Saturday, March 8, 2008

Tranny Karen


I bought my first dress form on eBay. The seller had no feedback and had found the form somewhere in the garment district lying in a gutter, another victim of the fashion industry tossed aside. She had no stand so I propped her on a stool. Later I bought her a stand from another eBay vendor who sold full dress forms but had one stand with no form. Surprisingly, neither auction had any other bidders so I got both pieces very cheap. Sachi was a little freaked out by the torso when she arrived in a package wrapped in disassembled cardboard boxes and bound with yards of packing tape. When I told her about the eBay transaction, she looked at my account, and looked at me doubtfully.
"You bought a body form on eBay from a seller named 'TrannyKaren'?"
I guess it did seem kind of weird after she put it that way. Images from Silence of the Lambs popped into my head.
"But it was such a bargain..." (The fight song of the eBay addict.)
The name Tranny Karen stuck and even though she has no head, I picture her looking a little like Nathan Lane in The Birdcage before he draws on his eyebrows or puts on his wig. I wonder how these events affected Sachi?

importance-of-having-eyebrows

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

They always did...

Individuals with a temporal lobe tumor or lesion a
re often said to have a temporal lobe personality.
Aspects of this particular personality are that
they may be more likely to have aggressive outbursts,
overemphasis on trivia, pedantic speech,egocentric...
In addition to aggression, individuals with a tumor or lesion on their left temporal lobe may be more sensitive to slights and even appear mildly paranoid. Unlike people with schizophrenia who can become frankly paranoid, temporal lobe dysfunction often causes a person to think others are talking about them or laughing at them when there is no evidence for it. This sensitivity can cause serious relations and work problems for the individual (www.brain place.com/bp/brain system/temporal.asp).

Reading and language processing problems are also common when a tumor or lesion occurs on the left temporal lobe. Being able to read in an efficient manner, remember what you read and
integrate the new information relies heavily on the dominant temporal lobe. This is an essential skill in the modern-day world and can cause severe distress for individuals who are unable to perform such tasks sufficiently. (www.brainplace.com/bp/brainsystem/temporal.asp).


I was talking to my friend Jon and complaining about how my recovery was affecting my job. "I keep getting in fights. My coworkers hate me." His response: "So what? They always hated you. You never cared before." I had to laugh. I appreciate that he speaks his mind and it does not hurt because I trust that he holds me in high regard. When I spoke to Steven C. at the benefit he said he only remembered three teachers from his years here: Me, Mr. K and MT. Was it the passion for our subjects or the yelling tirades or the inflated egos?

Life Under the Titanium Plate

They cut a hole in my armor
Exposing me for what I am
The guards put down their weapons
Leaving me open and unarmed

I prepare for the onslaught
It is only a matter of time
All the waiting All the fear
And yet the first blow is always mine

In the distance I hear the bombs
The enemy is growing near
How will it feel after all this time
Soft flesh, raw nerves, cowering in fear

I look the same on the outside
My protection was a disguise
But I was the only one who knew
Behind the mask are a child’s eyes

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

My mom is writing poetry in her sleep

My mom had a dream that we (mom, my sister, me and our husbands) were all watching a poetry show on a big bed. The poet said, She's having a Bad Attitude Day! Let's Give Her Some Latitude Day! My sister was offended because she thought it was about her. My brother-in-law Paul was jumping up and down on the bed roaring with laughter because he thought the poetry was hilarious.