Airport metal detector misses 15" titanium rod

It was clearly obvious that I would set off the metal detector at the airport, so obvious that I brought along copies of my X-rays and I showed them to the TSA agent before going through. Then, it didn't go off! The agent said it was only just below the threshold but not enough to stop me, no need for a pat-down. Maybe there is some screening effect from the flesh around it but this still surprises me. Back when I had plates in my ankle, they certainly set off the metal detectors.

On the up side, there is now free wireless at Syracuse airport. Yay!

Too busy to blog?

Perhaps it is because I've been busy coding that I haven't blogged. Or, perhaps it is that I'm not stuck inside. I don't think this is the end of the blog but perhaps less frequent postings are now to be expected, there are just too many other fun things to do... when you can.

I'm happily driving about and going in to work regularly. I need a cane to help me walk properly (without it I list rather alarmingly to the starboard), but with it am pretty mobile. On Friday I fly to England to test this mobility further -- I think the immobility of sitting in a cramped seat is actually much more likely to be troublesome than getting about.



And now for something completely different... A while ago Jen sent me an email about Guinness Marmite. After some investigation I concluded it was a hoax and told her so. Well, a couple of days ago Jofish conclusively proved me wrong by showing up with a jar (pictured above). The jar is pretty cool but the contents are really very similar to ordinary Marmite (which I import in 2 kilo loads every time I return from England). After side-by-side tasting I think the Guinness version may be a little "gentler" tasting. From the label it seems they replaced only 30% of the yeast extract with a Guinness version. I was hoping for something more radical.

The boy can walk

I've been sneaking around the house without my walker for a couple of days but now it is official -- the walker is toast, I'm to do it on my own. Of all the "hurrahs!" on this blog this might be the best. I also took the step of driving myself to my orthopaedic appointment today. It feels like wonderful progress.

The news from my appointment was pretty much all good: the bones are healing (if you look at the top of the femur in the x-ray, it doesn't look like abstract art anymore); I'm to progress with walking and strengthening within the limits of pain; and I'm officially allowed to work again. I'll still be doing some physical therapy to continue working on mobility of my left wrist and strength/mobility of the right leg.

Back to yoga on Wednesday, I wonder how much flexibility I have lost and what postures I can manage?

Coding maniac rants

Without really getting fully fixed in between, and still mainly stuck inside, I shifted from working a bit to being a long-hours coding maniac. The reason is that I'm finally going for the "big push" (ready Blackadder?) to get the arXiv identifier changes done. It is a little too close to call as to whether we'll make it in time for 1 April (an amusing day for some big changes) or not, but I think we have at least a fighting chance.

So, to the rant. Not entirely unrelated but not about arXiv: why is the "state of the art" of web design based around fixed 800 pixel wide layouts? This is really pitiful and sadly includes this blog -- which I apologize for but claim I have no control over other than to chose another blogging service. I have a 1600 pixel wide screen which isn't even super high resolution these days, the blog size is fixed at half my screen width so if I choose a sensibly sized font for casual reading I get about two and a half words on a line. I can't imagine that I'm the only person who thinks that high resolution screens are to give beautiful and easy to read text rather than to cram more small text in. Hurrumph!

I can do it standing up

As I sat on the "tub transfer bench" in the shower I wondered what was stopping me from taking a show standing up now. I couldn't think of a good reason so I stood up and took the rest of the shower that way. Much better! I think I'll take the bench out as soon as it has dried off. No more tub transfer bench, hurrah!

Taking a hike

Limits are for pushing... right? Today I gimped my way all the way to the credit union and thence to Leslie's for lunch with Leslie and Chris. I think it took 15-20 minutes to get to the credit union. My leg felt fine but my left wrist was little sore from swinging and hanging on the the walker all that way. I opted to the easy way home in Chris's luxury vehicle.

In doing my exercises I feel it is the wrist that needs most work. Yesterday I managed to get my left (good) leg a little tired after 30 minutes on the exercise bike, so I think I'm doing fine there. My wrist still has rather limited range of motion and aches quite a bit. The range of motion is improving steadily though, so I don't think I should worry but instead keep with the programme.

The great north face of the Eiger... or my driveway

The Eiger it isn't, but my driveway has been looking pretty steep and intimidating for the past couple of months. However, the warm weather melted the remaining snow and ice and it started to look tempting. Today I plucked up the courage to tackle it -- solo, unroped -- and I succeeded in collecting my mail. The round trip must have taken me about 15 minutes but what an adventure! What a feeling of achievement!

I must be feeling bold today as I also ventured upstairs to do some laundry. I didn't want to try to get the walker up so I butt-scooched up the stairs and then slid and hopped to the washing machine. Not elegant but it seemed to work. I suppose I'd better go up again and move it to the dryer.