WM3’s Neighborhood

It might surprise you, dear readers, to know that I rarely find joy in anything. Disappointment builds character and I am brimming with character. I am so used to hitting snags and being turned down and cold cocked with "NO" that some days I don't even try. I just wait for sleep and dread waking up. Today is not one of those days, my friends!

Jingle Bells

When I went home to Arkansas in September, one of my goals was to get my mother's copy of Christmas with the Mexicali Brass and take it back to Canada to do a phono to cd burn. Sure, it was scratchy and skippy and possibly unplayable...but I had to have that record. So, I ask mom and she points to the album sorter. You know the kind. Looks like it's made of clothes hanger wire and you slip a single album in each slot...So I furiously slide each album up looking for the Mexicali Brass and when I find it I squeel! Then I mutter, "sonofabitch." All album cover, no album. Mom says it's in there somewhere. Yeah, but where?

Today I was feeling kind of festive - getting out the wreath and stockings and all. I started thinking about that Mexicali Brass record and how much I would like to listen to it while I decorate or make cookies...just like when I was little. My mom would hit the egg nog and before too long we were dancing in the kitchen to mariachi-fied Christmas songs. Long story short - itunes has the whole album and it is clean and remastered and now it IS MINE!!! I think I felt a little joy today. When you are used to hitting snags and being turned down and cold cocked with "NO" as much as I am - a little "yes!" goes a long way.

03 The First Noel

The Mexicali Brass

08 Deck the Halls

The Mexicali Brass

First, we're happy to announce that the team has identified and fixed the issue with the YouTube conduit; you can now find and add videos from YouTube to your library and posts. As always, thanks for your patience!

The other news we have today is about a new addition to the Six Apart family: TypePad Micro, a new free level of TypePad that is streamlined for microblogging. We see a new form of blogging emerging that lives between the quick status updates of Twitter and Facebook and the long-form posts of "classic" blogging; TypePad Micro is designed to meet that need. You can read more about TypePad Micro in Chris Alden's post on the Everything TypePad blog.

TypePad Micro

4 comments

A lot of the new capabilities we've added to TypePad this year were actually inspired by some of the best things about Vox: favoriting, member profiles, a dashboard to follow other bloggers, and easy ways to post content from other social media sites. But the things that make Vox different from TypePad are still there: Vox has always been -- and still is -- the best place for "friends and family" blogging, where you're in control over who sees what. TypePad, on the other hand, is built for the blogger who wants, no, craves, attention.

Do you have a passion or interest you want to share with people beyond your Vox neighborhood? If so, we'd love it if you tried out TypePad Micro. Maybe you've always wanted to start that obsessive blog that's just about waffle restaurants. Or want a place to share videos of your favorite band (Jonas Brothers, anyone? Anyone? ...). TypePad Micro's great for those topic-specific blogs. Take it for a spin and let us know what you think.

On the Vox front, our designers are working on some cool new themes (coming soon!). We'd also love to hear your thoughts about where we should take Vox in the coming year. What are the key things you'd like to see for Vox? If you've had a chance to use TypePad this year, what are the features there that we should bring over to Vox? And, if you're thinking big thoughts, how could we connect the Vox and TypePad communities in order to bring together bloggers and their shared passions? Your feedback is really important to us, so please leave a comment here, or shoot me a message.

And again, thanks for your patience as we found and fixed the YouTube bug!

~ daisy

A mailbox in Thaitown near Hollywood. The little sign on it says: No drugs or money kept in box. Blood and urine specimens only.

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The pedestrian bridge into Atwater Village across the Los Angeles River.

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As many of you have noticed, the YouTube Conduit is not working. I am so sorry about this; I know how frustrating it is.

The team is looking into how to get this fixed and I will update you as soon as I hear something. In the meantime, not all is lost... There is a work-around for posting videos.

When you're in the Compose Screen, just click on "embed." Ignore the fact that it says "Widget" before everything because you can definitely use this to embed videos as well. You'll just need to input the embed code from the video, enter a title (if you want) and hit OK.

It might not show up perfectly in your compose screen, but when you hit "Save," your video should appear just the way you wanted it to.

Hopefully this will allow you to keep posting videos while we figure out what's happening on our end.

As always, thanks for your patience.

~daisy

Go forth and fill your libraries with media.

Seriously, thanks to everyone for being so amazing and patient. You are the reason I love Vox.

~daisy

I was just told that the Amazon Conduit will be fixed by tomorrow. I will post here as soon as I get word that it's back up and running.

I know this has been frustrating and I am sorry there wasn't more I could do to make it less so. I really appreciate your patience though.

Cheers,

daisy

I want to believe in doctors, but my past experience makes it very hard to trust anything any of them have to say.
Yesterday I found myself in the walk in clinic up the street to get a refill on some meds. While I was in there I mentioned to the doctor that I had a severe pain running down my legs after walking a few blocks. I stood up, pulled up the leg of my jeans and ran my finger down the outer side of my leg - between the knee and ankle. I specified that the pain is from here (about an inch below by knee cap) to here (just about my ankle bone). I told her that it starts out as a slight burn, but if I continue to walk the burn becomes quite intense and I tend to lose the feeling in my feet. If I rest, the pain subsides (after about 5 minutes) but resumes when I start walking again. I also told her that it was quite the problem since I walk in Vancouver, I do not drive. Most stores I frequent are within walking distance. The pain is excrutiating and it keeps me from being as mobile as I would like.

I told her I bought some shoe inserts and her response was, "and they work?"
If they worked I wouldn't be telling you about the pain, now would I?

I said that it doesn't matter what shoes I wear but I do not have this pain when I ride my stationary bike...only walking.
I also told her that I didn't notice it so much in the past, but that might be because in Arkansas I didn't do as much long distance walking, like I do in Vancouver or when we are on vacation and out sightseeing.

So after telling her all of that here is what she said.
"You have a pinched nerve in your spine. You need X-rays."
I said, "Really, you think that's what it is?"
She says, "Well, the other thing it could be is PAD - but you don't want that. People with diabeties and other chronic illnesses have that. You aren't there."
"Ok. The pain doesn't run up my hip or thigh...just my lower leg."

"How long have you had this problem? Did you have it in the States too?"
"Yes, but it was not as noticiable because it only happens when I am in a situation where I find myself walking a lot."
I was pretty sure I had made this point already but I found myself going through it again, in a more illustrative way. "You see, in Arkansas I was a driver. I didn't walk to the store or anywhere to get to places. Walking the Target parking lot then strolling the aisles isn't the same kind of walking that I do now. I had a very bad episode in Philidelphia several years ago while sightseeing and doing a lot of walking, but I chalked that up to legs not used to walking great distances. I thought it was weak muscles...but my legs should be used to walking by now. I shouldn't hurt this bad. My feet shouldn't go numb after walking 2 blocks."

"So, here is what I want you to do - change your shoes. Don't wear the shoes you are wearing."
I stopped her. I thought I had already gone over this.
"It doesn't matter what shoes I wear. I have Converse sneakers, leather boots, track shoes, Reeboks, slip ons...it doesn't matter what shoe I have on - and I don't wear heels so that is not an issue either."
Didn't I just show you the brand new arch support I put in the shoe???
"Well, I don't think it's anything too serious."
"But I can't walk."

She took a breath. "Hmmm, well it looks like you haven't had a physical in a while...we should schedule you for a complete physical."
Nice way to change the subject.

So a few minutes later I found myself getting 8 spinal Xrays. SIX maybe but...I am not sure why I had to get EIGHT GOD DAMNED X-RAYS. Seems excessive.

I need to find another doctor.