Floride Treatment!

Gotta keep those pearly whites protected!

Ian Gets his Green Belt

Sensei Andrew instructing...

Tying on the new green belt...Leading the class in exercise...

Sensei said Ian is the youngest green belt he has awarded. He worked hard for it!

Silliness

Cheeburger Cheeburger has a clown that makes balloon things one night a week.

Drug Makers, Hospitals Raise Prices

The headline in the Marketplace section of the Wall Street Journal today is,

"Drug Makers, Hospitals Raise Prices"

followed by the sub-headline,

"Double-Digit Increases in Pharmaceutical, Other Costs Come as Washington Gears Up for a Fight".

Are you KIDDING me?

"Drug makers increased prices on drugs like ... the leukemia pill Sprycel by more than 20% in the first quarter from a year earlier ... HCA, Inc. said Tuesday it expects to report higher revenue for the first quarter even though it had fewer hospitals and its admissions declined. It also said its income before taxes had nearly doubled. ... "These kinds of price increases are way out of line with what's being experienced in the rest of the economy," said Ron Pollack, executive director of Families USA. ... Drug companies have increased prices agressively in recent months ... to wring sales out of products before any health-care cost-cutting efforts eat into profits."

Nice.

Imagine the brainstorm for that one.

"Hey, everybody! The economy is suffering, everybody seems to be down on their luck, people are having a hard time making their bills and paying their mortgages, what can we do to help?"

"I know! Let's raise the cost of their meds!"

Michael said... Kick 'em while they're down. And people ridicule me when I say we live in a fascist state. Harrrumph!!!

Good thing I like eggs!

His Highness, the Artist, loves to color eggs. It's fun, but what a mess! :D

The speckled egg. Obviously from a speckled chicken.

Let me pick which one you should eat first!

Bunny Loot.


How do you get this stuff off your hands?

It doesn't work that way...

I was speaking with a friend of mine the other day and had a really difficult time getting a message through.

She believes that the reason our country is in such financial difficulty is because we "keep giving money away", and we should just stop it, starting with the auto makers. I tried to tell her, it just doesn't work that way.

Let's say we let 'The Big 3' sink. That's hundreds of thousands of people who lose their jobs, hundreds of thousands more who lose their pensions or suffer income cuts. These people land on unemployment and would not make enough to keep their homes, so foreclosures go up. Banks would be faced with a ton of bad debt and property they can't get rid of, and they would fail. More people would be out of work and without benefits. These same hundreds of thousands of people would not be spending money, buying luxury items like cars or cell phones, perhaps not even able to pay their utilities or get groceries, so more and more businesses would fail. More people out of work, more people not spending, more people on unemployment or in welfare lines. Taxes would increase because who is going to support all these people who are on unemployment and working? The ones who still have jobs. Of course, those that still have jobs would be faced with higher taxes and higher prices for things, so they also will spend less, donate less to charitable organizations, and more businesses would fail, and more people would be out of work...it goes on.

And while this is all oversimplified, you can't just say "let them sink" without affecting everyone, absolutely everyone. It works the same for helping other countries; our country's economy is inextricable from that of others. We do not operate in a vacuum.

She claims our President has broken all his promises - didn't he promise to get us out of this economy mess and didn't he promise to bring our boys home? Yes, he did, but things like that don't happen overnight. Instant gratification just isn't going to happen. She thinks that all President Obama has to do is make a phone call and everything will be okay. I just can't get it through...IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY. Immediately withdrawing our troops and immediately withdrawing all aid to other countries would start a war, at the very least.

Speaking with someone who has their mind made up is incredibly frustrating. I still say, give President Obama a chance. He hasn't even been in office three full months.

Michael said... You cannot reason with an ideologue. And you cannot pry them away from the poison tit of right wing hate radio,where their every prejudice is validated. Better to spend your time with folks who are open to life and love.

Ethics

I have started my first 'real' course at WGU, "Ethical Situations in Business". Ethics have always interested me for at least two reasons that immediately come to mind.

First, I work in the legal field. Lawyers are required to take so many ethics CLE courses every two years. And sad to say, there are SO many unethical lawyers...the very nature of the business seems to offer opportunities for unethical behavior.

Second, I had a very strict upbringing. My parents always saw things in black and white, with no gray area between. It has taken me years to learn that life is not really like that. There are many shades of gray, and sometimes just having sound moral principles isn't enough.

AIG Outrage

Compliments of Obiwan in Seattle. My brother is an amazing web surfer. :D

Check this out - it's eleven minutes long, but well worth it.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Education Without Boundaries

I just finished my first course at Western Governors University called Education Without Boundaries, and let me say I was nothing less than impressed.

WGU offers a TON of resources for the on-line student. Unlike ECC, I have a mentor. She is a real, live person who will be with me every step of the way as I complete my BS in Finance, and she is my first "who ya' gonna call" if I run into a jam.

The library is on-line, but if I need to, I can have books (with the exception of textbooks) shipped to my home to use. I will have access to full-text articles and just about everything I need for research. I am a member of the Accounting and Finance on-line community, which includes facilitators and other students, just like me, to go to for assistance or support, or to give assistance or support. There are chat rooms that can be used for on-line study groups. And on almost every page, there is a link to a live chat with an on-line mentor for immediate assistance.

This 'place' is amazing! I think I have been given every possible tool I can think of to succeed. Wish me luck!

I'm just not ready yet.

So here are Ian and I, quietly sitting at a table at Toni Pepperoni's, eating pizza and quietly discussing getting a computer repaired (yes, my 8-year-old and I discuss such things), when in walked two little girls from his school. . . .

. . . and they Screamed that awful girl-scream and jumped up and down waving their arms and yelling . . . .

"Ian's here! Oh My God! Oh My God! Ian's here! Look Mom! Oh My God! It's Ian!"

Their father looked at them like they had just landed, and a guy at a table next to ours said, "What? Did the Jonas Brothers just walk in?" Lots of laughter. Ian turned Beet Red and quietly said,

"Boy. It's sure hard to eat when girls are looking at you."

I'm not ready for this!

Melania said...
this is fabulous!!!! I guess we aren't too far behind. Perhaps you should be thrilled that Ian is a well liked boy!

Jeff said...
:) "every girl's crazy for a sharp dressed man" I am sure his majesty will soon sing a different tune... Poor Calvin :)

School is In Session

I had my orientation yesterday, my business community orientation today, and I just finished my first 'module' (out of 8) in my first course, "Education Without Boundaries".

Off and running!

Digital Fortress

I've gotten caught up in another good book. Digital Fortress by Dan Brown is another fast-moving novel about the ultimate unbreakable code. Chapters are short, and the story just moves right along at such a fast clip that, before you realize it, it's 1 in the morning!

Dan Brown, by the way, is the guy that wrote The DaVinci Code. Good stuff.

And, yes, I'm trying to cram in all the recreational reading I can before my classes start up again on April 1st!

Tooth #31

For those of you who don't want any surprise anatomy lessons, don't read this post. :D

A picture tooth #31, the tooth that was giving me nothing less than absolute hell, that was finally pulled, is here. It's in a number of pieces. Remember ...

A picture speaks a thousand words.

It Isn't Over Yet.

So it turns out my endodontist doesn't pull teeth. He saves them. A veritable Dental Jesus. After one and a half hours of drilling, inspection, and fiddling around, he declared there is only a 40% chance of saving the tooth. I said, "PULL IT. PULL IT NOW." No such luck.

He sent me back to my regular dentist with instructions to have it pulled. My regular dentist took a good long look at the x-rays and basically said, 'I ain't touchin' that,' and gave me a referral to an oral surgeon.

The oral surgeon cannot get me in until the middle of April.

Tooth Update

My endodontist checks his answering machine - even on Sundays! I am now on 600 mg Ibuprofen four times a day and 500 mg penicillin four times a day. Extraction scheduled for Wednesday at 1:30 pm. UGH.

Red Cooper Naval Oranges

At $30 a dozen, shouldn't they all be...edible? This is the second time I've received a shipment from them that has been partially rotten. Granted, they haven't charged me for these, but I'm not interested in dealing with moldy oranges.

Oh, the Pain!

I have a broken tooth! Tooth number 31, which would be my lower right molar, is cracked vertically.

I had a root canal in it last year, so the tooth was already shot. It really aggravates me, though, that I spent $1200 on a root canal with a crown just to have the tooth pulled anyway. UGH!

Michael said...
Same story for #4 and #13. There is no question that this was some sort of genetic weakness... Both teeth needed root canals and crowns (#4 in 1998, #13 in 2002), and then both developed failures at the root which made it necessary to extract them (#4 in 2001, #13 in 2008). The bridge I have over #4 cost $5,000, and I have a space where #13 was because I do not have the money to pay for it.

Serena said...
As we were discussing tonight, the only teeth mom had and dad has left are the bottom front eight. Those are the only healthy teeth in my mouth, and you mentioned they are the only healthy teeth in yours. It must be heredity. That's the only explanation that makes any sense!

Salary Caps

The headline in the weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal today is,

"Bankers Face Strict New Pay Cap".

Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut inserted "the new and retroactive limit", much to the chagrin of Wall Street and members of the Obama Administration.

The article carries on to say, "The administration is concerned the new provisions will prompt a wave of banks to return the government's money and forego future assistance, undermining the program's effectiveness. . .

"The rules would apply to any company that has received aid under the $700 billion bailout program since it began in October...

"Congressional aides said the bonus provisions means an executive could receive a bonus equal to as much as 50% of salary. A $500,000 bonus for someone with a $1 million salary would meet the test because it would make up no more than a third of the person's $1.5 million total compensation.

"Under the bill, bonuses could be paid only in restricted stock, which recipients couldn't cash in until the Treasure is repaid. . . .

"New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo . . . alleged this week that Merrill "secretly" moved up the date for awarding bonuses and that the total was $3.6 billion, including $121 million to four top executives." (Emphasis added.)

Hello?!?!?! They make more money in a bonus than I will see in my lifetime!!! Thank you, Senator Dodd, for trying to inject some common sense into this whole bailout scheme.

If the companies can afford to give their executives bonuses, what the hell do they need MY tax dollars for? Perhaps these executives can look for sympathy to the 3 million plus Americans that lost their jobs in recent months. They are certainly not going to find any here.

Facebook

I started a Facebook account. What a hoot! I found a few people I attended high school with, most of whom now live "NOT" in Buffalo. :D I also started a Farm with a couple of my friends. I tell you what, if you've got too much time on your hands, Facebook is the place to be!

Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra

For the past four years or so, Ma (my high school English teacher) has given Ian and me tickets to the BPO's Family Series at Kleinhan's. It's wonderful.


An hour before the show, there is "Instrument Zoo" in the Mary Seton Room. There, the children are given the opportunity to try out various instruments.

The show itself, performed by the BPO and usually a small group of actors/actresses, is completely kid-oriented. This month's show, on Sunday, February 8th, was put on by the BPO and a group called Tales and Scales. The actors and actresses (2 of each) used their instruments to tell a story called The Little Dragon. Ian is always glued to these shows.

After the show, they set up two microphones, one in each aisle, for a question and answer period. The actors, a musician or two, and the conductor take the children's questions for as long as they will ask them. It usually adds on 30 minutes to the show, and the children want to know everything.

It's an amazing learning experience. For both of us!

Happy Spring Training Day!

(Picture from obrienbaseball.com)

Happy Spring Training Day!

Pitchers and catchers report today.

The rest of the teams report on February 17th.

Summer is practically here!

Rather interesting quote, don't you think?

"I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered."

Thomas Jefferson, 1802

No Kidnap Here.

Ian came home from the after school program today and reported that a little girl had been stolen from a house on our street. He didn't know who, though, hadn't been questioned and didn't seem concerned at all, so I passed it off as a kids' tall tale. A friend of mine just called me and wanted to know if Ian was okay, because she, too, had heard a child had been kidnapped who lived on my street.

I called the Town police department. I am told they have no knowledge of a kidnapping in my neighborhood, nor do they have any idea how this rumor got started. I will stay up 'late' and watch the 10:00 news just in case. And I think that, until my heart stops pounding, today will be the last day for a while that I let Ian go get the mail unattended. "Scared Mom" trumps "big boy" any day of the week.

Economic Stimulus?

I kid you not, the more I read about the bail-out plan and economic stimulus, the more confused I become. Fortunately, my big brother is Obi-Wan. :) My questions to him are in pink.

Okay. I'm completely confused.

So are most Americans.


Wasn't there a 325 billion dollar bail out last fall?

There was a $700MM+ bailout approved by Congress, of which only the first half (~ $325MM) was given away. Because it was administered by the Bush Crime Family, there was no oversight or accountability, so we discover that the money was spent on executive bonuses, luxury retreats, banks buying other failing banks as tax shelters, and stashing the money in order to ride out the crisis. In other words, almost none of it (apparently) was spent on what it was SUPPOSED to be spent on, which was buying the bad debt.


And now there is more money being shelled out?

Yes. If you remember my primer about the meltdown (http://hyperionappraisal.blogspot.com/2008/10/financial-disaster-in-three-acts.html), you can scoot to the bottom and realize that there is approximately $56 TRILLION dollars of exposure to bad debt, most of which is off-balance-sheet. In other words, banks have not been forthcoming about their actual exposure to bad debt, and therefore banks do not trust each other to lend. THAT set of facts is the basis for the "credit freeze" which is forcing businesses under.

Also, we still have between one and one-and-a-half trillion dollars worth of alt-a and option-ARM loans which have not reset, and experts are predicting another 10 million people will be losing their homes.


Is the 817 billion they are talking about now in addition to what was shelled out last fall?

Yes. Only it isn't $817MM, it's north of $900MM last time I checked.


Or hasn't anything actually been shelled out yet?

The most recent $900MM package has not been passed by Congress yet. The Rethuglicans are trying to scuttle it because it does not have enough tax cuts for their wealthy patrons.


Who is footing the bill for all of this, this time around?

We all are. Get ready for hyper-inflation. The money that is being handed out is not coming out of thin air. The government will have to print more money, thereby devaluing the currency, thereby causing inflation. All of us will be paying more for everything - food, energy, gas, medicine - everything - for as far as you can see into the future.

This is a failure of Republican economic policies, and with all their posturing and preening about "tax cuts" for everyone, they hide the biggest truth in all of this - that inflation is the cruelest tax of all.

'Chatting' with Unko Miko

He is GLUED to the monitor!

Things That Make Me Smile

Goodbye, Graves'!

As most of you know, I was diagnosed with Graves' Disease about five years ago.

I came within hours of having my thyroid destroyed with radioactive iodine, when my blood work came back normal. Spontaneous remission!

I was in remission for about a year, but then I went through a period where I was under a tremendous amount of stress, and the Graves' came back with a vengeance. I made some changes in my life, and about two years ago, went back into remission.

My doctor believes the Graves' has resolved itself. I'll have my thyroid levels checked once a year for the rest of my life, just as a precaution.

Life is good!

Happy Groundhog Day!

Six more weeks of winter.

Like THAT's a surprise!

:D

Joe's Pasta Carbonara

Great stuff! And so easy, even I can make it!

The ingredients you will need are:

one large onion
one clove of garlic (or two, if you like)
one pound of bacon
black pepper
one pound of angel hair pasta or thin spaghetti
2 cans of chicken broth
a tiny bag of peas (use a cup or so)
1 or 2 cups of parmesean cheese

Dice the onion. Dice the bacon. Put the bacon, garlic and onion in a frying pan on low. Everything is done on low. Add the black pepper, a ton of it, and maybe a little bit of crushed red pepper if you like. Let the bacon 'melt', cook down. Stir it occasionally, cook it slow. You don't want it to fry, you want the onions translucent. Let it 'melt' for an hour.

If it gets dry, crack open a can of chicken broth and add some.

After the hour, add about a can and a half of chicken broth; let it reduce by 1/2 to 3/4.

Boil the pasta in a separate pot. Salt the water, use a couple tablespoons of kosher salt if possible. Taste after five minutes. Keep tasting it until it is done so you like it.

Before straining the pasta, save a couple cups of the water.

Throw the peas into the pan with the bacon and onions. Then throw the cooked pasta into the pan. Remove from the flame. Mix it. Start folding in the cheese. If it looks dry, add starch water from the pasta.

Serve it with a salad and maybe some thick crusty garlic bread.

Mangia!

But Mom! My room IS clean!

I could barely find him in his room. He's laying on his floor, surrounded by toys, covered up with a comforter, sound asleep!

Remembering the Shuttle Challenger

www.nasa.gov


The NASA family lost seven of its own on the morning of January 28, 1986, when a booster engine failed, causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch.

The crew of STS-51-L: Front row from left, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, Ron McNair. Back row from left, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik.


Michael said...

Ah yes.

If the engineers and scientists had been in the driver’s seat, these folks would still be with us.

But no, administrators and bureaucrats are involved, dragging politics and vanity into an equation in which they do not belong…

Such as the amount of prestige to be gained by the appearance of launches being executed on schedule.

Tribute to you valiant seven, like Icarus, brave explorers on the leading edge of life.

Outsourcing

I was depressed last night so I called Lifeline. Got a call center in Pakistan.

I told them I was suicidal.

They got all excited and asked if I could drive a truck.

Email Joke Compliments of Ma. Who knows where it originated... :D

How to Eat a Chocolate Chip Pancake

...served with hot cocoa, of course. When I sugar the kid up, I do it right!

Macaroni & Cheese

This recipe is for really great macaroni and cheese. Don't read any further if you are on a diet.

The ingredients you will need:

2 1/2 c. cold water
1 c. dry milk (Carnation tastes the best)
2 c. macaroni (wheat macaroni will do fine, if you like it)
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 c. sharp cheddar cheese, diced
1/2 c. cold non-fat milk (made from the dry powder) with an extra 1/2 c. dry milk added in.

Remember, milk burns. For the best results, assemble the ingredients first, then your attention can be completely devoted to constant stirring. :)

Make the cold skim milk with the extra dry milk added in first, and put it in the refrigerator. It should be very cold by the time it is added. Don't ask me why, it just works better when it's cold.

Measure everything out, dice the cheese, and then fire up the burner.

Bring the water to a boil. When it is at a full rolling boil, quickly add the cup of dry milk. The water should not stop boiling. Continue stirring constantly for a minute or two to break up any lumps of dry milk, then add the macaroni. Continue stirring for about 5 minutes, then add the butter and pepper. Reduce the heat so it still simmers while you are stirring, but is no longer at a full boil. Continue stirring, stirring, stirring, until most of the liquid is gone and the macaroni is cooked. It will be about 10 to 12 minutes. It won't be mushy cooked, but will be chewy and good. Turn off the burner. Dump in the cheese and salt, stir it around, and then add the cold dry milk mixture from the fridge. Stir it well, then cover it, and let it set, on the hot burner, for about five minutes. (If you have an electric stove, you must remove it completely from the heat or it will burn.)

Remove it from the burner, stir it as well as you want (some of my friends prefer that I leave little lumps of cheese in there, some of my friends like it smooth), and serve.

Some like it with paprika on top. It's really great with applesauce and a salad.

Goodbye, President Bush

Just a rather cynical, but final, thought about the End of an Error...

I wonder how much of the "new home" Dubya and his wife "recently purchased" in an "upscale" neighborhood in Texas was indirectly paid for by the hard-earned dollars robbed from the American people at the gas pumps and in their home utility bills.

Goes to show you how eight years of unregulated, selfish, thoughtless, irresponsible decisions can erode the trust we should be able to have in our government.

Thankfully, It's Finally Over.

An Era of Responsibility

I listened to our new President's inaugural address on NPR. President Obama spoke of the challenges we face as a nation, and how we must begin to act responsibly in our duties to ourselves, our nation and our world. His speech was thought-provoking, and left me feeling hopeful that we will be ushering in an era of change. He left me thinking that things that concern me, like the economy and health care, will be addressed, swiftly and surely.

I think he is going to be great. I do realize that he will, on occasion, let us down. He is human, and the challenges he faces are tremendous. But I think he is just what this country needs, someone who will make intelligent, responsible decisions in an effort to fix the problems we face.

After eight years of irresponsible government that put us along with our prodigy trillions of dollars in debt,

I am finally looking forward to what the future holds.

One Day Left

President Bush's Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Program, the biggest change in Medicare in 40 years, was intended to provide "flexibility" in meeting the prescription needs of the elderly. Unfortunately, only about one in six eligible seniors has signed up for the program. The reason seems to be incurable confusion.

A senior citizen must choose from a variety of insurance plans, including some that do not yet exist, and the plans may limit coverage to certain drugs and have different rates of co-payment. Low-income applicants must fill out a four-page form in addition to the normal application. Administration officials cite language barriers as a partial explanation for the lack of public participation.

President Bush's proposed 2007 budget sought to cut Medicare by $14 billion over five years.

- Bad President calendar 1/17/09

It's almost over!

Today in Baseball History

1974

The BBWAA elects former Yankees teammates Mickey Mantle and Whitey Ford to the Hall of Fame. Mantle becomes only the seventh player to make it in his first try. His 536 home runs with the Yankees ranked second only to Babe Ruth and he played in more games (2,401) than any other pinstriper, including Lou Gehrig. Ford was arguably the greatest Yankees pitcher of all time, retiring with more wins (236), more innings (3,171), more strikeouts (1,956), and more shutouts (45) than anyone in club history.

-http://www.todayinbaseballhistory.com/cgi-bin/today/today2S.pl

I love this game. Pitchers and catchers report for spring training on February 14th. I can't wait!

Why Parents Drink

Everytime I see this joke come around in my email, it makes me laugh. I know, though, that my day is coming!

A Mother passing by her son's bedroom was astonished to see that his bed was nicely made and everything was picked up.

Then she saw an envelope, propped up prominently on the pillow that was addressed to 'Mom' With the worst premonition she opened the envelope with trembling hands and read the letter.

Dear Mom:

It is with great regret and sorrow that I'm writing you. I had to elope with my new girlfriend because I wanted to avoid a scene with Dad and you. I have been finding real passion with Susan and she is so nice. But I knew you would not approve of her because of all her piercings, tattoos, tight motorcycle clothes and the fact that she is much older than I am. But it's not only the passion...Mom she's pregnant. Susan said that we will be very happy.

She owns a trailer in the woods and has a stack of firewood for the whole winter. We share a dream of having many more children.

Susan has opened my eyes to the fact that marijuana doesn't really hurt anyone. We'll be growing it for ourselves and trading it with the other people that live nearby for cocaine and ecstasy. In the meantime we will pray that science will find a cure for AIDS so Susan can get better. She deserves it.

Don't worry Mom. I'm 15 and I know how to take care of myself. Someday I'm sure that we will be back to visit so that you can get to know your grandchildren.

Love,
Your Son Paul

P.S. Mom, none of the above is true. I'm over at Dustin's house. I just wanted to remind you that there are worse things in life than the report card that's in my center desk drawer.

I love you. Call me when it's safe to come home.

Winter Project

Ian's grandparents recently went to St. Louis and brought back a jigsaw puzzle for him. We finished it today.

Frightening

"Mommy, can I use your hammer?"

"NO!"

I didn't even think to ask him why. He's 8! What on earth could he possibly need a hammer for? I am completely afraid to ask!

Michael said...
COMPUTER REPAIRS!!!!

Serena said...
Oh, boy. Sounds like you're still having troubles out there! :D

Oh, the Weather Outside is Frightful...

From Meteorologist Don Paul: A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect through Wednesday afternoon. Treacherous driving and walking conditions overnight due to freezing rain. Freezing rain may turn to just rain by dawn along the Lk Erie shoreline, but it's a very close call--assume the worst and set your alarm early.

You know when the weatherman says 'assume the worst', it's not going to be good!

I don't do Blood.

So here I am, quietly loading the dishwasher, listening to WYRK and contemplating the mysteries of the universe, (like, why does sour cream have an expiration date?) when I hear a blood-curdling scream followed by hysterical crying. I go running into the living room, and Ian is coming down the stairs with blood dripping from his eye.

Oh joy, oh rapture, oh melody divine.

I played the "Don't Faint" record in my brain over and over again and successfully did not hyperventilate or lose consciousness. Very proud of myself for that one. I don't do blood.

As I am dialing the pediatrician with one hand and pressing Kleenex to his eye with the other, I asked him to tell me what happened.

I was putting toys in my toy box, he says, and a Nintendo game case fell on my eye and pinched me.

Fell on your eye?

(Hiccup, sniffle, sniffle) Yeesssssss.

Just fell from the sky and pinched your eye?

(Sniffle, sniffle, hiccup) Yeesssssss.

So I told the pediatrician, I have no idea how it really happened, but he reports a Nintendo game case fell from the sky and pinched him in the eye. After the nurse stopped coughing (which sounded suspiciously like she was trying not to laugh, and I'm sure someday I will laugh, too), she suggested I bring him in. Immediately.

He has a deep cut on his upper eyelid, which may very probably leave a scar. I told the doctor, it isn't the first; it won't be the last. She asked if he was on any medication, and I said no, but I may be shortly. :D

She super-glued the cut with Dermabond, and he's good to go. He's hoping this gets him out of having to take a shower.

I just don't understand boys.

Michael said...

"Oh joy, oh rapture, oh melody divine." LOL!!! That's great!!! He'll be fine!

Serena said...

You would not Believe how much head wounds bleed!!!! He's fine already. He is bragging to his buddies about having his eye superglued. All the little boys are suitably impressed.

Michael said...

Yeah, I know how much they bleed. I was also a boy. :D

Just tell him scars impress the girls. :D

Serena said...

Impress the girls?!? Girls have COOTIES!

Michael said...

Not for long. BWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!!

Serena said...

George Carlin had it right - There is NO GOD! :D

Happy New Year!

He's Ready!

Got the hat, glasses, a horn, poppers and lais! What more could a kid ask for?

JT said...
perfect T-shirt!!

Serena said...

yeah - you have no idea. His teacher moved his desk so he is sitting Front and Center now. Apparently his homework is never turned in, he's rarely prepared, and he's the class clown. I got my hands full this year.

New Year's Eve

The drive to work on New Year's Eve.

I need Aruba.

Bad.

Has Mother Nature Been Informed?

This is NOT Seattle!

Earlier this week, the temperatures hovered under freezing and we had snow up to our hips.



Today, the temperature is 62 degrees, the wind is roaring so loud I can hear it with gusts up to 60 miles per hour, and it is Raining!



I wonder how people are faring that live near the creeks...

And on January 21, 2009:

Michael said...
Meanwhile, in Seattle, heavy snow, raining frogs, flooding, hordes of locusts...

Serena said...

Hordes of locusts?!?! LOL!

And so this is Christmas...

Here it is, 6:23 a.m., when His Highness, so tired from trying to stay up late the night before, wanders down to see if there is any Christmas loot for him under the tree.



Of course there is. I had a couple under there, too, from the girls at work and Ian's grandparents.



He got doo-dads in his stocking with new socks for his stinky little boy feet. :D

And reading material, among other things. He has expressed great interest in the presidential election this year, so I chose a kid's book for him about our next President (which he read before the morning was over).

Like a lot of other people I know, I reuse gift bags. See the bag leaning against the couch that looks like an envelope? Mike sent Ian a book in that bag for Christmas about 4 or 5 years ago! :D

For Christmas dinner, we went to my friend Hope's home for prime rib, mashed potatos and broccoli with cheese sauce, compliments of her employer. Due to the financial problems we have all incurred this year, we decided not to exchange gifts among the adults. The afternoon was about family and friends catching up, laughing and joking, and a wonderful time was had by all.

Later that evening, we stopped by my friend Nancy's home for ham, scalloped potatos and carrots. Ian got to play with his buddy Robert for a while, and I sat and caught up with Dave, Nancy and Amy. Life is good!

JT said...
What 'bout Hobbes? :)

Serena said...

He's got them all! :D

Happy Christmas!

The Best Present EVER

I PASSED CALCULUS!

I am so happy I CAN'T STAND IT!

I'd do CARTWHEELS if I could!

Oh, Happy Day!!!

Oh, and I passed everything else too. But mostly

I PASSED CALCULUS!!!

JT said...
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!!!

Serena said...

Thank you! God, am I glad that's over!

The Office Closed!

No heat! It was 52 degrees - inside - when Ian and I arrived at work this morning. Brrr!

Shoveling

He kept Asking and Asking, "when are we gonna get enough snow so I can shovel?" Well, today is it. 12" in back, and still falling! Here he is, shoveling the yard. :D

Visiting with Gramma and Poppa

Every year, we make sure we go for a visit to Gramma and Poppa's to see their Christmas tree. Ian loves it, and we look forward to it every year.

Storm Coming In

Annual Hoover Elementary Art Show

Every year, Hoover Elementary has an art show at the local Barnes and Noble. Ian had one of his masterpieces displayed this year.

My Artiste

And Happy Thanksgiving Again!

Nancy and Amy Kerr

Thanksgiving dinner worked out really well for Ian and me this year. My Aunt Marlene had her dinner at 1, and my friends, the Kerrs, had their Thanksgiving dinner at 6. Whoo hoo!



Life is good!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope everyone had as much fun this Thanksgiving as I did! Here are some photos I took at my Aunt Marlene's. The Village People dropped in and did a mini-rendition of "YMCA":


Here are cousins Gary, Philip and Bobby, with Joe in the background tending bar:


Here is Amanda and her boyfriend Ian:



Here is my cousin Doreen, who is married to Joe:

Doreen and Joe's sons, Devan...:

... and Xzavier:

Here is Philip and his girlfriend Eileen:

And Jan's youngest son, Lawrence:

And my cousin Diana, two-fisted drinking at dinner: :D

Car Mats and Earrings

Happy Birthday to Me!

Miss Lisa (the amazing receptionist at Siegel, Kelleher & Kahn) took Ian shopping for my birthday. She is teaching him how to shop, and the result is simply wonderful.

I love presents. It's not just about the getting, you know; I love giving them just as much. The whole present-picking process can be fun. I think it's important for Ian to learn this, also, although, since he's only 8, presents are all about Him. :D

I thank Lisa from the bottom of my heart for sharing her precious time with my son, and for teaching him how to select "girl" presents that bring me joy.

And I thank Ian for the gifts, which include car mats and Christmas earrings. (They match, Ian says. The car mats are black, and black goes with everything.)

Michael said...
"Car Mats and Earrings..." Sounds like a good title for a country song.

Serena said...

I was thinking more along the lines of, "You might be a redneck if..." :D

Humor?

Tire Pressure Chat with Obi-Wan

My brother is an incredible wealth of knowledge about anything and everything I have ever asked him. The cool thing about getting instruction from him is that he never assumes I have a 'baseline of knowledge'. He teaches from scratch. I'm posting most of our entire chat just in case it can help someone else out there like me. I'm sure I'm not the only one on the planet who doesn't know about tire pressure! So, here is our chat about tire pressure and how to work the air machine:

Serena said: Sooooo..... how do you put air in your tires?

Michael: ? How do you put air in your tires? What do you mean? Is this a metaphor?

Serena said: Um.....no. I truly don't know how to do it. Check out my blog.

Michael: 'Somewhere written on the tire is a number followed by PSI...' The number on the tire is the MAXIMUM the tire should be run at. The specs for your vehicle are on a sticker on the driver's side door. Open the door, look down along the side that would be impossible to see when the door is closed, and there it is! It’s probably 30 or 32 psi.

Serena said: You know, I found that, but disregarded it because it wasn't on the tires. It said 33 psi.

Michael: Good. That is the pressure the car was designed to operate at, for maximum fuel economy and handling characteristics.

Serena said: Ok. Now. 3 of my tires said 28, and one said 30. They are all supposed to be at 33. How do I get them up to 33? I know I have to use one of those machines at the gas station, but I don't know how they work. And what happens if I get too much in? Will they blow up?

Michael: Don't worry about the light - the car won't blow up.

When the pressure is mismatched, you lose a very small amount of fuel economy, it might not corner that great, and it might cause a little extra wear on the CV joints.

“A little extra” is a 1.) function of how low the pressure is (tires will still run with as little as 10 lbs pressure), and therefore how great the mismatch between tires, and 2.) how long you leave the problem unattended.

At the gas station, there will be an air pump that will probably cost you $0.75 to use for two minutes of air.

Uncap the valve stem on your tire, put the money in, press the nozzle TIGHTLY to the valve stem. You’ll know if it isn’t tight enough, because you’ll hear hissing of air escaping.

Many stations have a gauge built into the nozzle – you release the handle WITHOUT LESSENING THE PRESSURE AGAINST THE VALVE STEM and the gauge pops out with the tire pressure. Continue filling until you hit the number you are after (33).

Another note:

Tires get hot as they run, so 33 psi is a cold temp. Try to use a station nearer to your house. If you have to drive a long distance, put in 34 or 35 lbs (as long as the number on the tire sidewall is at least 35 psi), go home, check your pressure in the morning after the car cooled all night, and bleed off the excess until you get to 33.

Really, though, that is being reeeeeeaaaallly fussy about it. The exact pressure is not as important as getting all the tires as close as possible to the same number.

Don’t forget to put the valve stem cover back on. It keeps road dirt out of the valve.

Serena said: Okay. It sounds like I can do this. :)

Michael: Come to think of it, its winter, everything in Buffalo is close by – just fill ‘em to 33 and don’t worry.

Serena said: LOL! It's 19 degrees right now!!!

Michael: Yeah. That is TRULY cold temp.

Now. If the pressure falls a long distance in one of the tires, say to 20 lbs, you will notice pulling to one side of its in the front, or a feeling that the car is trying to skew sideways a little if it is in the back. The point? A mismatch affects handling, and can cause loss of control in sudden responses or slippery road conditions.

Again, don’t be paranoid, just understand that there is a reason to pay attention to this maintenance detail.

Serena said: Yeah, the idiot light being on really frightened me.

Michael: One more thing about tires – improper pressure causes uneven wear. If you run them a long time underinflated, they wear out on the edges before the center. If you run them overinflated, they wear out in the center of the tread before the edges.

The second scenario is easy to visualize – overinflation makes the tread balloon out, or bulge.

Low pressure also allows the tire to fold over (collapse) on hard cornering.

Use a gauge. Trust science.

You need to get your father to teach you how to change a tire. Seriously, he’s good at it. Back in the day, before steel belted tires were invented, tires were “bias ply” with fabric belts. Flats were very common, so most everybody learned how to change a tire.

Even if you have AAA, it is something you need to understand – you might have a flat at a time or in a place that you just cannot wait four hours for the AAA tow truck to appear out of the mist.

Serena said: True. Something AAA is doing now is asking if you are in a safe place when you call. In my case, I tell them I am with a child, and my wait time has never been longer than 20 minutes when Ian is with me. It's not something I'd like to count on, though.

Michael: You bet. And Ian will not always be with you. ;-) Besides, it’s a chance for bonding with your dad. :D

You asked, ‘what happens if I get too much air in the tires? Do they pop like balloons?’

On the rare occasions when tires fail, the nearest grease monkey is either killed or horribly injured.

The good news is that this hardly ever happens, and I’ve never heard of a case happening when ordinary folks are properly doing routine maintenance.

http://www.automotivetraveler.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=225&Itemid=119

We didn’t cover tread depth. The tread should be at least up to the top of Abe’s head when you stand a penny in the groove.

Serena said: Why?

Michael: Insufficient tread - HYDROPLANING!!!! WHEEEEEE!!!!

http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tiretech/techpage.jsp?techid=51

Serena said: Oh.

Michael: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroplaning_(tires)
http://www.engr.pitt.edu/ssc/images/clip_image001.gif
Hydroplaning = “there’s a little brown spot in my shorts today”

(Sung to “There’s a little black spot on the sun today” Sting)

Serena said: LOL! Wow. Okay. Does air pressure in the tires affect the tread depth?

Michael: No. Tread depth is a direct function of wear.

That is why tires are rated by miles: 15,000 mile tires are cheaper than 80,000 mile tires because they will wear out faster.

Serena said: Ah haaaaaa. And the 80,000 tires are probably the more expensive.

Michael: Of course. They are made with more expensive chemicals & processes, and more complex design.

Did you know that roads are covered with a bacterium that lives on the rubber shed by tire wear?

Serena said: Eeuuu.

Michael: That is why the roads are not full of black eraser crumbs.

Serena said: Good heavens.

Michael: I know. You don't really think about it, but all that rubber has to be going SOMEWHERE!

Serena said: How do you know this stuff?!?!

Michael: I am Obi-Wan.

Serena said: How different our conversations would be if it weren't for Star Wars!

Michael: LOL! You bet!

Plus, I lived next door to a tire salesman – he told me all kinds of stuff that I have not even gone into – the 300 chemicals it takes to make tires, the belts in the sidewalls to prevent failure, blah, blah, blah. It’s an entire universe of knowledge.

All My Tires are Round...

...so why is my tire monitor idiot light on? And why is it some things come so easily for me (just got a 100 on my Finance test) and things that should be simple come so hard?

Last night I learned how to use a tire pressure gauge. It involved a lot of laughing on Joe's part, and it wasn't easy, but I actually got the little slide rule thing on the end of the tire pressure checking apparatus to pop out and give me a number. Three of my tires say 28, and one says 30. Joe left me with famous last words...

'Somewhere written on the tire is a number followed by PSI, which means pounds per square inch, and that is the number that should be on the gauge. Look at your tires in daylight and you will find it.'

Yeah, right.

There are ALL KINDS of numbers on these stupid tires, accompanied by the fact the tires are made in Korea (isn't anything made in America anymore?), but I could not find this PSI number. I even looked at all four tires, just in case they are all different, but no such luck.

So I’m worrying about my tires the entire drive-on-the-Thruway home, and I’m worrying about my tires when I pick up Ian, because I have no idea what happens when your tires aren’t right, but it sure can’t be good because that idiot light is on, and I get home, pull in the driveway, come inside, my neighbor asks me how my day went, and as I’m telling him about the stupid tires, I’m crying.

And he, of course, is laughing.

Some days I just shouldn’t get out of bed.

So my next questions are… what happens if I get too much air in the tires? Do they pop like balloons?

I really, really, really wish my mechanic was still alive.