Saturday, December 01, 2007

Slippin', slippin', slippin'...

My son is getting so big! Our recent ultrasound gave us a pretty good view of him, although not much in the way of 3D stuff, yet. The video below may not work on a dial-up connection, but if you're on broadband, it should stream smoothly.



Once in a while the picture gets really shaky... that's when Emily is laughing. It was a funny, tearful experience - one we can't wait to do again in a couple of weeks. Isn't it cool that technology allows you to "visit" your baby before he's even born?

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My blogiversary just passed, and I didn't even realize it! (ain't it just like a man?)

Three days ago, my blog turned THREE years old. I don't post as often as I used to, but it works for me. Free time is a rare commodity... especially now, when we're preparing for April and the new baby.

As of today this mundane, dusty little corner of the universe is closing in on 200,000 hits, which never ceases to amaze me. WTF?

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We went to an exhibition called Body Worlds 3 last night. It's a display of actual, dead human bodies that have been preserved and posed using a process called plastination. You are literally looking at real human flesh, bones, tendons, and other body parts. The photo to the left is an example, and eerily, the cadaver is holding up the skins of several actual people.

First, I should say it's very inspiring and educational, but I must admit to feeling a little uneasy. These are real people, dissected in various ways to show how the human body works. Here are a few pictures of the cadavers on exhibition. (click the links, they are really fascinating)

It's difficult to describe my feelings as I wandered through this exhibition, but I'd say fascination, sadness, elation, a little irreverence, some fear, and a deep realization of my own mortality. It was extremely impactful. I'm a pretty emotional person anyway, but this experience is one I will never forget.

8 comments:

Fantastagirl said...

When we were in Vegas we saw this exhibit. it's amazing and at the same time creepy.

Love the ultrasound.

V said...

Baby Morris is looking good! I don't think I'd handle the exhibit well.... gettin' all semi-nauseated just lookin' at pics.

Violet said...

The Body Worlds visit was very cool. It really made me feel even more connected with Sparky. First of all, I can visibly recognize the placenta in the ultrasound after seeing the exhibition last night. Plus, seeing the stages that an embryo and fetus go through during a pregnancy was freakin' amazing.

It did make me realize how isolated we are in this world, though, and how death is inescapable. Then again, I've already been thinking a lot about these issues recently thanks to my classes and reading a bit too much about existential therapies and Dr. Irvin Yalom. I can't say that I had any severely negative feelings about the exhibit, though. I was able to see the art in some figures.

mckay said...

re: violet's comment on bodyworks 3. it'd be just my luck as an nonpro actress to get that kind of everlasting gig. i'd hate to be seen with my clothes off while in performance.

re: sparky. violet and dave, your boy looks so sweet. i enjoyed watching his hands move around his eyes. precious. i do have a little something for a baby boy and i'd like to send it your way. let me know if you have a PO box or something. i bought it for a nephew, but he outgrew the size before i could get it to them.

mck.

Blogarita said...

The boy's starting to look just like you, Dave!

Crystal said...

i got to see body worlds when it came to houston! it was one of the most amazing, beautifully gross things i have ever seen.

the brown eyes are what got to me the most...the brown ones are real, right? the blue ones are marbles, i think. just looking into them and thinking about all they must have seen. all the tears they cried, all the happiness squinting that went on....that was amazing.

Lee Ann said...

That is amazing and beautiful.
Actually almost made me cry....makes me want one.

Congratulations of 3 years...it has been really good to know you (at least through the land of blog....so far far away!) :)

OldHorsetailSnake said...

That skin show came to Portland. I couldn't bring myself to go see.