http://i49.photobucket.com/albums/f252/CanisD/Misc/IMG_0530.jpg Not content to just lay on the couch, my Golden, B.J., decided to borrow a pillow to make himself more comfortable.

My uncle was diagnosed with it in 2005, nearly died before they finally figured it out, lost almost half his body weight, kidneys started shutting down, the works. Spent a month in ICU while they tried to figure it why he was so sick. I'm also convinced it had a role in my mother's death last November. We kept telling the nursing home she had it as well but they refused to listen and then kept wondering why she was sick all the time. The fact that is was a crap-hole facility didn't help, but we didn't have any say in the matter thanks to the state of South Carolina's social services department.

Lost my right leg below the knee three years ago. No insurance and not a clue how to pay for a prosthetic. Been told to call a few places, like the Diabetes Association for help but all were dead ends and Soc Security hasn't been any help since they don't count you as disabled if the amputation is below the knee joint. Now, were I to win the lottery, I'd kill for a T-800 leg just to scare the kiddies, though having to polish it daily would be a chore!

You REALLY need to do the nerdist podcast. I shudder to think what would happen with you and Chris together, but whatever happens, it would be hilarious!

I was alone at home, sick as well. It was one of the coldest days here in South Carolina that I can remember. I was watching CNN as they prepared for the launch, back when they actually took more than a couple minutes out of their schedule to show a launch. As my Mom left for work she said "I hope they don't launch it today, I have a bad feeling." I'd watched enough launches that I knew something was wrong a couple of seconds before she blew as her attitude changed slightly as the SRB burned through. I can remember calling Mom at work soon after, just saying "it blew up!". Challenger is the only shuttle I've ever seen launch in person, back in '83 when Sally Ride went up for the first time. I was in Orlando at my Grandfather's house and even 40+ miles away it was like being at a rock concert. You could feel the sound literally vibrate your internal organs. When Challenger blew my Grandfather thought that the house had come off the foundation it was so loud. I've got mixed feelings about the end of the program. The shuttle is an incredible machine, but it was designed more than 30 years ago. It infuriates me how our government over the past quarter century has jerked us all around when it comes to the space program, announcing all sorts of new projects and goals, then short-changing them to the point of starvation, so no wonder we're in the mess we're in now. BTW, NASA newser on now is talking about another Atlantis launch next year as an add-on mission.

As die-hard BattleTech players we would quietly snicker at the silly card-gamers during the monthly game nights at the mall...then they came out with the BT card game. Leave it to Cruel Fate to expose our hypocrisy! We bought into it hook, line and sinker, though we did develop a version that used a map to assuage our guilt.