Munchausen
My parent's recently told me about my sister's phsycologoist sudgesting that she suffers from Munchausen Syndrome. It is a disorder where the sufferer makes up symptoms of diseases or physical malodies in order to fullfill an inner need to be seen as ill or injured. The person might even believe with all their heart that they actually suffer from any number of diseases. My sister, for instance, has had at one time or another in her life - cronic knee inflamation, luekemia, a bad spleen, kidney problems, tonsilitis, stomach ulcers, heart palpatations, AIDS, and probably a few others that I can't remember. She has been hit by at least ten cars while walking on the sidewalk. I usually respond to her bad news of a new disease, by saying something like, "Oh. Well, I hope you feel better soon!" Meanwhile she screams, "Wolf! Wolf! Wolf!" We always thought that it might be out of bordom. But that doesn't go far enough in explaining why she will put herself through exhaustive testing for a fictitous disease. Munchausen wraps up the whole issue nicely. After this late-comer piece of information I thought , "Well, Duh!"
The intersting thing is, I allready knew all about Munchausen. I just didn't know it. The syndrome is named after the famous Baron von Munchausen!
I remeber watching The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, a magical movie about the power of the imagination, somewhere in my teenage years. Of course, the movie is what started my gay-love affair with Terry Gilliam. Incidently, this is a great year for Gilliam Lovers due to the release of TWO movies long overdue - The Brothers Grimm (I'm crapping my pants for this one!) and Tideland. I just watched Lost in La Mancha, and was disappointed. I'm sure that the actual movie would have been great, but this documentary is educational at best. (The Gillaim link above has a bunch of other references to movies he has "lost" or has planned for the "near" future. Like Good Omens!)
So this crazy, 18th Century, cannonball riding, Turkish fighting, fantastic liar is the subject of this book which I would so like to have in my hands right now. (Even more than Harry Potter.)
And he is the namesake of my sister's problems.
Well, I hope she feels better soon!
The intersting thing is, I allready knew all about Munchausen. I just didn't know it. The syndrome is named after the famous Baron von Munchausen!
I remeber watching The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, a magical movie about the power of the imagination, somewhere in my teenage years. Of course, the movie is what started my gay-love affair with Terry Gilliam. Incidently, this is a great year for Gilliam Lovers due to the release of TWO movies long overdue - The Brothers Grimm (I'm crapping my pants for this one!) and Tideland. I just watched Lost in La Mancha, and was disappointed. I'm sure that the actual movie would have been great, but this documentary is educational at best. (The Gillaim link above has a bunch of other references to movies he has "lost" or has planned for the "near" future. Like Good Omens!)
So this crazy, 18th Century, cannonball riding, Turkish fighting, fantastic liar is the subject of this book which I would so like to have in my hands right now. (Even more than Harry Potter.)
And he is the namesake of my sister's problems.
Well, I hope she feels better soon!
posted by Stephen "Steve" at 7/16/2005 05:49:00 PM
5 Comments:
I read good omens and I remember thinking that it may make a better movie than it is a book. It is very clever and funny but I didn't really get that into it. Also, stop talking about civilization or I am going to have to start playing it again and I can't do that. I just started played the sims again a few weeks ago and I just kicked that habit so I am jonzing for another fix. I wish they made civilization for my gamecube because all I have is Civ II on my imac circa 1998 which I only turn on now to play civilization.
Posted by mandy
Civ3 isn't really that different from 2. Anyway I have so far logged about thirty hours and am in the 1900's now. I hope to be done soon so that I can uninstall the game and go on living. Harry Potter and Civ, two obsesivish activities, are unhealthily eating away at my precious time.
Don't be a consumer whore. Like me.
Posted by Steve
when i saw it in 4th grade i thought baron muchausen was a weird movie. maybe i'd get it if i saw it now. wasn't it along the lines of labrynth? or is my memory all screwed up? also, mandy used to be addicted to civiliation.
Posted by hi hi
I was TOTALLY addicted to it. I actually have civ three but it is so slow on my old computer that I just play it when I'm at my parents house. I like it more than civ2 but I miss the movies for the wonders that you build. Those are awsome. I think I'm going to have to play it today when I get home from work.
Posted by mandy
Mandy! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! Don't do it! Don't let it consume you! Think about it. How does it help you? After forty-some hours are you a better person in anyway? (And you can't say that you learned anything about world history, because that is bullshit.)
Posted by Steve