Inhumans: Culture Shock

So, yeah, among its many wonders the Milton Public Library also has a nice Graphic Novel collection. Included in there is this semi-sized reprint of the first six issues of the recent (2003) Inhumans series. It's an intersting digression from the standard Inhumans story, in that it doesn't focus on any of the classic Stan & Jack Inhumans, but instead on a group of younger characters fresh out of the Terrigen Mists.

It's a bit of a hoary storyline, with the newly mutated Inhumans being sent on a student exchange program to America. It's a nice character piece, although it seems somewhat detached from the normal MU. They don't have to have hordes of superheros flitting about, but it might be nice to see an Iron Man or Captain America poster on a wall somewhere.

It's got a lot of the standard young reader's stuff, with characters who are learning to deal with their places in the world; this time, it's doubly true, as they are learning to deal with their new Inhuman abilities as well as campus life in America.

Of course, the story ends midway, with an interesting twist regarding one of the characters, but it appears the second book hasn't been released yet. Booo!

Followups and throat-cams

So, today was my followup appointment at the ENT clinic at St. Mike's. My illness had abated by last Monday, but I figured it couldn't hurt to get a followup in, right (hey, is that foreshadowing?)?

So, I decided to take the Go Transit into town and TTC it up, instead of paying for gas and parking right downtown, in addition to the hassle of the actual drive. Well, of course, I forgot there were other hassles inherent in the trip. For example, upon arriving at the Milton GO station, I discovered that the line was not moving, due to what seemed to be intense discussions between the cashier and a customer that occupied her for a good five minutes.

Seriously, a GO ticket must be the most idiot proof purchase imaginable. Where you going, what ticket do you need (i.e. one way, round trip, ten rides, or monthly pass), and how you paying. See? Only three of the WHs. To be honest, I think they really need automated ticket machines for these for the rush hours. Just slip in your debit card, select where you're going, and a little ticket pops down. So very, very easy.

So, yes. I missed the first train I wanted to take, but that was part of my cunning plan, and would have just gotten me there foolishly early. So, I hopped the next GO train, and motored down to Union. Of course, I had no idea that the lines to pay for transit at Union station don't actually move, but sit there, immobile, like a giant rock formation. YHB thought that there were only two fives in his wallet, until he checked it and saw there was, in fact, a tenner. Whee! Tokens!

Oh, wait. Now I line up to get to the token dispenser. Rass frassa.

Eventually, I make my way up to St. Mikes (only 15 minutes late. Le sigh) and find out which building is Cardinal Carter (interesting note: Wall maps have not been updated to reflect that name for the north building! How delightful!).

Eventually I get to the ENT doc, and tell him what happend (woke up, throat blocked, couldn't talk, could breathe and eat). He looked around (taking care to also look in my nose and ear because, hey, specialist!), even using a throat cam (which he dipped in lubricant and snaked through my nose into my throat) to take a look around. He pretty much confirmed that he suspected what I suspected (uvula swelling) and that he had no idea how it happened, although he suspected I may have had a viral infection because of the sudden onset and gradual 'going awayism' (that's a term of Scienceology, kids!).

I totally should have gone to Med School.

The NT cam (which I suspect would be useless for ear issues, but two out of three ain't bad) was an interesting experience. He made sure to remind me to keep breathing, and I turned the seat so I wasn't actually looking at the screen. I'm a strong believer that no person should ever see live video from inside their body. Call me superstitious.

The doc did a good job, even if I was coming in exactly ten days too late for him to see the actual situation. I'm sure that I relish not repeating the experience of trying to spit out my uvula when it's swollen to the size of a golf ball.

So, I used one of my other tokens to get to work, and have immersed myself in a big vat of my daily routine. Yay.

(Nope, guess it wasn't actually foreshadowing)