Meteorologists do the best they can at predicting weather. Today was supposed to be hot! The high was only 84° today. When I left work, it was warm, but the breeze made it refreshing. It has cooled off as the evening is progressing. But it is only 73° outside and 79° inside. It is frustrating to me that the house is not cooling off more.
Last night, I had the windows locked open so it was safe to have them open. When I woke up this morning, the house was just at 78°. Which is what it would have been, if I had the air conditioner running. The same is happening tonight, but the house is at 79°. I will sleep with that tonight. But I would like it to cool off more.
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Checking Email
I am an inveterate checker of email. I am probably compulsive and obsessive about checking email. Yesterday, I was on and off the computer throughout the day: looking things up, checking Facebook, and playing games (Scrabble and Words With Friends on Facebook, Solitaire on my desktop), and my repertoire of regularly played games.
Well, I would have sworn that I check my email throughout the day. But obviously, I did not, because when I signed onto my email today, there were emails from yesterday, sent before 2 PM central time. Interesting. I just never did check my email throughout the day. That is so unlike me.
Why did that happen? Who knows. It just did.
Well, I would have sworn that I check my email throughout the day. But obviously, I did not, because when I signed onto my email today, there were emails from yesterday, sent before 2 PM central time. Interesting. I just never did check my email throughout the day. That is so unlike me.
Why did that happen? Who knows. It just did.
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Viewing My Posts
I look at the statistics of who is viewing my posts and when. One thing that is obvious to me is that my posts are not viewed in retrospect. So, in other words, whoever is viewing my posts is doing it on a regular basis, but because of current posts. Probably, the viewings are based on automatic scannings of posts vs. topics or areas of interest. So, when I do not post regularly, my posts are not being viewed regularly.
That is okay with me. I am not the best writer in the world, so I know my blog is being scanned by robotic programs and viewed because of key words or phrases.
I find it interesting to see what countries are viewing my blog.
That is okay with me. I am not the best writer in the world, so I know my blog is being scanned by robotic programs and viewed because of key words or phrases.
I find it interesting to see what countries are viewing my blog.
Thursday, May 23, 2013
It's Urgent!
The cats have various levels of wanting attention for various reasons. One of those reasons is weather. Sake hates windy weather. In the past, when we had a tornado warning, I have put Haiku and Sake in the cat carriers, in the closet, and sat with them. They did not complain. I have seen them go into the cat carriers at various times, when the wind was strong, or the thunder loud. Sometimes, Sake will "shelter" under the foot of the waterbed which really offers her little shelter.
We were under a tornado watch this afternoon. Then, a haboob blew in. When I got home tonight, the temperature had dropped drastically, and the dust was blowing in the strong wind.
Sake and Haiku were disturbed by the windy weather. But they settled down after a while. For a while.
I was in the office trying to read emails, play word games, and in general be on the computer when Sake came in. There are levels of her insistence to which I pay attention. Sometimes, she just sits. Sometimes she scratches at me but there is no urgency. Tonight, there was an urgency to her scratching. I moved the laptop to the dining table. She settled down, after I moved the laptop.
I have no idea where Sake is now. Haiku is sitting with me, and Taki is just going about her business. We do not have serious storm warnings at present.
We were under a tornado watch this afternoon. Then, a haboob blew in. When I got home tonight, the temperature had dropped drastically, and the dust was blowing in the strong wind.
Sake and Haiku were disturbed by the windy weather. But they settled down after a while. For a while.
I was in the office trying to read emails, play word games, and in general be on the computer when Sake came in. There are levels of her insistence to which I pay attention. Sometimes, she just sits. Sometimes she scratches at me but there is no urgency. Tonight, there was an urgency to her scratching. I moved the laptop to the dining table. She settled down, after I moved the laptop.
I have no idea where Sake is now. Haiku is sitting with me, and Taki is just going about her business. We do not have serious storm warnings at present.
PING! PONG!
Taki loves to play with ping pong balls. They are light, they rebound well, they fit into her mouth. We have lots of other cat balls, but ping pong balls are her favorite. We have some heavy solid balls that do not interest her. We have some plastic strip balls, with bells in the center that are okay, but not her favorite. We have some fluffy fiber balls, and sponge balls, about the size of ping pong balls. Those are all okay, and she does sometimes play with them. But ping pong balls are the best.
I buy them in an assortment of colors. She seems to like the white and red balls the best, but will play with balls of other colors.
Taki has me well trained. If she thinks a ping pong ball is under an item of furniture, she sits and stares, until I check it out, and, if she is right, I free the ping pong ball.
Sometimes, Taki likes to play ping pong hockey in the middle of the night. It wakes me up, but the rhythmic ping pong, ping pong of the ball is very soothing, and I enjoy listening to it, and usually, fall back to sleep fairly soon.
This morning, very early, she was playing ping pong on the bed. I have to admit, the rhythmic ping pong of the ball was very soothing, although I would have preferred to sleep through it. But she did not start ping pong until the first time the alarm went off. I have the alarm set early, so I can get up early if I want to, or snooze a little or a lot, if I want to. I could not fault Taki for waiting to play ping pong until the alarm went off. I just hope she does not play ping pong on the bed in the middle of the night!
I buy them in an assortment of colors. She seems to like the white and red balls the best, but will play with balls of other colors.
Taki has me well trained. If she thinks a ping pong ball is under an item of furniture, she sits and stares, until I check it out, and, if she is right, I free the ping pong ball.
Sometimes, Taki likes to play ping pong hockey in the middle of the night. It wakes me up, but the rhythmic ping pong, ping pong of the ball is very soothing, and I enjoy listening to it, and usually, fall back to sleep fairly soon.
This morning, very early, she was playing ping pong on the bed. I have to admit, the rhythmic ping pong of the ball was very soothing, although I would have preferred to sleep through it. But she did not start ping pong until the first time the alarm went off. I have the alarm set early, so I can get up early if I want to, or snooze a little or a lot, if I want to. I could not fault Taki for waiting to play ping pong until the alarm went off. I just hope she does not play ping pong on the bed in the middle of the night!
Monday, May 20, 2013
Compassion Fatigue
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage of the Oklahoma tornado outbreak. It is horrible Tonight, though, I am wondering about the broadcaster, Jim Cantore. He has been to so many disasters in the last few years, and I wonder what kind of toll this takes on him. He must be suffering compasson fatigue to some extent.
I am not being critical of him. I am just wondering how much he can take. I hope he takes care of himself, and that The Weather Channel helps him with debriefing and counseling if he needs it.
I am not being critical of him. I am just wondering how much he can take. I hope he takes care of himself, and that The Weather Channel helps him with debriefing and counseling if he needs it.
Moore, Oklahoma
There were multiple devastating tornadoes today. Most hard hit was Moore, Oklahoma, which was devastated in 1999 by a tornado.
The damage was massive, including 2 elementary schools, large stores, the medical center, and Interstate I-35.
There is little I can say tonight about how sickening the scenes are, how sad I am, how my heart goes out to the people affected, and my prayers are with them.
Once again, I feel very strongly that we need to put our money where our mouth is. The Salvation Army http://salvationarmyokcac.org/ and American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city are good choices. I have chosen Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/.
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage. I have to wonder about the compassion fatigue that the weather reporters experience.
The damage was massive, including 2 elementary schools, large stores, the medical center, and Interstate I-35.
There is little I can say tonight about how sickening the scenes are, how sad I am, how my heart goes out to the people affected, and my prayers are with them.
Once again, I feel very strongly that we need to put our money where our mouth is. The Salvation Army http://salvationarmyokcac.org/ and American Red Cross http://www.redcross.org/ok/oklahoma-city are good choices. I have chosen Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Oklahoma http://www.catholiccharitiesok.org/.
I am watching The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/ coverage. I have to wonder about the compassion fatigue that the weather reporters experience.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
RARE
Tonight, I joined some friends at the talk at the Texas Tech Museum http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/ by Joel Sartore
18… Joel Sartore, Photographer's Talk, Helen DeVitt Jones Auditorium, 6pm. National Geographic contributing photographer and Nebraska native Joel Sartore has spent two decades on a mission to document North American species facing extinction. Sartore is the photographer of the magnificent artworks in the exhibition RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species. http://www.joelsartore.com/store/rare-portraits-of-americas-endangered-species/
This was a very interesting talk. Sartore mixed humor and serious, educational comments. He did a fine blend of personal, and professional. So we learned about him, his career, and his photography. We learned about wildlife.
This event was fairly well attended. I have been to other events at the Museum, and they were poorly attened, because if you were not looking for them, you would not know about them. This event was well advertised on the local NPR station, and I think the local PBS station.
18… Joel Sartore, Photographer's Talk, Helen DeVitt Jones Auditorium, 6pm. National Geographic contributing photographer and Nebraska native Joel Sartore has spent two decades on a mission to document North American species facing extinction. Sartore is the photographer of the magnificent artworks in the exhibition RARE: Portraits of America's Endangered Species. http://www.joelsartore.com/store/rare-portraits-of-americas-endangered-species/
This was a very interesting talk. Sartore mixed humor and serious, educational comments. He did a fine blend of personal, and professional. So we learned about him, his career, and his photography. We learned about wildlife.
This event was fairly well attended. I have been to other events at the Museum, and they were poorly attened, because if you were not looking for them, you would not know about them. This event was well advertised on the local NPR station, and I think the local PBS station.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
It Was Shot Day!
It was shot day, today for Sake and Haiku. The Ark Animal Hospital http://www.arkhospitalforpets.com/ sends me an annual reminder that Hiku (their spelling, not mine) needs her annual innoculations. They do not send a reminder that Sake needs the same. I think they would rather not have to deal with her, and I do not blame them.
I had to take the kayak out of the Vue the night before to make room for the cat carriers to get Sake and Haiku to the vet. If it was Haiku alone, I would take a chance of letting her ride in the car and collecting her at the veterinarian, but I am sure I cannot do that with Sake. And, of course trying to take both cats together, that would not work. I moved the car out of the garage, and closed the garage door. I found Sake on her morning perch, and put her into the crate while it was still in the house. I did that, because last year, she saw the crates out and hid under the spare bed, and I had to grab her out from the bed and put her in the crate.
Next, I put Haiku in the crate. She was trying to escape from me, but could not figure it out. Meanwhile, Taki saw what was happening, and made herself scarce! Which was helpful. I wanted to have the garage door open to carry the cats to the Vue, but was concerned Taki would try to get from the house to the garage. Since she was hiding, that was not an issue, so I could carry the cats out directly.
I had used a different veterinarian clinic with Mack, who also misbehaved some at the veterinarian, until he was whacked around and ended up with a bloody nose with the veterinarian. I had one time left him, and told them that he needed to be in a lower cage, because he would become so aggressive they would not be able to get him out of the cage. I was barely in my car, when the attendant came running out to me and asked me to come back in and see if I could get him out of the second tier cage he was in. Of course. I opened the door, and he jumped into my arms. I should have taken him home, but I did not that time. But after the bloody nose episode, I started using the Ark. He was always a gentleman at the Ark. There was a time when Mack had to stay for a procedure. I was so nervous. They promised they would put him in a lower cage. When I called, mid-afternoon to check on him, they told me he was waking up from anesthesia, in the hallway, and getting along with the resident cats of the clinic (he was not even in a cage.)
Haiku is so mild mannered that she behaves at the veterinarian. Sake has not behaved for years. It is not the veterinarian clinic, it starts when I put her in the crate. I hate it for her. I think she needs a good check up, especially because has lost a few more pounds, and is not grooming herself well, but there is nothing we can do, and she is not sick enough to be sedated for an examination.
But this year, we had minimal damage. After Haiku was examined, we took the top off the crate in which Sake was enclosed, and proceeded. They wanted a picture, and we were able to do that. But just barely. After a couple of feints, we just put the towel on her, and the veterinarian technician and I held her down, while the veterinarian innoculated her. Then we put the crate back together.
When I got home, Sake was looking for revenge, but Taki made herself scarce. Sake tried to slap me, and I countered her behavior. She backed down. When I got home from work tonight, only Taki was still skittish. We made our peace, though quickly.
I wish Sake did not stress so at going to the veterinarian. But she does. Haiku is okay. Taki was bad last year, but backed down at my verbal reprimand. Maybe, that will be the case, again.
I had to take the kayak out of the Vue the night before to make room for the cat carriers to get Sake and Haiku to the vet. If it was Haiku alone, I would take a chance of letting her ride in the car and collecting her at the veterinarian, but I am sure I cannot do that with Sake. And, of course trying to take both cats together, that would not work. I moved the car out of the garage, and closed the garage door. I found Sake on her morning perch, and put her into the crate while it was still in the house. I did that, because last year, she saw the crates out and hid under the spare bed, and I had to grab her out from the bed and put her in the crate.
Next, I put Haiku in the crate. She was trying to escape from me, but could not figure it out. Meanwhile, Taki saw what was happening, and made herself scarce! Which was helpful. I wanted to have the garage door open to carry the cats to the Vue, but was concerned Taki would try to get from the house to the garage. Since she was hiding, that was not an issue, so I could carry the cats out directly.
I had used a different veterinarian clinic with Mack, who also misbehaved some at the veterinarian, until he was whacked around and ended up with a bloody nose with the veterinarian. I had one time left him, and told them that he needed to be in a lower cage, because he would become so aggressive they would not be able to get him out of the cage. I was barely in my car, when the attendant came running out to me and asked me to come back in and see if I could get him out of the second tier cage he was in. Of course. I opened the door, and he jumped into my arms. I should have taken him home, but I did not that time. But after the bloody nose episode, I started using the Ark. He was always a gentleman at the Ark. There was a time when Mack had to stay for a procedure. I was so nervous. They promised they would put him in a lower cage. When I called, mid-afternoon to check on him, they told me he was waking up from anesthesia, in the hallway, and getting along with the resident cats of the clinic (he was not even in a cage.)
Haiku is so mild mannered that she behaves at the veterinarian. Sake has not behaved for years. It is not the veterinarian clinic, it starts when I put her in the crate. I hate it for her. I think she needs a good check up, especially because has lost a few more pounds, and is not grooming herself well, but there is nothing we can do, and she is not sick enough to be sedated for an examination.
But this year, we had minimal damage. After Haiku was examined, we took the top off the crate in which Sake was enclosed, and proceeded. They wanted a picture, and we were able to do that. But just barely. After a couple of feints, we just put the towel on her, and the veterinarian technician and I held her down, while the veterinarian innoculated her. Then we put the crate back together.
When I got home, Sake was looking for revenge, but Taki made herself scarce. Sake tried to slap me, and I countered her behavior. She backed down. When I got home from work tonight, only Taki was still skittish. We made our peace, though quickly.
I wish Sake did not stress so at going to the veterinarian. But she does. Haiku is okay. Taki was bad last year, but backed down at my verbal reprimand. Maybe, that will be the case, again.
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Never Forget to Lie
I do not watch a lot of serious TV. I deal with serious all day and I do not want to deal with it at night. I was watching PBS, and actually turned away from this show, but felt compelled to turn back to it. The show was Frontline: Never Forget to Lie http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/. It is a show about survivors of the Holocaust from Poland, who are Jewish.
There was a time in my life, in my early 20s, when I was fascinated by the story of the Polish Jews, and read everything the tiny little library in Millers Falls had about this topic. I read novels and history books. I expanded my reading to include the story of Jews in Europe during the Holocaust. It was a story that made me heart sick but amazed me at the horror of man's inhumanity to man. When, in college, I was exposed to Viktor Frankl's Man Search for Meaning http://logotherapy.univie.ac.at/e/lifeandwork.html, his story of his life in German concentration camps Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Dachau, it was a story that spoke to me.
I think that in part, the resonance that I feel for Fiddler on the Roof http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067093/and The Sound of Music http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/ is because both movies deal with the issues of discrimination and displacement, Jews, and Eastern Europe.
The show tonight was heart wrenching. To see people who went through that horror and misery, and survived to be good, productive members of society gives me faith in humanity. But makes my heart hurt for them.
I do not always step up and speak out when I see discrimination or injustice. I am a coward. I need to be stronger about that. Because when good people do not speak out against injustices, other good people get hurt.
There was a time in my life, in my early 20s, when I was fascinated by the story of the Polish Jews, and read everything the tiny little library in Millers Falls had about this topic. I read novels and history books. I expanded my reading to include the story of Jews in Europe during the Holocaust. It was a story that made me heart sick but amazed me at the horror of man's inhumanity to man. When, in college, I was exposed to Viktor Frankl's Man Search for Meaning http://logotherapy.univie.ac.at/e/lifeandwork.html, his story of his life in German concentration camps Theresienstadt, Auschwitz, and Dachau, it was a story that spoke to me.
I think that in part, the resonance that I feel for Fiddler on the Roof http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0067093/and The Sound of Music http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0059742/ is because both movies deal with the issues of discrimination and displacement, Jews, and Eastern Europe.
The show tonight was heart wrenching. To see people who went through that horror and misery, and survived to be good, productive members of society gives me faith in humanity. But makes my heart hurt for them.
I do not always step up and speak out when I see discrimination or injustice. I am a coward. I need to be stronger about that. Because when good people do not speak out against injustices, other good people get hurt.
Constitution USA
I got to know about Peter Sagal from "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/. He is hosting a new series on PBS, "Constitution USA" http://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/home/. When the series opener aired last week, I almost missed it, but thanks to a friend, I was reminded about the series, and was able to watch most of it.
It is a wonderful show. It uses a lot of timely and visual descriptions to explain about the US Constitution. It explains things, but in more than one medium so what ever type of learner you might be, it can make sense. Mr. Sagal's wit and humor also come through, which keeps the series from being dry. And he uses comic visual content. It is just wonderful.
If you have not seen it, do not miss it. It is great!
It is a wonderful show. It uses a lot of timely and visual descriptions to explain about the US Constitution. It explains things, but in more than one medium so what ever type of learner you might be, it can make sense. Mr. Sagal's wit and humor also come through, which keeps the series from being dry. And he uses comic visual content. It is just wonderful.
If you have not seen it, do not miss it. It is great!
The Ongoing Saga of the Rear Windshield Wiper
As they predicted, Gene Messer Chevrolet http://www.genemesserchevrolet.com/ called me 5-13-13 and told me they had a replacement windshield wiper blade for the rear window of the Vue. I paid for the blade, opened the box, and immediately recognized I had no idea how to install the blade.
The customer service representative, Mike came out to the Vue to see what he could do. He could not figure it out, so the more senior customer service representative, Jeff, came out. He started taking the rear windshield wiper apart, and a piece broke. He suggested we go round to the shipping door for parts, as they had access to tools and parts, and he took the housing of the blade off, replaced the blade component, and put it all back together. And, he told me the housing he first took off the blade was broken, and he would buy me a new one.
I am a little embarassed, because it was not Jeff's fault that this was such a complicated replacement. He will get a thank you note after all is said and done phrased in such a way that I hope he does not get in trouble. After all, there is a reason you are a parts person and not a service person. Service would have charged me an arm and a leg to replace the wiper blade. Parts did not .
GM will get a "gritch" note from me that this replacement was that difficult and that complicated.
The customer service representative, Mike came out to the Vue to see what he could do. He could not figure it out, so the more senior customer service representative, Jeff, came out. He started taking the rear windshield wiper apart, and a piece broke. He suggested we go round to the shipping door for parts, as they had access to tools and parts, and he took the housing of the blade off, replaced the blade component, and put it all back together. And, he told me the housing he first took off the blade was broken, and he would buy me a new one.
I am a little embarassed, because it was not Jeff's fault that this was such a complicated replacement. He will get a thank you note after all is said and done phrased in such a way that I hope he does not get in trouble. After all, there is a reason you are a parts person and not a service person. Service would have charged me an arm and a leg to replace the wiper blade. Parts did not .
GM will get a "gritch" note from me that this replacement was that difficult and that complicated.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Auto Zone - Shades of "Miracle on 34th Street"
There is an Auto Zone http://www.autozone.com/autozone/homePage.jsp?cmpid=Google in my neighborhood. We have other auto parts stores in Lubbock: O'Reilly http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/home.oap and NAPA http://www.napaonline.com/ to name two major chains. But I usually start with Auto Zone because they are conveniently located to my home.
I needed a new rear window wiper for the Vue. I started with my owner's manual to see what it said about replacing parts and parts listings. Some of the parts for the Vue were listed with a Saturn part number and an ACDelco http://www.acdelco.com/ part number. Only the Saturn number was listed for the rear wiper. The book also said just to slide the old blade out, the new in, as replacement instructions.
I went to Auto Zone and looked through their books, then had to go back out to the car to re-look at the wiper. When I re-entered the store, an associate, Shan Alexander asked if he could help me. I told him what I was looking for, and he looked it up. And was puzzled because nothing was listed. We went out to the car, he took the blade out, and went back into the store, so Mr. Alexander could do some more searching. A colleague was also helping him briefly. They decided the part was unique to Saturn, and they did not carry it. Mr. Alexander even called NAPA, but they did not carry the part. He recommended GM dealers in town, including the new one, and the closest to us. He also told me when there is build up on the window, to clean the blade, to prevent it from splitting again.
I went to Gene Messer Chevrolet http://www.genemesserchevrolet.com/: They did not have the part: it is a specialty part, and they had to order it. They anticipated it would be in Monday. That is convenient, I can stop on my way home from work to get the part.
Shan Alexander did a wonderful customer service job for me. I would have continued to start with Auto Zone in the future, any way when looking for auto parts. I have generally had good results with them. They had to order an air filter for the Vue, and it arrived just a few days after it was ordered. But Mr. Alexander made a hit with me. I found a contact us link on the Auto Zone website, and let them know what a good job Mr. Alexander did!
I needed a new rear window wiper for the Vue. I started with my owner's manual to see what it said about replacing parts and parts listings. Some of the parts for the Vue were listed with a Saturn part number and an ACDelco http://www.acdelco.com/ part number. Only the Saturn number was listed for the rear wiper. The book also said just to slide the old blade out, the new in, as replacement instructions.
I went to Auto Zone and looked through their books, then had to go back out to the car to re-look at the wiper. When I re-entered the store, an associate, Shan Alexander asked if he could help me. I told him what I was looking for, and he looked it up. And was puzzled because nothing was listed. We went out to the car, he took the blade out, and went back into the store, so Mr. Alexander could do some more searching. A colleague was also helping him briefly. They decided the part was unique to Saturn, and they did not carry it. Mr. Alexander even called NAPA, but they did not carry the part. He recommended GM dealers in town, including the new one, and the closest to us. He also told me when there is build up on the window, to clean the blade, to prevent it from splitting again.
I went to Gene Messer Chevrolet http://www.genemesserchevrolet.com/: They did not have the part: it is a specialty part, and they had to order it. They anticipated it would be in Monday. That is convenient, I can stop on my way home from work to get the part.
Shan Alexander did a wonderful customer service job for me. I would have continued to start with Auto Zone in the future, any way when looking for auto parts. I have generally had good results with them. They had to order an air filter for the Vue, and it arrived just a few days after it was ordered. But Mr. Alexander made a hit with me. I found a contact us link on the Auto Zone website, and let them know what a good job Mr. Alexander did!
Shopping at Wal-Mart
So, I am a Wal Mart http://www.walmart.com/ shopper. I am a lazy shopper, I hate shopping, I hate the crowds, and I hate going from store to store. So it makes sense that I am a Wal Mart shopper. Not just because of their low prices, but because I can do one stop shopping a the near by Wal Mart Supercenter that is open 24 hours a day.
One stop. I can get almost everything I need on a regular basis at Wal Mart. I can chose times that are less busy, so I can avoid the crowds. I am subject to stimulation overload, but because I know my Wal Mart so well, I can go into tunnel vision mode, deal with just the items I am needing to buy, and ignore the rest. Including other shoppers. Sometimes, that gets me in trouble with acquaintances, who speak to me. I have to be awoken out of my fog by them, or else I will not respond. I am not trying to be rude to anyone, it is just who I am.
The Wal Mart at which I shop is located at Quaker Avenue and South Loop 289. It is technically the first of 4 Wal Marts in Lubbock, although its original location was across Quaker Avenue from where it stands now.
A few weeks ago, they got brand new shopping carts. That was wonderful. It was a struggle to maneuver the old carts. I mentioned how great that was to an employee, and he told me they had hoped to wait to replace the carts until after they remodeled, but the carts just got so bad.
Last week, when I went shopping, they had posted a sign indicating they were hiring extra employees to help with remodeling. So when I went shopping yesterday, I should have known something was up: Part of the parking lot was blocked off, and part of it was newly resurfaced and striped.
Inside, things were not obviously changed until I got to the center of the store. Aisles were moved, merchandise was moved, aisles were blocked off. So, this is how you remodel a 24 hour facility and keep it open. It made shopping a little difficult, because I could not immediately find everything I wanted. But, I was successful at finding what I wanted.
Did I like shopping that way? No. But I can forgive them the inconvenience. I understand it is time to clean up, remodel, and renew the internal image of the store.
One stop. I can get almost everything I need on a regular basis at Wal Mart. I can chose times that are less busy, so I can avoid the crowds. I am subject to stimulation overload, but because I know my Wal Mart so well, I can go into tunnel vision mode, deal with just the items I am needing to buy, and ignore the rest. Including other shoppers. Sometimes, that gets me in trouble with acquaintances, who speak to me. I have to be awoken out of my fog by them, or else I will not respond. I am not trying to be rude to anyone, it is just who I am.
The Wal Mart at which I shop is located at Quaker Avenue and South Loop 289. It is technically the first of 4 Wal Marts in Lubbock, although its original location was across Quaker Avenue from where it stands now.
A few weeks ago, they got brand new shopping carts. That was wonderful. It was a struggle to maneuver the old carts. I mentioned how great that was to an employee, and he told me they had hoped to wait to replace the carts until after they remodeled, but the carts just got so bad.
Last week, when I went shopping, they had posted a sign indicating they were hiring extra employees to help with remodeling. So when I went shopping yesterday, I should have known something was up: Part of the parking lot was blocked off, and part of it was newly resurfaced and striped.
Inside, things were not obviously changed until I got to the center of the store. Aisles were moved, merchandise was moved, aisles were blocked off. So, this is how you remodel a 24 hour facility and keep it open. It made shopping a little difficult, because I could not immediately find everything I wanted. But, I was successful at finding what I wanted.
Did I like shopping that way? No. But I can forgive them the inconvenience. I understand it is time to clean up, remodel, and renew the internal image of the store.
What I Learned from Motel 6 and Tom Bodett
I do not remember when I first heard the Motel 6 advertisements in which Tom Bodett says "We'll leave the light on" http://www.motel6.com/about/bodett.aspx but more than 20 ago, according to that website.
So, when I started hearing Tom Bodett's name mentioned on "Car Talk" http://www.cartalk.com/ and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, " http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/ it just had to be the same Tom Bodett as the Motel 6 advertising spokesperson. And it is.
I cannot tell you why their advertising campaigns are so popular. But the signature line "We'll leave the light on" speaks to me, so I suspect it speaks to a lot of people. After all, what can be more inviting than to know that someone is waiting for you. That's what families do. Most families represent unconditional love and the knowledge that someone will anticipate your arrival or return, with open arms. That is so important to all of us.
So, when I started hearing Tom Bodett's name mentioned on "Car Talk" http://www.cartalk.com/ and "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, " http://www.npr.org/programs/wait-wait-dont-tell-me/ it just had to be the same Tom Bodett as the Motel 6 advertising spokesperson. And it is.
I cannot tell you why their advertising campaigns are so popular. But the signature line "We'll leave the light on" speaks to me, so I suspect it speaks to a lot of people. After all, what can be more inviting than to know that someone is waiting for you. That's what families do. Most families represent unconditional love and the knowledge that someone will anticipate your arrival or return, with open arms. That is so important to all of us.
Bad People Are People, Too
I am a social worker who works in a psychiatric prison hospital. I deal with bad people every day. By my professional ethics and the standards of the agency for which I work, I am required to treat the patients with dignity.
When someone enters a public service profession, even in a private business, they have to realize that they will deal with people whose actions are despicable, but require their services, anyway. This applies to social welfare organizations, religious organizations, medical and mental health care organizations, funeral services, public utilities, what have you.
NPR http://www.npr.org/ aired the news that the funeral home that prepared the deceased Boston Bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was having a difficult time finding a place to bury the body. Finally someone stepped forward, Martha Mullen http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/11/183118085/emotions-run-high-after-boston-bombing-suspects-burial. I sent this to NPR:
I want to thank Martha Mullen for her actions to get Boston Bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev buried. I could not figure out how to comment on the story directly, so I am sending this in. As I heard about the Funeral Home that accepted his body, but could not find a place to bury him, I found myself getting angry. I hate what Tsarnaev is accused of doing But I felt that he, too, should be accorded a burial in his faith. Martha's comments were a perfect reflection of what I felt, but I was not sure where to start, and as this went on and on, I kept trying to think what could I do. I am a Christian, actually a non-practicing Catholic. But my "faith" tells me that, as Martha said, sometimes we have to move into the uncomfortable to live our beliefs. Good for her!
When someone enters a public service profession, even in a private business, they have to realize that they will deal with people whose actions are despicable, but require their services, anyway. This applies to social welfare organizations, religious organizations, medical and mental health care organizations, funeral services, public utilities, what have you.
NPR http://www.npr.org/ aired the news that the funeral home that prepared the deceased Boston Bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev was having a difficult time finding a place to bury the body. Finally someone stepped forward, Martha Mullen http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/05/11/183118085/emotions-run-high-after-boston-bombing-suspects-burial. I sent this to NPR:
I want to thank Martha Mullen for her actions to get Boston Bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev buried. I could not figure out how to comment on the story directly, so I am sending this in. As I heard about the Funeral Home that accepted his body, but could not find a place to bury him, I found myself getting angry. I hate what Tsarnaev is accused of doing But I felt that he, too, should be accorded a burial in his faith. Martha's comments were a perfect reflection of what I felt, but I was not sure where to start, and as this went on and on, I kept trying to think what could I do. I am a Christian, actually a non-practicing Catholic. But my "faith" tells me that, as Martha said, sometimes we have to move into the uncomfortable to live our beliefs. Good for her!
Friday, May 10, 2013
So, I am not a Rolling Stones Fan, But This is Pretty Neat
So, the Rolling Stones http://www.rollingstones.com/ have a place in my life but I never really liked their music enough to buy their records. I think my favorite song of theirs is "Satisfaction" and I do like to listen to them, mostly because I like the music of that era. But I thought it was neat that Green Valley High School http://www.greenvalleyhs.org/ choir http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=182914505 http://www.8newsnow.com/story/22215823/local-high-school-choir-to-perform-with-the-rolling-stones from Henderson, Nevada was asked to back up The Rolling Stones for an encore song "You Can't Always Get What You Want." when The Rolling Stones perform at the MGM Grand Garden Arena http://www.mgmgrand.com/entertainment/grand-garden-arena.aspx this Saturday. So cool.
I am not sure the high school students get it, but their parents do, according to the news stories.
What a fun story and great opportunity for some high school students, who 50 years from now, may "get it."
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Evacuation Lubbock
Bayer Crop Science http://www.bayercropscience.us/who-we-are/lubbock in Lubbock reported a hydrogen chloride gas leak late last night or early this morning http://www.kcbd.com/story/22201407/hazmat-crew-en-route-to-bayer-crop-sciences. Bayer Crop Science has a really good safety history.
Residents in the area of the leak were evacuated in the wee hours of the morning. Some went to relatives, some to hotels, some to the Salvation Army http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_lubbock.nsf. Guadalupe Elementary School http://guadalupe.lubbockisd.org/ was closed for 5-9-13, as was the Guadalupe Early Childhood Learning Center http://www.guadalupecenter.org/EarlyChildhoodEducation. I am sure other businesses were also closed for the duration.
A HazMat http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat crew from Dallas came to help with the clean up of the situation, and by tonight, that has been accomplished. People were allowed to return to their homes http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-05-09/lubbock-residents-evacuated-during-chemical-spill-recall-scare.
The news has not reported any injuries as a result of the leak. It seems that by being proactive once the gas leak was detected, people were alerted, and the evacuation and containment procedures kept people safe.
Lubbock experienced a devastating, deadly tornado on May 10, 1970 http://lubbockonline.com/lubbock_tornado_home_page. It is my belief that because of that experience, the residents and government of Lubbock take disaster response very seriously. I know that during the Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html evacuation and follow up, the city of Lubbock provided stellar assistance. So much so, that we were noted as a model for other communities, and told if similar storms or emergency situations occur, Lubbock will be a first place evacuation site. We have been put on notice for emergencies more than once.
Well, Lubbock is safe tonight. This is a blessing.
Residents in the area of the leak were evacuated in the wee hours of the morning. Some went to relatives, some to hotels, some to the Salvation Army http://www.uss.salvationarmy.org/uss/www_uss_lubbock.nsf. Guadalupe Elementary School http://guadalupe.lubbockisd.org/ was closed for 5-9-13, as was the Guadalupe Early Childhood Learning Center http://www.guadalupecenter.org/EarlyChildhoodEducation. I am sure other businesses were also closed for the duration.
A HazMat http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hazmat crew from Dallas came to help with the clean up of the situation, and by tonight, that has been accomplished. People were allowed to return to their homes http://lubbockonline.com/local-news/2013-05-09/lubbock-residents-evacuated-during-chemical-spill-recall-scare.
The news has not reported any injuries as a result of the leak. It seems that by being proactive once the gas leak was detected, people were alerted, and the evacuation and containment procedures kept people safe.
Lubbock experienced a devastating, deadly tornado on May 10, 1970 http://lubbockonline.com/lubbock_tornado_home_page. It is my belief that because of that experience, the residents and government of Lubbock take disaster response very seriously. I know that during the Hurricane Katrina http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/special-reports/katrina.html evacuation and follow up, the city of Lubbock provided stellar assistance. So much so, that we were noted as a model for other communities, and told if similar storms or emergency situations occur, Lubbock will be a first place evacuation site. We have been put on notice for emergencies more than once.
Well, Lubbock is safe tonight. This is a blessing.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Chilé Limón
I like spicy hot food. To an extent. When I was growing up in New England, I thought Italian spaghetti sauce was too spicy hot, and I did not like it. But, in 1977, I moved to Texas and was introduced to Tex-Mex food, and I found that I liked it, and that I liked jalapeños if they were not too hot. Over the years, I have developed a taste for spicy hot food, be it Mexican or Oriental. I even find myself having "withdrawal symptoms" if I do not have spicy foods for some time.
Last weekend, when I went grocery shopping, I found some Chilé Limón chips from Herdez http://www.herdeztraditions.com/. I bought a bag, and some queso cheese http://www.ricos.com/. I have purchased the queso before, but not the chips. I like hot but these chips are much hotter than I enjoy. I eat very few before I find my mouth is burning hotter than I prefer. When I eat them with queso, I find that even though I slather them with queso, the queso does not quell the heat of the chips.
I will not buy these chips again. On the other hand, I am eating very few chips at a time, which is good for my diet.
Last weekend, when I went grocery shopping, I found some Chilé Limón chips from Herdez http://www.herdeztraditions.com/. I bought a bag, and some queso cheese http://www.ricos.com/. I have purchased the queso before, but not the chips. I like hot but these chips are much hotter than I enjoy. I eat very few before I find my mouth is burning hotter than I prefer. When I eat them with queso, I find that even though I slather them with queso, the queso does not quell the heat of the chips.
I will not buy these chips again. On the other hand, I am eating very few chips at a time, which is good for my diet.
Constitution USA
I am a fan of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" so it stands to reason I am a fan of the host, Peter Sagal http://petersagal.com/. And, so I am. I knew he was doing a new series on PBS called "Constitution USA" http://www.pbs.org/tpt/constitution-usa-peter-sagal/home/ and it started tonight. I vaguely thought about if I wanted to watch it. But it did not seem to be a priority.
I was other wise occupied at 8 PM, when the show was being aired locally. The friend that went to the "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" cinecast last week sent me a text reminding me about the show. So, a few minutes after 8 PM, I tuned to KTTZ TV http://www.kttz.org/ and watched the show. I am glad I did. It was very interesting. This will have to become scheduled watching for the duration of the series.
I was other wise occupied at 8 PM, when the show was being aired locally. The friend that went to the "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" cinecast last week sent me a text reminding me about the show. So, a few minutes after 8 PM, I tuned to KTTZ TV http://www.kttz.org/ and watched the show. I am glad I did. It was very interesting. This will have to become scheduled watching for the duration of the series.
That Time of Day, That Time of Year
This time of year, the days are warm, but the nights are cool. I am so glad I invested in replacement windows that I can open. When the outside air is cooler than the inside temperature, I open the windows so the breeze can blow through and cool off the house. I like the fresh air, and it saves on utilities. I am not sure the windows have paid for themselves (I had aluminum storm windows over the casement windows. They were inexpensive to install compared to replacement windows, but helped with noise and insulation, just like the replacement windows.)
But I like the fresh air blowing. I supplement it with ceiling fans. So the house cools off deliciously nicely this time of year.
I close most of the windows, but leave the bedroom windows locked open just a few inches. Last night, we had a shower. It must have been a light shower: I did not hear it, and it did not rain into my bedroom. It has rained into my bedroom, sometimes, when the rain gets hard enough.
So, I am glad I can open the windows of my house at this time of day, this time of year.
But I like the fresh air blowing. I supplement it with ceiling fans. So the house cools off deliciously nicely this time of year.
I close most of the windows, but leave the bedroom windows locked open just a few inches. Last night, we had a shower. It must have been a light shower: I did not hear it, and it did not rain into my bedroom. It has rained into my bedroom, sometimes, when the rain gets hard enough.
So, I am glad I can open the windows of my house at this time of day, this time of year.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Commitment
It was a most beautiful evening. Just perfect for sitting out in the sun, at least until dusk. I worked late, and had errands to run after work, so got home late. But still, there was time to sit outside. Only if. I had committed to making cookies for the bake sale at work tomorrow. And I knew if I sat outside until it was dusk or later, I would be too tired to come inside and make cookies. As it was, I was very, very hungry, so I cooked myself a light dinner before I started on the cookies. And, I sat a while just to rest from the crush of work. It helped to rejuvenate me. But I just barely finished cookies, and it was all I could do to finish, about 9:30 PM.
I just get too tired after work to take on many projects. I didn't used to be like this: Ken and I would pick vegetables and stay up until after midnight freezing them. I used to get up in the morning, cook pumpkin and make pumpkin pies so Ken could take a warm pie to work in the morning. Where has my energy gone?
When I lived with Bob, it was not unusual for me to work outside until about 7 or 8 PM, then go inside and cook dinner, and clean up afterwards, of course, with his help.
But I no longer have that stamina. Sometimes, when I force myself, it feels good. But the next several days, I pay the price.
So, my hope is maybe tomorrow night, it will be another beautiful night. I have some yard chores I want to do, and even if I do not have the energy for that, at least, I can sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.
I just get too tired after work to take on many projects. I didn't used to be like this: Ken and I would pick vegetables and stay up until after midnight freezing them. I used to get up in the morning, cook pumpkin and make pumpkin pies so Ken could take a warm pie to work in the morning. Where has my energy gone?
When I lived with Bob, it was not unusual for me to work outside until about 7 or 8 PM, then go inside and cook dinner, and clean up afterwards, of course, with his help.
But I no longer have that stamina. Sometimes, when I force myself, it feels good. But the next several days, I pay the price.
So, my hope is maybe tomorrow night, it will be another beautiful night. I have some yard chores I want to do, and even if I do not have the energy for that, at least, I can sit outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.
Sunday, May 5, 2013
I Have a Competitive Streak in Me
I have a competitive streak in me. I am not physically adept but mentally, I can compete at some level, so I enjoy doing word games, trivia, sudoku and the like. I have always enjoyed those activities. I have written in the past about my history of doing word puzzles.
I think my most favorite word puzzle is a double acrostic http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/169829/double-acrostic. It is difficult to explain, but you have a set of clues that are enumerated first by a letter and then, by letters, and in each clue, there is a number for each space. When the clue is solved, the letter is placed in the enumerated space. If you read the first letter of each clue, it gives the name of an author, and a title of the author's work. When you put the letters into the appropriate boxes, there is a quote from the work of the author.
I enjoy working on these puzzles, and have, in the past, enjoyed sharing these puzzles with my companions who have helped me to solve them. I have been looking for a renewable, printable online sight for these puzzles, and finally found one: http://www.americanacrostics.com/. I have had trouble, over the years, finding books of these puzzles. Waldenbooks was my best source, but even they were not always reliable. I have a book now. If I can find another book I will buy it, but am so thankful to have found a websource for these puzzles.
I think my most favorite word puzzle is a double acrostic http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/169829/double-acrostic. It is difficult to explain, but you have a set of clues that are enumerated first by a letter and then, by letters, and in each clue, there is a number for each space. When the clue is solved, the letter is placed in the enumerated space. If you read the first letter of each clue, it gives the name of an author, and a title of the author's work. When you put the letters into the appropriate boxes, there is a quote from the work of the author.
I enjoy working on these puzzles, and have, in the past, enjoyed sharing these puzzles with my companions who have helped me to solve them. I have been looking for a renewable, printable online sight for these puzzles, and finally found one: http://www.americanacrostics.com/. I have had trouble, over the years, finding books of these puzzles. Waldenbooks was my best source, but even they were not always reliable. I have a book now. If I can find another book I will buy it, but am so thankful to have found a websource for these puzzles.
A Productive Weekend
For the second weekend in a row, I have had what I would call a productive weekend, accomplishing extra tasks, and feeling good about what I have done. Even on the weekends, I used to be one of the most goal driven people I know, but the last few years, I have not done that. For many reasons, including, I am sure, a touch of depression. Not that I sit and do nothing, but I am more interested in reading than doing active chores.
Last weekend, while right now I could not tell you all I did, I know I had list of a lot of chores and accomplished most of them, except bringing things to the recycling center. This weekend, I had a mental list of chores, and I did get them all done. It started with leaving work after I had my time in on Friday afternoon, instead of staying until 5 PM, or later, as is often my habit.
Since I left work early, I decided to do my Saturday morning shopping on Friday afternoon, which I did last weekend, too because I went into work on Saturday morning on April 27, 2013, just for a couple of hours. Also, this Friday, I made that much delayed trip to the recycling center!
So, Saturday morning, I could not sleep, got up at 4:30 AM, and read until time to feed the girls. I did my household chores, then got cleaned up and went to the John Paul II exhibit. I spent two hours there, mostly because I watched the one hour video as well as took my time going through the exhibits.
After that, I ran some more errands. My timing was good, and I was able to do some yard work that I really wanted to do before the Rangers vs. Red Sox game came on TV.
Sunday morning, I did my usual Sunday morning routine, which includes news and "Texas Country Reporter, " as well as an expanded set of computer word games and a trivia game. (I do a limited set of computer word games and Sudoku every day.) I did some yard work, got cleaned up and watch the Rangers vs. Red Sox again. The game ran long, but I still ran errands as I had planned, this afternoon. And, I did some more yard work before I sat down to read.
I had meant to call a friend, but she lives in the Eastern Time Zone, and by the time I cleaned up from doing yard work, and ate dinner it was 8 PM, 9 PM her time, and I hesitate to call that late.
The problem is, last week, I was physically very tired all week. I hope I am not physically tired this week. I think the reason I have become more sedate in my activity was I needed more and more time to recharge my physical battery to be able to deal with work. So, we shall see how I do this week.
Last weekend, while right now I could not tell you all I did, I know I had list of a lot of chores and accomplished most of them, except bringing things to the recycling center. This weekend, I had a mental list of chores, and I did get them all done. It started with leaving work after I had my time in on Friday afternoon, instead of staying until 5 PM, or later, as is often my habit.
Since I left work early, I decided to do my Saturday morning shopping on Friday afternoon, which I did last weekend, too because I went into work on Saturday morning on April 27, 2013, just for a couple of hours. Also, this Friday, I made that much delayed trip to the recycling center!
So, Saturday morning, I could not sleep, got up at 4:30 AM, and read until time to feed the girls. I did my household chores, then got cleaned up and went to the John Paul II exhibit. I spent two hours there, mostly because I watched the one hour video as well as took my time going through the exhibits.
After that, I ran some more errands. My timing was good, and I was able to do some yard work that I really wanted to do before the Rangers vs. Red Sox game came on TV.
Sunday morning, I did my usual Sunday morning routine, which includes news and "Texas Country Reporter, " as well as an expanded set of computer word games and a trivia game. (I do a limited set of computer word games and Sudoku every day.) I did some yard work, got cleaned up and watch the Rangers vs. Red Sox again. The game ran long, but I still ran errands as I had planned, this afternoon. And, I did some more yard work before I sat down to read.
I had meant to call a friend, but she lives in the Eastern Time Zone, and by the time I cleaned up from doing yard work, and ate dinner it was 8 PM, 9 PM her time, and I hesitate to call that late.
The problem is, last week, I was physically very tired all week. I hope I am not physically tired this week. I think the reason I have become more sedate in my activity was I needed more and more time to recharge my physical battery to be able to deal with work. So, we shall see how I do this week.
From Where I Sit
For the longest time, Sake did not like me sitting in the computer room. She would sit at the door and cry, often not coming in. It took me a while to figure this out, but this is the room where Haiku stayed, when she first came to live with us, when I was not home, and could not trust the two cats to be together. So this room became unacceptable to Sake. All she really wanted me to do was move to the living room, lots of times!
Within the last few months, she has been more and more willing to be with the group. All three girls can sit in the living room, and not have it be a special occasion. Sake stays in the bedroom when Haiku and Taki ask for treats (and Sake gets treats, too. She is not a big treat eater, but lately has taken to eating their treats. So, not everything has changed. She is still the "Queen B.")
And in the last few weeks, Sake has taken to sleeping in the basket on the floor in the computer room. She used to sleep in that basket when it was in the living room. I suppose I should have left it there, and provided a new one for Taki to sleep in when Taki was a baby, but Sake has so many spots, and this basket was rarely used. Well, now that she will sleep in it in the computer room, she uses it a lot. It really has always looked too small for her, but I think she likes the snugness. And she likes to lay propped against something. I can relate to that. I think I like sleeping on the sofa because the arm is just the right height and firm to prop against.
Tonight I was sitting outside reading, when Haiku came to the back door, and cried her plaintiff cry. Sometimes, she wants out, but not tonight. She made her way slowly to the computer room, on the diagonal opposite end of the house, and just cried. I guess she wanted me to stay there. She sleeps in my office chair, often, when I am at the computer. I probably should buy a second office chair, but I am using a folding chair. She likes that office chair in the morning, when the sun its it. Haiku does not ask for much, and I usually give in to her. But, tonight, I did not. I went back outside to read for about another hour, before the day cooled down.
Taki has taken to spending a lot of time in the spare bedroom, which is where Sake likes to sit, lay and hide under the bed. Haiku likes the spare bed, too. But usually they are not all three in there at the same time.
From where I sit, I choose my spot mostly for functionality: the computer when I am computing. The sofa when I am reading, or knitting and watching TV, the table when I am eating and reading, doing puzzles and maybe also watching TV. Sometimes, I make a nest on the floor with a pillow for a seat, and a reading pillow for my back and arms. Often when my back is throbbing, that is the most comfortable place to sit. I am usually watching TV and knitting when I "nest."
Within the last few months, she has been more and more willing to be with the group. All three girls can sit in the living room, and not have it be a special occasion. Sake stays in the bedroom when Haiku and Taki ask for treats (and Sake gets treats, too. She is not a big treat eater, but lately has taken to eating their treats. So, not everything has changed. She is still the "Queen B.")
And in the last few weeks, Sake has taken to sleeping in the basket on the floor in the computer room. She used to sleep in that basket when it was in the living room. I suppose I should have left it there, and provided a new one for Taki to sleep in when Taki was a baby, but Sake has so many spots, and this basket was rarely used. Well, now that she will sleep in it in the computer room, she uses it a lot. It really has always looked too small for her, but I think she likes the snugness. And she likes to lay propped against something. I can relate to that. I think I like sleeping on the sofa because the arm is just the right height and firm to prop against.
Tonight I was sitting outside reading, when Haiku came to the back door, and cried her plaintiff cry. Sometimes, she wants out, but not tonight. She made her way slowly to the computer room, on the diagonal opposite end of the house, and just cried. I guess she wanted me to stay there. She sleeps in my office chair, often, when I am at the computer. I probably should buy a second office chair, but I am using a folding chair. She likes that office chair in the morning, when the sun its it. Haiku does not ask for much, and I usually give in to her. But, tonight, I did not. I went back outside to read for about another hour, before the day cooled down.
Taki has taken to spending a lot of time in the spare bedroom, which is where Sake likes to sit, lay and hide under the bed. Haiku likes the spare bed, too. But usually they are not all three in there at the same time.
From where I sit, I choose my spot mostly for functionality: the computer when I am computing. The sofa when I am reading, or knitting and watching TV, the table when I am eating and reading, doing puzzles and maybe also watching TV. Sometimes, I make a nest on the floor with a pillow for a seat, and a reading pillow for my back and arms. Often when my back is throbbing, that is the most comfortable place to sit. I am usually watching TV and knitting when I "nest."
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Lemonade Day, Lubbock Texas
If you do not know what Lemonade Day is, I am sorry. I will tell you that Lubbock, Texas participated in Lemonade Day http://lubbock.lemonadeday.org/ in a big way, as it did last year. As I ran errands, and travelled about Lubbock, I saw a lot of lemonade stands. The prices varied, and the advertising varied. I made a point to stop at the stand that was at the end of my street. For a dollar, I was given a 16 oz. Styrofoam cup of ice and lemonade. The lemonade was good. Not great, but good.
The Lemonade Entrepreneur, coached by her mother (I assume) told me the funds they raised were for the YWCA and the entrepreneur's desire to take up tennis. That sounded good. Mother told me that they learned a lot.
I "get" Lemonade Day. I am just concerned about how much Lemonade Day is managed by parents vs. their children. This is not an isolated concern. When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/how_to_buy.asp, I am concerned that the parents are doing more of the work than are the Girl Scouts. I have bought cookies, anyway. I think, next year, if I see Girl Scouts not working at the cookies sales, I will tell them that they have lost my purchase.
The Lemonade Entrepreneur, coached by her mother (I assume) told me the funds they raised were for the YWCA and the entrepreneur's desire to take up tennis. That sounded good. Mother told me that they learned a lot.
I "get" Lemonade Day. I am just concerned about how much Lemonade Day is managed by parents vs. their children. This is not an isolated concern. When I buy Girl Scout Cookies, http://www.girlscouts.org/program/gs_cookies/how_to_buy.asp, I am concerned that the parents are doing more of the work than are the Girl Scouts. I have bought cookies, anyway. I think, next year, if I see Girl Scouts not working at the cookies sales, I will tell them that they have lost my purchase.
The Vatican Frescos
In 2002, the Texas Tech Museum http://www.depts.ttu.edu/museumttu/ hosted an exhibit of the Vatican Frescos http://vaticanexhibit.com/. This was the result of the influence and work of Rev. Malcolm Neyland http://search.lubbockonline.com/fast-elements.php?type=standard&profile=lubbock&querystring=%22MALCOLM%20L.%20NEYLAND%22 . Father Neyland is a home grown priest who has been very instrumental in the process of bringing Vatican art to the USA, and he makes sure that Lubbock is included in the tour.
I went to the Frescos exhibit. It was good. It was interesting.
I went to the Frescos exhibit. It was good. It was interesting.
"I Have Come to You Again"
The Catholic Renewal Center in Lubbock is hosting a showing of the exhibit about Pope John Paul II, "I Have Come to You Again" http://www.kcbd.com/story/20216772/lubbock-first-city-in-us-to-host-exhibit-for-pope-john-paul-ii. Reverend Malcolm Neyland http://www.startickets.com/event.php?event=3459 with National Exhibits was instrumental in having the exhibit start it's tour in Lubbock.
It is an interesting exhibit of the memorabilia of Pope John Paul II. I found the video to be the best and most interesting part of the exhibit. Many of the displays are static, and to be honest, could pertain to any pope. The story of Karol Wojtyla http://www.biography.com/people/john-paul-ii-9355652 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II as a person, deserved so much more, and I am not sure the biographies I cited do him much better justice than did the exhibit.
The saddest part of his papacy was the assassination attempt. It left a strong, athletic, vigorous man in a weakened condition. He forgave his would be assassin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Ali_A%C4%9Fca. Pope John Paul II thought the assassination attempt was the third revelation of Fatima, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima.
The best part of his papacy, in my mind, was his reaching out to so many other religions of the world. Read his story: he went to mosques, synagogues, Lutheran and Methodist places of worship, and reached out to the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church.
Upon his death, the Catholic public wanted him sainted. The usual 5 year waiting period was waived and Pope Benedict XVI initiated the process http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_of_Pope_John_Paul_II.
I was married to Lisenby at the time of the assassination attempt. Lisenby is not Catholic, and I had stopped practicing by then. But Ken was very emotionally moved by the assassination attempt. I think it is a measure of the man, Pope John Paul II that he could even influence a non-Catholic to be moved and made heart-sick by the assassination attempt.
I consider myself fortunate to be able to have seen the exhibit.
It is an interesting exhibit of the memorabilia of Pope John Paul II. I found the video to be the best and most interesting part of the exhibit. Many of the displays are static, and to be honest, could pertain to any pope. The story of Karol Wojtyla http://www.biography.com/people/john-paul-ii-9355652 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_John_Paul_II as a person, deserved so much more, and I am not sure the biographies I cited do him much better justice than did the exhibit.
The saddest part of his papacy was the assassination attempt. It left a strong, athletic, vigorous man in a weakened condition. He forgave his would be assassin http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Ali_A%C4%9Fca. Pope John Paul II thought the assassination attempt was the third revelation of Fatima, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Our_Lady_of_F%C3%A1tima.
The best part of his papacy, in my mind, was his reaching out to so many other religions of the world. Read his story: he went to mosques, synagogues, Lutheran and Methodist places of worship, and reached out to the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church.
Upon his death, the Catholic public wanted him sainted. The usual 5 year waiting period was waived and Pope Benedict XVI initiated the process http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beatification_of_Pope_John_Paul_II.
I was married to Lisenby at the time of the assassination attempt. Lisenby is not Catholic, and I had stopped practicing by then. But Ken was very emotionally moved by the assassination attempt. I think it is a measure of the man, Pope John Paul II that he could even influence a non-Catholic to be moved and made heart-sick by the assassination attempt.
I consider myself fortunate to be able to have seen the exhibit.
Watching "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me"
I went to watch the cinecast of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me!" http://www.npr.org/2010/12/10/110997427/about-wait-wait-don-t-tell-me on May 2, 2013. We arrived early, wanting to get good seats. We were first in line. When my friend told the usher what we were there for, he looked a little befuddled, but then realized that was the name of the show! I was surprised at how few people attended.
There were some young people who were there, and were documenting their experience, so my friend helped them with taking their pictures.
It was fun to watch the show live. Steve Martin was the guest and he was very uncomfortable on the high seat without a desk or podium in front of him. The radio earpieces and microphone equipment were not hidden, and it was very obvious. There was live music: "Sharon Jones and the Dapkings" http://www.sharonjonesandthedapkings.com/. The show ran long, and omitted the limericks segment of the show. And Peter Sagal, the host made fun of us, for we paid $22 dollars to go to the cinecast, and we could have listened for free on Saturday, May 4, 2013.
At the end of the show, KTTZ FM http://www.kttz.org/ handed out mugs to the audience. That was a nice touch.
Today, I listened to the show on the radio. I was curious if they were going to include a limericks segment, and they did. The material was fun to listen to the second time around. Something that stands the test of time and familiarity is good quality entertainment.
It was fun to be able to put faces with names: I knew of Paula Poundstone http://www.paulapoundstone.com/, but it had been years since I had seen her. Of course, I knew of Steve Martin http://stevemartin.com/. I had never bothered to go to the "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" website until the cinecast was coming up, so I did not know what Peter Sagal http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0755969/ and Carl Kasell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Kasell looked like until recently. And I always wondered, surely this had to be the same Tom Bodett http://www.bodett.com/ of Motel 6 "We'll leave the light on" fame. How long ago was that? A long time! The only time I had heard of Mo Rocca MoRocca was on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." His cooking show, for instance was news to me.
Well, the cinecast was fun, and listening to the show today was fun. I am a FAN!
There were some young people who were there, and were documenting their experience, so my friend helped them with taking their pictures.
It was fun to watch the show live. Steve Martin was the guest and he was very uncomfortable on the high seat without a desk or podium in front of him. The radio earpieces and microphone equipment were not hidden, and it was very obvious. There was live music: "Sharon Jones and the Dapkings" http://www.sharonjonesandthedapkings.com/. The show ran long, and omitted the limericks segment of the show. And Peter Sagal, the host made fun of us, for we paid $22 dollars to go to the cinecast, and we could have listened for free on Saturday, May 4, 2013.
At the end of the show, KTTZ FM http://www.kttz.org/ handed out mugs to the audience. That was a nice touch.
Today, I listened to the show on the radio. I was curious if they were going to include a limericks segment, and they did. The material was fun to listen to the second time around. Something that stands the test of time and familiarity is good quality entertainment.
It was fun to be able to put faces with names: I knew of Paula Poundstone http://www.paulapoundstone.com/, but it had been years since I had seen her. Of course, I knew of Steve Martin http://stevemartin.com/. I had never bothered to go to the "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" website until the cinecast was coming up, so I did not know what Peter Sagal http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0755969/ and Carl Kasell http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Kasell looked like until recently. And I always wondered, surely this had to be the same Tom Bodett http://www.bodett.com/ of Motel 6 "We'll leave the light on" fame. How long ago was that? A long time! The only time I had heard of Mo Rocca MoRocca was on "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." His cooking show, for instance was news to me.
Well, the cinecast was fun, and listening to the show today was fun. I am a FAN!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Three Cats
I left work early so I could go home and feed the cats before I went to meet friends as we were going to watch the cinecast of "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me." So, the cats were fed.
I stopped at the store on my way home, because the weather is going to be really cold, and I like to give the cats warm milk when it is cold. I also bought some treats.
So, I put the treats out on the bed. I put a towel on the bed, and then put small piles of treats out for the girls. Well, amazingly, they all three sat close in and ate their treats. Very often, Sake will intimidate the other cats so she is eating alone, although she does not eat all of the treats.
I tried to get a picture of the girls eating treats, and the first time I tried, I was unsuccessful, but later on, I did get a picture of the girls eating treats.
I stopped at the store on my way home, because the weather is going to be really cold, and I like to give the cats warm milk when it is cold. I also bought some treats.
So, I put the treats out on the bed. I put a towel on the bed, and then put small piles of treats out for the girls. Well, amazingly, they all three sat close in and ate their treats. Very often, Sake will intimidate the other cats so she is eating alone, although she does not eat all of the treats.
I tried to get a picture of the girls eating treats, and the first time I tried, I was unsuccessful, but later on, I did get a picture of the girls eating treats.
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Network Repairs
On April 30. 2013, we had a sever storm warning in Lubbock. There was no projection, earlier in the day, that we would have a storm in Lubbock, although there was a projection for very high winds, and later in the week, we would have freezing weather, and possible precipitation.
Mid-afternoon on April 30,2013, I was walking west in our building at work, and I saw the front moving in: In West Texas, this is easy: the clouds form a line of demarcation. Neither the National Weather Service, http://www.weather.gov/ nor The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Lubbock+TX+79413?from=hp_promolocator&lswe=79413&lwsa=Weather36HourInterstateCommand predicted this weather event. But I suspected there would be a storm: the clouds were dense and moving quickly.
At about 5 PM, the weather hit: some rain, strong winds, thunder, lightning that caused a grass fire, some updrafts. But, all in all, no serious weather. The worst of the storm was the winds, which caused downed power lines.
The electric service to my house was interrupted momentarily in the early evening. I had the TVs on, and the laptop computer was running. The cable service was not interrupted, and all I had to do for the TVs was to restart them, and change the channel and volume.
But, when I tried to reset the Internet service, the usual resetting of the modem and router did not work. However, the router has a reset button, and engaging that button did the trick.
I am so glad that I can reset the wireless network in my house, by the various means I have learned over the years.
Mid-afternoon on April 30,2013, I was walking west in our building at work, and I saw the front moving in: In West Texas, this is easy: the clouds form a line of demarcation. Neither the National Weather Service, http://www.weather.gov/ nor The Weather Channel http://www.weather.com/weather/today/Lubbock+TX+79413?from=hp_promolocator&lswe=79413&lwsa=Weather36HourInterstateCommand predicted this weather event. But I suspected there would be a storm: the clouds were dense and moving quickly.
At about 5 PM, the weather hit: some rain, strong winds, thunder, lightning that caused a grass fire, some updrafts. But, all in all, no serious weather. The worst of the storm was the winds, which caused downed power lines.
The electric service to my house was interrupted momentarily in the early evening. I had the TVs on, and the laptop computer was running. The cable service was not interrupted, and all I had to do for the TVs was to restart them, and change the channel and volume.
But, when I tried to reset the Internet service, the usual resetting of the modem and router did not work. However, the router has a reset button, and engaging that button did the trick.
I am so glad that I can reset the wireless network in my house, by the various means I have learned over the years.
Kudos to the NBA
Okay, I was not really happy about my experience with the NBA website most recently. But my thoughts about the NBA have changed a little. Or maybe, more than a little.
Jason Collins http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9223657/jason-collins-first-openly-gay-active-player. an active NBA player, has recently announced that he is gay. This is not the first male professional sports player to announce he is gay, but the first who is actively playing in a major sport.
In the past, active women sports players have announced their homosexuality: Martina Navratilova http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martina_Navratilova and Sheryl Swoopes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Swoopes. But not men. Or not until they have retired.
The National Lesbian and Gay Sports Hall of Fame http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-gay-athlete-fame-20130501,0,924465.story announced its opening today in Chicago, Illinois. Good for them.
Well, the point being that the NBA administration has come out in support of Jason Collins. So maybe, the NBA power group is not so bad. Maybe.
Jason Collins http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9223657/jason-collins-first-openly-gay-active-player. an active NBA player, has recently announced that he is gay. This is not the first male professional sports player to announce he is gay, but the first who is actively playing in a major sport.
In the past, active women sports players have announced their homosexuality: Martina Navratilova http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martina_Navratilova and Sheryl Swoopes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheryl_Swoopes. But not men. Or not until they have retired.
The National Lesbian and Gay Sports Hall of Fame http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/ct-met-gay-athlete-fame-20130501,0,924465.story announced its opening today in Chicago, Illinois. Good for them.
Well, the point being that the NBA administration has come out in support of Jason Collins. So maybe, the NBA power group is not so bad. Maybe.
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