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bruinxgem
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Name: Gem
Interests: SNOWBOARDING IS MY PASSION! AHHH! =D Scuba certified! Competent on a scooter! Next on the list: learning how to ride a motorcycle & surfing
Expertise: EATING CHOCOLATE AND ICE CREAM! mmm Fine Dining... MUAH-HAHAHAHA!!! >=D
Occupation: Retired
Message: message me
Website: visit my website
Member Since:
2/6/2003
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| It's that time of the year again. Bust out the the poster tubes, the man purses, the giant portfolios, and if possible, a handful of granola bars and an energy drink - San Diego Comic Convention! Yes, you read right - last I heard, 4-day passes were SOLD OUT. How? I know people.  (really now, isn't it FUN to say that?) Alrite alrite, not just any industry PEOPLE that's around for the sake of shameless name dropping  , but two individuals that I'm honored to know in my life (and make going to the Con a reality) ** brace yourselves, I'm about to show off now ** One of my best friends, Jonathan who works at Image Comics (makers of Spawn, Fathom, Witchblade), and my sister, who works a dream job at Lucas Animation. Oh, let me tell you more about my sister - if you're familiar with the Star Wars, Clone Wars animated series, her job is to take the characters and "pose" them into various action shots (body parts, facial expressions, lighting), and those images are then slapped on toy boxes, posters, magazine covers, etc. You can say she brings them to life (otherwise, they'd just be images of characters, no?) zActually, her stuff's featured on: Official Star Wars Blog http://starwarsblog.starwars.com/index.php/2009/07/21/lucasfilm-pavilion-at-comic-con-first-pics/ MTV http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/07/21/a-new-merc-and-an-old-bounty-hunter-in-these-exclusive-star-wars-the-clone-wars-season-two-images/ And Video Game Cover: http://www.flickr.com/photos/starwarsblog/3744506817/ Pretty neat, eh? Here is a sample: 
How bad ass is my sister? These images will be up at the Star Wars booth at the Con. Geebus! Ok, enough showing off for now. I'll be "tweeting" (wow did I really just type that?) while perusing the Con this weekend (I use the same name as this xanga). Happy Hump Day! | | |
| It was night time, I was with my sister in our bedroom, and I heard the clash of metal grinding, the carn horn going off... I ran into the computer room that faces the main street to look out the window. My P.O.V. changes, and I can see what appears to be a haunted, decrepid, 2 story version of my house from across the street. I see my mom's car, crushed up and on the roof of our house. I'm back in the computer room again, the oh too familiar weight of panic and stress quickly strangles me. Again? Why do things like this happen?  Why are we still in ghetto Oakland? Why have we not removed ourselves from this terrible, violent place -  Then I realized that it wasn't just the typical criminals that plagued the streets of Oakland at night that was guilty ... it was something.... e v i l . Watever it was, it wanted to harm me, us - my family. Stress evolves into FEAR, and --- I wake myself up. *EXHALE* Everyone's safe... the house is quiet, peaceful, and I pull Cleo closer to me and nuzzle my face into her furry neck, and she whimpers a little bit because I wake her. I hate scary dreams. I think I dreamt about this because at dinner with the Singapore study abroad kids (we still meet up every month or so to catch up), they were asking me about my stolen car - yeah, taken on Halloween morning last year. Funny how random bits from the days conversation can manifest (or revive) in your dreams. I wonder what it all means, if if it even means anything.  | | |
| After more than a year long hiatus - I'm back. And I'm going to try to update this thing again. =) Not sure if my absence was even noticed; in any case, I have no other "creative" outlet or medium to vent... so here goes... My return to xanga. Will be back with more random ramblings... stay tuned!  | | |
| Phuong suggested we drive up to Davis this weekend to pay Tobi a visit - what a great idea! Friday night, we drove out to Davis, soaked in a local jacuzzi (just my legs because it was so hot!). It helped me relax a bit because it's been a stressful week (for obvious reasons). The Vet hospital isn't really open on weekends, but Dessen agreed to set up an appointment while she was checking in on Tobi for Saturday morning. I knocked out right away that night, but I was up at 6:30am, I was so anxious and nervous about seeing Tobi! Will he recognize me while all drugged up? Will he be angry with me for not having seen me for several days?
At the Small Dog hospital on campus, I checked in at the front desk and told them I was here to see my dog who just had surgery... "You dog's name, please?"
"Tobi," I answered. "What's his last name?" the receptionist inquired. How cute is that??? After all... he IS family!
"it's... Nguyen." Warm feelings inside! Yes, he's Tobi Nguyen! hehe.
"Great, Dessen will be out shorty." The waiting room is quite a site. I can overhear another doctor speaking to a nervous looking woman about how they've managed to repair her dog's pelvic bone after the car accident, that the internal organs are in tact and she's no longer urinating blood. Another bull dog with a cone around his head comes wobbling out, happy to see his master. I couldn't wait to see my Tobi!
Dessen, after what felt like hours finally came out and led us to a room. When she came back with Tobi, I clearly saw his tail wag, happy to see me! He's shaved from his mid back down (strange... I now know his natural skin color is peach!), and he's got like 8-10 metal staples along his stitches...he's my Frankendoggie now! Dessen places him on my lap at first, but being afraid to touch and hurt him, we move him down to the floor so he can just sit and lean up against me and Phuong.
Poor baby! He regurgitated a bit... Dessen explained that he's been throwing up, a side effect and indication that he may have ulcers from the high steroid treatment. I didn't know of that risk! That vet should have told me the risks of steroids  Anyway, they've been medicating him with stuff to keep the ulcers from forming, in this case, worsening, so hopefully he won't throw up for much longer, otherwise they will have to do an ultra-sound to see how severe the ulcers are. Now the good news ---
Tobi moved his legs that morning!!!!!! He's been cooped up in a cage to keep him stable and immobilized and when the Dr. and Dessen coaxed him to come out, he wouldn't... but when they moved away from the cage door, he saw an opportunity to "escape" and actually attempted to move! So that's very positive! I was supposed to only visit him for 15 minutes, but Dessen allowed me to sit with him for about 40 minutes, which was very very sweet of her....he threw up 2 more times, once on Phuong's leg...  I can't wait for him to get better. When I look into his face, he's got this soft whine going and he gazes at me, as if pleading to be taken home! Oh Tobi! Despite his condition, I ask him for a kiss and he licks my cheek... still very loving even though he's in pain. Dessen eventually comes back to take him back to his cage (complete with layers of fleece blankets to keep him comfortable). He bit off one of his catheters, so he has to wear one of those silly cones too, but its a soft one since he's not so flexible yet... that, and the muzzle (so Dessen can protect herself as a precaution) and he looks like a little clown dog! I was sad to see him go, but hopeful that he's making progress.
This morning, Dessen called again to let me know they took him outside today - sunshine therapy! He was happy, wagging his tail and sniffing the grass and trees. He can't support his own weight yet, but with her supporting his back, he was able to move his legs... still throwing up a bit, so they will continue to give him medication. They plan on taking his catheter to pee out tonite, to see if he will go on his own tomorrow... if he does, we may be able to take him home tomorrow!
Thank you to everyone for your words of encouragement and kind thoughts thus far - please keep them going because it's clearly making an impact... will keep you all updated!
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| Dessen, the student doctor called me yesterday evening to tell me that as soon as she got off the phone, Tobi started to eat! He is stil paralyzed, but the doctor said that after surgery, since they are handling the spinal cord, there can be some trauma during the process, so he's inflammed and in pain, but that is typical immediately afterwards so its normal that things get worse before they get better. We should see signs of recovery once the inflammation goes down in the next couple days. The good news is he's wagging his tail, which means he's in a better state of mind, hopefully... Phuong and I may go pay him a visit tomorrow, I can't wait to see him! He's shaved from the waste down for the surgery too, so that will be a sight... I will keep everyone updated! | | |
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