FozzieBare: Blog

Because I think the devil is running it right now.

I am officially in medical limbo, the CPAP machine still hasn't been ordered, months later, and now medicaid is requiring a fresh authorization for the medicines that keep me (mostly) upright and not in severe pain. Combine that with the fact that they're trying to wean me off the severe pain pills (a thing I DO NOT agree with right now), I am hurting. A lot.

I hope to get back to writing soon ish, but right now, a lot of it is outside of my control.

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.