[Note: clouds drawn on outside of envelope around "To:" and "From:" address.]
Kelly,
I received the New Yorker article, thank you. I used to subscribe to the New Yorker for several years before I escaped. Oddly, my favorite part was the Tables for Two restaurant reviews. The article were good too. Long and well written, but I have a thing for food and the nuances of cool restaurants.
Anyway, I read the article twice and was so moved, I wrote the Commissioner of Indiana Dept. of Corrections a letter to thank you.
[Ed.: the article she is referring to is an article in the New Yorker called HELL HOLE. It was a ten-pager chronicling the hazards of solitary confinement. They spoke with prisoners, psychologists, wardens, etc. It was a fascinating article and seeing that Pender has to serve a year in solitary, in her cell alone without any contact for 23 hours every day, I thought the article might interest her. Specifically, the Commissioner that deals with her specific state prison is quoted as saying how dangerous it is.]
Back in December, when I was returned to DOC and charged within the institution with ESCAPE, a class "A" offense. The maximum punishment for any class "A" offense is one year in isolation, and a loss of earned time of what equates to 3 1/2 years, and that's what I got.
In January, a memo came out and effective February 15, 2009, the Commissioner reduced the max time allotted in isolation to 30 days for a class "A" or up to 60 days if it includes battery of an officer.
This is not applied retroactively.
So, despite still having to serve one year up here, I wrote to thank him for acknowledging the severity of long term isolation and for having the courage to take an unpopular stand in a political environment.
I know what it's like to take an unpopular stand. Though, of course, I won't articulate that to him. A simple thanks is enough.
Oh, and thanks for cutting off the web address. No problem coming through.
[Ed.: Certain prisons do not allow prisoners to receive articles directly from the web if they have a url listed. I have to cut those off for her. Some other prisons allow it but only 2-3 pages of an article at a time.]
I now have three books on publishing, one that includes how to do a book proposal. I decided there were probably hundreds of books on the subject for a reason: It's not a simple task, so I had a few ordered.
But I'll worry about that a little later.
Thank you for your advice about magazine submissions, though. It will come in handy.
I hear several women talking loudly down the hall, about crude subjects and one in particular whose laugh reminds me of a sinister clown, reminiscent of "Hours of 1000 Corpses." I loathe loud noise unless it's supposed to be loud. The stereo playing a kick-ass song or a live concert. A garbage truck. A waste disposal. A lawn mower. Even those things are annoying if I'm not ready for them. Like my neighbor mowing his lawn at 7am on a Saturday while I'm recovering from one too many margaritas. Mostly I enjoy quiet. Not silence, but quiet. I like it to be quiet enough that I can hear the sound of graphic over paper as I write. [Ed.: She only uses pencil to write her letters to me.] That's why I stay up until one or two o'clock in the morning to sit at my door and write by the light that filters in from the hall lights. There's no talking and lights out by 11pm, so I get time to relax and delve into my consciousness and discover what is there.
Right now it's probably one in the afternoon and I see a delft blue sky without any cloud cover, and the fresh blooms of a flower garden. There's a little fat, brown-tailed squirrel walking slowly through the garden, stopping to investigate every few leaf shoots. He stops, and digs into the earth with his tiny hands and retrieves what may be a nut. A small, black, round object that he turns and turns in his mouth until he bites down on it and beings travelling again. A dozen leaf shoots later, he beings digging with his paws and places the nut into the groud, covering it back up feverishly. Satisfied, he moves on to another section of the garden until he finds another treasure and runs off to the nearest tree, out of sight.
Hey, at least I don't have to watch cockroaches. Although, we do have numerous little black bugs that resemble miniature moths. Larger than a gnat. Smaller than a fly. [Ed. She draws one.] <---That big. And I kill off anywhere between 2 and 4 of them daily.
I thin they are attracted to the mold in the shower room, and then migrate down the hall to our rooms.
Man, I miss my queen size bed, pink fuzzy slippers, and my entire bathroom, full of hot water to sooth, make up to zazz up, and great dental products for longevity.
Oh well. Onwards with a new future,
Take care,
Sarah
Friday, April 10, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Ann Miller Kontz
I recently watched 48 Hour Mystery about the Ann Miller poison case. Read about the case here
It was such an odd one that I decided to write to her. Today, she replied. An interesting thing to note is she sent me a greeting card. It is pink and had a cute kitten on it. The card says: "Purrfect Peace to You" and in the back there is a bit of scripture and a message about how "Pets are God's lovable creatures. We hope these furry friends brighten your day and bring a smile to your face!"
***
[Inside card]
Dear Kelly,
It was nice to hear from you. I appreciate your taking the time to write. Unfortunately, what you saw on TV was not my story--but that of people who don't know me or care to know the truth. I'm sure you noticed my family, friends and I neglected to participate. That has always been the case. Media can't be trusted to get it right. From the start they misquited my family and friends so no one entertains them. We all figure if we dn't say anything at all--it gives them nothing to twist. Perhaps one day I'll talk to someone but I assure you it will be special circumstances. Enough of that--My family and I didn't watch it and I don't even want to write about it except to say this:
I'm sorry--the person on TV wasn't really who I am-hopefully if we become "pen-pals" you'll get to know me. Since I didn't view it-I'm not at all sure about what they had to say---but please don't allow that to be your first impression of me.
Let me tell you a bit about myself... (contintued on paper)
[The inscription on the inside of the cards says: "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, who thoughts are fixed on You!" ISAIAH 26:3 NLT
[continued on green lined post-it type paper that has a picture of a little yellow chicken on it that says: PUT SPRING IN YOUR STEP!)
New York--cool--my favorite. In my opinioin it's the best city in teh world. I've always wanted to live there--since I was a little girl. Born in upstate NY and raised in Pennsylvania--my family frequeted the city 2-3 times a year.
As I grew older, I kept the tradition going. I could tell you the address of every single Coach store. That would be my weakness. :) I have remarried and my husband is also from NY (still has some family there) -- I's the first place we want to visit when I get out of here.
What part of NY are you from?
I'd love to hear some NY stories---maybe even see some pictures and travel down memory lane.
I am 39-just had my birthday last week. I am married & will celebrate my 6th anniversary this fall. My husband's name is Paul Kontz (so if you write back please address it to Ann Kontz--I am in the system as Ann Kontz.)
I have a 9 year old daughter who is the most beautiful little girl in the world. She is naturally joy-filled and she has a compassionate spirit. I have a 24 year old step-daughter about to get married. My daughter lives with my sister (of which I have two.)0
Prior to prison-I enjoyed jogging, water-skiing and traveling. Now my hobbies are walking (because we can't run) reading and Pilates/yoga.
Well-I'll close for now.
I pray you'll decide to write back adn I'll share more in my next letter.
God Bless,
Ann
P.S. The card was awesome. I gather the website on the back was how you made/ordered it? My sister would love that.
It was such an odd one that I decided to write to her. Today, she replied. An interesting thing to note is she sent me a greeting card. It is pink and had a cute kitten on it. The card says: "Purrfect Peace to You" and in the back there is a bit of scripture and a message about how "Pets are God's lovable creatures. We hope these furry friends brighten your day and bring a smile to your face!"
***
[Inside card]
Dear Kelly,
It was nice to hear from you. I appreciate your taking the time to write. Unfortunately, what you saw on TV was not my story--but that of people who don't know me or care to know the truth. I'm sure you noticed my family, friends and I neglected to participate. That has always been the case. Media can't be trusted to get it right. From the start they misquited my family and friends so no one entertains them. We all figure if we dn't say anything at all--it gives them nothing to twist. Perhaps one day I'll talk to someone but I assure you it will be special circumstances. Enough of that--My family and I didn't watch it and I don't even want to write about it except to say this:
I'm sorry--the person on TV wasn't really who I am-hopefully if we become "pen-pals" you'll get to know me. Since I didn't view it-I'm not at all sure about what they had to say---but please don't allow that to be your first impression of me.
Let me tell you a bit about myself... (contintued on paper)
[The inscription on the inside of the cards says: "You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in You, who thoughts are fixed on You!" ISAIAH 26:3 NLT
[continued on green lined post-it type paper that has a picture of a little yellow chicken on it that says: PUT SPRING IN YOUR STEP!)
New York--cool--my favorite. In my opinioin it's the best city in teh world. I've always wanted to live there--since I was a little girl. Born in upstate NY and raised in Pennsylvania--my family frequeted the city 2-3 times a year.
As I grew older, I kept the tradition going. I could tell you the address of every single Coach store. That would be my weakness. :) I have remarried and my husband is also from NY (still has some family there) -- I's the first place we want to visit when I get out of here.
What part of NY are you from?
I'd love to hear some NY stories---maybe even see some pictures and travel down memory lane.
I am 39-just had my birthday last week. I am married & will celebrate my 6th anniversary this fall. My husband's name is Paul Kontz (so if you write back please address it to Ann Kontz--I am in the system as Ann Kontz.)
I have a 9 year old daughter who is the most beautiful little girl in the world. She is naturally joy-filled and she has a compassionate spirit. I have a 24 year old step-daughter about to get married. My daughter lives with my sister (of which I have two.)0
Prior to prison-I enjoyed jogging, water-skiing and traveling. Now my hobbies are walking (because we can't run) reading and Pilates/yoga.
Well-I'll close for now.
I pray you'll decide to write back adn I'll share more in my next letter.
God Bless,
Ann
P.S. The card was awesome. I gather the website on the back was how you made/ordered it? My sister would love that.
Letters from the Inside, Sarah Jo Pender, #3
Dear Kelly,
Thanks for your letter and enclosed articles. I got quite a kick out of them. I was surprised that a newspaper would publish articles with words like "fuck" and "ass." You must remember I am from the Midwest where all of our newspapers are Republican owned and still contain a daily Christian prayer. Of course I know that NY is a blue state and about a decade ahead of Indiana in just about any progressive category besides pig farming and hybrid corn methods.
Thank you for the information about magazine/newspaper submissions. When I get a kickass excerpt written, I want to submit it to a few magazines for publication in order to raise awareness/marketing. It's a fun project and a neat adventure.
I'd be interested in the latest chronicles of your life. You've got the apartment, you're still self-employed, so are you working on the dating portion? Again? Seems likely since you were home on Valentine's Day to see me on television. What on earth makes you interested in America's Most Wanted? You even mention it in an article from 2007. I guess I don't get what allure television has, unless you're stuck indoors and need to check out of reality for a while. But there's no learning value in AMW. It's not like the Food Network or the History Channel where there's some intrinsic value to their programs. And it doesn't provide laughter or joy. So what's in it for you? A way to live vicariously through the stories of others? Does it turn you on? Make you sick? What's so exciting about it?
Your questions:
I'm in lock down for one year from the day I arrived, so my official outdate to go back to open population is 12/20/09. Five days before Christmas. What a present, huh? It's possible if I'm good, a real, real good girl, that they may let me out a month early. But the flipside of it is that even if I'm a perfect angel, they could make one stay in lock longer, just because they can say I'm a threat to the safety and security of the facility. I've never dealth with these administrators before, so I don't know if they are fair-minded or slyly sadistic.
We shall see.
Yes, I have a few friends here, but most of them are at Rockville, the prison I escaped from. This prison is about 1/3 of the size of Rockville and has a different breed of offenders and staff. At Rockville most of the staff and officers are white country bred folks or from Terre Haute nearby. Some are racist, some are ignorant, most are pretty laid back and run a slower pace. It seems the staff here are a bit more highstrung and the racial profile of staff better matches the population, but I have a limited interaction with them. I figure I have an ugly stigma to overcome when I get down, and here, none of the officers know me, so it's like starting all over. At least at Rockville they know my character and what to expect from me. I'm not complaining, I know I did it to myself.
That's a big obstacle I have, both in here and out there. When I watched one of the AMW episodes (I did not care to see myself on tV) it was like watching someone else. They completely manipulated facts and desecreated my character. Especially after I was caught. They edited out the real message I was attempting to send, and sent that nancy faggot Joe Lieberman to talk to me like a total douchebag. "Let's poke sticks at Sarah Pender and see if she'll Jap out." That should've been the trailer of the episode.
Anyway, people see what they want to see through filters. It's goign to take a while of being good and positive before peopel change their mind. What's sad is that when I'm nice and good, they think its an act of manipulation. It never fucking occurs to them that I'm simply a nice person, well mannered, and well behaved that chose to do a few things out of character when put in a desperate situation. They believe I am a piece of crap because they want me to be a piece of crap.
How sad.
Our media has that much power over people.
That scares me more than all the murderers, robbers, thiefs, and prostitutes I'm locked up with.
So I'm making it my problem to deal with. It's natural for me to be good and well behaved, so the next step is publishing a book with both literary and social merit. And I go upwards from there, climbing the mountain of crap, heading for fresher and fresher air. It I can transform how a few people think along the way, then rock on!
Oh. Before I forget, I like your article on the Ball of Lint Theory. Here's a thought: Think of what you did for Mr. Ball of Lint's self-esteem. To land a beautiful and fun girlfriend (even if he never got laid) surely boosted his ego. Maybe you permanently enhanced his self image. Unless he read your article and figure he he was the Ball of Lint. Then you probably crushed his feelings and gave him a complex or social anxiety disorder or something. Oh, you're bad.
Are you dating now? do you still blog about it?
What made you write me? And have you ever written someone you saw on TV or AMW before? For some reason it seems an absurd thing to do, and at the same time, fun and ballsy. I dig it. Live in the moment, damn it. Soak up the excitement of life.
I'm listening to the BBC News and hearing the war crimes trial is starting today for the genocide of 1.7 million people 30 years ago. Wow, I can't imagine being in a country like Cambodia. I actually met a guy named Joe from Cambodia on night in a Chicago bar, and the most meaningful information I gleaned from him was that in Cambodia there was a feeling of peace and free love. Basically he drank and fucked a lot.
You told me to remind you to tell me about a book proposal.
I need to get to bed. It's cold in here, so I'll likely cuddle up to the ancient radiator. It's the best substitute for a warm body I got. :-( My butt is numb. Night night.
--Sarah
Thanks for your letter and enclosed articles. I got quite a kick out of them. I was surprised that a newspaper would publish articles with words like "fuck" and "ass." You must remember I am from the Midwest where all of our newspapers are Republican owned and still contain a daily Christian prayer. Of course I know that NY is a blue state and about a decade ahead of Indiana in just about any progressive category besides pig farming and hybrid corn methods.
Thank you for the information about magazine/newspaper submissions. When I get a kickass excerpt written, I want to submit it to a few magazines for publication in order to raise awareness/marketing. It's a fun project and a neat adventure.
I'd be interested in the latest chronicles of your life. You've got the apartment, you're still self-employed, so are you working on the dating portion? Again? Seems likely since you were home on Valentine's Day to see me on television. What on earth makes you interested in America's Most Wanted? You even mention it in an article from 2007. I guess I don't get what allure television has, unless you're stuck indoors and need to check out of reality for a while. But there's no learning value in AMW. It's not like the Food Network or the History Channel where there's some intrinsic value to their programs. And it doesn't provide laughter or joy. So what's in it for you? A way to live vicariously through the stories of others? Does it turn you on? Make you sick? What's so exciting about it?
Your questions:
I'm in lock down for one year from the day I arrived, so my official outdate to go back to open population is 12/20/09. Five days before Christmas. What a present, huh? It's possible if I'm good, a real, real good girl, that they may let me out a month early. But the flipside of it is that even if I'm a perfect angel, they could make one stay in lock longer, just because they can say I'm a threat to the safety and security of the facility. I've never dealth with these administrators before, so I don't know if they are fair-minded or slyly sadistic.
We shall see.
Yes, I have a few friends here, but most of them are at Rockville, the prison I escaped from. This prison is about 1/3 of the size of Rockville and has a different breed of offenders and staff. At Rockville most of the staff and officers are white country bred folks or from Terre Haute nearby. Some are racist, some are ignorant, most are pretty laid back and run a slower pace. It seems the staff here are a bit more highstrung and the racial profile of staff better matches the population, but I have a limited interaction with them. I figure I have an ugly stigma to overcome when I get down, and here, none of the officers know me, so it's like starting all over. At least at Rockville they know my character and what to expect from me. I'm not complaining, I know I did it to myself.
That's a big obstacle I have, both in here and out there. When I watched one of the AMW episodes (I did not care to see myself on tV) it was like watching someone else. They completely manipulated facts and desecreated my character. Especially after I was caught. They edited out the real message I was attempting to send, and sent that nancy faggot Joe Lieberman to talk to me like a total douchebag. "Let's poke sticks at Sarah Pender and see if she'll Jap out." That should've been the trailer of the episode.
Anyway, people see what they want to see through filters. It's goign to take a while of being good and positive before peopel change their mind. What's sad is that when I'm nice and good, they think its an act of manipulation. It never fucking occurs to them that I'm simply a nice person, well mannered, and well behaved that chose to do a few things out of character when put in a desperate situation. They believe I am a piece of crap because they want me to be a piece of crap.
How sad.
Our media has that much power over people.
That scares me more than all the murderers, robbers, thiefs, and prostitutes I'm locked up with.
So I'm making it my problem to deal with. It's natural for me to be good and well behaved, so the next step is publishing a book with both literary and social merit. And I go upwards from there, climbing the mountain of crap, heading for fresher and fresher air. It I can transform how a few people think along the way, then rock on!
Oh. Before I forget, I like your article on the Ball of Lint Theory. Here's a thought: Think of what you did for Mr. Ball of Lint's self-esteem. To land a beautiful and fun girlfriend (even if he never got laid) surely boosted his ego. Maybe you permanently enhanced his self image. Unless he read your article and figure he he was the Ball of Lint. Then you probably crushed his feelings and gave him a complex or social anxiety disorder or something. Oh, you're bad.
Are you dating now? do you still blog about it?
What made you write me? And have you ever written someone you saw on TV or AMW before? For some reason it seems an absurd thing to do, and at the same time, fun and ballsy. I dig it. Live in the moment, damn it. Soak up the excitement of life.
I'm listening to the BBC News and hearing the war crimes trial is starting today for the genocide of 1.7 million people 30 years ago. Wow, I can't imagine being in a country like Cambodia. I actually met a guy named Joe from Cambodia on night in a Chicago bar, and the most meaningful information I gleaned from him was that in Cambodia there was a feeling of peace and free love. Basically he drank and fucked a lot.
You told me to remind you to tell me about a book proposal.
I need to get to bed. It's cold in here, so I'll likely cuddle up to the ancient radiator. It's the best substitute for a warm body I got. :-( My butt is numb. Night night.
--Sarah
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #7
Hi KK---
Please excuse my use of pencil* today. My "good pen" has died-but its replacements should arrive tomorrow. Before getting to the latest revelation regarding Ms. Richardson's untimely death, let me comment on your always enjoyable column "OUTSIDE THE BOX":
>Calling All Kellys!: Question: Were you really fired in 'l5 for having a blog? That sounds a bit extreme. Seems as though there should be a federal law or something! You mentioned "co-workers" and an office" - do is it a wild guess that you started your own business after that?
Your take on the Craigslist ads and your responses was outstanding! The only saving grace for the male of the species is that a male Kelly would have received similar inane & "clever" responses from females out there. "Kelly Kelly" - wife of Raymond Kelly--so clever...
"Live Three or Die: I'm betting this column hit home with lots of folks. Who among us (me included) have not used a number or number of actions to try to bring luck or ward off the bad, OR to counteract a perceived negative vibe from whatever.
This column really reflected the "Sex and the City on steroids" attitude that you mentioned when you first mentioned the column. So funny:-)
The paragraph about dates "to the right of you" reminded me of that "Seinfeld" episode where both George & Jerry can't "make a move" unless they are on a certain side of their date.
So-thanks for those. I should tell you that, given the situation, I do a lot of reading but clearly not many Internet columns or blogs, etc. So I really enjoy & appreciate your smart columns filled with attitude & sass & humor.
...
Now to a more serious topic. Earlier today I heard a report that the transcripts of Natasha Richardson's ambulance ride have been leaked or released. They supposedly show that she was disoriented ++ while "en route." It wasn't clear whether this was in the ambulance going from the resort to the local hospital or the ambulance that reportedly took her from that hospital to the medical/trauma center in Montreal. But let's consider both possibilities:
#1: Resort to local hospital: Since there was a lucid interval after her head injury--any paramedic or ER nurse or ER physician would be totally cognizant that an epidural hematoma was a distinct possibility. The lucid interval is virtually pathognomonic of the presence of an epidural hematoma-which is almost always fatal unless treated NOW.
So: If this was known in the first ambulance, and the history of the lucid interval- then the patients needs only two things--an urgent CT scan and/or surgery to evacuate the epidural hematoma (more on that in a minute) -burr holes.
If the local hospital had a CT scanner--then it could have done the scan--and any surgeon (or competent ER doc) could have immediately done burr holes--full patient recovery.
If there was no CT scanner--the local hospital should have been bypassed and she should have been taken immediately to the Montreal trauma center, which is reported to have been 50 miles away.
Again--upon arrival--emergency CT scan and immediate surgery.
#2 If her symptoms were present during the second ambulance ride--actually even better--full trauma center less than an hour away with the patient still conscious but disoriented. CT/Surgery/Recovery.
A few more points:
>From the moment the history of the heady injury & lucid interval was discovered--the entire EMS system should have been focused on ruling in or out an epidural hematoma.
> Once an epidural hematoma is seen--burr holes can be done quickly. They are actually not brain surgery. The CT Scan tells you where the blood clot is--you open the skin, drill the hole (usually three close together) - and there is the clot-lying above the dura that covers the brain (hence the term "epidural"). You suck it out---problem solved--pressure on the brain is relieved.
>Here is the real kicker: You don't need a neurosurgeon to do burr holes. Any general surgeon knows how to do them/Most ER physicians today know how as well.
>And finally you don't even need a CT Scan. If the symptoms are there, and the patient is worsening, you can do burr holes in the most likely spots.
When I was in Africa--with no CT scanner, within almost an entire nation--we did burr holes on many patients after accidents or falls. Saved quite a few. If there is no epidural hematoma-no problem. Burr holes cause no lasting damage--you plug them up and move on.
Like I said before--no one in an industrialized, medically sophisticated first world country should die of an epidural hematoma--assuming they enter the EMS/hospital system in time.
If the first hospital wasted valuable time or if the Montreal hospital did not immediately scan & operate there may be one more thing in play : The fact that she was a celebrity and sometimes hospitals & doctors are afraid of aggressively treating such a patient--especially when they can "turf" the celebrity to a larger hospital or to the U.S. "home hospital."
True Story: March 1981-Reagan is shot in Washington D.C. He is taken to George Washington University Hospital--where is is treated exactly as if he were a crack addict shot during a robbery. His chest wound was much more serious than initially--and he could easily have died had in not received the standard trauma care for his wound.
The bottom line of my mad medical rant is this: There may be valid reasons why Ms. Richardson died--unavoidable reasons--BUT IF NOT, then this is a HUGE story.
Please tell me that someone is in Canada tracking down every detail of exactly what happened-from the moment of her injury to her removal on life support.
And if they aren't, when do you leave? I just assume that you know people on the major newspapers & know if they are working on this.
***
Recently finished re-watching the first season of "LOST." Appreciated the writing & complexity & intricate flashbacks even more the second time around. Remember the scene [early II I think] where Desmond is now walking in the Dharma station with the computer, and he asks his coworker about the previous worker. The coworker points to the stain on the ceiling and says "that's Radzinsky." "He blew his brains out."
Flash Back (and forward!) to the current Season V, which is taking place at the Dharma Initiative in the 1970s. Now we see Radzinsky-a Dharma architect who built several of the stations.
You are totally right on "PRIMER". It is "nerdy and hard to follow," and tedious early on. But...Virtually every film or TV Show ever made about time travel involves saving the world or time jumps of millenia or centuries or killing Hitler, etc. This film is about time travel of 22 hours set in an industrial park & self-storage facility! Really Original--too bad his budget was only $7,000~
I love discussing books & films & plays & music--perhaps even more so when people disagree. Taste and "liking" the arts is such a subjective thing, isn't it?! Especially music and comedy.
Last year during the TV strike, CBS showed the first season of "Dexter". From what was reported, the CBS version was almost identical to the SHOWTIME version. Extremely entertaining; and again, very original. Also, of course, jet black in mood & plot.
Like the other shows we've touched on ("LOST", etc.) --the writing is simply brilliant. The character of Dexter is unique on TV so far as I know.
Definitely a show we could discuss. Let me know what you think. Like most good films or TV-the "lesser" characters are as good as the leads: in "Dexter", his girlfriend is pitch perfect played by (I think) Julia Benz.
Must wrap this up, but one comment on Africa that I think is important and we can of course discuss in much more detail: No one in the United States can possibly appreciate the breadth & devastation of the AIDS pandemic, if they have not seen ground zero in Africa. I worked in four nations there-imagine 30% infection rate-no AIDS drugs-babies routinely born with HIV- and women forced to have unprotected vaginal and anal sex with their infected husbands.
Even the worst days in San Francisco General in the mid and late 1980s pale in comparison.
With my obsession with Ms. Richardson's treatment & outcome temporarily abated by sharing with you--I promise more on Africa (wasn't all gloom & doom) and what I can tell you about my time here & what brought it about.
Write when you can, KK/Send anything else you've written, and anything else you think I might find interesting.
Take care and talk to you soon.
Michael
*My God-Pencil plus snail mail. Doesn't that equal the Nineteenth Century?
Please excuse my use of pencil* today. My "good pen" has died-but its replacements should arrive tomorrow. Before getting to the latest revelation regarding Ms. Richardson's untimely death, let me comment on your always enjoyable column "OUTSIDE THE BOX":
>Calling All Kellys!: Question: Were you really fired in 'l5 for having a blog? That sounds a bit extreme. Seems as though there should be a federal law or something! You mentioned "co-workers" and an office" - do is it a wild guess that you started your own business after that?
Your take on the Craigslist ads and your responses was outstanding! The only saving grace for the male of the species is that a male Kelly would have received similar inane & "clever" responses from females out there. "Kelly Kelly" - wife of Raymond Kelly--so clever...
"Live Three or Die: I'm betting this column hit home with lots of folks. Who among us (me included) have not used a number or number of actions to try to bring luck or ward off the bad, OR to counteract a perceived negative vibe from whatever.
This column really reflected the "Sex and the City on steroids" attitude that you mentioned when you first mentioned the column. So funny:-)
The paragraph about dates "to the right of you" reminded me of that "Seinfeld" episode where both George & Jerry can't "make a move" unless they are on a certain side of their date.
So-thanks for those. I should tell you that, given the situation, I do a lot of reading but clearly not many Internet columns or blogs, etc. So I really enjoy & appreciate your smart columns filled with attitude & sass & humor.
...
Now to a more serious topic. Earlier today I heard a report that the transcripts of Natasha Richardson's ambulance ride have been leaked or released. They supposedly show that she was disoriented ++ while "en route." It wasn't clear whether this was in the ambulance going from the resort to the local hospital or the ambulance that reportedly took her from that hospital to the medical/trauma center in Montreal. But let's consider both possibilities:
#1: Resort to local hospital: Since there was a lucid interval after her head injury--any paramedic or ER nurse or ER physician would be totally cognizant that an epidural hematoma was a distinct possibility. The lucid interval is virtually pathognomonic of the presence of an epidural hematoma-which is almost always fatal unless treated NOW.
So: If this was known in the first ambulance, and the history of the lucid interval- then the patients needs only two things--an urgent CT scan and/or surgery to evacuate the epidural hematoma (more on that in a minute) -burr holes.
If the local hospital had a CT scanner--then it could have done the scan--and any surgeon (or competent ER doc) could have immediately done burr holes--full patient recovery.
If there was no CT scanner--the local hospital should have been bypassed and she should have been taken immediately to the Montreal trauma center, which is reported to have been 50 miles away.
Again--upon arrival--emergency CT scan and immediate surgery.
#2 If her symptoms were present during the second ambulance ride--actually even better--full trauma center less than an hour away with the patient still conscious but disoriented. CT/Surgery/Recovery.
A few more points:
>From the moment the history of the heady injury & lucid interval was discovered--the entire EMS system should have been focused on ruling in or out an epidural hematoma.
> Once an epidural hematoma is seen--burr holes can be done quickly. They are actually not brain surgery. The CT Scan tells you where the blood clot is--you open the skin, drill the hole (usually three close together) - and there is the clot-lying above the dura that covers the brain (hence the term "epidural"). You suck it out---problem solved--pressure on the brain is relieved.
>Here is the real kicker: You don't need a neurosurgeon to do burr holes. Any general surgeon knows how to do them/Most ER physicians today know how as well.
>And finally you don't even need a CT Scan. If the symptoms are there, and the patient is worsening, you can do burr holes in the most likely spots.
When I was in Africa--with no CT scanner, within almost an entire nation--we did burr holes on many patients after accidents or falls. Saved quite a few. If there is no epidural hematoma-no problem. Burr holes cause no lasting damage--you plug them up and move on.
Like I said before--no one in an industrialized, medically sophisticated first world country should die of an epidural hematoma--assuming they enter the EMS/hospital system in time.
If the first hospital wasted valuable time or if the Montreal hospital did not immediately scan & operate there may be one more thing in play : The fact that she was a celebrity and sometimes hospitals & doctors are afraid of aggressively treating such a patient--especially when they can "turf" the celebrity to a larger hospital or to the U.S. "home hospital."
True Story: March 1981-Reagan is shot in Washington D.C. He is taken to George Washington University Hospital--where is is treated exactly as if he were a crack addict shot during a robbery. His chest wound was much more serious than initially--and he could easily have died had in not received the standard trauma care for his wound.
The bottom line of my mad medical rant is this: There may be valid reasons why Ms. Richardson died--unavoidable reasons--BUT IF NOT, then this is a HUGE story.
Please tell me that someone is in Canada tracking down every detail of exactly what happened-from the moment of her injury to her removal on life support.
And if they aren't, when do you leave? I just assume that you know people on the major newspapers & know if they are working on this.
***
Recently finished re-watching the first season of "LOST." Appreciated the writing & complexity & intricate flashbacks even more the second time around. Remember the scene [early II I think] where Desmond is now walking in the Dharma station with the computer, and he asks his coworker about the previous worker. The coworker points to the stain on the ceiling and says "that's Radzinsky." "He blew his brains out."
Flash Back (and forward!) to the current Season V, which is taking place at the Dharma Initiative in the 1970s. Now we see Radzinsky-a Dharma architect who built several of the stations.
You are totally right on "PRIMER". It is "nerdy and hard to follow," and tedious early on. But...Virtually every film or TV Show ever made about time travel involves saving the world or time jumps of millenia or centuries or killing Hitler, etc. This film is about time travel of 22 hours set in an industrial park & self-storage facility! Really Original--too bad his budget was only $7,000~
I love discussing books & films & plays & music--perhaps even more so when people disagree. Taste and "liking" the arts is such a subjective thing, isn't it?! Especially music and comedy.
Last year during the TV strike, CBS showed the first season of "Dexter". From what was reported, the CBS version was almost identical to the SHOWTIME version. Extremely entertaining; and again, very original. Also, of course, jet black in mood & plot.
Like the other shows we've touched on ("LOST", etc.) --the writing is simply brilliant. The character of Dexter is unique on TV so far as I know.
Definitely a show we could discuss. Let me know what you think. Like most good films or TV-the "lesser" characters are as good as the leads: in "Dexter", his girlfriend is pitch perfect played by (I think) Julia Benz.
Must wrap this up, but one comment on Africa that I think is important and we can of course discuss in much more detail: No one in the United States can possibly appreciate the breadth & devastation of the AIDS pandemic, if they have not seen ground zero in Africa. I worked in four nations there-imagine 30% infection rate-no AIDS drugs-babies routinely born with HIV- and women forced to have unprotected vaginal and anal sex with their infected husbands.
Even the worst days in San Francisco General in the mid and late 1980s pale in comparison.
With my obsession with Ms. Richardson's treatment & outcome temporarily abated by sharing with you--I promise more on Africa (wasn't all gloom & doom) and what I can tell you about my time here & what brought it about.
Write when you can, KK/Send anything else you've written, and anything else you think I might find interesting.
Take care and talk to you soon.
Michael
*My God-Pencil plus snail mail. Doesn't that equal the Nineteenth Century?
Friday, April 3, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #6
Hi KK---
Where to begin? First-Received your letter earlier today [they always seem to arrive on a Thursday.], so once again let me write a relatively brief missive today so it goes out before the weekend---and then a second letter Sat/Sun when I have more time. However, with our largest snowstorm of the season moving in today, both
letters may not go out until Sunday night. We already have about 5" on the ground-but it's supposed to last until mid-morning tomorrow, so I'm sure we'll have a foot plus total. Two feet expected in the aptly named Wet Mountains to our southwest. And of course, like LaGuardia & Newark & JFK-Denver's DIA will be shut down until further notice.
Not surprising. March is actually the snowiest month in Colorado.
Now that I have unfortunately put you to sleep with the snail mail version of the Weather Channel :-)... let me wake you up with my strong suggestion for you or one of your journalistic colleagues to go to Canada, do the legwork & research, and lay bare the absolutely avoidable tragic death of Natasha Richardson.
I will expand significantly on this over the weekend, but the bottom line is this: In an industrialized first world country, with the best medical care & equipment & doctors in the world [U.S./Canada/UK/France/W. Europe/etc.]--NO ONE should die of an epidural hematoma. Some one or some place really messed up badly in Quebec--and Ms. Richardson is dead because of it.
If no one is actively working on this-someone needs to be
I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets what they've written or sent! However, it occurs to me that you may have only answered my first letter and not the second yet. I actually like having several letters going back & forth -- keeps things interesting!
You did send The Ball of Lint trade-up-column. Brilliantly done (it reminded me of the coyote ugly analogy.)
And you had also send me "Calling All Kellys!" Perfect for someone with one of those interesting first/last names.
Comments on that and "Live Three or Die" to follow.
Sorry your letter was cut short by your migraine. Just one glass of wine?! By the way, I love words & language (as I know you do, obviously)--thanks for letting me see "dastardly" used for the first time in a while!
Must get this in the mail now. Take care and talk to you soon. Longer letter to follow. Write when you can.
Where to begin? First-Received your letter earlier today [they always seem to arrive on a Thursday.], so once again let me write a relatively brief missive today so it goes out before the weekend---and then a second letter Sat/Sun when I have more time. However, with our largest snowstorm of the season moving in today, both
letters may not go out until Sunday night. We already have about 5" on the ground-but it's supposed to last until mid-morning tomorrow, so I'm sure we'll have a foot plus total. Two feet expected in the aptly named Wet Mountains to our southwest. And of course, like LaGuardia & Newark & JFK-Denver's DIA will be shut down until further notice.
Not surprising. March is actually the snowiest month in Colorado.
Now that I have unfortunately put you to sleep with the snail mail version of the Weather Channel :-)... let me wake you up with my strong suggestion for you or one of your journalistic colleagues to go to Canada, do the legwork & research, and lay bare the absolutely avoidable tragic death of Natasha Richardson.
I will expand significantly on this over the weekend, but the bottom line is this: In an industrialized first world country, with the best medical care & equipment & doctors in the world [U.S./Canada/UK/France/W. Europe/etc.]--NO ONE should die of an epidural hematoma. Some one or some place really messed up badly in Quebec--and Ms. Richardson is dead because of it.
If no one is actively working on this-someone needs to be
I'm glad I'm not the only one who forgets what they've written or sent! However, it occurs to me that you may have only answered my first letter and not the second yet. I actually like having several letters going back & forth -- keeps things interesting!
You did send The Ball of Lint trade-up-column. Brilliantly done (it reminded me of the coyote ugly analogy.)
And you had also send me "Calling All Kellys!" Perfect for someone with one of those interesting first/last names.
Comments on that and "Live Three or Die" to follow.
Sorry your letter was cut short by your migraine. Just one glass of wine?! By the way, I love words & language (as I know you do, obviously)--thanks for letting me see "dastardly" used for the first time in a while!
Must get this in the mail now. Take care and talk to you soon. Longer letter to follow. Write when you can.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Thomas Bart Whitaker, #3
Dear Kelly,
Howdy from the [unreadable.] Thank you for your rather complicated letter, which I received on the 12th. I should apologize for the delay in my response. I normally attempt to stay on top of my correspondence, but the Gods on top of Mt. Huntsville sent me down to the hospital for 2 weeks. I returned last night sans operation or any explanation for the little field trip. It was probably for the best, as I think it benefited me to have a few days to think about how to respond to your letter. I hope you will understand that I am not being condescending when I say that most people who write to me have shallow motives. I generally answer with inane chatter, if I answer at all. you present me with a whole different set of motivations, and inevitably expectations. On one hand, this pleases me, because I am seriously lacking in intelligent conversation. You seem to be a fascinating individual, and I do not use such words/adjectives lightly. The flip side of all of this is that you could do a colossal amount of fucking damage to my goals, which may or may not have something to do with saving my sorry hide. Humans have a nasty tendency to desire explanations which flow from A to Z almost instantly. More often however, elucidation comes via process--and that is what [unreadable] is about. It's never about where I am, but about where I was, and where I am going. My worry is that you are smart enough to sense the dislocation, and want more than I am willing to hand out. I guess the best place to start in your quest for "why" should be an easy one for most to comprehend, though most seem to have missed the bus entirely: don't' believe a word of the material reported in the media. When you discount the rosy, suburban paradise illusion paraded about by the media, it starts to make more sense. We are all a product of our environments. If there seems to be a disconnect between what is "known" about someone's past and their present behavior, one must logically assume that the data or the past is faulty. for fame or shame, I am exactly what I was built to be.
Enough of that for now. In your letter you mentioned that is was "hard to write about this because I'm scared I will offend you." Please Kelly, don't fret about this. My skin may just be a tad thicker than I have indicated online. I very much doubt you yet possess the data necessary to offend me. That is a two-way street, though, so know that if you open a door, I may step through it myself. I have a low tolerance for bullshit, intentional or otherwise.
On that note, an example: You say you are "neutral completely and offer no feelings about your crime or punishment." Really? NO feelings whatsoever? No deep, dark sentiments of "you reap what you sow", or casual revulsion about the fact that a few years from now, I will not be able to write you back, because I will be in the ground? I am fine with you sliding either direction on the scale, but I will not accept a middle ground. You have an opinion--if you did not, you would be something less than human and I've no desire to waste my words on plastic fake-men. Blast me if you want/need to--I'm fine with that. To prove it--I will permit you to copy/paste anything from these letters in your blog, with the hope that you will at least try to explain the content of the highlighted comments. What I mean by all of this, Kelly, is: be human to me. Friend, foe, whatever, but don't be neutral. All my life I've known indifferent people, and I am soul-sick with grey humanity. I secretly relish my hate mail, because at least these people care about something, even if their logic is cretinous beyond belief. In short; editorialize all you want..
By the way, I loved the story of what you did after being fired. Absolutely loved it. In the patois of my world, we would say you have heart. A giant middle finger aimed at fate and the status quo. I've always found it curious how willing most people are to be the victims of history, rather than the agents of it. Some deep sub-conscious understanding of the purposelessness of life? Whatever, you made lemonade out of lemons, which is noble in my context.
You seem to have a sort of prevailing theme in your letter about writing to understand why someone would engage in evil acts. Such reasons are as varied as humanity, Kelly. If you are asking in general terms, this is one of the great questions theology and philosophy have banded about for millenia. I'm afraid I no longer look to the heavens for a solution. I doubt very much the answer is even a simple one, but in general terms, the "evil" we do can be attributed to us being a broken, half-evolved species of mammals, with over-large adrenal glands and too-small frontal cortexes. I know this answer is cold and clinical. People tell me its not good enough. They want some metaphysical reason for their pain. And they call me a narcissist! What makes us so valuable to the cosmos that our falls much be ordained by great powers? I need no demons or devils to explain the SS, or why earthquakes kill whole villages. Such desires are always linked to our desire to give life some meaning, and to avoid the fear that this life might be all there is. I don't know what happened to you exactly. I can make guesses, based off what you've written. May I suggest to you, my potential friend, that you not spend too much time working out the mathematics of evil, and concentrate on living a life of purpose and happiness. Anyways, I'm sorry Columbia didn't work out. Sounds ridiculously expensive. I myself am a student once more. Not for my BA, alas. The prices for tuition keep going up, and every time they do, all of that gets further out of my reach. In the meantime, I've signed up for a 2-year paralegal course, which should only take me half as long. I'm already a month ahead of schedule. Not Columbia, certainly, but it is enjoyable to be tested. I feel as if my brain has been in a state of atrophy, for a long time.
Jesus, you really fried your ex, didn't you? Hope I never get on your bad side. [Ed.: I sent him my column where I interviewed Wm. about living in his office.] Ain't love grand? I thin it was Donne who said, "tis better to have loved and lost..." etc. etc. I've been in love and lost, and my response to him would be to dig up his sorry corpse and punch him in his lying jaw. Well, maybe not, as that seems to entail a lot of work, but you get my point.
Well, I hope this finds you well, Kelly. It's 74 degrees F outside right now, so maybe it will soon be warm enough for you to fight over the pool seats again. :-) Can't believe you have your own stamp. Pretty cool. [Ed.: I have postage stamps with my picture on them.]
---Not that cool,
T
Howdy from the [unreadable.] Thank you for your rather complicated letter, which I received on the 12th. I should apologize for the delay in my response. I normally attempt to stay on top of my correspondence, but the Gods on top of Mt. Huntsville sent me down to the hospital for 2 weeks. I returned last night sans operation or any explanation for the little field trip. It was probably for the best, as I think it benefited me to have a few days to think about how to respond to your letter. I hope you will understand that I am not being condescending when I say that most people who write to me have shallow motives. I generally answer with inane chatter, if I answer at all. you present me with a whole different set of motivations, and inevitably expectations. On one hand, this pleases me, because I am seriously lacking in intelligent conversation. You seem to be a fascinating individual, and I do not use such words/adjectives lightly. The flip side of all of this is that you could do a colossal amount of fucking damage to my goals, which may or may not have something to do with saving my sorry hide. Humans have a nasty tendency to desire explanations which flow from A to Z almost instantly. More often however, elucidation comes via process--and that is what [unreadable] is about. It's never about where I am, but about where I was, and where I am going. My worry is that you are smart enough to sense the dislocation, and want more than I am willing to hand out. I guess the best place to start in your quest for "why" should be an easy one for most to comprehend, though most seem to have missed the bus entirely: don't' believe a word of the material reported in the media. When you discount the rosy, suburban paradise illusion paraded about by the media, it starts to make more sense. We are all a product of our environments. If there seems to be a disconnect between what is "known" about someone's past and their present behavior, one must logically assume that the data or the past is faulty. for fame or shame, I am exactly what I was built to be.
Enough of that for now. In your letter you mentioned that is was "hard to write about this because I'm scared I will offend you." Please Kelly, don't fret about this. My skin may just be a tad thicker than I have indicated online. I very much doubt you yet possess the data necessary to offend me. That is a two-way street, though, so know that if you open a door, I may step through it myself. I have a low tolerance for bullshit, intentional or otherwise.
On that note, an example: You say you are "neutral completely and offer no feelings about your crime or punishment." Really? NO feelings whatsoever? No deep, dark sentiments of "you reap what you sow", or casual revulsion about the fact that a few years from now, I will not be able to write you back, because I will be in the ground? I am fine with you sliding either direction on the scale, but I will not accept a middle ground. You have an opinion--if you did not, you would be something less than human and I've no desire to waste my words on plastic fake-men. Blast me if you want/need to--I'm fine with that. To prove it--I will permit you to copy/paste anything from these letters in your blog, with the hope that you will at least try to explain the content of the highlighted comments. What I mean by all of this, Kelly, is: be human to me. Friend, foe, whatever, but don't be neutral. All my life I've known indifferent people, and I am soul-sick with grey humanity. I secretly relish my hate mail, because at least these people care about something, even if their logic is cretinous beyond belief. In short; editorialize all you want..
By the way, I loved the story of what you did after being fired. Absolutely loved it. In the patois of my world, we would say you have heart. A giant middle finger aimed at fate and the status quo. I've always found it curious how willing most people are to be the victims of history, rather than the agents of it. Some deep sub-conscious understanding of the purposelessness of life? Whatever, you made lemonade out of lemons, which is noble in my context.
You seem to have a sort of prevailing theme in your letter about writing to understand why someone would engage in evil acts. Such reasons are as varied as humanity, Kelly. If you are asking in general terms, this is one of the great questions theology and philosophy have banded about for millenia. I'm afraid I no longer look to the heavens for a solution. I doubt very much the answer is even a simple one, but in general terms, the "evil" we do can be attributed to us being a broken, half-evolved species of mammals, with over-large adrenal glands and too-small frontal cortexes. I know this answer is cold and clinical. People tell me its not good enough. They want some metaphysical reason for their pain. And they call me a narcissist! What makes us so valuable to the cosmos that our falls much be ordained by great powers? I need no demons or devils to explain the SS, or why earthquakes kill whole villages. Such desires are always linked to our desire to give life some meaning, and to avoid the fear that this life might be all there is. I don't know what happened to you exactly. I can make guesses, based off what you've written. May I suggest to you, my potential friend, that you not spend too much time working out the mathematics of evil, and concentrate on living a life of purpose and happiness. Anyways, I'm sorry Columbia didn't work out. Sounds ridiculously expensive. I myself am a student once more. Not for my BA, alas. The prices for tuition keep going up, and every time they do, all of that gets further out of my reach. In the meantime, I've signed up for a 2-year paralegal course, which should only take me half as long. I'm already a month ahead of schedule. Not Columbia, certainly, but it is enjoyable to be tested. I feel as if my brain has been in a state of atrophy, for a long time.
Jesus, you really fried your ex, didn't you? Hope I never get on your bad side. [Ed.: I sent him my column where I interviewed Wm. about living in his office.] Ain't love grand? I thin it was Donne who said, "tis better to have loved and lost..." etc. etc. I've been in love and lost, and my response to him would be to dig up his sorry corpse and punch him in his lying jaw. Well, maybe not, as that seems to entail a lot of work, but you get my point.
Well, I hope this finds you well, Kelly. It's 74 degrees F outside right now, so maybe it will soon be warm enough for you to fight over the pool seats again. :-) Can't believe you have your own stamp. Pretty cool. [Ed.: I have postage stamps with my picture on them.]
---Not that cool,
T
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Letters from the Inside, Michael Swango, #5
Dear KK---
Continuing with "Part 2" of this letter: Before I forget, I wanted to mention a couple of films to you on your radar screen (although it's clear to me you don't miss much!):
>"SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK": came out on DVD today. That is, or course, the extremely strange & offbeat film by director Charlie Kaufman, who wrote "Being John Malkovich" & "Adaptation." I was able to read the amazingly glowing review by Manohla Dargis from the Times; but I also saw & heard numerous commentaries just ripping the film to shreds.
With its layer upon layer of complexity, it sounds like a film I might enjoy... but no one I know has actually seen it. So-like "PRIMER", ifyou are able to see it I would be very interested in your opinion. Thanks.
KK Ran across this mini-review ."Sunshine Cleaning": This film will inevitably draw comparisons to "Little Miss Sunshine" - for its cheery title, suicide jokes, dysfunctional family, and casting of Alan Arkin. But in place of children's pageants, "Cleaning" immerses us in the world of human-remains removal. It's the story of Rose Lorkowski [Amy Adams], who, with the help of her sister [Emily Blunt], trade in her maid-on-wheels gig for a more lucrative (and stomach-turning) job cleaning blood and guts from crime scenes. The morbid work helps the women wash way some emotional residue of their own family tragedies, but what's most memorable about the film is it's visceral joys: a surprisingly complex performance from Clifton Collins Jr. ["Capote"] as a one-armed store clerk and scenes about botched biohazard disposal and dried brain matter. There's a lot of heart to "Sunshine Cleaning", and luckily, plenty of blood to keep it beating." --David Walters
Now back to your letter & highly entertaining columns:
>Your first questions was about answering letters I receive. As mentioned when I first wrote back to you--only, a few. To be honest, I think lots of people in the e-mail, IM, text world of today have extreme difficulty trying to communicating via written or typed letters. Two relatives with whom I maintain regular [albeit fairly boring:-)] correspondence tell me that the only personal letters they receive are from me , and the only letters they write and mail are to me. One told me this way he could teach his son how to write letters when he's old enough, in case the technique & knowledge goes the way of the 8-Track and the Videotape!
However, the exception are the occasional academic requests for input on various topics. Since keeping one's mind, brain & memory operating at peak efficiency is always challenging under any circumstances,--but more particularly here--I always try to respond, whenever possible. [i.e.--a nursing graduate student writing a practicum paper on workplace conflict; a physician writing a book on tropical medicine.]
Anyway, there you have it, since you asked! Now back to your letter--with its wide range of interests many of which mirror my own...
One more comment on a show we both agree has some of the best writing on Television-"LOST". I mentioned that you see things on second viewing that suddenly make total sense based on the whole series. Example: Alpert [the "Other" who never ages] witnesses John Locke's birth in California in 1956, and returns to see him when he is 6 or 7. We have no idea precisely why. Then this season, with the Island's & Locke's time travel, we discover that Locke visited Alpert's camp on the island in 1954 when the H-bomb was leaking...as an adult...and he told Alpert that he was actually born in 1956. And then Locke vanished in a flash.
MICKEY ROURKE: I was also disappointed that he did not win the Oscar. I think Sean Penn's win was influenced by the unexpected defeat of Proposition 8 in California, and the current case before the California Supreme Court.
In any event--I hope this means many more roles for Mr. Rourke in future, serious films.
I have read some fantastic reviews of the film you mentioned: "TWO LOVERS"--sort of a minimalist romantic tragedy stripped of all the usual Hollywood claptrap. Paltrow tends to choose her roles carefully, so I am not surprised at her involvement in what sounds like a very good film. Tell me a bit more about it when you have the time. And if I do see it, I promise a full commentary!
Not sure if I mentioned that "The Graduate" was just shown again a few weeks ago. It has been years since I had watched it. "Lost in Translation" -- Agree. Fascinating film with Bill Murray, Scarlett Johannson. Only saw it once, however. Will watch again at some point.
"Pretty Woman"-- I did like the songs by Roxette!
As with "PRIMER", will be interested in your take on "SAVE THE TIGER" when you get a chance to see it.
And a final film note: Just last week saw "CHINATOWN" again--Polanski's masterpiece.
By now, you know I could talk about movies in detail with someone like you for hours & hours! "Mephisto", "The Servant", "Angels and Insects"... These and many more in future letters...
AFRICA & other places: I need to devote a full letter(s) to those details that really tell the story, and I promise I will-- but let me mention three things touched on in my last letter:
>Egypt: Like a total eclipse of the sun, the pyramids are something that should be seen in person, if at all possible, by everyone. Pictures & film simply do not convey the staggering historical immensity and sense of endless enduring time that one receives when standing in the desert next to these 5,000 year old eternal monuments.
>I am astonished anew every day now by new details of the total disintegration of the nation of Zimbabwe. I was there in the mid-late 1990s--and it was a highly functioning, safe nation with infrastructure & living conditions the envy of most of Africa.
Much to talk about re Zimbabwe if you are interested, including the stunning underestimated prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Forget the triple cocktail or any hope of viable treatment.
>Djibouti--Along with Delhi, India, one of the hottest & most humid places on earth. But when you feel the brutally hot wind off the Red Sea, you know you are in Africa.
I still haven't finished everything in your letter! I have no problems discussing the reasons & misjudgments & misadventures that put me here, I just have to avoid certain areas due to ongoing legal procedures, etc.
But will comment on it. Not "touchy" at all :)
However: Running short of time again--so let me comment on your dating column "OUTSIDE THE BOX": So funny, a unique take on the old "it takes a guy/girl to get a guy/girl.":
(Trust me, KK, I am not one of "those type" of correspondents. There is nothing I haven't done or seen, especially overseas--and whenever the topic of sex does come up, it is usually the most clinical, anatomical, boring way possible!)
[Ed. note: I'm not sure what he is referring to. There was no discussion with him of any sex-related topic.]
>"It was either him, the homeless or the incarcerated." KK! I take that personally!
> The "ball-of-lint" to "The House" with no transition. Like Jackie Chiles said in the Seinfeld finale: "Girl--you have a nickname for everyone!
Sorry "HW" didn't work out. But clearly he wasn't your type!
Really must get this in the mail within minutes. Will tie up loose ends in my next letter. Hope I haven't rambled on too ADD-like for your tastes. Still have your third column "Calling All Kellys!" Very original--will have a few comments.
So--write when you can. Hope the business is staying above water in this economy and again, feel free to send me more columns on a continuing basis and any and all blogs that you grace with your comments. No problem with content--send whatever!
Take care and stay safe.
Michael
P.S. I see the Madoff mea culpa is Thursday (3-12) He will no t like MCC-Manhattan.
Continuing with "Part 2" of this letter: Before I forget, I wanted to mention a couple of films to you on your radar screen (although it's clear to me you don't miss much!):
>"SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK": came out on DVD today. That is, or course, the extremely strange & offbeat film by director Charlie Kaufman, who wrote "Being John Malkovich" & "Adaptation." I was able to read the amazingly glowing review by Manohla Dargis from the Times; but I also saw & heard numerous commentaries just ripping the film to shreds.
With its layer upon layer of complexity, it sounds like a film I might enjoy... but no one I know has actually seen it. So-like "PRIMER", ifyou are able to see it I would be very interested in your opinion. Thanks.
KK Ran across this mini-review ."Sunshine Cleaning": This film will inevitably draw comparisons to "Little Miss Sunshine" - for its cheery title, suicide jokes, dysfunctional family, and casting of Alan Arkin. But in place of children's pageants, "Cleaning" immerses us in the world of human-remains removal. It's the story of Rose Lorkowski [Amy Adams], who, with the help of her sister [Emily Blunt], trade in her maid-on-wheels gig for a more lucrative (and stomach-turning) job cleaning blood and guts from crime scenes. The morbid work helps the women wash way some emotional residue of their own family tragedies, but what's most memorable about the film is it's visceral joys: a surprisingly complex performance from Clifton Collins Jr. ["Capote"] as a one-armed store clerk and scenes about botched biohazard disposal and dried brain matter. There's a lot of heart to "Sunshine Cleaning", and luckily, plenty of blood to keep it beating." --David Walters
Now back to your letter & highly entertaining columns:
>Your first questions was about answering letters I receive. As mentioned when I first wrote back to you--only, a few. To be honest, I think lots of people in the e-mail, IM, text world of today have extreme difficulty trying to communicating via written or typed letters. Two relatives with whom I maintain regular [albeit fairly boring:-)] correspondence tell me that the only personal letters they receive are from me , and the only letters they write and mail are to me. One told me this way he could teach his son how to write letters when he's old enough, in case the technique & knowledge goes the way of the 8-Track and the Videotape!
However, the exception are the occasional academic requests for input on various topics. Since keeping one's mind, brain & memory operating at peak efficiency is always challenging under any circumstances,--but more particularly here--I always try to respond, whenever possible. [i.e.--a nursing graduate student writing a practicum paper on workplace conflict; a physician writing a book on tropical medicine.]
Anyway, there you have it, since you asked! Now back to your letter--with its wide range of interests many of which mirror my own...
One more comment on a show we both agree has some of the best writing on Television-"LOST". I mentioned that you see things on second viewing that suddenly make total sense based on the whole series. Example: Alpert [the "Other" who never ages] witnesses John Locke's birth in California in 1956, and returns to see him when he is 6 or 7. We have no idea precisely why. Then this season, with the Island's & Locke's time travel, we discover that Locke visited Alpert's camp on the island in 1954 when the H-bomb was leaking...as an adult...and he told Alpert that he was actually born in 1956. And then Locke vanished in a flash.
MICKEY ROURKE: I was also disappointed that he did not win the Oscar. I think Sean Penn's win was influenced by the unexpected defeat of Proposition 8 in California, and the current case before the California Supreme Court.
In any event--I hope this means many more roles for Mr. Rourke in future, serious films.
I have read some fantastic reviews of the film you mentioned: "TWO LOVERS"--sort of a minimalist romantic tragedy stripped of all the usual Hollywood claptrap. Paltrow tends to choose her roles carefully, so I am not surprised at her involvement in what sounds like a very good film. Tell me a bit more about it when you have the time. And if I do see it, I promise a full commentary!
Not sure if I mentioned that "The Graduate" was just shown again a few weeks ago. It has been years since I had watched it. "Lost in Translation" -- Agree. Fascinating film with Bill Murray, Scarlett Johannson. Only saw it once, however. Will watch again at some point.
"Pretty Woman"-- I did like the songs by Roxette!
As with "PRIMER", will be interested in your take on "SAVE THE TIGER" when you get a chance to see it.
And a final film note: Just last week saw "CHINATOWN" again--Polanski's masterpiece.
By now, you know I could talk about movies in detail with someone like you for hours & hours! "Mephisto", "The Servant", "Angels and Insects"... These and many more in future letters...
AFRICA & other places: I need to devote a full letter(s) to those details that really tell the story, and I promise I will--
>Egypt: Like a total eclipse of the sun, the pyramids are something that should be seen in person, if at all possible, by everyone. Pictures & film simply do not convey the staggering historical immensity and sense of endless enduring time that one receives when standing in the desert next to these 5,000 year old eternal monuments.
>I am astonished anew every day now by new details of the total disintegration of the nation of Zimbabwe. I was there in the mid-late 1990s--and it was a highly functioning, safe nation with infrastructure & living conditions the envy of most of Africa.
Much to talk about re Zimbabwe if you are interested, including the stunning underestimated prevalence of HIV/AIDS. Forget the triple cocktail or any hope of viable treatment.
>Djibouti--Along with Delhi, India, one of the hottest & most humid places on earth. But when you feel the brutally hot wind off the Red Sea, you know you are in Africa.
I still haven't finished everything in your letter! I have no problems discussing the reasons & misjudgments & misadventures that put me here, I just have to avoid certain areas due to ongoing legal procedures, etc.
But will comment on it. Not "touchy" at all :)
However: Running short of time again--so let me comment on your dating column "OUTSIDE THE BOX": So funny, a unique take on the old "it takes a guy/girl to get a guy/girl.":
(Trust me, KK, I am not one of "those type" of correspondents. There is nothing I haven't done or seen, especially overseas--and whenever the topic of sex does come up, it is usually the most clinical, anatomical, boring way possible!)
[Ed. note: I'm not sure what he is referring to. There was no discussion with him of any sex-related topic.]
>"It was either him, the homeless or the incarcerated." KK! I take that personally!
> The "ball-of-lint" to "The House" with no transition. Like Jackie Chiles said in the Seinfeld finale: "Girl--you have a nickname for everyone!
Sorry "HW" didn't work out. But clearly he wasn't your type!
Really must get this in the mail within minutes. Will tie up loose ends in my next letter. Hope I haven't rambled on too ADD-like for your tastes. Still have your third column "Calling All Kellys!" Very original--will have a few comments.
So--write when you can. Hope the business is staying above water in this economy and again, feel free to send me more columns on a continuing basis and any and all blogs that you grace with your comments. No problem with content--send whatever!
Take care and stay safe.
Michael
P.S. I see the Madoff mea culpa is Thursday (3-12) He will no t like MCC-Manhattan.
