#Instagram Reflection of the Week

We stared at the thinning crescent of the waning moon and wondered where the sun had gone. He asked if the sun was asleep. I pointed out the sun was always shing, but sometimes just beyond our sight.

"What Sarah Said": a lo-fi, live action web comic (episode 20, Rebekah's First Snow)

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Maura Fern: Phased Topomax & Recent Epileptic Seizures

Patrick Finn rooted through the Fisher Price medical kit kit with surgical precision. Although the word stethoscope wasn't yet a part of his 3-year-old vocabulary, he could expertly demonstrate how to use the instrument. The blood pressure cuff was a particular hit, as each pump of the bulb sent the dial spinning into a frenzied rotation. Yupp. We're talking Dr. P-Finn. 


My wife and I always wondered how much he would remember of Maura's 2-month stay at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, or the flurry of neurological and pediatric check-ups after her release. Judging by his sense of purpose applying the medical kit, those memories were still a part of his vivid recall. The toys offered him a creative means to activate and explore those memories.


For all his deliberate play, I was shocked when he plunged the fake syringe into my mouth. It caught me off guard, and I nearly managed to choke out a reprimand when my wife shot me a sideways glance from across. the room. Then it dawned on me. This wasn't a pointy needle for immunization; he imagined the oral syringe we used to administer Maura's anti-seizure medication three times a day. Who could fault such a keen observer?


As for Maura, each and every day was marked progress. Each and every day distanced us from her last episode of epilepsy in early Septmber. Having already weened her off the anti-seizure medication Phenobarbital, my wife and I were eager to begin phasing out Topomax-- a medication more commonly known to treat migraine headaches. 


Topo was also the only medication which required constant refrigeration, which seriously hampered our ability to "pick up and go" without more seriously planning our outings around her medication schedule. With a fair amount of consultation with CHOP's neurology specialists, we delicately planned to decrease Maura's Topomax schedule over a three week span-- ultimately eliminating the need for this particular treatment. 


My wife administered the last dose of Topomax earlier this week. We allowed that major milestone to gracefully pass by with not much more than a FaceBook post acknowledging the event. It only took one incoming phone call to break that piece of mind.


Twenty-seven of my seventh grade students continued to research and write annotated bibliographies well into that Friday afternoon as the front office directed the phone call to my classroom; I discreetly answered the phone, nervously anticipating the next weighty words to drop with crushing gravity. 


"Joe, Maura had a seizure this afternoon." There wasn't much more that could be said over the phone, and I could accomplish even less from my remote location miles away from my wife and children. We exchanged a few more words: Caroline outlined the narrative with a few critical details, and I offered a few words of heartfelt support. I hung up the phone and turned to finish out the rest of my school day.


Am I disappointed? No. The word too heavily conveys the idea of failure, lack of hope, and feeling unfulfilled. If anything I feel very relieved that Maura and her medications were able to hold the seizures at bay for such a long duration. Proud in my wife's determination to work with Early Intervention and physical therapy to develop the gross motor skills. Relieved that my son is handling our family crisis like a well adjusted 3-year-old. 


So... we restart the clock back to "day zero seizure free," continue to manage Maura's seizures through the best medical attention CHOP can provide, and and continue to hope Maura will one day outgrow her epilepsy.

"What Sarah Said": a lo-fi, live action web comic (episode 19, We Shall Overcome!)

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Instagram: an late-comer app review for the tech secluded

2011 has come and gone, giving way to several weeks worth of the year's "best of" from critics and bloggers alike. Jumping over to my iPhone's App Store, I explored through the Rewind 2011 and browsed through the best apps of the year to discover Instagram.

I eagerly shared this tidbit with my wife to discover that I am late to jump on the bandwagon. Very late in fact. Ah well, looks like I am one of the last to know about this gem. So I'll bring up the rear on this with my Instagram app review for the tech secluded.

WHAT IS IT?

Instagram is a free app offered exclusively available through the Mac App Store and iTunes.

On the surface, it is just another photography app that offers a limited variety of finishes, most of which give a blurred or washed out appearance as if the picture aged from the 50's or 60's. Filters are applied after the fact, allowing for both spontaneity and thoughtful post-production. All-in-all, the controls are intuitive and can be fully explored within several minutes.
 
I found the resulting alteration somewhat gimmicky, and could quickly loose entertainment value (like CamWow after 5 minutes of play). For those seeking a wider array of visual effects, consider Instagram can directly import from the photo album. Apps like Leme Camera, Photo Toaster, and 100 Cameras in 1 (just to name a few) can be used in tangent, allowing for a wider range of expression.

Layering effects proved easy to learn, but time-consuming to master.

  WHO WILL LIKE IT?

Dig a little deeper and Instagram offers a layer of social networking. Images are published directly to a feed, which means you can follow others as they can also follow you. Images are aggregated directly into the app in an easy to view photo stream. Contacts can be imported from various other social networks, including FaceBook, making it easy to connect with others.

Email. Facebook. Twitter. Flickr. Four Square. Tumblr. Yeah, who needs another social network, right?

The most brilliant aspect of Instagram are the toggles to push photos out into your other various social networks... simultaneously. As a social networking app, Instagram felt... well... networked. The integrated nature of Instagram enhanced the way I engage with my other networks; though I am disappointed there is no direct port to Blogger outside of a widget or badge.

WHY USE IT?

Check it out. From my standpoint, Instagram appears popular with the +25-something tech savvy mommy/daddy posters. Consider how the Noah's Dad blog utilizes Instagram as an added layer of social media. Or how my wife's Rivergirl 365 + 1 blog uses Instagram photos on the go to maintain her efforts to post once a day over the course of a year. Another half-dozen mommy/daddy friends are also using Instagram to publish to Facebook.

There is also the burgeoning moblog (mobile blog) and photography scenes. Actually, I'm quite impressed by what people are able to achieve given the fixed focal length of any mobile Apple product. For those who didn't know, the "zoom" feature only crops! Check out the works of my friends PraiseBoognish and HeadManSays who are really pushing the boundaries of technology and art. Quite astounding.

And ooh, check out my feed while you are at it. I'm trying to balance visual curiosity combined with those small, family moments.

"What Sarah Said": a lo-fi, live action web comic (episode 18, Sunset Over This Year's Resolution)

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P-Finn's Secret Wish

P-Finn broke away and sprinted toward the fountain under the mall's spacious atrium. "Mom, can I have a coin?" he requested. My wife shook a few pennies and dimes out of her coin purse, and handed them over to the toddler. In a single motion, my son threw a fistful of coins toward the water, sending back a hearty splash.

In reconsideration, he turned back to my wife and asked, "Do you have any more coins?" She shook her head in denial. P-Finn the turned to me. "Daddie, why are there coins under the water?" I began to explain something about making a wish... or the monies being donated to various charities. He looked confused.

Switching subjects, I ask if he made a wish. Caroline quickly interjected, "Wishes don't come true if you tell somebody else. Keep it a secret." At that moment, my son scrunched his eyelids shut into his keeping-a-secret facial expression. Guess now I'll never know about his wishes.