“Follow your bliss and the universe will open doors for you where there were only walls”
Joseph Campbell
When pigs fly................Claudia
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thought
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Saturdy Afternoon
Our house is a frequent stop for the Fed Ex guy and the UPS man. Two of the occupants send for things. They shall remain unnamed, but one of them is not me. Did you know that Fed Ex delivers on Saturday???? Chuck likes old watches and peruses eBay; he is going to repair them, or so he says. If he goes first I will sell them back on eBay. LOL
Emily is into perfume oil samples and get things in the mail also. (The Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab) I feel like I am missing something in my life. I got a spam from someone who said there was a problem with my eBay and one from my PayPal account. I knew it was spam for sure because I do not have either. I want to know AM I THE ONLY PERSON IN THE USA WITHOUT ACCOUNTS WITH EITHER EBAY OR PAYPAL ??????? I think I will have to look into forming a support group. Emily just told I need a hobby that requires things to be delivered. I think I will collect precious gems.
Saturday
Selected BY the guest editor, there is a difference and I have nothing to do but read and write.
On my day off I woke up momentarily at 05:30 when I heard Chuck start up his car as he was leaving for work. Then I fell back asleep and woke up again at 06:54, via the digital clock. I read an article somewhere that a lot of younger people do not know how to tell time on an analog watch or clock. I, somehow, feel this is probably true. Hard to believe, but true.
This was a relaxing day. Emily and I went to the Frick Cafe and the Art Museum. They are having a new show. It is in celebration of Pittsburgh's 250 year anniversary. What it was mostly was the same theme over and over again. After reading the reviews I was disappointed, I though it would be a little more than the same vista repeated over and over again. The food at the cafe was good, but I was disappointed again. The portions were good, but minuscule. I had eaten there before and had always been happy with the food, but today was a bit of a downer. Somedays it would have been better to stay at home.
http://www.frickart.org/features/fam/
Friday, June 27, 2008
WOW
WOW. My peeps are telling I have been selected for guest editor....exactly what does that entail??? I received a lot of kudos but what do I do???? I hope this isn't too difficult so, as soon as I find out I will tackle the problem with my usual zest. If it is to find out the solution to world peace, I must decline; we haven't solved that enigma in 2 millennia.
Today was a sort of busy day at work. All day I was thinking, I can't wait to go home. I did orthopedics today, and what we did was hand surgery. WE do a lot of carpal tunnel releases; most of the problem is with people who have repetitive stress on their hands. Typist, hair stylist, computer people etc. Everything went well, then onto lunches and at three, relieving the people who were to go home. They were still working in four rooms when I left. I am looking forward to two days off.
I am looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow. My idea of a fantasy vacation would be a week of sleeping in till 9 am. I will be up at about 6 am. I have some sort of internal clock mechanism that wakes me up. I just think of what time I want to wake up and I do about 95% of the time. I always set my alarm but I am usually awake before it. Wide awake, awake not somnolent, thinking lucid thoughts and raring to go. That is down right disgusting............I wish I could get over that. Maybe it is just conditioning. Many years of taking in house call (at the hospital) and having to get up and run at a moments notice for things such as cardiac arrests and stat c-sections; I would like to get over this when I retire. I have high hopes but realistic expectations.
This was taken in the late 1970's. This is a little church in Slovenia; which was part of Yugoslavia at the time. My husband was working there for an American Company. Northern Yugoslavia looks a lot like Pennsylvania. I thought maybe that is the reason a lot of people from that area settled her in PA, probably reminded them of home. Those are the Alps in the background. Most of the people are Roman Catholic and there are churches in every village and they also like to build them on the highest hill. The Catholicism is a remnant of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Thursday, exhausted
"Nothing is so wretched or foolish as to anticipate misfortunes. What madness is it to be expecting evil before it comes."
Seneca
Sometimes I feel misfortune just breathing down my neck....I am glad my feeling do not necessarily turn into reality.
Claudia
"The average person puts only 25% of his energy and ability into his work. The world takes off its hat to those who put in more than 50% of their capacity, and stands on its head for those few and far between souls who devote 100%."
Andrew Carnegie
Some days I feel like I have put in 150%, and today was one of those days.
Claudia
I am tired and do not have any witticisms to enter tonight. My only thought is to have a glass of wine and go to bed; only there is no wine so I will just go to bed. It is hot and humid, and thunder and lightening are rolling around the hills. I will just call it a day.
White water rafting on the Ocoee River NC. I was the photographer as usual.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Tonights dining delight
This was actually very good. The thing that amazed me is although it was spicy the hotness from the jalapeno's was not there. I only used one, maybe I should have used two. I also made corn on the cob and green beans. I have discovered "I can't Believe Its Not Butter" has a spray pseudo butter spray. It gives a butter flavor but instead of the margarine flavor you taste the flavor of the corn. It was especially tender and sweet. I decided to eat it while it is on sale and before someone decides to go to the market and buy it all up to make fuel.
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Complete the menu with mashed sweet potatoes and a mixed green salad. For more heat, leave the seeds in the jalapeño.
1/4 cup minced red onion
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon finely chopped seeded jalapeño pepper
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Cooking spray
1. Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl; add chicken, tossing to coat. Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; cook 4 minutes. Turn chicken over; cook 6 minutes or until done.
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 chicken thighs)
CALORIES 187 (27% from fat); FAT 5.7g (sat 1.4g,mono 1.7g,poly 1.4g); IRON 1.6mg; CHOLESTEROL 115mg; CALCIUM 21mg; CARBOHYDRATE 5g; SODIUM 503mg; PROTEIN 27.5g; FIBER 0.5g
Wednesday
This was taken somewhere in Western PA on one of my back road trips. I can't remember this location, mainly because I am dealing with 14 year old information. It would have been good if I didn't have the pole in the front of the house. I love old architecture. If I had the time and the program I could have removed it. I do have Photoshope Element, but the freakin thing doesn't work with VISTA, so there you go. I refused to buy anymore photography programs that will become obsolete when MS in the wisdom decides we are due for a change.
My day consisted of breaks and lunches. Sometimes that is difficult to do. There are potentially 10 to 14 people to relieve for lunch. Everyone gets a 15 minute break and 30 minute lunch. When you work in an Operating Room you just can't leave. This also applies to bathroom breaks. You have to call someone and if someone is available you can go after you have given report.
I read articles about going to the gym or for a walk on ones lunch hour. For me that is a joke. We get a half hour, which consists of going to the bathroom, going to the cafeteria and stand in line behind the visitors and volunteers, who gaze at the menu board like they are perusing the menu for a 5 star restaurant. Hospital food is not that great, it is in fact, downright unhealthy. One of yesterdays offerings was a pasta and mushroom dish that was sitting (No lie) in 1/2 inch of oil.
I usually take the remnants of dinners I have prepared. Then I can heat them in the microwave, people usually comment of how well it smells, and say "I know you didn't get that here" Right........... The last thing to do on my half hour lunch break is have a cup of coffee is the person who took the last cup was courteous enough to make a new pot. Some how the doctors I work with have a feeling of entitlement and think they are exempt from making coffee.
I have been trying to make even more healthyofferings. The newest web site www.myrecipes.com has things from Cookling Light, Southern Living and a few others. What I have made has been good. I am in the mood for maybe cutting and pasting what I relly like and if you are in the mood for something tasty and delicious you can try them too.
Going to get the passport applications in today. I am still a bit miffed about Mondays trek but this is the Federal Government I am dealing with. All I can do is rant a bit about it.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Here's a thought
As a rule we disbelieve all the facts and theories for which we have no use.
- William James
Makes sense to me..........
Monday
Another antique store, I think this was also along Route 30 but it may have been on PA Route 31. This is also in Western PA. Maybe someday I will get around to painting them. What I need is a place to set out my painting supplies and be able to leave them in place. I do not have that now. Where ever I would put them I probably would have little cat feet additions to the painting.
The Vogons are working for the federal government. I must admit it has taken a while to get all the family members together and get to the Post Office to apply for out passports. But when we got there WE DIDN'T HAVE THE CORRECT FORM. The Vogons are alive and well in the government. Doesn't matter what branch, they are all through the entire system.
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Vogons are one of the most unpleasant races in the galaxy. Not evil, but bad tempered, bureaucratic, officious and callous. They wouldn't even lift a finger to save their own grandmothers from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal without orders signed in triplicate, sent in, sent back, queried, lost, found, subjected to public enquiry, lost again, and finally buried in soft peat for three months and recycled as firelighters. On no account should you allow a Vogon to read poetry to you. LOL LOL. I copied and pasted the Vogon description and somehow (by magic most likely) the computer has duplicated the print of the copied and pasted entry above. That is really interesting. I'm so excited, I bought ticket to West Side Story. Its not till August, but it will be a good mother/daughter day out. I didn't even ask Chuck, he wouldn't know Leonard Bernstein from William Shakespeare. As a musician Emily likes musical theater, but is very selective of what she wants to see. She has even played in several of them in High School and College. |
Successful people
| Fifty Habits of Highly Successful People |
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You probably don’t have time to read every self-help book ever written, so here’s a quick list of some of the highlights. These are qualities of successful people that have been noted on many books on the subject: 1. They look for and find opportunities where others see nothing. 2. They find lessons while others only see problems. 3. They are solution focused. 4. They consciously and methodically create their own success. 5. They may be fearful, but they are not controlled or limited by fear. 6. They ask the right questions -- the ones which put them in a positive mindset and emotional state. 7. They rarely complain. 8. They don’t blame, and take complete responsibility for their actions and outcomes. 9. They always find a way to maximize their potential, and use what they have effectively. 10. They are busy, productive and proactive. 11. They align themselves with like-minded people. 12. They are ambitious. 13. They have clarity and certainty about what they want. 14. They innovate instead of imitate. 15. They don’t procrastinate. 16. They are life-long learners. 17. They are glass half full people, while still being practical and down-to-earth. 18. They consistently do what they need to do, regardless of how they are feeling on a given day. 19. They take calculated risks. 20. They deal with problems quickly and effectively. 21. They don’t believe in, or wait for, fate, destiny, chance or luck. 22. They take action before they have to. 23. They are more effective than most at managing their emotions. 24. They are good communicators. 25. They have a plan for their life and they work methodically to turn that plan into a reality. 26. They become exceptional by choice. 27. They work through the tough stuff that most would avoid. 28. They have identified what is important to them and they do their best to live a life which is reflective of those values. 29. They have balance. They know that money is a tool and ultimately, it’s just another resource. 30. They understand the importance of discipline and self-control. 31. They are secure in their sense of self-worth. 32. They are generous and kind. 33. They are happy to admit mistakes and apologize. 34. They are adaptable and embrace change. 35. They keep themselves in shape physically. 36. They work hard and are not lazy. 37. They are resilient. 38. They are open to, and more likely to act upon, feedback. 39. They don’t hang out with toxic people. 40. They don’t invest time or emotional energy into uncontrollable things. 41. They are happy to swim against the tide. 42. They comfortable with their own company. 43. They set high standards for themselves. 44. They don’t rationalize failure. 45. They know how to relax, enjoy what they have in their life and to have fun. 46. Their career is not their identity, it’s their job. 47. They are more interested in what is effective than in what is easy. 48. They finish what they start. 49. They realize that not only are they physical and psychological beings, but emotional and spiritual creatures as well. 50. They practice what they preach. This was sent to me by a friend and if we could only do a few of these things we would accomplish a lot. |
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Sunday
This is an antique store in Shellsburg PA, also along Route 30. Maybe I will take another jaunt this fall.
I am still having woes associated with the computer. The curser was moving and clicking on things again. I searched in the bowels of the computer and found the download driver programs again. I reinstalled them for about the sixth time; and I unclicked the "tapping" feature.
What ever or whoever, gave Microsoft the idea that this was a good thing??????? It is the most annoying thing ever and it was not listed in the Vista Annoyances Book. Most of those problems were much deeper and complicated than I was able to ascertain. I guess, for me, if I didn't understand the problem how could it be one for me????? Anyhow, I got it unclicked again and what I want to know is how did this program get uninstalled in the first place? It took me a long time (15 minutes) to find and install it; I did not do it's uninstallation.....
A lot of my trouble is associated with MS automatic updates. I have a whole list of them on hold. I guess I should install one of them at a time to see the effect it has on the computer. Really this is just too much for a meer mortal such as I.
Dave Barry's colonoscopy journal I can feel you pain Dave !!!!!!
I called my friend Andy Sable, a gastroenterologist, to make an appointment for a colonoscopy. A few days later, in his office, Andy showed me a color diagram of the colon, a lengthy organ that appears to go all over the place, at one point passing briefly through Minneapolis . Then Andy explained the colonoscopy procedure to me in a thorough, reassuring and patient manner. I nodded thoughtfully, but I didn't really hear anything he said, because my brain was shrieking, quote, 'HE'S GOING TO STICK A TUBE 17,000 FEET UP YOUR BEHIND!'
I left Andy's office with some written instructions, and a prescription for a product called 'MoviPrep,'which comes in a box large enough to hold a microwave oven. I will discuss MoviPrep in detail later; for now suffice it to say that we must never allow it to fall into the hands of America 's enemies.
I spent the next several days productively sitting around being nervous. Then, on the day before my colonoscopy, I began my preparation. In accordance with my instructions, I didn't eat any solid food that day; all I had was chicken broth, which is basically water, only with less flavor.
Then, in the evening, I took the MoviPrep. You mix two packets of powder together in a one-liter plastic jug, and then you fill it with lukewarm water. (For those unfamiliar with the metric system, a liter is about 32 gallons.) Then you have to drink the whole jug. This takes about an hour, because MoviPrep tastes - and here I am being kind - like a mixture of goat spit and urinal cleanser, with just a hint of lemon.
The instructions for MoviPrep, clearly written by somebody with a great sense of humor, state that after you drink it, 'a loose watery bowel movement may result.' This is kind of like saying that after you jump off your roof, you may experience contact with the ground.
MoviPrep is a nuclear laxative. I don't want to be too graphic, here, but: Have you ever seen a space-shuttle launch? This is prettymuch the MoviPrep experience, with you as the shuttle. There are times when you wish the commode had a seat belt. You spend several hours pretty much confined to the bathroom, spurting violently. You eliminate everything.
And then, when you figure you must be totally empty, you have to drink another liter of MoviPrep, at which point, as far as I can tell, your bowels travel into the future and start eliminating food that you have not even eaten yet.
After an action-p acked evening, I finally got to sleep. The next morning my wife drove me to the clinic. I was very nervous. Not only was I worried about the procedure, but I had been experiencing occasional return bouts of MoviPrep spurtage. I was thinking, 'What if I spurt on Andy?' How do you apologize to a friend for something like that? Flowers would not be enough.
At the clinic I had to sign many forms acknowledging that I understood and totally agreed with whatever the heck the forms said. Then they led me to a room full of other colonoscopy people, where I went inside a little curtained space and took off my clothes and put on one of those hospital garments designed by sadist perverts, the kind that, when you put it on, makes you feel even more naked than when you are actually naked.
Then a nurse named Eddie put a little needle in a vein in my left hand. Ordinarily I would have fainted, but Eddie was very good, and I was already lying down. Eddie also told me that some people put vodka in their MoviPrep. At first I was ticked off that I hadn't thought of this, but then I pondered what would happen if you got yourself too tipsy to make it to the bathroom, so you were staggering around in full Fire Hose Mode. You would have no choice but to burn your house.
When everything was ready, Eddie wheeled me into the procedure room, where Andy was waiting with a nurse and an anesthesiologist. I did not see the 17,000-foot tube, but I knew Andy had it hidden around there somewhere. I was seriously nervous at this point. Andy had me roll over on my left side, and the anesthesiologist began hooking something up to the needle in my hand.
There was music playing in the room, and I realized that the song was 'Dancing Queen' by Abba. I remarked to Andy that, of all the songs that could be playing during this particular procedure, 'Dancing Queen' has to be the least appropriate.
'You want me to turn it up?' said Andy, from somewhere behind me. 'Ha ha,' I said. And then it was time, the moment I had been dreading for more than a decade. If you are squeamish, prepare yourself, because I am going to tell you, in explicit detail, exactly what it was like.
I have no idea. Really. I slept through it. One moment, Abba was shrieking 'Dancing Queen! Feel the beat from the tambourine' and the next moment, I was back in the other room, waking up in a very mellow mood. Andy was looking down at me and asking me how I felt. I felt excellent. I felt even more excellent when Andy told me that it was all over, and that my colon had passed with flying colors. I have never been prouder of an internal organ.
Anyone who has had this done can truly relate to his commentary.
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Computer Cleanup
One summer I went on a road trip thru the back roads. I had wanted to paint a series of Antique Store Watercolors. I have painted watercolors before and actually have things framed and hanging in my house. Emily says I should sell them, and when we go out to Art and Craft Shows she tells me that mine look better than a lot. I told her to sell them when I die because they are always worth more when the artist is dead. LOL When I retire I plan on taking more art classes; there are a few at Pittsburgh Center for the Arts but most of them are during the day.
The computer has been driving me crazy so I had to take action. First I did a disc clean and then defraged the computer. Then I went onto the Internet Explorer and you hit tools>>>>Internet options>>>>>Delete temporary files>>>>>delete browsing history. Then I deleted most of the junk in the recycle bin and I must say it is loading much better. I could have cleaned the house in the time it was taking me to go from site to site. I am happy at this point in time.
This picture was taken in Bedford PA. It is a neat little town on Route 30 and the PA Turnpike has a stop there too.
Problems with AOL
This is an antique store/ antique house in Jennerstown PA. Taken long ago and far away on Route 30. The drive along Route 30 is very nice and scenic. The best time of the year would be in the fall. Somewhere near the middle of PA you ascend a mountain; you also hope and pray you that when you are on the two lane highway; that you are not behind a large truck or bus. They climb the hill about 25 mph. and it will make you crazy. It can lead to bad decisions of an otherwise sane mind, to even think and then attempt to pass that truck on the winding road going up at an extreme incline. I have been sorely tempted to do that but my reasoning has kicked in and told me "forget it." I honestly think that trucks should be banned from attempting to use this hill. The rest of the road is mainly flat until you get to Laughlintown, where the road is on a extreme descending grade, the trucks are banned here. Guess they don't care if they go up, they just prohibit them going down. There is the option of going south on 219 and taking the PA Turnpike. You can also take the PA Turnpike and avoid the mountains all together.
Is anyone else having trouble with AOL? It is taking so long to load and stopping and the message comes up "Not Responding"? It is making me crazy....and very annoying.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Friday
I was just perusing the news headlines and came upon an item. The floods in the Midwest. What I want to know is why would anyone believe FEMA. There are a lot of people who actually believed the Federal Government when they said that the levees on the Mississippi would withstand a 100 year flood. A lot of people dropped their flood insurance......the reason was that the government said it was ok,and their banks no longer required it.
What were these hapless souls thinking? I do not know what flood insurance cost, but, It is a whole lot less than replacing a destroyed house...... Another item was that some people in New Orleans did not know they were in a flood plain. How in the world could they be so naive, I have never been to NO and I know the city is surrounded by water and is actually a bowl that is lower than sea level. I feel for them but I think some people just made some bad choices.
The River Walk in San Antonia Texas.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Thursday
One of the things I love to do it go for rides on Pennsylvania back country roads. This farm is somewhere in western PA, but I can't remember where. I think this pastime has met its end.......I don't want to use the gas.
Today was an interesting day. We had four fractured hip add on's (that means they were added and not scheduled the day before, essential they were emergencies.) and they were all in their 90's......I think some one is out there tripping the old ladies......When I first finished school (I am really dating myself with this statement) they put the fractured hips in "Bucks extension" So they lay in bed with the affected hip in traction and the poor old souls died of pneumonia..... With the advance of surgery they now have a plethora of hip pinning devices and fix thee hips and get the seniors out of bed and ambulating. I wonder as a follow up how many of these people actually get better I would think most of them start a downward spiral to debilitation and their death.
Tomorrow is the last day of the week and I am looking forward to the weekend, not because I have something planned, just because I have off.
Emily found out she was not scheduled to work the 4th of July so she is going to play in the Johnstown Symphony's extravaganza. They have a fireworks display and the symphony plays appropriate music. The best one is Tchaikovsky 1812 Overatures complete with the cannon. BOOM. The last time we went we got stuck in traffic and it took us an hour longer than usual to get home. At least I got home that night. Could have ended up driving the back roads of PA>
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Work
"Work isn't to make money; you work to justify life."
Marc Chagall
All thing being equal, with money is better..............Mark was an artist 1889-1987, or there abouts. The picture is my art work
I went on a job interview one time. The interviewer asked me "What motivates you, what makes you get up in the morning?"
Without a pause I stated "money." I thought that was one of the stupidest interview question....... I do not work for the good of mankind, I work to pay bills and I like to eat. I can not afford to be altruistic. As the interview went on she told me what the salary was and it was $10/hr less than I was making.
I said to her. "Quite frankly, I make more than that now. But I believe we are wasting each others time. I thank you for your time and consideration. Good bye."
They never did fill that positon and about a month later I saw they had upped their salary. I never did call them back. It was not worth the drive.
TEXT button
The TEXT button. Went to get the car inspected and gave the service person the email from Subaru. The gist of the story is the TEXT button can only read in MP3 format. So, the CDs you buy at the store can not be read. What kind of format are they manufactured in anyway.......Seems like I have to put the CDs on iTunes (they are already there now) and burn a CD and then the CD will be in MP3 format and be read. The tech demonstarted this to me, and I observed with my own eyes.
My question is 1) how many people with cars have a CD player in them??? 2) how many people with cars have iPODS that they play in their cars? Why would a car manufacturer make a CD player that can only read MP3s??? This does not make a whole hell of a lot of sense to me at all. I have an aux system that will let me play my iPod thru the radio/CD player. It does not read the MP3s. You have to have a special instillation ($300) that will let you read the text on the iPod......I should have know, there was money and sales involved.
I will just have to be happy to listen to the music and not be comcerned about the TEXT, because I have no intention of spending $300 to read the damn text.
Something wrong with the computer I got a message from Microsoft telling me Windows have recovered from a unexpected shutdown and now I can not add pictures. Grrrrrrrrr. I think I will have to wipe it out and run the start up disc which I do not have because they did not include one. Guess I will spend the rest of the day backing up the remnants of what is left over. Maybe I will try a system restore first...
Did the system restore and I can now add the pictures again. When I went to restore it seems that there was a Windowsupdate at 07:51 this morning and that is when the trouble began. I have the automatic update unclicked.....I have the option for me to download later, so why did it do that this morning???
Anyhow, I am glad I can add photos...
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Mundane Tuesday
I can not believe it.......today nothing happened. At least, nothing worth writing about here. I spent the better part of the day doing cataract extractions. Everything went smoothly and uneventfully. I really like it like that.....
Tomorrow I am off and have to get up and get out early. I have to take the car for its yearly inspection. Since it is relatively new, any thing that is wrong (hopefully) will be covered by the warranty. I do have a bone to pick with the service guy at the Subaru dealer. My 6 CD changer has a "TEXT" button, which does nothing. I have complained about this twice. I doesn't do anything when I play the iPod, radio or CD's. Tapping the button is an exercise in futility......The service advisor said that is was only for satellite radio. I told him I did not believe it.......Why would they make a button only for satellity radio when there are other things to be read; how many people actually have satellite radio. What percentage%%%%% I do not believe it is very high. Why in the world would anyone want to spend $100/ month to listen just driving around town. When I go on a trip I connect the iPod or play books on CD's, which I get from the library or buy at Half Price Books.
So..........I emailed Subaru of America and told him of my tale and the button. The text button is suppose to work on satellite radio AND........................IT IS SUPPOSE TO READ THE CD"S AS WELL...... Which it has not been doing for one year. I have a email in my purse and tomorrow I am ready for battle.........GRRRRRRRRRRRR......
The picture was taken at Acadia National Park in Maine. I would love to go back...
Monday, June 16, 2008
The lighthouse is not listing, photographer was listing. For anyone who doesn't recognize this icon, it is the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It is on the National Seashore of the outer banks of North Carolina. This is my favorite beach, you can walk for miles and not see anyone else. I will try to find a link and article about it later. The interesting thing about this lighthouse is that with erosion of the beach, the ocean was encroaching on the base. So it was moved and now is 1/2 mile from the ATlantic Ocean. They used Ivory soap (I think) to lubricate the rails that the lighthouse rode upon.
I have been perusing and finding many photography buffs and contests to enter my shots. I am excited about that. I am finding things on this computer that I have forgotten I had. I had a 2g flash drive and it told me it was full. I saw one in the paper and it was 8g and $32. I may need something like that. I also have all my things backed up on an external hard drive.
I am off a week in July and the project for my sister, Shawnna, and I will be to scan the old family photos. That will be quite a job. When my sisters were teenagers, they went with Tom and Gerda on a sojourn on the National Park grand circuit. They left Pittsburgh and went across the top of the country, down the Pacific Coast, and then across the bottom. The most memorable thing was the got to Death Valley during the hottest time of the year and the truck did not have A/C. Tom did not believe in air conditioning, you had to "tough" it out. The pictures of the dogs looked like they were dying. The had to stop at the visitors center and take the dogs inside to recoup.
My sister has the map, maybe someday I will follow it. But in an air conditioned Subaru. I will stop at hotels, B & B's or Inns. That all remains to be seen. I will see if I can get Chuck to go, or maybe one of my sisters.
Today I did orthopedics. Spent the whole day doing total joints. This is really a miracle cure for people with degenerative joint disease. I am fortunate in that none of my joints hurt, but my neck and lower back hurt and there is no artificial joint for that. Although, they can now inject the stress fractures in the vertebrae, it is with a type of glue that cements the fractures and drastically reduces the pain.
http://www.nps.gov/archive/caha/lrp.htm Here is the link with information about the light house move. You have to delve into the bowels of this link.
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Joe America
YouTube - "Joe, American" Challenges the Presidential Candidates
Click on this link, this guy makes more sense that the entire elected population of the United States elected Congress
Fathers Day Part 2
Here is Chuck, the father of my child. Emily said she know he is her father because of the cleft in their chins. I said "Emily, trust me on this one." She also said that lets her know she wasn't adopted, because of the cleft. I have one picture of me pregnant, I just need to find it. No one takes pictures of the photographer.
This journal won't let me make an entry beside the photo. Here is a young Emily and her grandfather Joe, Chucks dad. Somewhere I have a picture of Joe and Lois together. But I don't know where it is right now.
This is Lois, Emily grandmother. Joe and Lois have been gone since 1996. They died within 6 months of each other. She had been sick for a while and a few months after her Joe got sick. His passing was a real surprise and his decline was totally unexpected. Joe and Chuck would argue (in jest) all the time. Mostly about politics. Chuck would say that his dad would vote for a yellow dog if they ran him on the Democratic Party. Their spats were always worth a laugh or two. I wonder what he would think of the party now.......
American Flags
After an inquiry I decided to add an addendum. This photo was taken at the Navy Museum in Southeast Washington DC. It is a treasure. It is located at the Washington Navy Yard. The exhibit is huge and full of history. There are submarines, a bathysphere, Things from the Revolutionary War and all the other conflicts that the Navy was involved. There are things on polar exploration, space and the opening of Japan in the 1850. A lot of it is hands on and would be exciting for history buffs and children as well. There is now more security since 2001, so I think you should call and be sure to bring your photo ID. phone number 202 433 4882, this number was listed in the AAA Spiral Guide Book.
Fathers Day
Happy Fathers Day. This is one of the last photographs of my parents taken together. It was taken in 1994. The next April my mother died. She was a colon cancer survivor, but, she developed a secondary malignancy, cholangiocarcinoma. Which is cancer of the bile duct. It is very rare, just like Gerda to come up with something exotic. The tumor was up near the liver and even though it was small, it was inoperable.
My father was never happy after she died. He would say he didn't know what she did all day and after she died He found out. Said he didn't have time to do anything because he was now doing his work and her work. He was the type of person who if something were not a problem he would make it a problem. He worried about everything. I learned from that: Don't worry about things of which you have no control. You can change things of which you do have control. It took a long time for me to actually quit worrying, I still do today but not as much as before. Just run on faith that it will work out.
He died in 2004. The young girl is my daughter Emily; she is now 26. Emily looked at the pictures and said that you can tell my father is the same man who was in the earlier pictures. Some people look the same from when they are young till they are old. I miss them both. Here is their wedding photo, 1942.
Sundays mental musings
"Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for."
Joseph Addison
Someone told me the essence of life, was eat, survive and reproduce. I think that is similar to the quote of the day. People need something to do, sitting around waiting for time to pass is a hugh bummer. Everyone needs love and affection. Something to hope for keeps us all going. I guess that ranges from wishfull thinking to major setting of goals.
My major set goal is now retirement. I am hoping and looking forward to that. After working for forty years I am looking for a rest.......then I will set a new goal of something else to do...
Saturday, June 14, 2008
RAiny Day Saturday
MOLLY, to dumb to hunt.
Today was a rainy day Saturday. I slept in all the way till 06:30. That is the time when I woke up. The cats were milling about, meowing: "feed me, feed me." My daughter told me she saw a show that said that cats domesticated themselves. They were supposedly the only animal that did that. What about dogs I asked. The show was about cats, they did not mention dogs.
They did (who did?. National Geographic I suppose, it was their show.) They did DNA swabs on wild cats (I am willing to bet that was quite a sight and a immense feat as well) The swabs were done the same way as for humans. Just run the swab inside the mouth. How many people were bitten in this endeavor??? The whole gist is that most of the cats running around and populating this planet have originated in Egypt. It began as a symbiotic relationship, cats eating rodents.....They even check DNA on a cat mummy and it had the same DNA as the house cats today. I wish I had watched that show.
The word on the show is that you could release cats and they would know how to capture prey. I have serious doubts about two of mine.
Went out and about today. I am disappointed with the clothing selection this summer. What I find are those stupid polyester prints that were all the rage in the 70s. I didn't like them then and after two seasons I still do not like them this time.
Can you imagine that the designers go to school and how do they come up with these so called fashions? The blouses all resemble maternity tops. A lot of the clothes either look like hoochie clothes or elderly grandmother clothes. Where are the clothes that are in between???? I do not want to wear clothes that make me look like a pregnant pop tart or a updated version of my grandmother.
My grandmother never wore a pair of slacks in her life. When she would go shopping she would get dressed up as if going to church. She would also wear a hat. Not a plain but a fancy one with a little veil. This was the time that there were hat shops, aka millinery shops. She had hats of all styles and colors. I now wonder what happened to those hats? When she died I was away at school and the thought of where they were never occurred to me before. She also had a bit of jewelry. One was a ruby rind in a Tiffany setting and a small necklace with three diamonds in a Buttercup setting. I now own them and had the three diamond setting reset in a chain. The yellow of the antique setting is more than the 14 K chain. I guess the gold is 18 K or so. I will have to investigate that.
I was too tired and not in the mood for a conversation with tech support on ACER. Maybe I will do that tomorrow.....
Computer demons
Another computer demon has made itself evident. Last evening my husband said there was something wrong with his DVD. It played the video but there was no sound. I tried to play the DVD using Windows Media Player, which came installed on my computer. Lo and Behold there was no sound on mine either. This is again added to my list of Windows Annoyances. The daughter was able to conjure up sound on her computer. She uses some other program for playing DVS's. I have one of two choice. First call ACER and talk to tech support, or install the program that the kid uses.
I will choose one of those options later today. I can't wait for that quest to begin............
Friday, June 13, 2008
TGIF
I love pineapples, but have you noticed that the pineapples (in Pittsburgh area) are $5 each???? Tonight I made a lo cal fajitas. It was chicken sprinkled with Jamaican Jerk Seasoning, and peppers and one onion. You had to carve the pineapple and grill the slices. Dole sells a can of sliced pineapple for $1.29. Plus there is no mess from the spent pineapple casing. Guess which one I chose. First you saute the pepper (red and yellow) and one thinly sliced onion for a few minutes then saute the seasoned chicken. After that is cooked you mix them together and voila......you have the making of fajitas. You need to heat the tortillas for a few seconds in the microwave. Just add rice, or a vegetable. I added corn on the cob. Now that there is a major disaster in Iowa from the floods I can expect to see the price of corn rise drastically.
We lived in Iowa City for about two years. My husband was working there. Such a nice college town. It would be a nice place to retire; the problem for us was he was transferred and we were gone. I had gone to Cedar Rapids for shopping and can not honestly remember that the Cedar River was that big. The river that I remember was so small and a nonevent. I feel bad for the people there, what a tragedy with the rain. I would be willing to be most of the did not have flood insurance. One time I had inquired about flood insurance, the agent told me that the way to get flood insurance you had to live in a "flood plane". If you did not live there you could not get the insurance. If you got flooded out and did not live in the "flood plane" I guess you arejust SOL.
I forgot to add what to do with the pineapples. You grill the rings and then cut them in chunks and add them to the chicken/pepper mixture and serve them on warmed tortillas. The sweetness of the pineapple offsets the spicyness of the Jamician Jerk Seasoning. You can add condiments if you like.
Picture taken at Clevelands West Side Market.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
TA DA
The colonoscopy is over and done. Last evening Chuck told me I was increasing the water bill. LOL LOL Maybe I did. After I was finished with drinking the salty solution the runs subsided and I was able to sleep all night. Which was good.
The procedure was uneventful; and everything was good. YEA........The doctor told my daughter, who was my chauffeur, that with a family history of colon cancer she should have her first at the age of 40. She said she hopes they have a better tasting solution by then.
The prep was the worst part. The procedure was uneventful...Thank goodness.. Glad that is over for the next 5 years.....
So, my advice to my peeps is that if you are 50 have it done. And if there is a history of colon cancer have it done by age 40. This advice may save your life.
Claudia
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Having fun today
Since my mother had colon cancer I have to get regular screenings. Colon cancer is the only cancer that can be preventable. For the average person, that is. Colon polyps are know to develop into malignancies. There are people with a genetic connection that develop multiple polyps, but not the average person.
Your first requirement is that you have to be able to trot like a racehorse; and have two days off in a row. The morning before the test you get to consume clear liquids all day.....yummers. Clear liquids are things you can see through. Beer doesn't qualify as a clear liquid even though you can see through it. Then you take four tiny orange pills with the potential of dynamite. Once you start trotting you have to drink (about a gallon---no lie) of this hypertonic saline solution. That means it is like drinking sea water that is super concentrated...........It taste awful, they included a flavor pack and my only question is how bad does it taste with out the flavor pack???? I hate to imagine that. It was still awful, then I added a pack of Crystal Light. it improved it over the berry flavor pack.
Chuck said it tastes better if you put it over ice and drink realllllly fast. I can do that, he told me to quit sipping it like I was drinking Southern Comfort. That is not considered a clear liquid either.......
More on this torture later.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Monday, Monday
Monday and it is unseasonably hot, hot, hot. Probably about 15 degrees hotter than normal. The old normal is not the normal anymore...... Do you remember when you were a kid?? Does the summer now seem much hotter than before. Maybe it is only because I am unable to tolerate it now that is seems so much more repressive. I can remember when I was younger that only a few days seemed unbearably hot. No one had air conditioning in western PA. I told Emily that the only place that had A/C were a few movie theaters. The hospitals did not have it. The patients sweltered in their beds. At that time the Operating Rooms were air conditioned; so was the morgue. I guess they had to be. Tomorrow it will be down to 85 we will have a brief respite.
Tomorrow is my 16 hour day. I found out today that one of the woman quit taking the 16 hour shift; it was too much for her and too tiring. She is only 28 years old. What will she do when she gets to be sixty. LOL LOL Emily thought that was funny that a woman (her mother) who was 61 wasn't tired like the 28 year old. LO It is funny-sad.......
The way is goes is that if I bring a book or something to do I will be more busy than any other day. If I bring nothing I will be so bored and have to sit and watch TV for the evening. Maybe I should keep a book in my locker for times such as this. Does that put a curse on the evening activity????
It all remains to be seen...............
Ohiopyle State Park....PA. River is the Youghageny River. The rapids on this river are 3's and 4's. Right now the river is high and currents are dangerous.
Sunday, June 8, 2008
Thought
"You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions."
Naguib Mahfouz
There are some people out there that you can tell they are an idiot when they open their mouths. Then you think, "Do you know how stupid you sound?" I guess they don't or they wouldn't be saying what they do....
Claudia
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Early Saturday
This morning dawned early and hot. Not really hot, hot but I should also say sultry. There is moisture on the cars and the grass is dewy. I would like to go out on the deck and type but somehow the screen goes darker to conserve the power and I have difficulty with the dimmed images. Not seeing, but I don't like the darkness on the screen. I wish we had put a power outlet out there when we put on the addition and deck.
I am reading Vista Annoyances and I found thing that I was not annoyed about. I don't know what category the "tapping" feature is under but I can not find it. I have the items clicked and somehow they become "unclicked." I haven't figured this one out......yet.
I did find a lot to be annoyed about. Mostly it talked about how they streamlined the XP and made things difficult to find. They usually keep their Windows programs for awhile. But, I heard that in June of 2007 they are working on the seventh program for Windows. IF the VISTA program was that good would they be working on its replacement. I guess at Windows they have more money than brains.
This picture was taken at a spring flower show at Phipps conservatory. I love the way these smell. I wish I could incorporate the fragrance with the picture. I see now that the Iris are in bloom. I do not have any, but I would like to take Iris pictures. People might think I was a little crazy tromping in their gardens taking pictures. I don't want anyone to sic the dogs on me. LOL
Friday, June 6, 2008
Hot as Hell
Since everyone liked my tulips I decided to add some more. I do love flowers but for my own I buy annuals and put them in pots. We have a lot of deer and they eat everything in sight. My sister has a huge the vegetable garden and they have a high fence so deer do not eat the harvest.
I live in Allegheny County, in western PA. It is about a 20 minute drive into the city. In the city of Pittsburgh, in Allegheny Cemetery, they have deer. No one will shot them there so the just browse; maybe they are part of the lawn cutting committee. There are also wild turkeys there, and also groundhogs. I guess if they need a replacement for Phil they can find a candidate there.
Back to the deer story. Sometimes they are in my back yard; one day, the cats were sitting looking out the French door with their eyes agog. They were watching deer. A winter ago my neighbor said that he found bear tracks in the snow at the back of his yard. I guess they went to the creek to take a drink, but, on the other hand, don't the bear hibernate????? Maybe it was a warm winter. In PA, well, probably not. I am sure they were there because my neighbor is a hunter and know tracks when he sees them.
A long time ago my parents and I went camping in Allegheny Forest and went for a hike along a trail. I recognized bear tracks with no doubt. they were large and rounded and you could see where the large claws were. I decided to end that hike. We were in a camper and one night I could hear noise; snorting and snuffling and things being tossed about. There were bears and they got into the coolers of anyone who had left things outside. Glad I wasn't in a tent.
Today I did podiatry. Spent the whole morning making everyone's feet better than before. I had foot surgery twice and I can say, without a doubt, that chronic pain makes a person crazy. It is a constant nagging, with every step. I am happy to report that the feet are fine now. Pain all gone.
It is hotter than hell outside , maybe not that hot, but it is definitely HOT. Supposedly to go into the 90's all week. I have on the A/C and it goes on for 30 minutes and off for 5 minutes. Guess it will be like this all summer.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Waterfall Yet Again
Here is another snapshot of Niagara Falls; this was taken at the same time as the other one a few entrys back. Probably from the same spot I might add. Today was uneventful. I spent the day doing urology, which was eventful to the people who needed it to be done.
Today is in the mid 80's, tomorrow it is to flirt with a record tying 93. I live in the same house that Chuck and I bought in 1972. The house faces west. When we were young I think we did not know about how much the sun would add to the heat of the house. From 3 pm on, it will heat up the place until the sun goes down. I have A/C and awnings on the front of the house, that helps a lot but it still causes the A/C to run most of the evening. We could not have planted trees because of the sewer, gas, and water lines that come off of the street. A few trees would shade the house nicely.
We have lived in many other houses; while we were moving we had the first rented and paid the mortgage with that. Now it is paid for and I am so damn glad about it.
Tomorrow is the last work day for this week and hurray for the weekend.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Claudias Thoughts
My thoughts were all racing and jumbled with those things during that difficult time. By now my thoughts are the frustrations and a humorous was to deal with them. The plural on Claudias was just a typo when setting it up.
The photo was taken at Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, Canada
Wednesday Rainy Morning.
It is a dreary, rainy morning. The only good thing I can say about it is I have off. I did have to get up early to go in to work to attend a yearly "compliance" meeting.
We have to have our time documented down to the exact minute. No overlapping of time or it is considered fraud and they will not pay even if the work was done. Consider this you are liable from a malpractice point of view but not billing. You have to take the responsibility but not get paid. Who else, but those in the medical field, have this proviso????
If the anesthesiologist is leaving and being relieved by another the first ones time stops and a minute later the next one begins. Go figure. Do you think we could ever get attorneys to bill us per minute, I think not.
When my father died the attorney billed $8,000 as fee for handling the estate. When I asked for a detailed billing statement they got mad; stating that I had agreed to this. I didn't care, I requested and recieved the itemized statement.
I tried to add a picture but I could not get the allignment dots to go away, so I could type. I will try to add it at the end of this entry. Which is coming up pretty darn fast.
Water
This is the entry I have selected for the Photoshoot. This was taken at Phipps Conservatory in Pittsburgh PA.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Another of my askew photos. This was taken one October in the Great Smoky Mountains. The day was sunny but atop the peak (I forget which one) the clouds were in the valley. The naked trees are pines which have been infested with some sort of pine beetle that kill the trees. These insects attack trees which have been drought stricken. You will remember the problem with the southeast and their drought conditions. I heard on the news that the rainfall is easing the drought but it is not over. It was also very cold. Probably 20 degrees colder than at the bottom of the mountain. I worse a fleece jacket covered by a light weight anorak and the wind was very cold.
Worked 16 hours yesterday; I did orthopedics. You would be amazed at the number of people who have had total hip and knee replacements....contributing to it are wear and tear on the joints and the increase in people who are overweight. The human body was not designed to accommodate the increased weight load on the joints. It is a fairly east operation but the knee rehab is more difficult than a hip replacement.
Today there will be thunderstorms and by Thursday highs in the 90's. Pennsylvania weather is so changeable. A person can have on their furnace on in the night and need the airconditioner on in the afternoon.
Guess that is about it for this morning. I am going to my asthma doctor who will tell me that my nose is sniffy and ask why I don't use my nasal spray. I really hate squirting things up my nostrils.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Past Predictions
For the people who say the like waterfalls, here is another. This was taken in The Great Smoky Mountains National Park. You had to take a hike to get there. It was about four foot drop. This was taken a few years ago and I had to scan it to add its picture.
I have a lot of photographic equipment. A 35mm camera (Konica) plus a myriad of lenses; I just do not use them anymore. I think I will take a course on selling things on eBay and move them along the photographic supply chain. Funny, I will use the new technology to get rid of the old technology.
I was skeptical of the digital when it came along, and now it is so much easier. You can delete what you don't like; store it for infinity, or the life of your computer and infinity as a jpg file. I just do not see myself going back to film. I even have film in the freezer. I need to find someone who will use the film so I can make space in the freezer. Actually, there are only four rolls.
While I was off and bemoaning the cold weather I had stated that it two weeks it would probably be in the 90's and I would have to turn on the A/C. Well, at the end of this week it is to be in the high 80's........I feel the air conditioner in my future....When I was a kid I remember the summers being warm and a few days dreadfully hot. Now it seems to be hot a lot more, or maybe I just tolerate it less. Or maybe I have become a wuss.
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