Paul's Journal

12/08/2010 20:47 #53224

Frickin rash illness from hell
Category: body

Like two weeks ago I had this first spot on my arm. I thoight it was a bug bite. After a few days I got another then it spread all over my chest and neck. At first it was super itchy but bendryl helped figuring it was an allergy. Then days turned into weeks and it now seems like its not an allergy. I use hypoallergenic everything to start off with and I've introduced nothing new.

Now I think its pityriasis rosacea. It fits the description very well with hive like welts that have a cigarette papery center. Trust me I have researched like every skin condition under the sun and it seems the most plausible. They radiate out like a Christmas tree if looking at me head on. The unfortunate part is that takes a long time to go away. Here are some links

So I have money and health insurances but it seems like every dermatologist has a months long waiting list and no idea about anyone else to call. Luckily, I made a dermologist appoint for next week about 4 months ago just to get some moles checked out. Here is to forward thinking or being psychic.

And more luckily, thankfully my boss let me work from home while it was really bad this week.

The lighting in the picture don't really do it justice in terms of the redness.

The watery drip in this last pic is really just a water drip not some blister.

libertad - 12/09/10 18:22
Was this before or after Toronto? You also ate some strange fruit a couple of weeks back. They look like just hives to me. Sometimes substances can stay in body long periods of time so it really could still be hives related to an allergic reaction to something. I like (e:tinypliny)'s advice of not suggesting to MD what you think you have and just waiting and seeing what they say first.

paul - 12/09/10 10:34
Are you suggesting mono? I don't feel overly tired or sick otherwise.

tinypliny - 12/09/10 09:59
Oh, and don't tell him/her what you suspect. Always biases people and closes doors of the mind.

tinypliny - 12/09/10 09:57
Viruses can be contagious and Halloween was around two weeks before...

On the other hand, this could be completely non-viral and the manifestation of an allergy. Do post what the dermatologist finds!

paul - 12/09/10 09:52
I did have chicken pox. I don't think it shingles because these are not painful or blister like. As for mono, I never had it before that I know of.

tinypliny - 12/09/10 03:41
You do seem to fit the bill for that condition... but Pityriasis rosea is thought to have a viral origin. Did you ever have chicken pox as a kid? Or maybe a long episode of mono?

I'd be really interested in hearing about your final diagnosis at the dermatologist.

tinypliny - 12/09/10 03:37
Hmmm... didn't you buy that cocoa butter thing some weeks back?

12/08/2010 11:30 #53223

Hubbard squash soup
Category: food

(E:terry) made some yummy Hubbard squash soup. What surprised me is that we bought he squash before Halloween (e:paul,52960) and it was still totally good. Terry read it can last up to six monts so that people would store them for winter.

I stole this last picture from the wikipedia article about squashes

paul - 12/09/10 09:55
This thing is much hardier than an acorn squash. The rind is much thicker and harder. I believe you would store stuff like this in a cool basement.

tinypliny - 12/09/10 03:46
I once tried out this 6-month storing principle on the acorn squash. When I checked 6 month later, the acorn squash looked intact from outside, but it was shocking that it had become as light as a ping-pong ball. It was COMPLETELY dried out and lost all its water content. I think storage for that long requires some careful humidity regulation and of course, there is always this concern that too much humidity can promote fungal growth and contamination... I don't know how exactly to store these squashes then, given the excessively dry air in Buffalo in the winters. It takes TOO much space to store in the fridge, besides being silly. Any ideas?

tinypliny - 12/09/10 03:42
Where is the recipÃ©??

12/06/2010 19:18 #53218

For Tinypliny - Chocolate at the coop
Category: food

They didn't have the sharffen Berger but they had a bunch of other chocolates that I am sure are just as good.

tinypliny - 12/06/10 21:24
Nice, I want to try G&B as well and most of the others in that list. I am halfway through the Trader Joe's unsweetened cocoa. Its exactly as the blog describes. I don't care for the "talc-like" aftertaste at all.... It spoils post-enjoyment of hot chocolate. I can detect this chalky feeling in both TJs and the Ghirardelli types.

heidi - 12/06/10 20:44
Thanks for that link, (e:tinypliny)! I want to try more of them! I have a can of the Green & Black's organic cocoa and really like it. I've been eating the G&B Maya Gold a lot lately - it's a spicy dark chocolate. Yum yum. "Live in the &" is the motto on the inside of the wrapper.

tinypliny - 12/06/10 19:26
Thanks, I will check them out! I already finished a tin of the Ghirardelli unsweetened cocoa, it pretty good but I'd really like to try Scharffen Berger. According to this unsweetened cocoa analysis: :::link::: its among the best cocoas you can get...

12/05/2010 17:50 #53215

The end of the world
Category: buffalo

Coming in from Kenmore it looked like downtown might be the end of the world.

metalpeter - 12/08/10 16:38
Great Shots (e:tinypliny) I was thinking more western though but those are cool...

libertad - 12/06/10 20:47
The clouds that come through this city can be so scary.

tinypliny - 12/06/10 18:24
You mean like this? --> :::link::: :::link:::

:-)

metalpeter - 12/06/10 18:04
You Just need some horses in the sky in front of the cloud and it would be perfect....

12/05/2010 13:19 #53214

Online Creative Suite
Category: web

I am so freakin impressed with this online creative suite at

The entire thing was made using Adobe Flex and I think more than anything else I have seen, this really makes it apparent what can be done with flex. While I am generally not a big fan of Flex based design, the fact that this web system is free to use online makes it quite amazing.

They have different online apps for vector and bitmap manipulation. Additionally they have an app for make color palettes and editing music and video. They even have tutorials on how to use the different apps

You can then export your creations to your desktop.

paul - 12/06/10 12:08
Apparently, it is integrated with google apps :::link:::

paul - 12/06/10 12:07
Not sure but maybe they are going with the pay to store and share your files online model? I am surprised google doesn't buy this up. Either google or adobe.

uncutsaniflush - 12/05/10 21:45
(e:paul) - thanks for sharing this. I've been poking around the audio side of things and it looks good. The interfaces are similar to existing software.

What is the business model? You have any ideas?