It's time to escape the clockwork gears ...

[soulswallo]

I had a weird day yesterday, mostly related to family. I think I'll start by talking about the non-family stuff.

I was reading a fanfic last night and it was well written and decently characterized but the fact that the author kept putting these massive "Author Notes" at the end of each chapter started bugging me. Even though I wasn't really reading them. I guess it's fine to thank people for input or helping you through a squeaky spot but when the bulk of the notes is about what the author was trying to convey or why something was important that they added in ... that feels sloppy to me. Shouldn't you be writing it instead of explaining it once you've written it? And if you feel that you have to explain every little thing you're either a very bad writer or you think your readers are idiots. The thing that kinda bugs me about this is that the actual plot of the story was good. I just couldn't handle another chapter of "the box of dinosaurs symbolizes grief and how nobody is able to move forward until they deal with that grief". Good grief! Just write the fucking story and let us draw our own conclusions. Maybe once I get through my blinding rage at such sloppy storytelling I'll be able to finish the story. Maybe.

I reviewed another movie at blabapalooza. That makes two for the year. Not too bad considering we're only on the 8th of January!

So. The family stuff. We got a call yesterday from my dad that he had a heart attack Wednesday night. Other than phone calls every few weeks, we don't really see see him or anything. I was trying to tell jenah that it's like there's this static picture of my dad in my head and he's just the same as he was before he left. Same age. No major health problems. That sort of thing. I guess this felt like it came out of nowhere. We're not involved in his life except for what he tells us about since he lives out of state and we don't have that daily/weekly/monthly interaction so we don't know if he has had health problems or anything. This feels like it came out of the blue.

He's fine and everything and he should be released from the hospital today but it was weird. Unexpected. Threw me for a loop.

I'm not looking for sympathy comments or anything just trying to get the things that are in my head out where they might make a little more sense to me. I think I've accomplished that. More or less. Or should I write up an author's note at the end of this journal so that everyone understands what I was trying to say? Ha! I crack myself up.

Well, there you have it.
I've vacuumed and laundered and now I'm going to watch some tv/movies. Yes!

Comments

[jenah.livejournal.com]

I actually think it's good that you posted some thoughts here on the matter for you to look back at down the road, you know? I can bet it was a little surreal and perhaps even just. . *this side* of reality when you got the call. I am glad to hear that he's okay - I would imagine that he has some changes to make at home for his continued health. Who wants to hear THAT?!

[soulswallo.livejournal.com]

I am glad that I got my thoughts down. It helps me put things in perspective.

[malkovich03.livejournal.com]

does it make you want to see him

[soulswallo.livejournal.com]

I don't know. I feel a little torn about it.

[townbros.livejournal.com]

Heart attacks usually can be sudden like that. My own father had a heart attack in his 50s. And the doctor said he was in good health at the doctor's appointment he had just prior to it.
I wouldn't be surprised if you got reports from his side of life that he seemed just fine before this happened.
I don't know how close you would want to be with him, but if you did have plans on being closer then after he recovers I would recommend doing it soon. Unfortunately, people who have heart attacks don't usually get the luxury of living too much longer afterwards.
Unless, of course, you are Dick Cheney. DOH!
It all depends on how much damage to the heart occurred, that now predicts his chances. I am hoping he had little to no damage to his heart. Which would mean he will be around for a while.
My own father had a fourth of his heart literally die off in the process of that single heart attack, and barely lived 5 years after it.

[soulswallo.livejournal.com]

The docs said that there was very, very little damage done because the heart attack happened while he was in the hospital and they were able to work on him immediately. They also said that the type of attack he had (the quadrant it was in or something) is the worst type so who knows how they end up balancing each other out.