Well, I’m bored at work, don’t feel like working, and thought I would sit down to blog. Unfortunately, I discovered that I have nothing to blog about. So I decided I would blog about nothing; or, at least, about whatever came to mind.
I saw in the news today that they have uncovered King Herod’s tomb in Jerusalem. Yes, the same King Herod who is portrayed as a paranoid, jealous, baby-killer in the Gospel of Matthew. It’s interesting that no other Gospel or New Testament book mentions this singular event. Similarly, it cannot be verified through any known outside archaeological or historical source. Considering the writer of Matthew was writing to a Jewish audience, attempting to show them that Jesus was the prophesied Jewish Messiah, and attempting to show why Jesus was the one the Jews should be following as opposed to the established Jewish hierarchy, it is not hard to imagine that the writer of Matthew might have been exaggerating the truth to make this Jewish king look bad.
Herod, of course, was no saint, and I’m not here to suggest that he was. Secular records of the time showed that he did, indeed, frequently give death sentences to people he viewed as threats. One story says that on his deathbed, Herod ordered the execution of numerous Jewish dignitaries, to ensure that a sincere period of mourning followed his own death. Perhaps it was this sort of reputation, combined with Matthew’s agenda to show his Jewish audience why Jesus was the Messiah, that helped birth Matthew’s story of the massacre of the Jewish infants. Remember, also, that Jerusalem had fallen 10-15 years before Matthew’s gospel was written, and Herod and his descendents were a good target of blame for angry Jews.
On a different note, we had what was definitely our hardest test/comp of the year last night in my Rad 200 class. It was on the pelvis and upper limb. Not only was the comp very difficult, due to a lot of tube angles, convoluted positioning, and a large quantity of methods to learn, but the written test was difficult and convoluted as well. I came out of it unsure whether or not I got an A – which, as most of you know, means that I found it very, very hard.
As part of our written exam each week, we also have to critique various films, labeling landmarks, anatomy, and such. Our bonus film had one question: “What is the object on this film?” The film was an AP pelvis, showing all of the pelvic girdle and upper thighs. In the center of the pelvis, just above the pubic bone, was a long, narrow, white object that extended halfway up the sacrum. On its tip was a smaller projection that seemed to be broken off. At its base was a ring of some sort.
It was a rotating, vibrating dildo.
With a condom on it.
Stuck in someone's asshole.
Now, I don’t have a problem with the crazy stuff people like to do to get off. If a dildo in the rear is your thing, then great. But why would you stick it so far up that it got stuck? And why in the hell would you put a condom on it!? If someone else had just used it and you wanted to be safe – wash the fucking thing!
If you pay attention to my “Currently Reading” panel on the left side of the screen, you’ll know I’ve been reading the first couple of books of the Harry Potter series. I have had these books for 4 or 5 years, but was never that interested in reading them. I always figured I’d get around to it eventually. Well, I’ve gotten around to it, and I am totally hooked. I think these first two books are absolutely sublime. They are so comforting and warm and cozy. I love it!
Don’t worry, I won’t be turning up at Barnes & Noble at midnight in a cape, pointy hat, and funny glasses to buy the next one. But I am excited about reading the series now.
Melanie and I are 99.9% decided on moving to Cincinnati. We have been offered an opportunity to live in her grandparents’ house, which has been empty since last year, for a very low rent (renting from her Mom and aunt). I will have to commute to school, but Melanie will make a lot more money teaching up there, I can work part-time bartending or waiting tables, and we will have a lot of family close by to help with the kids. We’ve weighed all the pro’s and con’s, and it just seems like a no-brainer to go up there. We will only live in the house while I’m in school. After that, we may stay in Cincinnati, or we may come back this way. But right now, we’re just at the end of our rope with the kids and not having any close help, and we are financially strained like we have never been before. I have always been opposed to moving back up to Cincinnati, but because of the present circumstances, I am really excited about this, and I think it will be a good move for us. And who knows, maybe I’ll find that Cincinnati is not so bad after all.
6 comments:
Sounds like a trip to the 'Nati is the right move. Will you sell the house at Masterson? You'll love the rest of the Potter series. I've been in love with them for a while and movies do a great job as well. Azkaban is my favorite in the series which is up next for you. Enjoy. Are you sure it's baby-killer Herod and not mock God in my silver robe and then die on the spot Herod? Dildo...funny word.
When do you think you'll move?
Yes, we'll be selling the house. We have a realtor coming tomorrow night, in fact. It might be on the market by next week.
As for Herod, I should have linked the NY Times article. Yes, the archaeologists who have discovered the tomb believe it is Herod I, of New Testament fame. The tomb is located in exactly the spot where a 1st century historian recorded that Herod was buried -- somewhere near the Herodium, which I guess was a temple Herod built in Jerusalem.
E: We'll be moving this summer sometime. I'd like to do it in mid-June, when I am out for summer break from school (I have a 2.5 week period without school), but I don't know if we can swing it that soon.
Femur X-rays are still my least favorite. Too cumbersome, and hard to be efficient.
How did you do on the test?
And what schools have you looked into here?
Third shift is a great shift to see all those fun cases like your dildo one; eye liner pencils, ketchup bottles, miniature footballs, small mayonnaise jars, vacuum cleaner hoses, hampsters, etc...
You could even make out the letters on the mayonnaise jar.
And you hear the most creative stories about how they ended up with these things in certain places.
I meant to tell you that I enjoy your biblical research, by the way.
Oh, and Harry Potter rocks.
Glad you liked the biblical stuff. I find that stuff fascinating as well (obviously).
Yeah, femurs suck. I got a 98 on my comp (which, while still excellent, is my first comp with less than 100%...but I only got the 2 points off because I forgot to shield my patient's gonads :) )
The written portion of the test was difficult, and the films were very hard. I managed to eke out a 94%, however. But that was NOT the highest grade in the class, which may be a first for me :) Someone else got a 96. She also curved the test because so many people did so poorly...instead of 1.5 points per written question and .5 points per film landmark, she made all of them just worth 1 point. If she had graded like normal, I would have had a 90 instead of a 94. Still an A, but just barely. So that's definitely the closest I've come to not getting an A on something.
I think I would really enjoy working in the ER and/or third shift. Third shift suits my night owl demeanor, and I think the ER would be interesting and never dull.
Also, for my comp, I drew a Hughston Method axial patella, where the patient lays their foot on the collimator and you angle 45 degrees to the patellofemoral joint. So it wasn't exactly an easy comp -- which is why I got flustered and forgot to shield.
Post a Comment