tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-60279002011-08-16T05:07:07.837-05:00Collective Sigh"Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comBlogger24731100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-84012166444302572602009-06-18T20:54:00.002-05:002009-06-18T21:00:24.519-05:00Sad news - My mother (you know her as andante) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 16, 2009, after a long fight with cancer.I know she loved to read all of her daily blogs, so thank you all for being her friend in that respect.- her daughter Mary (or Andantette as she called me)andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-83592007646125913942009-05-01T15:11:00.004-05:002009-05-01T15:50:11.844-05:00From the ridiculous to the sublime...The conductor of the orchestra is Andre Rieu from Austria . The young lady (Melissa Venema), her trumpet and her rendition of the Italian version of TAPS ( IL Silenzio Toque de Silencio)makes your hair stand on end. andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-87058503799427486532009-05-01T13:59:00.004-05:002009-05-01T14:45:25.838-05:00Did you have bad day?Yeah, I've had them, too.Let's give Republicans a little love - they're fixin' to have a bad decade or so... (Don't ask me why these appear twice, just enjoy them twice).andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-47974020634801508392009-04-30T05:11:00.006-05:002009-04-30T05:19:40.596-05:00Beyond epic failThis brand spanking new $200 million dollar Airbus 340-600,the largest passenger airplane ever built, sits just outside its hangar in Toulouse, France without a single hour of airtime.They might want to rethink the brakes.Plane meets wall...wall wins..andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-31015219513512720502009-04-28T14:10:00.002-05:002009-04-28T14:12:16.719-05:00.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-26164477715520392132009-04-27T06:42:00.004-05:002009-04-27T07:01:45.323-05:00When the saints come marching inI fell the other day.Yes, I have an “I fell and I can’t get up“ button, but this fortunately wasn’t worth summoning the paramedics.The easiest (?) entrance/exit to our house is the side door that leads to our trashy carport. Problem – two steps only, with about a 7 inch rise. That’s always been difficult, especially as we age (gracefully, of course) and somehow theandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-46998284058329406542009-04-24T15:22:00.011-05:002009-04-24T15:50:41.360-05:00The EndGM to pull the plug on Pontiac The brand credited with originating the muscle car will no longer be part of GM's future, according to a source.There was a time when I thought my life was incomplete without a GTO Judge.A black one, of course..andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-2347870353757559672009-04-23T15:02:00.002-05:002009-04-23T15:14:38.783-05:00The Party of New Ideas?Meghan McCain slams Cheney, Rove: "You had your eight years - Go Away"That's the spirit.Democrats are quite used to coming up with the concept of new ideas.Now all the GOP needs is some good, long-term ideas.So far, all I think I've heard is we need a few guys running around screaming at cows to stop farting..andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-57130930127945148422009-04-22T14:19:00.002-05:002009-04-22T14:22:10.559-05:00How long before we hear this...Who killed David Kellerman?I'm betting on Michelle Obama with the Portuguese Pooch.In the vegtable garden..andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-67982729784448711942009-04-18T18:23:00.015-05:002009-04-18T19:37:39.315-05:00Not pet picture of the dayThis is Baby Molly of High Meadow Farm, just a ways down the road.Ain't she sweet? A sweet little baby alpaca.Baby Molly meets one of the farm dogs. Farm dog is a little skeptical, with good reason. He knows she'll grow up.Here's Baby Molly with her elegant Mama, who certainly lost some of that elegance a about a week later.It was shearing time.Alpacas don't appreciate andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-33535490350370886052009-04-18T14:12:00.002-05:002009-04-18T14:18:18.159-05:00The former Clown In Chief is in ChinaDear GodBush said after he left the White House and moved into his new home in Dallas, Texas, he decided to take his Scottish terrier Barney for a walk. To be a good neighbor, he said he carried a plastic bag so he could clean up his dog's droppings. The task seemed ironic to him, he said. "I was picking up what I had been dodging for eight years," Bush andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-25822891018383871892009-04-17T18:39:00.004-05:002009-04-17T21:21:00.728-05:00Old Fogey Friday Fun NightWhat a great treatfor weary travelers!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UE3CNu_rtY*****And of course, ther's Susan Boyle, who wants to sing for the Queen.The Queen should be so lucky.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZYYep - you'll have to do the url's yourself. This little old lady is too tired to get it' at the the moment.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-7953952153420586902009-04-15T10:04:00.002-05:002009-04-15T10:13:46.944-05:00Out of itI've been somewhat out-of-the-loop for quite a while, and I have to admit this whole Teabagging business really had me confused.I think I've got it now, though.There are apparently some folks who don't like ANY taxes, and I sincerely wish them luck when their house is on fire and they're waiting on the neighborhood bucket brigade.The majority seem to be protesting any taxes going to 'andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-57016455328464943152009-04-11T22:04:00.004-05:002009-04-11T23:01:12.894-05:00Easter tradition and deviled eggsI really should apologize for the blanket "I'm fine" in the last post.There are still serious physical issues going on. After all, they don't irradiate your brain because it's a greater priority than the growing need for stronger chemo or other torture to the old lung stuff.But I AM fine mentally - as much as I can be, I guess - and spiritually. Gawd, it's a sorryandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-72838209745044764792009-04-06T11:59:00.005-05:002009-04-06T12:09:06.481-05:00StuffFirst of all, I'm fine. A little more "quality time" in the hospital recently where they discovered some brain lesions - what's left of my brain is now being irradiated and it's a very effective treatment. My doctor has left for a 2-week vacation to Costa Rica (isn't that too bad?), so I get a very welcomed 2-week break from chemo.All North Carolina will be quiet tonight as we bend our will andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-75354811289652705762009-02-10T22:18:00.002-05:002009-02-10T22:21:11.287-05:00Wall Street: This Stimulus Is Pretty LousyDear Wall Street -Would you like a look at what little is left of Mr. Andante's IRA?I'm sure it would make you feel blessed.Sincerely,Andanteandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-61752060888008716442009-02-08T00:25:00.004-05:002009-02-08T01:12:03.099-05:00CrapThere's been so much Republican whining lately it's hard to know what makes my head explode harder& faster - but I have finally decided the idea that FDR's New Deal "failed" may be the winner.Have these jackasses ever sat down and talked with someone who lived through the Great Depression? I'm talking about one of the millions of Americans who didn't just sail above it on the family fortune, andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-67100686469468265282009-01-30T00:01:00.007-05:002009-01-30T07:22:19.090-05:00AwwwwwMitch McConnell, the top Republican in the U.S. Senate, warned his party on Thursday it must appeal to a broader spectrum of American voters if it hopes to recapture power in Washington.I am thoroughly enjoying watching the Republican clown show as they whine about shooting themselves in the foot. Feet. Whatever.Keep up the good work, boys.*****Water bills too high?This might be the problemandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-18416872312782345852009-01-20T13:59:00.001-05:002009-01-20T14:01:14.276-05:00FiguresHow interesting is it that a Bush appointee - Chief Justice Roberts - messed up his little part in the ceremony?andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-70335553836527072222009-01-20T12:06:00.007-05:002009-01-20T12:33:32.796-05:00DoneAm I the only Democrat in the country NOT on the Mall today?Just a few observations...HW Bush should swat Cheney out of that wheelchair and use it himself.I've heard waterboarding is good for a bad back....As rich as the Bushies are, couldn't they afford to buy Laura something better than a burlap sack? I know,I know - it's probably some high-priced designer original. Still looks like a andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-54285560465106651312009-01-18T22:46:00.002-05:002009-01-19T05:41:50.886-05:00I’d get down on my knees, but it’s too hard to get up.Tuesday, January 20, 2009What a day. There will be champagne, backslapping, high fives, and terrorist fist bumping.And I hear there’s a new Democratic president, too.On Tuesday, I will be a one-year cancer survivor.Oh, not one-year cancer free…it’s still with me. But when I was first diagnosed, nobody expected me to see the summer.I saw it. Itandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-3107467240169756562008-12-16T15:23:00.003-05:002008-12-16T15:45:06.763-05:00Is this thing on?So much has happened, but I just had a chemo treatment with some really `ugly` stuff yesterday, and chemo-brain is in full swing.Before that, I spent some more quality time with the hospital - pneumonia, again. Sort of put a damper on Thanksgiving this year.*** `Tis the season when people the world over ask the age-old question - `Whatever shall we give Andante for Christmas?`I andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-69580828414473960142008-11-27T05:53:00.002-05:002008-11-27T05:58:52.295-05:00Happy Thanksgiving!Hope yours is a good one. Even though I am still recuperating from being in the hosptal, where I caught a crappy cough & cold, I still plan to attend the annual In-Law Food Fest.With a fork in each hand.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-8170295937166256602008-11-22T14:34:00.007-05:002008-11-22T15:41:48.658-05:00That was the vacation that wasA generous, kind friend offered us the (free) use of his Cherry Grove Beach, SC condo. Hot dog! I hadn't had a vacation in five years!We rented a car, since both our vehicles are either pushing 100K miles or already over it.We picked up the car, got the condo key & directions from our friend, and excitedly went home to pack and get ready to leave the next morning.At andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-90448290960683721672008-11-05T00:38:00.001-05:002008-11-05T00:40:34.823-05:00Dear Planet Earth -You're welcome.Sincerely,Andanteandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-86286164297941633582008-11-04T23:04:00.004-05:002008-11-04T23:07:17.478-05:00.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-78806909889079601022008-11-03T12:33:00.002-05:002008-11-03T12:44:32.863-05:00Eavesdropping…or, as I prefer to call it, “taking an interest in the opinions of others”.I knew, when I took a job at a church in deepest, darkest Redneck Heaven , that I would have ample opportunity to practice keeping my big liberal mouth shut.It’s never been so hard as it is during this election year.I’m still dumbfounded by all these otherwise intelligent people who rail against ‘socialism’ andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-5028301538812100342008-11-03T11:01:00.000-05:002008-11-03T11:03:09.274-05:00Election EveI think – dare I hope? – I’ll wake up Wednesday morning with a big, Democratic smile on my face.I think – dare I hope? – I’ll go visit my nursing homebound mother that morning, give her the good news, and get to see a big, Democratic grin on her face. She’ll forget all about it in two minutes, but it will be a happy two minutes for the both of us.I think – dare I hope? – I will call andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-50946679077680265762008-10-21T11:39:00.003-05:002008-10-21T12:00:42.340-05:00It's been how long since I posted anything?Chemo treatments are once a week now, so I spend most of my clear-headed, non-nauseated time trying to catch up on work, errands, etc.And I've had internet issues', which if I were more educated or less chemo-brained I could have figured out a week ago.But today I'm really puzzled - perhaps some kind soul will help me out?Is there an Annual andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-27592978611616259172008-10-07T23:15:00.002-05:002008-10-07T23:47:30.060-05:00Stray 'debate' thoughtsOf all the reasons I can lay out for voting against McCain - and they are legion - just imagine hearing 'my friends' over and over and over and over...Thank you, Sen. Obama, for mentioning that most small business owners make LESS than $250K per year. I know quite a few small business owners. Either they are going bankrupt, have gone bankrupt, or are struggling as hard as andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-23588665324640088852008-10-02T15:50:00.004-05:002008-10-02T16:02:04.372-05:00My non-alcoholic debate game I agree with John Cole - the best thing for Gov. Palin to do during the debate is to turn each 'answer' into an attack. That way, she won't have to actually answer.So I've decided on my debate game.Since my medications don't, alas, go well with alcohol - I made a batch of these:Every time the governor attacks, I'll eat a brownie.Every time she says 'betcha' or 'gotchaandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-52604674233431507742008-09-24T07:57:00.005-05:002008-09-24T22:22:10.548-05:00Let me get this straightI don’t know squat about economics other than my own skimpy checking account and my ever-increasing pile of medical bills. But I do know this:North Carolina has a Medicaid program for the ‘medically needy’ – those whose income is too high for ‘’categorically needy’ Medicaid but have catastrophic medical bills and no hope of paying them. Trust me, it's easy to rack up andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-86783144511780920702008-09-21T20:39:00.002-05:002008-09-21T21:31:16.679-05:00I admit it - I'm a hypocriteI thought it prudent to confess my hypocrisy, just in case I ever find myself accused.Yes,I was all ready to write a scathing, disdainful screed about the McCain family 's fleet of thirteen vehicles.2004 Cadillac CTS2005 Volkswagen convertible2001 Honda sedan2007 half-ton Ford pickup truckvintage 1960 Willys Jeep2008 Jeep Wrangler2000 Lincoln2001 GMC SUVthree 2000 NEV andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-13216846009037917682008-09-19T12:39:00.004-05:002008-09-19T12:52:05.014-05:00Talk Like A Pirate DayTop off your celebration with this memorable quote from Captain Jack Sparrow (aka Johnny Depp) when discussing his young daughter with an interviewer:"It hasn't really registered that daddy's an actor. There was a woman at some restaurant who asked what her parents did, and Lilly Rose said, 'Well, my mommy's a singer.' And the lady said, 'Oh, yeah? What does your daddy do?' andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-74053781112893054722008-09-18T14:21:00.002-05:002008-09-18T14:45:35.562-05:00Misc.So my CT scan this time wasn't as happy as the last one. It could have been a whole lot worse. I'm back in chemo, with the possible addition of radiation. But the cancer is confined to ONE spot - not spread elsewhere, nor as big. That's good news.In the meantime, I have to get over a slight bout with pneumonia before I can undergo anything. I most likely picked it up while visiting The Materandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-63969852858119378692008-08-22T06:32:00.003-05:002008-08-22T07:49:34.647-05:00The homefrontBeing somewhat pop-culturally-challenged, I don't claim to know much about 'celebrity'.But I do know how to use The Google, and found the following:Sir Paul McCartney owns six homes, and it's possible he owns four others.Britney Spears about six.Intensive Googling only comes up with ONE home for Paris Hilton; she can rely on a planet-full of hotels for her digs.Brangelina - who knowsandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-60719547708893132762008-08-19T10:33:00.004-05:002008-08-19T11:07:08.553-05:00Random stuffHappy birthday to Mr. Andante! Okay, it's a day late.I'd call him older than dirt, but since I have a few years on him - I won't go there.*******Since I've been semi-incapacitated by numb hands & feet, I have to hobble along with the help of cane and I can't hobble very far without my leg muscles feeling like limp noodles. I've filled out my application for a 'handicapped' placard soandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-24398074283235686512008-08-07T06:44:00.002-05:002008-08-07T06:57:28.350-05:00All hail nuclear power!SO glad to hear John McSame's plan to build 45 new nuclear plants!And just think....we can knock that number down to 35 by building the first ten in his back yards!andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-71133625338415723982008-08-04T21:57:00.002-05:002008-08-04T22:09:09.807-05:00So long, SkipThose of us who wear a Braves bag over our heads are mourning the death of 'The Voice of the Braves', Skip Caray, who died Sunday. He would have been 69 years old on August 12th.Skip was the son of Harry Caray and father of current Braves broadcaster, Chip.Rest ye gentle, Skip.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-6468304642893456142008-08-04T10:47:00.002-05:002008-08-04T10:56:44.299-05:00I use3d; toi be3;pa p43t t ryt goiod typistWhich translates as "I used to be a pretty good typist".One of the many fun things about the chemo side effects is peripheral neuropathy - the nerve endings in my fingers and toes were destroyed. They will (or hopefully SHOULD) regenerate over time.I hate to wish away time - but PLEASE let that time be soon.So that's my latest excuse for not posting andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-71742897985339817632008-08-03T15:39:00.003-05:002008-08-03T15:43:28.181-05:00A stray thoughtIf Hillary Rodham Clinton were the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee and she said "Republicans would try to scare voters by pointing out that (s)he doesn’t look like all those other presidents on the dollar bills.”...would the McSame campaign be hissy-fitting that she'd played the sexist card?Just askin'.....andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-42008374409892193172008-07-21T10:44:00.004-05:002008-12-11T14:24:09.577-05:00Various items of almost-interestI think I lose my blogging rights if I don't post something occasionally, so here are a few items folks might have missed.YOU can help the Obama family!Like parents the world over, the Obama's are holding a bribe over their daughter's heads - they get a dog if they behave themselves. The breed has to be good with children, of course, but -As for a breed for the andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-50519411987821272672008-07-04T12:26:00.002-05:002008-07-04T12:32:42.440-05:00'Senator No' diesThe man my mother frequently called "that bug-eyed fool" is gone.Former Sen. Jesse Helms, who built a career along the fault lines of racial politics and battled liberals, Communists and the occasional fellow Republican during 30 conservative years in Congress, died on the Fourth of July. He was 86....Early on, his habit of blocking nominations and legislation won him a nickname andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-44073635601813125752008-07-02T16:54:00.003-05:002008-07-02T16:58:14.454-05:00Yeah, dem's mine 2.,andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-86053103979227235772008-07-02T16:43:00.002-05:002008-07-02T16:51:05.733-05:00Iran envoy dismisses attack threatIran's top diplomat predicted Wednesday that the United States and Israel would not risk the "craziness" of attacking his country and possibly provoking a wider Middle East war or driving oil prices into uncharted heights.Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki said in an interview with The Associated Press that he does not believe a military strike is looming while andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-78054836394800772832008-06-18T16:37:00.002-05:002008-06-18T16:44:33.797-05:00CT scan resultsAfter six excruciating rounds of chemo (18 treatments), I finally got the results today. Here's the relevant part of the radiology report:"Right hilar/mediastinal mass has significantly decreased. Whereas it measured up to 6 cm at the CT examination 01/22/08 and smaller at exam 2/27/08, it now measures only up to 2 cm presently occurring in the region of the right tracheobronchial andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-83553898549169652462008-06-10T15:10:00.004-05:002008-12-11T14:24:09.975-05:00A/C timeWhen it's pushing 90 degrees at 10:30 a.m. it's time to turn the air conditioning full blast.And it's time for the Collective Sigh critters to complain to the management.Bandit: "It's too COLD!!!".Trouble: "It's to HOT!".andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-460298255525430752008-06-06T04:52:00.002-05:002008-12-11T14:24:10.323-05:00.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-90561651583236923672008-05-26T03:40:00.002-05:002008-05-26T03:43:58.662-05:00Memorial Day 2008Nobody nails it better than Joseph Galloway:Let's all pay lip service to Support Our Troops. But if we want to be honest, we should edit those yellow-ribbon bumper stickers to say Support Our Troops — As Long As It Doesn't Cost Anything.Let's acknowledge that this new generation of soldiers and Marines is amazingly motivated and talented. They're expected to be good killers, goodandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-20078512748956673892008-05-22T11:45:00.004-05:002008-05-22T12:06:48.063-05:00The wrong personI just yesterday finished my sixth round of chemo - eighteen treatments, by God - and I have severe chemo-brain. My fingers don't work well, and my brain is suffering a weird disconnect. I'm going to barf any minute, at which point the fatigue will overwhelm me.What's Marie Cocco's excuse?Woe is her, Hillary Clinton is the only woman in the country with the knowledge, portfolio, andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-66445538826466500922008-05-14T06:51:00.003-05:002008-05-14T07:23:39.229-05:00Compare and contrastHurricane Katrina makes landfall at 7 a.m. on August 29, 2005.August 29, 2005 - Bush shares birthday cake with Senator John McCain in Phoenix, visits Arizona resort and California to promote Medicare drug benefits, and goes to bed without acting on Louisiana Governor Blanco's requests.August 30, 2005 - Another day and another photo op in BushWorld before going to bed at his andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-21007591079829599272008-05-06T07:13:00.002-05:002008-05-06T08:15:48.386-05:00Confusion, chocolate, the primary, McCain's folly,I suppose I should start every post with "sorry for the long silence". As I've said before, chemo is a bitch and it doesn't get easier. I'm hanging in there. barely. I've finished five rounds, with one more to go before some tests to monitor progress.Among the many hateful side effects, perhaps the most devastating to me is chemo brain. A andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-39927469326696045182008-04-21T14:51:00.001-05:002008-04-21T14:53:41.352-05:00Go get 'em, girlElizabeth Edwards shoots back at John "Cheap Shot" McNasty on health insurance and pre-existing conditions.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-28766509159399324092008-04-15T07:37:00.003-05:002008-04-15T13:24:03.115-05:00Pod peopleI've had this column at TPM Cafe by Maggie Mahar bookmarked for a week now, trying to figure out how many good things I can say about it without going overboard.Point number one - "It is time, I think, to face the realpolitik of health care reform."Those of us who are intensely interested in health insurance reform and advocates for a single-payer system need to come to grips with the andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-379437873514776132008-04-08T08:30:00.003-05:002008-04-08T09:09:00.975-05:00StuffSorry for the long silence - I am still alive and kicking, though after this fourth Satan-inspired round of chemo the "alive" is "just barely" and the "kicking" is more like making feeble gestures with my big toe.Geez. Chemo is a bitch.Anyone who has suffered through it or suffered along with a loved one can sympathize with "chemo mouth", that awful bleachy-bile taste that makes everything andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-16890811979303551322008-03-21T00:26:00.002-05:002008-03-21T00:28:40.719-05:00Thanks, I needed thatIt was a particularly rough round with chemo this past week, but thanks to PZ Myers I end the week laughing like I haven't laughed in ages.Lookee here...andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-16844560030780115702008-03-20T07:01:00.004-05:002008-12-11T14:24:10.625-05:00RIP Paul ScofieldPaul Scofield, British Actor, Dies at 86I know I saw A Man for All Seasons at least five times in theaters when it was first released. Each time I took away something new from Scofield's portrayal of Sir Thomas More.A lift of the eyebrow, a slight gesture of the hand - there was always something new and meaningful to discover in his characterization.Actor Richard Burton, once andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-18666657778080517782008-03-15T11:25:00.002-05:002008-03-15T11:38:16.883-05:00Heard it all beforeFerraro:“If Obama was a white man, he would not be in this position. And if he was a woman [of any color] he would not be in this position. He happens to be very lucky to be who he is. And the country is caught up in the concept.”Gingrich:Newt Gingrich is saying that Geraldine Ferraro’s comment about Barack Obama was “childish” and “silly” — and “something that probably was andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-31206916776862366132008-03-10T09:07:00.003-05:002008-03-10T15:40:37.861-05:00Do tellFirst of all, let me offer my sincere congratulations to Senator McCain for dealing with and (hopefully) conquering his problems with cancer and offer my best wishes for continued good health.But he needs to release his medical records. I know it's a question of privacy, but when you're a nominee for president, the voters have a right to know.In fact, Clinton and Obama should do the same andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-10549907335294259192008-03-07T08:20:00.002-05:002008-03-07T08:43:18.150-05:00Still kickin'I'm still alive & kickin', and though I expect to be alive after next week's 'chemo vacation', I may not be kicking too hard. I did much, MUCH better with the nausea and fatigue after the second round, but that 'fatigue' factor is pretty difficult to surmount.In addition to nausea and fatigue, I have The Gummint to deal with. The first hurdle was Social Security Disability...and I andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-60367930833209786152008-02-29T10:55:00.003-05:002008-02-29T10:59:07.679-05:00That's okay, John -Via Raw Story:"I'm a proud conservative, liberal Repub -- uh, conservative Republican," McCain said, trying to stuff his Freudian slip back into his mouth.(snip)The "proud ... liberal" slip wasn't McCain's only brush with what Freud might say was an inadvertent revelation of his subconscious thoughts. Early in the speech, railing against negative campaign ads, McCain said the andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-26151018657226560552008-02-29T06:07:00.003-05:002008-02-29T06:53:42.382-05:00The way it should beShe is a breast cancer survivor of ten years standing, and I was glad to sit down with her to hear of her experiences and share some of the anxieties.She is an employee of many years with a large company; one that offers health insurance and many other benefits to it's employees.Over the years, the deductibles have risen dramatically, the co-pays have increasing along with it,andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-3072083472036092392008-02-26T11:56:00.003-05:002008-02-26T12:12:46.354-05:00Good enough for me - the Collective Sigh endorsementCan we have a little sanity in the Obama vs. Clinton health insurance debate?Look - both plans are vague; neither delivers everything progressives could wish for.Neither are finished products.I am happy that whichever candidate prevails, there will be a focus on creating something along the lines of universal health insurance.And it really andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-18306613509106866232008-02-25T06:58:00.002-05:002008-02-25T07:01:06.598-05:00Monday's profound observationOrdering a patient to FAST from midnight until a 1:00 pm procedure is cruel and inhumane punishment.Here it is, 7:00 a.m. and I'm already climbing the walls.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-36081688877686000272008-02-21T07:12:00.002-05:002008-02-21T07:25:09.887-05:00Gotta love DrudgeI love that big, honkin' screaming headline I saw today - "NOW THAT HE'S SECURED NOMINATION: NYT DOWNLOADS ON MCCAIN"...all together now - "you've got to wonder at the timing..."Yessir - too bad the NYT didn't do their downloading back a couple months ago; we might have had the Mittster or Grandpa Fred or Huckster or Mr. Over $50 Million For One Delegate as the Republican nomineeandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-38114984693026963482008-02-21T02:05:00.002-05:002008-02-21T02:19:19.914-05:00The universal health insurance quandryVery interesting Walter Shapiro piece in Salon on universal health insurance.Yes - I do agree that in order to achieve a universal plan, it must be mandated. But it must also be affordable. Both candidates find it in vogue to be vague when it comes to detailing how their subsidy plans would work. Obama promises, "Individuals and families who do not qualify andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-851519806722705452008-02-20T14:32:00.001-05:002008-02-20T14:32:47.269-05:00Interesting-to-only-me "Vacation" bloggingI am in the midst of one of my brief chemotherapy "vacation", and so far all is going well or at least better. No side effects...YET...they normally don't make their ugly appearance until after the three day treatments are over. I've had two - the next one (tomorrow) is outpatient. But I've also been able to eat some solid food, and I am hoping that willandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-2877416486266051552008-02-18T16:09:00.003-05:002008-02-18T16:26:40.880-05:00Real life experienceI'll define 'real life' for the moment and for my own purposes as "those experiences common to the average American citizen".I don't consider it essential that a presidential candidate have all sort of real life experiences, but it would sway my thinking if they did.After all, we have wealthy candidates who had a true feel for hardship - Franklin D. Roosevelt comes to mind andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-50582136239587058972008-02-14T07:39:00.002-05:002008-02-14T07:47:12.065-05:00Sooper-dooper delegatesUnless you cast your support according to the will of the voters, you ain't so super in my book.In fact, I'd call you arrogant, anti-democratic, election-stealing pigs.Clinton advisers rejected the notion that the candidate -- and the party -- would be badly wounded in the general election if the nominee were essentially selected by a group of party insiders.Much in the andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-45894404470964938232008-02-12T10:03:00.000-05:002008-02-12T10:06:29.991-05:00From the horse's mouthA buddy in Northern Virginia has voted in the primary before the morning rush hour. Lines are huge. Polling places inadequate. Sentiment is overwhelmingly Obama.It may be an entirely different story in the southern part of the state where the ghost of Falwell still haunts and the undead Pat Robertson still rules. andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-32983915886411777352008-02-11T22:05:00.001-05:002008-02-11T22:13:58.537-05:00The Bill comes inGot the bill today for what was, without a doubt, the most expensive "vacation" I'll ever take.Just a tad under $32,000.00We paid at least that much in about four years of premiums; payments to insurance companies that never had to pay a claim as our yearly deductible was so high.We wuz robbed.They were never 'insuring' us for a damned thing - just gambling that we wouldn't use aandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-64878238693586244752008-02-11T00:18:00.000-05:002008-02-11T00:22:54.746-05:00A stolen CAUCUS????Did the Washington state Republican party really try to steal the caucus and throw it to McCain?Huck has lawyered up. Gawd, I love it.I may even send a Buck to Huck; just as a little sympathy offering.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-2823806387707236102008-02-09T03:16:00.001-05:002008-02-09T07:23:09.575-05:00I am a single-issue voterI was laid up AGAIN in the hospital for a night, which is a long boring story including a 9-1-1- call, a joyride with the mighty EMT's, a stress test, and not much else. Not the best way to celebrate my One-Year-Closer-To-Medicare Day.I'm Home-Sweet-Home again and hope to avoid such forays in the future.I had my new toy - a relatively inexpensive laptop - so didn't rely andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-4989664050616364142008-02-05T10:49:00.000-05:002008-02-05T11:16:36.841-05:00Thank you, sir - may I have another?If your mind is still open to any possible goodness in Dubya's "heart", this should slam the door closed:Bush takes aim at Medicare, MedicaidBudget Would Freeze Medicare Payments for Most Health Care ProvidersPresident Bush took his proposals to slow Medicare and Medicaid spending to a new scale in his proposed 2009 budget even though previous, more modest andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-20744800610008491992008-02-04T23:49:00.000-05:002008-02-05T00:00:46.880-05:00An extraordinary departureAnother man with a bit o' military experience speaks...Prince Andrew rebukes America over Iraq The Duke of York has launched an unprecedented attack on President George W Bush's White House administration for failing to listen more to the advice of the British Government over the Iraq war.On the eve of a 10-day mission to America in his role as British trade envoy, he andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-55421270307612735972008-02-04T07:02:00.001-05:002008-02-04T07:37:52.962-05:00Indecision 2008I'm completely undecided between Obama and Clinton, but I won't be voting on Super Tuesday anyway. The North Carolina powers-that-be have made the decision for me by scheduling our primary in May.By May, I confidently expect the media will be going into orgasmic rhapsodies over Old Man McCain's 'maverick' staight-talkin' jive and praising his longevity as a model for all human andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-80248919429331814562008-02-03T05:17:00.000-05:002008-02-03T05:47:22.011-05:00Back to the futureAs I get a wee bit of appetite & energy back after my "winter vacation", it's finally time to refocus on something more important than my own health concerns - politics.And especially - why the hell has it taken the Pro Football Hall of Fame seven long years to admit Redskins wide receiver Art Monk to their hallowed halls?ABOUT TIME, you jerks. And congratulations to Darryl andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-89943029772377267122008-01-30T16:29:00.000-05:002008-01-30T17:26:18.132-05:00My Winter Vacation...or "I ain't dead yet"I will have to keep this short, as I am still weak from my 'winter vacation' (yes, I got one). And I ain't dead yet, and don't plan to be for quite some time.My winter vacation was approximately 10 days in a nice, private room with room service and smiling attendants who saw to my every need. What more could anyone want?Even had a nice view from my windowandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-78430470938977340672008-01-19T07:12:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:24:11.413-05:00Silent but deadly - Saturday tree blogging and miscellaneousA little matter of an ice storm the other day made things semi-panicky around here and shut down the area temporarily. Followed by sun, melting, kicks in the pants for being alarmists, and another round of winter-weather-maybe today. Photos around the old family estate below.Fortunately, this was not anywhere as severe as the one in 2002andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-65612347309327788752008-01-17T00:17:00.000-05:002008-01-17T01:41:41.292-05:00Ain't misbehavin' anymoreYeah, another long one. Usually I say "so sue me".Today (it is 'today' by the time I type this) I say - please read on.I usually don't know what I'm talking about (silence from the peanut gallery, please) but this time I actually DO. And yes - it can be a matter of life and death.I've had this Salon column bookmarked since it was posted on Jan. 10th, but haven't had a andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-30957129006412394982008-01-15T06:20:00.000-05:002008-01-15T06:58:08.441-05:00Medical tort reformAs it happens, I am all in favor of giving a good legal scouring to the entire health industry.Here's a good place to start:Salary & stock options of Merck's CEO, Richard Clark:$1.1 million base pay; 125,000 stock options at a grant price of $34.70, exercisable in three installments in May 2006, May 2007 and May 2008Fred Hassan, CEO of Schering-Plough reels in a cool $5.79 andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-56222592766622302832008-01-11T12:26:00.000-05:002008-01-11T12:29:29.257-05:00I demand satisfaction (slap with gloves)South Carolina tailor made for me' - Dead FredThem, sir, is fightin' words.I may be of the North Carolina persuasion, but on behalf of Carolinians everywhere - I resent that remark.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-34242567214181651352008-01-11T09:31:00.001-05:002008-01-11T09:36:23.932-05:00Thank goodness that's almost overMy preznit visits Israel and the West Bank!Tells the Israelis to stop building settlements, tells the Arabs to stop shooting!Peace within a year!OMG!!!This diplomatery is so easy!andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-58885964542752500962008-01-10T07:58:00.000-05:002008-01-10T15:32:23.757-05:00LMAOIf you are surprised at how badly WRONG all the Pooh-Bahs and Learned and Wise pundits were about the New Hampshire Democratic primary, then let me assure you that upon receipt of your $5,000 I will send you $21 million dollars for deposit and upon completion of the transaction will then split the money with you. Edwards gal that I am, I might well have been tempted to vote for Hillary duringandantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-74682644765206685162008-01-08T17:41:00.000-05:002008-01-08T23:14:39.172-05:00That 'fire in the belly' is sometimes indigestionRasmussen currently has Dead Fred roaring into the New Hampshire primaries at 3% - just behind the formidable "Not Sure" at 4%.I can't recall when I've ever seen a more lame campaign, unless it was maybe my own first (and last) foray into the electoral process during the sixth grade.For some reason, my classmates nominated me (the class clown) to andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-84832012364825053882008-01-08T07:21:00.000-05:002008-01-08T07:52:57.490-05:00Today in 1815"In 1814 we took a little tripAlong with Colonel Jackson down the mighty MississipWe took a little bacon and we took a little beansAnd we caught the bloody British in the town of New Orleans"(written by Jimmy Driftwood)So ended the final engagement of the War of 1812 - two weeks after the war officially ended.If you're old enough to remember that song - yes, you are old. Join the andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-11693937516089848732008-01-04T09:16:00.000-05:002008-01-04T09:37:48.051-05:00ObamaOkay.I'm still an Edwards gal, and there ARE some areas where Obama is lacking. But I could get behind him. I could get behind any of the Dem candidates if I have to choose - which I likely won't. The North Carolina primary isn't until frickin' MAY.I'm sorry to see Chris Dodd (and Biden, for that matter) withdraw. I really liked Dodd especially, and certainly liked his health plan. It has andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-89923141518580485432008-01-02T17:08:00.000-05:002008-01-02T17:18:01.984-05:00Folly? Brave? Smart?Edwards urges pullout of troops training IraqisI admit it - when I first saw this headline this morning my kneejerk reaction was - "Oh, no - he'll get clobbered".But - why not? And so what?Let the other candidates clobber away. Let the good folks in Iowa and New Hampshire ask them 'why don't you want to get out of Iraq?'If we ever intend to LEAVE Iraq, the first step has got andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-19045841898858069902007-12-31T21:11:00.000-05:002007-12-31T21:55:54.248-05:00Goodbye 2007Yeah, this is too long. Sue me.The year 2007 has been a real roller coaster for us here at the Collective Sigh International Headquarters.There have been sad losses and goodbyes – a dear kitty, several good friends died far too young, and of course the health insurance industry decided they were too good for us or we were too poor for them or both.But there were some wonderful andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-52573982779093550432007-12-28T19:57:00.000-05:002007-12-28T19:58:48.458-05:00If it's not one thing, it's another...Mourning the death of a friend in an automobile accident.Back soon.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-37713035687820788532007-12-24T06:30:00.000-05:002007-12-24T06:53:11.852-05:00A Christmas gift that keeps on giving, and giving, and giving....You may have seen it on the news at one time - over two decades ago, 677 nuns from the School Sisters of Notre Dame granted a young researcher's request to test them each year in order to track the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other age-related brain disorders.Now they've given the world the final, loving gift that will andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-37966700085297715692007-12-22T14:20:00.000-05:002007-12-22T14:57:59.441-05:00Random ramblingsWith all the profits Wal Mart makes from low-paid workers and driving competitors out of business - why don't they hire traffic cops at Christmas time?I don't mean outside in the parking lot (not a bad idea), but inside the store. Morons who park themselves and their shopping carts in the middle of the aisle while they yakety-yak on their cell phones should have their shopping andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-74025501206886868682007-12-21T11:58:00.001-05:002008-12-11T14:24:12.362-05:00The baby comes home today!No, not this one.....This one......Judging from her wishlist, I am sure my 22-yr-old baby still believes in Santa Claus, so - ssssshhhhhhhhhhhh.....Disclaimer: No, the baby in the first picture isn't mine; I didn't have time to search my hard drive for a picture of my own squalling, scrawny infant. This one is a friend's adorable little boy who is now just old enough to andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-38018664896855139192007-12-21T11:52:00.001-05:002008-12-11T14:24:12.525-05:00Friday Cat BloggingWhen not posing as a Christmas present under the tree (you'll have to take my word for it there's a tree on his other side), Trouble takes time off from looking for his brother to wake me up at 1:30 a.m. wanting his ears scratched.andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-54677203757613187912007-12-19T21:07:00.000-05:002007-12-19T21:19:04.881-05:00'Twas the fight before Christmas.......North Carolina style.And a damned fine Merry Christmas was had by all.Someone should get O'Reilly down here right away.Parents May Face Charges After Christmas Program FightHIGH POINT, N.C. (WGHP) – Witnesses said elementary school children were shaken and crying after a fight between three adults disrupted their Christmas program Tuesday night.One parent andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-2576454202409318292007-12-17T17:16:00.000-05:002007-12-17T20:48:49.001-05:00Oh, THANK YOU, Preznit Bush!Our Man in the White House:He acknowledged the nation's major economic woes — mainly the housing and credit crunch — in the context of explaining what his administration is doing to help."We can mitigate some of the issues," Bush said.That's great news.I'll send the Deciderer my grocery list.Take my car. Before you bring it back, fill it up with gas. andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-9518983723435135232007-12-17T16:00:00.000-05:002007-12-17T17:04:13.201-05:00My War on Christmas, the Gift Wrapping PhaseMy gift-wrapping skills leave something to be desired. Okay, a LOT. At least they give moments of amusement, and comments like "Oh, LET ME GUESS who this is from!!"I want to make it clear that I do NOT envy people who can give exquisitely wrapped presents.They either had it done at the mall or they spent far too much time and money on what's outside, andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-5174266675739783842007-12-15T21:01:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:24:12.808-05:00Less oneSadly, the Collective Sigh Household and Menagerie is less one important member tonight.I heard Randy making a gut-wrenching, agonizing howling noise in the back of the house. I frantically went searching for him - he was lying 'funny' on the floor, his pupils completely dilated and breathing labored as he cried.We immediately bundled him off to the emergency vet, but by the time we got andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-91728922482064761592007-12-14T12:29:00.000-05:002008-12-11T14:24:13.334-05:00Friday cat bloggingIt IS Friday, isn't it?Trouble sits at the sliding glass door every morning, chirping back at the birds and hoping to persuade one to open the door and hop into his mouth.Yes, I know the vertical blinds are filthy. Someone should really ring for the maid.Bonus chihuahua bloggingIt's normally the cat's job, but Nicky fills in on that daily "Relax on freshly-washed pile of andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6027900.post-10814378795529523962007-12-13T19:21:00.000-05:002007-12-13T19:32:47.140-05:00"Fixing" our broken health care insurance systemFor whom?How healthy is your medical credit score?System being designed to help hospitals figure out whether you'll pay them Mortgage lenders aren't the only ones showing more interest in your credit score these days – the health industry is creating its own score to judge your ability to pay.The new medFICO score, being designed with the help of andantehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16211022789486787328noreply@blogger.com