Beauty & Death

Quite the unusal title for a post, but I could not come up with something more witty that would go along with the two unusual pairings that I am offering up today. Spent a good amount of time studying the musculoskeletal system and brain trauma / neck and head injury while also taking breaks, at the coffee mega giant, to read all the newspapers. A treat that I have not had time to indulge recently. I have not worked since Tuesday and do not work again until next Monday, so I am able to take a slower pace and not push quite so hard.

Anyway, among all the more important news items of poisoned spies, the war, Prez and his escapades, more police shootings and other such topics there were two things that caught my attention that could not be more diverse from each other. Beauty and death.

Assisted suicide is what we like to call it in this country. It is illegal in Spain. A woman with muscular dystrophy is seeking help to die. She has been in a hospital bed for 20 years. Immaculada Echevarria is now 51 years old. That means that at the age of 31, when life is still so young and with much joy to be had, she became bed ridden. She says that , " Life stopped having meaning for ma a long time ago. I want them to help me die because I have spent my whole life suffering." She fell ill at the age of 11 and must be connected to a respirator to stay alive. She wants to be taken off and allowed to die. In May, of this year, a man was taken off his ventilator, by an unknow source and he died. he too had a terminal illness and because it could not be proven who pulled the plug no one was ever charged. She is asking her government to reconsider their law.

I know that if I was close to someone that was in this type of situation and they asked me I do not think that I could tell them no. How can we watch anyone that we love and care for suffer? Especially through dibilitating diseases? All and any religious thoughts and / or notes aside. Why is it so wrong? To honor the wishes of those we love? If this is their desire and they are still able to articulate their wishes? The diseases are not only killing the person who has it, but also those family members that must watch them daily and care for them or visit them in special nursing home and hospitals.

This lady just wants to be unhooked so she can stop breathing. She is not even asking for any lethal drugs, just some sedation to ease whatever pain and so she would not suffer. Is that too much to ask? Who should decide how long to prolong the suffering of others?

Then finally, we come to the big business of beauty. It seems, according to today's New York Times article, that Americans spend around $12 billion a year, and that is an estimate, on invasive beauty stuff like Botox etc. It is such a lucrative line to follow that even more traditional doctors, such as OBGYN's are now getting into the race. The race for the almighty beauty dollar and a piece of the "Barbie pie". Five years ago all of this was the domain of plastic surgeons and their ilk, but now it seems that everyone is wanting to spread their wings and enter the fray. It seems as if injecting Botox to smooth out wrinkles, Restylane to fill out smiles plump their lips is the menu du jour. Since medical insurance does not cover this sort of vain procedure it is all cash up front and there you have the, pardon the pun, beauty of it all. oodles of women and maybe even some men are willing to dish out big bucks for the chance to keep looking younger. Seriously, look how good Joan Rivers looks!!

I don't know. I know that doctors do have hefty insurances to pay and they are looking for lucrative ways to add some extra cash to their coffers, but the article does go on to say that they are not getting the same length of training that regular platic surgeons etc. receive.

Sure, I would love to be able to afford some of this stuff. If the idea of injecting botulism into my face did not also scare the crap out of me. I still can not believe that a local up scale community around here actually has Botox parties!! Well, maybe soon the Tupperware ladies will also be able to shoot ya up and cover both avenues. Then, if they also start to sell pizza stones and veggie dips they will have a corner on the market. A market that does not ahow any signs of slowing down.

Note & Post Script

None of the photos, that accompany the following post, are from my dinner or famil. Just found the on the net.

Holiday Aftermath

Seems that everyone has made it through, yet another, holiday food fest. Complete with television sports, mega shopping and pies galore. Oh, and yes..... family members. I think everyone must have some degree of dysfunctionality in their family and the holidays just make us have to endure. I loved the quote by Esteban, " ...drink enough alcohol so that I can tolerate my relatives, but not so much that I tell them what I think of them." Very good advice indeed!!

I began the "holidaze" by getting up at 5:30AM and adding some of the new carmel flavored Baileys to my coffee. I have a bottle in my fridge throughout the entire holiday season. By 11:00 I had the mamoth 20lb. bird in the oven, sans dressing because I hate that crap crammed inside the turkey, and moved into the realm of red wine. My mom & I watched the Macy's parade and then the dog show. Love the dog show!! Although we were not happy with the choice for "Best in Show". A white toy poodle!! YUCK!! My fav group, naturally, is the working and sporting groups as I like and have a big dog. A Golden.

My youngest brother and his new fiance and his daughters came by for finger foods. They were doing her side for dinner. Trying to make the impression and introduce his kids to her side. She has a 4 year old son, but he was with his father. This was the dysfunction that I was speaking of earlier. He has his head so far up his ass right now that he has totally left our mom in some unpleasant circumstances. SO & I had to jump in and help her out. It is not looking too promising, they plan a wedding next summer, but he can't be advised, so we are just letting it run its course. No advice.

So, we watched Elf and Christmas Story. They left and mom, son & I had our small, but tasty feast. Pie and brownies later. Son went to hang with friends and mom & I went to play cards with a gaggle of my girlfriends.

When we arrived there were many varieties of wine on the table and a different wig on every chair. As the game went along we would all put on a wig, take pictures, and then pass the wig to the left and put on a diff wig the next time. Fun stuff. My mom looked particularly funny, at 72, in the very long bright red wig!! We howled. Played a card game called Michigan Rummy that is played with pennies. My mom cleaned up. Then a game with quaters. We moved up to the big bucks as you can see. Taht game was called 31. I was a loser in all games. A winner with friends and mom had a blast!! Although we were full to our eyeballs we had cheese and crackers there along with our wine. Mom would sleep VERY well tonight!!!

Gave mom an early Christmas gift. AAA membership and a cell phone. Told her that she neede it. Driving back and forth to our house alone. She neede it in case of emergency.

Got myself that Abby Seixas book, "Finding the Deep River Within. A Womans Guide to Finding Balance & Meaning in Everyday Life". Although the irony is, trying to find that time to sit and read!! Mom went home a day early, so I have been able to start it. I like it very much, although I laugh at the thought of skipping to the "balance & meaning" parts!! There are only 199 pages, so it will be a quick read... when I can do it. I am only scheduled 2 days this next week, at the coffee mega giant, so I should find some time. When I am not getting immunizations for school or reading about blood and trauma.

A good friend recently was asking me questions about their life and pondering their own sense of freedom. I thought that I might address that here. The reason is that many people feel that they are not who they could really "be".

You can be as free as you want to be. Yes, there are family and work obligations. Some societal ones too, but the only thing stopping you is where you set your own bar. I almost let myself get persuaded to take another path, but that did not feel right. I knew I had to make my own choice. If you always worry about what everyone will think of you, you will never do anything for yourself. There is nothing wrong with doing things that you want. Sometimes it is okay to be self centered!! Does the fact that you have a family mean that you no longer have your own dreams and/or desires? Just because we are "grown-ups" does not mean that we have to settle. Just go with what everyone else thinks we should be and do. We have talents and abilities. Those did not die when we got married, had kids, bought a house etc. Just because we have jobs and bills etc. does not mean that those things are all that is left of our true essence, ouyr real self.

Sometimes we have to tell the others that we are involved with, whether it be a boyfirend, girlfirend or spouse, that I have to do this for me. As long as you're not running off and leaving them to see the world. If they love you how can they deny you your path? Everything we do in this life is not, nor does it have to be, about them. You are still a valuable person too.

You are as free as you allow yourself to be. You can be your own worst enemy. The things that hold you back are there because you put them there because you think that they should be. You hold yourself back because you think there that there are only certain roles that you can and should play. That is not rue. Only you can allow yourself move into new and different areas. It's all up to you.

Off the soap box. Now it is back to a busy week of work and school. heading to the Health Dept. on Wednesday for immunizations and hope to be able to begin my hours in the ER by the beginning of Dec. I just have to have them all in before the national test in Jan.

Hope to get our tree up soon. Son will have to help, unless SO is back from Brazil later this week. May be home for 2-3 days and then he is off to Finland. They are trying to get things caught up, as much as possible so he can can be here for Christmas and then he will be off to Australia. Only problem with doing all the shopping myself is that I will also have to wrap it all!!

Oh well, no worries. I can only do what I can do!!

Happy Thanksgiving

Hope you all enjoy your family time & turkey!! Oh yeah, forgot....football too.

Junk Drawer II

It seems that there are a few things to pull out of the junk drawer today.

Options in Iraq. Seems that the Pentagon has brought out the football jargon to name their strategies. We have, for your listening pleasure, "Bo Big", "Go Long", "Go Home". I guess that last one could be more suitably linked to baseball. Anyway, the Washington Post had the article posted on MSNBC. Even though I hate this war and I am very opposed to the entire situation I have to admit, based on what I am reading, that the idea of a total mass pull-out might be leaving an even bigger mess behind. As someone with a draftable age son, in 2 years, I hate the idea of a long drawn out war and the possibility of all that mess. The "Go Long" plan is what they are calling a hybrid mix and seems to make the most sense. Although it doesn't change how much I hate this.

In another juicy Post article, posted over at MSNBC, it seems that there is a bitter falling out going on in the Republican party. Imagine that! It seems that the President has friends that are dropping him. Kenneth Adelman, who had at one time toasted the Prez and Dick Cheney for their successes and Iraq policy is now no longer speaking to any of them. He had a huge falling out with Rumsfeld, no longer speaks to Cheney and holds the Prez responsible for what he calls, "The debacle in Iraq". He further went on to say,"....this did not have to be managed this bad. It's just awful. There are a lot of lives lost". Seems that more and more the people from his own camp are taking off the rose colored glasses. A sad wake-up call, don't you think?

I guess I am just not ready to jump on the Obama band wagon. People are just crazy. They get an idea in their head and just run with it. Sen. Obama may be the "flavor du jour", but I am not ready to vote for the man for President. Yes, he is dynamic and a great speaker, but not experienced enough for me. Now, that may not be a bad thing when you consider career politicians. I intend to get one of his books to read over Christmas break. I am sure he is very intelligent, as he comes across that way, but he may need a little more experience under his belt.

All you golfers out there may want to add these to your holiday wish list. I guess these types of things are for those who have everything!! What say ye golfers out there?

Immunizations, Test Scores, Assessments & Then Some

Found out, last night at orientation, that if you cannot locate your records and you were born after 1957 you have to go get the MMR immunization and a TB test. So, in order to schedule my clinical time, at the hospital, I have to get to the health dept. and get immunized. Another glitch in the matrix. Just something else to take up time and a few bucks!! No way out of it though. Just got my flu shot. I am going to feel like a pin cushion!

After the 1 1/2 hour orientation we had to go over to the school and take our two tests. 109 questions in all. I was VERY nervous. I almost felt that I had "over studied". Any of you familiar with that feeling? Like you just studied too much. I was afraid that I had forgot everything. Not to mention that I was very tired. I had had 5 shots of espresso in a beverage, at coffee mega giant, before going to the hospital. Towards the end of these tests I was getting so muddled and just felt that I had totally F'd up. Got a 94% on airways and a 93% on Cardiac care & AED. YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not even enough exclamation points can tell you how amazed and relieved I was. I also received my certification, from American Heart Assoc., for Healthcare Provider. Good until 2008. Excellent night all around.

Although our chunks of time at the hospital have to be 4 hours and we also have to do a total of 6 patient assessments during that time. One has to be pediatric. A little more than I had anticipated. I thought we would just be doing vital signs and watching. Okay, this should be fun in addition to my coffee work time. We'll see. Looking forward to the time off for Thanksgiving holiday. No class on the 22nd or 25th.

I'm actually going to try and find a book today, "Finding the Deep River Within" by Abby Seixas. Saw the end of her interview on some show and thought I might like to read it. Another of those books for overwrought, over worked women. Not enough time for self as we are always busy etc. Although I am not sure that I have time to go buy it, let alone read it!! HA!

I am also on worry watch as my Beagle may be on his last leg. I have thought this before as Burt is old. A pound pup. He is somewhere in his teens. Old fella. Has lots of problems, but these past 2 days he has not been well. I did not sleep much last night. between thinking about the hospital and the dog. I have to wrok at the coffee place today, not until 5, and so I may try to nap in there. Somewhere in between errands and laundry and cleaning and............

What was that book I was thinking about getting?

Yin - Yang

The person who is on the path that is straight and plumb, seeking knowledge with a true heart. Basically that is the literal translation. I had a friend, who has studied Chinese for 2 years, draw the symbol for me. I wanted something that would represent my quest for balance and harmony in my life. A worthy goal.

Falling Hurts

Unfortunatly part of the weekend, with my mom, involved falling down. Happily it wasn't her, but sad to say that it was me!! Falling is not fun. Especially when you are falling on asphalt!!

We were at the grocery store getting yummies to enjoy while watching a movie. Nothing like some wine, yummies and a chick flick with mom.

We were walking to the car. I had a paper bag in my left arm, a plastic bag with the wine and beer in my right hand. Mom was carrying a paper bag and walking to my right and just a few steps behind me. next thing I know I am falling. Left arm is not able to stop the fall because of the bag. So I hit the parking lot VERY hard. Full weight on left knee and some weird arm/shoulder hit. Right palm got some road rash. It did hurt!

As my mom is laughing and asking what happened I watch a soliatery can of beer go rolling across the parking lot. Nice. Who looks like a drunk? Even better when some elderly lady picks it up and walks it back over and sits it next to me on the ground!!

I got up, but could feel the roadrash under my jeans and the knee already hurt like hell. Got home and opened the bottle of wine, a Lindeman Shiraz, and watched "The Lake House" with my mom. Can't go wrong with a nice wine, pizza and Keanu Reeves. Talent be damned, I just like to look at him. I have found that he has and continues to age very nicely.

Now, on Monday, the knee is all black and blue and other assorted colors that one would associate with a bruise. I gave away all my shifts at coffee mega giant except Thursday night and Sunday. I have a very huge test on Wed. 109 questions over cardiac arrest and airways. Much material and I am going to study for several days. we are also meeting at the hospital, on Wed., to get all of our info about signing up for our hours there and the paperwork involved etc.

SO has returned from Oman and brought back great newspapers to read from that part of the world. So much better than the stuff we get here. More news as well as balanced and complete. Also some excellent photos of his camel trip into the desert. Sand and jewelry.

I am also excited that I might be able to actually read some papers this week and catch up with politics. In the meantime I rely on you guys to keep me up to date!!

Weekend With Mom

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My mom is spending the weekend and already it has been an adventure!! I have class from 9-4 today and she is going to go visit a freind, but I am sure there will be plenty to talk about after she goes home. Also, SO is returning form Oman sometime tonight. Busy, busy weekend!!

The Junk Drawer

Wow! It has been 8 days since I last sat down and put any thoughts out in the cyber-blog world. Yes, I have been very tired and working WAY too much and drinking WAY too much coffee. I was feeling like crap physically. Eating too much processed sugar, at work, along with the coffee. I was a zombie!! So I went to the health food store, where I usually get my vitamins and herbs and decided to find something that might help with the fatigue, cut out the white flour foods and cut back subsatntially on the coffee and added water and also tea back in to the equation. I have felt much better for the past few days

I also got someone to pick up a few of my shifts at the coffee mega giant and so I have the next 5 days off. I will still have school, but no work and that will make for a nice 5 days. I have a very important test on Saturday over airways that has a huge amount of info and then on Monday night a big 109 question test over the last several chapters. We are also meeting at the hospital, on Monday, to get the info on how to begin scheduling our hours in the ER etc. I also have to go out and try to find appropriate black shoes and pants for the ER.

I was sitting at the coffee mega giant, doing what else but having coffee before my scheduled shift, and reading the paper when someone noticed the political button on my lapel and said to me,"Well, you must be happy today". I did not know them, but I said, "Why yes, I am." I was and am very happy with the election results, now I just hope that people will begin to make some positive change, especially here in Ohio. The people have spoken in Ohio and like Ted Strickland said, "It's time for change!" Jon Stewart did a great bit on the breakup of Britney and Kevin Federline and GW and Rumsfeld.

I really feel out of the loop. I have been reading a great deal of news, but have just not had the time or energy to post about anything. I hope to remedy that this weekend. Even though my mom is coming up to spend the weekend, and I will need to take her out to a movie. It will also, more than likely, be something that she wnats to see, which is fine, but not necessarily what I might like to see. This is what we do with moms. I have a feeling that it will be Russell Crowe's new movie.

I am also giving some advance thoughts to my birthday in January. I have been looking at packages to New York to see a Broadway show & hotel. I have a best friend from high school who has lived there for many, many years and we could do stuff as well. very pricey though, so I am not sure if that will pan out,, but I am so un-anamored with my friends right now I do not even want to spend any time with them. That is another story for another time.

I also got a new tattoo yesterday. Left ankle area. Yin-Yang symbol with the Chinese characters that literally are talking about harmony, but translate to something about the person on the path that is staright and plum, with a true heart. All in accoprdance with my Tai-Chi practice and desire to make my life more harmonious. A life goal, but one that I do not believe that many achieve.

Well, I have now emptied out a bit of the junk drawer. A little of this and a little of that. It is still full of other crap, but alas.... that is for another day.

Mileage

Sometimes it is amazing when karma, or whatever, chance maybe will just play out in strange and unusual ways. I was driving to class the other night when several things happened and made me think over these last few days.

As I was stopped at a traffic light I happened to look down and notice that my odometer read 142,000 miles. Then at that same moment, I kid you not, the song that was playing on the radio was Switchfoot and the lyrics, "This is your life. Are you where you want to be? This is your life. Is it everything you dreamed it would be? When the world was younger and you had everything to lose."

Well I just about froze and my mind just began to whirl. If my car had that much mileage on it that means that I do as well. Wow!! So, in a car that we have had for about 8 years that means I have about 10,900 miles a year on myself!! I wonder how that stacks up to other people and their "life mileage"?

Then I started to ponder this thought some more as I listened to the words of the song. Am I where I want to be and was this the life I had imagined. The big question is also am I who I want to be. All very heady stuff.

Yes, this is my life. Have I recconciled myself to that thought? I guess I have. There were many years that I bemoaned my life and just hated the paths that I was going down. I guess I have said to myself more than once these days that this IS my life and I will do what I want with it. There are people who question my life choices, especially now that I seem to be making some unusual changes, but to them I say this IS my life and why settle when you can do whatever you want. Why settle. I can make any changes at any time. Yes, there are times that I wish that I had known all these things earlier, but there's nothing stopping me now. There were those, and still are, who were not very encouraging as I decided to take this EMT course and they almost dissuaded me from doing so, but I kept true to myself and said yes I am taking this class and making these changes.

It's not everything I dreamed of, but is anyones? I had dreams of being in theatre and an actress, but obviously that did not come true, except... those years that I was teaching and now that I am greeting and working with the public at the coffee mega giant, these are and were times that allowed me to be "on a stage" if you will. It is quick theatre. I am on and telling jokes and making people laugh in small ways. When I have an audience I am on and no matter if I am "famous" for it or not people enjoy the conversation etc. and they remember me for it. In actuality it is like small stand up comedy. That is my outlet and it soothes that desire from my youth.

I think that we all have mileage and some of the road was smooth and there were probably potholes and slippery surfaces along the trip. There were trips that I wish I had not taken and vacation moments that I will never forget. Am I where I want to be? I guess I am right now, otherwise I am not sure where I might be. Granted, there are times that I wish I was somewhere else, but in the end I know that my vehicle would bring me back here.

Extreme Pumpkins,Extreme Fun!!

For great, non-politically correct, amusing and laughable fun you should go to this pumpkin carving web site. It is great fun and sometimes gross. Everything needed to compliment your Halloween fun. I was lucky, when son was small, just to get out a carving knife and get a smile carved!! I am not this talented.

Enjoy!!

Bored With Chardonnay?

I did not intend to be a wine blog, nor do I intend to be "winey", as I might at times come across :-) , but it just happened that as I continued to read the news at MSNBC they had an article about Pinto Grigio becoming the "new" chardonnay. I had become quite bored with chardonnay and that is one reason why I have shifted to the reds. Also since the weather has gotten cooler. This article is a good one for those of you who like the white wines, but have never branched out. I have enjoyed a good Pinot Grigio throughout the summer as they are especially good on very hot days as they are much lighter than chardonnays. But just like the rules of red meat and pasta the new rule of thumb is try what you want when you want. There are really no rules, make it personal and make it your own.

Estancia is also a decent wine. That is the label that they are talking about in the MSNBC article. I have had that label many times and many menus will carry that variety due to the nice cost.

Cheers!!!

Shaun of the Dead, Alice White & Jon Stewart

Well, spent the weekend watching one of my favorite scary movies. I am not usually a fan of the fright, but Shaun of the Dead is great English humore that just happens to also be gory and funny. Since the weather was also quite frightful here, a nice mix of thunder, lightening, sunshine and hail with very damaging winds, I decided to drink a nice Cab/Merlot blend by Alice White. A nice Australian red blend that was on sale at my local market. Along with that I had ordered a pizza, some mildly hot wings and some nice gooey cheesey bread. A fine, cold Saturday night feast.

I originally had all of this typed up and ready to read on Sunday, but after I hit publish sometning weird happened and it was all lost and I was too pissed off to begin again. The moment was lost and I was too mad to try and type it all over again. So I can not testify to the flow or interest level today.

It seems that the Daily Show has been in re-runs all this past week. I was a tad annoyed, since I do TiVo it, but then found out it was because they were here in Ohio, the seriously important state for election people, filming down in Columbus. The filming that I seriously had wanted tickets to, but were sold out right away!! USA Today had a great article that made me even more envious that I was not able to attend. They are calling it the "Midwest Midterm Midtacular". Seems that LeBron James is to be the first guest. None of the politicians wanted to be a part. I wonder why?

Now today it is Monday and I have to study for my next big 7 chapter test. I am not working today, so I have plenty of time to study and drink coffee. Then after the test we are beginning to learn and work on airways. There is much going on in the news and I have not had much time to read anything and hope to be back in sync in a few days.

Shaun of the Dead & a Nice Red Wine

Spent the evening watching one of my Fav scary movies, because it is also hilarious English humor, and having a nice Australian Cab/Merlot blend by Alice White. Accompanying that nice wine were some semi-hot wings and nice gooey cheesey bread. Crazy movie, crazy menu and well, the weather was right along with the food & wine. It was crazy cold here and the wind was OUT OF CONTROL!! We alternated between thunder and lightening with turbulent hail pellets. It was insane for October. So, all in all a very good night for wine and comfort food and a good dose of scary English fun!! That movie makes me scream and laugh both.

Did talk to SO on the phone from Oman this weekend as well. Now that he has called twice I am sure that I am monitored. Oh and if the calls were not enough, he had the guy from the office, in Oman, send me a few e-mail photos from SO's camera. There you go, receiving e-mail from "THEM" now makes it okay to monitor all my traffic etc. So, I am probably getting you all on "THE LIST".

They are treating him like a king and I told him that that would not happen back home so get over that on the flight back!! He has a driver and they take him out for food and don't let him spend any money. Finally one of the more high up guys, at the job site, asked something like,".... don't we all love our George W. Bush over there?" SO said something like, "Are you kidding? Most people think he is an @#$@#$# and hate this &*^% war!" SO was surprised to find that they were under the impression that most people here are supporting this. Interesting. I was at least happy that he got to put out a little word that that is not the case. He also has watched some TV in his hotel, and even though it is not in English, he has seen more REAL coverage of the war than he has EVER seen on TV back here.

Before he leaves they have promised to take him out for a camel ride.

Finally got some REALLY GOOD sleep last night. Could that have anything to do with the vino? Hmmmm? With the time change it was a nice late sleep. The sun is shining here in Ohio and it looks to be a beautiful fall day. I have a huge test to study for and coffee to drink. I also will get to the Peace Vigil tonight.

All in all nice & rested and a good way to begin another week. Looking forward to a little R&R during that week of Christmas break.

Tired, Tired and More Tired!!

Did I mention that I am very tired? Does the accompanying photo give a clue? I had made a deal with myself this morning, as I was dropping the child off at school I pledged, to myself, that I was coming right home and going BACK TO BED!!!!!! I walked in the door, went right upstairs, got into bed and pulled the covers over my head and ...... could not shut off my brain!! Do you think that I could get back to sleep? Not a chance. I was up there for an hour tossing and flailing around. Thinking about everything I want to get done today. Things for the weekend. You name it I was thinking about it. So the phone finally rang and I answered it and came downstairs, made some oatmeal and now I am poised at the keyboard with 3 newspapers that I have been saving to comment upon and much other misc that has been building up in my brain as I have not been able to blog since last weekend.

So, prepare yourself folks I think we are in for a vast post today. Liken it, if you will, to a blog with ADHD and no meds!!

Let's begin with someything a little more personal. The nice thing about havinga teen that is technologically savvy is that they can burn cd's for you in no time at all. I just carry a small pad of paper in the car and when I hear songs that I like I write them down and eventually give the list to the child and have him burn me out a new cd. I have to carry the pad because the station that I listen to is an alternative station and they do not always talk inbetween music and blab and tell you what you are hearing AND they also do not have a constant rotation, so you are almost always hearing new stuff.

It has been some time since I last had him burn me anything new, but for those of you that like to listen to new stuff, I thought that I would jot down a few of my new "heavy rotation" favs and see what you think, if you ever have a cjance to listen to a few of them. Here they are:

1. Hate Me/ Blue October
2. Snakes on a Plane/ Cobra Satrship
3. Lips of an Angel/ Hinder
4. Dark Blue/ Jack's Mannequin
5. Dani California/ Red Hot Chili Peppers
6. Liar/ Taking Back Sunday
7. I Hate Everything About You/ Three Days Grace


Now for an update on that Texas art teacher that took the kids to an art museum. You know the one where some goofy parents were upset that their 5th graders saw some nudity. I find it sad, but she and her school district have reached an agreement and she is out of her job. They are paying her the remainder of her salary, which they should, and she is agreeing not to say anything else about the principal or the school and they agree to put a letter of reccomendation in her file. The article ended with the principal saying that she did not feel that " time was used wisely" on this field trip. Well, let me tell you, as a teacher that has taken kids of middle school and high school on field trips, that it is VERY difficult to manage every second of the trip to ensure that every moment is a "teaching moment". I don't care how many adults are along there is no way to ensure that everyone is up to the task and making it a quality learning event. It is just how field trips are. I am sad that she had to lose her job. I am happy that I am not part of her school district. I took my students to the Cleveland Science Museum when Body Worlds was there. For those of you that may not have heard about Body Worlds, look it up, it was one VERY COOL exhibit. Although they were cadavers who had donated their bodies, after death, and it made for a great science learning trip. Since they were nude I proably would have lost my Texas teaching job. Things like that can not be learned in the classroom just looking at text books or films.

Then we must touch on Iraq in an article from New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof. He talked to economists and public finance specialists. Looks like for every second we continue to stay in Iraq we taxpayers will end up spending and additional $6,300. I think I'll just send my check now.

His point, and I think it's a good one, that we are spending huge sums of money over there that could be better spent helping out the American health care system, developing alternative forms of energy and making a serious effort to reduce global poverty. Joseph Stiglitz, a Nobel prize winning economist at Columbia and Linda Bilmes, a public-finance specialist at Harvard have worked together on a new study that for the Milken Institue Review. It states that the total costs of the war, including the budgetary, social and macroeconomic costs are likely to exceed $2 trillion.

The article then went on to put that number into prospective. It is 4 times the additional cost needed to provide health insurance for all uninsured Americans for the next decade. It is 1,600 times Bush's financing for his hydrogen energy project.

If you are one of those people that like to tinker on web sites there is another study that puts the dollar amount a bit lower, at $1 trillion. They are economists at the conservativeAmerican Enterprise Institute and they have set up a web site where you can play with figures on your own. It is www.aei-brookings.org/iraqcosts

Of course many of the costs of this war are hidden and haven't been spent yet. More than 3,000 American vets have suffered severe head injuries and the gov't will have to pay for them for decades. The sad cost of that could range from $600,000 to $5 million per person.

Sad, sad figures in a continually sad situation indeed.

With the number of uninsured Americans reaching a record 46.6 million last year, up by 7 million from the year 2000 it was great to read that there are a few hospitals that are taking a proactive stance to help those who are in most need!! It seems that a few hospitals have finally realized that if they work to help people before their illnesses get so out of hand that they are not constantly using the emergency rooms as a last resort.

People without insurance, and who have dieases like asthma, diabetes and have no health care are often left to use over the counter meds until their illness gets out of control and then the only option is to go to the emergency room which they cannot afford and does not get paid.

In some Denver, Texas and New York some of the hospitals are using funding to get aptients into programs that will help to control their medical conditions so that they might be less likely to be frequent clients. They are opening clinics to help meet the needs of the growing number of uninsured. Care is being donated by the hospitals. One hospital saved $475,000 in one year by educating 631 asthma patients and giving them caseworkers to help manage their care. Good for them. Going through the experience, as one of the uninsured , I know how scary it can be when you don't have meds or a doctor and people get sick. Sometimes we will spend the $39 and go the local quick clinic, but they don't deal with long term health issues like asthma, so I am left to "self treat" and use over the counter meds that only cost me $10 as opposed to a prescibed inhaler that would be about $100.00. Well in about 90 days the coffee mega giant will rpovide health care for me and mine, so gotta love'em for that.

Well, aside from those issues things have just gotten crazy. We are finally moving into the active part of my EMT class. We have the book part and take our quizzes and tests and then we move into the larger room and practice trauma assessments and triage. We are now getting into airways and all the real stuff that will need to be done to save a life and get them to the hospital. I am very tired when I get home.

It is interesting though to see how the class has naturally divided itsself. There are 14 of us, one dropped out, and we are 7 and 7 on the sides of the room. The side that I am on seems to be the more serious side. we always have our homework completed and take it seriously. The other side of the room are the "jock types' that mostly want to be firemen and do not often do their homework and swear outloud. This one guy has a problem constantly dropping the "F" bomb. Have some class dude!! He is a 29 year old adult, but acts like he is in a high school locker room. He is already a fireman, and I respect that, but he is very immature and does not care too much for the fact that his dept. is making him take this class. When we have to practice he goofs off and screws around. Very annoying for those of us that are seriously trying to grasp the info.

With more Marines getting killed today it scares me for my friends son. He will just be 21 on Wednesday and is right in the heart of it all.

The sun is ouy here today and it looks beautiful outside my windows as I type this. Even though I am tired I can not help but appreciate the beauty right outside. I think a sweatshirt would be great today, a stop for my inexpensive java and a trip to several stores will be on the "to-do" list. Just as an FYI to all of you on my blog list. Now that SO is in Oman I imagine, since he had a one way ticket, not knowing when he is leaving, that all my computer stuff will be monitored, my web sites and phone calls, so say hello to Big Brother!! I told them, on the phone the other night, when SO called to announce his arrival at the hotel, that I hope they enjoyed my boring conversation!! I hope they find all of your blogs intelligent and maybe they can learn something from some of you!! I don't know....maybe like, what the real pulse of the people might be!! Unlikely at best.

Hope this post finds you all well and rested, although I know Mixter is burning her candle at both ends like me as well. Hey, anybody got more candles out there??

The Pinker Tones

A surreal political musical fun fest!!! For your Saturday enjoyment!!!

Congratualtions1! Boy or Girl?

At 7:46 this morning I was watching as I became just one of 300,000,000. How much longer can I be unique?

Lists, Lists and More Lists

Just when you thought that there just couldn't be another list!! USA Today has an article about a new book, 101 Most Influential People.

The people they speak of in the book, written by Alan Lazar, Dan Karlan, Jeremy Salter, are people that exist only in imagination. Buffy the Vampire Slayer was # 44, Batman was # 60. G.I. Joe was #48 and Barbie was # 43. You get the idea. I can't tell you who was number one. It might be a surprise and I can't say that I would make the same choice. You must chesck it out for yourself and let me know. Myself, I would have to choose Bugs Bunny. He was WAY ahead of his time and the rest of the cartoon world. he was dressing in drag long before it was common place and see an funny. He could sing and dance. He had it all.

Who makes your number one?

Conspiracy?

USA Today & Gallup recently took a poll that showed that 42% of the people polled feel that the Bush administration has fooled around with the prices, "deliberately manipulated", of gas. Something to do with the upcoming elections. Hmmmm, do we think that could be possible? Are the Republicans feeling some heat and fallout? I mean, come on, when was the last really good news that this administration had? Gas prices coming down is something that they know people like, want and will make them feel like someone cares.

Larry Sabato, a political scientist, from the University of Virginia said," You don't think that gas prices matter? Just ask Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter & Ronald Reagan. They'll all tell you that their victories or defeats depended in part on the cost of gas at the pump."

We could go on and on and talk about the prices of the barrels etc., but no matter what argument is presented you can't deny that these are oil people, with oil connections and men like this can and do make things happen and change in the world when they want it to happen.