Sean Bossinger’s Doings

But I survived the scalpel. Yesterday, I had what I'd been telling people around the office was a “medical procedure.”

I had done to me what is known within the medical community as an “elective sterilization.” A vasectomy. I did this after much discussion with the wife about having more children, and after deciding that we have been lucky to have had a perfect family. Additionally, there are effects that are being experienced with our current method of preventing enlargement of the family, and we want to rid ourselves of these effects.

Surprising to me, although it shouldn't have been, was that the most painful part of the whole procedure were the shots to numb the areas of the incisions. I was able to joke with the nurse and the doctor the whole time I was there, except for when the doc was having problems with one particular portion of the operation, but I won't bore you with the details.
So, after we rid myself of the residual sperm, and have it proven by the doctor that all is “fixed,” we'll chalk this one up as a success and celebrate.

All-in-all, I have to say that I find the practice of medicine somewhat exciting. If I weren't so far along in my life, I may have decided to go back to medical school. But then things like this may have lost it's mystique.

I'll recover today and tomorrow, and return to work on Thursday - but I'll be going to class Wednesday night. That should be fun.

Two months ago, told me to set aside November 17th for a night on the town. Her parents graciously accepted our invitation to watch the boys, and we went to see Casino Royale at the Regal South Beach 18 Theaters, after dinner at the Van Dyke Cafe on beautiful, if not quirky, Lincoln Road.

Bond fans galore should know that this film is a prequel to the heretofore played Bond films. Aside from a comedic interpretation of the Ian Fleming novel in 1967, Fleming's first Bond novel had never been made into a feature length film. This production marks the attempt for Eon Productions, Albert R. Broccoli's production house (now lead by wife Barbara), to continue the Bond tradition by successfully producing Casino Royale. The fact that Casino Royale actually predates the other previously produced Bond films while coming so late in the series raises minor issues in some of the interactions between Dame Judi Dench, who plays “M,” and Daniel Craig, who plays James Bond. The problems, however, are not apparent during Casino Royale; rather, it is dialogue during Casino Royale that renders problematic some of the interactions between Mr. Craig's predecessor, Pierce Brosnan and Dame Dench, in previous films.

For the most part, Mr. Craig, the sixth man to appear in the role, plays Bond extremely successfully. Qualitatively, he appears to be a superior mix of Timothy Dalton's seriousness, and Sean Connery's relaxedness; all of this while having the body of someone befitting the needs of a double-”O” operative. I am able to judge this because there are scenes in this film where you're quite able to get a good look at Mr. Craig's body. In fact, advised me that he does, in fact, have a great body, my eye obviously not being the best judge of such things.

The film is appropriately action-packed, and while action has always been the strong suit of the Bond syndicate, much thought-provoking dialogue occurs between Bond and the other characters (especially Dame Dench), which leads to a thorough understanding of why Bond earned his double-”O” status. Without spoiling the plot, suffice it to say that “M” does a good deal of successful mentoring after promoting Bond to his rank which he has held throughout the series' previous productions. Despite the exceptional dialogue, action, and intrigue, Bond does still provide the requisite one-liners, Mr. Craig delivering same in such form befitting the two Bonds who were famous for delivering the quips, Roger Moore and Sean Connery.

This Bond also sees the return to a historical method of starting the film: the opening scene, while integral to the overall theme of the story, does not include plot directly related to the film itself. Additionally, the choice to film this sequence in black and white adds to the overall feel of the film's darkness in the development of Bond as a double-”O” operative.

The choice of the casting department to use actors who aren't already well-known allows, I think, the audience to focus on what they need to be focused on, namely the development of the relationship between 007 and “M”. I believe that it will also give these actors and actresses access to much more on-screen time for future films. Performances for all of the characters were on par with what is to be expected from the fine productions that have come from the Broccolis in the past.

If you are a Bond fan, I highly recommend that you see this one on the big screen. It is well worth the cost of admission.

had to go to the doc today for her annual physical. She thoroughly enjoyed it. I'll let her tell you more about it - or not.

In any case, she's otherwise indisposed of during the exam process, so someone has to manhandle the “cute” boys. Actually, they're generally well-behaved, so, no complaints about having to accompany her on the doctor's visit. In fact, I would say that it's part of my duty as “dad”; a part that I accept wholly.

Anyways, on the way there, we stop for a traffic light at the corner of 74th and Bird, and as the traffic is passing us while we wait, we hear from the back seat: “T… O… Y… S… TOYS!!!” And yep… sure enough, there was a toy store to the right of us. A nice black and yellow store selling (perhaps) all the latest toys a grown man or woman could possibly want. (Yes, those of you with really unique desires, I'm certain that there is stuff you couldn't get at this particular store that you could, perhaps, get on-line or at other locations that are more, um…, specialty-oriented).

The question we're waiting for now is: “MOMmy… what are ADULT Toys?” Of course it will come while we're at one of the grandmas' houses. Maybe even while we're not there.

What a hoot parenthood is.

It is Election Day here in this great United States of America. 

Today is the day we get to go out and voice our opinions about our elected officials - those who substantively are entrusted with the trillions of dollars we give them to run the country.  We are, without a doubt, the greatest democracy on this planet.  I want to thank our forefathers and -mothers, those who went before us to establish this one-of-a-kind land.  I especially want to thank the members of the armed forces who have sacrificed so much to get us where we are today.  I unequivocally support the armed forces, the job they have done, and the job they continue to do.  They do as they are told.  Make no mistake: many of them have no choice as to where they are stationed, or against whom they are fighting this very day.  As such, it is my job to tell my elected representatives that I feel they have made a mistake, and that it is, indeed, time to start planning for a redeployment to get the troops back home. 

I don't believe we can cut and run, but I do believe we cannot stay the course.  The former will leave a failed state in place, that will only further descend into anarchy; the latter - well let's just say that we have bloodied our foreheads enough against the brick wall.  I'm in agreement with Thomas L. Friedman of the New York Times, when he says that we need to set a firm timetable.  Setting a firm timetable will foster action, and will ensure that this action is complete in a timely fashion.  I believe that the current Republican-led congress will not pursue this option - they've had a chance to do so, and have chosen not to.  It's time for replacements to be sent in, so that we can get a change in the strategy.

Some people I know have chosen to protest the election today by not voting.  They feel that the machines are either rigged, or, at the very least, provide misleading results.  While I lean towards agreement that our election system is fundamentally flawed, I do not support the claim that not voting is a valid protest of the election system.  Not speaking your opinion does not equal someone not hearing your opinion, or hearing the wrong opinion, or someone intercepting your opinion and telling someone else that you said something you didn't.  Not speaking your opinion is simply an abdication of the duty you have to input into our democracy your choice in how you feel things should be done here.  In short, save the protest for after the election, and then work to get the system changed.

Evangelical Leader Says He Bought Drugs

The New York times is reporting that Reverend Ted Haggard has said that he bought drugs from gay former prostitute Michael Jones, “but denied that he ever had sex with the man.”  The times is also reporting that he is the former president of the National Association of Evangelicals, but when I Googled that site, I was surprised to find that I was able to pull up a cached NAE site that still listed him as the president.  The former-ness indicated in the article must be recent.

According to the article, Mr. Haggard denies that he had sex with Mr. Jones.  I could care less if he did.  The gay former prostitute could just be a connection for drugs.  There are quite a few other connections Mr. Haggard could have mined in order to obtain these drugs that he allegedly never even used, and could have avoided the whole impression that he had other things going on with Mr. Jones.  One story I read on the subject said that Mr. Haggard paid for a “massage” from Mr. Jones.  I hope he the massage at least had a happier ending than Mr. Haggard's presidency of the NAE did…

The former president of the NAE has been involved in conference calls with high level offices in the Bush administration, using the pulpit from which he preaches to foist his hypocritical morality on others.  This is in similar fashion to the way the former U. S. Representative Mark Foley used his office to “help” children while hypocritically flirting with underage male pages (someone tell me why the House and Senate still have pages when all communications are done electronically now).

I may be stereotyping here, but it seems like we can add “hypocrisy” to the “Culture of…” moniker that some have given the Republican party.  It's the party of “Do as I say, not as I do!”