A Brief Side Trip (Non-Fiction Warning) - Odds and Ends

OAFS Photo

On my way to Sandy Eggo last month, I had a layover at Newark. Got some chow, talked to The Missus Herself, then boarded another aircraft for the long haul out to the coast. As we taxied, I spotted the aircraft depicted in that opening photo. Puzzled, I snapped a photo for later analysis.

And promptly forgot all about it.

So, on Friday (after a follow-up visit to one of my eye doctors, more on that in a moment) I was looking over my photos. Why, you ask? Well, the Muse had decided to take Friday night off. So I went in search of photographic inspiration, and there was that jet, all Soviet-looking, dontcha know?

I had done a perfunctory search a couple of weeks ago, but the action in North Africa was flaring up (not for real, in my head, sort of) and I quickly lost interest. Until Friday.

Ya know what? After perusing photos of jet trainers, I fell across this one ...

L-39ZA Albatros
(Source)

That's gotta be an Albatros in the opening photo, right? If you have a better idea of what it is, let me know in the comments.

In Other News ...

As mentioned above, I visited one of my eye docs on Friday (this one is the glaucoma guy, also does laser stuff) for a follow-up from last Friday's laser procedure. While waiting in the, ahem, waiting room, I was surfing the blogosphere on my trusty smart phone. Beats hauling a book around, I suppose.

Anyhoo, among the many gems (and some duds) I ran across was something by Daddy Hawk over at Preachers and Horse Thieves (I love that title) that really caught my attention.

I've been following him for quite some time, I was happy to see my name mentioned in one of his posts. (It's always nice to be noticed.) He likes my fictional efforts and mentioned trying his hand at same. After all, we bloggers are really writers at heart, the semi-serious (and serious) ones all want, someday, to write a book. (Least-ways I do.)

On Friday he offered, this.

I sat there in the doctor's waiting room enthralled. Great story telling and it filled a need in me, something that's been bothering me as of late (I might get into that later, I might not). This piece of brilliant writing filled that need.

Do read the whole thing, and encourage Daddy Hawk to keep writing, I can't wait to read the final product!

Oh yeah, the eye appointment, how did that go?

Very well, the left eye is healing nicely. Over the past year it's been driving me nuts, vision was cloudy and out of focus, it was like looking through cracked, frosted glass.

Now?

The glass is still cracked but it's not frosted anymore. The retina in that eye was badly damaged some time ago. But as the eye got cloudy (which can happen after cataract surgery, weird huh?) the right eye was struggling to keep things in focus. Didn't really get headaches but my eyes would get tired, really tired.

But damn, now I'm almost back to my old self, the right eye is better supported by the left and my vision is much better. Corrected, it was always 20-15, the last few months, I'd put it at around 20-60. The left eye, before the procedure, was 20-400, i.e. really bad. Now it's at 20-60 which really helps the right eye. Doc says it's 20-15 again. Of course, that's what the eye charts say, my vision isn't what it used to be, but it's better than it's been in a long while.

OAFS' word to the wise? Take care of your eyes, there are things that can be fixed and things that can't. The things that can't really mess up one's quality of life. (I still thank the the Good Lord every day that I'm not blind!)

Music and Stuff ...

So there are guys at work who recommend bands to me to listen too. They know I like rock and roll, which is what led me to Plush. From a Plush video on the Tube of You, I chased a link and gave these ladies a listen ...

The Villarreal Vélez sisters from Mexico: Daniela (guitar, lead vocals, piano), Paulina (drums, lead and backing vocals, piano), and Alejandra (bass guitar, piano, backing vocals). (Source)

When they were in the age range 9 to 14, they covered the above song in a more traditional style (i.e. Metallica-style). Well, I was going to post just a link, but I'll post the video instead ... (Just how lazy am I?)

Those ladies rock!

Give them a listen, and head over to Preachers and Horse Thieves, good stuff I tell you.

Let's see if the Muse comes back sober, we've been working her too hard lately I think. And she saw a video of Tuna pouring a Guinness, in Ireland. Maybe that's where she went?

Anyhoo, I'll be back.

Shláinte!