Friday, March 30, 2007
Matter of Taste
With so much going on in our lives lately, our Mother's from Hell group opted for a some tasty treats. It started off with strawberries, which turned into shortcake. Then some chocolate with liquor was included. This was topped off with a bit of wine. It was a soothing evening and it refreshed our souls.
Thursday, March 29, 2007
Coverage
Healthcare coverage has been and will be a hot issue in the upcoming elections. I'm not too sure what the following ad that aired recently is all about, but it seems to be a fresh and accurate portrayal of health care in Connecticut.
Bravo to the creativity of the individual(s) that came up with this ad.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
Wired
Early morning, getting wired for an EEG.
Results will be available in about a week. However after a night short on sleep, I'm overtired.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Two Books
Everyone has their preferences. For a starting point the following two books have had a lot of helpful information.
- The Good Carb Cookbook: Secrets of Eating Low on the Glycemic Index - Woodruff, Sandra L.
- Beating Diabetes: The First Complete Program Clinically Proven to Dramatically Improve Your Glucose Tolerance -Nathan, David M.
Being armed with useful information makes it easier to keep your glucose from spiking.
Labels: Books, Cookbooks, Diabetes
Monday, March 26, 2007
40 THINGS YOU'D LOVE TO SAY OUT LOUD
1. I can see your point, but I still think you're full of shit.
2. I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
3. How about never? Is never good for you?
4. I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.
5. I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.
6. I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.
7. I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.
8. I don't work here. I'm a consultant.
9. It sounds like English, but I can't understand a damn word you're saying.
10. Ahhh...I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.
11. I like you. You remind me of myself when I was young and stupid.
12. You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
13. I have plenty of talent and vision; I just don't give a damn.
14. I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
15. I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you.
16. Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
17. The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
18. Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.
19. What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?
20. I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant.
21. It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off.
22. Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
23. And your crybaby whiny-assed opinion would be...?
24. Do I look like a people person?
25. This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.
26. I started out with nothing & still have most of it left.
27. Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
28. If I throw a stick, will you leave?
29. Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.
30. Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.
31. I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
32. A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door.
33. Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?
34. Too many freaks, not enough circuses.
35. Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?
36. Chaos, panic, & disorder-my work here is done.
37. How do I set a laser printer to stun?
38. I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted a salary.
39. Who lit the fuse on your tampon?
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Books
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Opportunities
Missed opportunities often do not present us with a second chance. Sometimes you can have a second chance, like with knitting. You can rip out the messed up rows and do it over.
Usually, in life, it is a one shot deal. There are no redo's or do-overs. Each moment is a unique opportunity we move forward from there by our choice. Even not making a choice is a choice that we end up living with.
On a recent episode of Grey's Anatomy, a man with diabetes came into the clinic with a sore on his foot. The infection had gone into the bone and his foot would need to be amputated. Shocked by news, the man asked if there was anything that he could do to avoid amputation. There was a month ago, but that window had long past.
There are no excuses. Being too busy, not paying attention or ignoring will result in paying a price. Make your choice and take action.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Changes
The robins are back.
Snow is melting.
Mud season is here.
It appears that things are the same but they are not. If you look closely, there are subtle changes.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Spring?
It's supposed to be a time for rebirth, renewal.
Two more endings came today.
After fourteen years our Hidey is gone. She was loved dearly by the boys.
My friend's father, my son's friend's grandfather after 92 years has died.
It is a teachable moment. Time to remember that life is too short to live with regrets. Loved ones live on in our heart.
Two more endings came today.
After fourteen years our Hidey is gone. She was loved dearly by the boys.
My friend's father, my son's friend's grandfather after 92 years has died.
It is a teachable moment. Time to remember that life is too short to live with regrets. Loved ones live on in our heart.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Spring Forward
Clocks have already sprung ahead.
Dreary winter days are replaced with more hours of brighter sunshine.
Promises of a brighter future and no more stuffy heads.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Winter Ends
Seasons come to an end. The Swim Team banquet takes the time to honor all the swimmers. A comments was made that the Polish food was missing, the night is not about the food, though the swimmer's would beg to differ with me.
Looking back, you see how far the seniors have come and how much has changed. No longer small skinny freshman. Each swimmer has made their mark on the team.
This is the only team that I know of that does this separately from Sports Night which is held at the school. Sports Night is nice, but the Swim Team banquet encourages the sense of team, drawing in the family.
Time moves forward. The senior swimmers are ready to move on.
Monday, March 19, 2007
Mental capacity
Oft I wonder if people are capable of taking care of oneself. Things have gotten so complicated, that you almost need training in order to get the desired results. While I thought I was eating healthy before, no fried foods, stayed away from those fast food joints, apparently it was still not healthy. So how did I get it wrong????
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Recovering
It's been a while since my brain was clear enough to post, go to the market, or do anything that required more than the brain power of a gnat.
When ill, you do not give a crap about bills being due, or other responsibilities. Sleep, if you can get it, is the priority. Now that I have been able to almost sleep through the entire night, my body is more rested. No more twenty minute naps, all night long. Feeling like you have a hairball stuck in your throat, the constant coughing pulls on the muscles. The hairball still stuck. Saltines, toast, ginger ale or coke helped with settling the stomach.
Perhaps I can peruse the Sunday paper. So bear with me as I slowly regain my faculties.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Plans?
We make plans, but sometimes they are interrupted. Just like last night. Since the boys stayed home from school, their activities for the evening were cancelled. So I planned on going to the pool. My plans changed again after dinner as the entire evening was spent in the Emergency Room.
Your child having a seizure will do that to you. Going by ambulance, spending hours waiting to be seen, then going home just before midnight takes a toll. Sleep deprived and now contracting the virus that infected my sons, all I want is a pillow and to pull the blanket up over my head. I am glad that last night's adventure is over.
Next week, a MRI and EEG will be scheduled. Hopefully this was an illness based seizure, not a begining of something new to contend with.
Friday, March 09, 2007
Hello... Girl
There are things that we all do that are beyond the scope of our job. Sometimes exceptions are made.
Scenario:
An eighteen year old male (developmentally delayed with limited speech) sheepishly grins and says to his mother, "Hello... Girl" implying that he wants to call a girl. It is obvious that he is not physically delayed. My dilemma is it is technically not a mother's job to arrange a phone calls to girl for her son. What to do? He does not have a "girlfriend", but we know that he likes girls. He is insistent, he wants to talk to a girl. My brain races with many thoughts:
Do I do this?
Who could he call?
Should I ?
What happened to calling one of his guy friends?
He is just like any teenage guy. I would not do this from my other sons, but why should he be deprived of the pleasure of talking to a girl?
Hanging out with the girls.
So I succumb to the pressure. I did have to call the mother of a young lady friend of his. She sees him just as a friend, thankfully. He hangs up the telephone and smiles, with the expression "I just talked to a girl." There is nothing that can prepare a parent for a child's desire to expand their relationships.
A few days later he comes home from school with a ring for a "Girl".
Thursday, March 08, 2007
Still Cold
Visions of mud season as the forecast is predicting that temperatures will soar to up near 50 this weekend and possibly near 60 sometime next week. All is frozen h2O will melt flooding pathways, producing the soggy, squishy, sticky ground beneath your feet.
Mud season is my least favorite season. Hopefully it will pass soon.
Wednesday, March 07, 2007
Frozen Solid
Near record cold and sub-zero wind chills remind me of when I brought my eldest back to school. It seemed fitting that we saw an ice castle at Saranac Lake.
To which I jested that it was his dorm.
Prohibited swimming on Saranac Lake.
On my trip back home temperatures were sub-zero. But the beautifully light castle drew me in. I could only stay out for a minute, to grab this shot. (photo tip - Do not breathe when taking sub-zero temperatures or you will create spooky halloween type pictures with your frosty breath included in the shot.)
Stay warm.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Features
Having my camera for over 5 years now, it was about time to learn some more of the features on it. Okay, I know that I should have learned this before now. I could use many excuses as to why I had not., but I will not.
You may have noticed that I have been including more close ups lately, some good some bad. My interest is in macro. I enjoy the detail. I do not do much edit of my photos, just get rid of red eye or to crop. Cropping helps me present what has attracted my eye to the subject in the first place.
Another thing is I finally learned how to turn off the flash. It would be aggravating when the flash would go off when it did not need to. Thank heavens for some manual controls.
Monday, March 05, 2007
How much?
Portion size for meals is under control, though there are still a few quirks that need to be addressed. Like my need to nibble instead of snack. A snack is planned and portion controlled. Nibbling has no boundaries. It is the mindless eating that I am talking about. I am sure it is a habit, but getting rid of the obsession to consume when nervous, frustrated, or anxious is annoying. Why does this habit rear its ugly head and drive me to consume. I do not know. But it must change. All suggestions on how to address this are welcome.
Stores sell prepackaged portions, I certainly can do my own at home. Hopefully after doing this for a while, I'll have a better idea about appropriate portion size and be able to curb the excessive nibbling.While I said that I did not have a scale to weigh myself, I do have a very nice kitchen scale that I found out about on Cooking For Engineers.
Visualizing how much is an ounce, a pound is difficult therefore a scale comes in handy especially when trying to determine what is a serving.
Sunday, March 04, 2007
Payback is Sweet
After giving and giving to the poor college student, now that he has received two paychecks he did pay me back for the money for getting his apartment. The money will be recycled as the youngest will soon be going to college.
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Observation
What he noticed? Men are not usually perceptive. This includes my eldest son. While it is dangerous territory for men to comment on females weight, stating “ you have lost some weight” is always a good thing to say. It only took forty pounds before he said something. I assumed that he would have noticed something before now.
But he finally did notice and the surprised look on his face about how much I have lost was priceless. He offered words of encouragement, then stated his plans for fitness.
While I do not have a scale, changing my lifestyle is more important than the numbers. I do not want to obsess about how much I have or have not lost. The priority is eating habits. Weight loss is just a bonus. Checking my weight about once a month is nice because I do not worry about the daily fluctuations. You have a general idea as to what is what. It is more like reconciling your checkbook with your bank statement.
Friday, March 02, 2007
Choices
It is Movie Night for the Teen and Adult Social. With eighteen choices, the movie had preselected by the group so the meeting time can be set. I had two options. See the movie with the group or check out the new bar in the theater with the Mothers from Hell to wine and whine. (We brainstorm solutions more than whine.)
What would you do?
The movie will come out on dvd soon, so I'll have an opportunity to see it later if I choose. But the opportunity to get together is more limited and having a conversation with friends is priceless.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Attitude is Everything
Creating your own reality is a current buzz. With Secret being promoted on Larry King and Oprah recently, it made me think about sheep. Yes, I said sheep. I am talking about the masses that are at a loss and hope that something can fix their life. I have not read the book or seen the movie, so I do not know the message that is being sent to the masses. But folks are quick to jump on the band wagon.
In my experience there seems to be some truth to what they is being said. It is a matter of belief. And what you do put out there affects what you will recieve. For example: if you act like a victim, then some people will pity you. They will not approach you with the intention of bringing you onboard for a project, since you have so much on your plate. It is like the old saying if you want something done ask a busy person. The same people on the PTO get asked to work to take on new things all the time.
While I am not an expert in human nature, the afore-mentioned observations have inspired me to not to get into victim mode and how to say "no." You are the director in your life.
