A typical, um, productive, morning…
I wake up about 8 am, usually with Ollie walking on me and Heljye smashed up against my face, trying to get into my skin with me.
I feed the cats, open the cat door, scoop the liter box, take a shower, get breakfast, all the time trying to keep Ollie at bay while he mews incessantly for “the feather toy” - he will mew, then run to the closet where it is kept, run back, mew, return to the closet…
After I eat, Ollie is typically settling down somewhere preparing for a nap - certain I am not going to play with him. I look at him, and then I say “feather” and his little eyes open very wide. I say “feather” again and his head pops up, I keep saying it and he keeps moving - sticks neck out toward me, then lifts body up, then finally bolts across the floor as I start to move.
We play feather for about 20 minutes, and sometimes Heljye joins in, and sometimes he sits and watches. Jaz is somewhere napping. Snuggie is outside.
I put the feather on the floor and the kittens mess with it for awhile, then wrestle each other and finally settle down for a nap about 30 minutes after I stop playing with them. After about 15 minutes of “napping” Ollie will come jump on the desk, wanting and not wanting attention. I pick him up, he wrestles free and jumps down, 2 minutes later, he is back. I hold him snug and he settles down more. He gets down and goes to lay down for his nap.
About 10 minutes later, Heljye comes and sits by my chair, softly mewing. He jumps up and proceeds to attempt to get in my skin with me for about 10 minutes. I snuggle him and then take him to the bed where Jaz is napping. Jaz drops a large paw on Heljye’s body and starts to lick him. If I am lucky, Heljye will stay with Jaz and sleep. Often he comes back to the desk, rolls around and starts biting my arm. I return him to Jaz, he jumps down and goes elsewhere.
It is now about 11:30 am. They have finally started to all nap. Well, I hear a meow behind me and it is Snuggie, in from the wilds, asking me to go to the food dish and pet him and stay near while he eats. He may repeat this process anywhere from 2 to 6 times during the next 2 hours.
By the time he decides to come in and sleep, guess who is up and ready to roll… and the low winter sun is now (on sunny days anyway) beaming through the office window and directly into my eyes. Curtains? No, the walls are not painted yet and I am trying to avoid making more holes in the plaster before I paint…
Productive day…
Dad - Being his typical silly self...
We miss you dad!
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Good News!!!
Well, much to report on from the blustery 16 degree temps here in Ohio.
My sister got some really good news this afternoon. The cancer had not made it into the muscle tissue, they managed to catch it early. She goes in on Thursday to get the tumor scraped out and a chemo drug injected directly into the bladder. They will run more tests on the tumor. She will need to be monitored closely to watch for any new growth, and if all goes well, new growth will get the same scraping treatment. It sounds like it did not get the chance to spread anywhere.
I did not realize how worried I was about her (I think they call it denial...) until she told me the results of her visit today. I started sobbing, you know that whole body sobbing. And just writing this I am getting worked up. I couldn't handle losing her, not any time soon and she is so far away that I don't know how I (or mom) would have been able to handle it, never mind what my big sis would go through.
So, whew.
Mom is up to 110 pounds - she was so excited that she got on the scales to show me the number! She had a dental appt today and lucky for us, when we went to the nearby grocery (mega grocery store) they had a starbucks.. guess who sucked down a venti strawberry frapp? She drank the whole thing. 790 calories.
The grocery also had samples out all over the place, so she ate cheese samples, spreadable cheese on crackers, chips, cookies, fruit, mini cinnamon buns and a few other things... she was stuffed by the time we left...
and, the news just keeps a coming... I have a second interview for a job. I think they were salivating. They tipped their hand when they called me about 2 hours after receiving my resume (not a good move for salary negotiation tactics) but since it is a nonprofit, I know there isn't much wiggle room involved...
So, the first interview was 2 hours and 20 minutes long. 4 hours later the woman that would be my immediate supervisor called me to get my feelings about the job - she said, well I think it is obvious that we are really interested. Ya think? So, I have a second interview on Monday morning and I think it is a t crossing and i dotting kind of thing.
It isn't a dream job by a long shot, and there are some aspects of it that are really not terribly appealling. But, in this market, it will do. I am at the point where I feel a real need to get a J-O-B since they are in such short supply. Sounds like I am going to have to fire my only direct report employee. Nice, huh!
Well, I asked them all the expected questions and then my final question was how my being an out lesbo was gonna fly (my office will be at a residental care facility). Turns out the "man in charge" is a big ole' out homo (he was the primary interviewer - and the instant I saw him I thought to myself "I really hope he knows he is gay...")
He said he was out when they hired him to run the 170 employee org, and it has not been an issue. He moved up from Florida and said he was really pleasantly surprised at Dayton's tolerance levels. Well, he is also a single Jewish man raising a young black daughter and he moved into the conservative section of town and he said he is doing just fine... so not to worry.
So, looks very likely that I will start a full time job on 2/16.
Sleep? who the hell needs any sleep?
I may have to hire someone to go handle mom's outside care for the rest of winter. It took me a few hours to break up that inch of ice that was coating her sidewalks and I still did not even get started on the one that goes to her garage... but I have been driving her everywhere so she has not had a need to use that walk. Guess I better get on that detail before the new job.
Well, I will let you all know if I end up with the job. Having to report to a residential care facility (ready nursing home) everyday may be hard to take, especially given the way dad was in his last 3 weeks of life) I choked up about it in the interview.
My mind flashes around with it. Sometimes I see him laying there in that bed - not at all my dad, but still my dad -- and other times I see him at home messing around, being silly or something. I am sure those images of his final days will always be with me - they were, after all part of his life, but they sure are hard to choke down. I suppose in time the memories of the 45 years will eclipse them. I sure hope so.
Ok, back at it folks...
My sister got some really good news this afternoon. The cancer had not made it into the muscle tissue, they managed to catch it early. She goes in on Thursday to get the tumor scraped out and a chemo drug injected directly into the bladder. They will run more tests on the tumor. She will need to be monitored closely to watch for any new growth, and if all goes well, new growth will get the same scraping treatment. It sounds like it did not get the chance to spread anywhere.
I did not realize how worried I was about her (I think they call it denial...) until she told me the results of her visit today. I started sobbing, you know that whole body sobbing. And just writing this I am getting worked up. I couldn't handle losing her, not any time soon and she is so far away that I don't know how I (or mom) would have been able to handle it, never mind what my big sis would go through.
So, whew.
Mom is up to 110 pounds - she was so excited that she got on the scales to show me the number! She had a dental appt today and lucky for us, when we went to the nearby grocery (mega grocery store) they had a starbucks.. guess who sucked down a venti strawberry frapp? She drank the whole thing. 790 calories.
The grocery also had samples out all over the place, so she ate cheese samples, spreadable cheese on crackers, chips, cookies, fruit, mini cinnamon buns and a few other things... she was stuffed by the time we left...
and, the news just keeps a coming... I have a second interview for a job. I think they were salivating. They tipped their hand when they called me about 2 hours after receiving my resume (not a good move for salary negotiation tactics) but since it is a nonprofit, I know there isn't much wiggle room involved...
So, the first interview was 2 hours and 20 minutes long. 4 hours later the woman that would be my immediate supervisor called me to get my feelings about the job - she said, well I think it is obvious that we are really interested. Ya think? So, I have a second interview on Monday morning and I think it is a t crossing and i dotting kind of thing.
It isn't a dream job by a long shot, and there are some aspects of it that are really not terribly appealling. But, in this market, it will do. I am at the point where I feel a real need to get a J-O-B since they are in such short supply. Sounds like I am going to have to fire my only direct report employee. Nice, huh!
Well, I asked them all the expected questions and then my final question was how my being an out lesbo was gonna fly (my office will be at a residental care facility). Turns out the "man in charge" is a big ole' out homo (he was the primary interviewer - and the instant I saw him I thought to myself "I really hope he knows he is gay...")
He said he was out when they hired him to run the 170 employee org, and it has not been an issue. He moved up from Florida and said he was really pleasantly surprised at Dayton's tolerance levels. Well, he is also a single Jewish man raising a young black daughter and he moved into the conservative section of town and he said he is doing just fine... so not to worry.
So, looks very likely that I will start a full time job on 2/16.
Sleep? who the hell needs any sleep?
I may have to hire someone to go handle mom's outside care for the rest of winter. It took me a few hours to break up that inch of ice that was coating her sidewalks and I still did not even get started on the one that goes to her garage... but I have been driving her everywhere so she has not had a need to use that walk. Guess I better get on that detail before the new job.
Well, I will let you all know if I end up with the job. Having to report to a residential care facility (ready nursing home) everyday may be hard to take, especially given the way dad was in his last 3 weeks of life) I choked up about it in the interview.
My mind flashes around with it. Sometimes I see him laying there in that bed - not at all my dad, but still my dad -- and other times I see him at home messing around, being silly or something. I am sure those images of his final days will always be with me - they were, after all part of his life, but they sure are hard to choke down. I suppose in time the memories of the 45 years will eclipse them. I sure hope so.
Ok, back at it folks...
Friday, January 30, 2009
When it rains, it pours...
Well, the family is facing another health issue.
Late last week my sister, Sherry, had surgery to do some internal reconstruction. The surgeon found a tumor in her bladder. It is definitely cancerous. We don't know the definitive results of all the tests they ran after she got out of surgery, but we do know that her lymph nodes are clear.
The belief is that the tumor is a superficial one that has not yet invaded the muscle tissue. She spoke with one of her doctors today, but not the urologist, so we don't have definite answers, but should know on Tuesday what the situation is. It is sounding like superficial, but we just don't know for certain.
The good news is that about 20 years ago she worked for an up and coming urologist that was really making a name for himself. She was his right hand in establishing his research office. He is now a well known specialist, author of several books, pioneered some approaches, and is chief of surgery at a hospital in NY along with a professor and many other titles. She is going to call him to get his personal referral to a urologist in Texas that he thinks is the best available.
So, at least she will be able to get a top notch urologist to take care of her.
Here is hoping the tumor is only superficial and not invasive.
Positive vibes folks, positive vibes.
Late last week my sister, Sherry, had surgery to do some internal reconstruction. The surgeon found a tumor in her bladder. It is definitely cancerous. We don't know the definitive results of all the tests they ran after she got out of surgery, but we do know that her lymph nodes are clear.
The belief is that the tumor is a superficial one that has not yet invaded the muscle tissue. She spoke with one of her doctors today, but not the urologist, so we don't have definite answers, but should know on Tuesday what the situation is. It is sounding like superficial, but we just don't know for certain.
The good news is that about 20 years ago she worked for an up and coming urologist that was really making a name for himself. She was his right hand in establishing his research office. He is now a well known specialist, author of several books, pioneered some approaches, and is chief of surgery at a hospital in NY along with a professor and many other titles. She is going to call him to get his personal referral to a urologist in Texas that he thinks is the best available.
So, at least she will be able to get a top notch urologist to take care of her.
Here is hoping the tumor is only superficial and not invasive.
Positive vibes folks, positive vibes.
Exxon Mobil shatters US record for annual profit
Well, well, well.
Who wants cars that don't use oil?
Certainly not the execs and board at Exxon.
a quote from the article:
"HOUSTON – Exxon Mobil Corp. on Friday reported a profit of $45.2 billion for 2008, breaking its own record for a U.S. company, even as its fourth-quarter earnings fell 33 percent from a year ago.
The previous record for annual profit was $40.6 billion, which the world's largest publicly traded oil company set in 2007."
Imagine if the people of the USA had a wee bit more of that money in their pockets. A reasonable profit for Exxon and a reasonable price at the pumps. They could use it to "spend, spend, spend" and spread it around a little bit more and maybe, just maybe, a few more people would still be employed and the wheels on the capitalist bus would still be turning instead of sitting still waiting to dry rot.
Who wants cars that don't use oil?
Certainly not the execs and board at Exxon.
a quote from the article:
"HOUSTON – Exxon Mobil Corp. on Friday reported a profit of $45.2 billion for 2008, breaking its own record for a U.S. company, even as its fourth-quarter earnings fell 33 percent from a year ago.
The previous record for annual profit was $40.6 billion, which the world's largest publicly traded oil company set in 2007."
Imagine if the people of the USA had a wee bit more of that money in their pockets. A reasonable profit for Exxon and a reasonable price at the pumps. They could use it to "spend, spend, spend" and spread it around a little bit more and maybe, just maybe, a few more people would still be employed and the wheels on the capitalist bus would still be turning instead of sitting still waiting to dry rot.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
"you lack focus/direction/x"
I have heard this from a few people in my life and suspect it is on the tips of many people's silent tongues. Those people who don't, in my mind, GET IT, so to speak.
Never have I seen such a succinct phrasing...
"...pushed by an anthropological mind that shoots out in all directions when engaged..." Small 1998. Our Babies, Ourselves.
Yes, organically holistic unable and unwilling to put blinders on when life is so complex and interesting. I prefer to shoot out in all directions, thank you very much.
I am, btw, thoroughly enjoying the first chapters of above referenced book - of course it echoes my mindset on culture and childrearing. kinda like someone took my thoughts and gave them academic validation through managing to get the book published. In some ways that approach to privileging ideas sucks, but it is working for me at the moment...
there is a particular anthropologist reading this blog that might consider checking the above book out of the public library and adding it to the commute reading shelf...
ok, back at it...
Never have I seen such a succinct phrasing...
"...pushed by an anthropological mind that shoots out in all directions when engaged..." Small 1998. Our Babies, Ourselves.
Yes, organically holistic unable and unwilling to put blinders on when life is so complex and interesting. I prefer to shoot out in all directions, thank you very much.
I am, btw, thoroughly enjoying the first chapters of above referenced book - of course it echoes my mindset on culture and childrearing. kinda like someone took my thoughts and gave them academic validation through managing to get the book published. In some ways that approach to privileging ideas sucks, but it is working for me at the moment...
there is a particular anthropologist reading this blog that might consider checking the above book out of the public library and adding it to the commute reading shelf...
ok, back at it...
Saturday, January 24, 2009
ummm... Starbucks or bust
Ok, you know those companies you love to despise - right or wrong---
well, guess who is going to start making trips to the local Starbucks?????
Get this:
Starbucks high calorie choices
- Venti with whole milk
Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 790
Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 750
Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 740
Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 690
Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 670
Iced Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 660
Tazo® Green Tea Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 650
White Hot Chocolate - whip 640
Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 630
Vanilla Bean Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 600
So, there is a particularly skinny mother of mine that is gonna become a Starbucks addict!
We are headed to the airport to pick up a couple of friends who went to DC - primarily for an uncles funeral at Arlington, but also to attend the inagural festivities... we are looping outta the way to hit the Starbucks enroute to pick them up - so she is gonna be sucking on at least 600 calories on the ride to the airport...
then we are going out for lunch after leaving the airport.
Goal? Fatten little skinny minny back up!
well, guess who is going to start making trips to the local Starbucks?????
Get this:
Starbucks high calorie choices
- Venti with whole milk
Salted Caramel Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 790
Strawberries & Crème Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 750
Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 740
Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 690
Double Chocolaty Chip Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 670
Iced Hazelnut Signature Hot Chocolate - whip 660
Tazo® Green Tea Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 650
White Hot Chocolate - whip 640
Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 630
Vanilla Bean Frappuccino® Blended Crème - whip 600
So, there is a particularly skinny mother of mine that is gonna become a Starbucks addict!
We are headed to the airport to pick up a couple of friends who went to DC - primarily for an uncles funeral at Arlington, but also to attend the inagural festivities... we are looping outta the way to hit the Starbucks enroute to pick them up - so she is gonna be sucking on at least 600 calories on the ride to the airport...
then we are going out for lunch after leaving the airport.
Goal? Fatten little skinny minny back up!
Thursday, January 22, 2009
42 and the Story of Stuff
forty-two
42
XLII
٤٢
degrees people! on Friday. This evening we are to hit about 38 and Friday, glorious friday, my popsicle behind might actually thaw a bit... conflicting reports on temps over the next week. Some places forecast a relatively balmy period of low 40's and other say bitter winter is coming back. Anyway, I am taking my day of over 40 and will be happy with it even if it is the only one for a while!
Boy had I forgotten the "hope of spring."
So, Mom is on the rebound!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to see Danny Glover speak tonight and then on Friday I am taking mom out for a short outing. She gets tired real easy right now, it'll take a while to get her strength back, but she will.
So, for those of you who have not seen the Story of Stuff - it is 20 minutes long - here is a link to the video: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html (it is available in 11 languages).
42
XLII
٤٢
degrees people! on Friday. This evening we are to hit about 38 and Friday, glorious friday, my popsicle behind might actually thaw a bit... conflicting reports on temps over the next week. Some places forecast a relatively balmy period of low 40's and other say bitter winter is coming back. Anyway, I am taking my day of over 40 and will be happy with it even if it is the only one for a while!
Boy had I forgotten the "hope of spring."
So, Mom is on the rebound!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am going to see Danny Glover speak tonight and then on Friday I am taking mom out for a short outing. She gets tired real easy right now, it'll take a while to get her strength back, but she will.
So, for those of you who have not seen the Story of Stuff - it is 20 minutes long - here is a link to the video: http://www.storyofstuff.com/index.html (it is available in 11 languages).
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