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Attributes of a TimeChaser: Witty, sarcastic, opinionated, loyal, sometimes spaztacularifically geeky.

Chasing Time for: 33 years

Nicknames, Aliases, Pseudonyms and Nom de plumes: TC, Toki, Times, Chase, Timey Boy, Old Man

Interests: Music, Scifi/Fantasy, Anime, Science, History

Major Fandoms: Doctor Who, MythBusters, Top Gear

Other Worlds

The Watercooler|The Who Files|Radio Times

Some thoughts on the Second Amendment

Yesterday I was reading a bit of news online where a ban on carrying concealed handguns in Illinois had been struck down by a higher court ruling. Of course the usual gun advocates hailed this as an important ruling in protecting the citizens' rights to be able to defend themselves.

I however, am flabbergasted about this ruling and this attitude.

I personally believe strongly in gun control. Especially in our modern times where its seems way too easy for people to get a hold of guns and turn them on innocent bystanders. And in the wake of the mass shooting at the movie theater on Colorado, as well as the breaking news yesterday of a man firing a shotgun in a crowded mall in Oregon, I honestly don't understand how anyone could sanely suggest its OK for people to be able to carry concealed weapons. To me this ruling is disgusting and mocks the tragedies we see day in and day out, it makes light of all those who've died when unstable people can so easily get access to weapons.

Certain people, both the average joe and politicians, seem to still be living in the 1700s. The Second Amendment made sense for its time, but now it just makes less and less sense. I can understand owning a gun and keeping it in your home, but I'd be scared shitless if I was walking around and thought everyone around me was carrying a concealed weapon.

Although some people don't seem to accept this fact, the Constitution is a living document, and we must reflect on what it means to us now, in our current society. If we take it always literally, we're living dangerously in the past, to our continued detriment.

Back home from the hospital

So yeah, the pacemaker replacement was done this week. Procedurally, everything went smoothly and I got to come home just a few hours after everything was done, and I have plenty of pain meds to take for the next week.

But this whole trip was a bit of a nightmare. It was cold and overcast the entire time we were there, and hospitals are already bloody cold on the inside, so at the end of the first day (which included insane amounts of waiting), I was frozen solid and very sore from the uncomfortable chairs. Then the next day we had to come in early because someone in the lab screwed up and didn't do a vital test. And then we were told that an emergency case came up, so the operation was bumped to Friday, so for an extra day I had to sit around and wait (at least the hotel had ION and I was able to catch the Thursday NUMB3RS marathon).

All of this, staying at a hotel, the stress... I won't have to get this done again for a few years, but in that time we've vowed to grease the wheels of being able to arrange the operation be done down here so we don't have to make the trip so far from home again.

Coincidence? You Decide

Breaking local news here. A "suspicious device" was found at a library in a nearby county that's serving as an early voting place today. From what I've heard, sounds like it was a leaking cooler that had wires sticking out of it. The bomb squad blew it up and nothing happened.

BUT THEN THEY FOUND A SECOND ONE NEARBY. Oi.

Personally I think its some nut trying to interrupt voting, for whatever reason. The irony is, even if I'm right, whatever side the dude thinks he's helping, he's messing up voting for all parties, not just the one he doesn't like.

Crazy people don't use logic.

"Under the Knife (Again)"

Or...

"I'm Not a Doctor (and I Don't Play One on TV)"

This post is brought to you by the Letter S for Surgery.

Fooling around aside, I'll be going back to the hospital on the 14th for pre-op procedures for my latest pacemaker replacement operation on the 15th. Needless to say I'm not looking forward to any of this. I'd prefer Star Trek medicine where they don't have to get invasive to fix things.

But I suppose, the sooner its done the better. Thanksgiving won't be ruined by me having to sit and stew the entire month waiting for the operation.

This will end up being my fourth pacemaker since the first one was installed back in '96.

Alive and a Year Older

It's been a few months since I posted anything on here, but I wanted to let people know that I am still alive.

As you'll likely be aware, today is my birthday, so I thank everyone who sent gifts or posted on my guestbook.

My day had been pretty quiet. That's what happens when you get older: birthdays become just another day usually. Maybe that's just me. I got to choose lunch for today, watched some MythBusters on DVD. I already got my gift a couple of weeks ago.

In the time since my last post I've done a lot of reading and a little writing - you can go HERE to read my only posted story at the moment. I attempted to finally get into reading the books of the Star Wars expanded universe, starting with Heir to the Empire by Timothy Zahn. Unfortunately I thought it was quite poorly written. I'm not sure how it tends to get positive reviews from readers. Right now I'm reading Lord Foul's Bane by Stephen R Donadlson, the first book in his Thomas Covenant series. Its emotionally taxing but definitely the best book I've read for some time.

I continue to wait for the new season of Doctor Who. I think we're close now, probably sometime in September if I had to guess.

So that's it for now. Gonna go have the rest of my lunch for my dinner now. Yumy fried cod and fries.

Ciao.