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A day that will live in infamy! ...or is that just famy?

You know, it's really uncomfortable to have to sit through a verbal reaming that is not targeted at you. We have group meetings for our lab on Monday mornings, and today my boss decided she had several things to get off her chest, including rants about how her students never meet deadlines and how none of them have plans for publications and if they don't get publications they won't get their PhDs. It was all rather melodramatic - somewhat necessary, but I felt it could have been handled in a rather more measured fashion. Meanwhile, because I am but a rotation student and will be leaving within a month, I just sat there meekly and tried not to look at people. Awkward!

On the other hand, during this same meeting I met the eyes of the Hot Guy who works in the lab I think... 2 or 3 times across the table. He was looking at me! He's so pretty, you guys. He's got tattoos on every limb and wears Tool sweatshirts but is also a nerd. I am very fond. I may or may not work up the balls to ask him out for coffee when I leave the lab - we'll see.

Health care reform passed! Amazing! All the biggest stuff comes into effect in 2014, which is just about the time I'll be graduating with my PhD and therefore losing my grad care health insurance - A+ timing! But more than that, of course, I think this will actually do really good things for a lot of normal Americans. I'm very happy. I also wish that this would shock some sense into the Republican party - not a single one of them voted for this historic victory. The party is so petty, selfish, hateful, and vicious - and they don't see any of these things as a problem. I'm sad that we still have to deal with this legitimized fanaticism, but at least we squeaked something around their obstreperousness. (Yes, my "political" icon is Obama with a small child. Don't judge.)

Man, Mondays suck even more now that I have to spend the whole day bouncing and waiting until I can LEAVE and watch The Pacific! I watched about 15 minutes while I ate breakfast this morning, and ahahah - so not a good idea. I just love a little gore and death with my morning yogurt, don't you? :P

Lalala that's it! Science time!

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I was SO thrilled the health care reform passed! I can't imagine being without the NHS (UK's national health service), even though working for them sucks sometimes - it's something every country should have.

I guess when I've plucked up courage to finish watching Band of Brothers, I'll need to pluck up courage to watch the Pacific - why am I such a wuss? I'm fine with blood and gore in real life, but put it on the screen and I can't deal. *shakes head at own stupidity*

America is stuck so far back in the stone ages it's amazing we even function at all. I don't think our system is sustainable in the least, so it's nice to see *something* changing, even if it's not NEARLY enough. Maybe when some of these old dudes start dying off... cough cough.

Oh honey! You still haven't finished BoB? This makes me sad for you. Where have you gotten to? I can give you warnings about Gore Level. I wish I could sit with you and tell you when to cover your eyes, because that's what I did with my best friend and it worked great, she loved it in the end! (May I suggest that no matter what you do, eventually you should watch the finale? Because oh, what a beautiful episode. If you care at all about these guys you will feel your heart grow three sizes. There's a *little* blood, but uh, not a lot? :D? Anyway, totally worth it. ♥)

That said, I'll get back to you on whether you should make yourself watch The Pacific - it's already a lot more intense than BoB and there's only been two episodes!

I'm still stuck on episode 6, about 12 minutes in (I made it that far into the episode, even though I was so tense!) The problem is, I'm waiting for someone (I don't know who), to get their arm blown off, because one of the actual soldiers talks about that in the opening. I'm okay with some gore, but it's more the tension and anticipation of something bad happening that bothers me, that and body parts getting blown off, especially if the character is still alive. (How I can be such a wimp when it comes to TV stuff, but totally unphased by the goriest of stuff at work, I'll never understand). So, yeah, if you happen to remember roughly what point in that episode 'bad things happen', I'd be able to watch up to that, then make the screen tiny and watch through my fingers! Yes, I'm serious - that's what I do. If you don't remember, though, no worries - I have a plan in mind that might work.

Well first of all, the incident with the arm getting blown off isn't shown in the show, so that's, uh, not what you have to worry about. However, because episode 6 is the medic episode, every time bullets start flying, an injury is shown. The worst injury in that episode (6) is when a young guy gets a bullet to the throat - close your eyes for that WHOLE PART, because it's extremely graphic and the worst part of the whole thing, in my opinion. The guy gets hit around 27:30 in my AVI file of the episode. Then he's on the ground for a long time while they try to get to him but can't because the Germans are firing. Shortly after that, a guy gets a bullet to the stomach and that's pretty graphic too.

Other injuries in the episode:
12:30 - one guy gets a minor hit to the arm. He thinks it's an artery but it's not. One quick shot of blood.
20:48 to 21:30 - another guy gets pieces of shattered tree to the leg. this one's pretty bad, I'd close your eyes until they've wrapped it up and started to carry him away. Then they arrive at the aid station and there's a few graphic shots of wounds because there's a lot of injured guys there, obviously. But then you meet Renee and suddenly the world seems a bit brighter :D
27:30 - the aforementioned throat wound. Ick.
39:40 to 41:00 - This one's pretty terrible too. A guy has a real bad chest wound and Doc Roe tries to save him by trying to reach in and close off an artery. yeah.
46:40 - A guy gets a bullet through his shoulders - this one isn't graphic, no blood or anything because of the chaotic way its shot and the injury's under his uniform, he's just badly hurt and it's sad :(
56:00 - Someone else gets hit in the leg (at night) and there are some graphic shots of his bad wound. They go get the medic and there's more graphic shots after Doc Roe comes.

Now.... that's Bastogne. Unfortunately, the worst is yet to come, in part 7 (The Breaking Point). There's less in terms of quantity of wounds, but two in particular will really upset you. I'll catalogue that one for you too because I really do want you to get through. This is kind of spoilery, but it's the only way to get you through it. I'll leave out names because that really is the saddest part and you should experience that as you're intended to. ;___;

8:30 - Someone gets shot in the leg. The graphic images start at 8:50.
32:50 to 35:30 - Someone has lost his leg. Make sure you see who it is. For this period of minutes, shots of him injured and his friend finding him are intercut with other things - watch as much as you think you can, but there are several very graphic images.
36:50 - Tragically, the man who was helping the injured one gets hit by a blast and himself gets a horribly mangled leg. There's a very bad and haunting shot of them here.
38:00 - More shots of the injured duo, and a very heartbreaking reaction by one of their comrades.
38:30 - 39:30 - Doc Roe treats them. DON'T watch this part. But do listen. Sigh. :(

After that there aren't any more graphic wounds, just really upsetting shit going down. These two episodes are incredibly tough, but they're also some of the best television ever shot, and I think it's entirely worth it. The whole end of Breaking Point is one of my favorite parts of the whole series.

And if you're wondering, yes, I did just go and selectively watch the most graphic parts of these episodes just for you. That's how much I care! ♥

Let me know if you have any questions - if you're wondering who gets injured because you couldn't see, or didn't know who they were, or whatever. I hope you get past this because afterwards is three more fanTAStic episodes. I won't say they're easy, but they're a lot more enjoyable without worrying about blood. (There's only one graphic injury in episode 8, in the middle, close your eyes for some of that, and then there aren't really any to warn explicitly about in 9 and 10.) I hope you get through hon, I think you'll be glad you did. ♥

Edited 2010-03-27 21:23 (UTC)

Oh, wow, you're an absolute darling to do all this for me! Thank you, thank you! I should be home tomorrow afternoon (I'd kind of like to watch it in the day, rather than the evening), so I shall go for it. I think some of those might be manageable for me to watch, though definitely not the ones you list in episode 7.

If I can do anything as a thank you - icons, maybe? - do say!

You're welcome! Anything to promote my Easy boys, honestly. Even watching them get blowed up over and over. (;__;)

You really honestly don't have to do anything! It took about 20 minutes and was no hardship. Actually what you can do for me is to finish BoB, hee. ;) And then talk about it! Moar BoB fangirls is always a good thing. ♥ Good luck hon!

I've finished episode 6, thanks to you - it wasn't half as tense knowing when things were going to happen! Nothing I couldn't watch - it was just the tension/expecting something bad every second that was the problem before. So glad I made it - so worth it, though I could cry for Doc Roe and Renee now. And Babe.

I think I shall brave episode 7 another day, though - it's fantastic, but draining!

Oh I'm so glad to hear it! I'm really happy I was able to help you through it. And I'm glad you appreciated it - Doc Roe, Renee, and Babe have one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking little stories-within-the-story of the whole series. ♥

Draining is right! You take your time dear :D

I watched episode 7 as well last night - late, just before going to bed (all weepy!) Oh, my heart! I have no idea how those guys did it, but I just ache for them.

Oh my, isn't it just the most awful thing? I am still horrified by those events of course, but now what I notice most is their indomitable spirit - how as he's carried away, Guarnere's still cracking off jokes. "Told you I'd get back to the States before ya Joe." Bill Guarnere is my favorite of the real vets - hopefully you'll watch the documentary and such, because he is not to be missed. He's still a complete firecracker, full of attitude and cheer and such a lovely man. He's also mindbogglingly determined and gutsy - I mean, he did construction work with one leg. It's hard to comprehend. If you're at all interested, I would highly recommend reading his and Babe Heffron's book - it's a funny, poignant, and highly readable oral account of their lives before, during, and after Easy.

Now can I just switch into fangirl mode and go "OMG SPEIRS!" Because honestly. The end of that episode should be titled Speirs Is Awesome And Competent And Crazy! His conversation with Lipton in the convent at the end is one of the loveliest things in the whole series. Keep your eye on those two for the remainder, because while they might be in the background, their sweet little connection stays strong. :D

Haha, um, /ramble! I could seriously sit and chat about this series and these men for ages. ♥

Joe steeling himself up to move after he'd looked down and seen his leg, Guarnere's joking, the bravery of them all, it was just mind-boggling. And omg, poor Buck. And Lipton's commentary on Buck, how they all still respected him just as much, how he was a great leader.

As for Spiers, wow, yes. The way he turned around the attack at the end, and his conversation with Lipton when he talks about the real leader in the company (and Lipton doesn't get that it's him).

BTW, your picspam of all the characters is coming in very handy - I keep getting confused with names, so I just go back to that each time.

Oh, Buck. The way he just crumbles - it breaks my heart. I am so touched by Malarkey's kindness to Buck even as he's losing his last best friend. Which we haven't even touched on - poor Muck and Penkala!! :( You had probably paid some attention to Muck because of his role in Supernatural, maybe? That's why I noticed him first time around, anyway. Their death is so sudden and shocking and horrible - and that's just how it happened, in real life. Such a tragedy. Those three - Muck, Penkala, and Buck - were Malarkey's best friends, and he lost them in the span of a couple days. The stories of all the men are heartbreaking, but Malarkey perhaps gets to me the worst. Sniff.

Lipton is such a humble sweetheart! He just has absolutely no idea what a marvel he is. Which is even more marvelous. I love him dearly, and I love how he's the only thing to poke through Speirs's stoic, badass exterior. ♥

Oh yay, I'm so glad! I'm just a big old enabler, aren't I? :D

I loved how Lipton was aware of how rough a time it was for Malarkey - all of them, really, in little ways, looked out for each other. Even when it might get them injured or killed.

I'm very glad you're such an enabler!

I get this! The other day, a tutor decided to rant at us about not turning up to class. Which means she was ranting about people who weren't there to people who HAD turned up. Haha.

The irony, it BURNS! Silly people. :)

Man, I hate when that kind of stuff happens in meetings -- whether it's a group meeting or a teaching staff meeting. It's entirely inappropriate and unproductive when the meeting includes EVERYONE, not just the unfortunates being yelled at. Also, yelling at people is so not cool in an employer-employee conversation. So, *ick* on the meeting. But *yay!* for HOT GUY. You should ask him out for coffee, definitely.

Also, I'm in a group now! Hurrah!

It wasn't strictly yelling, more like forceful speaking, but she can be quite intimidating. I do think some of the things needed to be said, but it was directed almost entirely at her three second years, so me, the post-doc, and the tech just kind of sat there like doodedoo, awkward!

Haha, we'll see about the coffee. He's a really nice guy but I'm not sure the chemistry's there, and I'm super gunshy after Dave. We'll see!

Oh yay! I've been wanting to talk to you about that, see where you ended up. Who are you with? What are you working on? Congratulations! :D Hopefully I will have that certainty soon...

I'm working in the Burstyn group on the allosteric control of CO-sensing heme-based transcription factors. I get to to protein thermodynamics, yay!

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Well, he's not Bush! I'm a wee bit disillusioned but at least *something* is happening. We'll see if it actually changes lives! (It should, thankfully.)

He IS lovely, but I'm pretty sure he's not for me, alas. Sure is nice eye candy though! Ooh, young Johnny Weir doppelgangers are never ever a bad thing. :D

Sooo, according to my Gmail, I never got a notice that you friended me! But I just bopped over to your LJ and you seem really awesome so I friended back. :D Sorry it took so long! /o\

I went all flaily for America when I read that the health bill passed! I'm happy for you guys. Nothing is perfect but at least it's a move in getting help to the people who need it, right?

Oooh, Hot Guy sounds really cool. \o/

♥

It was all rather melodramatic - somewhat necessary, but I felt it could have been handled in a rather more measured fashion. meeep...awkward indeed =/

and i hope the reform does do more good than harm for a lot of people

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