Happy Leap Day.

Leap Day! Four years from now, God Willing and if my health holds up there will be another post on February 29. Another new day and a few new articles.

Got any Coca-Cola handy? Here are some uses for it:

http://www.stylelist.com/chris-barnes/5-new-uses-for-coca-cola_b_1291559.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D137580

You are a little tipsy and don't want to drive. You give someone your keys. You are home free. Not so fast:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/20/erin-brown-faces-30-years-in-prison_n_1289555.html?1329784774&icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl1%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D137034

Now let's end on with a good story. A good jackpot kind of story.

http://news.yahoo.com/marine-credits-karma-2-9-million-jackpot-022139937.html

Comment Away

The Oscars

Today is an extra post today and it is all about the Oscars. Here are two of the things that have generated the most discussion the day after the Oscars and is now still continuing on twitter:

http://news.yahoo.com/oscars-angelina-leg-j-los-nipple-twitter-194405504.html;_ylt=AlptHVsAGauIeCpeeSiWLrSs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN2YWw1bHRzBG1pdANPZGQgRnJvbnQgUGFnZQRwa2cDY2JiMTI4OWQtYWQ1Yy0zMjMxLWI5ODctZWJhZmI0NDM3Y2Y5BHBvcwM0BHNlYwNNZWRpYVNlY3Rpb25MaXN0BHZlcgM5NTQ1YmNjMC02MTdjLTExZTEtOTllZi01NTQ4NTEwNTliNzQ-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

I thought overall the women did very well with their fashion choices. There weren't any I really disliked. My favorites were Sandra Bullock and Michelle Williams. I like classy and understated and both of them fit the bill.






Here is a fashion expert's take on the dresses:

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/film/oscars/4156239/Oscars-2012-red-carpet-The-best-and-worst-dresses-in-pictures.html

Here is a summary of my picks. Not as good as last year when I only missed one but credible none the less at 4-4.

BEST MOVIE

MY PICK - THE ARTIST

WINNER - THE ARTIST

BEST DIRECTOR:

NOMINATED:

MY PICK - Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

WINNER - Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris


BEST ACTOR:

MY PICK - GEORGE CLOONEY, THE DESCENDANTS

WINNER - JEAN DUJARDIN, THE ARTIST


BEST ACTRESS:

MY PICK - Viola Davis.

WINNER - Meryl Streep


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

MY PICK - Christopher Plummer, Beginners

WILL WIN - Christopher Plummer, Beginners


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

MY PICK - Octavia Spencer, The Help

WINNER - Octavia Spencer

CINEMATOGOPRHY

MY PICK - "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

WINNER - Hugo" Robert Richardson


BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

MY PICK - "The Artist" Ludovic Bource

DID WIN - "The Artist" Ludovic Bource

As an overall summary of The Oscars. It was shorter than previous telecasts, a trend I endorse. Billy Crystal did a credible job of hosting The Oscars but he wasn't as good as his previous stints. But a bad Billy Crystal is better than what we had the last few years. The best moment was Octivia Spenser winning best supporting actress. I also endorse real emotion. I liked Captain Von Trapp's and Meryl Streep's touching comments about their spouses. Overall not bad.

Comment Away.

PS

A complete list of the winners here:

http://www.hindustantimes.com/Specials/Entertainment/Oscars-2012/Chunk-HT-UI-Oscars2012-TopNews/Oscar-winners-complete-list/SP-Article10-817772.aspx

It's Monday!

The blog schedule this week. Tomorrow will be Oscar Summary. Wednesday and Saturday's will be normal entries. If time permits there will be an entry on Thursday and Friday but no promises.

An update on the lawsuit against Mom. Just a recap. Mom & Dad owned with another couple a rental house in the not so nice parts of Portland several years ago. In May mom was notified by the county that there where several years of unpaid property taxes and they could have the property for the unpaid taxes. After looking at the property and finding it would have to be improved to be in terrible shape we pretty much backed off on it. Over the years Mom, Dad, and the other couple sold the property three times. And each time it was a private sale and didn't go through escrow. Proper deeds were not recorded. In November a trust decided to buy the property and came to all the people listed on the deed. They offered everyone listed on the property a sum of money to sign the deed over to them. Which everyone listed on the property did but G.C. Mom and B, wouldn't sign the deed over to them unless a hold harmless agreement was included. G.C. refused to sign the deed over and ignored all correspondence. In order to get clear title, the trust sued G.C. for clear title. G.C. found a shister attorney and countersued everyone included on the title. Mom received a summons and the lawsuit and was given thirty days to respond. After really wanting to go after G.C.'s attorney I took a deep breath and handed it over to my attorney brother. He called the trust's attorney. Because of the hold harmless agreement the trust is required to provide a defense for Mom & B. Grover said the attorney was just as nice as she could be. Lou, the trust's representative, is dying of cancer. The attorney said she would have to get Lou's permission to be our attorney since he was footing the bill. Apparently she did because we go the answer to the complaint yesterday. The lovely attorney responded to the thirty page complaint with one sentence:

"Plaintiff denies each and every allegation of Defendant's counterclaim."
Mom isn't out of it yet but she has a pretty damn good team on her side. An honest man, Lou, who honored an agreement to provide a defense with a well qualified, attorney, RP. An attorney son with a calm demeanor and knowledge of the law. And another son who is a fighter and if any of his relatives or friends are attacked is going after the offending parties with vengeance to make them rue the day they ever treated someone badly but is willing to temporarily stand back. Prayers and good thoughts for Lou Please.

On to today's entry:

A surprise choice give by a judge:

http://news.yahoo.com/ohio-man-given-choice-facebook-apology-jail-202121312.htm

Rather to go to jail I am going to my Facebook account and beg for mercy. What would you do?

First the good news on Women's Health:

http://news.yahoo.com/eating-citrus-lowers-womens-stroke-risk-study-220300041.html;_ylt=AoTYN1qP1M4VfEcPEXPL6Tys0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTQ2ZWlob2txBG1pdANTZWN0aW9uTGlzdCBGUCBIZWFsdGgEcGtnAzEwY2NkZjI5LWIxMTQtM2FkYy04ZGM0LTBmNGIxNDYwODM0NARwb3MDMgRzZWMDTWVkaWFTZWN0aW9uTGlzdAR2ZXIDNjllOWZhOTEtNWYxMS0xMWUxLWIxYmItOWJjZDRhYjI1YWIw;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

Now the bad news on Women's Health:

http://www.usatoday.com/NEWS/usaedition/2012-02-22-female-heart-attacks_ST_U.htm

Comment Away.

Predicting The Oscars

Today is Oscar day and let's start the day of with a charming column about Uggie who should have been nominated for the academy award. And DR even though you don't do movies I am sure you will enjoy this column:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/story/2012-02-14/uggie-gets-his-due/53199498/1

I have my snacks all ready and my comfortable chair in a good viewing position so here are my predictions:

BEST MOVIE - And I have seen all of them:

Nominated:

The Artist - silent movie featuring Uggie the dog mentioned in the above column. Best movie of the year.

The Tree of Life - worst movie ever nominated for an Oscar. Next time I am thinking about going to a movie like this I am going to pay someone to hit me in the groin with a baseball bat, it would be less painful than watching this stinker,

Midnight In Paris - I did break my boycott of Woody Allen and go to this movie. Good movie, beautiful shots of Paris, nice history, love story.

Moneyball - true story. Baseball movie about big money contracts and a team that won with a small salary output. Worth seeing for Jonah Hill's acting.

War Horse - absolutely loved this movie and I think everyone. Follows the life of a horse as he travels through World War I. Several horses played the one part. Beautiful scenery. A don't miss movie.

The Descendants - Another movie I liked. A true tale of end of life decisions. Anyone caring for the ill or the elderly should see this movie. Moral and ethical decisions abound as a man (George Clooney) deals with a dying wife and out of control daughters. Set in Hawaii, beautiful scenery.

Extremely Lound & Incredibly Close - 9-11 piece about a son searching for information about his dad. Stars Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock, and the young Thomas Horn who was discovered when he was on Jeopardy. Very slow, Thomas Horn in his first role is asked to carry the movie and although he did a credible job it was just to much to ask of him. Better movies out there that would have been better nominations.

Hugo -better in 3-D. Good story. Charming movie. Just not Oscar Worthy.

The Help - loved the costumes, the classic cars, the story, and the acting. Set in Jackson, Mississippi in the sixties. Maids end their silence for better treatment.

SHOULD WIN - THE ARTIST

WILL WIN - THE ARTIST

BEST DIRECTOR:

NOMINATED:

Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist
Martin Scorsese - Hugo
Alexander Payne - The Descendants
Woody Allen - Midnight In Paris
Terrence Malick - Tree Of Life

SHOULD WIN - Alexander Payne - The Descendants

WILL WIN - Michel Hazanavicius - The Artist

BEST ACTOR:

Nominated:

DEMIAN BICHIR, A BETTER LIFE
GEORGE CLOONEY, THE DESCENDANTS
JEAN DUJARDIN, THE ARTIST
GARY OLDMAN, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY
BRAD PITT, MONEYBALL

SHOULD WIN - JEAN DUJARDIN, THE ARTIST

WILL WIN - GEORGE CLOONEY, THE DESCENDANTS

BEST ACTRESS:

Nominated

Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Viola Davis, The Help
Rooney Mara, The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Michelle Williams, My Week With Marilyn

SHOULD WIN - Meryl Streep

WILL WIN - Viola Davis.


BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:

Nominated:

Kenneth Branagh, My Week With Marilyn
Jonah Hill, Moneyball
Nick Nolte, Warrior
Christopher Plummer, Beginners
Max Von Sydow, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close


SHOULD WIN - Christopher Plummer, Beginners

WILL WIN - Christopher Plummer, Beginners


BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:

Berenice Bejo, The Artist
Jessica Chastain, The Help
Melissa McCarthy, Bridesmaids
Janet McTeer, Albert Nobbs
Octavia Spencer, The Help

SHOULD WIN- Berenice Bejo

WILL WIN - Octavia Spencer

CINEMATOGOPRHY

Nominated:

"The Artist" Guillaume Schiffman
"The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" Jeff Cronenweth
"Hugo" Robert Richardson
"The Tree of Life" Emmanuel Lubezki
"War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

SHOULD WIN - "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

WILL WIN - "War Horse" Janusz Kaminski

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE:

Nominated:

"The Adventures of Tintin" John Williams
"The Artist" Ludovic Bource
"Hugo" Howard Shore
"Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy" Alberto Iglesias
"War Horse" John Williams

SHOULD WIN - "The Artist" Ludovic Bource

WILL WIN - "The Artist" Ludovic Bource


OK, those are my picks. Come back tomorrow to see how I did. In the meantime the blog is now yours to comment, update me on your life, or post what your damn well please.

Walking To Heaven

Back to the blog after a two day hiatus. Had a good day at work last week. Well four good days. There was one good day where I just wasn't thinking properly. Have you had those days? I am hoping those kind of days are few and far between. Now I have a to do list with thirty-one items on it that I need to address today and tomorrow. A weekend of rest, nope. Today I am taking Mom to lunch and while at Mom's cooking dinner for tonight. The menu is turkey meatloaf, green beans, and sweet potato fries. Since sister has been taking over my nights I have been doing weekend days. That gives sister three days off a week. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday (which the caregiver does).

I am really looking forward to the Oscars tomorrow night. I have seen all the nominated films except Hugo which if things go right I will see it today. Tomorrow is update day and since I have been updating you on my life every day I will leave the updates to you and make my Oscar picks.

Today let's start out with my favorite story of the week:

http://www.oregonlive.com/living/index.ssf/2012/02/taking_steps_to_improve_the_wo.html

From the good story to a little bit of heaven:

http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/24/austin-cabin-called-austin-heaven-really-is-like-heaven/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D138270

And let's close with a very touching story.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/parenting-family/story/2012-02-24/Teen-battling-cancer-seeks-dream-date-with-Taylor-Swift/53233232/1

Comment Away and return tomorrow for my

Mish Mash

This is the last post this week until Saturday. Today is mish mash of several articles I've received of the last few weeks.

First up is how to stop a prison break:

http://news.yahoo.com/paraguay-stray-dogs-barking-foils-prison-break-201053180.html;_ylt=AmjDw1kf6LlVwBg8BkuzTEqs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN2dDEzMHNkBG1pdANPZGQgRnJvbnQgUGFnZQRwa2cDNjhhZTg1OTctMDc5ZS0zZTQ5LWJiMzMtOTk0NWYzMWQyNWJmBHBvcwMyBHNlYwNNZWRpYVNlY3Rpb25MaXN0BHZlcgMzZTJhZTQyMC01OWIwLTExZTEtYmRiZi03YzZjMmI0NWEwNmI-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

We all know that the United States is owned by China, right? We hear that over and over again from the media and sometimes our friends. But is the U.S. really owned by China?

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/02/13/3-economic-misconceptions-that-need-to-die/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl12%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D136680

Now let's clean this up a little:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/tablet/top-10-best-hotel-bathtub_b_1273156.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl13%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D136033


Comment Away.

Elderly, Bad, Good, Interesting.

Before today's post I have an update from Kaye. If you remember Kaye is from Texas and used to post on the blog. She met a really nice man so she concentrated on the relationship and that took her away from the blog. As last reported they found a brain tumor in Dave, her boyfriend. Here is an e-mail I received Sunday:

"I have an update on Dave. We finally had the consultation with his neurosurgeon and they have scheduled surgery to begin on 3/5/12.

His tumor is located just above his left ear and against the skull, which is good. They will open him up 3/5, put a grid around the tumor and place electrodes around that. They will do testing on Tuesday to find out exactly where Dave's speech & language areas are so they can avoid those. Then, they will remove the tumor on Wednesday, 3/7. They actually feel he could go home that Friday!

As serious as this is, at least he's looking at a good recovery. They won't know if there will be radiation or chemo until the pathology results are in, which will be a week or so after the surgery.

He really has quite the support system of family & friends and has managed to keep a positive outlook. I think he will come thru this remarkably well, and his surgeon stated he feels this will be a very successful surgery and recovery."

I am sending prayers and good thoughts Dave's and Kaye's way. It would certainly be appreciated if you would also.

Today's post.

How not to treat the elderly. I certainly think I am a better son than this dude:

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2012/02/17/98-year-olds-birthday-surprise-eviction-notice-from-her-son/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl11%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D136614

How to enjoy aging:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/going-back-to-college_n_1274049.html?ref=fifty&icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D136497

How to find hidden meanings in elderly paintings:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/toby-lester/vitruvian-man-history_b_1273707.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl16%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D136574

Comment Away

Walk This Way

Apparently the way you walk can predict future mental health:

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/02/16/could-the-way-you-walk-predict-dementia-chances_n_1282026.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D136543

Since we started off the day with a health note let's continue. Reversing heart problems:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/heart-health/0214/stem-cell-treatment-might-reverse-heart-attack-damage.aspx?xid=aol_eh-news_9_20120213_&aolcat=HLT&icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl11%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D135770

And let's end with another health article:

http://news.yahoo.com/aspirin-could-beat-cancer-spread-australian-study-061326467.html

Comment Away.

Checking In

The lawsuit against my Mom is in the hands of my attorney brother. I am holding off my attack to see what happens. I don't want to upset the apple cart if my brother can take care of it with a phone call. Just a couple notes. Mom's age is in the court papers so the attorney did know her age. Even if he didn't it would taken him less then a minute to Google search Mom to find her age. And since this involves issues from over thirty years ago you would think that a half way intelligent attorney would have searched the age of the people involved. Of course he could have found the age just by looking in documents he already had.

Here is the crux of the lawsuit. Mom, Dad, B, & B owned a rental property for a few years. They sold the property on contract. Three times actually. Each time they would sell the property within a year a two the person they sold it to would throw up their hands, quit paying the contract, and give the property back to Mom, Dad, B, & D. The property was not in the best of areas. Our family was good landlords, getting every elderly tenant on HUD and keeping the place pristine. The tenants loved them. Whenever we sold it, the tenants would basically treat the new owners like crap. They wanted M & D back. In 1986 we sold the property to G. C. He honored the contract and paid it off in about 1986. Then he let the property go. He didn't pay his property tax and as of today there are six years of unpaid property taxes. The county was going to foreclose on the property last year. Since Mom had once had an interest in the property she was notified by the county and asked if she wanted to buy the property for the property tax. The property was in terrible shape. There were no tenants. All the windows had been shot out. The roof was leaking. The yard had become a jungle. It would have cost a fortune to get the property in rental shape. Even though we could have bought the property for the property taxes after the cost of the improvements the purchase price of the property would have been more than it was worth. Enter a trust in November that wanted to buy the property and fix it up. The trust tracked down all the previous owners and sought out clear title. They gave Mom & B a nice sum of money to sign off the title. As part of that transaction they gave M & B hold harmless agreements. Also as part of that process they sent several notifications to G. C. He ignored all notifications. So the trust sued him for clear title. Then G.C. countersued the trust and named as third party defendants anyone and everyone that ever had any interest in the property (ten third party defendants) claiming he was illegally kicked off of the title.

Basically he won't win the lawsuit and the only ones that will benefit are the attorneys. Mom and B had nothing to do with kicking him off the title. And all G.C. had to do was to answer any of his numerous previous notifications. Personally I think his attorney is a shister and took the case to make money at the expense of an elderly man which G.C. is.

That is it in a nutshell.

On to today. Going to Mom's today to either take her out to lunch or fix her lunch depending on how she feels. I am hoping she is good enough to get out.

My check-in for last week. Five days of work. Thursday night and Saturday at Mom's. Work is going well but there are so many returns pending information before I can finish them that it is driving me nuts. I also slowed down a little from last week. I came to the conclusion on Friday that I am thinking to much and I just need to trust my instincts. With the experience I have it is easy to get sidetracked on issues thinking there may be a better way to do the return and it usually ends up the return is right to begin with. So I have decided over thinking is dangerous.

Next week. Five days of work. Today, Tuesday night, and Saturday at Mom's. Plus I need to work on some personal work projects in the evening.

That is my life right now. Tell me about your life. This is your day on the blog. Post anything you damn well please and then go out and enjoy the day!!

PS

The blog schedule this week, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Saturday.

I'm Royally Pissed

I have mom duty today and tomorrow. Since sister is doing nights I am doing weekend days. That will give sister the weekend to spend with her husband.

It was kind of an exciting day yesterday. First Mom got a summons about a piece of property that her and dad owned in 1986. I am going after the attorney because I am royally pissed. How cruel of an attorney to send a summons to a ninety-six year old women in poor health. And it gets even more cruel when on that last deed of the property there is an agreement holding mom harmless from any future lawsuits. All the idiot attorney had to do was to look at the deed to see the agreement. And all the jackass had to do was Goggle mom to find out her age. I am considering any and all of the following: suing his firm and him personally for harassing the elderly, filing a complaint with the Oregon State Bar against him, filing a complaint with Oregon Aging council against him, and write letters to every paper within one hundred miles of his office telling of his actions (I can't be sued for libel if I stick to the truth.) I hope when I am done with him he will never treat another elderly person the way he treated my Mom. And maybe the stupid idiot will find a heart. I plan on naming the attorney on both my blog and on Facebook in the next week. I also plan on responding to the summons and getting mom out of it due to her age and ill health.

If that wasn't enough. Mom is diabetic. Last night I had just changed into my sleeping clothes when I got a phone call. The caregiver dropped her bottle of insulin and it broke and insulin went all over the floor. She needs insulin at night and in the morning. Mom's normal pharmacy closes at 7. So I got redressed and went on a mission to find a pharmacy to fill the prescription. Because of the refills the pharmacies couldn't fill the prescription without a new prescription. It turns out that insulin is over the counter. However, the problem is if you fill it over the counter the insurance company doesn't pay for it. The price difference between buying it over the counter or with a prescription is substantial, almost double. The cost of filling it with a prescription is about $55, over the counter is a little over hundred bucks. Mom's pharmacy opens at 9 this morning and has a prescription on file. We decided to take an alternative course for last night and wait until this morning to get the insulin. She took an extra Glipizide. And checked her sugar a couple of times during the night. The alternative course seemed to work. The caregiver felt awful and offered to pay for the insulin but I said no. We all make mistakes. She didn't do it on purpose. It was a honest mistake, she shouldn't have to pay for it.

What an end to a work week.

I need a laugh today. Dumb criminals usually provide it:

Http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/17/gary-byrne-robbery-stupidest-criminal_n_1285302.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D136672

Comment Away.

Coffee, Health, & Volunteering,

Things are going well at work. I am producing some returns faster and one or two not so fast. I like having a place to go in the morning. Mom is getting better. I had dinner with her last night and stayed until the caregiver got there. We had a peaceful evening talking and watching Family Feud. Her stats were amazing last night. I guess where Mom is concerned I have a healing personality.

Have you had your coffee yet? I have not only because it gets me going, I like the taste and some reports say it is healthy. I'm not a big fan of Starbuck's Coffee. My favorite is 7-11 coffee. When we had a Dunkin Donuts near us I liked their coffee but they are no longer in the area. Spending to much for coffee? Here are some hints:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2012/01/10/savings-experiment-coffee/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl13%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D136225

I find the cheapest coffee is when you make it at home. How about you? What is your favorite coffee when you buy out and what is your favorite coffee when you make it at hime (Folger's Country Roast for me)?

Speaking of health here is an article I found interesting:

http://news.yahoo.com/microchip-successfully-delivers-bone-loss-drug-study-191903378.html

Good news!

Are you looking for volunteer opportunities? I have one for you. For you maybe,. not for me:

http://www.gadling.com/2012/02/16/volunteers-needed-to-explore-atlantis/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk3%26pLid%3D136324

Comment Away.

The Frightening

Today let's just do the frightening stuff.

While the fist article is a little frightening it is also a little funny:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/15/bound-naked-role-play_n_1278598.html

I am not above doing a little role playing to improve a relationship if that is what she wants, however, I am sure in the hell going to be a little more discreet than doing it in the parking lot of a grocery store.

The next article is frightening in that knowing these groups exist makes me shudder.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/hutaree-militia-social-club_n_1275922.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D135561

Why I found the last article a little frightening speaks for itself:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/14/russia-nuclear-disaster-submarine-fire_n_1276660.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D135782

Comment Away.

Happy Valentine's Day

May the love of your life treat you like the special person you today and everyday, Happy Valentine's Day to all of you.

Blog returns tomorrow.

The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly

Monday and I am looking forward to a productive week. If things go as planned no nights at Mom's. Work takes priority now.

Let's start off the week with the good, the bad, and the ugly.

I am putting the next article as good. With hesitancy but still good.

http://news.yahoo.com/sandia-labs-engineers-create-self-guided-bullet-161745833.html

Less deaths from stray bullets is my reason for classifying it as good.

The second article can be classified as both good and bad depending on your outlook:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/story/2012-02-10/nursing-home-ratings/53029452/1

It is great that so many more nursing homes are getting good ratings but it kind of sucks that some of the ones haven't done anything to improve.

Now the ugly. One of my greatest fears to pass away and have nobody find me for a long time. After Mom passes away I won't have anyone checking on me on a daily basis. Sis will check on me but that will be more like weekly. I don't think I will undiscovered for this long, however.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/06/david-carter-dead-suicide_n_1258367.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl14%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D134660

Comment Away.

"I Wanna Dance With Somebody"

The blog schedule this week. Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.

It was nice to see Mary Z post and to see an update from Dona. Today is the day for anyone that want to update us to do so. I've been updating you all week. Job is going well, Mom is getter better, and I haven't lost any weight yet but I am on the right track with my diet. I know the weight will start coming off soon. There is always a plateau.

I am really sad today about the death of Whitney Houston.

http://news.yahoo.com/whitney-houston-iconic-pop-star-dies-48-014318782--abc-news.html

We have lost so many talented people to early in the process:

http://photos.tmz.com/galleries/died_too_young#tab=most_recent

Some were murdered, some died due to health, but so many left this world at their own hands or their own devices. I just can't help but wonder When Will They Even Learn My Friend, When Will They Ever Learn.

Maybe the stars will never despite tragedy after tragedy but I am hoping my relatives, my friends, the readers of the blog, and all of us will learn from these to early deaths of the stars. Be careful, take care of your health, don't do drugs, drink in moderation, and for God's seek don't be afraid to seek out help if you need it.

That's all I have for today. Update me on your life and then comment away.

Rest In Peace, Whitney.

Let's Talk

Mom keeps on improving. One of the problems she had was that she bruised her chest when she was ill rom her upset stomach. After some ice packs that is now gone. As to the other she is about 98% nd I think she will be back to normal soon. I am taking her out to lunch today because I think it will be good to get her some fresh air.

Work was amazing this week. I am processing the tax returns faster than I did last year. I think I have slowed down just a little but because I am more familiar with the clients that makes up for the slight slow down. I was blown away yesterday by a surprise four year anniversary party. The receptionist fixed a free lunch for everyone there. I received a $35 gift card & a greeting card signed by everyone. I especially liked two comments. The first one was made by Mary, my boss: "your sense of humor & your outlook make you a valued member of our team." And from Barbara, the lady that reviews my returns: "There are pros and cons of tax season and you are one of the "pros". Now that my ego is sufficiently stroked, mom is getting better, and week two of work is on the horizon it is time to get down to business.

Let's talk. Let's talk about others. It is good for our health:

http://health.yahoo.net/experts/allinyourmind/gossiping-can-be-good-you

Have you ever worn a ponytail? Got any extra hair you don't need? Here is a good place for it:

http://news.yahoo.com/rapunzel-number-helps-scientists-quantify-ponytails-160651031.html

Have you even been to Paris? Neither have I but I loved the following pictures:

http://www.stylelist.com/2012/02/06/eugene-atget-moma_n_1254059.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D133954

Comment Away.

I'm Back

Hi. I'm back for the next four or five days. I will give the blog schedule on Sunday or Momday. For sure there will be a blog post Today, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.

Mom update. I took her to the doctor Tuesday night. The doctor adopted a different game plan which included a change in medication. The change in medication had an immediate impact and she is doing quite well. Not one hundred percent yet but close. She is doing well enough that we will probably cancel Monday's appointment. The doctor suggested that if Mom got well.

My work is going great. It was amazing how much I remembered from last year. The first tax return I did generated no review notes. Pretty darn good. What is amazing is the kind of things that I didn't remember. I was fine with the tax returns it was how to use some of the equipment, like the copy machine, the telephone, and the alarm. Don't laugh. A lot of different companies use the copy machines and there are codes and whatnot. The copy machine is one size fits all. I think I got it now. I have the alarm code memorized. And I made a phone call. I'm good to go.

Let's start the day with a couple of good articles:

First the good kid:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/08/noah-lamaide-12-year-old-_n_1262843.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl18%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D133999

Now the good news health article:

http://www.everydayhealth.com/healthy-living/0208/more-success-with-gene-therapy-for-blindness.aspx?xid=aol_eh-news_10_20120206_&aolcat=HLT&icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl17%7Csec3_lnk1%26pLid%3D134007

Now an update about Super Bowl Ads. First don't you think it is great that the top two rated ads during the Super Bowl weren't produced by big time New York ad agencies but just normal dudes and dudettes that won a Doritos contest. The number rated ad had a grandma slinging a baby to grab a bag of Doritos from an unsuspecting young man. Because it was rated number one it brings a million dollar bonus with it to the previously unknown producer of the ad.

As to the Chrysler ad that brought so much discussion with it about whether it was political or not, E. J. Dionne got it right:

http://www.heraldnews.com/newsnow/x392619222/E-J-DIONNE-Clint-Eastwood-Rick-Santorum-and-the-limits-of-pessimism

Comment Away.

Heart Healthy Month

Heading off to work in a few hours. Then on my lunch hour it is picking up prescriptions. After work it is taking Mom to the doctor and spending the night there. I might call it a busy day. After my doctor's appointment yesterday health is on my mind so today is all about health.

What can we learn about health from cats?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/sleeping-cats-sleep-photos_n_1244536.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl11%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D133180

This is heart healthy month. So the next two articles are about heart matters:

First up is an article in today's OREGONIAN. It always pleases me with the locals are on the cutting edge:

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2012/02/post_53.html

As was confirmed by my doctor yesterday diet can solve some heart issues. Diet and Weight:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/heart-health-month-healthy-foods_n_1248169.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl12%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D133194

Comment Away.

Super Monday

I start my seasonal job tomorrow so am going to have to downsize the blog. The blog schedule for this week

Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday.

Updates:

Mom is better but not anywhere near where she should be. I am taking her to the doctor tomorrow at 6 PM. Some relatives don't think she needs to go to the doctor. I'm better safe than sorry. So I am risking pissing off the relatives and taking Mom where she wants to go, to the doctor.

Me. I had my doctor's appointment this morning. It was both good and bad. The cholesterol is 164 and the bad is 55 which is really pretty darn good. But there are other concerns. And the doctor wants me to lose two to four pounds a month until I lose 22 pounds.

Today's Entry

I watched the super bowl yesterday and it was a darn good game. I also watch the game for the commercials. My favorite ad of the day didn't get rated because technically it wasn't during the game it was at half time. I honestly didn't think the ad was political at all. I thought it promoting Detroit not President Obama. Here is the ad:

http://autos.aol.com/article/is-chryslers-super-bowl-ad-pro-obama/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-main-nb%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D133270

Did the ad seem political to you?

Next up today is an article about a school I am not going to attend anytime soon.

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2012/02/52_portland_men_undergo_johns.html

Most of us like thrift shops. Here are some of the good ones:

http://www.stylelist.com/2012/01/30/thrift-stores_n_1242059.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl19%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D132435

Comment Away.

Checking In

I've been going strong since 5:30 last night. We took Mom to the emergency room because she wasn't getting in better. It was midnight before they decided to admit her overnight. I was back up at the hospital at seven this morning. They released mom at about one and by the time I got home it was close to three. The drug Protonix seem to immediately improve her condition. They also prescribed Prilosec.

The diagnosis was Gastritis and Spasms of the Esophagus. I was curious how serious these were to I went to a medical dictiornary.

GASTRITIS:

In the stomach there is a delicate balance between acid and the wall lining which is protected by mucus. When this mucus lining is disrupted for whatever reason, signs and symptoms of acidity result. This may result in upper abdominal pain, indigestion, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting and heartburn. When the condition is allowed to progress, the pain may become continuous; blood may start to leak and be seen in the stools. If the bleeding is rapid and of adequate volume it may even result in vomiting of bright red blood (hematemesis). When the acidity is uncontrolled, it can even cause severe blood loss (anemia) or lead to perforation (hole) in the stomach which is a surgical emergency.

SPASME OF THE ESOPHAGUS

What is esophageal spasm?

Esophageal spasms are irregular, uncoordinated, and sometimes powerful contractions of the esophagus, the tube that carries food from the mouth to the stomach. Normally, contractions of the esophagus are coordinated, moving the food through the esophagus and into the stomach.

There are two main types of esophageal spasm:

Diffuse esophageal spasm. This type of spasm is an irregular, uncoordinated squeezing of the muscles of the esophagus. This can prevent food from reaching the stomach, leaving it stuck in the esophagus.

Nutcracker esophagus. This type of spasm squeezes the esophagus in a coordinated way, the same way food is moved down the esophagus normally. But the squeezing is very strong. These contractions move food through the esophagus but can cause severe pain.

You can have both types of esophageal spasm.

Esophageal spasms are uncommon. Often, symptoms that may suggest an esophageal spasm are the result of another condition such as gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or achalasia, a problem with the nervous system in which the muscles of the esophagus and the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) don't work properly. Anxiety or panic attacks can also cause similar symptoms.

What causes esophageal spasm?

The cause of esophageal spasm is unknown. Many doctors believe it results from a disruption of the nerve activity that coordinates the swallowing action of the esophagus. In some people, very hot or very cold foods may trigger an episode.

What are the symptoms?

Most people with this condition have chest pain that may spread outward to the arms, back, neck, or jaw. This pain can feel similar to a heart attack. If you have chest pain, you should be evaluated by a doctor as soon as possible to rule out or treat cardiac disease.

Other symptoms include difficulty or inability to swallow food or liquid, pain with swallowing, the feeling that food is caught in the center of the chest, and a burning sensation in the chest (heartburn).

How is esophageal spasm diagnosed?

Your doctor can often find out the cause of esophageal spasm from your medical history by asking you a series of questions. These include questions about what foods or liquids trigger symptoms, where it feels like food gets stuck, other symptoms or conditions you may have, and whether you are taking medicines for them.

The diagnosis can be confirmed with tests, including esophagus tests (such as esophageal manometry) or a barium swallow. Esophageal manometry uses a small tube attached to instruments (transducers) that measure pressure. A barium swallow is done using X-rays.

Other tests may be done to find out whether chest pain may be caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), the abnormal backflow (reflux) of food, stomach acid, and other digestive juices from the stomach into the esophagus.


Back to me. Mom had a ton of tests when she was in the hospital. The symptoms she had were classic to the above descriptions of the diseases. They gave her the right medication. She is now home and resting. She really now has no restriction on her diet but was told to start slow and eat carefully for a few days before she gets back to a normal diet.

That is it for the day. Feel free to comment!

Good Friday

It was a rough day yesterday. Mom got worse. I really thought she should have gone to emergency room but was overruled by the opposite genders in the household. I spent the night there just in case she need to go to 911 during the night. Mom actually got better the minute I told her I would spend the night. She took a little bit of a downturn this morning but was still ten times better than yesterday. She goes to the doctor at four this afternoon. I will update you then.

I need good stories today. Nothing better than good animal and good children stories. I'm also kind of fond of stories about the little guy winning First up is the animal story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/01/service-dog-saves-life-arizona-bethe-benne_n_1248293.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%26pLid%3D132441

I've always been fascinated by service animals. This fascinates me even more!

Now let's move on from animals to children:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/maine-girl-bouncing-back-_0_n_1251212.html?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl13%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D132431

Amazing child, amazing medical personnel.

Now let's talk about a woman holding an auto company accountable for the information they put out.

http://autos.aol.com/article/honda-civic-hybrid-lawsuit-ruling/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D132403

At first I thought this was kind of a lawsuit that shouldn't have been filed but now I am applauding it.

Comment Away.

Fixing Stupid

Mom is still ill but is doing better. I am going to do a lot of TLC today. I have my lab tests at 9:15 this morning and can't eat until after the test. Of course I am as hungry right now as I have ever been. I got the word yesterday I start work next Tuesday. I'm not sure I am ready for it.

On to today's post. You can't fix stupid? Apparently the Russians are going to try:

http://news.yahoo.com/russias-latest-official-website-kick-us-were-stupid-075500955.html;_ylt=AqprpEabfIi9kClF_q5v6ris0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNtMGxzNTA5BG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBGUARwa2cDM2E5ZDU0NWItZWRmYy0zMTliLWE1ZmYtZDViMWQyOWM1YTI2BHBvcwMxMQRzZWMDdG9wX3N0b3J5BHZlcgMzNDRkMzcyYS00Y2I2LTExZTEtOGZmZi1mOGZlMTVhYWE2M2M-;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

With Mom sick the last two days have been a little testy and not all that great. But certainly not as bad as the following home owner:

http://news.yahoo.com/fbi-cuts-down-mass-moms-door-wrong-home-143434056.html;_ylt=AquEQ_Au26PjG1aWkWJzlwGs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTNsYWJ2bTdtBG1pdANUb3BTdG9yeSBGUARwa2cDYjU4Yjc4MmMtNjFmZC0zODgxLTg1YTItNGYxMTk2MjMxOTcxBHBvcwM5BHNlYwN0b3Bfc3RvcnkEdmVyA2VlOGI4OGEwLTRjZTEtMTFlMS1iZmJmLTE3MTE0Mjk2ODEwNQ--;_ylg=X3oDMTFvdnRqYzJoBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25zBHRlc3QD;_ylv=3

When mom gets well I am going to do a little dancing:

http://www.aol.com/video/dancing-lollipop-lady-brightens-up-school-walk/517259833/?icid=maing-grid10%7Chtmlws-sb-nb%7Cdl9%7Csec1_lnk2%26pLid%3D131523

Comment Away.

No Entry Today

Mom is really ill. She can't keep things down. I am heading in there. If she doesn't get better by noon we are going to send her to the hospital.

Will report back later today or tomorrow.