Had a few minutes before I clean the bathrooms, so while I'm listening to classical Christmas tunes, thought I'd let you know what Christmas eve was like here. Jake and Martyna took Gabe and Luke out to Seven Lakes State Park to romp around in the snow and maybe slide down a hill or two. Emma is finishing up some cookies that Brooke had started earlier. Suhitha spent the night in Windsor partying with a friend.
The morning was spent playing with Omar and Gabe. Brooke comes up with the most fun games that boys enjoy. Brings back memories. Toy cars were going over "Monkey-butt Hill" this morning.
Omar has a fever and I'm coming down with a little something. My right ear is blocked and it makes sounds very different than normal.
Our nephew Ben was over last night and he had suggested jokingly that we could have the TV set to play a fireplace on Christmas. I found a couple of them on Netflix and tried one out. It was nice with christmas songs playing along. Omar, being slowed down by his cold, enjoyed sitting on my lap and watching the fire.
The tree is nice. Jake, Martyna and I bought it at a farm and Jake cut it down with a saw. We all trimmed it that night and it's so fresh and even. It looks great with all the gifts underneath. Gabe's big gift is a two-seater Jeep. It is so big it is in the camper-van. It is a beautiful blue with "chrome" accessories. Lots of decals make it very appealing to the very young group. I wouldn't be surprised to find that Gabe buys a real Jeep one day.
I gotta go. We have a new toilet seat in the upstairs bath. The old one broke and I replaced it with a "no-slam" seat. The occupants of the adjacent bedroom won't be awakened by the slam anymore.
Hope you are as blessed as we are this Christmas.
Monday, December 24, 2012
Sunday, December 9, 2012
How to Treat People
Once again I was reading last night before falling asleep. That's almost as dangerous as thinking. The author suggests asking someone how they would like to be remembered. In their answer to this, they give hints as to how they would like to be treated by others. I think the idea was to know what things they would like to hear in the form of feedback. A person who wants to be remembered as generous would occasionally like to hear, "You're always so generous." Or to be less obvious, caring, giving etc.
Some people like to receive gifts. Flowers, jewelry etc. Others just an occasional hug or maybe fixing them a favorite dish. It would be good to know what your loved ones really appreciate. There is a lot to be learned from the relationship between the father and mother in the Robertson family on Duck Dynasty. The old man goes along with whatever his wife, Miss Kay, wants, it seems, as long as he gets some special dish or 20 minutes of rough sex in return.
Just some thoughts on a Sunday morning. Hope you are being treated well by your significant others and vice versa. Perhaps some rough sex is in order or just a gentle wank.
Some people like to receive gifts. Flowers, jewelry etc. Others just an occasional hug or maybe fixing them a favorite dish. It would be good to know what your loved ones really appreciate. There is a lot to be learned from the relationship between the father and mother in the Robertson family on Duck Dynasty. The old man goes along with whatever his wife, Miss Kay, wants, it seems, as long as he gets some special dish or 20 minutes of rough sex in return.
Just some thoughts on a Sunday morning. Hope you are being treated well by your significant others and vice versa. Perhaps some rough sex is in order or just a gentle wank.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Nation Lost
Hi all. It is early morning on a Saturday. I am up with the dog and cat. I am going to break with an unstated "rule" and write about politics. More to explain myself than to change any minds out there.
I was terribly disappointed in the results of the last election. The choice of Mitt Romney over our President seemed abundantly clear, yet he lost.
This has lead to many questions. Mainly what are people voting for; or against. Politicians use many techniques to get votes. I don't know them all. The parties do know them and will use them without shame. To them it is just a game and all is fair. If you can "paint" your opponent as mean, aloof, not one-of-us etc., and win with that strategy, then hooray, you won the game. Never mind the lying and misrepresentation.
I didn't give politics and government too much thought until I was in my late thirties. Most young people don't think about it too much. The young are more idealistic and want "fairness" in the world. I was like that, too. Robin Hood was cool, I thought, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. I guess it turns out that it was really more about over taxation by bad Prince John. For me it was Maid Marian and archery.
We don't live in an idealistic world, however. The real world is very competitive and tough. It is probably even worse than I know. I've had it pretty easy and lived a sheltered life. But, like Chris Farly says in the role of a motivational speaker, "You'll find out that you don't amount to "Jack-Squat". You'll find yourself eating a steady diet of government cheese and living in a Van, down by the river!"
Back to what happened in my late thirties. My oldest son, Curtis told me about Rush Limbaugh. Rush was a wacko right-winger on the radio, I had been told. I started listening to see what my son found appealing. Rush was entertaining, funny and smart. He is not a Republican, he is a conservative. The Democratic Party was much more conservative especially with Kennedy, by the way. The thing that really startled me with Rush was when he was talking about some recent occurrance and predicted how it would be reported in the news. A couple of days later here was the story on the evening news and being portrayed exactly as Rush had predicted.
I was impressed and still listen. I still have my own mind, with my own thoughts. I am concerned for the future of the country. The human mind is pliable when young. When it sets, it is more like concrete, you don't want to change it. Peace out.
I was terribly disappointed in the results of the last election. The choice of Mitt Romney over our President seemed abundantly clear, yet he lost.
This has lead to many questions. Mainly what are people voting for; or against. Politicians use many techniques to get votes. I don't know them all. The parties do know them and will use them without shame. To them it is just a game and all is fair. If you can "paint" your opponent as mean, aloof, not one-of-us etc., and win with that strategy, then hooray, you won the game. Never mind the lying and misrepresentation.
I didn't give politics and government too much thought until I was in my late thirties. Most young people don't think about it too much. The young are more idealistic and want "fairness" in the world. I was like that, too. Robin Hood was cool, I thought, robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. I guess it turns out that it was really more about over taxation by bad Prince John. For me it was Maid Marian and archery.
We don't live in an idealistic world, however. The real world is very competitive and tough. It is probably even worse than I know. I've had it pretty easy and lived a sheltered life. But, like Chris Farly says in the role of a motivational speaker, "You'll find out that you don't amount to "Jack-Squat". You'll find yourself eating a steady diet of government cheese and living in a Van, down by the river!"
Back to what happened in my late thirties. My oldest son, Curtis told me about Rush Limbaugh. Rush was a wacko right-winger on the radio, I had been told. I started listening to see what my son found appealing. Rush was entertaining, funny and smart. He is not a Republican, he is a conservative. The Democratic Party was much more conservative especially with Kennedy, by the way. The thing that really startled me with Rush was when he was talking about some recent occurrance and predicted how it would be reported in the news. A couple of days later here was the story on the evening news and being portrayed exactly as Rush had predicted.
I was impressed and still listen. I still have my own mind, with my own thoughts. I am concerned for the future of the country. The human mind is pliable when young. When it sets, it is more like concrete, you don't want to change it. Peace out.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Papa Grande
It was the end of a long day for me. I
had watched MSU lose in over-time to Iowa and Michigan defeat Illinois
45-0. I had made 16 pasties and since it had been a while between pasty
events, I had to spend time and energy finding all of the hardware
that is used in the production of these culinary masterpieces.
All that completed I decided to watch the remainder of the first playoff game in the ALCS between the Tigers and Yanks. The game was tied 0-0 in the fifth when I tuned in. Soon Detroit scored two runs and all was well. I wanted a couple of insurance runs and my wish came true. A 4-0 lead going into the ninth. Detroit brought in their closer, Jose Valverde, aka Papa Grande. The closer's job is to retire the side of the opponent thus preserving the winning margin.
The last time Papa Grande had been called on was about a week ago vs the Oakland A's. He had failed to hold the lead in that game and allowed them to win. Something was off. Usually his pitches are overpowering. Now, with a four run lead, he was called upon to be the closer.
The announcers on the televised game were Yankee fans. One of them noted that Valverde's first fast ball was only 90 mph as opposed to his usual 94 first offering. He later threw a pitch that was spinning, but not breaking sharply. That indicates a lack of speed. It was hit for a single. Shortly after, a Japanese slap-shot artist, hit a home run. Tiger fans held their collective breaths. Another runner reached first and another home run. There goes the lead. The Tigers ended up winning the game in the 12th inning, 6-4. I wasn't watching.
Checking social media, fans want Valverde dead. I agree that he probably should not be put out there to preserve a victory at this point. He, more than likely, is suffering some temporary "condition" that is affecting his performance. It may be low testosterone, a mild illness or lowered mental confidence.
If the Tigers have a mind coach (hypnotist) available, put him to work. Papa Grande will be effective again, even for today's game! Then he can do his victory dance which enrages the opposing fans.
All that completed I decided to watch the remainder of the first playoff game in the ALCS between the Tigers and Yanks. The game was tied 0-0 in the fifth when I tuned in. Soon Detroit scored two runs and all was well. I wanted a couple of insurance runs and my wish came true. A 4-0 lead going into the ninth. Detroit brought in their closer, Jose Valverde, aka Papa Grande. The closer's job is to retire the side of the opponent thus preserving the winning margin.
The last time Papa Grande had been called on was about a week ago vs the Oakland A's. He had failed to hold the lead in that game and allowed them to win. Something was off. Usually his pitches are overpowering. Now, with a four run lead, he was called upon to be the closer.
The announcers on the televised game were Yankee fans. One of them noted that Valverde's first fast ball was only 90 mph as opposed to his usual 94 first offering. He later threw a pitch that was spinning, but not breaking sharply. That indicates a lack of speed. It was hit for a single. Shortly after, a Japanese slap-shot artist, hit a home run. Tiger fans held their collective breaths. Another runner reached first and another home run. There goes the lead. The Tigers ended up winning the game in the 12th inning, 6-4. I wasn't watching.
Checking social media, fans want Valverde dead. I agree that he probably should not be put out there to preserve a victory at this point. He, more than likely, is suffering some temporary "condition" that is affecting his performance. It may be low testosterone, a mild illness or lowered mental confidence.
If the Tigers have a mind coach (hypnotist) available, put him to work. Papa Grande will be effective again, even for today's game! Then he can do his victory dance which enrages the opposing fans.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Missing Wife
I thought, before things go too far, that I would let it be known that my wife is missing. Nothing to be alarmed about, but just in case, I wanted to get this on the record. Don't want anyone suspecting dear old Ken. Especially since I have been moving some dirt out of the crawl-space/tunnel with a wheelbarrow. That has nothing to do with anything other than I wanted to clear some of the dirt out before I put the lawn furniture down there for the winter. If only we lived in a climate where we could just leave the stuff out all year round.
Last week-end we went to Toronto to help with moving Emma and family to new digs. Suhitha's parents, Kumari(mother) and Nalaka(father), also were helping and had their mini-van, too. These people worked their hind quarters off. It's no wonder they are so successful in life. The "kids" new house is very nice. Older, but in good shape. The rooms are large and have nice(to me) wood floors. There is a front and back yard with grass. There is a parkette very nearby. The neighborhood is a mixture of younger families in condos and older people in houses, broadly speaking. For details, check Facebook, if you are interested.
Nalaka and Kumari left Monday afternoon. There was a cricket game he wanted to see. I left shortly after them, bringing Luke back. Brooke was to come later. Not that day, but whenever. Since their phone service wasn't in yet, I couldn't call and check on her. I really wanted to but couldn't. Please print out and save a copy of this, just in case.
I got home Monday night and Brooke hasn't shown up yet. It's Friday. I'm not worried yet because with Brooke you estimate how long it will take her to do something, double that and then double that again.
I really, really hope she is all right. Who would edit my copy? I think I'll get drunk and listen to Conway Twitty, George Jones etc. It's funny though, I've been doing some strange things. Digging in the tunnel and I got my air mattress out of the garage to see if I could fix the leak in it. The last time I was with Brooke we slept on an air mattress together.
P.S. Just forget what I said about printing this out.
Hey, how about those Tigers. I watched them close out the series with Oakland last night.
Last week-end we went to Toronto to help with moving Emma and family to new digs. Suhitha's parents, Kumari(mother) and Nalaka(father), also were helping and had their mini-van, too. These people worked their hind quarters off. It's no wonder they are so successful in life. The "kids" new house is very nice. Older, but in good shape. The rooms are large and have nice(to me) wood floors. There is a front and back yard with grass. There is a parkette very nearby. The neighborhood is a mixture of younger families in condos and older people in houses, broadly speaking. For details, check Facebook, if you are interested.
Nalaka and Kumari left Monday afternoon. There was a cricket game he wanted to see. I left shortly after them, bringing Luke back. Brooke was to come later. Not that day, but whenever. Since their phone service wasn't in yet, I couldn't call and check on her. I really wanted to but couldn't. Please print out and save a copy of this, just in case.
I got home Monday night and Brooke hasn't shown up yet. It's Friday. I'm not worried yet because with Brooke you estimate how long it will take her to do something, double that and then double that again.
I really, really hope she is all right. Who would edit my copy? I think I'll get drunk and listen to Conway Twitty, George Jones etc. It's funny though, I've been doing some strange things. Digging in the tunnel and I got my air mattress out of the garage to see if I could fix the leak in it. The last time I was with Brooke we slept on an air mattress together.
P.S. Just forget what I said about printing this out.
Hey, how about those Tigers. I watched them close out the series with Oakland last night.
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Computer virus
I'm no expert on computer viruses but lately I've been forced to learn.
I have a laptop that I love. I bought it on ebay and it came with a nice package of software on it, including Windows 7 Basic. That's the first version of Windows that I've used past XP Professional.
It was working just great. A few months ago, I can't say just when, an extra icon appeared at the bottom of my screen. It looks like a shield,*suggesting protection. I'm not sure it was there all the time but as time passed it was there more often and would flash as if there was some urgency.
This is a virus that mimics a security program. The virus is called Live Security Platinum. It runs a fake scan on your computer and shows a fake report that says you have 38 infections. Trojan horses, maleware etc. Of course you are fearful and feel vulnerable.
The program will not let you get on the internet.(says a program is trying to send your credit card numbers out to a third party) OMG. If you want to get rid of all the problems you must register you copy (which it claims is a demonstration copy)
You would use your credit card to pay for it.
In my case, I would think that maybe the Live Security Platinum was part of what came with the computer.
Welcome to the war. I hope you never experience one of these, but I'm feeling we all will. My advice is to take precautions ahead of time. There is a good article on line from the university of Minnesota, which is written for students there, so they can avoid some or all of these problems. One piece of advice is to make a user account on your machine and work from that. Otherwise you will be the administrator and viruses can attack in that mode.
My nephew, Don Miller, is a computer guy. He's worked for computer companies all his life. He has trained me in removing viruses. I am awaiting hardware and software to continue my battle against these malicious programs.
I don't know the penalties for hacking but they should be harsh, dammit.
Bye for now. I'm watching the Ryder Cup.
*After further reading it seems the shield icon is a legitimate part of Win7. I'm still thinking that that nasty virus is still lurking around though.
I have a laptop that I love. I bought it on ebay and it came with a nice package of software on it, including Windows 7 Basic. That's the first version of Windows that I've used past XP Professional.
It was working just great. A few months ago, I can't say just when, an extra icon appeared at the bottom of my screen. It looks like a shield,*suggesting protection. I'm not sure it was there all the time but as time passed it was there more often and would flash as if there was some urgency.
This is a virus that mimics a security program. The virus is called Live Security Platinum. It runs a fake scan on your computer and shows a fake report that says you have 38 infections. Trojan horses, maleware etc. Of course you are fearful and feel vulnerable.
The program will not let you get on the internet.(says a program is trying to send your credit card numbers out to a third party) OMG. If you want to get rid of all the problems you must register you copy (which it claims is a demonstration copy)
You would use your credit card to pay for it.
In my case, I would think that maybe the Live Security Platinum was part of what came with the computer.
Welcome to the war. I hope you never experience one of these, but I'm feeling we all will. My advice is to take precautions ahead of time. There is a good article on line from the university of Minnesota, which is written for students there, so they can avoid some or all of these problems. One piece of advice is to make a user account on your machine and work from that. Otherwise you will be the administrator and viruses can attack in that mode.
My nephew, Don Miller, is a computer guy. He's worked for computer companies all his life. He has trained me in removing viruses. I am awaiting hardware and software to continue my battle against these malicious programs.
I don't know the penalties for hacking but they should be harsh, dammit.
Bye for now. I'm watching the Ryder Cup.
*After further reading it seems the shield icon is a legitimate part of Win7. I'm still thinking that that nasty virus is still lurking around though.
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Huge Yard Sale
We finally pulled the trigger and had a yard sale. I say yard sale because we didn't use the garage. I didn't want anyone in there.
I had done my research on how to have a successful sale but Brooke hadn't read them so they had minimal impact. One useful tip was to have a fanny pack to carry your money in. Of course you want good signs and enough change to get started. Another good one, don't badmouth your items. One thing I read that I thought was good, was to think about your goals before you start, and let everyone who is helping know what those goals are. Mainly, are you trying to clear out your house or are you trying to make money.
I'm not sure that we really defined that to ourselves. I'd say eighty percent was getting rid of things and twenty percent higher priced things to make money. The great thing was we sold almost all of the bigger items. We sold a set of chairs that I had been storing in the garage for ten years. I also sold two dressers. One was from the basement and was small, cute and painted...$50. The other was an Eastlake style that Brooke had picked up at a church sale for $60. I tried selling it on ebay but didn't get much interest. It just happened that a young man stopped by and was very interested. He was going to get it for his mother. I was showing it to him and at the same time, an antiques dealer from Montana was looking it over too. The antiques dealer, graciously took over the presentation. He made many of the points that I had made and in the end said the price was fair for that piece. That sold for $325.
We had some items that we didn't know what they were until the customers showed us. The antiques guy, again, bought a little wooden box Brooke had collected because there was a little wooden bird that popped up when the box was opened. It was a Japanese cigarette dispenser. Another item was in the shape of a rectangle with alternating plastic geometric pieces. This turned out to be a Rubik's toy that you could make into various shapes...a cross, snake etc.
There were a lot of little vignettes with people, families, experiences. People were generally chatty and in a good mood. We had a lot of fun ourselves and worked well together.
We sold a sterling silver ring for 25cents. Brass candle holders 25 cents each. Many other bargains if you looked carefully. I served cold watermelon on day one and cold strawberries on day two. How many yard sales serve hors d'oeuvres ? Do you know what an hors d'oeuvre is? So, these weren't technically hors d'oeuvres.
A kid of about 13 who had Down's Syndrome showed up with his sister. The sister was probably 16 to 18. The boy's name was Patrick. He was wearing a t-shirt that read, "I DECIDED TO PUT MYSELF IN CHARGE." We sold him a necklace with a moon on it. He liked it so much he gave me a hug and Brooke a hug. Later Brooke gave him another necklace with a starfish on it. He may have been our most satisfied customer.
I don't know if we could duplicate this sale. I doubt it. The weather was perfect, other people were having sales and there were other activities(like the Crim) that were going on.
This was the perfect way for Brooke and me to spend our anniversary.
I had done my research on how to have a successful sale but Brooke hadn't read them so they had minimal impact. One useful tip was to have a fanny pack to carry your money in. Of course you want good signs and enough change to get started. Another good one, don't badmouth your items. One thing I read that I thought was good, was to think about your goals before you start, and let everyone who is helping know what those goals are. Mainly, are you trying to clear out your house or are you trying to make money.
I'm not sure that we really defined that to ourselves. I'd say eighty percent was getting rid of things and twenty percent higher priced things to make money. The great thing was we sold almost all of the bigger items. We sold a set of chairs that I had been storing in the garage for ten years. I also sold two dressers. One was from the basement and was small, cute and painted...$50. The other was an Eastlake style that Brooke had picked up at a church sale for $60. I tried selling it on ebay but didn't get much interest. It just happened that a young man stopped by and was very interested. He was going to get it for his mother. I was showing it to him and at the same time, an antiques dealer from Montana was looking it over too. The antiques dealer, graciously took over the presentation. He made many of the points that I had made and in the end said the price was fair for that piece. That sold for $325.
We had some items that we didn't know what they were until the customers showed us. The antiques guy, again, bought a little wooden box Brooke had collected because there was a little wooden bird that popped up when the box was opened. It was a Japanese cigarette dispenser. Another item was in the shape of a rectangle with alternating plastic geometric pieces. This turned out to be a Rubik's toy that you could make into various shapes...a cross, snake etc.
There were a lot of little vignettes with people, families, experiences. People were generally chatty and in a good mood. We had a lot of fun ourselves and worked well together.
We sold a sterling silver ring for 25cents. Brass candle holders 25 cents each. Many other bargains if you looked carefully. I served cold watermelon on day one and cold strawberries on day two. How many yard sales serve hors d'oeuvres ? Do you know what an hors d'oeuvre is? So, these weren't technically hors d'oeuvres.
A kid of about 13 who had Down's Syndrome showed up with his sister. The sister was probably 16 to 18. The boy's name was Patrick. He was wearing a t-shirt that read, "I DECIDED TO PUT MYSELF IN CHARGE." We sold him a necklace with a moon on it. He liked it so much he gave me a hug and Brooke a hug. Later Brooke gave him another necklace with a starfish on it. He may have been our most satisfied customer.
I don't know if we could duplicate this sale. I doubt it. The weather was perfect, other people were having sales and there were other activities(like the Crim) that were going on.
This was the perfect way for Brooke and me to spend our anniversary.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
The Lamson Cup
My brother Tom and his wife Rita spend their summers in Michigan and their Winters in Viero Beach Florida. Tom is 11 years older than Kay and I. So in the family dynamics he's part of the first family.(explained in another blog)
He called about a week ago to see if I'd like to play golf on the 14th. I told him I had only played early in the season and not since, but I'd love to play. I mentioned the lack of play only so he would know I might be an embarrassment on the course not to gain any betting advantage. He said,"Then this will be for the Lamson Trophy." Years ago I bought an old bowling trophy at Salvation Army and made it into what I called the Lamson Cup. I thought we could play each year for it and that would assure that we would at least play golf once a year. After a few years we let our Brother-in-law Harold in on the competition and he always won so we quit playing for it. Now, Harold has passed on so we can restart the tradition. That was the joke. We really just played for the chance to get together.
I got on line to find a couple of golf jokes so in case the opportunity arose I'd be prepared. When I arrived at Tyrone Hills, Tom was already there and had got a golf cart and was practicing putting. We greeted on the practice green and I practiced a few putts myself. I had a different putter I had never tried before. Soon we were teeing off on number one and catching up on each others health and families etc. The golf was pretty good and it was just a beautiful day. On the 12th green you can look out over the course and I took a few seconds to take it in.
Tom had brought along a small insulated bag. When I saw it I thought he might have a couple of beers in there. It's a sign of our age though that he had a couple of waters and two Five Hour Energy drinks. He had bought them to try out because Rita had been in an accident awhile back and had very little energy while recuperating. She refused to try them so we each had one. I think they affected my game negatively. I don't think I'll use it again.
After teeing off on 13, Tom noticed some mushrooms out front of the tee. We checked to see if they were non-poisonous and they were. We picked a nice batch of them and later found a few more. I told Tom that I remembered picking mushrooms with our Dad. We would walk though the cow pastures and find the same variety there. Tom said now he would have to buy an expensive steak to use his free mushrooms on.
We said goodby and promised to play again before the weather gets cold this Fall. I'm really glad we found the mushrooms. It made it more than golf.
I fried up my mushrooms and mixed them with some left over ground beef that we had had the day before as taco meat. There was more than I could eat. I hope Tom enjoyed his mushrooms. I'm sure he did. He was so happy to find them and was really anticipating dinner.
He called about a week ago to see if I'd like to play golf on the 14th. I told him I had only played early in the season and not since, but I'd love to play. I mentioned the lack of play only so he would know I might be an embarrassment on the course not to gain any betting advantage. He said,"Then this will be for the Lamson Trophy." Years ago I bought an old bowling trophy at Salvation Army and made it into what I called the Lamson Cup. I thought we could play each year for it and that would assure that we would at least play golf once a year. After a few years we let our Brother-in-law Harold in on the competition and he always won so we quit playing for it. Now, Harold has passed on so we can restart the tradition. That was the joke. We really just played for the chance to get together.
I got on line to find a couple of golf jokes so in case the opportunity arose I'd be prepared. When I arrived at Tyrone Hills, Tom was already there and had got a golf cart and was practicing putting. We greeted on the practice green and I practiced a few putts myself. I had a different putter I had never tried before. Soon we were teeing off on number one and catching up on each others health and families etc. The golf was pretty good and it was just a beautiful day. On the 12th green you can look out over the course and I took a few seconds to take it in.
Tom had brought along a small insulated bag. When I saw it I thought he might have a couple of beers in there. It's a sign of our age though that he had a couple of waters and two Five Hour Energy drinks. He had bought them to try out because Rita had been in an accident awhile back and had very little energy while recuperating. She refused to try them so we each had one. I think they affected my game negatively. I don't think I'll use it again.
After teeing off on 13, Tom noticed some mushrooms out front of the tee. We checked to see if they were non-poisonous and they were. We picked a nice batch of them and later found a few more. I told Tom that I remembered picking mushrooms with our Dad. We would walk though the cow pastures and find the same variety there. Tom said now he would have to buy an expensive steak to use his free mushrooms on.
We said goodby and promised to play again before the weather gets cold this Fall. I'm really glad we found the mushrooms. It made it more than golf.
I fried up my mushrooms and mixed them with some left over ground beef that we had had the day before as taco meat. There was more than I could eat. I hope Tom enjoyed his mushrooms. I'm sure he did. He was so happy to find them and was really anticipating dinner.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Late Night Catch Up
Just thought I'd write something here. There is a lot going on right now. We just spent a week in California with some friends that moved out there about 12 years ago. They put us up for a week and this was after their daughter had married on Sunday. We were treated like royalty, or very nearly so.
California changes like everything does. If you haven't been there in 9 or 10 years, you will notice differences. Part of it may be because you haved changed in that interval. It seemed a little harder to get to the beach. It seems about half the cars are Toyotas. There are not as many old VWs around. It was quite easy to find a tennis court to play on. I noticed there weren't many bumper stickers on the cars. This was Orange County so there may be restrictions on that. The vegetation is still beautiful and the mountains. The sun and cool breeze are the same.
I was a bit out of sorts for the trip. Just difficulties in adjusting to change plus a sore mouth that lingered the whole week.
It was fun though. We did things, saw things, learned a little and had some laughs. We came back on Saturday.
Our house is in upheaval because we are preparing for a garage sale. There was no Sophie to greet us when we returned. We had her "put down" before we left. The garden is doing well, especially the pumpkins. We had our first tomatoes today.
I sincerely hope that you are healthy and happy.
California changes like everything does. If you haven't been there in 9 or 10 years, you will notice differences. Part of it may be because you haved changed in that interval. It seemed a little harder to get to the beach. It seems about half the cars are Toyotas. There are not as many old VWs around. It was quite easy to find a tennis court to play on. I noticed there weren't many bumper stickers on the cars. This was Orange County so there may be restrictions on that. The vegetation is still beautiful and the mountains. The sun and cool breeze are the same.
I was a bit out of sorts for the trip. Just difficulties in adjusting to change plus a sore mouth that lingered the whole week.
It was fun though. We did things, saw things, learned a little and had some laughs. We came back on Saturday.
Our house is in upheaval because we are preparing for a garage sale. There was no Sophie to greet us when we returned. We had her "put down" before we left. The garden is doing well, especially the pumpkins. We had our first tomatoes today.
I sincerely hope that you are healthy and happy.
Thursday, June 21, 2012
Comes with the Territory
While going through some things in preparation for a garage sale, Brooke found some old letters from her Mother, Gloria. Her Mom was writing to keep her daughter up to date on what was going on in the family. I was already in the picture at that time and Brooke had been hired in Battle Creek.
One particular item of interest was the fact that a groundhog had taken residence in Percival's(an old neighbor)barn. The animal was wreaking havoc on the garden and Brooke's parents were trying to get rid of it. Ray(Father)and Mr.Percival were taking turns sitting out at the picnic table with their shotguns. Brooke's brother Matt was involved also. I don't know if they were ever successful...like Luke and I were.
When we moved in this house, Percival's grand daughter was living in his old house. She and her husband were restoring the "barn" and that's when the current groundhog moved over to our yard. First, the critter dug a den under the grape vines. (Maybe that's why some of them died off?) Then he moved to a fabulous place, under the shed.
It was a lot of fun to read the accounts in this connection to the past. Gloria's personality shines through and will be shared with family members. Wish she could still be with us in person.
It might be a good idea to send a letter now and then to a friend or family member. It is something they are more likely to keep and maybe years from now it will be reread and appreciated in a much different way than it was originally intended.
One particular item of interest was the fact that a groundhog had taken residence in Percival's(an old neighbor)barn. The animal was wreaking havoc on the garden and Brooke's parents were trying to get rid of it. Ray(Father)and Mr.Percival were taking turns sitting out at the picnic table with their shotguns. Brooke's brother Matt was involved also. I don't know if they were ever successful...like Luke and I were.
When we moved in this house, Percival's grand daughter was living in his old house. She and her husband were restoring the "barn" and that's when the current groundhog moved over to our yard. First, the critter dug a den under the grape vines. (Maybe that's why some of them died off?) Then he moved to a fabulous place, under the shed.
It was a lot of fun to read the accounts in this connection to the past. Gloria's personality shines through and will be shared with family members. Wish she could still be with us in person.
It might be a good idea to send a letter now and then to a friend or family member. It is something they are more likely to keep and maybe years from now it will be reread and appreciated in a much different way than it was originally intended.
Sunday, May 27, 2012
Groundhog Day
One of my favorite movies. Today though was a different story.
Brooke had just left for a wedding in Detroit and I had a list of things to do so we would be ready to leave for Toronto in the morning. I was upstairs looking for something when I heard Luke (my dog) bark. Just a single or double bark and then silence. Luke is like an alarm. Sometimes he just barks and you don't know why. There is a reason and frequently it's just a loud noise like a car door or a shoe dropping to the floor. No one was here so I carried on with my task. Another bark...if only I was smart enough to interpret this unusual bark! I looked out the back door and saw a groundhog looking like he/she was getting ready to claim our hot tub as their new living quarters.
Just recently I had put some moth balls in the den that had been established several years ago under the storage shed.I had heard that it was a good way to keep unwanted animals away. I thought, "Hey, maybe that worked. Now, what?" I let Luke go out to chase off the groundhog.
Luke has no fear when it comes to confronting critters. He has killed a skunk, a baby rabbit and a squirrel that I know of. He chases rabbits and squirrels but has little interest in cats. I thought he would chase the groundhog away but after a minute or so the animal felt trapped and was in a standoff with Luke barking mere inches from it at the base of the cherry tree.
Concerned that Luke might get bitten, I tried calling the dog off but there was no way he was backing down. I have three bows in the garage and a pathetic assortment of arrows. I grabbed a bow and an old wooden arrow with a broad head on it. This should make short work of the intruder. I waited for a good shot from about ten feet away. I thought there was no way I would hit Luke. The arrow flew about a foot over the groundhog. If you've never shot a bow, that is a common occurrence on your first shot. I returned to the garage to get more arrows. I chose a very similar arrow for my second shot with similar results. Closer though, so I was zeroing in. The third shot was a charm, an aluminum shaft with a target tip. I felt no remorse for shooting the rodent. Luke found his chance to go for the throat and did so.
When the groundhog was dead Luke started carrying it off toward the front of the house. Was he going to eat it?! I called him back and took him in the house. I left the carcass out in the yard.
Back to preparing for our trip to Canada where we hope to see Gabe play T-ball and soccer. Ciao.
Brooke had just left for a wedding in Detroit and I had a list of things to do so we would be ready to leave for Toronto in the morning. I was upstairs looking for something when I heard Luke (my dog) bark. Just a single or double bark and then silence. Luke is like an alarm. Sometimes he just barks and you don't know why. There is a reason and frequently it's just a loud noise like a car door or a shoe dropping to the floor. No one was here so I carried on with my task. Another bark...if only I was smart enough to interpret this unusual bark! I looked out the back door and saw a groundhog looking like he/she was getting ready to claim our hot tub as their new living quarters.
Just recently I had put some moth balls in the den that had been established several years ago under the storage shed.I had heard that it was a good way to keep unwanted animals away. I thought, "Hey, maybe that worked. Now, what?" I let Luke go out to chase off the groundhog.
Luke has no fear when it comes to confronting critters. He has killed a skunk, a baby rabbit and a squirrel that I know of. He chases rabbits and squirrels but has little interest in cats. I thought he would chase the groundhog away but after a minute or so the animal felt trapped and was in a standoff with Luke barking mere inches from it at the base of the cherry tree.
Concerned that Luke might get bitten, I tried calling the dog off but there was no way he was backing down. I have three bows in the garage and a pathetic assortment of arrows. I grabbed a bow and an old wooden arrow with a broad head on it. This should make short work of the intruder. I waited for a good shot from about ten feet away. I thought there was no way I would hit Luke. The arrow flew about a foot over the groundhog. If you've never shot a bow, that is a common occurrence on your first shot. I returned to the garage to get more arrows. I chose a very similar arrow for my second shot with similar results. Closer though, so I was zeroing in. The third shot was a charm, an aluminum shaft with a target tip. I felt no remorse for shooting the rodent. Luke found his chance to go for the throat and did so.
When the groundhog was dead Luke started carrying it off toward the front of the house. Was he going to eat it?! I called him back and took him in the house. I left the carcass out in the yard.
Back to preparing for our trip to Canada where we hope to see Gabe play T-ball and soccer. Ciao.
Friday, May 25, 2012
The Joy of Gardening
Already, simply by writing this title, I'm self cautioned about alternative meanings. I am only referring to the real thing, clearing the ground, planting seeds (or seedlings) and weeding.
We are struggling mightily with those tasks. The perennial beds must be weeded and mulched. This is unpleasant if you suffer from back pain. The work in a garden is rewarding in it's own way. Gardens are thought of as wonderful places. We sow and we reap. We treat the garden well for we must sustain the soil for future use. In order to move the mulch I felt I had to fix the landscape wagon we have had for a few years now. I needed a ball bearing and possibly an inner tube. A visit to Taylor Hardware didn't solve the problem but they said to check TSC.
They did have a replacement wheel and switching a tube between two other wheels got the wagon back to use.
Every Spring the gasoline engines have to be brought back to life. This year the rototiller was in poor condition. The pull rope broke on about the 5th pull. I had removed the battery a couple of years ago so, in order to use the electric starter I used my jumper battery. I'd get it running, disconnect the battery and in a few minutes it would stall out.
I know this shouldn't be a big problem but I'm kind of teetering on the edge of becoming an old man who doesn't do these things any more. I got out the owners manual and watched some youtube videos and got my mojo back to work on the machine. I think I'll have it in working condition soon.
So progress is being made and I have a feeling of accomplishment. I enjoy the time out there and the work has made me stretch and flex a lot more than what I had been doing over the winter.
I spoke to an old acquaintance who told me about a series of DVD's that were about these gardeners who were also amature detectives. I have watched a few of these. Not too good, but they keep me interested in gardening.
I've gotten interested in the NBA playoffs this year. I would like to see the Heat win. I think LeBron has paid his dues. Last year I wanted anyone else to win, so I am throwing my considerable influence behind Miami this season.
Thanks for checking in.
We are struggling mightily with those tasks. The perennial beds must be weeded and mulched. This is unpleasant if you suffer from back pain. The work in a garden is rewarding in it's own way. Gardens are thought of as wonderful places. We sow and we reap. We treat the garden well for we must sustain the soil for future use. In order to move the mulch I felt I had to fix the landscape wagon we have had for a few years now. I needed a ball bearing and possibly an inner tube. A visit to Taylor Hardware didn't solve the problem but they said to check TSC.
They did have a replacement wheel and switching a tube between two other wheels got the wagon back to use.
Every Spring the gasoline engines have to be brought back to life. This year the rototiller was in poor condition. The pull rope broke on about the 5th pull. I had removed the battery a couple of years ago so, in order to use the electric starter I used my jumper battery. I'd get it running, disconnect the battery and in a few minutes it would stall out.
I know this shouldn't be a big problem but I'm kind of teetering on the edge of becoming an old man who doesn't do these things any more. I got out the owners manual and watched some youtube videos and got my mojo back to work on the machine. I think I'll have it in working condition soon.
So progress is being made and I have a feeling of accomplishment. I enjoy the time out there and the work has made me stretch and flex a lot more than what I had been doing over the winter.
I spoke to an old acquaintance who told me about a series of DVD's that were about these gardeners who were also amature detectives. I have watched a few of these. Not too good, but they keep me interested in gardening.
I've gotten interested in the NBA playoffs this year. I would like to see the Heat win. I think LeBron has paid his dues. Last year I wanted anyone else to win, so I am throwing my considerable influence behind Miami this season.
Thanks for checking in.
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Skateboarding Grandma cracks up
I never thought it would happen in our neighborhood but a couple of days ago, Brooke Lamson, Grandmother of two broke a foot bone in a skateboarding kerfuffle. Having fun with her grandson Gabe and playing with the O'Brian twins she fell and landed on her left 5th metatarsal. It has been a few days now and it isn't going well. If you've ever had to use crutches, you know it's inconvenient. It's also not so easy. How can one carry something when the hands are required to push on the crutch grips? How does one manage coupons? Brooke doesn't want to use a fanny pack but something like it will probably be necessary.
Walking is slow. Steps are difficult. This is supposed to be done for 6-8 weeks! There goes tennis. Robin (Brooke's sister) gave some tips. Robin had broken her ankle a couple of times. One tip is to get a chair that rolls and use that to get around when you are on the main floor of the house. Robin also has a walker that she offered for use.
We used one of the motorized chairs at Meijer yesterday. That's not bad. At least it has some speed. Just as with a car, it's better NOT to back-up with them. A few items in aisle 10 needed re shelving after we tried that. Once we adapt, I'm sure things will go more smoothly.
Oops, gotta go, Brooke wants tea!
Walking is slow. Steps are difficult. This is supposed to be done for 6-8 weeks! There goes tennis. Robin (Brooke's sister) gave some tips. Robin had broken her ankle a couple of times. One tip is to get a chair that rolls and use that to get around when you are on the main floor of the house. Robin also has a walker that she offered for use.
We used one of the motorized chairs at Meijer yesterday. That's not bad. At least it has some speed. Just as with a car, it's better NOT to back-up with them. A few items in aisle 10 needed re shelving after we tried that. Once we adapt, I'm sure things will go more smoothly.
Oops, gotta go, Brooke wants tea!
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Ball Machine - For Rent
It took more than expected to get the new ball machine ready and fully equipped. The guy I bought it from on ebay, for some reason had used pictures of a different model machine. Mine was one step up from the one pictured so it comes with a remote control for controlling the feed (start/stop) or the "sweep" (start/stop). He said he never had the remote, so I had to buy one. That was an extra $65 when you include the $15 shipping. The other thing of importance when getting a tennis ball machine, is consideration of the balls to use. After researching this I found the only choice that made sense was to get Tretorn Micro X tennis balls. They are pressureless so they don't go flat. They have a well designed cover and will probably last for at least three seasons. They each have 700 million air bubbles trapped in some kind of foam. I bought the 72 ball case.
Today was the first day I tried out the machine. It was nice and sunny with a pretty strong breeze. I sat up the machine, it's a Silent Partner unlike my other partner. I just guessed at what the controls should be set to. You can control the ball speed, ball height, spin, feed rate (time between shots) and whether you want the shots to come to more or less the same spot or shoot randomly around the court. I noticed the first two balls had more velocity than the rest. I guess the battery loses just a little power and then seems pretty steady. The feed rate was too slow, so I adjusted that and it was too fast then. It took a while but I saw the balls had a slight back-spin even though I'm pretty sure I had it set to slight top spin.
I hit all 72 balls with forehand and I was terrible. I reloaded and sat for a few minutes to let my heart-beat slow a little. Everything was fine, so I hit a few volleys then backed up and hit backhands. They were not quite as terrible as the forehands but pretty bad.
I think I'll be improving quite a bit this Summer and getting a fun workout with my Silent Partner. I will let some of the tennis kids rent the machine and possibly they could work around here in exchange for practice time. I wonder if kids these days would even be interested in that. They may just pay the cash.
Today was the first day I tried out the machine. It was nice and sunny with a pretty strong breeze. I sat up the machine, it's a Silent Partner unlike my other partner. I just guessed at what the controls should be set to. You can control the ball speed, ball height, spin, feed rate (time between shots) and whether you want the shots to come to more or less the same spot or shoot randomly around the court. I noticed the first two balls had more velocity than the rest. I guess the battery loses just a little power and then seems pretty steady. The feed rate was too slow, so I adjusted that and it was too fast then. It took a while but I saw the balls had a slight back-spin even though I'm pretty sure I had it set to slight top spin.
I hit all 72 balls with forehand and I was terrible. I reloaded and sat for a few minutes to let my heart-beat slow a little. Everything was fine, so I hit a few volleys then backed up and hit backhands. They were not quite as terrible as the forehands but pretty bad.
I think I'll be improving quite a bit this Summer and getting a fun workout with my Silent Partner. I will let some of the tennis kids rent the machine and possibly they could work around here in exchange for practice time. I wonder if kids these days would even be interested in that. They may just pay the cash.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
A Beautiful Day
One never knows when that perfect or near perfect day will come. Today, for me, was a nice one. The weather has been unseasonably warm. Yesterday I finished trimming the hedge and fell off the ladder at one point. This is an omen. I'll need to be more careful than ever when using ladders.
I had looked at a tennis ball machine yesterday on ebay. A couple of years ago I had been researching them and didn't buy one. With the nice weather I got back into the mood. Practicing and playing tennis is an activity that is both good for me and enjoyable to me. I think it's worth some investment. The machine went for more than I was willing to spend.
Brooke and I spent a while loading some wood logs into the trailer. She has as a goal, getting rid of these from the back yard. Tomorrow we will take out one load. To get it cleared it will take at least one more.
I took some books back to the library and brought along my tennis bag. I thought I would stop at the down-town tennis courts to see if there was someone there to hit with. As it happened there were three young boys practicing on one of the courts. I could have practiced hitting serves on the other court, but I really wanted to hit with them. Tennis etiquette requires that one be invited to join in. So, I forced the issue by sitting on the bench by their court. Soon, they invited me to hit with them.
What a nice group of young kids. They were all Sophomores at Fenton High School. They played on the tennis team and reminded me of the hopefulness of youth. There are some great kids out there.
We ended up playing a set of doubles. It was a lot of fun and exercise. I want to make tennis a part of my routine this Summer. I bid on another tennis ball machine this afternoon and got it. This will be a big part of the summer's fun. Gabe and Brooke will enjoy it as well as others at the park. Especially me.
To fill in the time before the NCAA games started, I watched Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. This movie(at least in my mind) has a special connection between my children and me. I think it's a great movie. I really enjoyed watching it again.
That was my day, and also we had a thunder storm.
It can't get too much better than that.
I had looked at a tennis ball machine yesterday on ebay. A couple of years ago I had been researching them and didn't buy one. With the nice weather I got back into the mood. Practicing and playing tennis is an activity that is both good for me and enjoyable to me. I think it's worth some investment. The machine went for more than I was willing to spend.
Brooke and I spent a while loading some wood logs into the trailer. She has as a goal, getting rid of these from the back yard. Tomorrow we will take out one load. To get it cleared it will take at least one more.
I took some books back to the library and brought along my tennis bag. I thought I would stop at the down-town tennis courts to see if there was someone there to hit with. As it happened there were three young boys practicing on one of the courts. I could have practiced hitting serves on the other court, but I really wanted to hit with them. Tennis etiquette requires that one be invited to join in. So, I forced the issue by sitting on the bench by their court. Soon, they invited me to hit with them.
What a nice group of young kids. They were all Sophomores at Fenton High School. They played on the tennis team and reminded me of the hopefulness of youth. There are some great kids out there.
We ended up playing a set of doubles. It was a lot of fun and exercise. I want to make tennis a part of my routine this Summer. I bid on another tennis ball machine this afternoon and got it. This will be a big part of the summer's fun. Gabe and Brooke will enjoy it as well as others at the park. Especially me.
To fill in the time before the NCAA games started, I watched Groundhog Day with Bill Murray. This movie(at least in my mind) has a special connection between my children and me. I think it's a great movie. I really enjoyed watching it again.
That was my day, and also we had a thunder storm.
It can't get too much better than that.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Taxes and...
We got all our tax information together and made an appointment at H&R Block. This is for the years 2009, 2010 and 2011. It sounds bad but we're early for the 2011 returns. The other two years we are thinking we don't owe on. We'll see in a few days. Every year when tax time comes around there is nothing but stories about the deadline. Everyone is told what they must do and how bad they are to be procrastinators. The pressure builds(if you allow it) and most people break and(as in school) cram and get it done. Often we just don't get it done. Then we worry about consequences. If you have a refund coming though, you aren't in bad shape. I'm really glad to get caught up again though. I am a true believer in a simplified, possibly flat tax, system. As citizens we shouldn't be put under such stress and we shouldn't have to hire someone to do our taxes.
It is a little disturbing to hear that almost half of the citizens of the U.S. don't pay income tax. It seems that maybe the lowest rate should be about 10%. Just so you feel like you're participating.
The weather here has been warm and sunny most days. We've been out raking and cleaning out beds two or three times already. I pruned the grapes today. No sign of hops above the soil yet.
The weather puts one in a warm weather frame of mind. We might visit the grand children this week end. I haven't seen Gabe in a couple months. That's too long.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Michigan does in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. That starts this week end also. I don't have a bracket to fill out this year. I'm not sure how much interest I have in any of the other teams.
I cooked a pork tenderloin tonight with asparagus and sweet potato. Brooke had bought it and thawed out the meat. She was just too tired to cook though. She overdid it working in the yard.
The meal was great. Later, Ken.
This Just in!!
Have you heard of SUD or SUDS. It's the Subjective Units of Distress Scale.
10 = Feels unbearably bad, beside yourself, out of control as in a nervous breakdown, overwhelmed, at the end of your rope. You may feel so upset that you don't want to talk because you can't imagine how anyone could possibly understand your agitation.
9 = Feeling desperate. What most people call a 10 is actually a 9. Feeling extremely freaked out to the point that it almost feels unbearable and you are getting scared of what you might do. Feeling very, very bad, losing control of your emotions.
8 = Freaking out. The beginning of alienation.
7 = Starting to freak out, on the edge of some definitely bad feelings. You can maintain control with difficulty.
6 = Feeling bad to the point that you begin to think something ought to be done about the way you feel.
5 = Moderately upset, uncomfortable. Unpleasant feelings are still manageable with some effort.
4 = Somewhat upset to the point that you cannot easily ignore an unpleasant thought. You can handle it OK but don't feel good.
3 = Mildly upset. Worried, bothered to the point that you notice it.
2 = A little bit upset, but not noticeable unless you took care to pay attention to your feelings and then realize, "yes" there is something bothering me.
1 = No acute distress and feeling basically good. If you took special effort you might feel something unpleasant but not much.
0 = Peace, serenity, total relief. No more anxiety of any kind about any particular issue.
Hope your SUD is hovering around zero.
It is a little disturbing to hear that almost half of the citizens of the U.S. don't pay income tax. It seems that maybe the lowest rate should be about 10%. Just so you feel like you're participating.
The weather here has been warm and sunny most days. We've been out raking and cleaning out beds two or three times already. I pruned the grapes today. No sign of hops above the soil yet.
The weather puts one in a warm weather frame of mind. We might visit the grand children this week end. I haven't seen Gabe in a couple months. That's too long.
I'm looking forward to seeing how Michigan does in the NCAA Basketball Tournament. That starts this week end also. I don't have a bracket to fill out this year. I'm not sure how much interest I have in any of the other teams.
I cooked a pork tenderloin tonight with asparagus and sweet potato. Brooke had bought it and thawed out the meat. She was just too tired to cook though. She overdid it working in the yard.
The meal was great. Later, Ken.
This Just in!!
Have you heard of SUD or SUDS. It's the Subjective Units of Distress Scale.
10 = Feels unbearably bad, beside yourself, out of control as in a nervous breakdown, overwhelmed, at the end of your rope. You may feel so upset that you don't want to talk because you can't imagine how anyone could possibly understand your agitation.
9 = Feeling desperate. What most people call a 10 is actually a 9. Feeling extremely freaked out to the point that it almost feels unbearable and you are getting scared of what you might do. Feeling very, very bad, losing control of your emotions.
8 = Freaking out. The beginning of alienation.
7 = Starting to freak out, on the edge of some definitely bad feelings. You can maintain control with difficulty.
6 = Feeling bad to the point that you begin to think something ought to be done about the way you feel.
5 = Moderately upset, uncomfortable. Unpleasant feelings are still manageable with some effort.
4 = Somewhat upset to the point that you cannot easily ignore an unpleasant thought. You can handle it OK but don't feel good.
3 = Mildly upset. Worried, bothered to the point that you notice it.
2 = A little bit upset, but not noticeable unless you took care to pay attention to your feelings and then realize, "yes" there is something bothering me.
1 = No acute distress and feeling basically good. If you took special effort you might feel something unpleasant but not much.
0 = Peace, serenity, total relief. No more anxiety of any kind about any particular issue.
Hope your SUD is hovering around zero.
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Be Careful What You Say
I have three sisters and a brother. Eileen is the oldest, Tom next(4 years younger), then Marjorie(2 years after Tom). Then there was another boy who died when he was about three I think. It's funny how little was told to my twin sister and I about him. We were, and are(even at 68) the babies of the family.
My sister Marge is currently in Hospice with pneumonia. She has been suffering from Alzheimer's
for years. I haven't done much research on Alzheimer's so I don't know how much the brain is functioning in there. I know Marge responds to music that was part of her family life. She can hear.
I had picked up my text, Hypnotherapy by Dave Elman, last night. I just wanted to read a bit and maybe increase my enthusiasm. I can open this book to any page and find the information fascinating. Elman taught hypnosis to Doctors in all branches of medicine for use in their practices.
At one point in the book he found that a patient had recovered from gall bladder surgery but a pain persisted. No cause could be found. Through hypnosis the patient recalled everything that was said and done during the operation. Even while under chemical anesthesia. One of the Doctors had remarked,"Look at that gall bladder, She'll never be the same." The patient took it to mean she would never fully recover. Mr. Elman pointed out that the Doctor could have meant that she would never be so bad off after the surgery had corrected the situation. She lost the pain almost immediately after hypnosis and it never returned. This made possible the finding that the patient can be given suggestions that the anesthesia will remain long after the chemical effects of amnesia have worn off, making for an easier recovery.
Elman said that was his first major finding in the use of hypnosis. This apparent hearing and functioning of the mind even under anesthesia, leads to many questions. One conclusion is obvious though, if you are in the room with a person who is unconscious or sleeping, say only positive things. Avoid making the funeral plans in that room. Quite the opposite, the positive suggestions about recovery and going home can have a good effect on the outcome. In this simple way, you can make a difference.
My sister Marge is currently in Hospice with pneumonia. She has been suffering from Alzheimer's
for years. I haven't done much research on Alzheimer's so I don't know how much the brain is functioning in there. I know Marge responds to music that was part of her family life. She can hear.
I had picked up my text, Hypnotherapy by Dave Elman, last night. I just wanted to read a bit and maybe increase my enthusiasm. I can open this book to any page and find the information fascinating. Elman taught hypnosis to Doctors in all branches of medicine for use in their practices.
At one point in the book he found that a patient had recovered from gall bladder surgery but a pain persisted. No cause could be found. Through hypnosis the patient recalled everything that was said and done during the operation. Even while under chemical anesthesia. One of the Doctors had remarked,"Look at that gall bladder, She'll never be the same." The patient took it to mean she would never fully recover. Mr. Elman pointed out that the Doctor could have meant that she would never be so bad off after the surgery had corrected the situation. She lost the pain almost immediately after hypnosis and it never returned. This made possible the finding that the patient can be given suggestions that the anesthesia will remain long after the chemical effects of amnesia have worn off, making for an easier recovery.
Elman said that was his first major finding in the use of hypnosis. This apparent hearing and functioning of the mind even under anesthesia, leads to many questions. One conclusion is obvious though, if you are in the room with a person who is unconscious or sleeping, say only positive things. Avoid making the funeral plans in that room. Quite the opposite, the positive suggestions about recovery and going home can have a good effect on the outcome. In this simple way, you can make a difference.
Monday, February 27, 2012
Older Men, More Whiskey, Options Trading, Less Money
I was thinking it was Waylon or Willie that sang that song alluded to in my title, but it was Tom T. Hall.
For a while now, I've been curious as to how options trading works. A friend of mine has taken a course, at considerable expense, in trading in options. This was a couple of years back and he did quite well with it. I assume that means in the millions of dollars or at least the high hundreds of thousands. He told me and another friend(yes, I have two friends) that he used a strategy called the Iron Condor. One surrounds the current position of the stock in question with puts and calls and as the expiration date approaches you will make a profit if the stock's price stays within this boundary.
First problem, couldn't remember the name of the strategy. Second problem, don't want to spend money learning about options trading. I do want to learn about it though. Another friend(really) Phil Huyck, says he bought a program a few years back. Roughly 3K but it's on VCR. I didn't ask and he didn't tell, so that is a possible means to learning.
Just a couple of days ago I went to the library to see what they had available and came across Jim Cramer's book "Getting Back to Even." He includes two chapters in there about using options. I wouldn't call Cramer a great or even good communicator, but eventually he does get his message across if you stick with it. So, I've gotten a bit of the puzzle figured out. I still have about 90% more to learn. There are a lot of strategies out there. You don't have to know all of them but you really have to know the one you are going to employ very well. Cramer gives one, Deep in the money calls. He then tells how you can insure your gains, if the stock has moved up. This is very clever and makes you realize that there are many smart people out there figuring out how to make money. Many of them doing it illegally, not Cramer. I feel like a target.
If you ever listen to Options Action on CNBC you will soon discover, there is a language you must understand to know what they are talking about. It starts with puts and calls and how one is just the opposite of the other. It will take me a while to get the concept of when stocks go down, that can be a good thing. You can sell it at the higher strike and capture the downside.
Don't know how long I'll stick with this but if my Blog title is looking prophetic I think I'll stick to, " Faster Horses, Younger Women, Older Whiskey and More Money." Repeat at least 2x.
For a while now, I've been curious as to how options trading works. A friend of mine has taken a course, at considerable expense, in trading in options. This was a couple of years back and he did quite well with it. I assume that means in the millions of dollars or at least the high hundreds of thousands. He told me and another friend(yes, I have two friends) that he used a strategy called the Iron Condor. One surrounds the current position of the stock in question with puts and calls and as the expiration date approaches you will make a profit if the stock's price stays within this boundary.
First problem, couldn't remember the name of the strategy. Second problem, don't want to spend money learning about options trading. I do want to learn about it though. Another friend(really) Phil Huyck, says he bought a program a few years back. Roughly 3K but it's on VCR. I didn't ask and he didn't tell, so that is a possible means to learning.
Just a couple of days ago I went to the library to see what they had available and came across Jim Cramer's book "Getting Back to Even." He includes two chapters in there about using options. I wouldn't call Cramer a great or even good communicator, but eventually he does get his message across if you stick with it. So, I've gotten a bit of the puzzle figured out. I still have about 90% more to learn. There are a lot of strategies out there. You don't have to know all of them but you really have to know the one you are going to employ very well. Cramer gives one, Deep in the money calls. He then tells how you can insure your gains, if the stock has moved up. This is very clever and makes you realize that there are many smart people out there figuring out how to make money. Many of them doing it illegally, not Cramer. I feel like a target.
If you ever listen to Options Action on CNBC you will soon discover, there is a language you must understand to know what they are talking about. It starts with puts and calls and how one is just the opposite of the other. It will take me a while to get the concept of when stocks go down, that can be a good thing. You can sell it at the higher strike and capture the downside.
Don't know how long I'll stick with this but if my Blog title is looking prophetic I think I'll stick to, " Faster Horses, Younger Women, Older Whiskey and More Money." Repeat at least 2x.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Two Birds With One Stone
Here I am again. I just read an entry at the restricted Omni Hypnosis forum from my teacher Gerry Kein.
He recently announced that he will no longer be regularly scheduling his beginner through advanced hypnosis class after April of this year. Many Omnigrads have been concerned over his health and he answered these concerns and told of his plans for the future. He is quite an inspiring man. I told him, when I was in his September of 2009 class, that someone should make a movie of his life. He said,"No one would believe it."
He was a close friend/protege of the famous Hypnotist Dave Elman. Jerry was a pilot in the Navy. He was a stage hypnotist in his youth. He had a very successful hypnosis business in Fort Lauderdale. That just scratches the surface. He is a wonderful speaker with great conviction and energy. When we attended classes there in Deland, FL., we all felt tremendously energized and positive about the future. What else could you ask for from a teacher?
Jerry developed a new method of Hypnosis which he termed, "Ultra Height." I spoke of this in an earlier blog on "The Hometownhypnotist". In Ultraheight the person who is seeking a solution to some problem is first taken to a very deep state of hypnosis called the coma state. Not the medical coma. In the coma state you would be so relaxed as to be nearly uncommunicative. You would have a natural anesthesia and the hypnotist can put your limbs in positions which you would hold like a jointed doll. Then, leaving your body in this state, the mind is brought up to a highly euphoric (my word) state where you are seemingly in touch with your spiritual essence. Here, you find the causes and solutions for your problem.
Jerry has been working on a book about Ultraheight and said he has had a possible breakthrough in it that, if duplicatable, could be important to the future of hypnosis.
Who knows, but that's the positive and forward thinking nature of Gerald (Jerry) Kein.
Why the title of this blog? I will also post it on my other blog, if I can figure out how.
He recently announced that he will no longer be regularly scheduling his beginner through advanced hypnosis class after April of this year. Many Omnigrads have been concerned over his health and he answered these concerns and told of his plans for the future. He is quite an inspiring man. I told him, when I was in his September of 2009 class, that someone should make a movie of his life. He said,"No one would believe it."
He was a close friend/protege of the famous Hypnotist Dave Elman. Jerry was a pilot in the Navy. He was a stage hypnotist in his youth. He had a very successful hypnosis business in Fort Lauderdale. That just scratches the surface. He is a wonderful speaker with great conviction and energy. When we attended classes there in Deland, FL., we all felt tremendously energized and positive about the future. What else could you ask for from a teacher?
Jerry developed a new method of Hypnosis which he termed, "Ultra Height." I spoke of this in an earlier blog on "The Hometownhypnotist". In Ultraheight the person who is seeking a solution to some problem is first taken to a very deep state of hypnosis called the coma state. Not the medical coma. In the coma state you would be so relaxed as to be nearly uncommunicative. You would have a natural anesthesia and the hypnotist can put your limbs in positions which you would hold like a jointed doll. Then, leaving your body in this state, the mind is brought up to a highly euphoric (my word) state where you are seemingly in touch with your spiritual essence. Here, you find the causes and solutions for your problem.
Jerry has been working on a book about Ultraheight and said he has had a possible breakthrough in it that, if duplicatable, could be important to the future of hypnosis.
Who knows, but that's the positive and forward thinking nature of Gerald (Jerry) Kein.
Why the title of this blog? I will also post it on my other blog, if I can figure out how.
Monday, February 20, 2012
Bangs House History
While looking for a lost bible, I came across a file that had some of the accumulated historical documents relating to our house. Gloria had stored most of these away(maybe all). She loved the history of The Benjamin Bangs House. She did all of the things one must do to get the house on the state and national registries of historic places. The letters stating our house indeed made it are in the file. A letter of commendation from the Fenton Beautification Committee is there and notably the head of the committee was John Gerych.
Other newspaper articles are archived also. One article is a story of how Ray Rausch's students all
wore paper bags over their heads, and switched seats, so he couldn't identify them and direct comments to them individually. Ray was one of the great B.S.ers. They had a short discussion and adjourned to the cafeteria for coffee. Ray was a great coffee drinker also. The article appeared in the Mott CC Post.
Another story saved was written by the late Jan Rynearson in the Fenton Independent(also no longer with us). The story was of a woman who found and framed an old 1890 copy of The Independent. That copy happened to include a story of a horse and buggy accident written by none other than Benjamin Bangs. He tells of how he was giving a ride home to the church pastor(named Mr. Parson). The horse was frightened by a donkey pulling a toy express wagon with a boy mounted on the wagon. The horse turned short around dumping the buggy and it's occupants in the ditch. Injuries were minor.
What a nice bit of history. I think I will copy and frame those two stories so our many guests can read them when they visit.
Back to Wheat Thins and Easy Cheese. I believe I have perfected the exact proportions of cheese to cracker.
Other newspaper articles are archived also. One article is a story of how Ray Rausch's students all
wore paper bags over their heads, and switched seats, so he couldn't identify them and direct comments to them individually. Ray was one of the great B.S.ers. They had a short discussion and adjourned to the cafeteria for coffee. Ray was a great coffee drinker also. The article appeared in the Mott CC Post.
Another story saved was written by the late Jan Rynearson in the Fenton Independent(also no longer with us). The story was of a woman who found and framed an old 1890 copy of The Independent. That copy happened to include a story of a horse and buggy accident written by none other than Benjamin Bangs. He tells of how he was giving a ride home to the church pastor(named Mr. Parson). The horse was frightened by a donkey pulling a toy express wagon with a boy mounted on the wagon. The horse turned short around dumping the buggy and it's occupants in the ditch. Injuries were minor.
What a nice bit of history. I think I will copy and frame those two stories so our many guests can read them when they visit.
Back to Wheat Thins and Easy Cheese. I believe I have perfected the exact proportions of cheese to cracker.
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Alone
We had a houseful of guests on Super Bowl Sunday.
Jake had people over for a goodbye party. My daughter's family was here too so there was a lot going on. Monday morning everyone left. Emma to Canada and Brooke and Jake to California. What a change. I was left alone with the dog and two cats.
I took the first day doing nothing. There was a kitchen to clean and a lot of cooking paraphernalia to be cleaned. There was also a short list of things to do left by Brooke. Nothing that couldn't wait until Tuesday. It takes a while to decompress after most week ends. The party was a little surreal for me because my right ear was blocked and everything sounded strange. I hope I didn't make more of a fool of myself than normal.
Tuesday was the big day to tackle the list. It took almost the whole day to clean the kitchen. I had a dentist appointment in the morning. Everything went pretty well and I checked in several times on the GPS Tracker that Jake had installed on my tablet. It was working well but since Jake is driving on all surface roads, it's hard to tell where they are. You just see a map showing their location on county road 53 or 212 as examples. You have to do some detective work to figure out where they are. They have made good progress so far. Today at about noon they were in New Mexico. It's nice to be able to track them. They sent a picture from Columbia, MO. a day or two ago. I'll try to post it here. Brooke is standing in front of her first apartment, where we met, on Chandler Court. The place hasn't changed in all these years. Brooke looks good, too, I think you will agree.
Well, I applied for a new passport today and figured out how to unlock the oven door, so that completes my list. I still have to pick up a prescription.
Jake had people over for a goodbye party. My daughter's family was here too so there was a lot going on. Monday morning everyone left. Emma to Canada and Brooke and Jake to California. What a change. I was left alone with the dog and two cats.
I took the first day doing nothing. There was a kitchen to clean and a lot of cooking paraphernalia to be cleaned. There was also a short list of things to do left by Brooke. Nothing that couldn't wait until Tuesday. It takes a while to decompress after most week ends. The party was a little surreal for me because my right ear was blocked and everything sounded strange. I hope I didn't make more of a fool of myself than normal.
Tuesday was the big day to tackle the list. It took almost the whole day to clean the kitchen. I had a dentist appointment in the morning. Everything went pretty well and I checked in several times on the GPS Tracker that Jake had installed on my tablet. It was working well but since Jake is driving on all surface roads, it's hard to tell where they are. You just see a map showing their location on county road 53 or 212 as examples. You have to do some detective work to figure out where they are. They have made good progress so far. Today at about noon they were in New Mexico. It's nice to be able to track them. They sent a picture from Columbia, MO. a day or two ago. I'll try to post it here. Brooke is standing in front of her first apartment, where we met, on Chandler Court. The place hasn't changed in all these years. Brooke looks good, too, I think you will agree.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Why I Love the Internet
Love is a strong emotion and I don't use the word lightly, although I do love you. ha, ha. But I really love the internet. Let me count some of the ways.
For one, if you want to learn about something, you may be able to find the course of study on-line. I'm currently taking a course on programming in Java script. I took several classes in computer programming back in the mid-eighties when we were living in Flint. I only got to a certain level before giving up. With two babies to raise and trying to earn some money plus the household responsibilities, it was too much for me. I did like it though. Now (Thanks To The Internet) I can easily review and learn more recent languages.
Also and most valuable to me, when I have a problem with something that's not working, I first turn to the Net. How to repair your Ipod, your VCR, whatever. There are videos and blogs etc. and soon enough you are ready to tackle the problem.
Of course, there is Craig's List and Ebay and many other things that I still haven't found.
I remember when I first heard of the internet. It was a new territory. Unexplored and undeveloped. We all saw the potential but didn't know how to take advantage of it. Google, Youtube, Facebook what else could there be? It's been fascinating so far. I wouldn't want to be without it. I hope we don't screw it up.
For one, if you want to learn about something, you may be able to find the course of study on-line. I'm currently taking a course on programming in Java script. I took several classes in computer programming back in the mid-eighties when we were living in Flint. I only got to a certain level before giving up. With two babies to raise and trying to earn some money plus the household responsibilities, it was too much for me. I did like it though. Now (Thanks To The Internet) I can easily review and learn more recent languages.
Also and most valuable to me, when I have a problem with something that's not working, I first turn to the Net. How to repair your Ipod, your VCR, whatever. There are videos and blogs etc. and soon enough you are ready to tackle the problem.
Of course, there is Craig's List and Ebay and many other things that I still haven't found.
I remember when I first heard of the internet. It was a new territory. Unexplored and undeveloped. We all saw the potential but didn't know how to take advantage of it. Google, Youtube, Facebook what else could there be? It's been fascinating so far. I wouldn't want to be without it. I hope we don't screw it up.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Who Will Win That Super Bowl?
Once again we must all pick a team. As with all match ups the promoters talk up the contest and make predictions to get us all interested. It's only human to form an opinion and then we're hooked and will be interested in the outcome. I happen to be a Patriots fan. Is it because Tom Brady is a former Michigan player? Probably part of it. I got on their band wagon when they were playing well and for about 50 years in a row Detroit was disappointing. The Patriots coaching and attitude seemed good to me so I declared myself to be fan. The Giants have a good team and I think the game could go either way. I want New England to win but I wouldn't bet on it.
We are preparing for the departure of our son lately and our house is a mess. Brooke is done with her job and so big changes are in the works.
She may drive out to San Francisco with Jake and of course must spend time in Toronto with Gabe and Omar. This should be an interesting year. We're heading out west for a wedding for one thing. I have a feeling that will be a fun trip. I just have a feeling there will be other big changes this year, too.
I put Jake's mattress on Craig's List and some people are supposed to come look at it tonight. I listed a piece of exercise equipment on Ebay and accepted a bid on it just today. So some things are being resolved. Also, Jake and I spent some time fixing his car radio so it will accept music from another source. Big soldering project that so far has worked. Apparently it is a common problem to have the tip of your audio plug break off in your audio jack. We tried the super glue method a few times without success. Then got out the soldering equipment. This was a nice Father and Son project.
That's all for now. Happy Superbowl Sunday!
We are preparing for the departure of our son lately and our house is a mess. Brooke is done with her job and so big changes are in the works.
She may drive out to San Francisco with Jake and of course must spend time in Toronto with Gabe and Omar. This should be an interesting year. We're heading out west for a wedding for one thing. I have a feeling that will be a fun trip. I just have a feeling there will be other big changes this year, too.
I put Jake's mattress on Craig's List and some people are supposed to come look at it tonight. I listed a piece of exercise equipment on Ebay and accepted a bid on it just today. So some things are being resolved. Also, Jake and I spent some time fixing his car radio so it will accept music from another source. Big soldering project that so far has worked. Apparently it is a common problem to have the tip of your audio plug break off in your audio jack. We tried the super glue method a few times without success. Then got out the soldering equipment. This was a nice Father and Son project.
That's all for now. Happy Superbowl Sunday!
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