FozzieBare: Blog

So, they have more specialists to send me to, because it looks like there was somewhat more damage on the x-ray then they expected.

Right now, when I walk, my right foot is like 30-45 degrees out of line with the way my left foot points. That's putting additional stress and pain on that leg.

It's also my driving leg, so that makes it hard to drive, especially any sort of distances. In fact, for the first time, I had to take what is colloquially called "Non-Emergency Medical Transportation" to my rhumatologist appointment (A 35 minute drive, which is not something my leg is up to right now). It was a medical van whose shocks and seats had last been worked on during the Bush Administration.

Not too sure I mean the younger one either.

But, work goes on slowly, when I can.

So, right now, I'll just end my post with the famous line from Reinhold Niebuhr.

"Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change.
The courage to change the things I can.
And the wisdom to know the difference"

And hurry up while you're at it, eh? :)

Thanks all for your kind words and suggestions. Basically, they're thinking about trying muscle relaxers because when things flare up, it's painful enough that any movement or attempts at standing/doing every day things is pain, and extended attempts at any of the above is day-ending.

But right now, I'm writing little bits, hoping to get that deluge of words going again. Why?

I'll let the Champ himself, Rocky Balboa, say it for me.

"Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

Or in this case, a set-hip. It feels like the pinched nerve in the hip has returned, so sitting for more then a few minutes feels like someone's drilling my hip with a power drill with lava on the tip.

There's a mental image for you.

RR's next chapter and FTMD continues to be worked on, but over the last few hours, I've been typing up some style details for a possible new story. It's based on a gaming universe (roughly, SJG's "Car Wars" universe), and it's.. a different place. For example, this is part of a legal document important to the story.

This document states that both parties have a serious grievance and as to save time and legal resources have agreed to use the forum of the live show: "Trial by Autoduel Combat" to settle this dispute.

As part of this agreement, both sides have agreed that following the conclusion of this event, that both sides have agreed to refrain from further airings of the same grievance against each other, in any venue, be it private or public.

The parties have also agreed to the expectation that said grievance involves a possibly-lethal autoduelling contest, and as such that they hold each other blameless, and thus waive all legal claims for any injury, disfigurement, dismembering or death that may occur during the show.

Both sides have been advised that the trial, (referred to henceforth as "Duel") will take place in the Houston Duelodrome on April 5th, 2118. The agreed format for the duel is using custom Division 20 dueling automobiles.

Both sides will be allowed a five-minute pre-duel review of their opponent's vehicle per American Autoduelling Association standards. That is, both sides can observe the vehicle from a distance of no less than ten feet.

At that time, they will be allowed to make any objections to the show's producers about potentially illegal weaponry and/or equipment. A member of the show's technical team will be on hand to make a ruling on any such objections. Such decisions are binding, and as thus, are to be considered final.

Any items disallowed by the technical team will be required to be removed expeditiously, and extra time to replace said items will not be granted.

Should either participant fail to appear at the scheduled time for the duel to commence, they will be adjudged the loser of the grievance, with all legal remedies to follow, forfeit all appearance money, as well as be required to pay a $25,000 no-show fee in addition.

Participants have been advised that during the duel a direct audio channel will be established between the two vehicles for the purpose of making settlement offers. This audio channel is not part of the televised process but is recorded solely for the purpose of enforcing any deals agreed to, should terms be established.

However, the parties have been reminded that terms are not formally agreed to, until the conclusion of the duel. For example, it is legal to agree that one driver will let the other one exit the duel on terms should they exit their vehicle, and then complete the duel by attacking the other, either by means of vehicular weaponry, or physical attack.

The duel will complete under one of two conditions:
A) The death of one of the two parties
B) One of the parties formally surrenders by stepping into one of the no-go safe zone bunkers throughout the arena. A party who has stepped into one of these safe zone bunkers will be seen as prima facie admitting defeat in the trial, and lacking an agreement made prior to said admission, has agreed to be judged the loser of the dispute, as made in pre-show filings.

Again, as a reminder, such surrenders are not binding on either party until the conclusion of the duel. If Party A offers to surrender to Party B, but then uses it as a lure to continue combat, Party A will not be judged at fault, as such agreements are not formally made until the conclusion of the duel.


Just think of what kind of universe would have such televised trials. Just think of the type of grievances that would lead to said duels. And the type of person who would find this the only way to find justice.

It's an interesting mind exercise. Can I turn it into a story? Who knows.

If you're of a certain age, remember that scene from Saved By the Bell. Yes, THAT SCENE.

I'm so excited.

I'm so excited.

I'm so.. scared.

First of all, oh my god, I was a teenager when that came out, and that clip will be 30 years old next year. That sound you hear is my attempt to be hip turning into a hip replacement.

But seriously, age joke aside. That's how I feel when I look at my stats.

60,000 Downloads for Free Trader Mary's Dream (or will be later today)

1,000 Votes for FTMD.

100,000 Downloads across all my stories.

(Insert record scratch noise, WHHAAAAATTTT?? Sound effect, Looney Tunes double take, etcetera)

Folks, I said a while back that 10K views of FTMD in a week was cause for me to question all of your collective sanity. That was five months and FIFTY THOUSAND DOWNLOADS AGO OF FTMD.

There are no words.

Except two.

THANK. YOU.

Thank you to Bob, my loyal and long-suffering pre-reader, who kept me going with positive feedback when I was banging my head against the theoretical wall trying to get the words to flow. Sometimes, it was very close to banging my head against a LITERAL wall.. none of this metaphysical stuff.

Thank you to all my readers for their feedback (good and bad).

Criticism makes me want to be a better writer. Praise makes me want to write more. Both are the lifeblood of any author, and especially are the beating heart of authors who struggle with self-doubt.

Thank you to the authors of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. For inspiring me, for challenging me, and guiding me.

And Thank you to Alex, Mary, Melissa (amongst others from FTMD), Arin (I promise, I'll stop spelling your name Arun one of these centuries), all the folks you haven't met yet in the Rogue's Rules universe but that I've thought of, Steve and Kaitlyn (First Times), Mike and Dana (It's My Party), James and Veronica (Midnite and Nightwatch), Tony , Andrea and little Dara (You Knew) and of course Matt and Antonia (One on One). Thank you for allowing me to be the conduit to tell your stories to the people here. If the story's suck, it's because of my lack of skill at translating their stories to the printed word.

For those of you who have followed my blog for a while, you know the health issues I've faced. That I continue to face. Right now, I'm writing this at 1:30 AM because one of the side effects of all the health issues is I have reverse circadian rhythm (which means that I'm more active in the middle of the night than the middle of the day. Trust me, it plays merry hell with trying to get ANYTHING done, except writing, I guess).

What does the future hold?

More FTMD

More RR

When I can, One on One chapters.

I want to promise you guys and gals the moon, the stars, and the world.

Instead, I'll say this.

Thank you.

I'll keep it going as long as I can.