Monday, February 28, 2011

Miscellaneous Monday.

My Oscar Summary will be tomorrow due to car troubles. I will just say that after a bad start co-hosts James Franco & Anne Hathaway did a good enough job just void of humor. Billy Crystal's appearance made me wish he was the one hosting. Other than an F bomb dropped by Melisa Leo, the best supporting actress winner, the Oscar's were pretty boring. If you want to see the winners just look at yesterday's post and my will win (WW) picks. I only missed two and in those two The King's Speech won for original screenplay and original score.

Let's start the week with what I would defined as a charming story related to the Oscars.

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/02/24/how-an-11-year-old-entrepreneur-crashed-the-oscars/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%7C203578

Let's continue the day with a very troubling story:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/27/horrific-us-medical-experiments-come-to-light/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk1%7C203752

Let's end the day with a warning of online scams to watch out for.

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/02/24/fbi-2010-a-banner-year-for-online-crime/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%7C203773

I hope you are looking forward to your week and I am looking forward to your comments.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1926 and died in 2004. I was a Swiss-born psychiatrist, a pioneer in Near-death studies and the author of a groundbreaking book. I am an inductee into the National Women's Hall of Fame and received twenty honorary degrees and had taught by m estimation, 125,000 students in death and dying courses in colleges, seminaries, medical schools, hospitals, and social-work institutions. I propsed the now famous Five Stages of Grief as a pattern of adjustment. These five stages of grief are denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. In general, individuals experience most of these stages, though in no defined sequence, after being faced with the reality of their impending death. The five stages have since been adopted by many as applying to the survivors of a loved one's death, as well. I conducted many workshops on AIDS in different parts of the world. I suffered a series of strokes in 1995 which left me partially paralyzed on her left side. One of my greatest wishes was to build a hospice for infants and children infected with AIDS to give them a last home where they could live until their passing, inspired by the aid-project of British doctor Cicely Saunders. What one of the FIVE STAGES OF GRIEF will you be in if you can't answer the question, Who Am I?

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Oscar Sunday Update

Oscar Sunday is here and after the short update and a couple of articles I will make a statement about each of the nominated movies for best picture. My guess is the headlines tomorrow will be "THE KING'S SPEECH" SWEEPS AWARDS. This is the first year in a will that a picture will that is doing well at the box office and that people actually like. I think they should hire the featured star in the next article to give a thumbs up to every winner:

http://www.urlesque.com/2011/02/24/jimmy-thumbs-up-cat/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk3%7C203440

My update. Last year one dinner out at with family. One lunch with Mom. One snow day where I caught up on my own work. The movie UNKNOWN, which is better than the critics rated it. Four days of work. Next week some of my own work and five days on the job. Today lunch with Mom and the couch potato city for Oscar Sunday. That's My update.
Next up is an article about what you can and can't deduct on your taxes.

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/02/25/is-it-deductible-we-evaluate-12-common-expenses/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C203593

I do think the in some cases some things that were said to be flatly non-deductible under certain circumstances would be deductible. Exercise machines MAY be deductible if a doctor writes you a prescription for a machine as part of a rehab from a medical issue like a stroke. Bus passes May be deductible if you buy them as gift for a business associate or an employee ($25 annual limit on both). Let's also say you are married and only have one car and one of you is self-employed. Every time you have to meet with a client your wife drops you off at the transit center, where you then bus to your meeting with a client. I'd deduct the bus pass and I'd fight the IRS for it. Depending on the age of the children and the income of the parents some private school tuition MAY be deductible if the school separates their cost on the bill between daycare AFTER school and tuition during school. This article is an example of how you should never make blanket statements where IRS rules are concerned.

Entertainment update: Dancing With Stars cast announced tomorrow night. Nobody was eliminated from The Amazing Race. Dale was eliminated on Top Chef. Here is my rundown on the best picture nominees:

Black Swan - abuse, sexual situations, two footballs.

King Speech - overcoming odds and developing lifelong friends - best movie in years - five footballs and that is shorting changing it.

The Fighter - drug use, boxer making a comeback, inspiring - four footballs.

Toy Story 3 - touching animated movie, kids going away to college, four footballs

Inception - dream sequences, well acted - four footballs.

True Grit - remake, good western, well acted, downgraded for unnecessary animal cruelty - Three Footballs.

Winter's Born - girl in search of dad, poverty, well acted - three footballs.

The Social Network - true story, well acted, rich boys being mean to each other - four footballs.

127 - didn't see can't comment other than to say - true story, limb cut off.

Kids Are All Right - lesbian relationship, mild sex scenes, relationships and parenting - Three and a half footballs.

.MY PICKS. KEY - WW = WILL WIN SW= WIN IW - I WANT TO WIN.

BEST MOVIE:

The King's Speech - WW, SW, IW

BEST ACTOR

Colin Firth For The King's Speech - WW, SW, IM

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLEU?

Christian Bale for The Fighter - WW

Geoffrey Rush for The King's Speech - SW, IW

BEST ACTRESS

Natalie Portman for Black Swan - WW, IW

Annette Bening for Kids Are All Right -SW

BEST ACTRESS UB A SUPPORTING ROLE

Amy Adams for The Fighter - SW

Melissa Leo for The Fighter - WW

Hailee Steinfeld For True Grit - IW

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Toy Story 3 - SW, WW, IW


CINEMATOGOPHRY

Inception - WW

True Grit - SW, IW


DIRECTING

The King's Speech - IW, WW

The Social Network - SW


MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

The King's Speech - IW

The Social Network - SW, WW

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)
From Toy Story 3 "We Belong Together"
Music and Lyric by Randy Newman

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

The Social Network - WW, SW

A True Grit - IW

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

The Fighter - WW

The King's Speech - SW, IW

The blog is now yours, fire away with your comments and catch me up with what you have been doing last week and or going to do next week.

Saturday, February 26, 2011

A Fox In The House & Angry Cities

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Frances Williard. Tomorrow on the blog is update day. Tomorrow is also one of my favorite Sunday's of the year, Oscar Telecast date. As part of my entertainment update I will make my Oscar picks and give little snippets of nine of the ten best picture nominees. The only nominated picture I didn't see was 127.

Let's start out the day with a story I just loved:

http://www.npr.org/2011/02/25/134048252/StoryCorps?sc=fb&cc=fp

Do you think you might be surprised at what was living on top of buildings in your city? Check out this article:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/25/urban-fox-evicted-from-top-of-londons-tallest-skyscraper/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%7C203493

Do you wonder, how in the heck did the fox get to the top of that building?

How angry is your city? According to Men's Health Magazine New York isn't as mad as Los Angeles, and Portland isn't as angry as either. New York was the number fifty-eight on the angry list, Los Angeles was in the thirties and only two cites in the top one hundred were less angry than Portland, Oregon. Read the article here:

http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/02/25/2011-02-25_new_york_city_only_58th_angriest_city_in_us_detroit_finishes_a_top_mens_health_m.html

And see the rankings here:

http://www.wsmv.com/health/9682434/detail.html

Comment away.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Coffee, Parents, & Handcuffs

I recovered from a brief snow storm and now am getting ready to head out is darn cold weather. We are setting a record today for the lowest high temperature on this day in history. Lows as low as 18.

To make matters worse is I guess I will have to cut down on coffee and ditch my plans to eventually end up in Los Angeles.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/24/sex-smog-coffee-heart-attacks/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk2%7C203261

The following article is one of those head shakers. So many people doing the wrong thing in my estimation. Such a lack of communication along the way after starting with a bad idea.

http://www.parentdish.com/2011/02/24/parents-try-to-scare-daughter-with-trip-to-police-but-theyre-t/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%7C203249

The following article might be more classified as a determined crook instead of a dumb crook:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110224/od_nm/us_nevada_handcuffs

Hope you are looking forward to a good weekend and you can start the fun by leaving a comment.

WHO AM I

I was born in 1839 and died in 1898. I was an American educator, temperance reformer, and women's suffragist. My influence was instrumental in the passage of the Eighteenth (Prohibition) and Nineteenth (Women Suffrage) Amendments to the United States Constitution. When we moved from New York to Wisconsin weconverted from Congregationalists to Methodists,, a Protestant denomination that placed an emphasis on social justice and service to the world. After both my father and my younger sister died my brother became an alcoholic, and I began to feel love for a woman who would ultimately go on to marry my brother. To fight for the right to vote for women I traveled an average of 30,000 miles of travel a year and gave an average of four hundred lectures a year for a ten year period. The famous portrait, "American Woman and her Political Peers",features me at the center, surrounded by a convict, American Indian, lunatic, and an idiot. This image succinctly portrayed the argument for female enfranchisement; without the right to vote, the educated, respectable woman was equated with the other outcasts of society to whom the franchise was denied. We all could write about A WHEEL WITHIN A WHEEL: HOW I LEARNED TO RIDE A BIKE, 1895. I did. Who Am I?

Thursday, February 24, 2011

From Birth to Ninety, Babies & Aunts.

First up prayers are needed. Here is an email from Dona:

"My boy and his wife just had their second child and I have been away watching the other 2 boys at their home. (hour away) Sent you the only pic I have so far, as I had to bring mommy home without the little guy as he is having a few problems. (but being the loving grand nana I am I had to take just one pic)

He was almost 2 months early and weighed in at 5pounds 13ounces, had some breathing issues and has had his blood pressure tank twice once when he was born and the other last evening. So am hoping for some prayers."

Here is the picture:



Second, prayers are needed in the direction of My Aunt Velma, My Uncle Frank, & Cousin Dixie. My aunt fell and broke her hip two days ago. She not only survived surgery. she came through it really well and has taken two steps already. But I would love it if you would continue to send positive vibes and prayers their direction.

On to today's post. I think the girl in the following article was really smart not to get in the car with her Mom. And it was probably best that she turned her mom in:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/23/girl-9-tells-bank-her-moms-too-drunk-to-drive/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%7C203140

Let's file this under, "He is a better man, than I am":

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110222/od_nm/us_india_family

It looks like I'm not the only one tired of Charlie Sheen:

http://www.popeater.com/2011/02/23/two-and-a-half-men-without-charlie-sheen/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl2%7Csec1_lnk3%7C203144

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Jessie Redmon Fauset.

Looking forward to your comments.

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Dogs, The IRS, & Speed.

Heading off to work early today and then will leave for home a little after lunch before the predicted storm comes in.

I always am looking for good friends that listen. What about you?

http://www.oregonlive.com/pets/index.ssf/2011/02/pet_talk_dogs_for_the_deaf_pro.html

I just have one thing to say, amazing.

Next up is some helpful news should you get an IRS notice.

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/02/22/taxpayer-rights-what-you-need-to-know-if-you-get-audited/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk1%7C202749

I do take issue with a couple of items. I wouldn't ask to record a meeting with the IRS and I wouldn't represent myself before the IRS unless I met with a professional first.

What's in a name? A rose by any other name is still rose. Is a town by any other name still a town?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110222/od_nm/us_australia_speed

Do you think Speedkills, will keep speed from killing?

Comment away.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1882 and died in 1961 and was an American editor, poet, essayist and novelist. I was born in an all-black hamlet in Camden County, New Jersey. My mother died when I was a young girl. I attended Philadelphia High School for girls, and graduated as the only African American in my class. Then I was Phi Bet Kappa at an Ivy League school. I am said to be only the second black person to be Phi Beta. While I taught for years I am noted for my novels. We should all know THERE IS CONFUSION and if you know that too you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Those Clowns In Congress.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was one of the founders of Sesame Street, Joan Ganz Cooney.

I am a little disturbed about what is on the horizon in the good old Portland area. It has only happened four times in the history of Portland. Accumulation of snow in February. Today the temperatures start decreasing and by Wednesday night a snow storm is expected to hit are dropping as much as six inches on our ground floor. I've already made up my mind if that happens I'm staying home from work. I'm a really good driver in the snow but a lot of those that get on the road aren't really used to driving in the snow and make it dangerous for everyone else. The worst drivers are the ones with the four wheel drive SUV's because they get overconfident and go to fast and follow to close for the road conditions. This is a seasonal job that I may or may not go back to next year, I don't see the sense in risking life and limb by getting on the road under these circumstances. What do you think I should do?

What to know what the clowns in Congress are up to?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110217/od_nm/us_brazil_clown_odd

Speaking of government employees does the background of the government employee in the following article bother you?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/21/accused-killer-raymond-davis-us-diplomat-in-pakistan-or-cia-spy/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%7C202747

While I am disturbed about the snow and bothered about killers working for the government, I am really pleased with the following article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/eu_germany_married_catholic_priest;_ylt=Ao429a1vSHUlRW5ooYi9Im2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTQ2N2x1bXVnBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMjIyL2V1X2dlcm1hbnlfbWFycmllZF9jYXRob2xpY19wcmllc3QEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwM4BHBvcwM1BHB0A2hvbWVfY29rZQRzZWMDeW5faGVhZGxpbmVfbGlzdARzbGsDbWFycmllZGdlcm1

Are you glad the church bent the rules to add a really qualified priest to the church?

Off to work. I'm going to try to work a little longer today and tomorrow and then take of Thursday. Comment away.

Monday, February 21, 2011

Bats & Brains With A Hero On The Side.

Let's start out the week with some really good news on aging and the middle-aged mind:

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2011/02/forget_about_it_middle-aged_br.html

You know I love young heroes. Here is another one:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/18/missouri-first-grader-justin-kastanis-saves-aunt-with-911-call/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk3%7C202482

I'm closing with a warning. Watch out, bats could be coming to your neighborhood:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110218/od_nm/us_australia_bats

Start our your week by leaving a comment and then enjoy the rest of the week.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1929 and am an American television producer and one of the founders of the Children's Television Workshop. I was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and the Television Hall of Fame. I am married to a former U.S. Secretary of Commerce. Unable to have children of my own, she became a stepmother to his five children. My paternal grandfather fought in Georgia during the American Civil War, on the Confederate side. Growing up I described myself as "just a grim, over-wrought little kid.". I was never able to keep up with my siblings. For high school I went to a public high school while my siblings went to a private school. I feel this separation, that she was no longer "their little sister,] let her come into her own. In school plays and even state-wide drama contests I was sure she wanted to become an actress. I describes myself as the "world's happiest adolescent" I stopped acting in college when my father expressed that he would never support such a career. When I moved to New York City I was hired in the press department of RCA where I wrote regular releases, on prediction of what television would be like in the future, from shopping for groceries, and color transmissions. I would later become involved in the Democratic reform movement, led by Eleanor Roosevelt, helping it write releases about its activities. A center named after me was founded to study the role of digital technologies in childhood literacy. Elmo, Grover, Big Bird and the Cookie Monster know who I am. Search who created the street those characters lived on and you can answer the question, Who Am I?

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Short Update

Since my update is pretty short this week I am going to do a small regular post and then turn the blog over to you for your updates. When you work five days a week life gets pretty boring. It would be snooze time if I wrote about my life. Speaking of snoozing:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_sci_good_snooze_bears

I've been called a character (lovingly) before among other things and there has been those few times when I was asked if I was from another planet. Now if someone asks if I am from another planet I have more homes to chose from.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/19/cosmic-census-finds-crowd-of-planets-in-our-galaxy/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk1%7C202460

Now my brief update. Five days of work. One lunch out with a co-worker, two lunches out with Mom, and one dinner out with the family. That's it. Next week five days of work, two lunches out with Mom, and one dinner out with the family - See a pattern?

Entertainment update is brief too. Amazing Race starts tonight. The blog is now yours. Fire away.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Serious Saturday

The answer for yesterday's Who Am I was Christine de Pisan (also seen as de Pizan). Today we are moving from Fun Friday to Serious Saturday.

We all have had friends are relatives that have suffered memory loss. How should we react around them? I think the following article is right on:

http://marlothomas.aol.com/2011/02/14/when-a-friend-has-memory-loss/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl12%7Csec3_lnk1%7C201963

How much fiber do you eat?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110215/ap_on_he_me/us_med_high_fiber_longer_life

I do think that a person can eat to much fiber. At the end of today's post is a picture from my last doctor's appointment. (The devil made me do it.)

Would you like your doctor to be thorough? Would you like him to have tests take on you of for you that wasn't really necessary?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110216/ap_on_he_me/us_med_medical_tests_malpractice

I would hope the doctor was having tests ordered for me for my health not to because he was trying to avoid being sued for malpractice.

Hope this is a great Saturday for you. Taking Mom to lunch today is on the agenda and then maybe later this afternoon take in a movie. Looking forward to your comments.

Friday, February 18, 2011

Fun Friday

Just fun articles today. Some of you may not think are fun but I like to see the humor in everything because ten minutes of straight laughter can burn a lot of calories. Don't believe me?

http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/02/15/50-ways-to-burn-100-calories/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C202028

I am already planning my weekend get away to a farm where I can milk cows and shear sheep.

I ran out of failure to success stories but the following article is inspirational in some ways.

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/02/09/we-dont-need-no-education-meet-the-millionaire-dropouts/

Growing up in our home, going to college was pretty much required, we didn't know we had any other option. My parents started talking college when we were little tykes. I've kind of always thought just maybe college wasn't for everyone. However, I loved college.

Looking for a place to get married? Looking for a clean place that won't cost you a fortune? Then maybe Hong Kong has the right idea:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110214/od_nm/us_hongkong_mcdonalds_odd

Looking forward to your comments.

Who Am I?

I was born in 1363 and died in 1430 and was a Venetian-born woman of the medieval era who strongly challenged misogyny and stereotypes prevalent in the male-dominated realm of the arts. As a poet I was well known and highly regarded. I spent most of my childhood and all of her adult life primarily in Paris. My early courtly poetry is marked by my knowledge of aristocratic custom and fashion of the day, particularly involving women and the practice of chivalry. I earned my accolade as Europe’s first professional woman writer. I married iat the age of 15 and was widowed 10 years later. Much of the impetus for my writing came from her need to earn a living for herself and her three children. I successfully educated myself by immersing myself in languages, in the rediscovered classics and humanism of the early Renaissance, and in Charles V’s royal archive that housed a vast number of manuscripts. I married Etienne, a royal secretary to the court and bore three children, a daughter (who went to live at the Dominican Abbey in Poissy in 1397 as a companion to the king's daughter, Marie), a son Jean, and another child who died in childhood. Have you read THE BOOK OF THE CITY OF LADIES? Then maybe you can respond to THE ROMANCE OF THE ROSE and answer the question, Who Am I?

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Amazing Old Guys, Scams, & Acid Reflux,

The answer to yesterday's Who Am was Gwendolyn Brooks.

First up is an amazing story.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110216/ap_on_re_us/us5_days_in_desert

I'm not sure I could survive that long in a desert. It really is amazing that the man had no injuries or illnesses. I am sure not going to try drinking windshield wiper spray.

Next up is a scam to watch out for and to let your friends know about.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/02/14/jury-duty-job-scam-preys-on-busy-workers/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl10%7Csec3_lnk2%7C201349

I think you need to verify jury duty calls even if you aren't at work.

Last up is what I hope will be a helpful article for you. I at times suffer from acid reflux disease. Checkout this article

http://www.aolhealth.com/condition-center/digestive-disorders/acid-reflux-diet-remedies?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C201554

I hadn't really thought about chocolate but I knew about caffeine, my mind just didn't compute.

The computer won Jeopardy. It didn't really surprise me but I do hope if the do it again they don't spend so much time talking about the computer and don't show the top answers at the bottom of the screen.

Off to work. Comment at will.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Heroes In All Sizes & Shapes.

Everyone once in a while I like to do a post about heroes. Everyday heroes.

They come as young as eight years old:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/15/oklahoma-third-grader-delivers-baby-brother-with-help-from-grea/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk1%7C201555

They can be famous or talented.

http://www.theboot.com/2011/02/14/craig-morgan-rescue-house-fire/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%7C201337

Or they can just be someone starting out to honoring her mother for a pre-set period of time and being so touched by the action that she not only can't stop giving a hundred dollars a day to strangers but that she serves as inspiration of teachers and students.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/02/portland_woman_who_gave_away_1.html

Comment early and comment often!

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1917 and died in 2000 and although Bill has heard of me he didn't know much about my background. I am a Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry and was appointed Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. Mr mother was a former school teacher who left teaching for marriage and motherhood, and my father was the son of a runaway slave who fought in the Civil War, had given up his ambition to become a doctor to work as a janitor because he could not afford to attend medical school. My enthusiasm for reading and writing was encouraged by my parents. My father provided a desk and bookshelves, and my mother took took me to meet Harlem Renaissance poets Langston Hughes and James Weldon Johnson. I published my first poem in a children's magazine at the age of thirteen. When I was sixteen years old, I had compiled a portfolio of around seventy-five published poems. I was once named one the “Ten Young Women of the Year” in Mademoiselle magazine. I was invited at age forty-five by JFK to read at a Library of Congress poetry festival. I was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and was was presented with the National Medal of Arts. Other awards I received included the Frost Medal, the Shelley Memorial Award, and an award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. I was awarded more than seventy-five honorary degrees from colleges and universities worldwide. I was married and had to children. Have you ever been on A STREET IN BRONZEVILLE? Go there and answer the question, Who Am I?

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Health Notes

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Saint Valentine. Today before heading out for the grind I am just going to talk about health today.

First up is the signs of stress and how to handle it.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/10/signs-youre-stressed-out-relax-with-these-tips/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk1%7C200807

Next up is what I perceive as a good sign. Certainly it would be less expensive to rehab at home then at hospitals or high tech gyms.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110211/ap_on_he_me/us_med_stroke_rehab

Last is an article I found surprising. What do you think causes about 10% of the deaths in the U.S.?

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/11/alcohol-related-deaths-worldwide/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk2%7C200803

On a non-health note I was disappointed in Jeopardy last night, I thought they spend way to much time explaining the computer and not enough time playing the game.

Looking forward to your input.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Love Is In The Air.

I think men who have a pierced ear are better prepared for marriage. They've experienced pain and bought jewelry."-- Rita Rudner

Only love today. A good dancer is easy to love, no? There are some pretty good dancers in the following article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_seniors_lonely_valentines;_ylt=AvZcFJHiQUMbffvHbFRIIx6s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTQxNDI0am1rBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMjEzL3VzX3NlbmlvcnNfbG9uZWx5X3ZhbGVudGluZXMEY2NvZGUDbW9zdHBvcHVsYXIEY3BvcwMxMARwb3MDNwRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA3Nob3J0b25tZW5yZQ--

OK, guys, admit it where the lovely women are concerned we need help. Or is that, beyond help? The next article will give you the look into the mind of a woman:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/13/opinion-for-valentines-5-lessons-on-understanding-women/

On the day of love is only fitting to close with a beautiful love story:

http://storiesoftruelove.blogspot.com/2008/06/beautiful-love-story.html

Should the retirement home pay men to dance with the women? Are the five lessons about women mentioned in one of today's article true of false? Have you ever drink salty coffee for love?

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY EVERYONE!!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

First Work Week Update

I do not try to dance better than anyone else. I only try to to dance better than myself." -- Mikhail Baryshnikov

Update Day on the blog. I love it for two reasons. You do all the work and I get to find out what is going on in your life.

Last week. Super Bowl Party and one night at Mom's. Three days of work. Two trips during my lunch hours on a couple of days to Mom's to take care of some things for her. I shopped for some stuff Mom needed one night and delivered it the next day. The other time I had to drop by some prescriptions. We had a really nice dinner out with cousin Belva, her husband Don, my sister and her husband, mom, and I. They are so fun to be around. I took Mom shopping and to lunch yesterday. There were also the normal errands, dry cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, haircut, etc.

On the work agenda it is really an adjustment to get back into the swing of things. I am surprised how much I remember from last year and the kind of things I remember. The people at work or so darn nice. The first day I arrived the receptionist greeted me with a hug. She has been promoted to office administrator and is about two months pregnant. At my desk on the chalkboard was a huge "welcome back." If I remember my camera will take a picture of it. The bosses have been very nice. And the work seems a little easier than last year. I hope it continues to go well.

On the agenda this week is mostly work. The good thing is my family and friends have pitched in to support me. The caregiver offered to do one more night a week for the next couple of months and my sister volunteered to do all other nights. What a relief for me. So what I decided to do is take Mom to lunch on Saturday's and Sunday's and do errands for her those days. Other than work is to finish cleaning the house, set my clothes out for the week, pack my lunches for the week, finish a work assignment for the guys that bought my business, and finish my two tax returns.

Entertainment update. This is the week on Jeopardy that the computer named Watson takes on Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter. Dancing With The Stars cast will be announced during The Bachelor on February 28 and season 12 will premiere on Monday March 21. The Amazing Race Unfinished Business appears next Sunday, February 20. I haven't really gotten into Top Chef this season. The contestants are all from previous seasons and some of them were the most annoying ones. I'm kind of rooting for Angelo to win and I have no reason why since he was annoying last season but he seems to have toned it down. They eliminated Fabio on the week's show. A lesson, don't cook anything you can't pronounce, if you can't pronounce burger get help.

The blog is now yours. Confess your sins. Vent. Share stories, good or bad. Tell me about last week and what is on the agenda for the next week. Need prayers or good thoughts, fire away. Looking forward to your responses.

PS

I don't know if I ever updated the group on my IRS issues. They were solved and I was extremely happy with the result.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Going Local

The first two articles are from my area, the first one being within walking distance of my home.

I love the quote "when you use your candle to light someone else's candle your candle doesn't go out." That quote is so appropriate for today's first story, Liam's $6 Club. That is definitely a club I can embrace.

http://www.sherwoodhomesandland.com/blog/baked-love-liam-2920

That story just touches my heart for so many reasons. First a six year old reacts to bad news by helping other children, then a ten year-old uses a Christmas gift to help the six year old. There are plenty of lessons for adults in the story.

I wish the following story was as inspiring as the first story. Instead it is extremely troubling.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/02/portland_adventist_refuses_to.html

The hospital did later issue a statement that they sent personnel out but the police dispute this. The hospital confirmed that they told the police to call 911 was because that is their policy. I'm not real versed on these things but I do think it is likely that there was a doctor inside the hospital. Couldn't they have called him or her?

This is a lesson for all of us. If you think you need to go to the hospital because you aren't feeling well, don't drive yourself, CALL AN AMBULANCE!

Think a kiss is just a kiss? Think again.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110211/od_nm/us_books_kisses_odd

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Nadia Boulanger. I always look forward to the best part of the blog, your comments!

Friday, February 11, 2011

Good Friday

Work is going really well. They really do like having me there. Lots of hugs, glad you are back, and we need you. Since it has been only a good experience so far I am sticking with the good today. Only the good.

First up is a woman that if I meet I would no fall in love with:

http://thoughtcatalog.com/2011/grandma-foils-a-robbery-by-hitting-thieves-with-her-purse/

That lady runs faster than I do. I could watch this video over and over.

Next up is a coach that I would want to play for. This is my idea of a coach that loves his players and wants the best for them:

http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2011/02/08/wake-forest-baseball-coach-gives-player-kidney/

Wouldn't you want your kids to play for this coach?

It is probably a stretch to define the following story as a good story but confession is good for the soul, no?

http://www.engadget.com/2011/02/08/itunes-salvation-roman-catholic-church-approves-confession-app/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%7C200062

I like that the church is trying to make it easier for the parishioners to confess but it scares me a bit because of hackers. What if someone hacked into an American spy or politicians confessions? Couldn't that be a setup for bribery?

I will respond to your comments when I get back from work tonight.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1887 and died in 1979. I was a French composer, conductor and teacher who taught many composers and performers of the 20th century. I taught in the U.S. and in England, working with music academies including the Juilliard School, the Yehudi Menuhin School, the Royal College of Music and the Royal Academy of Music. As a conductor I was the first woman to direct many major orchestras in America and Europe, including the BBC Symphony, Boston Symphony, Hallé, New York Philharmonic and Philadelphia orchestras. I entered the Conservatoire at the age of 10, studying harmony and composition. While still a student at the Conservatoire I became the family's only breadwinner on the death of my father. I won the Conservatoire's top prizes for harmony, counterpoint, fugue, organ and piano accompaniment. My compositions comprise 29 songs for solo singer and piano; nine larger-scale vocal works, some with orchestra; five works for instrumental solo (organ, cello, piano); two orchestral works, and an opera. As a performer I made few recordings. I was once described as "the most influential teacher since Socrates." If you know who said the following "loving a child doesn't mean giving in to all his whims; to love him is to bring out the best in him, to teach him to love what is difficult.” then you can answer the question, Who Am I?

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Head Skaker, Animals' Will, & Reunions.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Zora Neale Hurston.

First up is what I call a head shaker:

http://www.salon.com/life/feature/2011/02/07/married_a_prisoner/index.html

With so many men out there why would anyone marry a prisoner? Does the article surprise you?

Next up is kind of an interesting article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110205/ap_on_re_as/as_new_zealand_whale_stranding

Sometimes the will of animals is really surprising.

Now a very charming reunion story:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/08/subway-hero-derrick-oaks-comes-forward-meets-sabrina-scott-the/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk2%7C200119

I'd certainly like to meet anyone that saved my life.

Looking forward to reading your comments tonight when I get home from work.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

The Obvious

I'm heading off to work but before jumping in the car on the blog we are going to do the obvious.

First obvious article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thelookout/20110207/us_yblog_thelookout/teaching-kids-social-skills-pays-off-in-grades

Of course if kids are happy they are going to do better in school.

Obvious article number two:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110208/ap_on_he_me/us_med_healthbeat_end_of_life

I know if I was in their shoes I'd want the truth. With the truth you can plan. Why would not telling the truth even be a consideration?

On to obvious article number three:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110204/ap_on_he_me/us_med_stuttering_movie

You all know I loved THE KING'S SPEECH. When I left the movie my reaction was that the movie was sure to bring the positive to stuttering. Not shocking in my book.

Comment at will.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1891 and died in 1960. I was an American folklorist, anthropologist, and author during the time of the Harlem Renaissance. I have published four novels and more than 50 short stories, plays, and essays. I was the fifth of eight children. My father was a Baptist preacher, tenant farmer, and carpenter, and my mother was a school teacher. My mother died when I was thirteen. My father and new stepmother sent me away to boarding school but eventually stopped paying my tuition and the school expelled me. I later worked as a maid to the lead singer in a traveling Gilbert & Sullivan theatrical company. I did undergraduate studies at Howard University co-founding the student newspaper. I left Howard and was offered a scholarship to Barnard College where I was the college's only black student. I received my B.A. in anthropology. As an adult I traveled extensively in the Caribbean and the American South and immersed myself in local cultural practices to conduct her anthropological research. I married a jazz musician and former classmate when I was 36 but the marriage ended after four years. I would later marry again but that marriage also ended. During a period of financial and medical difficulties I was forced to enter St. Lucie County Welfare Home, where I suffered a stroke and died of hypertensive heart disease. In 1937 I was awarded a prestigious Guggenheim Fellowship to conduct ethnographic research in Jamaica and Haiti. My work slid into obscurity for decades, for a number of cultural and political reasons.Many readers objected to the representation of African American dialect in my novels, given the racially charged history of dialect fiction in American literature. I opposed the Supreme Court ruling in the Brown v. Board of Education. I felt that if separate schools were truly equal educating black students in physical proximity to white students would not result in better education. Did you ever wonder if EVERY TONGUE GOT TO CONFESS? If you have you may be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Pull Down Your Genes.

An update. They moved my start date up to tomorrow. I thought I had a week to get things done before going to work, now I have today.

Let's start out the day with a really charming and cool video:

http://www.urlesque.com/2011/02/04/corgis-playing-tetherball/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C199257

Next is a story that makes you shake you head and ask, how can this happen?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110203/od_nm/us_dangerous_teacher;_ylt=AgAz8aeOlwKBa9fUtChLCMis0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFmY2szNmVzBHBvcwMyMDQEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9vZGRfbmV3cwRzbGsDcXVvdGRhbmdlcm91

It seems to be there should been some type of a background check before unleashing this teacher on unsusupecting students.

Do you know how to tell a male chromosome from a female chromosome? You pull done its genes. Are you a glass half empty kind of person? Glass half full? How did you get that way?

http://www.newser.com/story/111515/glass-half-full-or-half-empty-ask-your-genes.html

I guess we didn't have a choice, it was pre-determined.

The answer to yesterdays Who Am I was Mary Cassatt. You can view some of her art work here:

http://www.nga.gov/collection/gallery/ggcassattptg/ggcassattptg-main1.html

Comment away.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Super Dogs & Super Feats.

I was happy to see Green Bay win the Super Bowl. It was a great game. Now football goes back on the shelf for another year and maybe more if a labor agreement between the players and the owners can't be reached.

Before today's post some of the highlights from the Super Bowl. Christina Aguilera flubbed the national anthem before the game. She repeated one line twice and missed a few other notes. The halftime show that is usually pretty good, really stunk. The ads during the game were good but not great. Although the USA Today Ranked this ad forty-third it is by far my favorite. I think it is well worth the time to watch this commercial:

http://superbowlads.fanhouse.com/2011/chrysler-eminem/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk1%7C199843

You can also see all of the ads at the above link, just click on the quarter. You can also see how USA Today ranked the ads at the following link:

http://www.usatoday.com/money/advertising/admeter/2011-02-07-2011-ad-meter-chart_N.htm

Looks like Dogs won by a landslide.

Now on to today's post. Let's start out with an incredible feat:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/07/marathon-man-stefaan-engels-runs-365-marathons-in-a-year/

I can't help but wonder how much damage he did to his knees but still it was one heck of an accomplishment.

From an incredible journey to an incredible story:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/05/buried-in-snow-for-hours-wisconsin-man-saved-by-neighbors/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C199592

Thank goodness for neighbors.

Of course, you know your comments are always welcome.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1844 and died in 1926. I was an American painter and printmaker. I lived much of my adult life in France. I often created images of the social and private lives of women with particular emphasis on the intimate bonds between mothers and children. My father was a successful stockbroker and my mother came from a banking family. Even though my family objected to me becoming a professional artist I began studying painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. I continued my studies during the years of the American Civil War. Impatient with the slow pace of instruction and the patronizing attitude of male students and teachers I decided to study the old masters on my own. I augmented my artistic training with daily copying in the Louvre (I obtained the required permit, which was necessary to control the “copyists”, usually low-paid women, who daily filled the museum to paint copies for sale). The museum served as a social meeting place for Frenchmen and American female students, who were not allowed to attend cafes where the avant-garde socialized. Returning to the United States in the late summer of 1870—as the Franco-Prussian War was starting—I lived with my family. My father continued to resist my chosen vocation, and paid for my basic needs but not art supplies. I often saw that works by female artists were dismissed with contempt. If you don't know who I am by now maybe you should think about TWO WOMEN THROWING FLOWERS DURING A CARNIVAL. That should help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Super Sunday Update

Julia Roberts auditioned for All My Children and was rejected because "she couldn't act."

Today is Super Sunday. I am going to be at my sister and her husband's house for a a party to watch The Super Bowl, Green Bay Packers vs. The Pittsburgh Steelers. Of course as always the commercials are almost required viewing. I'm rooting for the Packers. I hate the Steelers. The Steelers quarterback twice has been accused of sexual assault, date rape. The NFL did suspend him for four games for violating their personal conduct policy. Criminally he hasn't been arrested, charged, or jailed. However, I believe where there is smoke there is also fire. One incident could possibly be a false report, two incidents is a habit and also most likely means unreported incidents. I don't want a rapist led team to win the Super Bowl. I'm hoping Packers 24-21. GO PACKERS.

For the commercials. I'm betting the worse commercials of the day will be from GoDaddy.com. They will be sexist and rude. The best will be the beer commercials, any commercials involving animals, and any commercials showing men looking stupid. You can see a list of most of the commercials here:

http://www.superbowl-commercials.org/

My update for last week. Three days two nights at Mom's. Dinner out last night with Mom, Sis, Brother-in-law, caregiver, and friends. One lunch and one dinner out with Mom. Cooking a couple of meals at Mom's. Laundry. Doctor about the leg. It seems to be improving but is still there. Picked up my royalty check and a work assignment from the guys that bought my practice. Finished Mom's books and another work assignment. Went to the movie THE BLACK SWAN. Interesting but it really should have gotten an X-Rating. It received the same rating as THE KING'S SPEECH (which should have been rated lower, it would be a good movie for kids to see. There was one short scene where the F word was used a few times. The man didn't stutter when he swore or sang.) THE BLACK SWAN had a very explicit scene featuring lesbian lovers and also had several violent scenes.

The week coming up. I've got my official start date for my seasonal job. It is February 14. Later than last year due to the lateness of Congress extending the Bush tax cuts. That means a lot has to be done next week to get ready. I am spending tonight, Wednesday night, and Thursday morning at Mom's. Today is the party. Then on the agenda is shopping for shoes and a couple of new shirts. I have to get a haircut. Then all my dry cleaning needs to be done. I have to load up all the tax programs in my computers (two different ones because the two firms I work for use different tax programs). I have to have my computers checked. Then my house gets a very thorough cleaning. Having a clean house to come home from work to just seems to put me in a better frame of mind. Then I need to review the information from the seminars I went too about all the changes in the law. That should be about it.

Before turning the blog over to you just a couple of comments. I'm really worried about Mom, her sick spells are coming almost everyday now. She doesn't seem to be able to focus as much as she used to. It really is frightening. On a better note the firm I worked for offered me a different position. They offered me the position of reviewing tax returns instead of preparing them. It really is a hug compliment. However, I turned it down. I like preparing tax returns. Plus I am a big picture kind of guy and not real detailed oriented. Reviewers need to really look at all the details, that's not me. I look at the end result and the highlights. Still it really was nice to be thought of as good enough to review others work.

The blog is now yours. Tell me all your secrets, including whether or not The Shankster fell again. I love hearing about what is going on with you. You are important to me and so is what you are all up to.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Naps, Left-Handers, & Life-Savers.

I found a couple more of success to failure stories. There was a man who was charged and publicly humiliated by a district attorney, for doing fraud and misleading the public into buying his company stocks. He mislead people by a mere claim that he could transmit human voices across the Atlantic ocean. He then went on to invent triode tubes his name was Lee De Forest.

Let's talk health. We all know sleep and a good nap is an important part of being healthy. I'm just not sure this is an appropriate time for someone to take a nap:

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/02/04/pilot-falls-into-deep-sleep-on-sas-flight/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C199337

Are you left handed? I am left-handed. Well, I do two things left-handed, write and eat. Everything else I do right handed. In a way I'm kind of glad I only do two things left-handed because the rumor has it that being left handed is going to the birds:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110203/od_nm/us_parrots_hands

Back to health. Here are eight things to do to help you add years to you lives. I scored about sixty percent. The thing that bothered me was the article said eight things but listed five.

http://www.aolhealth.com/2011/02/03/aging-gracefully-8-tricks-to-add-years-to-your-life/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C199320

Tomorrow is Super Sunday so I hope today is a Super Saturday for you. Comment at will.

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Hiram Bingham IV. I wanted to thank DR for her comment "It never ceases to amaze me, the number of "everyday heroes" we never hear about, who accomplished such amazing deeds in the interest of humanity and their fellow man. One of the reasons I love your "who am I" section." One of the reasons I love doing the Who Am I is how much I learn from it. Hiram Bingham IV came up in another Who Am I that I researched. Hannah Arndt was on of the Jews he saved.

Friday, February 4, 2011

Freaky Friday.

I have ran out of failure to success stories so that is the end of those for a while. If I run into in anymore then the failure to success blurbs will return.

Friend and frequent commenter Don has been in the middle of Storm 2011. Her husband, lovely known as The Shankster, has fallen a couple of times. He is doing OK but I imagine is in some pain. They were housebound for a while as trees kept crashing around them. If you want to read all about how they are dealing with Storm 2011 and see some stunning pictures check out her blog at:

http://mrgreenjeans.blogspot.com/

Now on to Freaky Friday. Would you prefer a car made of metal or something less expensive? Check out the following article:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/02/02/mushroom-roots-chicken-feathers-could-be-key-to-making-cars-mor/

We always love a freaky story involving a dumb criminal, don't we? Enjoy.

http://www.switched.com/2011/02/04/cody-wilkins-charges-phone-during-burglary-gets-arrested/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%7C199182

Hope this is a good start to your weekend. Comment at will.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1903 and died in 1988. Numbers are important today and you should alway go with four over three, two, or one. I was one of seven sons of a former United States senator who discovered the ruins of the ancient Incan city Machu Picchu in Peru. I served as a Vice-Consul in Marseille, France, during World War II. My mom was the heiress of a famous company. Before then I served in Kobe, Japan, as a civilian secretary in the United States Embassy. I worked part-time as a schoolteacher. I traveled to India and Egypt before returning to the United States to attend Harvard University. After obtaining my law degree I scored third in his class on the foreign service exam. When France fell to Hitler the French signed an armistice with Germany. In Article 19 of the document, the French agreed to "surrender on demand all Germans named by the German government in France." Civil and military police began to round up German and Jewish refugees who were marked for death by the Nazis. Several influential Europeans tried to lobby the American government to issue visas so that German and Jewish refugees could freely leave France to escape persecution. Anxious to limit immigration to the United States and to maintain good relations with the Vichy government, the State Department actively discouraged diplomats from helping refugees. I said bull and issued visas to help refugees escape France. Although I was supposed to only issue 200 visas I issued 2,000. I also sheltered Jews in my Marseilles home, and obtained forged identity papers to help Jews in their dangerous journeys across Europe. He worked with the French underground to smuggle Jews out of France into Franco's Spain or across the Mediterranean and even contributed to their expenses out of his own pocket. I helped pluck one writer from outside a prison camp and drove him to my home, insisting he dress as a woman to disguise himself for two months until he could escape. That rescue was part of an exhibition called ''Assignment Rescue." In 1941, the United States government abruptly pulled me from my position as Vice Consul and transferred me to Portugal and then Argentina. When I was in Argentina I helped to track Nazi war criminals in South America. In 1945, after being passed over for promotion I resigned from the United States Foreign Service. I did not speak much about my wartime activities. My own family had little knowledge of them until after my death. On June 27, 2002, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell presented a posthumous "Constructive Dissent" award to my children at an American Foreign Service Officers Association awards ceremony in Washington, DC. Do you know who Varian Fry is? If you do you will be able to answer the question to the fourth degree, Who Am I?

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Dogs and Heroes.

Did you know that Mark Twain, the genius writer who is now recognized as the "father of American literature," was not educated beyond elementary school?

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Melanie Klein.

First up sometimes a Dog's life is not a good life for a dog but for others as well:

http://www.npr.org/blogs/health/2011/02/02/133407830/dogs-earn-more-cred-for-sniffing-out-cancer?sc=fb&cc=fp

I am really learning to love dogs and robots.

All my life I've had a crush on Mona Lisa. Now I may be suffering a sexual identity crisis:

http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/mona-lisa-was-portrait-of-a-man-says-expert_1197868

Can a man have such expressive eyes as Mona Lisa?

OK, a stern warning. Before reading the next story, get the tissues out.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/02/george_fox_graduation_ceremony.html

If this man isn't an everyday hero then I know not what the definition of an everyday hero is.

Looking forward to your contributions to today's post.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Dogs, Reality, & Babies.

J. K. Rowling: Rowling may be rolling in a lot of Harry Potter dough today, but before she published the series of novels she was nearly penniless, severely depressed, divorced, trying to raise a child on her own while attending school and writing a novel. Rowling went from depending on welfare to survive to being one of the richest women in the world in a span of only five years through her hard work and determination.

Wish me luck today. I see the doctor at three about my leg. I want the damn thing healed.

The first story today is what I would call the good animal story.

http://www.pawnation.com/2011/02/01/family-dog-leads-police-to-missing-boy/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C198579

Sticking with good stories:

http://goodnewsstories.org/virtual-reality-can-ease-pain/

I will close with a happy ending:

http://goodnewsstories.org/dead-baby-comes-back-to-life/

Comments are appreciated.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1882 and died in 1960. I was an Austrian-born British psychoanalyst who devised novel therapeutic techniques for children that had a significant impact on child psychology and contemporary psychoanalysis. I was a leading innovator in theorizing object relations theory. I first sought psychoanalysis for myself when I was living in Budapest during World War I. I had a major influence on the theory and technique of psychoanalysis, particularly in Great Britain. As a divorced woman whose academic qualifications did not even include a bachelor's degree I was a visible iconoclast within a profession dominated by male physicians.bApart from my professional successes my life was full of tragic events. Allegedly the product of an unwanted birth I had little affection from my parents. My much loved elder sister died when I was four and I was made to feel responsible for my brother’s death. My marriage failed and my son died, while my daughter fought me openly in the British Psychoanalytic Society. While Freud’s ideas concerning children mostly came from working with adult patients I was innovative in working directly with children, often as young as two years old. If you study "THE PSYCHOANALYSIS OF CHILDREN. That will answer the question, Who Am I?

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Driving Blind

Michael Jordan: Most people wouldn't believe that a man often lauded as the best basketball player of all time was actually cut from his high school basketball team. Luckily, Jordan didn't let this setback stop him from playing the game and he has stated, "I have missed more than 9,000 shots in my career. I have lost almost 300 games. On 26 occasions I have been entrusted to take the game winning shot, and I missed. I have failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed."

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Hannah Arndt Hannah Arendt.

Did you know that one of the most frequent item listed on people's bucket list is to drive a race car? While the following class may not satisfy the need to drive a race car I'm betting it comes pretty damn close:

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/27/video-bmw-teaches-evasive-driving-techniques-at-a-cold-war-air/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C198441

I actually think I would love to take this class, you?

Speaking of driving what you think of the idea of technology that allows the blind to drive? Apparently this one blind driver did pretty well at Daytona:

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/31/blind-man-tackles-the-road-course-at-daytona-on-his-own/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%7C198441

I'm not sure how I feel about the technology. I think they would do well with the expected but it is the unexpected that would scare me.

Next up is Fashion. Fashion at the Screen Actors' Award show last Sunday Night. I couldn't find one article with a all the dresses but the following two articles should do the trick:

http://boredomaboundsbyjulia.blogspot.com/2011/01/sag-awards-2011-fashion-round-up.html

http://grasiemercedes.com/womens-fashion/sag-awards-2011-fashion-round-up/

My favorite was January Jones. My least favorite by far was Helen Bonham Carter. I also thought Julie Bowen was stunning and ground breaking wearing a pants suit instead of a gown. Jenna Fisher, Mila Kunis and Jane Lynch made my bad list. Hailee Steinfeld, Kyra Sedgwick and Amy Adams were on be good list.

Hope this is a stunning day for you. Looking forward to your insights on today's post.