Being forced to learn Chinese, meaning when my proper lessons have finished I have to go back to school for an hour.

I think mastering a language in an hour would be pretty awesome, especially one as tricky as Chinese. Took me ages just to learn French and German, and they use the same alphabet.

One sixth of the world's population is from China. And knowing Chinese helps you learn Japanese too because they use some of the same symbols.

Or so I've heard.

Not when your teacher cannot teach or speak English particularly well. Chinese is the up and coming language, but with a teacher like this I might as well be learning Latin.

Latin is also a useful language to have. Not so up and coming though.

I had latin classes for 3 years, and I can say I dont use it, and dont really find it helpful. It didnt improve my french or english.
What a bust that was, I wish I could have spent the time learning a live langage.

I had latin classes for 3 years, and I can say I don't use it, and don't really find it helpful. It didn't improve my french or english.
What a bust that was, I wish I could have spent the time learning a live language.

Certainly could have spent some time on English grammar.

It depends perhaps on what use you intend to put your languages to. If you intend being involved with Chinese trade then Chinese is obviously a lot more useful than Latin. If you live in Los Angeles, Spanish would probably be more useful than either. If you have a job which releis on the nuance and subtleties of teh English (or any Latin-derived language) then a good knowledge of its etymology can be invaluable.

Friday.

Ok, this can also go in the "awesome" thread, but I think the "unawesome" part outweighs the "awesome."

This past Monday, I get a call from my dad's girlfriend informing me that my father had collapsed at work, and was rushed to the nearest hospital. A few hours later, she calls with an update: My father has had a stroke. There are no nearby hospitals with the proper specialists or equipment in our part of Colorado, so he has to be flown to Denver. All day Tuesday he is under observation, undergoing tests, yada yada yada. We are understaffed and slammed at my work, so there is no way I can go be with him. Let me tell you, I love my father very, very much, and not being there was very difficult for me.

On Wednesday I get a phone call, and it is my dad! "Hey son, what's up? I had a stroke." He sounded like nothing even happened.

I was extremely relieved, but also very confused. I've had a few relatives, and I've known relatives of friends who have suffered strokes, and none of them came out of it as well as my dad seemed to. I asked him how he was doing, and he said they were doing more tests, but he was having some short-term memory problems, and his vision in his right eye was impaired. That is all.

The rest of the week he underwent more tests, and what they found wasn't very good, yet at the same time, it was miraculously good.

The stroke caused severe damage to my father's brain. The scans showed that an extremely large portion of his brain is now dead. Amazingly, the portion damaged from the stroke did not include any areas that truly mattered. The doctors believe that with therapy my dad should be able to recover most of the vision in his right eye, and improve the short-term memory problem. They say in six weeks, he should be able to go back to work.

The man had a stroke that killed nearly half of his brain mass, and he should be able to go back to work in six weeks!

He came home from Denver tonight, and he looks as if nothing ever happened. He even looks a little better than he had been looking lately. Now, he's definitely not out of the woods. The doctors say that he is very much in danger of having another stroke, and if he does, he is guaranteed not to be so lucky. The stroke occurred because of blood clotting, and if that can't be controlled, then he will definitely have another stroke.

So, overall it is not very "awesome," but right now, I'm pretty fucking happy to have my dad still around.

Fuck man you think you have problems and this guy almost lost his dad... Good to hear hes doing better I remember when my Great Giddo (Ukrainian for grandfather) had a stroke and he couldnt remember my little cousins but he remembered me and my brother just kind of showed to me how precious time was and the time I spent with him he remembered till the day of his death. Time is priceless people cherish what you have because everything can be taken from you in a moment, treasure your family and friendships and the positives you have given in your lifetime because the meaning of life is togetherness :')

Ok, this can also go in the "awesome" thread, but I think the "unawesome" part outweighs the "awesome."

This past Monday, I get a call from my dad's girlfriend informing me that my father had collapsed at work, and was rushed to the nearest hospital. A few hours later, she calls with an update: My father has had a stroke. There are no nearby hospitals with the proper specialists or equipment in our part of Colorado, so he has to be flown to Denver. All day Tuesday he is under observation, undergoing tests, yada yada yada. We are understaffed and slammed at my work, so there is no way I can go be with him. Let me tell you, I love my father very, very much, and not being there was very difficult for me.

On Wednesday I get a phone call, and it is my dad! "Hey son, what's up? I had a stroke." He sounded like nothing even happened.

I was extremely relieved, but also very confused. I've had a few relatives, and I've known relatives of friends who have suffered strokes, and none of them came out of it as well as my dad seemed to. I asked him how he was doing, and he said they were doing more tests, but he was having some short-term memory problems, and his vision in his right eye was impaired. That is all.

The rest of the week he underwent more tests, and what they found wasn't very good, yet at the same time, it was miraculously good.

The stroke caused severe damage to my father's brain. The scans showed that an extremely large portion of his brain is now dead. Amazingly, the portion damaged from the stroke did not include any areas that truly mattered. The doctors believe that with therapy my dad should be able to recover most of the vision in his right eye, and improve the short-term memory problem. They say in six weeks, he should be able to go back to work.

The man had a stroke that killed nearly half of his brain mass, and he should be able to go back to work in six weeks!

He came home from Denver tonight, and he looks as if nothing ever happened. He even looks a little better than he had been looking lately. Now, he's definitely not out of the woods. The doctors say that he is very much in danger of having another stroke, and if he does, he is guaranteed not to be so lucky. The stroke occurred because of blood clotting, and if that can't be controlled, then he will definitely have another stroke.

So, overall it is not very "awesome," but right now, I'm pretty fucking happy to have my dad still around.

Gosh, that must have been brutal.

Glad to hear the prognosis is good.

Hang in there.

Ok, this can also go in the "awesome" thread, but I think the "unawesome" part outweighs the "awesome."

This past Monday, I get a call from my dad's girlfriend informing me that my father had collapsed at work, and was rushed to the nearest hospital. A few hours later, she calls with an update: My father has had a stroke. There are no nearby hospitals with the proper specialists or equipment in our part of Colorado, so he has to be flown to Denver. All day Tuesday he is under observation, undergoing tests, yada yada yada. We are understaffed and slammed at my work, so there is no way I can go be with him. Let me tell you, I love my father very, very much, and not being there was very difficult for me.

On Wednesday I get a phone call, and it is my dad! "Hey son, what's up? I had a stroke." He sounded like nothing even happened.

I was extremely relieved, but also very confused. I've had a few relatives, and I've known relatives of friends who have suffered strokes, and none of them came out of it as well as my dad seemed to. I asked him how he was doing, and he said they were doing more tests, but he was having some short-term memory problems, and his vision in his right eye was impaired. That is all.

The rest of the week he underwent more tests, and what they found wasn't very good, yet at the same time, it was miraculously good.

The stroke caused severe damage to my father's brain. The scans showed that an extremely large portion of his brain is now dead. Amazingly, the portion damaged from the stroke did not include any areas that truly mattered. The doctors believe that with therapy my dad should be able to recover most of the vision in his right eye, and improve the short-term memory problem. They say in six weeks, he should be able to go back to work.

The man had a stroke that killed nearly half of his brain mass, and he should be able to go back to work in six weeks!

He came home from Denver tonight, and he looks as if nothing ever happened. He even looks a little better than he had been looking lately. Now, he's definitely not out of the woods. The doctors say that he is very much in danger of having another stroke, and if he does, he is guaranteed not to be so lucky. The stroke occurred because of blood clotting, and if that can't be controlled, then he will definitely have another stroke.

So, overall it is not very "awesome," but right now, I'm pretty fucking happy to have my dad still around.

What a story!
I'm happy for you and him.
Hopefully that was the one and only stroke.
He is one lucky fellow!

My grandpa, Pappa is in hospital now too.
He's 94 years old and has already undergone two hip surgeries in two weeks.
First he fell down at home, where he still lived/lives with my grandma, Mummu, who's 89 years old.
His hip prosthesis was shattered and his thigh bone also suffered some damage.
He was rushed to the hospital, but they couldn't operate him because his blood pressure wasn't too good.
Then we took Mummu to see him, and they could operate him on the same very day, because the visit improved his health so much, blood pressures and heart rates were ok.

Surgery went well, new prosthesis was set in place and road to some kind of recovery lurked ahead.
But after spending almost three weeks in hospital he was getting annoyed.
Mind still working but body being in such a bad shape, he one night decided to sneak out.. *sighs*
His operated leg was stuck between his bed's side (thin poles, about 30 cm gap between them) and it yanked the new prosthesis from it's slot.
Aand he had to be operated again.
The next morning he told that he just wanted to go pole vaulting..

Few days after he got a fierce fever, but it went down in 1,5 days.
Doctors are optimistic, but it's not possible for him to return to staying at home anymore.
He's now resting and regaining strength to his other leg so he could still walk some ten meters.

Us, the family are happy to get him back even in a wheelchair, but he said that he needs to walk one more time.
It's hard to see a man who's always been very keen on different sports (gymnastics, dancing, etc) in such a state.
But we are lucky to still have him here.
Though every day is a new day, and in his state and age anything that causes any harm to his health can be.. you know, fatal.

He's a fighter, but he has exceeded all the expectations of survival already so many times, that one nurse even said that it really is a miracle to still have him here.
After two huge operations, high and fierce fever, bad cough, he still asks me when I'm going to dye my hair again to something fancy and if he can see the dogs and go to his own sauna at home.


I have some strong genes in me!

Wow! 94, and still putting up a strong fight! That's inspiring! I'm sorry to hear he's had so many struggles, but he seems to take it all in stride and views it all like just another obstacle to overcome. Amazing. If I ever make it to 94, I hope I have that kind of fight in me!

Thanks for the kind words, Sari. I'll be sending good thoughts you and your Pappa's way.

Wow! 94, and still putting up a strong fight! That's inspiring! I'm sorry to hear he's had so many struggles, but he seems to take it all in stride and views it all like just another obstacle to overcome. Amazing. If I ever make it to 94, I hope I have that kind of fight in me!

Thanks for the kind words, Sari. I'll be sending good thoughts you and your Pappa's way.

Yeah, he's really one of the finnish tough nut folks, so we can only see what tomorrow and following weeks bring.

I'll be going to see him tomorrow, I'll deliver all the good thoughts to him then

RIP John Barry. Film soundtrack composer extraordinaire, legendary Englishman and great ale drinker.

5 Oscars, 2 Emmys, a Grammy, couple of BAFTAs.

Midnight Cowboy, Born free, Zulu, Out of Africa and all the best Bond themes.

they don't make 'em like that anymore.

[youtube]ZGORPUzLxtU[/youtube]

RIP John Barry. Film soundtrack composer extraordinaire, legendary Englishman and great ale drinker.

5 Oscars, 2 Emmys, a Grammy, couple of BAFTAs.

Midnight Cowboy, Born free, Zulu, Out of Africa and all the best Bond themes.

they don't make 'em like that anymore.

[youtube]ZGORPUzLxtU[/youtube]

[youtube]h8UhlEPV6uc[/youtube]

That is sad. But he does leave a great legacy. RIP.

A massive cyclone 300km wide is heading straight for us and is due to hit Wednesday night. Lovely.
It's expected to reach a category 4 or 5 when it hits, currently a 3...
We had the option to fly out tomorrow and evacuate to Brisbane, but we decided it's too early and we can't really afford accommodation down there so we're going to sit this one out at home and hope for the best...

[Octillus]

YIKES! Good luck and be safe!