Encouraging News

C'mon, FDA!

This was in the news a few days ago:

Pill Found Promising in Treatment of M.S.

Clinical trials indicate that BG-12, developed by Biogen Idec, may be safer and more effective than existing treatments for patients in the early stages of the disease.  Full NYT article can be found here.

I mean, it's not approved yet or anything, but just knowing things like this are on the horizon is so encouraging to me. I still have to start my injectable medication next month, but maybe someday soon that won't be my only option.

As a side note, this pin caught my eye today.

For serious. Why's it always gotta be "temporary flushing and warm feeling and gastrointestinal symptoms including nausea, diarrhea, cramping, and vomiting?" Why can't the flushing and warm feelings and gastrointestinal distress happen to other people as they get all hot and bothered by my brand new, medication-induced sexiness?

You Are What You Hear

Do you agree?

NPR had a great article a few weeks ago that discussed music and what our individual "life soundtrack" says about us. The article was inspired by a British study called Six Songs of Me, an attempt to find out what songs are meaningful to people and why we like what we like. The songs they're interested in fall into six categories. My answers follow.

What was the first song CD you ever bought? (I absolutely bought cassette tapes when I was younger but I can't remember any of them, which is probably my brain subconsciously protecting my ego. So I'm going with CDs.)

Oh jeez, do you guys remember Columbia House mail-order music? My brother was a member back in 1996 and let me choose five albums to round out his "Buy One Get 11 Free" or whatever it was, so long as I chipped in to help pay the absurd cost of the One we had to Buy. What were High School Freshman Kristen's first compact disc selections, you ask?

• Wallflowers, Bringing Down the Horse

• Blues Traveler, Four

• No Doubt, Tragic Kingdom

• Boyz II Men, II

• Evita: The Complete Motion Picture Soundtrack (...I am a complex lady)

What song always gets you dancing?

I...don't dance. At least not without some sort of BOGO drink special. But a song that makes me feel like dancing? "We No Speak Americano" by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP. Or, you know, Party Rock Anthem. No shame.

What song takes you back to your childhood?

"Don't Worry, Be Happy" by Bobby McFerrin.
Plus anything from Eric Clapton's Unplugged. Also, oldies music from the 60s and 70s for sure. My mom's radio preference was all oldies all the time, so that's ALL I listened to for the first 10 or 12 years of my life. I bet you $5 I know the words to more oldies songs than you do.

What is your perfect love song?

"Gotta Have You" by The Weepies.
Le sigh.

What song would you want at your funeral?

Oh I'm totally going to have to go with Imogen Heap's "Hide and Seek." Two reasons: First, the majority of people will be all, "Wow, what a cool song. She had really awesome taste in music. Now I am going to miss her even more." But most importantly, it will begin playing and htd will immediately burst into hysterical laughter, which will be a nice break from the tears. I mean seriously, it's my funeral. She's gonna be sad. It's the least I can do.

Time for an encore. One last song that makes you, you.

"Living On The Outside Of Your Skin" by Cloud Cult.
Take your broken pieces and use them
Use them for protection. Use them for protection.
Take your strong pieces and use them
For living on the outside of your skin. 

Story of my life.

Play along! What would your songs be?