Pain In The Neck
New podcast with Aaron Lange about the punk scene, a medical billing surprise (in a good way), some bird-dog art, and more
The Virtual Memories Show News
A 2x/week email about a podcast about books & life
Podcastery
This week, I posted Episode 576 of The Virtual Memories Show, feat. cartoonist Aaron Lange as we talk about AIN’T IT FUN: Peter Laughner & Proto-Punk In The Secret City (Stone Church Press), his breathtaking new graphic novel that weaves together obscure records, urban legends and psychographic history. We talk about Aaron’s fascination with Cleveland’s punk scene, why the musician Peter Laughner stood out to him, and the way Cleveland’s hidden landmarks pointed him toward this massive project. We get into the research and interviews Aaron conducted for Ain’t It Fun, the process of editing this work into a looping, flaneur-like, discursive (but never aimless) narrative, and the influence of Greil Marcus’ Lipstick Traces, Iain Sinclair’s Lud Heat, and Adam Curtis’ documentaries. We also discuss post-Laughner Pere Ubu, using graphic design rather than panel-to-panel cartooning, visiting the zodiac circle by the Cleveland Museum of Art at all 4 equinoxes, chronicling the city’s brutalist architecture, the constraints of the comics market on a book that defies easy description, and a lot more. Give it a listen and go read AIN’T IT FUN!
Last week, I posted Episode 575 of The Virtual Memories Show, feat. author & therapist Donald J. Robertson as we celebrate his new book, Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor (Yale University Press). We talk about how knowing the life and travails of Marcus Aurelius helps one understand how to lead a Stoic life, how the Roman empire’s Antonine Plague compares with our life in Pandemia, and how writing this biography brought him a new understanding of the intricacies of Ancient Roman life and Marcus Aurelius’ big decisions. We also get Donald’s origin story w/Stoicism, how that philosophy’s been debased into the unhealthy “lower-case stoicism”, the literal toxicity of being a tough guy, and how Stoicism and its nuanced view of emotions inspired modern Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. We discuss the importance of building emotional resilience and understanding one’s value judgements, Robert Burns’ role as a gateway drug to Stoicism, how Donald accidentally became a writer, how Wilko Johnson can help me live a fuller mortal life, and a lot more. Give it a listen and go read Marcus Aurelius: The Stoic Emperor!
Recent episodes: Elizabeth Flock • David Thomson • Sammy Harkham • Ed Subitzky • Chris Silverman • Silence, a monlogue • The Guest List
Pain In The Neck
Between work & my ongoing neck/shoulder problems, I’ve got neither time nor focus for anything faux-profound this week.
I went for an MRI yesterday, to get my doctor a little more clarity on what’s going on in my neck after last week’s weird x-rays. My insurance denied prior authorization a day before. So I called the healthcare group and asked them what the MRI would cost out of pocket, sans insurance.
They quoted $322, and I asked if that was it, or if there’s going to be all sorts of additional charges, like the radiologist or $500 for earplugs or something, but they assured me that $322 was all I’d be charged.
When I did e-check-in yesterday, it prompted me to pre-pay for the MRI, and when I clicked through, it showed me what I’d be paying:
Yep. As quoted, $322, which was a discount of NINETY-SIX PERCENT from what they would have billed to my insurance.
When people in my non-pharma life ask me why drug costs are bananas, I try to tell them about the opacity of the reimbursement system for healthcare in the U.S., but I don’t think I’ve ever had as vivid an example to share as this one.
I pre-paid, got the MRI last night, and now eagerly await bizarre news about it from my doc or the spinal surgeon I’m supposed to consult with next month.
Also, since I saved $8,600, I guess that means I can take Amy somewhere nice for Valentine’s Day.
Postcardery
Let me know if you want to be on my postcard-a-day list. (Financial supporters of the podcast get a hand-drawn/painted postcard as a thank-you.)
Art
Between the neck/shoulder issue and various work-related projects, it’s been tough to focus on art. In the evenings, I’ve been trying to quick-sketch Benny, our greyhound, while he lounges on his sofa. It’s tough, because he gets self-conscious and shifts positions when he notices that I’m drawing him. I haven’t scanned any of those, but did take a quick iPad pic of one & put that on IG (see above). I also managed one terrible Japanese White Eye postcard, painted during a really debilitating stretch; I thought my ineptitude would get my mind off the pain. I mailed that out to an artist friend today in hopes he’ll dispose of it. I started another one this morning, but it needs work. I’ll post that next week. You should go to the Flickr album of most of the art I’ve made & find something you like.
Until Next Time
Thanks for reading this far! I’ll be back on Sunday with links, books, & somatic craziness, and Wednesday with a new episode, maybe some art, & who knows maybe a little profundity or something.
Let us talk about / Some trivial things we like / A bit of this and that / Let’s chew the fat,