Vanilla Bean

Homecoming Reception

2009-02-03T12:01:00.002-05:00

Well, it seems we have finally set a date for our homecoming reception, March 14th. Yea! This is still a difficult time of year for Chad to get away...but it is beginning to seem like all parts of the year are hard for him to leave.

We are now trying to figure out when and how I will get there. I would like to be able to visit longer then he is able, so we are looking into flights for me. Which, so far, have been unfortunately expensive. We may try to use some frequent flier miles. So, in a perfect world, I will get there on Wednesday the 11th, and leave with him on Monday the 16th. We hope to be able to bring Edgar with...it sounds like Mom needs a doggie fix.

Tomorrow is invitation day...yippee! I am wondering what I got myself into, after DIYing our wedding invitations. At least this time I have a template and just need to print and assemble. Famous last words, right?

Wow. Almost a year.

2008-12-11T14:28:00.001-05:00

Wow. Has it really been almost a year since I have posted? Shame on me!

We have a venue!

2007-12-27T22:19:00.000-05:00

Finally, we have a venue! A couple weeks ago, Chad and I travelled up to Table Rock State Park in northern South Carolina. They have a recently restored CCC built lodge, which is what we went to see.

Mountains? Check!

Beautiful view overlooking said mountains and (bonus!) a lake? Check!

Slightly rustic, with elegant possibilities space? Check!

Reasonable? Check!

Other bonuses...a really nice lady at the office, and Shelly in Greenville (30 to 45 minutes away) to assist in planning.

So we sat down and compared pricing possibilities with another contender of ours, Frogtown Winery. The lodge won that competition by far. The only downside? We have to be cleaned up and ready to go by 10pm. Then we went back to the Frogtown paperwork...you only get 4 1/2 hours there, not any better, really. At least you get the lodge all day, from when you pick the key up in the morning onward. Sooo...we decided on the lodge.

P.S. Pictures are not mine, but supplied by the park.

More Reception Possibilities

2007-10-28T22:34:00.000-05:00

Chad and I headed back up to North Georgia this Sunday (which seems to be a recurring theme for us) and checked out Frogtown Winery as a possibility for ceremony/reception. It was beautiful. You came around a curve in the road, and there it was, the winery sitting on a hilltop surrounded by the vineyards. The building is lovely, too...fieldstone walls, wood everywhere, just what we seem to love.

We do have two other possibilities we are checking out this week The Solarium at Historic Scottish Rite, and a place in Highlands, NC called Skyline Lodge. The Solarium is Wednesday and Skyline Lodge will be next Sunday.

The pictures should be up of Frogtown Winery on my Flickr link.

Brasstown Valley Resort

2007-10-10T12:21:00.000-05:00

Chad and I have been looking for possible places to get married. I knew what I didn't want: a hotel ballroom/conference center. I wanted some thing with a little more character. One of my employees lead me to this place: Brasstown Valley Resort. We really like it, and its not so far away that I can't drive up and back in a day to get planning done. If you click on my new Flickr link, you can see pictures I took of the resort, pools, venue, etc. It seems like there is a lot to offer, and we love that everyone could stay right there, and it's all in one place. Its not final (no deposit down yet!) but definitely our favorite right now.

Grandpa

2007-02-22T23:06:00.000-05:00

Kind of a difficult week here.

Work has been tiring. We have started to receive new spring apparel, and its just exhausting checking it in, moving the boxes around and around, finding places to put it in the front and back of store. And we aren't done yet!

Heather's birthday was Wednesday. I...well, I did okay most of the day. Thought of her some, was distracted some by trying to start doing my taxes and by attending a baseball game. One of my employees pitches for Georgia State, and he had invited Chad and I to a game he was pitching Wednesday. Chad couldn't go, he is currently in South Carolina for work. So, since I had the day off, I went on my own. I did have fun, despite being a little chilly. Should have brought one more layer...it was killing me, seeing a few people in short sleeves and such. Impossible! They did win. I didn't stick around to much, his dad was there and I didn't want to intrude. But once I reached the car, I could feel all of what I had been suppressing about Heather all day begin to surface, and I knew I wouldn't be able to control it. I made it through Publix and ordering Chinese food, but once I was home, I was pretty much done. How to describe this? It was there, inside me, sucking and pulling at my insides. Oh, how I miss her. I talked to Jeff while I was at the game. There is so much I wish I could tell her, and discuss with her. No more chances for such things. People just don't know what they stand to loose sometimes. How can you? If you keep thinking that, it would drag you down.

Anyway, so I find out today that my grandpa, who has been having health issues some related to his heart, had visited a cardiologist. And he needs an angiogram and, depending on how that goes, an angioplasty and stent. And I just finished the article in February's National Geographic about hearts and heart disease...I still haven't figured out if that was a good thing or not. You know more, but that can also mean that you are more scared, too. This is certainly one of the times I wish I lived closer to home...be healthy, Grandpa. I am praying for you.

Cystic Fibrosis Article

2007-02-22T09:27:00.000-05:00

Dear Friend,

We are pleased to tell you that The Cleveland Plain Dealer recently published a story about the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s efforts to fight cystic fibrosis with major investments in drug research. The article describes the Foundation’s innovative business model, which entices companies to get involved in CF research by offering early-stage funding and reducing their financial risk.

The story, “Venture philanthropy targets a cure,” features the Foundation’s $9 million investment in an important potential gene therapy for CF—one of more than 25 promising therapies in our drug discovery and development pipeline. The story highlights the business relationship between the Foundation and Copernicus Therapeutics, Inc., the company researching the gene therapy, and mentions that since 2001, the Foundation has invested $200 million in companies with the potential to commercialize therapies for CF.

Click here to view the article. (If you are unable to view the article, please contact us at info@cff.org.)

It is because of your support that we are able to fund research that could have a profound impact on the lives of those with CF. To help us continue funding life-saving research, please consider making a gift to the CF Foundation today.

Thank you for all you do to help us add tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF.

Sincerely yours,

Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
6931 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
(800) FIGHT CF
E-mail: info@cff.org
Web: www.cff.org
Find your local chapter

2007-02-21T21:04:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday, Heather.

Westminster Dog Show

2007-02-13T21:59:00.000-05:00

So here I sit, in Georgia, and knowing that my Mom is watching the dog show, too, 812 miles away in Michigan.

They just played another of those Pedigree ads promotin dog adoptions. It just rips my heart out every time...those sweet, lonely faces peering at you through the kennel doors. Sigh. Glad I saved Edgar from that. I can hear him and Chad playing downstairs. He has this little excited noise he makes...he can actually be a pretty vocal dog. Especially when he wants something from you, like going out on the deck, out for a walk, or just some attention. Not so much barking as whiny, yippy noises. Hard to explain. He certainly lets you know, though!

I do have my favorite to win, an English Springer Spaniel with the call name James. Love him. Remember him from other dog shows. He is ranked #2 dog in the country, and his rival, #1 dog Harry, a Dandie Dinmont Terrier, is partially owned by Bill Cosby.

Herding group now. We think Edgar looks somewhat like the Belgian Sheepdog. Their nose is a little longer, and ears stand up. Edgar's tail tends to curl over more, too.

Chad gave Edgar a bath this Sunday (I had to work). It was his first experience with bathing Edgar. I told him some pointers, like don't let him just go after the bath, that he will rub himself all over everything. He said it went pretty well, that he thought it would be better as a two person job. I don't agree, the bathroom is so small, I don't know how both of us could be up close to the tub. I do agree with one of his comments: that it takes longer to clean the bathroom up afterwards then it does to bathe Edgar. And Chad was braver then I: he used my hairdryer on him some. I let him air-dry. Of course, Edgar wasn't too crazy about it, he said he kept circling the bathroom trying to escape him, until he finally cowered in the corner. Poor baby!

My store is almost finished with its re-modeling. Yes, I know it isn't even two years old yet. But they changed three things: cabinet/counter added to the wall space behind the cash wrap, and two new eyewear walls that will make things much more open to the customer interacting with the product. Will be glad when it is done this Wednesday evening. We originally going to close the store, but then they changed their minds and the crew did overnight work with a security guard there. Started last Wednesday. Here's hoping it makes a big difference in sales...

Bouvier won the herding group. Best in Show next. Go James!

Another sad commercial with adoptable dogs. Breaks my heart, have to mute it. Sometimes consider a second dog...but have decided I couldn't do it until we had our own space, and preferably a yard. Or maybe lived right across from a dog park...don't see that happening in the near future, though.

James won! Yea!

Corteo

2007-01-20T18:32:00.000-05:00

So I had to wait for 11 days past my birthday to find out what Chad's gift to me was...tickets to the Cirque du Soleil show, Corteo. He really wanted to surpise me, and was well on his way to doing so when I inadvertantly drove by it with him and mentioned that while I knew it was expensive, we should look into going anyway. He got this sheepish expression on his face and replied, nah, we don't need to go. I pretty much figured it out at that point, but didn't push it.

I have seen two other Cirque shows, Varekai and the one at Disney in Orlando, La Nouba (courtesy of my friend Scott, who works there). Always fantastic and awe inspiring. How can the human body do some of that? I know from Scott that there are quite a few Olympic medalists who are performers, and it doesn't surpise me. Its kind of neat to know what they can do for the Olympics, and how it can translate into something so similiar yet so very, very different.

We had pretty decent seats, slightly obscured, but no problem at all, really. My only (small) complaint was the little boy that I was seated next to. He was here with his family, looked like grandparents, too. And he just squirmed his way through the entire first act, in and out of the seat, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing. I wondered to Chad why the parents/adults hadn't stuck the two kids in the middle to avoid this. Fortunately for me, they did that after the intermission. I guess kids learn one thing by growing up going to church--when and how to sit still.

It was based (loosely) around one performer's dream of his funeral. Hard to explain, but that was the overlying framework. Lots of people in the air, numerous angels. The first performance was probably my favorite: four used three chandeliers for aerial acrobatics (I guess you would describe it that way). Haven't we all wanted to swing from the chandeliers at one point or another? I wish I had better ways to explain it all. There was one lady who was basically walking a tightrope, and the first time she went across she did it "en pointe", which was amazing. But she later walked up a tightrope that was at a 45 degree angle...amazing. So much to take in!

Here is what Cirque says about the show:
Corteo, which means "cortege" in Italian, is a joyous procession, a festive parade imagined by a clown. The show brings together the passion of the actor with the grace and power of the acrobat to plunge the audience into a theatrical world of fun, comedy and spontaneity situated in a mysterious space between heaven and earth. The clown pictures his own funeral taking place in a carnival atmosphere, watched over by quietly caring angels. Juxtaposing the large with the small, the ridiculous with the tragic and the magic of perfection with the charm of imperfection, the show highlights the strength and fragility of the clown, as well as his wisdom and kindness, to illustrate the portion of humanity that is within each of us. The music, by turns lyrical and playful, carries Corteo through a timeless celebration in which illusion teases reality.

Afterwards, we headed over to a mexican style restuarant there at Atlantic Station. The made guacamole table side, and boy, was it good. I don't usually eat just guacamole on tortilla chips without salsa, but this was fantastic that way. I just ordered an appetizer, as I was not that hungry. It was really good, but, wow, was one of my little chicken rolls covered with a spicy sauce! And it wasn't just me, Chad ate some, too, and he agreed that it was pretty spicy.

A good night.

Cystic Fibrosis Update

2007-01-01T20:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Friend,

As 2006 comes to a close, I would like to thank you for being a part of our team. Because of people like you, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has made tremendous progress this year and is making a real difference in the lives of people with cystic fibrosis.

The best measure of our success is the increased life expectancy for people with CF. In 2006, the predicted median age of survival increased to almost 37 years old, up from 35 in 2005.

This improvement is due in large part to our robust drug discovery and development program. This year, we played a key role in the development of hypertonic saline, a new inhaled therapy proven to improve pulmonary function and reduce hospitalizations. Now widely available to CF patients, thousands of people are currently benefiting from this new therapy.

Today, we have nearly 30 potential therapies advancing through various stages of discovery and development. Inspire Pharmaceuticals is currently recruiting 300 patients to participate in clinical trials for denufosol, which aims at treating the basic defect in CF. Gilead Sciences is preparing to conduct clinical trials for a potential antibiotic, aztreonam. And Vertex Pharmaceuticals' potentiator compound, which may help correct the function of the CF gene's defective protein, has also moved into clinical trials.

This year's progress in CF research would not have been possible without the outstanding dedication and commitment of our generous supporters. Together, we are adding tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF. Click here to find out how you can get involved now and in the coming year.

Thank you again for your support, and best wishes for a joyous holiday season.

Sincerely yours,

Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation
6931 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
(800) FIGHT CF
Web: www.cff.org
E-mail: info@cff.org
Find your local chapter

Laundry and Edgar

2006-11-13T13:56:00.000-05:00

Edgar, my sweet puppy, has a particular taste for clothing. Mostly his preferences seem to run to socks, but every once in a while he snags something more. And has even been caught skimming off the top of the laundry hamper and pulling out socks that were protruding through the little holes in the sides.

He went too far this weekend. Was in the bathroom, heard a "riiiiiiippppppp". Oh, no, what does he have now? Just so happened to be one of my very favorite shirts. A non-replaceable one that had been in the hamper...and get this...under some other things! So I have no idea how he got it without dislodging the rest of it. I don't think the shirt is fixable, either. Its along the bottom edge, near one of the sides. I was very upset.

So now we are on a laundry hamper search. Chad and I ususally put ours in the same hamper, so it has to be of a decent size, if there are vent holes, they have to be small, and most importantly, have a lid. I really wanted to find one yesterday, and you would think this would be an easy search. Evidently not. If we liked it, it had no lid. Lots were just too small. This was frustrating. I just wanted to fix this problem quickly! So I have been looking online some, and will stop today at the Container Store just around the corner from work. Maybe IKEA, too. We shall see how tired or inspired I am feeling.

I told Edgar that this will be the end of his clothing raids!

On a positive Edgar note...we were struggling with him greeting people. When he is in the house he was growling or barking until we introduced them and a little time had past. I didn't want to have to worry about him with new people in the house. So everytime someone new comes over, we have this little routine with him. Alison, my roommate, was having a group of people over on Sat and Sun this past weekend. Sat was girls from the sorority she advises, and Sun was freshman from Emory she advises. Chad was there Sat, and said it went pretty good. Edgar went with us in some of the laundry hamper search (he loves riding in the car, thank goodness). When we got back everyone was already there. He came in and was a little hesitant, but otherwise very good. Progress! By the time they were about to leave, he was wandering closer for petting, etc. So glad to see this. At least this is going well, even if the laundry and little bits of paper shredding isn't.

Holiday

2006-11-07T17:38:00.000-05:00

Here at work, the holidays are upon us. Holiday decorations went up in my mall before Halloween. Yes, we no longer get to enjoy Halloween without being decked out in green and red! Lucky us!

I have a problem here at work. Nothing to do with any of my current employees or the company. I am having an awful time finding holiday help. Its frustrating, as I just helped staff another store, a brand new store, and had no problem recruiting. But my own store...help! Two people I was interested in hiring...well, one never returned my call (and we had already interviewed her), and the one I did get ahold of and make the offer to was supposed to come in and fill out paperwork on Saturday, and never did. And has yet to show up. I guess I can write her off, too. I made an offer to someone else that I thought was in the bag...not enough money. This is retail part-time we are looking at, people. What you do you expect?

I already find this the hardest time to work in retail, personally. Its difficult sacrificing a major part of your holidays to work. And it really does drain your holiday spirit to be around the decorations and music from Halloween to Christmas. It would try the most holiday-spirited person. I just don't need this part of this. I suppose that is part of the fun of being a manager. I guess it doesn't help that I have this cold dragging out since last week...I wish I could stop sniffling!

Street Artists in Japan

2006-10-11T10:28:00.000-05:00

Loved this.

A weeks worth of art, condensed.

New phone

2006-10-05T07:14:00.000-05:00

The phone I have been eyeing since July has finally been released, (Motokrzr k1m) though I had to order it online unseen to get it. I must confess, I was awaiting its arrival anxiously. It finally came in yesterday (I had it shipped to work as I didn't want it sitting on my doorstep waiting for me), after a little bit of an address snafu. I went back in to pick it up, and I love it so far. Easy to hold, sounds clear, etc. I probably won't make much use of the V Cast features, but will use the camera some. I do wish it had a flash, though! Everyone that I have talked to so far said I sound good, clear, loud. I do wish I could have gotten it in the blue finish, but that is only GSM and Verizon is CDMA. Oh, well. Can't have everything! My finish is gunmetal, which is fine. And I finally have battery life again! I know, I could have bought a new battery for my old phone...

Edgar's Obedience Class, Part 3 & 4...plus pandas!

2006-09-07T08:51:00.000-05:00

I have to admit, I wasn't expecting anything too exciting to be on the front page of the Atlanta Journal Constitution when I picked it up this morning. Wrong! It turns out that the panda couple at the Atlanta Zoo finally had a baby yesterday! Yippee! I am thrilled, especially after watching the pandacam at the National Zoo in DC last year when they had a baby. Will definitely have to go to the zoo once the baby goes on exhibit.

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories//2006/09/06/0907LVpanda.html

Its hard to believe Edgar only has one class remaining--graduation day! We are to come prepared with tricks, to try to win a trick competition. I started working with him on "roll over", which he is picking up pretty fast. I want to ask Jeff how he taught Spike to play dead after you shoot him with your fingers in the shape of a gun and say "bang!". That would be great!

Let's see...we have been working on variations of stay, wait, and down. And continually working on walking on leash in heel. It was more difficult to do so this past weekend, as we were dog-sitting Davinci. Walking two dogs is infinitely more difficult than one, especially when they want to sniff everything. I did get them to eventually walk heeling, one on the left and the other on the right. Improvement!

We have been making an effort to get Edgar out into the doggy public more. A couple of weeks ago we went to a dog park with him for the first time and met up with my co-worker, Amber, and her dog, Zena. Edgar did really well, and we were most impressed with how he never strayed to far from us. He always kept us in sight. Even when I walked over to the water fountain to refill his bowl, he followed me there. He didn't play like we expected him to, but he may have been overwhelmed with all the dogs there, and it being his first time and all.

This past weekend we took the two boys to Henderson Park nearby for a walk. The trails were done by an Eagle Scout for his project...and were occasionally hard to follow which path you should take. We did meet quite a few other dogs on the trails, mostly off leash. Both dogs were very good around these loose dogs. Which was good, because I am unsure as to Davinci around some dogs, but maybe thats more just when he is at home, protecting home turf. And boy, were they hot and dirty when we were done! I just need to start keeping a towel in the car, I guess. Thank goodness I had something to cover the back seat from dirty paws.

Unfortunately for us, Tuesday seems to be the designated rain day every week, because, of course, we are outside. Doesn't life always work this way? So we had class during some slight rain sprinkles, it didn't end up too bad, thank goodness. At class this week, we started to work on "come". We must practice more during the week, Chad and I have been bad at this! Edgar does really well for the little we work with him. Shame on us! I have resolved to be better this week. He did play more in the pre-class play time. Finally getting more involved...and more tired. Which is the best part! Since I have the weekend off, I would like to get him to another dog park near us, this one supposedly has some of the obstacle course pieces, which I would really like to try with him. One dog training place in town does offer a course on that, which I am considering, but not till next summer or spring.

We should have a busy weekend. The Yellow Daisy Festival is going on at Stone Mountain Park, I may go alone or drag Chad (and I really do mean drag him along), and we are seeing a Cubs/Braves game on Saturday night. I am really excited about this, and it will be Chad's first baseball game. We bought seats from a season ticket holder, and they are great. Right over by third base and the dugout, section 102, row 2! Will have to take camera with and take some pictures of our seats and view. Chad and I also have a date planned for Sunday, he is picking the restaurant. Once I got Edgar, our social life has dropped off alot, its sort of like having a small child around at this stage, anyway. So I am really looking forward to that. I love weekends off! I feel more like a normal person, with a non-retail job!

Edgar's Obedience Class, Part 2

2006-08-25T08:12:00.000-05:00

The night before Edgar's class, we had a big storm here in Atlanta. It started rumbling right as I went to bed, and the storm must have gotten alot closer after I fell asleep. I was abruptly woken up by a very loud crack of thunder, simultaneously with a very bright flash of lightning. It must have hit very close, to be so close together and so loud. I could hear sirens in the distance, and didn't think much of it. I should have...as the fire trucks pulled into the townhouse complex, Edgar joined in the noise making by howling...for the first time ever. And boy, was he loud! It was the traditional howl, seated, head thrown back. I leaped towards the edge of the bed to shush him, because he was so loud. It certainly woke me up. So for a bit, I just laid there in bed, listening for the fire trucks and more sirens in the distance to come closer. Fortunately, none did and the fire trucks were not here overly long. In the morning, on my walk with Edgar, we didn't see anything here that the lightning hit. But yesterday, looking out of the kitchen window, Chad saw something covering part of the roof of another group of townhouses. So maybe it hit there?

I rearranged my schedule at work to be able to get home earlier, which was a big relief. Once Chad rolled in, we stopped at Wendy's to get dinner...and it was not as fast as we could have hoped. Isn't that always the case when you are in a hurry? Edgar travels in the back of Chad's SUV, with the seats laid down because we don't have anything to cover the seat with for muddy paws. He has two ways he likes to travel, the first one being leaning aganist the door/window, sort of looking/sniffing out. Or...with his chest pressed up aganist the center console between the seats, head on armrest or nose poked in by Chad's elbow. And like so many dogs, when you try to push him back some, he pushes forward even harder so I have given up and keep wiping the drool off the armrest. We did realize, however, that the GA Tech Jimmy John's is right on the way, so we will stop for dinner there next week.

We did make doggie play time this week. Yeah! Surprisingly, he didn't just leap into the fray, which is what I expected. He followed around some of the other dogs and actually....acted sort of like the leader. Tail up, breaking up dogs when they got into it to much, and barking occasionally at the others. Not what I thought he would do. I thought he would just dive in, like he wants to do with DaVinci.

This week's class focus was walking on a leash and heeling. Yippee! I had bought him a training collar in a previous class, and we were finally getting to use it. First, we had to show off our "stay". Edgar did pretty good, especially when you have a treat out for him (this week's treats was bits of hot dog, much easier to handle then smushy cheese bits). That treat gives him total focus. Our "stay" homework introduces distractions into the equation. She told us to do small ones, like wave our arms around, and medium ones, like someone else tossing a plastic bottle nearby. He can look, but not break the seated stay position. I think he will do ok.

Finally, the collar. I had to put it on him, since he is hesitant and a little nervous having her do it. When tighten, it pinches the neck some, and feels like mom's gently, reprimanding bite to a dog. Leash in right hand, around navel area, dog on left. You walk with him, and when he begins pulling ahead, you turn 180 degrees and the leash tightens the collar until he turns, too. So everyone in class looks pretty funny walking, turning, walking, turning. Edgar does pretty good.

We also have to "sit on the dog". This is an exercise we do at home, where we are seated doing something like watching TV, working on computer, reading, and Edgar is tied on a short leash to the chair we are seated in. Its so he can learn then when his people are distracted and his options are limited, the best thing to do is lay down and possibly nap. This we need. TV watching has become more difficult because he thinks that when we are on the sofa, that's close enough to him for play time.

On a non-Edgar note, I went shoe shopping on Sunday. Standing all day at work on a tile floor laid over concrete is killing me. Having to wear not-so-smart shoes doesn't help, either. And I am not supposed to wear my tennis shoes, as they are Nikes, and Nike is a competitor. So I had to find something. I ended up ordering a pair of Merrell Capers at REI since they didn't have my impossible size, 10.5, and buying a pair of casual (non boot) Timberlands. Which, when I got home, I wasn't sure about the fit. I stopped by REI again yesterday and had Chad pick up the 11 at the REI near him. Fits my left foot (the bigger foot) good, but big on my right. I can't win. Its probably because my feet are on the narrow end of medium. Maybe an insole will solve the extra room problem, because the length is ok. Why can't more shoe manufacturers make 10.5s? Why do half sizes end after 9.5? Its so frustrating!

Edgar's Obedience Class, Part 1

2006-08-16T10:09:00.000-05:00

Edgar and I started his obedience classes last night. Getting to class proved difficult...

If anyone has driven through Atlanta when it rains, they know their travel time increases exponentially. It had rained some mid-afternoon, and I was hoping that would be all. But I wasn't that lucky...just as I left work to hurry home to get Edgar, it began raining again. So my commute home took forever. Over an hour, and normally its about 25 minutes. Argh! First off, it was an accident on the bridge over I-85. Why can't people just drive by? Why do they have to gawk, and slow everything down so much so those of us on a time line have problems? And of course, to compound the problem, I felt like I got stuck behind everyone determined to drive under the speed limit due to the rain...for which my wipers were on the lowest intermittant setting. Sigh.

Fortunately, at home I had prepped a little by leaving my shoes and change of shirt in the kitchen. I raced in, changed my shirt there in the kitchen, and grabbed Edgar for a quick potty run. He was very energetic, and I was in slippery, wet flip-flops trying not to slide out of my shoes or twist my ankle. Mission partially accomplished, I stuffed him in the car (first time in the back seat) and headed off for a fast food run at BK. He barked a couple of times at the drive through lady, and was very interested in my burger and fries. Oh, and get this...my kid's meal came with a Furby. Yep, a furby. I didn't know they even made those anymore.

Onto 85, and we managed, thank goodness, to avoid any major traffic snarls. We arrived just as play time was ending. Poor Edgar! I had really wanted him to have this play time with the other dogs in class. All he ever wants to do when he sees another dog is introduce himself and play. And unfortunately for him, his most constant doggie companion, our friend's dog DaVinci, doesn't want to play. Hopefully traffic will work out next week and we can do play time.

I had my little container of smushy cheese bits for training treats, and off we went. We worked some on sit, which Edgar does pretty well (not prefectly), even when distracted. And when you pull out the cheese bits, then he does excellent. His focus is right on. When I pop the lid on the container he must smell them, 'cause his head whips right around. We even got complimented on his focus. If only he was more focused on walks and less on every interesting thing that crosses his path...Our homework for this coming week is stay. He has to stay put for one minute, in a distrationless place and with me standing right next to him.

Next week we work on walking and heeling...what we really need help on. With the training collar I bought for him at the end of class. I am not allowed to use it yet, not until our instructor shows us the proper technique. He does pull some, but mostly when he sees another dog as stated above...he just wants to say hello, so he pulls and pulls...sometimes ending up on his hind feet almost standing to get over there. Don't get me wrong, he hasn't been aggressive to the other dogs at all. And its funny, that once he greets them, when we meet again, he is less anxious to be re-acquainted.

He's napping now, so this is the best part of the day...I can get some things done.

Cystic Fibrosis Article

2006-07-09T11:46:00.000-05:00

Rogue Protein May Be Key to Cystic Fibrosis

Fri Jul 7, 7:09 PM ET

FRIDAY, July 7 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. researchers say they've identified and controlled an overactive protein that may be a key player in cystic fibrosis (CF).

CF is a genetic disorder that interferes with the body's ability to transport chloride in and out of cells.

According to researchers at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, Baltimore, the newly identified protein, called VCP/pr97, kills a chloride transporter in the cells of most CF patients. This inability to transport chloride results in a dangerous buildup of thick, sticky mucous in several organs, including the pancreas and lungs. That can lead to the malnutrition, chronic lung infection and lung damage so often seen in CF patients.

In this test-tube study, the researchers used a tool called RNA interference to successfully intercept signals sent out by VCP/pr97. In doing so, they were able to prevent cell damage caused by the protein. The findings showed promise in restoring cells to normal status in CF patients, the team said.

"The hope is that these findings will be used to design therapies and drugs that go beyond symptoms management and actually restore normal cell function to prevent CF," senior investigator Dr. Pamela Zeitlin, a pulmonologist at Johns Hopkins Children's Center, said in a prepared statement.

However, it will take years before any treatments based on this research are developed or tested on animals or humans, she noted.

The study was published in the June 23 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry.

Crank caller

2006-07-03T13:16:00.000-05:00

We have had a slightly disqueting morning here at work...last week, we received several prank calls who we had believed came from a friend of the store. He has called us before, joking about things, but its usually about product, not at all like these calls.

Amber had the first call, in which in a quiet, sickly-sounding voice he asked her what color her bra was. She responded, "excuse me?". She talked to him a moment more, and thought it was Sam. Asked what he was doing, he responded working at home (which Sam does). She said he must be pretty bored, and he responded that he was, that he was just laying around naked doing nothing. Did that bother her? She said no, she wasn't at his house. He called back two more times that day. Another thing that made it odd is that usually when we tell Sam we need to call him back, he says fine. This guy wanted to call us back in a few minutes.

I received another call, in which he asked again what color bra I was wearing. At first I couldn't understand him, he was so difficult to hear. When I did, I was disgusted and hung up immediately. I told Jen about it, and she mentioned the other calls and how they thought it was Sam. Oh, okay. Thought nothing further of it.

Till today. He called again, and got Kristin. She again thought it was Sam. Asked him what he was doing today, was he going to stop by? (Sam and Kristin do things more often together than the rest of us) She commented that she would be going on break around 2:30pm. At some later point, she started to get suspicious that it wasn't Sam. Asked him things like what was the color of her hair, her last name, what was her tattoo of. He got them all wrong. After the call she told me all of this, and we were definitely concerned. So it also turns out that he had called later last week and talked to her, and she was going on break, asked him to call her back on her cell phone. He said his phone was in his car, could she give the number to him so he woudn't have to run out to the car. She never did get any sort of call, prank or otherwise. She went into the office after we talked to call Sam, and he said it definitely wasn't him, and that he had been out of town even. She tried *69ing the call, and couldn't get the number.

By now we were definitely concerned and talked this over more with Amber when she came in for work. Since Chad was coming in to fix the hanger bars, I called and asked him if he could be here around 2:30, and he said he thought we should call security. So we did, and an ATL cop came up and we discussed everything with him. He told us to keep track of the times and frequencies of the calls, and that the even though the call was untraceable through *69 if we called the phone company they may be able to find out more for us.

Hopefully this guy won't show up at 2:30. How would we even really know if he did? So we are all decidely a little weirded out by all of this....and I am really glad that Chad is coming in soon, as none of our male staffers are in today. Will keep you posted!

Tomato

2006-06-17T19:08:00.000-05:00

I am happy to report that I have my first little red cherry tomato from my potted plants! So far things have gone pretty well. I have had to water pretty much every night to keep the soil moist, for it has been very dry here (the last significant rains seemed to be when I picked up Edgar) and pretty warm.

Also, at Shelly's request, I have a picture of me with Edgar, so she can see how big he is. Chad has been reading the Cesar Milan book, Cesar's Way. So far (with him, anyway), he has Edgar walking on leash much better.

We went this past week to Screen on the Green here at Piedmont Park in Atlanta. Ferris Bueller was showing. It was packed...last time I went there was no where near that many people. We took Edgar (he did really good), and meet up with my roommate and some of her MBA friends.

Mom's Bandana

2006-06-07T22:20:00.000-05:00

My Mom, the ever creative one, created this cute bandana for Edgar (its hard to see, but there are little dogs all over the fabric). I imagine her project was easier then mine, which was trying to take a picture of him wearing it while being home alone. He sits just fine, but stay is still a foreign concept for him, and as you can imagine, this made the picture taking a little difficult. I had a couple treats, to get his attention, but I think that it made things worse in that he was desperate to get to them. Anyway, he is super cute in it, and we wore it out to Petsmart this evening.

As for me, things are going fine. Nothing to exciting to report (other than running over a possom close to I-85 while on the phone with Nichole, I felt so awful!). I booked my tickets today to go home for Kristen's wedding, am leaving very early Friday morning and returning Monday evening. Will be nice to see everyone and be home for a weekend (and see a proper lake! Did you know that Georgia has no naturally occuring lakes?). I still don't know if I can make it home for my high school reunion in September, however much I would like to go. There is a chance Amber (one of my assistant managers) may be heading out to help open up another store...and if that's the case, I probably won't be able to make it. And I do want to go, see some old friends, etc. I will try though, Jaimee, I swear!

I actually had this last weekend off (trying to schedule so that my managers and I actually get that once in a while) and turned the weekend into "Chad's birthday weekend." We went over to Athens, GA on Saturday and bummed around. Ate an entirely too large Cold Stone Creamery concoction. But it was so good! Walked and drove around UGA some, its a beautiful campus, especially the older part. I had no idea that the campus was so huge, or how old the university was.

That evening we meet up with Chris and Sarah, and attempted to go bowling. But where we stopped was crazy loud and busy, and we decided to change our destination to Dave and Buster's. Chad was thrilled to see a PGA superstore had moved in next door...we had a lot of fun, we always do there. Its so easy to drop a good chunk of change there, what with the food, drinks and games. We go infrequently, so its not so bad. Oh, and I had one big accomplishment for the night...I actually hit the 100 spot in skee ball! First time ever for me! Sunday we bummed around some, and went shopping for some new clothes for Chad, just some basics like jeans, tees, etc. I was good, and didn't buy anything for me.

On his actual birthday, Monday, we had planned to go to a restaurant we liked in Decatur, called Noodle (really good, and reasonable), followed by Cold Stone (you can sign up for a free birthday creation), but were too tired, and just went to one of the closest restaurants, a Longhorn Steakhouse. I've never eaten there before, but my roommate loves it. And we had a free dessert coupon! I actually ordered a steak (you can pick your jaw up off the floor, Dad), and now I'm set, won't need to do that again for six months to a year. I can't help it, I still have to suppress thoughts that I am eating cow muscle...and ended the evening with the fantastic chocolate cookie dough cheesecake. Yum...

Edgar

2006-05-30T20:45:00.000-05:00

Finally! I have pictures to post of Edgar! Courtesy of my new digital camera (yeah! for getting a bonus--we made our month in April, and are on our way for May, too).

Book and recipe

2006-05-19T12:07:00.000-05:00

Another update first, on Edgar...housetraining is making progress! He has gone downstairs to the front door several times now (on his own) to indicate that he has to go out. Yeah! He's been pretty good today, lots of nap time, which is great for me in that I can get some things done without keeping an eye on him. I think he really enjoyed being at Chris and Sarah's yesterday (fenced yard!), and I'm sure he will be pleased to go back tonight (Chad and I are dog-sitting this weekend). I'm not so sure about Davinci, though...he probably thinks he has rid himself of the puppy nuisance!

I read a book that was pretty good about a week or so ago. Nichole, I think you in particular will like it. I've been trying to expand my horizons in reading, and not stick with the same old familiar authors.

Full of Grace
by Dorothea Benton Frank
a William Morrow Book (an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)

Grace has moved from New York to Charleston at the convincing of her father, who in his retirement has moved to Hilton Head. Grace's family is a piece of work...very strongly Italian. Her father and grandmother seem to walk all over her mother (and Nonna is Mom's mother, too!). Grace has sometimes difficult relations with her family, especially over their Catholic religion. She has been dating (and now lives with) a wonderful man named Michael who is a doctor that does...gasp!...stem cell research. Another black mark (to her family) is that he's Irish (not Italian) and has fallen away from the church. They have been together a couple years, and her family has yet to even meet Michael. Over the span of the book, things happen to Grace and Michael that cause both of them to question what they believe...with a little help from a few people.

I can't go into much detail, it gives away to much to do so. But its a good book, makes you look inside yourself and into what you believe. So, I recommend it.

And now, the recipe...I keep trying lately to find some new things to try. This was in Ali's Better Homes and Gardens 75th Anniversary edition. Both she and Chad proclaimed that they were very good.

Nun's Puffs
1/2 cup butter
1 cup milk
3/4 cup flour
4 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
honey (optional, we used it, it was great)

1. Generously grease twelve 2 1/2 in muffin cups, including the edge and around the top of each cup; set aside. In a medium saucepan melt butter; add milk. Bring to boiling. Add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Cook and stir until mixture forms a ball that does not separate. Remove from heat; cool for 5 minutes.
2. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating for 1 minute with a wooden spoon after each addition or until smooth. Divide dough evenly amoung prepared muffin cups, filling cups about two-thirds full; sprinkle with sugar.
3. Bake in 375 degree oven about 30 minutes or until golden brown and puffy. Remove from pan. Serve immediately. If desired, serve with honey. ( I lightly drizzled honey over puff.)

CF

2006-05-18T13:48:00.000-05:00

Dear Friend of the CF Foundation,

The Cystic Fibrosis Foundation needs your assistance recruiting representatives to join the newly established Congressional Cystic Fibrosis Caucus. The caucus is co-chaired by two friends of the CF Foundation who are champions for people with CF: Rep. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Rep. Cliff Stearns of Florida. You too can play a role in launching the Congressional CF Caucus and making it a success, by encouraging your representative to join.

A caucus is an informal group of legislators organized to promote a specific subject or issue. Caucuses operate outside the official Congressional committee structure, but can play an important role in stimulating collective action. The Congressional CF Caucus will serve as a forum for educating members of Congress about CF, prompting action on legislation related to CF research and care, and building general awareness of and support for CF research.

Please contact your representative to ask him/her to join the Congressional CF Caucus. We would like to have new caucus members on board by the middle of June, so we ask you to write or call your representative within the next few weeks. Click here for instructions on how to take action. This information is available at http://www.cff.org/legislative_action/cf_caucus/

Also, for an update on other CF Foundation public policy initiatives, you can click on "Update on Public Policy Activities" at the following link: http://www.cff.org/legislative_action/ Please do not hesitate to contact us at (800) FIGHT CF or publicpolicy@cff.org with any questions you might have.

Thank you for supporting the Congressional CF Caucus!

Sincerely,

Suzanne R. Pattee, J.D.
Vice President of Public Policy & Patient Affairs
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, National Office
6931 Arlington Road
Bethesda, MD 20814
www.cff.org
info@cff.org

New Member of Family

2006-05-16T10:10:00.000-05:00

Sorry its been so long...but my Mom visited for a week (which was fantastic!) and I got a four month old puppy.

I adopted him a week and a half ago...and I have new respect for new parents. I know that having a new puppy is by no means as time consuming as parenthood, but it gives you a window into it. His name is Edgar, and he is 26 lbs (as of last Friday at the vet's) of fuzzy, black energy. He has this funny strip of smoother hair running down the center of his back, which I am assuming is the beginning of his adult hair. The foster home he was in thought he had some Keeshond in him, due the markings on his siblings. He could have some shepherd in him, but its still hard to tell. I think he'll be around 40 lbs, not as big as a Lab or German Shepard, but bigger than our Cocker Spaniels. Will post some pictures soon.

We are settling into some sort of a routine, including up at 6am every morning for a potty run and breakfast (for him). And lots and lots of walks, because I don't have a fenced yard for him to run in. Fortunately friends of ours do, so he will have some free time. Yesterday, I worked late, so Chad came by to let him out (but don't let that deceive you...he loves spending time with Edgar). He had quite a night with him, I guess. He said he was going nuts inside, just tons of energy to expend. Chad will run with him some (and when we are at the park, he is explosive...rocket dog!)...but last night, somehow Chad didn't have a good grip on the leash and Edgar was running and pulled away. So Chad was running after him, and he's not easy to see, being a black dog. So he said he was following the flapping red leash. And evidently he has a special affinity for a certain tree, and made a beeline for it, where Chad caught up with him. He then proceeded to take him around our townhouse loop four times, running (4/10ths of a mile, once around), so almost two miles, not including what they had already done. Needless to say, Edgar is great for getting both of us in shape.

More to follow...almost time for another walk.

Good news for CF

2006-04-24T21:41:00.000-05:00

Dear Friend of the CF Foundation,

We are pleased to report that the median survival age of people with cystic fibrosis has risen to 36.8 years--up from 35.1 in 2004!

For decades, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation has tracked the health and longevity of patients treated through its innovative care center network. Caregivers at these centers collect confidential vital statistics about the health of CF patients, which skilled statisticians then analyze and publish in the annual CF Foundation Patient Registry Report.

As an interesting perspective, in the last four years alone, we have added more than five years to the median survival age of CF patients.

We attribute the improvement in both the length and quality of life to the fact that there are now more CF therapies than ever before--largely developed with the CF Foundation’s support--and even more on the horizon. In addition, the standardization of care and the implementation of “best practices” throughout our care center network also are having an impact.

We will not rest until we reach the point when people are no longer losing their lives to cystic fibrosis. Today’s trend of continuous improvement suggests that we are getting closer to reaching that goal.

Thank you for your interest and support of the CF Foundation’s mission. Together, we are adding tomorrows every day to the lives of those with CF.

Sincerely,

Robert J. Beall, Ph.D., President and CEO

Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

6931 Arlington Road

Bethesda, MD 20814

www.cff.org

info@cff.org

Promotion!

2006-04-11T10:43:00.000-05:00

I did it! I am now officially the manager of the store I have been working at.
Have to get ready for work...so more details to follow.

Travel

2006-03-16T23:25:00.000-05:00

I am watching a show on the SciFi channel, which one is not important. They are advertising for a British show to appear on the channel, Dr. Who. Don't know much about it, but the main character asks, "would you rather go backwards or forwards in time?". As a vacation, or something, I guess.

So...which would you rather? Backwards or forwards?

Trash in the yard

2006-03-13T14:59:00.000-05:00

I admit, I take a slightly circuitous way to my job. But, I do so for a reason: avoid busier roads with more stop lights. And the mostly crowded Atlanta highways. And for the most part, I drive through normal suburbia: nice houses with decent yards, big trees, and the occasional apartment complex and shopping center. But, since late last week, there has been a puzzle...

On the second to last suburban road that I take, Clairmont, in a pretty nice neighborhood (some truly large yards, which if you are familiar at all with ITP Atlanta, is rare), there is what looks to be an entire households contents dumped onto the front yard. And its not even as if they just opened the front door and threw things out, these items are a ways from the house, close and right up the main road, which gets a good deal of traffic. My Dad says, after I mentioned it to him, that someone probably got evicted. Which is probably true...but as Chad (especially) would tell you, I'm a curious soul. So I want to know, but I know I probably never will.

What does the clutter consist of? Well, lots and lots of paper. And furniture, tossed all helter skelter, on its side or upside down. I have only seen two people in and amongst this stuff. All told, about 50'x50'. So, lots of stuff. The first one looked to be a smallish lady, just wandering about the stuff, a day or so after everything appeared. The second was a man, from what I assumed was his SUV parked in the driveway. Neither seemed to be taking anything, or looking for something specific, just wandering around in it.

Even if this was an eviction, it seems so sad, all these things. Someone's life just dumped unceremoniously in a yard, for the whole world to drive by, see, and speculate. And the things themselves seem so lost, too. You almost want to avert your eyes, in embarassment for the people and things involved. I wish it would get cleaned up...this little tragedy on my way to work.

Andrew Wyeth

2006-02-27T21:46:00.000-05:00

Chad and I visited the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, yesterday, for the last day of their Andrew Wyeth exhibit. I was only slightly familiar with his work previously, mostly only Christina's World.
He creates this incredible depth in his work, especially in grasses and earth. He paints with egg tempera, a very old technique. You literally mix the pigment with an egg yolk and distilled water. I had seen tempera before, but mostly in medieval or other similiarly old paintings. Evidently, it is a very "dry" technique, and can take up to six months to dry completely. After fully drying, it becomes incredibly hard, and they told us you could take a scrub brush to it and it would be fine. Which is pretty amazing.

And I loved this painting:

Okay, so this image is a little small, sorry. But evidently he painted a lot of "thresholds", like doors, windows, etc., viewpoints on the world outside. You really felt like you were sitting there, perhaps at your kitchen table, looking out this window. There was such a feeling of movement about the curtains.

Also nice to walk through and see the marble statues. I have been reading a book during my lunch at work about the quarries where Michelangelo got his marble, in Italy. The writer also spoke of the process of creating marble staturary, the different kinds of marble from throughout the world, finishing processes, etc. So it had made me very interested in seeing a marble statue closer. Oh, and the temptation of touching! I have always felt that way in museums...I desperately want to touch the paintings, the sculpture...everything. But, of course, I don't. Sigh.

Cute

2006-02-26T11:23:00.000-05:00

Friday I saw the oddest thing...a pink recycling truck. Yes, pink. How does that poor driver feel? Probably not very manly...

So to round out this oddity...ran across this website a bit ago: www.cuteoverload.com

Heather's Birthday

2006-02-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

In honor of my sister's birthday tomorrow, on which she would have been 26...here is a few recent article about cystic fibrosis.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-02-12-cystic-fibrosis_x.htm

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2006-01-18-cystic-fibrosis_x.htm

I find it hard to believe that she would have been 26. And that it has almost been two years since we lost her. I think of her constantly. Losing your sibling is so hard, and I can only hope that everyone appreciates the gift that their own siblings are. I know its hard to appreciate something you have, and easier to appreciate once it is lost. Its sad that it is this way, because we all need to hear and express our love for each other while we still can.

Heather, I miss you so much. Can't wait till I can see you again someday.

Your Word

2006-01-22T20:28:00.000-05:00

Today...today started very well. I went to church. Came home, and Chad helped me get my things together to move most of it to Alison't house. He was to be moving the big things, like my bed, next Saturday, with help from one of our friends. We made two trips to Alison's, cooked dinner, and he watched some football and I straightened up some in my room, to create room for the bed. Then, out in my car, I had been charging my phone. Two messages. One from yesterday, when I had tried to call Chad. The second, from Gina, my roommate (where I was moving from). She said Jennifer had called, and would not be moving in. And that she had committed herself to someone else! Something about wanting to get started sooner, and she had wanted to start moving in today! And her job situation...let me show you what was in an email from Jennifer, sent to Gina (cc'd to me):

"What are my options for moving in? I am somewhat flexible.
If the old roommate needs to wait until the weekend after the 1st of feb.
because feb. 1 is in the middle of the week - that would work for me."

If she had said anything about wanting to be in this weekend, I would have been out. But, I see no reference to urgency. Do you? She had mentioned earlier in this email (which was a collection of emails between her and Gina) that she was concerned about the small size of the room and and closet. I called Chad, incensed. We feel that she had second thoughts and and reconsidered. How rude is this woman? She tells us yes, and sets us all up. The three of us, and Alison. Chad, who helped me move. Chris, who committed to helping next weekend. What good is someone's word?

And of course, Gina would argue that mine is crap, too. That I agreed to be here through the end of my sublease. Which, it turns out, I should have read better. It locks me in until she finds someone. I have since found out that most subleases have a 30 day clause in them for finding someone. At the time I signed it, it didn't matter. I didn't think I would move. But I didn't remember...I am stifled. Embittered, like her. I feel I have no space. She would tell me that I needed to rearrange my room so it looked more spacious when people came through. Living here is not mentally healthy for me. Especially with my mental history. And I can't just move over to Alison's. I can't afford the double rent. And if I moved over, tried to swing it, what would be her incentive to find someone? It would be what she would want: the empty room. So, for wanting to escape and move out, this is all my fault. I am the bad guy, not the girl who gave a commitment to move in and backed out. Gina even had the nerve to say she thought she was nice...can she be serious? We all want this to be over!

Did I mention I moved out pretty much everything? That I am down to a bare minimum? That includes food. This situation can't be more horrid. I never want to leave my room. There is no escape. I am so happy everyday to go to work. In fact, I can't wait.

Snowflakes

2006-01-21T17:39:00.000-05:00

Wow. I didn't realize that it really had been two months since I have posted anything! I will plead work as a contributor to that, the holiday season in retail is always a killer. We then followed that with inventory right away in January, and the same week our district manager visited. Which meant everything had to be perfect, and clean. So now that that is all done, I can resume my life!

I have discovered a couple of blogs at USA Today online. One is Pop Candy, an entertainment blog, and the other, Weather Guys. A blog about the weather? Yes, and it's more interesting then you might think. They had a link from yesterday that I will include here, in honor of the snow my parents received last night: http://www.its.caltech.edu/~atomic/snowcrystals/photos/photos.htm . It has the most beautiful pictures of snow crystals.

I can also share the wonderful news that my search for a roommate at the house I am living in has been concluded this past week. Yeah! So I will finish (with assistance) transferring everything back to Alison's this coming week and weekend. This news makes me so happy, its tiresome living with half your stuff at one place, the other half elsewhere. And friends of mine just moved five minutes away from the townhouse, so that will be really nice. Sarah and I have plans to walk together. So much easier to stay committed to exercise when you have a partner!

The Coolest Commercial

2005-11-21T23:52:00.000-05:00

Scott sent me a link to the most wonderful commercial. It involves hundreds of thousands of super balls, otherwise known as bouncy balls, coming down several San Francisco streets. I watched it more then once, and I bet you will, too.

http://www.bravia-advert.com/index.html

Andruw Jones

2005-11-21T13:17:00.000-05:00

Look at me...with the Braves' Andruw Jones! He visited our store today at Lenox Mall in Atlanta. I have a signed baseball, too! See what working in a cool store for a great company can get you? And lucky him--he got to go home with lots of great Oakley merchandise! I can't imagine making the money he does, and then also be able to walk into a store and pick out stuff without having to pay for it. My dream! Only I would rather have shoes...

The Perfect Nursing Home?

2005-11-14T18:51:00.000-05:00

Leave it to the Irish to come up with the perfect add-on to a nursing home:

Mon Nov 14, 1:16 PM ET

DUBLIN (Reuters) - A nursing home in Ireland has hit on a cheering way to keep up the spirits of its elderly patients -- by providing its own pub.

St Mary's Hospital in County Monaghan, near the Irish border with Northern Ireland, believes ready access to a good pint may help its patients -- average age 85 -- actually live longer.

"We would say the whole social aspect of life does extend the years -- it means the patients aren't bored to death," Rose Mooney, assistant director of nursing told Reuters.

The pub, which opens at 11 a.m. and closes at 9 p.m. and charges normal bar prices, had also led to an increase in the number of visitors, she said.

Having its own bar made the hospital, which has around 140 patients, unique in Ireland, she added.

Headaches and Halloween

2005-11-01T10:20:00.000-05:00

So yesterday was Halloween (also Knock Knock Joke Day: Knock Knock. Who's there? Vida. Vida who? Vida you talk like that? I know, its awful...). I had bought a bright red wig with horns on Sunday to wear to work on Monday. People would walk by the store, glance in, and do a second take and then smile. Fun.

Our house (of four apartments) was doing Halloween jointly, and it was a good thing I got home when I did, as we had the candy and no one had a key to get in to it but me, seeings as my roommates weren't home. So I released the candy, and heated up the beef barley soup Gina had made for all of us, and we sat on the front porch steps, waiting for the kiddies. Chad and I had carved pumpkins yesterday, following a book that had come with the carving tools. He did an "easy" one of a witch in profile holding a pumpkin, while mine was "moderate" of four ghoulie monsters. I forgot how much work goes into pumpkin carving! Both pumpkins were a hit however, as almost everyone mentioned them. At first it was just three of us: Chad, I, and my upstairs neighbor Jenna. Lots of kids, they were all so cute! Good thing we had a huge cauldren of candy.

I had originally taken off my wig, as it was giving me a headache after wearing it all day. I eventually put it back on, and my headache increased. Now, this is not an isolated problem. Stating this summer, I have been experiencing increasingly more headaches. Not isolated, either, sometimes a couple a week or more. And painful. I do take over-the-counter headache medicine, and it helps somewhat. After Chad left, I had to leave the festivities and our friends early, as it had gone from being just an ordinary headache to a full-blown problem. I took some medicine, and crawled into bed early. And proceeded to wake up with the headache still present this morning. I am going to begin tracking them, to see if they are related in some way. I really do need to visit a doctor, I guess. This has become an increasing problem. Sometimes I wonder if its the house, with a possibility of mold and other things in it, due to the dirt basement and old house. Who know? I just can't keep this up.

Weekend Home & Desperate Housewives

2005-10-26T21:43:00.000-05:00

So I went home to Michigan this past weekend for four days. It was good to be home, and see my family and Annie. When I arrived Friday morning the weather was beautiful. We spent a little time at the mall, and I stopped in at the Gap I had worked at and talked for a moment. Nice to see old faces. We then traveled up to Ludington State Park. The colors have not peaked yet, but it was still beautiful. Driving along the river, you could see the salmon that had come up to spawn. It was pretty cool to see, especially with polarized lenses. We drove through the campgounds some, and saw a 1930s car with what we thought was an original Airstream camper. Pretty cool. We also took a walk by the water and through the dunes. Of course, Annie had to lead. Dad would go ahead to test her...and then she would start pulling and panting, desperate to get ahead. I told Mom that Annie had been telling me that she missed walking in the dunes over the summer...

The next day we headed to Grand Rapids. Mom and Dad needed to shop for a few things. Lakeshore's marching band was performing at the Jenison competition, and we bundled up to stay warm and dry and went. Its been a long time since I went to a band competition. Loads of memories came flooding back. They did well, and placed first in the division, third place overall. I did love the shows that Reeths Puffer and Jenison put on. They were just as showy as always. Reeths Puffer (which is the district my parents live in now) did an African show, and had placed 30 or so big African shields along the front. Near the beginning of the show, they pulled what you thought was the front off to display a much more colorful shield. It was gasp-inducing. And Jenison did a show on opposites and half their band wore white uniforms (wood-winds) and the other half black (brass and percussion). It was as if two different bands had come together to do a show. I didn't know where to look.

Our Sunday started off pretty eventful. We were going to the earlier service, and Mom and Dad were to leave earlier then me to practice with choir. Well, Mom overslept (she woke up with the alarm clock in her hand, and didn't even remember pressing snooze) and so drove me into church...until we hit a deer, a doe. The deer didn't even pause at the road, she was already running. We speculate that we hit her mid-jump, as she entered the road on the driver's side, and the passenger side of the car is what was damaged. The hood and the front panel on the passenger's side are damaged. Dad went back later with the sheriff to get a permit to take the deer home and process it. He joked later that the Georgia relatives come to visit and now he finds himself bringing home roadkill...mercifully, we figured out the deer died instantly, with a punctured lung and broken back. I did help him clean it out, which I have never done before.

Uncle Denny, Danette, Katie, Grandma and Grandpa came up for dinner and to see me. Mom cooked a turkey (I know, its awful close to Thanksgiving, but she had it in the freezer and said when would two people eat a turkey, anyway?). It was wonderful to see everyone.

Uncle Denny had left us a People magazine for one article about a hospice with a CF patient. So I was flipping through it, and near the end was a one page article on...Page Kennedy, the newest cast member of Desperate Housewives (the guy in the basement in chains). My jaw fell open, as I went to college with him. I know a castmember of Desperate Housewives! I helped costume him! We had taped the episode...and when I watched, there he was. How weird, to know him, on this hot show...Since then, I have talked to several friends, and they are equally incredulous. Not that he was bad at WMU(he could be very good when he was on), but still...how could you know?

My new boots

2005-10-19T22:57:00.000-05:00

So I did it, I bought the boots today. And I am happy to announce that I got them for 50% off. Patience is a virtue.

Although, it was rather trying. I saw online that they were on sale yesterday, and proceeded down to the store on my break. But, wait! They were still only 30% off at the store. So much disappointment! So I decided I would just order them from online. And, of course, they were out of my size. Infuriation! I decided to print the page out to prove that they were indeed on sale, and go down there and try and convince them to match the price, seeing as I couldn't get them online. So off I went today, and low and behold! They were now on sale 50% off, too. So I bought them, and I am very happy about it.

Also happy because I will be flying home to Michigan for the weekend, to see my parents and Annie. They tell me it will be a miserable weekend weather-wise, cold and rainy. I'll have to borrow a coat, as mine are in Chad's storage unit. But, still, whatever the weather throws my way (as long as it isn't snow!), I'll be okay with it. It has been much harder this time be away from everyone, after all that has happened. So going home will be good.

Car Insurance

2005-10-05T22:17:00.000-05:00

One more thing...

Car insurance goes hand in hand with everything I am going through regarding my car. Yet--no one, except insurance agents, can really tell me much about it. What levels do I need? Why? What does this term mean, exactly? Their so-called definitions online sometimes confuse me even more then I was previously.

If you have no one knowledgable to go to, what do you do? Wander through, blindly, and never be really certain about what your agent is telling you? How do you know what they say is what you need?

I am so frustrated! I understand that I am slightly maligning my own Dad with this...but, honestly! Why is this never taught? Why are you not required in high school or college to take "What you need to know to get though in the real world concerning your insurance, finances, retirement, etc. 101"? NO ONE TEACHES THIS! Do other people just pick it up somewhere, somehow? Everything I read seems to contradict the other things I find. And, of course, being the internet, I certainly can't trust everything I read.

I just want to make a smart, informed decision about coverage for my car. Why does this have to be so difficult? I feel like I am running in circles. No wonder no one changes their coverage, its a huge hassle to figure out what is wrong, and what is right. Does anyone else have this problem? Or is it now that I finally have health insurance (through my job, yeah!), that I have to be confused and frustrated by another insurance in my life? Will someone just tell me, here, this is what you need so you won't get screwed if you have an accident. Someone I can trust, please?

Chad half laughs at me. He had to get his insurance fast, due to changing to Georgia, so he didn't have the time to agonize over this like me. But, does he really know if his coverage is enough? Who does? What is enough? Without killing me with premiums? Augh! Perhaps part of my problem has been time. I started this process over a month ago, and I feel more frustrated then when I started. Perhaps my problem is too much time to analyze, too much time to think and question.

Unfortunately, I can apply that last sentence to alot of things in my life...

HELP!

No longer a Michigan resident

2005-10-05T18:41:00.000-05:00

Well, I've done it. As of yesterday, I am no longer a Michigan resident. My Michigan plates expire on Mom's birthday (which is next week) and I have to finally bite the bullet. So, I made an appointment at the DMV. Astonishingly, the whole process only took me 45 minutes. Really, really glad I made an appointment instead of flying by the seat of my pants and just showing up. Also really glad I got a passport, as it makes the whole ID thing so much easier: you don't have to show a copy of your birth certificate. And being as I live a long way from said certificate, this is much easier. I did the whole nine yards, too: registered to vote, and became an organ donor.

Next week's big project is getting the plates and registration for my car done. Have to transfer my title, too. Will dutifully do all of my research and make sure to bring all of the necessary paperwork with me, to make the process less painful.

I had to give up my Michigan license. They had to keep it, to prevent me from altering it or something, I'm sure. But it made me a little sad. I have been a Michigan resident all my life, and that license was a connection to it while living here in Georgia. And it was a pretty decent picture, too!

On a funny note, Mom was due for a driver's license renewal. So, a couple of months ago, her renewal information showed up...here, at my address in Georgia. The address on it was ours at home, but the information that the post office prints along the bottom side of the envelope was my address here. Very odd. And then, late last week...her license shows up here, too. Same situation with the addresses. Its so strange. I mailed her the envelope and all (after sneaking a peak at her picture!) so hopefully she can get everything straightened out. I know I did a change of address for here, and occasionally I get credit card offers for her, but she is listed on some of my accounts, so that made sense. But this didn't.

Happy birthday Dad!

I'm in love!

2005-09-28T09:45:00.000-05:00

I must confess, I'm in love. But! Thus far I have resisted their siren call...at least until they go on sale. And if you know me well, you may have realized that I am talking about a pair of shoes. I saw them at the Nine West store in my mall, which I have done my best to avoid walking into. But now, I visit once a week, usually on a Thursday, just to make sure they haven't gone on sale. Yes, they're not practicle shoes, but they're just so glorious! And I do so love red. So don't worry Mom, you trained me well enough, I will not buy them at full price.

On a different note, I have decided to learn how to carry on a family tradition: quilting. I am going to sign up for a basic machine quilting class at a local quilt shop. It will take place over three Sundays, four hours a class, in November and December. They also have Block of the Month program that I may do, as the end result quilt is so beautiful, and in one of my favorite fabrics: batiks. I would looove to learn to batik.

March of the Penguins

2005-08-28T19:06:00.000-05:00

My roommate, Gina, and I went and saw a matinee of March of the Penguins today. Loved it. Loved Morgan Freeman narrating, and am watching him on "Inside the Actor's Studio" right now (he is so fantastic!).

I knew some things previously about emperor penguins, couldn't tell you exactly from where. I knew they are the largest penguin species, and that the father does alot of the intial care. What I didn't know was about their 70 mile journey to more stable ice for their breeding grounds, that Mom and Dad take turns making journeys back and forth to the water's edge for food for themselves and baby, and so much more. It was fascinating, amusing, and occasionally heart-rending. I know its incredibly cold there, but they showed the egg freezing and cracking in the cold during a botched transfer attempt between Mom and Dad...heart breaking. But, oh, when the babies hatched! Impossibly cute. Small, soft looking, fuzzy. And immense personality. When they finally venture out, they toddle around, unsure and curious. I could go on and on...

So, I highly recommend the movie. Not a "chick flick". Seriously good, compelling, and such a perspective on such a difficult life. It's amazing what these penguins go through...and how cute they are.

Lions and elephants on the Great Plains?

2005-08-18T18:34:00.000-05:00

Yes, you read my title correctly. I read an article online about an article in the journal Nature saying that some scientists are proposing this, since even before Columbus we lost all of our really large wildlife here in North America.

"The rapid extinction of dozens of large mammal species in North America -- perhaps due to a combination of climate change and overhunting -- triggered a landslide of changes to the environmental landscape. Relocating large animals to vast ecological parks and private reserves would begin to repair the damage, proponents say, while offering new ecotourism opportunities to a withering region."

Here is a link to the article: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/08/17/wild.america.ap/index.html

I don't know what to think of this?!? Whatever would inspire someone to propose this?

Chickens and Paychecks

2005-08-15T11:58:00.000-05:00

So...was driving home from work on, I believe, Friday. It was sort of raining, depending on where you were in metro Atlanta. Like it has been for a long time. Its funny, starts out a gorgeous, sunny day, and by the time myself and all other Atlantans head home, the afternoon rain has started. In some places, its that nice, gentle summer rain. Then you also encounter the torrential rain which makes the streets into rivers overflowing the curbs. Lots of fun. But this was a moderate spot of rain. You know those clear plastic shelters for people waiting for the bus? Well, out of the corner of my eye I noticed movement near the ground. I had enough time for a passing glance...and it was a chicken. Seriously, right in pratically the middle of Emory's campus and hospital complex. Flapping it's wings (Dad said it turned the shelter into a chicken coop!). And you know, chickens are pretty distinctive silhouette-wise, so I know I'm right. It was just so odd, such a funny thing. A chicken there, in the middle of all that.

So my paycheck is late. Was supposed to get it on Friday. Planned my lunch around running it to the bank. Never arrived. Emailed someone, and he called to talk to me about it. He also called back after I had left for the day, and something had been wrong with it and they had cut a new one and it should arrive by FedEx on Saturday. No arrival. I do have today off, and I keep waiting for the phone to ring and for them to say, hey, it's here. Nothing yet, and its 1pm. Frustrating. There are little errands I need to run, like an oil change, and I can't, my hands are tied. You never realize how you count on that money to be there on time until...it isn't. At least I am not as bad off as a co-worker of mine, evidently her time sheet wasn't faxed and who knows when her check will arrive. Going on evidence, I guess who knows when mine will arrive, too?

Frustrated. No way to spend a day off.

Day off, plus recipe

2005-08-10T18:36:00.000-05:00

Today I had the day off. I lounged around some, and did a little work, too. Called Dad while watching the View, said I didn't know he and Mom were going to be on TV. We are? Yeah, they are showing and doing a make-over for the messiest garage in America. He pretended he couldn't hear me...to be truthful, our garage is lots cleaner then the one on the show.

Ran to the grocery store to get my food for dinner (more on that in a moment). The car ahead of me at one point had alot of bumper stickers. But my favorite was "What would Scooby do?". I thought that was great.

So I am trying some of the food from the magazine Marie Claire's diet "Wine, Chocolate, and Cheese Diet". Yeah, I know. But what they are saying is if you cook your food from fresh ingredients (none of those nasty preservatives) and eat smaller portions while not starving your body of the things it needs, it's okay for you. I thought, well, I can do that. So I tried my first recipe tonight: Potato and Leek Chowder. I doubled the recipe, so I won't be doing this for just a couple meals. If you are interested in the diet, you can find it at http://magazines.ivillage.com/marieclaire/frenchdiet. Its pretty good, so here it is:

Leek and Potato Chowder

Don't know how to handle a leek? Get the easy details here.

1 tsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp. unsalted European butter
2 cups chopped leeks (white and light-green parts)
1 large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch cubes (cutting the potatoes into small, even cubes ensures that they'll cook evenly and quickly)
2 cups (16 fl. oz.) chicken broth, plus additional if desired
1/2 tsp. ground sage
2 tbsp. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/4 cup half-and-half
3 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

1 Add the oil and butter to a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook, stirring constantly for five minutes, or until softened.

2 Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the potatoes, broth, and sage. Cover with lid. Cook for 10 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Remove lid.

3 Whisk the flour with the half-and-half until very smooth. Add it to the potato-leek mixture, stirring constantly. Once thoroughly combined, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for five minutes or until slightly thickened.

4 Adjust soup consistency by adding more broth, if desired.

5 Stir in half of the chives. Season to taste with sea salt. Serve topped with remaining chives.

Note: This recipe serves two.

330 calories, 8 g fat, 53 g carbs, 5 g fiber

Our Trip to Atlanta Zoo

2005-08-07T18:23:00.000-05:00

Chad and I went to the Atlanta Zoo (www.zooatlanta.org) today. It was one of my infrequent weekend days off (one of the perks of retail management). I was really concerned about the weather, as rain was predicted and it was pretty grey looking. So we packed up our cooler and headed off, umbrellas in hand.

We had alot of fun. It is a sort of small zoo (I guess since visiting the San Diego Zoo, zoos will seem small), but well done. Chad's favorite animals were the elephants. They were very red, due to rolling around in the red Georgia earth. Later in the day, in the Elephant House, we saw one of them painting. But we could only stomach that for so long, as it was rather fragrent. Dad, we did see a red tailed hawk, and would have watched the bird show it was in, but it rained.

We saw several babies, including two Orangutans and Golden Tamerins. There had been hope that the Panda was pregnant (and that would have been number 3 in America, after the National Zoo in Washington and another in San Diego), but alas, it was a false pregnancy. Seeing a baby panda would have been great!

Later, it did rain, and pretty hard. We huddled under an overhang with our umbrellas for awhile, then beat a retreat to a nearby pavilion. It did let up and dry out somewhat, so we were able to finish wandering around.

This is a link that will (hopefully) connect you with our pictures at ofoto.
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=l4bsgz6.280bsx8q&x=0&y=-w6jcc

Cows with Guns

2005-08-06T19:43:00.000-05:00

So let me explain this before I post it: Chad was looking for funny cow pictures for a laser module (he says if you know of any, please post a comment for him on this blog). Being the internet, he stumbled across this: http://www.3dweb.no/galleri/stuestolbm/bilder/anim1.swf

If that doesn't work, try www.cowswithguns.com

It is well...pretty undescribable. And not violent, so don't worry about blood and gore.

Online Games and Stuff

2005-08-04T18:40:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I confess to liking games on the computer. I recently found www.addictinggames.com . And lately I have been playing "Holy Cow", a little angel cow trying to get to heaven by blessing people. Corny, yes, but who doesn't like corny once in a while? Also "Insaniquarium" by www.popcap.com.

The weather here has resumed being in the low 90s and humid, although not as bad as last week. We had a few 80 degree days earlier this week, and that was nice. Hopefully it stays nice on Saturday, as I have the day off! It's such a wonderful thing, working in retail and having that rare Saturday off. I have plans for Chad and I, which I will disclose at a later date, as I am keeping them secret from him as yet. Which, of course, drives him nuts.

Hey, Mom and Dad, yet another technical coup for me! I fixed the printer at work Tuesday, and the fax machine today! At least the report said it was sent, I didn't have anyone to send it to to test. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

Air Conditioning

2005-08-01T20:41:00.000-05:00

My poor staff at my store has been suffering since last Sunday from a lack of air conditioning. I am happy to report that after sweltering in the southern heat (and the scaring off of air conditioning adjusted customers) for a week, we now have functioning air conditioning! I guess I never realized what a beautiful thing air is before.

Manshape

2005-07-28T17:47:00.000-05:00

So I must confess that I do occasionally listen to WGN radio online, mostly Kathy and Judy. Well, they have a links and information page that I will visit, usually you can find some pretty funny links or information, along with things I would have never dreamed up. This is one of those: www.manshape.com. Very, very, funny.

Welcome to my blog!

2005-07-27T20:12:00.000-05:00

So, I never really thought I would start my own blog. Darn you, Shelly! So, welcome to my world. Mom, think of it as a way to keep closer tabs on your long distance baby!