X-Rays: Missing in Action

William Konrad Röntgen discovered X-rays in 1895, and named them so because he did not know where they came from or what they were. that about sums up the description of my own X-rays, which i got taken in the hospital just over 2 months ago.

after being told to 'phone for the results', i was a little disappointed to find that they "had not come in yet, " code for: we've lost 'em! :O what can you do in that position? phone again. i did. and again, and again. my appointment with the doc was fast approaching so i was told to phone again just to make sure that they were in for my visit. my lower spine is still a mystery to me as the X-rays have gone on a mystery walkabout. the doc, covering for his colleagues said that they wouldn't be lost, they probably just didn't turn up anything interesting. interesting? commendable maybe, defending his workmates or the whole ramshackle system, but i'd rather not be lied to. stuff goes missing. it happens. i'd rather they just say: yeah, we screwed up, it wouldn't be the first, and it won't be the last.

a little truth (or transparency :P) would be nice. hopefully they wil turn up soon and help to shed a little light on my skeletal situation.

Bulbboy and the Bat

coming home from work this evening something darted past my head. at first, i though that it was a moth. it darted passed my head in the opposite direction, and then returned again on the other side of me. stopping in my tracks i realised that this was no humble lepidoptera attracted to me like a moth to a flame. it was actually a very small bat hurtling back and forth down alley ways between houses. my guess is that warm air from vents in the houses attracts insects, in turn providing a rich feeding patch for the hungry bat. either that or it had OCD.

Batman Begins came to mind. obviously having one bat whizzing around your head is not quite the same as Christian Bale having thousands of bats whirling around him like a tornado in the cave but it's the closest i've come to it. i then stood aside and watched it for a few minutes. it was incredibly fast and hard to keep up with. naturally i then continued homeward and told Bulbgirl to her shoes on . the only clue that i would give was that it was something to do with 'wildlife'. to my surprise, Bulbgirl was not as excited as myself at seeing the bat (which was still merrily doing it's thing). she was worried that it might get caught up in her hair. this didn't worry me as i saw a David Attenborough documentary once, and he said that it would be highly unlikely to happen. bats see in the dark using a kind of sonar.

the dark knight gave The Riddler a riddle in Batman Forever

"I see without seeing. To me, darkness is as clear as daylight. What am I?"
to which The Riddler responds "You're as blind as a bat!"

bats use echolocation to find their prey a navigate. so even in total darkness they will be able to avoid your hair. still, it's quite a hair-raising experience! humans on the other hand should carry an led flashlight for nocturnal outings. they make life so much easier. :)