I have great friends.

A long, long time ago, my friend Rick had graduated from college and was job-hunting. I accompanied him to a job fair in Syracuse, and fell asleep in the car (as usual). (As a side bonus, because he knows me so well, nothing I say will surprise him.) I woke up, and immediately asked him, "How fast can cars go in reverse?" I really wanted to know, but he appeared to begin choking, so I decided not to press the issue.

After reading Ian's stream of consciousness blog entry(http://serenaserenity.blogspot.com/2007/02/stream-of-consciousness.html), you quickly realize the apple did not fall far from the tree.

A package arrived in the mail today with a note from Rick. It said, "I happened to be walking through a bookstore one day, saw this book, and immediately thought of you and Ian. Happy Holidays!"

It's perfect! This Bill McLain guy has all the answers!

And I have such wonderful friends. Even from a great distance (he's in Texas), Rick can make me laugh hysterically.

Thank you, Rick!

Merry Christmas!

I've got to get the paper off!

Just what I always wanted!

(It will hold his martial arts belts.)

Ian tells me it just doesn't get any better than this. Life is good! I hope your Christmas was as wonderful as ours was.

Peace!

JT said...
Wait a minute!! I thought that was supposed to say "Calvin"? :)

Serena said...

You know, I thought of that about two days after I ordered it. {heavy sigh!} :D

Christmas Eve

He came to work with me Monday morning. On the corner of my desk, I have a little 12" tinsel tree with little green and red ornaments that light up. He asked to turn off the light so we could see the tree better, which was fine with me. And then he curled up and went to sleep.

The flash makes it look like the light was on. I've got to experiment more with my camera to figure out how to use it in darker lighting. Anyway, sleep does make the time go faster!

Anticipation...

Ian's eyes and his mouth open at the same time every morning. So, this morning,

"Mommy, Is it Christmas Eve yet?"

"No, honey, it's only the 21st."

"Oh, come ON!"

The Semester is Finally Over!

I can return to the land of the living - at least until January 22nd. I earned a 101 on my Trig final (must have gotten bonus points) and a 96 on my Business Systems final. I'm not sure about Literature or Law yet, but I feel pretty good about those.

Next semester I am taking Business Law II (more informational than fun), Statistics (sounds like fun), Survey Calculus I (definitely sounds like fun), and Microeconomics (YAWN).

My Business Systems professor, Dr. George Kelley, was the most fun this semester. He responds to emails within 24 hours (which is imperative if you are having a problem!) and runs the course very efficiently and with humor. He expects you to work, but gives you help if you need it.

My Business Law professor, Remy Orffeo, is also great - he really has a handle on efficiently running the on-line courses. This will be the third course I've taken from him, so it is quite a relief to know exactly what to expect in the upcoming semester.

My Math professors also have a great handle on the on-line courses, answering emails within 24 hours (even on weekends), and they are very skilled at the html editing required to accurately display solutions. The more I think about it, the more I want to be a Math teacher when I grow up. (So what if I'm already 43.)

I noticed the English professors aren't so on-line savvy. Hopefully that improves as adjustments to the technology are made.

I am looking forward to the month off! So is Ian, actually. He is sick and tired of Mommy having Homework!

My Christmas Cactus

A friend of mine gave this plant to me a couple years ago. Her cat had chewed on it, and she said she just couldn't get it to bloom. Well, I cut off most of the damaged areas, left it alone, put fertilizer in it about six months ago (?), consistently forgot to water it, and Look! Isn't it gorgeous?

Another Great Idea...

Stolen from my nephew, Jeff!

Check out the visitors map! How cool is that?

It Finally Stopped Snowing!

It's a blurry picture - I'm not too camera savvy yet when trying to take

pictures in poor lighting conditions - but you get the idea.

"No, you may NOT hang from the gutters."

We only got about 12" in our yard. My Dad got about 18" in Lockport.

Here is another pic - he's having a blast!

Merry Christmas to ME!

Chris got us two tickets to see Springsteen when he comes to Buffalo in March! I am Completely Happy.

A Cheap Gift

One of the girls at work gave me a big empty box for Ian to play with. He did not even remove his coat and snowpants before crawling into it! He has so much fun with empty boxes. I think all kids do. My toy of choice, other than a stuffed rabbit named Samantha, was a round, red laundry basket.

Advent Wreath

For a Cub Scout project, Ian made an Advent Wreath for his Gramma. She loved it! (As far as I know, it is a Catholic thing.)

Cold!

We went to Coldstone Creamery, where you can pick your ice cream and pick your add-ins, and they mix your ice cream to order on a cold stone. His Highness is eating cotton candy ice cream with Reese's Pieces. And he's complaining he's cold.

Never a dull moment!

Johnny 99

My brother and I were speaking recently about a connection between guns and poverty. It reminded me of an old Springsteen tune, Johnny 99, and Mike said he's never heard it. Never heard it! It's a classic!



Well they closed down the auto plant in Mahwah late that month
Ralph went out lookin' for a job but he couldn't find none
He came home too drunk from mixin' Tanqueray and wine
He got a gun shot a night clerk now they call 'm Johnny 99

Down in the part of town where when you hit a red light you don't stop
Johnny's wavin' his gun around and threatenin' to blow his top
When an off-duty cop snuck up on him from behind
Out in front of the Club Tip Top they slapped the cuffs on Johnny 99

Well the city supplied a public defender but the judge was Mean John Brown
He came into the courtroom and stared young Johnny down
Well the evidence is clear gonna let the sentence son fit the crime
Prison for 98 and a year and we'll call it even Johnny 99

A fist fight broke out in the courtroom they had to drag Johnny's girl away
His mama stood up and shouted "Judge don't take my boy this way"
Well son you got a statement you'd like to make
Before the bailiff comes to forever take you away

Now judge I had debts no honest man could pay
The bank was holdin' my mortgage and they were gonna take my house away
Now I ain't sayin' that makes me an innocent man
But it was more 'n all this that put that gun in my hand

Well your honor I do believe I'd be better off dead
So if you can take a man's life for the thoughts that's in his head
Then sit back in that chair and think it over judge one more time
And let 'em shave off my hair and put me on that killin' line

Klutz in Action

Some days it doesn't pay to get out of bed...

The screws for my curtain rods in my living room are not into the wood, but into the plaster beside the wood window frame, so I have to be really careful when I open and close the curtains or they will come down.

Sooo, Thursday morning, down they came. I stood on my coffee table to get them back up, successfully, and knocked over the Christmas tree. I grabbed the Christmas tree, stood it back up on the coffee table, and as I was getting down from the coffee table the stand of the Christmas tree knocked against Ian's heavy metal stocking holder, which fell right on top of my foot.

I may have broken something. I'll know as soon as my primary care physician calls me on Monday. There's another story there, but I'll save it for another time. :-)

The Boss Live on the Today Show

JT said...
Nicely done! See if I can do it you can too! :)

Serena said...
Thanks! I steal all my great ideas from you and Obiwan!

Michael said...
Who told this guy he could sing?

Serena said...
LOL All the millions of women who buy his records! Er, I mean people. Yeah, people who buy his records.

420 Days Left

"Those who enter the country illegally violate the law."

- George W. Bush, Tuscon, AZ, November 28, 2005

Michael said...
Unless it benefits dumbya's corporate cronies. Then we offer amnesty and social services.

If you're just checkin in,

New posts going back to October 27th... I'm catching up!

(Of course, we must keep in mind this may be my last chance to post until after final exams...)

Fambly

I spent part of the weekend with my cousins Dorinda and Bill and got to see my Aunt Mary and cousin Lorene! I haven't seen them in over 30 years, and it was great to see them again and catch up. Ian helped me look for signs on the way home:
(Yes, his eyes are closed.)

On Getting Older.

"I have everything now I had twenty years ago - except now it's all lower."

Gypsy Rose Lee

{heavy sigh!}

A Riddle:

What do you call a history of

the romantic escapades

of a traveling

baseball official?

"The Rise and Fall of the Roamin' Umpire."

Michael said...
Grooooaaaaannnn.

So, Call me Crazy, But...

...isn't it a coincidence that gas prices are going up again - just in time for the Thanksgiving Holiday?

I don't know about anyone else, but I am sick of getting robbed at the gas pump.

Iowa

Ian had to do a project on the State of Iowa. He had choices of format: a mobile, a diorama, posterboard, etc. The project had to include facts about the state (industry, major cities, border states, state song, state bird/insect/tree, fun facts.) He wanted to make the state flag, so he chose posterboard. I cut doors in the posterboard with a straight edge razor blade (my contribution to the project), and he glued his facts on 3x5 index cards behind the flag. It turned out great!

JT said...
I am glad that I kept some of the things from my early schooling years. I still have the plaster project "the all knowing" helped me with in 3rd grade. So.. my advice, hang on to it! And... it looks cool. Good job! :)

Happy Halloween!

(photo taken 10/28/07)

Marlene's Front Yard

Ian and Devon after the toilet paper wrap.

Da Boyz

Eddie, Lucas, Justin, Ian, Christopher, Big Jack and Little Jack

at Ian's Birthday Party at the Paddock Chevrolet Golf Dome.

Note to self: Do not give seven and eight year old boys golf clubs for any reason.

(photo taken 10/27/07)

The Birthday Boy

His birthday party is about an hour from now. He went to a Halloween party last night and partied until 1:30 this morning. But he's not tired. No, Sir.

JT said...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY IAN!!! aka..... Calvin!! ;)

I May Be Ruining My Son

Mommy, can I play with your calculator?

Honey, it's a $100 graphing calculator for Trigonometry, it's not a toy.

Yeah, I know...but it's FUN!

JT said...
and then the sin function button does the arc tan of the angle in radians! lol I remember saying something like that to mom when she was taking classes... the response. If you can do this without the calculator please by all means play with it. I walked away...lol!!

Serena said...
Your mom was right! The funny thing is, Calvin does have a point. It IS fun! :-)

My Office

My office in the basement. If it weren't for the lower ceilings, you wouldn't know it was in the basement. Really!

Riding a Bike

As many of you know, I have decided to take on the challenge of learning how to ride a bike. I found this comic strip too true to be funny!


Bill Waterson was a genius.

Technology Failure

For some unknown reason, I lost my internet connection at my house. So, being the good little on-line student that I am (Have a Plan B!), I called a sitter, grabbed my laptop, and headed to Barnes & Noble.

It really is not easy taking a mid-term exam in an area full of moving, chatting people complete with the sounds of the microwave and cappuccino machines in the background. The library is closed on Sunday, so that is out. Does anyone have any suggestion for a quieter place to go with on-line availability in case my connection isn't re-established any time soon?

President (Obiwan) said...
Load Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings" into your laptop, then slip on a pair of headphones.

The music will mask the surroundings without creating a new disruption.

"Beethoven for Relaxation" works well, too. Also try Schubert or Chopin.

Serena said...
What a great idea! Thank you so much! I kid you not, taking the exam like that was tough.

The Right Place - At the Right Time!

Every once in a while, the planets align and I am actually where I need to be to get a deal.

Last week, one of my co-workers was selling fundraiser discount cards to Macy's. For $5, I bought a card that would get me 20% off of selected merchandise on Saturday Only. On Saturday, I went to Macy's and - lo and behold - they have a petite section! Clothes I can buy and not have to alter! I bought a pair of pants and top suitable for the office, and then wandered around the rest of the store.

While I was wandering, I noticed they also have a suit department, which also contains petite sizes. Some of the racks had "suit sale - $99.99" signs, so I decided if I was going to be in the mall again soon, I'd stop back and check it out.

I took my trigonometry mid-term today, and after three solid hours of testing, the last thing I wanted to do was wait to eat while I cooked something. Ian suggested Johnny Rockets, which is in the mall, and since they are usually fast, off we went.

After dinner, we stopped into Macy's. I went to the suit department, and there was a gorgeous suit there, in my size (!), with a sign on top that said, "Morning Sale - $79.99". I asked a salesclerk if I missed the sale, and she said yes, it was only until noon, but since they obviously missed a sign, they would give me the suit for the sale price on the sign - $79.99. The suit was originally $320.

Whoo hoo!


JT said...
wow...i need a suit too! ;)

Serena said...
It was a beautiful thing. Planets do not usually align so well for me. LOL!

Business Law: A Question of Ethics

Now that all the papers are turned in and my grade is posted, here is my latest essay. The Assignment was:

In 1999, in an effort to reduce smoking by children, the attorney general of Massachusetts issued comprehensive regulations governing the advertising and sale of tobacco products. Among other things, the regulations banned cigarette advertisements within one thousand feet of any elementary school, secondary school, or public playground and required retailers to post any advertising in their stores at least five feet off the floor, out of the immediate sight of young children. A group of tobacco manufacturers and retailers filed suit against the state, claiming that the regulations were preempted by the federal Cigarette Labeling and Advertising Act of 1965, as amended. That act sets uniform labeling requirements and bans broadcast advertising for cigarettes. Ultimately, the case reached the United States Supreme Court, which held that the federal law on cigarette ads preempted the cigarette advertising restrictions adopted by Massachusetts. The only portion of the Massachusetts regulatory package to survive was the requirement that retailers had to place tobacco products in an area accessible only by the sales staff. In view of these facts, consider the following questions. [Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly, 533 U.S. 525, 121 S.Ct. 2404, 69 L.Ed.2d 532 (2001)]

1. Some argue that having a national standard for tobacco regulation is more important than allowing states to set their own standards for tobacco regulation. Do you agree? Why or why not?

2. According to the Court in this case, the federal law does not restrict the ability of state and local governments to adopt general zoning restrictions that apply to cigarettes, so long as those restrictions are “on equal terms with other products.” How would you argue in support of this reasoning? How would you argue against it?

-Business Law Today, Standard Edition, 8th Ed., Miller & Jentz

In a paper of at least three full pages . . . answer questions #1 and #2. In question #1, please include your concept of states rights using references to the Constitution of the United States. In question #2, please include your concept of the intent of zoning regulations.

-Prof. R. Orffeo

Here is my essay:

Prior to 1789, the States adopted a confederal form of government with a weak Federal government. Each State was self-governing within its own boundaries. The nation began experiencing severe economic difficulty among other severe governing issues. It was at this time that the men who became known as our Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution, which developed a strong Federal government designed to co-exist with State governments.

The Constitution of the United States was approved by the States in 1789 and remains the basis for our government today. It separates the government into three branches: legislative, executive and judicial, and provides various checks and balances so no single branch of the government can abuse its power. It provides guidelines for the division of power between the national government and the governments of the States. Particularly relevant to this course is the fact that the Constitution delegates to the national government the power to regulate interstate commerce, a clause known as the Commerce Clause.

The Constitution is the supreme law of the land. My concept of the Constitution where States’ rights are concerned is the Constitution pre-empts the laws of the States whenever there is conflict. In Lorillard Tobacco Co. v. Reilly, 533 U.S. 525, 121 S.Ct. 2404, 69 L.Ed.2d 532 (2001), the attorney general of Massachusetts attempted to regulate the advertising and sale of tobacco products. The legislation was full of what some would consider excellent ideas, two of which were that cigarette advertisements were not permitted within 1000 feet of any elementary school, secondary school or public playground, and retailers were required to post any advertising at least 5 feet off the floor, out of the immediate sight of young children. As a mother of a young child, this legislation certainly appeals to me, but Lorillard and other tobacco companies took exception to the new regulations. These companies litigated the matter all the way to the United States Supreme Court, claiming the legislation was in violation of their First and Fourteenth Amendment rights, of freedom of speech and equal protection respectively.

The question raised for the purposes of this assignment concerns whether having a national standard for tobacco regulation is more important than allowing the States to set their own standards. Legally, in accordance with the Tenth Amendment, the States specifically have all powers reserved for them that are not delegated to the Federal government. Ethically, I believe the States should have more control over legislation involving tobacco and related products, especially if it is in conjunction with efforts to reduce the number of tobacco users in the population and keep tobacco products out of the hands of children. Any decision concerning this issue should take into consideration the inherent nature of tobacco products themselves.

The First Amendment to the Constitution provides for free speech, which extends to advertising, which in turn extends to the tobacco companies. However, I think we are forgetting that tobacco is a scientifically proven, life and health threatening drug. We are not talking about advertising everyday products to sustain or enjoy life, like milk, toys, or even rubber baby buggy bumpers; we are talking about regulating the advertising of a proven dangerous product, the use of which can ultimately lead to deadly disease and death, not to mention the billions of tax dollars that are spent each year on medical care for tobacco related ailments.

The fact that tobacco is a legally traded substance should not mitigate the facts. I think we have a moral and ethical obligation to our children to protect them from dangerous substances, and that includes tobacco products. If a State wishes to regulate the advertising of tobacco products, by all means it should be permitted to do so. I understand that this would hamper the free trade of tobacco products between the States, but in my mind, keeping our children out of harm’s way is more important than tobacco companies profiting from disease-causing products and being permitted to lure children to use their products before they are old enough to make informed decisions.

Does restricting the advertising of tobacco products around schools violate the First Amendment rights of tobacco companies? Because of the type of product that is being advertised, I do not think the First Amendment should apply here. When our Founding Fathers drafted the Constitution and its Amendments, I do not believe they had the interests of drug companies and drug users in mind, whether those drugs are legal or not.

The Fourteenth Amendment provides that no State shall “. . . deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” I would assume the tobacco companies’ claim was that the Massachusetts regulations violated their Fourteenth Amendment rights because their products were not offered equal protection under the new Massachusetts regulations. Again, we must keep in mind the nature of the product we are discussing. Our ethical and moral responsibilities to our children should outweigh the right to use or even advertise dangerous substances within a certain distance of school grounds. We have a greater duty to protect our children from unsafe products because they are unable to protect themselves.

The second question raised for the purposes of this assignment concerns the Court’s decision that Federal law does not restrict the ability of State and local governments to adopt general zoning restrictions that apply to cigarettes, as long as those restrictions are “on equal terms with other products.” Again, I disagree.

Zoning regulations are enacted to regulate what certain property may or may not be used for. Therefore, if we could pass legislation wherein popsicles cannot be sold within 1000 feet of an elementary school, “on equal terms with other products” could mean we could also pass legislation wherein cigarettes could not be sold within 1000 feet of an elementary school. This, however, would be like comparing oranges to horses. Consider, too, the new “healthy foods” issue now prevalent concerning school snacks and cafeteria meals. High calorie foods and snacks can certainly be harmful to the health of children as shown by increasing rates in obesity in the young, leading also to health problems and heart disease. If we can regulate what types of foods are advertised and served in our schools’ cafeterias, we should certainly be able to regulate the advertising of tobacco products.

We have zoning regulations in place prohibiting tobacco use on school grounds. Schools across the nation are surrounded by signs that state “Drug Free Zone”. These zoning regulations prohibit the use of drugs within so many feet of school yards, and that includes the use of tobacco. Obviously, we have determined through our zoning regulations that tobacco is a drug; therefore, these regulations should also extend to its advertising.

It occurs to me that someone will undoubtedly take this to an extreme and say, “Well, aspirin is a drug. If we are going to regulate tobacco advertising and sale of cigarettes around schools, we should regulate advertising and sale of aspirin around schools, also.” To this, I say yes. I do not think we can be overcautious when it comes to our ethical responsibility to protect our children from potentially harmful products.

I am therefore exercising my own First Amendment right in saying that I disagree with the United States Supreme Court in its decision in the Lorillard matter as presented in the Question of Ethics. The Constitution does not provide specific regulations for drug commerce, so it must be left to the States to enact these regulations.

Serena:

Paper #1 - A+ (Very well done. You support your ideas nicely and fully answer each question.)

Sincerely,
Professor Orffeo

Life is good!

Pain vs. Fear

As many of you know, my brother is having medical issues. For more info, click here. In one of his later posts, he says he believes that fear is much harder to deal with than pain. I think he's right.

Uncertainty, combined with fear, is a big black hole of worst case scenarios; it wakes you up in the middle of the night with heart palpitations and clammy skin, robs you of your sleep and comfort, and quietly steals away your peace of mind. It’s always in the back of your mind, creeping like smoke to the front of your consciousness when you least expect it.

For pain, you can take a couple Tylenol or Advil or whatever; there is no magic drug for uncertainty.

"Bad President"

I bought the "Bad President" calendar. Every day, it gives a gem, so to speak, from the last almost seven years, along with a countdown to how many days are left in this nitwit's presidency. It came with a warning that reading the calendar ahead of time would not shorten the time left. Here is today's:

"BUSH: ONE OF THE WORST DISASTERS TO HIT THE U.S." - British Sky News banner over footage of Bush answering questions in wake of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

469 Days Left.

Emotions

Michael has a great way of hitting the nail on the head:

"I think of the emtional world as a powerful whitewater rapids. You're in it, in a kayak. You're not even given a life jacket.

"Oh! And you're blindfolded!!!"


JT said...
and going downstream backwards! All you can do sometimes is take a deep breath and press on.

Serena said...
So true...

Chattin' with Jeff

JT said...
Ian: what's your fourth favorite sport?

Jeff:Curling (jokingly)

Ian: What? Cheerleading?

There is a perfect subtitle to that picture...What a goofus rufus...

Serena said...

I would pop back in the room every couple minutes and wonder...what on Earth is he talking about? I think sometimes he didn't even know!

Lucas Turns 7

September 22, 2007

Lucas takes his swings:

Ian's turn:
The LOOT!

I'm still alive!

I'm still alive, but buried in homework. At present, I am learning how to convert radian measure to degrees and visa versa, how the Constitution affects business decisions, how information systems is so much more than just information technology, and how to critique short fiction. Repeat after me: This exhaustion will all pay off some day.

South Beach is going well, also. I've lost another pound. I'm at the stage in the diet where you start adding carbs back in, and for two weeks I added in way too many and, instead of losing, I gained 2. So I'm up to a grand total of 12 pounds lost. And I'm trying hard not to find them.

We have a virtual pet. Ian wanted a dog like his cousin Jeff had, but that is out of the question. (First because this apartment is too small for an animal, second because the landlord will not permit it, and third because Ian is afraid of most of them, so why he wants one is beyond me.) We now have a Tamagotchi. It sleeps, poops, eats and plays. If you had asked me even a year ago if I ever planned on owning a virtual pet, I'd have laughed. See how parenthood changes a person over time?

I hope everyone is doing well.


JT said...
Calvin? a doggie? He was terrified of Jack and all he did was lick you silly... maybe a small pet in time hamsters? fish?

Serena said...
We had a fish, but it died. I flushed it, and for three days Calvin didn't want to sit on the potty because the fish might come back and bite his butt.

He did decide, after you no longer had Jack, that he really liked him. I will never truly understand how my child thinks.

Ian and Danika

Danika Santina Fiebelkorn

(and deliriously happy but exhausted Mommy in the background)

Ian and Danika Fiebelkorn

(photos taken 9/3/07)

Stumped.

Suppose that a star forms an angle theta with respect to Earth and the sun. Let the coordinates of Earth be (x,y), those of the star (0,0), and those of the sun (x,0). Find an equation for x, the distance between the sun and the star, as follows:

a) write an equation involving a trigonometric funtion that relates x, y, and angle theta;

b) solve your equation for x.

In the accompanying figure, the star is at the point of origin, Earth is in quadrant I, and the line dropping from Earth to the sun forms a 90 degree angle with the x-axis. Not to scale, of course.

Any takers?

School is in Session!

You will notice the number of entries I make begins to drastically drop off now. This semester I am taking Business Law, Business Systems, Composition and Literature, and Trigonometry II. So far, Trig is my favorite. I don't expect that to change! :-)

Ian has been tested to death over the course of the last week, and it has been ascertained that he is at the high end of the second grade. Instead of moving him into third, he is being placed in a group within his own classroom that will be given third grade reading and math. He is not the top student in his class, but he is in the top 5. His teacher has promised to keep him challenged, and I have assured her that I will be checking in with her regularly to see how and what he is doing, and to let her know if he is bored or overwhelmed.

Ian has already informed me that second grade is even easier than first, so I let her know - we must do something about this NOW. Both the principal and the teacher have assured me he will be challenged, so we will see how it goes. I do like the idea of challenging him within his own class, as long as they keep at it. The principal and I will be speaking on a regular basis also to keep tabs on Ian's progress, and if he does indeed need to be moved, he will be. Poor kid is going to be under a microscope, but with a little luck, he won't know it!

The Check-up

"You want me to WEAR this?"

Memories

(Once again, I am unabashedly stealing a great idea from my brother. I didn't realize you could post video clips until I saw him do it.)

It seems like just yesterday Ian was this small... Mike took this clip when we visited in 2003.

Red Robin

I took Ian to our favorite restaurant to eat, but, as you know, they serve burgers. So I talked to the waiter. I really like their bleu burger (I forget exactly what it's called), but I can't have the bun.

He said, "No problem! How about a lettuce wrap?" Well, I saw the lettuce wraps they had on the menu, and I told him they didn't really appeal to me. He said, "No, we'll take the burger and fixings you want and put them in a lettuce wrap."

And then he said, "You probably don't want the fries either?" Oh, man, no, I can't have the fries. He said, "How about I put a couple onion rings on there instead? Can you have those?" Hey, if I'm going to cheat a little, I might as well cheat with something I really like! The onion rings were a go.

Let me tell you, it was wonderful. I only had one onion ring, which totally satisfied my desire for one, and the burger with the fixings in the lettuce wrap was great. I love this restaurant.

Which reminds me, the general manager, shift manager, and two of the waitresses came up to me and thanked me for our thank you notes (about Ian's wallet). Amazing! I checked out their website: http://www.redrobin.com/. There is even a Red Robin in Everett, Washington. :-)

Lunar Eclipse

My brother took some incredible shots of the lunar eclipse that occurred on the 27th. Click here to go to his photography website to see. (If you hold down the shift key while you click, it will open in a separate window.)

We couldn't see it from my house - too many other houses and trees. It's a shame, too. I would have loved to have Ian see it happen.

Egg, Bacon and Tomato "Sandwiches"

How can something that tastes so good be found in a cookbook full of 'diet' recipes? Check it out. The recipe serves 4 (or two if you've got large appetites to satisfy), but I halved it for my purposes.

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice a beefsteak tomato into 4 slices. Season both sides with salt and pepper and place them in a non-reactive baking dish. (I used an 8" square glass pan sprayed with Pam.) Spread each tomato slice with dijon mustard. Lightly brown 4 slices of Canadian bacon in a saucepan for two minutes each side, place them on each tomato slice. Put the tomatos in the oven for 10 minutes or until the tomatos start to bubble.

In the meantime, poach 4 eggs in water with a tablespoon of white vinegar in it. (3 minutes will give you a soft center. I like them at 5 minutes, which is partially cook and not very runny.) Put the eggs on top of the tomatos and serve.

Yummy! I've been trying new recipes for a week now - this is the first one I can say is a keeper!

This Day in History

On this day in 1939, the first televised Major League baseball game is broadcast on station W2XBS, the station that was to become WNBC-TV. Announcer Red Barber called the game between the Cincinnati Reds and Brooklyn Dodgers at Ebbets Field in Brooklyn, New York. According to Calvin, this was, of course, before the world was in color. We've come a long way!


For more "This Day in History":

http://www.history.com/tdih.do

© 1996-2007, A&E Television Networks.


JT said...
LOL - the world was in color. Water was clear, dirt was clean, god was a boy....

Serena said...
Yeah. We didn't have to take History in school - we MADE History!

South Beach Part 3

Once again, my brother (a/k/a Obiwan, a/k/a El Presidente), was absolutely right. I hate it when he does that. :D

We were talking about dieting, and he said that sometimes diets are impossible to stick with because when dining out or at a friend's house, the menu options require that you violate the diet plan.

Try, just TRY, finding ANYTHING low-carb to eat at a ballpark!!!

Sooo, Friday night I had pizza for dinner followed by a late snack of nachos and cheese. Tasty, though. Very tasty. I don't regret it. The funny thing was, about an hour after I ate the pizza, I felt incredibly tired. Like I-can't-keep-my-eyes-open tired. Carbs at work? Maybe...

Anyway, other than that, I've been doing well on the plan. I have noticed that some of my pants do not fit so tight against the waist, so even though it may not show up on the scale, something is definitely happening.

Quote of the Day

The school bus is, and always has been, a problem. Last week, I received notice in the mail that the bus will pick up Ian five minutes after school starts, leaving me to wonder how he's supposed to get there in time.

I think Ian is hoping for some sort of time warp.

"Maybe the bus will go backwards really, really fast!"

JT said...
Great Scott.. Ian (Marty) do you know what this means? The time flux capacitor...lol

Serena said...
It's Back to the Future! That's PERFECT! :D

South Beach Continued

I visited my endocrinologist yesterday. I'm still in remission, and I've lost 4 pounds since my last visit three months ago. I don't know where I lost them, but I'm making a concerted effort not to find them. ;)

Coincidentally, the morning radio show I listen to had dieting tips. One was, "Set your fork down between each bite." I can see the reasoning in that. Another was, "Limit your coffee intake." Apparently caffeine slows the metabolic process. (I haven't had a cup of coffee since Saturday, and my mild headache is finally gone. Not as tough as quitting smoking, but not easy either.)

So far, so good... Today I am eating lunch with the gals in a restaurant. We'll see how South Beach fares there!

Michael said...
Be careful where you take advice. Caffeine pills are often used as a diet aid because caffeine speeds the metabolism.

Serena said...
Yes. It reminds me of the run-around about eggs. They used to be so horrible for you because they were so high in cholesterol, and now they are promoted as very healthy.

Michael said...
Putting your fork down between each bite is an impractical request, and silly looking when dining with others... but having zen mindfulness about dining is not ridiculous. Just difficult. :-)

Serena said...
I just try to make sure my fork rests on the plate between bites. I've never been a fast eater, but I've dined with people who just seem to shovel it in their mouths. I think that advice was for them!

Michael said...
Also - congratulations on your remission...

Serena said...
Thank you! Life is GOOD!

Children's Health Insurance Program

New Rules May Limit Health Care Program Aiding Children

by Robert Pear

New York Times

Published 8/21/07

"The Bush administration, continuing its fight to stop states from expanding the popular Children’s Health Insurance Program, has adopted new standards that would make it much more difficult for New York, California and others to extend coverage to children in middle-income families..."

Isn't this just great? It seems to me like he is trying to do as much damage to the working poor as he possibly can before he leaves office. For the complete article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/washington/21health.html?th&emc=th

Michael said...
Those folks 'just ain't like us.'Although both political parties are corrupted by big money, the Republicans are far and away the party of the Wealthy and the Corporatocracy.

Serena said... So true. Every time I vote, I think, well, which is worse? and vote the other way.

Dietary Changes

I recently visited my primary care physician who ordered an EKG, a prescription for a diuretic, and recommended I change my eating habits. He pointed out that the foods I have been eating plenty of (especially apples and oranges, my breakfast staples) are loaded with sugar, which is the cause of my weight gain. He recommended trying a low-carb diet, like Atkins or something similar, and if I want to be around and healthy for my son’s graduation, I’d better do it NOW.

I gave this considerable thought. I need a plan to follow for a few weeks while I get used to adjusting my eating habits, and something flexible enough that I can add what I like and not eat what I don’t. And I won’t be able to stick with any eating plan that leaves me hungry. So I did a little homework and decided I could probably live with the ideas presented in the South Beach Diet.

The South Beach Diet goes in three stages: Phase 1 is the strictest where you cut out fruit, breads, pastas, and the like. Phase 2 lets you add back in some of the things you are missing, so occasionally having pizza or ice cream is completely allowed. Phase 3 is the maintenance program. Eat what you’ve learned your body can handle. Stay away from what it can’t. It is flexible to allow for eating in restaurants, and forgiving if you just MUST have that dish of ice cream.

I began the diet yesterday, and so far so good. The biggest thing I notice is that the eating plan calls for TOO MUCH FOOD! I cannot eat all that is allowed. I am not hungry, not irritable (yet), and do not yet feel deprived.

If you are curious, here is a link to the book.

Further bulletins as events warrant. :D

Welcome to the World!

Matthew

5 lbs, 11 oz, 19 1/2 inches tall

Melissa and Justin are now proud parents, and luckily so, as the labor and delivery almost cost Mom and Baby their lives. Both spent time in ICU, but they are home now and doing well. Isn't he just beautiful?

Melissa is the daughter of Jan, who is the daughter of Marlene, who is a sister to Paul, who is father to me. In a nutshell, we're cousins. :)

Melissa said...

Aww, thanks for the birth announcement Kelly, you are so sweet!!! Matthew has been such a joy, I feel like the luckiest mommy in the whole world!!! Love ya!!!~Melissa :)

Ian's Lost Wallet

Every once in a while, something happens that completely restores your faith in humanity.

Ian lost his wallet. He gets $2 a week allowance, and the wallet contained his savings to date - $30. We looked everywhere, but it was gone.

So I went through my check register for debit card transactions and I began calling everywhere we had been in the past two weeks. Target, Wal-Mart, Wegmans, Tops, IHOP, Pizzeria Uno’s, Red Robin’s. It was a red nylon Bisons wallet, I told everyone, the kind that folds over and closes with a Velcro strip. It contained a $20 bill and a $10 bill and no ID, as I had located the ID in the toy box.

IHOP was the worst. They left me on hold for 15 minutes before I finally hung up and called back. “Naw, don’t see it, sorry.” Click. I am never eating there again.

Red Robin, on the other hand, called me back. “We didn’t find the wallet, but our hearts went out to you and your little boy, and we got him a little something. Could you stop by the restaurant sometime soon?” We went that evening after Aikido. I was figuring maybe a $1 gift certificate off of an order of fries, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.

We went in to eat first, and they told me that dinner was on them. I assured them they didn’t have to do that! No problem, enjoy, they said. The waitress told Ian she was very sorry to hear about his wallet, and he said yeah, I was saving for a GameBoy. If I got $50, Mom said she would kick in the other $50, but I only had $30, and now I gotta start from scratch.

After we ate, all the employees gathered around and gave Ian his gift. A Bisons glove, 4 vouchers for tickets to a future game, a Red Robin figure, a genuine leather bi-fold wallet containing 2 Lasertron gift cards, a Red Robin gift card, and $50 cash. They told me they had already had over $30 in the wallet, but when Ian told the waitress he was saving for a GameBoy, they kicked in the rest. They also told me they contacted the Bisons to try to get the same wallet for him, but the Bisons stopped selling that wallet three years ago, so it was the Bisons that kicked in the tickets.

I cried. (Ian will tell you I cried for two days. Slight exaggeration.)

Red Robin Gourmet Burgers has my business for the rest of my life.

JT said...
Ian is very...very lucky. Glad to hear something good came from it!!

Serena said...
Yes, and he has no idea how much!

A Sad Day for Baseball

(Photo by www.absolutenow.com)

Yankees great Phil Rizzuto dies at 89.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/2010AP_BBA_Obit_Rizzuto.html



"...Rizzuto delighted TV and radio listeners for four decades, his voice dripping with his native Brooklyn. He loved his favorite catch-phrase - exclaiming "Holy cow!" when Roger Maris hit his 61st home run - and often shouted "What a huckleberry!"..."



I don't remember him as a player (he was a bit before my time), but I remember him as a broadcaster. Rest in peace, Scooter.

Jammin'

I was going through the photos I took in Seattle, and came across this one, which just makes me smile:

My brother has played guitar since I was about 8 or so, and I have always enjoyed listening to him play. He wrote a song for Ian which is just amazing - it is curiosity set to music. I admire his talent, and the fact that Jeff has it, too!

He Cheats!!!

Ian loves Wheel of Fortune, so I programmed the DVR to record it everyday so he doesn't miss it.

We're sitting in the living room watching it, and Ian comes up with the puzzle! "Mommy! It's 'Think outside the bun'!" Sure enough, he was right!

Then he comes up with the next one, "That one is 'knock-knock jokes'" - and then he blows it. He tells me what the puzzle is going to be when there is only one letter up on the board.

"Ian, have you seen this one before?"

"Yeah! I mean, No!" Uh, huh. He'd watched it about an hour earlier and simply re-started the program instead of watching a different one.

He cheats!

JT said...
LOL.. Calvin strikes again!

Serena said...
That is SUCH a PERFECT nickname for him these days! :D

New York Times Quote

"It was relatively easy for me to read the sitting president’s body language after he had talked to his mother or father. Sometimes he’d ask me a probing question. And I’d think, Hmm, I don’t think that question came from him."

ANDREW H. CARD JR., former White House chief of staff.

-New York Times, 8/9/07 Quotation of the Day

Anyone surprised?

Dawn

A beautiful morning. It's kind of funny, but this saddened me a bit. I must be tired. It made me think about how we are coming up on the time of year when I get up before the sun, school starts, the cold sets in... Ah, well. I am going to enjoy summer while it lasts!

JT said...
Nice Shot!!

Serena said...
Thank you! I actually remembered I own a camera... :-)

Ice Cream

"Mommy, can we go to the store?"

"Why? What do you need?"

"Ice Cream. Chocolate."

"Well, okay, but do we need it tonight?"

"YES!!! How can we LIVE without Chocolate Ice Cream?!"

Hmmm. Wonder who the child has been talking to... Miiiike? :D

Michael said...
ME!?!?!? It's JEFF'S FAULT!!!!!

Jeff said...
I am so proud!!!

Serena said... I feel outnumbered. :D

Guitar Lessons

I almost forgot - Ian talked Mike and Jeff into giving him Guitar Lessons! Click here.

We're Home!

Flying the friendly skies:

Almost home:Ian sitting in the row ahead of me on the plane:

Note to self: Don't fly Delta.

I attempted to check-in online 24 hours before our flight was due to take off, and I got an error message: "We're sorry. Your request cannot be processed. Please see a gate agent." The reason my request could not be processed was because, all of a sudden, for the tickets that I purchased and seats I chose on April 9, 2007, we had no seat assignments. As Mike would say, "WTF?"

I called Delta and spoke with a woman whose native language was not English. She assigned seats for us, but they were not together. I said this was unacceptable - my son is 6! She said yes, she understood my son is 6, but there is nothing they can do. And she topped it off with, "Have a GREAT day!"

We received more condolences at the check-in (Sorry, but there isn't anything we can do.), so I waited for the gate keeper (yes, like in Ghostbusters) and again pointed out that seating my 6 year old multiple rows away from me for a 4 1/2 hour flight was unacceptable. He 'made an executive decision' and booted someone out of their seat that had already checked in. Got this smirk and said, "I'm sure he won't mind." So that was that, and Ian and I sat together to Cincinnatti.

In Cincinnatti, the flight was overbooked. Even though our e-tickets were confirmed, we didn't really have seats. Since there were no more flights to Buffalo departing the same day, they wanted us to fly to Rochester and they would pay for the cab to take us to Buffalo. I kept saying, "Unacceptable." (I felt like the main character in "The Terminal".) They had two people give up their seats, they 'compensated' them with 200 sky miles (yeah-like they're going to rush to fly Delta again), Ian ended up sitting in the row in front of me, and we got home okay.

Travel is stressful enough without your friendly airlines adding to the burden!

Something else Delta did when they changed my itinerary (multiple times between April 9th and July 28th): I originally booked our flights so we would have an hour layover. Traveling with a child requires a bit more time to get through an airport, especially if a detour to the potty is required. Delta shortened my layover in Cincinnatti between flights to 25 minutes, and the flights arrived and departed in such a way that we arrived in one terminal and departed from another. Jeff reassured me that this was doable, and he was totally right - the Cincinnatti airport was great. As it was, we had time to spare because the first leg of the trip was faster than expected. God bless tail winds!

Oh - and the latest "zero tolerance/zero thinking" rule from Homeland Security. Sometime between the time we left Buffalo and the time we left Seattle, new security procedures were put in place. Applesauce and fruit cups are now not permitted in the carryon. Dangerous materials that they are, they made me throw them out in the garbage can near the walk-through metal detectors before letting us through. (I wonder if I am the only one that sees a potential problem with that. If they really are some type of explosive materials, why are we disposing of them at the security checkpoints?) And "all large electronic devices like DVD or CD players and Gameboys" must be removed from the carryons and put in separate bins in addition to your laptop. I didn't think you could use the words "Gameboy" and "large" in the same sentence, but there you have it!

We had a great time, and Ian is already asking when he can go back. Jeff is going to sleep for a week!

Dorinda said...
Welcome home, Kelly. Looks like you had a great time.

Serena said... We did! I wish we could do it more often. The cost of the airline tickets alone is prohibitive. Jeff is coming back home for a wedding in May, and Mike may tag along if he can get away. We'll have to see!

Blue Angels

We had what I consider to be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Blue Angels. We went to Lake Washington to see their rehearsal for the weekend’s demonstration flights.

It started out as a cloudy day, and I was completely frozen, wearing a sweatshirt and hugging Ian to keep warm:

Jeff kept Ian occupied for a while while we waited:

And then he discovered he could skip stones:


That's my boy:

First, the Patriots Jet Team performed their demonstration rehearsals. We also got to see a VTOL (Vertical Take-Off and Landing) aircraft, which was phenomenal. It can hover in one place just like a helicopter. Before the Blue Angels come out, Fat Albert flies the friendly skies as the warm-up act:

Fat Albert held no appeal for Ian, who would rather keep skipping stones:

And then there they were!

(Photos taken by Michael and Jeff Tabor, 8/3/07)

The rehearsals were incredible. I cannot even imagine having a job where, if I make a mistake, it could cost me my life. They must practice constantly.

Here is a link to the Seattle News for more photos of the Blue Angels: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/photogalleries/2003817877/

Michael said...

The VTOL was a Harrier. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harrier_Jump_Jet

Serena said...

Cool! I changed the hyperlink in the text above so everyone gets to the right definition. Thank you!

And More:

Clicking here will take you to my brother’s blog entry and more photos of the air show rehearsals.

Chittenden Locks

After viewing the glorious scenery from the Space Needle, we went to see the Chittenden Locks. They are set up much the same as the locks in Lockport, New York, but the Chittenden Locks have a fish ladder that runs along side for the salmon. It is a series of 21 steps, and the 18th step has been made into a viewing area:


so you can see the salmon up close and personal:


They had this set of sculptures nearby that looked to me like the Dodge Ram logo:

The atmosphere there was so relaxing, I could have spent hours just watching the boats go through the locks and watching the fish go by, but Ian got hungry again. (What am I going to do when he's a teen?!?)

The Space Needle

We started out at about 10 this morning for the Space Needle.

What a view! This is Mt. Rainier:

And this is overlooking Puget Sound with the Olympic Mountains as a backdrop:

Here we are:

There is a small carnival area outside the Space Needle for the kids.