebody falls and sues?" [Notice that you, as the fallen, don't enter into this worry. They have janitorial staff to pick up debris; you know, broken pieces like crockery, hip-bones, that kind of stuff.])

Its a considerable problem. The biggest advantage is that, because its been grandfathered into so many incarnations of the building's history, its free and you just can't beat the price.

But the transportation and location issues #3 and #2, are enough that my wife has some idea about alleviating it.

We'll see if she can exercise her considerable charms with Hudson Community College, which is right next to the Journal Square PATH station, has a sufficient parking lot, is already covered by insurance due to the student body using it, meets all the ADA requirements and has a security guard, could be talked into giving us a class room on the first Wednesday of the month. ('Granting us' access to a room might even be part of their fulfilling their community mandate.)

----

The last item on the linkage section is a survey, run by kiptronics on my behalf. It would really help me get to know you better.

I'm still plugging "Who's in control of your multiple sclerosis" by Willian E Code.

----

Don't forget. Social Security restrictions on mobility devices, bad; your vote good.

Now go out there and find which of your politicos can at least pretends he gives a shit.

Use your vote for what's best for you, for a change, rather than just following some party line.

It doesn't matter if you're republican, democrat, libertarian or if you're pulling for "Teddy and the boys" in the Bull Moose party, if you can't be bothered to watch out for "numero uno", what makes you think anyone else will?

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:

----

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

----

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.)

----

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.

----

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.

----

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

----

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/ )

----

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.

----

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