The Snake Dance Continues ...

I made it through the day without going home.  Fucking amazing.  I did a bunch of self-hypnosis to get through the pain, and it worked fairly well.  Picked up four boxes at the post office, which included The Scarecrow Movie Guide.  This book is essential for cinema addicts.  Had lunch with Blue, which was enjoyable despite the pain (had not done damage control by that point).  Thoroughly screwed with the lady at the post office.  Took my girl to get some movies for the night. And, if you read any of the earlier posts, you know I came across the 1987 classic TV Sirens.  I grabbed this book off one of the tables in the break room.  Apparently the author's definition of a "siren" is far removed from mine, but any book that has a picture of a sweat covered Joan Woodward is gold.  Oh, and it was hardcover.

  Who reads these sorts of things?

Daytona 500 is next week.  Couldn't care less about the Super Bowl, though. Two boring teams.  I think Arsenal plays this weekend, though.  Will have to check up on that.

Trepanation has been on my mind lately.  No pun intended. The idea of drilling a hole into one's head to reach a better state of mental health (or a permanent high, if you will) seems just as far fetched as taking a candy dish full of pills.  I've read accounts of it (most notably in the Amok Journal Sensurround Edition, and have seen videos.  I'm not sure the people involved in the act, or those who condone it, are crazy per se.  In fact, most of them seem quite sane.  It's just one more thing people do to alter their reality.  I personally wouldn't do it, but I'm not one to get drunk or high, either.  I consider those things weak and a waste of time.  I don't mind that others do (and if it weeds out some people, I'm fine with that, too), but it's not for me, and neither is trepanation.  That said, the people who advocate it and engage in it are far more fascinating than your average person who takes drugs to feel better. 

There's a website (of course) where you can find a lot of information on the subject.   Ironically, for me at least, the site is based out of my old home state of PA.

Yeah, not for the weak hearted.

I have a healthy bit of respect for people who are willing to take things this far.  I, of course, don't recommend it, but I think it beats working.  Are these people crazy?  No more than you and I.  Perhaps less so.  If you watched the trailer from above you saw a line about letting the devils out.  I think there is something to that.  Some people have a bad week at work and they go out to the bar or smoke a joint.  Others drill a hole into their head.  Which is worse?  I know which is more socially acceptable, but which is worse?  Poisoning yourself?  Killing brain cells?  Or taking out a small piece of your skull?

When I think of self-trepanation I always think of those times I was clipping a fingernail and went a little too far.  Yeah, you've done it, too.  You can't treat your skull like you would your index finger, and that makes me think that if I were interested in doing it (which I am not), I wouldn't be doing it myself.  With my luck I'd just get the drill through and sneeze.  Pop.  Right through the membrane.  Instant skull soup.  When I'm found twelve hours later I've got blood dried and caked on my face, a line of drool pooling in my lap, and a drill stuck in my head and going around in circles on the axis of its bit.

Gotta love the Snake Dance.