"Being Sensitive" written by Paul on estrip.org

Category: health

11/03/07 11:50 - 47ºF - ID#41955

Being Sensitive

No I don't be the opposite of being a jerk because everyone knows I am a jerk, lol. What I mean the way my body is so sensitive to chemicals and allergens. It has been getting worse over the years to the point where I m starting to wonder if I am going to be one of those people that lines their house with aluminum foil or live in a bubble.

Sorry if this offends you (e:hodown), (e:lilho), (e:southernyankee), or (e:flacidness), Bill, with (e:lilho) being the least offender thanks to her own allergies.

Seriously, I have been in a constant state of hyper allergy since about a month ago. It seems to be triggered by having visitors that all smell like perfume. I am not talking about a light odor of perfume.

You know those hippies that smell like patchoulli but they wear it so much they don't realize how much it smells because they can't smell it, so they put on more. Where that is how it is has been in my house. But it's not patchouli but rather some designer smell with hair product to boot.

Seriously, I am going to kill myself if this gets any worse. I feel like I am gogin to throw up and no matter where I go, the scent follows and then it lingers forever.

Everyone says why don't I take allergy pills but, honestly you can't take allergy pills 24/7 365 and you can't get shots for everything.

What is going to happen to me? I am ready to move into a small house of my own where there are no visitors and no allergens. At this point I would be happy with a 15ft x 15ft solid metal box - where no one can find me.

dragonlady7 writes at 01:00:27 11/04/07 - Comment #27496: @ (e:jenks): I quit my job at the airport expecting to be an unemployed bum for a while but got randomly snatched up to work for :::link::: an air cleaner manufacturer.

MCS is Multiple Chemical Sensitivities, and is also sometimes called Environmental Illness. It's poorly-understood, by its nature is rather hard to study, and winds up making people into total kooks. But it's true there are a lot of chemicals in our environment that are affecting people in unexpected ways with all kinds of weird unexpected interactions, etc. Sometimes MCS people also have conventional allergies, but sometimes not. www.alerG.com is a website catering to the very allergic-- the owner is not only allergic to animals but also to chemicals, so he talks about it fairly knowledgeably.
Also, having spoken to him personally, I can say he is a raving nutjob. But. He runs a successful business, so whatever.

@(e:Paul): sorry for hijacking the thread, but I am serious, it might help you.

lilho writes at 09:47:35 11/04/07 - Comment #27475: thanx for naming me least offender! id like to think i keep my smells to a minimum, around you at least. i am so allergic to everything as well, and i hate when women wear so much goddamn perfume. maybe you should go see an allergist?

you do also, live in buffalo, where it seems like everyone has a cat, or a dog. or maybe everyone everywhere has a cat or dog. i hate animals. i know this a strong statement, but when it gets to the point that people are bringing their greyhound on the plane, im ready to fight.

people who dont have serious allergies dont get it, and to them, we seem like we are whining.

i thought my allergies would be less bad here, but the fall sinus flair-up has begun!

at least i have health insurance this time around!

i think you need to see a doctor!

jenks writes at 12:11:08 11/04/07 - Comment #27468

well I obviously missed a chapter- I thought you worked at the airport??

2- what's MCS??

dragonlady7 writes at 11:32:18 11/03/07 - Comment #27467: In my line of work I deal a lot with chemically sensitive people. I wasn't even aware of it before. But a lot of users of our machines are chemically sensitive. Our machines are exceptionally popular with the really-really-really sensitive crowd because we are the only air cleaner manufacturer who uses all-steel bodies instead of plastic-- some people are so allergic to plastics that they can't even tolerate the offgassing of a unit with a plastic body.

The ones with really bad MCS are often paranoid and sort of tin-foil-hat-wearing types, but you sort of can't blame them because they're very sick, the medical establishment can't really explain why, and they get sick from things that don't affect normal people so everyone already thinks they're crazy. It's gotten to the point where I can tell from the slightly-high-pitched, quavery, breathy "hello?" that a caller with a customer-service issue is so totally an MCS case of the wackiest sort. (I get about two a day. Often they wheeze so badly they're hard to understand.)

But there's no denying they're really sick. Our air cleaner really does help a lot of them-- activated carbon filters can adsorb the molecules of many gases, including aromatic hydrocarbons (the really toxic shit in most fragrances) and the biggie, formaldehyde, that's offgassed by almost everything you buy and really is a bad trigger for a lot of people. It even gives *me* a stuffy nose and I'm usually about as sensitive as a clod of dirt.

I emailed (e:matthew) on Friday about maybe having him do some photography for us in exchange for one of our machines-- if you're interested anyway let me know. My personal one is already on loan to my team captain who is seeing if it helps her cat-allergic boyfriend (she's going to have to give up her cats if it doesn't), but I might be able to get another loaner if you just want to try it.

But a lot of MCS, even the wackiest wingnuts, really swear by our machines for helping them bring their total allergy load down enough that they can get by more normally. Some of the real hard cases swear by our machines just so they can keep breathing. Some say they don't do a dang thing, but they keep buying replacement filters so I don't know how seriously to take their complaints. I'm sure there are others we're no help to, but I don't hear from them that often. But I definitely know a lot of our customers and even dealers have a ton of info on chemical sensitivities, so let me know if you want more info on that.

jacob writes at 09:37:46 11/03/07 - Comment #27463: Man, that sucks. A nurse once told me allergies were like a barrel. Meaning that once your body has had enough, any little bit is too much. This relates because when the barrel's full, it's full. You can't fit any more in. Just like the body can't tolerate the allergen after overexposure.

I hope you don't have to isolate yourself, but look on the bright-side, you'd have more time to devote to estrip. ;)

drew writes at 05:48:48 11/03/07 - Comment #27456: See my latest post, for all the goofyness.

mrdeadlier writes at 05:01:20 11/03/07 - Comment #27455: Yeah Drew... Elaborate! I want to know what "goofy" means as well. Not that i have any real allergies or anything, i'm just curious.

paul writes at 03:49:00 11/03/07 - Comment #27452: Like what do you mean by goofy drew?

ladycroft writes at 03:39:43 11/03/07 - Comment #27451: stay away from the middle east then!

janelle writes at 02:08:25 11/03/07 - Comment #27446: Paul, I know someone who has very similar allergies that you're describing to the extent that it's life threatening for her. Perfumes and chemical smells make her throat swell and clutch up. She has spent a lot of time with doctors and has made significant life style changes. If you want to know more, just e-mail me, because I can go in great depths about her situation but I don't want to monopolize the thread. I might even be able to put you in touch with her and you can talk to her about it.

drew writes at 01:36:33 11/03/07 - Comment #27442: I had a wierd treatment done to me to get rid of some of my allergies. I can refer you to somebody that does it, but I gotta tell you, it is goofy. It doesn't seem like it would work, but it worked on me.

libertad writes at 12:12:28 11/03/07 - Comment #27439: I like how at Roswell it is against dress code to wear perfume or cologne (at least in our department). I hate cologne and perfume usually. Especially if it lingers or sticks to me or my house. It makes me feel gross. To me it is violating if I have to shower and wash my clothes to get someone's stench of me.

Permalink: Being_Sensitive.html
Words: 300
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

10/31/07 01:10 - 47ºF - ID#41900

A night on the town

Went to Shea's tonight with (e:zobar) and (e:dragonlady7) to see Nosferatu performed with a live orchestra. It was a pretty fantastic setting for the movie. We sat in the front of the balcony area which was great.

Afterwards, we headed over to some bar in the first ward to have some drinks. It surprised me there was another part of Buffalo that looked full of white people. I guess I just never made it over there before. It looked a little like lovejoy but less intimidating.

Permalink: A_night_on_the_town.html
Words: 100
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: macintosh

10/30/07 11:49 - 47ºF - ID#41896

Leopard, Last Friday

On Friday, (e:zobar), (e:jim) and I made the oligatory mac dork trip to purchase Leopard. Instead of going to the apple store like the typical mac dorks we went to Mac Solutions Pluslink in West Seneca, where they gave you a a free leopard stuffed animal for purchasing leopard, not to mention free food and no lines!

Look at (e:jim) happy about leopard.

They not only gave you a stuffed leopard for buying the OS, they also had this giant one on display.

And premium leopard meat burgers too!

Then we went home and installed. It wouldn't let me upgrade so I had to install from scratch which took most of the weekend to complete and get everything back to how it was.

Afterwards, we went danicng. Well not the other computer dorks, but (e:flacidness), (e:mike), (e:terry) and I. They met some girls from ohio who were celebrating a birthday and took them out for the night.

Looks like OPM lounge is closed. I mean it was on Saturday night.

Looks like TK likes to dance as much as me.

Permalink: Leopard_Last_Friday.html
Words: 200
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: party

10/28/07 07:39 - 46ºF - ID#41849

The party last night

The party last night was pretty crazy. Especially, towards the end of the evening. I hope everyone had a good time - it seemed like it. I didn't take any pictures because I couldn't find my camera. Sorry, if I missed anything.

Some wholesome highlights:
(e:matthew)'s fantastic halloween decor

(e:jim)'s home roasted pumkin seeds

the great costumes, thanks everyone

(e:mike)'s wig

Some otherly highlights:

(e:zobar) and (e:dragonlady7)'s awesome punch drink

(e:fellyconnelly) and (e:lauren)'s jello shots

the (e:imk2) show

(e:dragonlady7)'s shelf - (e:zobar) you are a lucky man

the (e:mike), (e:jill) and Nameless Bitch unicorn hunt

(e:mike) humping Nameless Bitch's face after he caught her

(e:jill) tackling Nameless Bitch and throwing her to the ground

a mechanic who had full body suit button control issues

when (e:tinypliny) exclaimed, "like the fishy smell of chlamydia" - I missed the context of the conversation

a hot zombie with his pants unzipped getting spanked for wanting to eat brains

geoffrey snorting baking soda off the rug that I put down to stop a stain from the drink he spilled on the rug in his drunken state

not realizing that there was any sort of context for (e:carolinian)'s dick in a box costume

You can tell people are still recovering by the party/post party web stats for the site.

imk2 writes at 02:04:57 10/29/07 - Comment #27128: dragonlady, i'm sure metalpeter will have plenty of pictures of your costume. i can't wait for those pics.

hodown writes at 12:42:52 10/29/07 - Comment #27125: Why am I not suprised that Geoff got wasted, spilled a drink then tried to snort baking soda off the carpet. It's sad in the same way that Brit Brit is sad now..

dragonlady7 writes at 11:19:50 10/28/07 - Comment #27115: Oh p.s. I forgot my box of cigarettes upstairs on your coffee table.
I don't really need them back. Just letting you know that's what that weird box is. Mostly they're clove cigarettes anyway, so if you feel like putting on black eyeliner and acting like you're fifteen again, enjoy them.

dragonlady7 writes at 11:18:10 10/28/07 - Comment #27114: I had so much fun. I'm glad we're not boring bloggers. Maybe we're not socially relevant but at least we're social.
;)
Man I don't know if there are any photos of my costume. I forgot to take any. Oh well! Merry Titsmas!!

That *was* good punch, too.

Well thanks for having us over. We love parties.

jenks writes at 08:38:37 10/28/07 - Comment #27082: DAMMIT!!!
I so wish I had stayed longer!!!!!
Seriously- REPEAT NEXT WEEKEND!! WOOOO!

tinypliny writes at 08:03:03 10/28/07 - Comment #27073: I MISSED (e:Jim)'s roasted pumpkin seeds!!! I just can't believe it!

I just had a bout of hysterical laughter. You totally missed the context. LOL. But believe me, you are better off. Hearing it in context ruined beaches for (e:jbeatty), and fishes for someone else (that was the original intention). Additionally, some fishy secrets might or might not have been wheedled out of someone else who was in the room...

Loved the party! Thanks so much for putting up with me, (e:PMT).

Matthew, I totally enjoyed the halloween theme. My favourite was the spooky little spiderweb coated candle on the end table complete with the tinny laughter. Added that spirited punch to the decor. And oohh, that cross in the bathroom AND the dream with the rose bushes. I got totally spooked! They could have been true, that's what makes it all the more astonishing!

Terry, you are the best dancer in the whole wide world!

The party just rocked from start to whenever the finish was, and I didn't even have to get drunk to feel the spirit!!

I got my 700th comment in! Yay!

Permalink: The_party_last_night.html
Words: 235
Location: Buffalo, NY
Last Modified: 06/03/11 03:20

Category: party

10/27/07 11:30 - 60ºF - ID#41834

Party Tonight at 24 Linwood

Hope to see everyone there. Party starts at 8:00. (e:matthew) has dressed the house up for halloween.

Permalink: Party_Tonight_at_24_Linwood.html
Words: 19
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: buffalo

10/26/07 02:34 - 60ºF - ID#41819

Carvings For A Cause

First of all, I went to globe market with (e:terry) and we got some mini pumkin pie cheesecake. I picked the on with walnuts on top. I seriously could eat all of them.

The wood carvings on display there as part of the Carvings For a Cause campaign which is raising money to help re-tree western New York after the october surprise from last year, and the one that might happen again this year.

I never knew who Nardin was named after.

Here are some pics from their flyer.

It doesn't list any web site, but it has some contact info.

To become a Sponsor or Donate to this historic project:
Contact: Therese Forton-Barnes
phone: 716-868-8868
email: events2at@aol.com

Permalink: Carvings_For_A_Cause.html
Words: 137
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: life

10/26/07 02:30 - 60ºF - ID#41818

Some pictures of life

The other day I walked to work in the rain. It wasn't that bad because I had an umbrella. Poor (e:jim) didn't and he was soaked. Under an umbrella is such a weird space. It is like being in your own private universe in a way.

I feel so bad about the caviar. (e:hodown), we should have bought the big red ones instead. I ate as much as aI could but seriously 2oz of caviar is a lot.

I decided to feel it to our cat. Yes you read it right, we have a cat that lives outside. It is 100% black and lives in our yard.

I finished removing some electrical wires from the house. There is almost nothing left but brick!

My cousin Christina gets really into Halloween. Her husband Bob proposed to her by hiding the ring in the pumpkin back in the day so it holds a special place in their heart.

Her son is so afraid of this doll on their lawn.

New world record is already gone. What is going to replace it?

Permalink: Some_pictures_of_life.html
Words: 194
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: kenmore

10/23/07 10:22 - 49ºF - ID#41769

Kenmore west is gay

Seriously, I think this video says it all.

Permalink: Kenmore_west_is_gay.html
Words: 11
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: programming

10/23/07 05:30 - 50ºF - ID#41765

Sometime computer commands are scary

chown -R viscop aids

Thats it. I was updating a site about AIDS for work and the content is still so old. I hope they update it soon. I feel like people with a NYS grant for an AIDS website should be on top of it, argh. The current site is this one

I think am thinking the information should be organized more like this

(that is just the test version) but the problem is the content is so out of date. Seems like anything dated 1998 about AIDS must be outdated, right - I mean that is ten years ago - or has nothing progressed?

In 1998, the Department of Health announced the results of a study which found that partial Zidovudine (ZDV) prophylactic regimens begun during delivery or within 48 hours after birth may have substantial benefit in reducing the risk of perinatal HIV transmission (NEJM 1998;339:1409-1414). HIV infected mothers who began ZDV prophylaxis therapy during labor and delivery had almost the same reduced rate of HIV transmission (5.3%) as HIV infected mothers who began prophylaxis during the prenatal period (5.0%). HIV exposed newborns whose mothers had never taken ZDV, but began therapy in the first 48 hours of life, experienced significantly reduced HIV transmission (9.5%) as compared to infants whose therapy was initiated after 48 hours of life (25%) and infants receiving no therapy (31.6%).

It was so hard to come up with a design for AIDS. I kept going black and red and it was hard to not make it depressing.

Permalink: Sometime_computer_commands_are_scary.html
Words: 254
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: shopping

10/19/07 05:16 - 69ºF - ID#41715

At The Mall

I bought two more pairs of shoes which doesn't put me in competition with (e:hodown), but maybe soon. October is a good time for me to shop because everything is orange and brown. Like my new shiny orange and brown new balance shoes.

These are the new shoes. I love them.

Anyways, the point of this blog is that rolled jeans are on the brink of coming back. Please god let pinning come back too, lol.

I went to starbucks in the galleria mall in Buffalo, NY and it was filled with mini flys. Like there were thousands of these tiny disgusting flies on every surface and everyone was acting like they were not there. I shuld have taken a picture but I didn't want to freak people out.

We ended up buying way to much stuff but no one bought pants, so now we have like 1 millions tops and no bottom. These is a familiar theme in my life on lots of levels. This is not the clearance section but just our pile. Stuff is so cheap there. A lot of the stuff was less than $10.