whims, bangs and flops

Hello world! I know it's been a while, but I really am still here.

Now what was it I wanted to tell you all about? Oh yeah! So, I did a rather brave thing not too long ago. I decided that my bangs were getting too long, but since I'm trying to grow the rest of my hair out right now it clearly made no sense to go out and pay a professional stylist. So as I was waiting for the free skate of the Olympic women's figure skating competition, I sat down on the floor in front of my full length mirror with a trash can between my knees to catch the mess and cut my own bangs. I think I did pretty darn well, considering it was my first attempt. It was easier because the bangs were already a good shape, so I just tried to cut the same amount off all the way across to keep them even. Possibly they ended up a bit shorter than intended, but that just means I can wait even longer before attempting it again. So what do you think?


Oh yeah, and I just spent several days in Texas visiting Dianna. It was a blast and will be highlighted in a separate post soon, along with pictures. Right now I'm playing catch-up with my schoolwork because of spending most of my spring break in sunny Texas, so that comes first. Also, I'm going to the dentist today to get my stitches out: yay! I'm really tired of having this mass of wet string in my mouth.

-Kim

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass - RGM version

I am absolutely in awe. Go. Watch. It.

Surgery 2

I have eaten about 10 gallons of ice cream in the last week. At least, that's what it seems like. Last Friday I had the second surgery of this long process to reinforce my mouth. Last fall was the lower right quadrant, and this time we did the lower left.

The surgery went as planned--4 hours in the dentist chair having my gums cut open and stitched back together. I won't bother you with the grisly details this time (you can check out the post from last time for that). Now that the periodontal department is on the 12th floor, the surgical room has a much better view. The chair was parallel to the window rather than facing it, but as I was looking toward the ceiling for the whole four hours, it hardly matters. There were fewer students watching the procedure this time, but the (rather good-looking) head resident did pop in toward the end when Dr. Griffin was stitching me up.

I got to listen to my iPod this time, which was a lovely distraction. The playlist started out with Jeremy Camp, the artist I always go to when what I really want is for someone to hold my hand.

The incision was larger this time, reaching past the center of the mouth to expose the bone added last time so the new graft could join it properly. Once he had exposed the graft he commented on how amazed he was at the three dimensional growth. Fatema took a picture of the comparison between the exposed root of the new site and the new, thicker bone of the previous site. It was a perfect before and after picture and could even end up in a published article someday. That would be pretty awesome.

Over the weekend my diet consisted almost entirely of ice cream, and I slept most of the day in a nest of cushions I built to keep my head elevated. Apparently it did the trick, because when I went for my one week check-up yesterday Fatema was amazed at how quickly my healing was progressing. The swelling is going down much more quickly than before, and the pain is fading as well. When the pain does flare up, usually just when it's time that I can take more pain meds, it doesn't stretch across the whole site, but centers itself around the pointed eye tooth, right in the corner. I realize that my mouth is actually round and doesn't have a corner, but mentally that's what it feels like.

I can eat any soft foods now, but ice cream is still a large part of my menu, since it requires little to no chewing and can therefore be eaten more quickly than anything more substantial or with actual nutrients. Eating is a difficult task now--it requires both hands and careful attention as I must choose only soft foods and cut everything into pieces rather than bite directly in. It takes longer than it should, and I can't do anything else. For instance, I had to stop twice while writing this post to eat some Ben & Jerry's Key Lime Pie ice cream. Oral surgery would be a great diet, except that it leaves me feeling hungry all the time, and the easiest things to eat are terribly unhealthy.

Still, it's good to know I'm making such good progress and will be back to myself again soon. And more importantly, it's good to know the first procedure was so successful, and that this whole painful process really is worthwhile.

-Kim

Harry Potter!

Last week Adrienne and I made the best possible use of having President's Day off from classes. We spent the afternoon at the Harry Potter Exhibition at the Boston Museum of Science. This is a touring exhibition that has been in town for several months and will be leaving after this coming weekend. The exhibit includes many costumes and props actually used in the filming of the Harry Potter movies and is a Potter nerd's dream come true.

The main hallway of the museum was all decked out for the occasion. Sadly, no photography was allowed inside the exhibit, but I'll do my best to paint a picture with my words and bring you into the experience!

First of all, there was a lot of waiting. In order to keep the crowd size under control, admission was timed, and a new group was let in every five minutes. Before our group could enter, three children were sorted. I should have volunteered, but I wasn't sure if they would take someone over four feet tall.

Once inside the doors, we watched a video montage and, while we were distracted, a wall rose behind us to reveal the Hogwarts Express, steam rising from it, announcing our arrival at Hogwarts. We walked past a wall of portraits, through the doorway to Gryffindor tower with the Fat Lady singing and into the main exhibit hall.

First were costumes and props belonging to Hermione, Neville and Ginny, and in a corner by themselves, Harry and Ron. I was most impressed by seeing everyone's wands. They're all so detailed, and even Neville's has a fancy twist in the handle. (I thought very hard about buying a replica of Hermione's beautiful wand, but they were ridiculously expensive.) Harry and Ron's fancy beds were there as well. After the kids was a row of professors and their associated props, prominently featuring the various Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers. Snap's robes were there, as well as Lupin's (along with the mirrored boggart cabinet), Lockhart's finery and Umbridge's pink nightmare. Trelawney was sadly absent, but in Professor Sprout's corner was a row of mandrakes that visitors were encouraged to pull up out of their pots to a chorus of squealing.

Following the academic area was a quidditch pitch, with uniforms from the World Cup, Harry's Firebolt and the chest of quidditch balls. Also, there was another interactive exhibit where we could play quidditch! Well, sort of. We got to throw quaffles through hoops as if we were chasers in a game, and I got mine through the farthest hoop on the first try!

Next was Hagrid's hut, with various magical creatures surrounding it, including Buckbeak the Hippogrif, who I have always wanted to ride and was sorely tempted to touch. The last thing we were allowed to touch was Hagrid's chair. The thing is absolutely enormous! I could curl up in it quite comfortably and take a nap. It even puts to shame the armchairs in the basement of Mears Library back at USF, and that's saying something!

After the magical creatures of the Dark Forest was a display of evil characters. I hadn't realized before that the dementors have no legs but only a disturbingly long spine that becomes a creep-tastic tail. There was fog in the air, and a bit of wind making Voldemort and his Death Eaters' robes flutter menacingly.

From there we passed through a hall full of Umbridge's notices into the Great Hall itself. The hall was decorated for the Yule Ball, and everyone's party attire was on display. Hermione's dress is actually prettier in person (I think Adrienne should get one just like it!), and Ron's really isn't so bad. Up close I could tell it was actually very well made, and the lace seemed less offensive. Dumbledore and McGonnogal's robes and wands were there, as well as Sirius' nicer clothes from Order of the Pheonix and Fawkes, who is larger than I had originally thought.

And of course, the last place we were sent was the gift shop, full of all things Harry Potter. In the end, I bought myself a plastic time-turner (the nice gold one was far too expensive), and Adrienne got a Dumbledore's Army t-shirt. And on the way out we took pictures by the only items we could--a poster advertising the exhibit and the chess piece Ron sat on in the Sorcerer's Stone, which has been on display in the museum lobby for several months.


Look, I finally got my Hogwart's letter! I'm ditching library school to go learn magic!


And Adrienne is still too giddy to do anything but grin!

I feel that this summary is sorely lacking, and I wish I could just go back and take you all with me to experience it for yourselves. If the exhibit travels anywhere near you, definitely go check it out!

-Kim

The Suburb Beyond the Stars

The Suburb Beyond the Stars (due for publication June 2010) by M.T. Anderson is the sequel to The Game of Sunken Places. I never read the first book, and it's a credit to Anderson that I was still able to enjoy the story without having read the first book. Granted, I would probably have enjoyed it even more with the previous story as background, but this really is a new adventure, and the recurring characters are given enough of an introduction for things to make sense without completely boring those who already know what's going on.

The story begins in Boston, with Brian being chased through the T system by otherworldly beings on his way home from a cello lesson. That opening is full of win and extra nerdy bonus points. Brian and his friend Gregory found themselves in the middle of a conflict between two groups of powerful beings, the Thusser and the Norumbegans, in the previous book. With the Game finished, the Thusser should have left them alone, but the attack on Brian is just the beginning. Gregory's cousin Prudence, who was also involved in the Game, has disappeared, and time itself is being bent in the new development that sprang up around her house in the woods, directly over the caverns where the Norumbegans once lived and the Game took place. Brian and Gregory (and an ax-wielding robotic troll) have to find Prudence and save the world from the Thusser!

This story was an exciting ride and a joy to read. The friendship dynamic between Gregory, the cool and funny one, and Brian, the smart one, is believable and entertaining, and I found myself really caring about them. I may have to go back and read the first book now to build up my knowledge base on the Norumbegan/Thusser conflict to prepare myself for the next installment of this fascinating story. That's right folks--it's still not over! And from the way this one ends, the next chapter portends to be even more fantastic, in every sense of the word!