Update day is here a day early. I’ve kind of got writer’s block so I’m turning the blog over to you a day early. Also I’d like to welcome a new member to the blog family. She has posted a couple of messages on the blog under “All over the Map”. I’d like to welcome and have you welcome redwhistle to the blog. Here is the first message she posted:
redwhistle_2000@yahoo.com said...
"I feel I should join this group. I too felt trapped and have no family. Am an only child, wasn't raised by my parents, never knew my grandparents, have never had cousins and am single! Being an only child is really hard and gets harder as you get older. Geez, talk about holidays being tough. I too understand. I've been following this blog but never posted. 2009 has got to be better and I agree with Bill, I'm not going to be here another snowy winter again. It's too hard to be house-bound for that long.” She did say in a second message that she didn't mean to go on about being alone and wasn't looking for sympathy and that those with families should feel lucky. We knew she wasn't looking for sypmathy, didn't we? And it sure didn't come across as a plea for sympathy did it? I thought it was a very nice introduction to the blog. Welcome redwhistle and thank you for taking the first step in getting to know us!
Before starting my update I just want to mention how incredible the pilot was on the jet that ended up in the river in New York. One passenger with two broken legs. A few with mild hypothermia. NO DEATHS. Let’s hear it for Captain Chesley B. Sullenberger III.
As to me my update is pretty slim. The big news of the week is that because of the snowstorm they delayed my start on the job until the 26th instead of the 19th. A lot of companies had key accounting employees that weren’t able to make it to work during the snowstorm. W-2’s didn’t get done. Other important tax statements didn’t get done. Can’t do tax returns without those. I do have to attend a pre-tax meeting on the 23rd.
The other big news is that my Mom will turn 93 on the 21st. I’m having a hard time trying to decide what to get her. She doesn’t want a party. Should I refuse to listen to her and schedule a small surprise party at a local restaurant? I’m kind of leaning that way. It would only be with my nephew, one caregiver, two married couples that mom knows and mom. Also what do you get a 93 year-old woman anyhow?
Monday I went to Hillsboro to pick up all the state forms I needed to do my annual and quarterly payroll tax reports. From Hillsboro, I went to downtown Portland to pick up the forms that I needed to do the federal quarterly payroll tax reports. At the IRS I couldn’t help but think how things have changed since I first started out in the business. There never used to be any security, you went to the building and walked in. Now a picture I.d. is required. You have to through the scanner. You have to take your shoes and belt off. I made it through in flying colors! The security started before 9-11. It started with the Oklahoma City bombing.
Tuesday I did all the reports and also roughed out both my corporate and individual tax return. I’m getting a refund! Now I have to wait for the software update. Oregon is always late with their forms due to being shorthanded. The software company is shipping the cd on the 19th. Wednesday I went to Mom’s and spent the day there doing her books. We did fit in a couple of games of Scrabble. I’m getting better, we split the two games. Yesterday there was a few hours at Mom’s playing Scrabble again (we split) and taking her to the Dollar Tree and The library. She returned several books and picked up four books to read “this week.”. After Mom’s I was able to fit in a movie, GRAN TORINO. The rest of the week is unplanned! I miss the Sunday breakfasts with Ted but he has been in Palm Springs since before the great storm of 2008.
I did make the decision to start going to the comedy classes again. Every Wednesday Comedy Sportz has a couple of classes that as a graduate of their beginning and intermediate classes I can attend for five bucks. With the job I may not be able to go every week, but, I will get a few weeks in. Do you want reports of the classes again?
OK, it is your turn. Tell me everything, ask me anything. If you are new to the blog or if you have been reading the blog for a while and haven't posted follow the lead of redwhistle and join the group! OK, everyone what was your last week like, what do you expect your next week to be like?
Friday, January 16, 2009
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Starting Anew, The End Of A Relationship
She has been with me over twenty years. Whenever I needed her all I had to do was reach for her. Lately things have been rough with the economy, caring for my mom, a new job and with all that is going on she has been falling apart. Since she stuck with me even when she had the perfect opportunity to leave I should probably stick with her. However, all good things must come to an end and I am replacing her with a newer and younger model.
Those that were part of old section 16 and the long time readers of the blog were introduced to her when I told the famous wallet story. For those that are new to the blog you can read the story here:
http://thedahnreport.blogspot.com/2008/03/wallet-story.html
I made the decision this mornning that is time for me to part with the famous good luck wallet, here is how it looks twenty years after spending several hours by itself in the parking lot of the Tattered Covered Book Store in Denver, Colorado:
When my dad passed away my mom gave me a wallet that dad had had only a few days. I found that wallet this morning. It is a perfect replacement for Good Luck Nellie. We got off to a great start this morning. When I opened up the wallet there was thirty-three dollars in it. Thirty-three dollars has been sitting in the new wallet for over five years. Of course I called mom and told her the money was hers. She refused to take the money. So I decided to put it in a jar and use it to pay for the lunches and dinners when I take Mom out.
With the beginning of 2009 have you decided to end your relationship with valued itemas and replace them with new items? I'd love to hear about it if you have.
Those that were part of old section 16 and the long time readers of the blog were introduced to her when I told the famous wallet story. For those that are new to the blog you can read the story here:
http://thedahnreport.blogspot.com/2008/03/wallet-story.html
I made the decision this mornning that is time for me to part with the famous good luck wallet, here is how it looks twenty years after spending several hours by itself in the parking lot of the Tattered Covered Book Store in Denver, Colorado:
When my dad passed away my mom gave me a wallet that dad had had only a few days. I found that wallet this morning. It is a perfect replacement for Good Luck Nellie. We got off to a great start this morning. When I opened up the wallet there was thirty-three dollars in it. Thirty-three dollars has been sitting in the new wallet for over five years. Of course I called mom and told her the money was hers. She refused to take the money. So I decided to put it in a jar and use it to pay for the lunches and dinners when I take Mom out.
With the beginning of 2009 have you decided to end your relationship with valued itemas and replace them with new items? I'd love to hear about it if you have.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
The Golden Globe Summary
I really enjoyed THE GOLDEN GLOBES last night. It was a fast moving award show a lot more relaxed than what the Oscars usually are. The most touching moment for me was when THE DARK KNIGHT'S director, Christopher Nolan, gave a simple elegant acceptance speech in honor of Heath Ledger "All of us who worked with Heath on THE DARK KNIGHT accept this with an awful mixture of sadness but incredible pride. After Heath passed you saw a hole ripped in the future of cinema." Nobody could have said it better.
I was also elated that an indie film with an unknown cast, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, became the darling of the night winning in all four categories that it was nominated for.
Although I'm anything but a fashion guru both Renee Zellweger and Maggie Glyllenhaal
had me mumbling to myself, "what in the world were they thinking." While I was stunned with the elegance and beauty of Beyonce and the simple beauty of Kate Winslet.
This is the first time in a few years that my prediction rate for the Oscars or the Globes has been less than fifty per-cent. I was seven out of seventeen which works out to a forty-one per-cent rate. Of course the percentage would have been higher if I used my should wins instead of my will wins.
For the Best Movie I picked THE READER but my should win SLUMDOG MILLONAIRE surprised me. Best director I picked Ron Howard for FROST/NIXON but again my should win Danny Boyle of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE took home the trophy. I was way off with best actor as the comeback kid of the very violent THE WRESTLER, Mickey Rourke took home the award instead of my pick, Brad Pitt of BENJAMIN BUTTON. Best Actress my pick, Meryl Streep, was beat out by the overwhelmed Kate Winslet for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. My pick in best comedy, MAMA MIA, was trounced by IN BRUGES. My should win in Best Actress Comedy, Sally Hawkins for HAPPY GO LUCKY, came from nowhere to beat my will win Meryl Streep of DOUBT. Gabriel Byrne from IN TREATMENT really surprised everyone beating out my pick, Hugh Laurie of HOUS. Anna Paquin of TRUE BLOOD beat out my favorite Sally Field of SISTERS AND BROTHERS. 30 ROCK beat out my THE OFFICE for best television comedy. Pat was right with her pick of Alec Baldwin of 30 ROCK over my pick of Steve Carrell from THE OFFICE.
My wins were the Best Actor in a comedy, Colin Ferrell of IN BRUGES, Best Supporting Actor in a landslide was Heath Ledger for his role in THE DARK KNIGHT. Best Supporting Actress was my will win, Kate Winslet for THE READER. Best Television Drama was my pick, MAD MEN. I was right on with my pick of Tina Fey for 30 ROCK. I also won with supporting actor and actress, Tom Wilkenson for JOHN ADAMS and Laura Dern for RECOUNT.
How did you do?
I hope this is an award winning day for all of you!
I was also elated that an indie film with an unknown cast, SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE, became the darling of the night winning in all four categories that it was nominated for.
Although I'm anything but a fashion guru both Renee Zellweger and Maggie Glyllenhaal
had me mumbling to myself, "what in the world were they thinking." While I was stunned with the elegance and beauty of Beyonce and the simple beauty of Kate Winslet.
This is the first time in a few years that my prediction rate for the Oscars or the Globes has been less than fifty per-cent. I was seven out of seventeen which works out to a forty-one per-cent rate. Of course the percentage would have been higher if I used my should wins instead of my will wins.
For the Best Movie I picked THE READER but my should win SLUMDOG MILLONAIRE surprised me. Best director I picked Ron Howard for FROST/NIXON but again my should win Danny Boyle of SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE took home the trophy. I was way off with best actor as the comeback kid of the very violent THE WRESTLER, Mickey Rourke took home the award instead of my pick, Brad Pitt of BENJAMIN BUTTON. Best Actress my pick, Meryl Streep, was beat out by the overwhelmed Kate Winslet for REVOLUTIONARY ROAD. My pick in best comedy, MAMA MIA, was trounced by IN BRUGES. My should win in Best Actress Comedy, Sally Hawkins for HAPPY GO LUCKY, came from nowhere to beat my will win Meryl Streep of DOUBT. Gabriel Byrne from IN TREATMENT really surprised everyone beating out my pick, Hugh Laurie of HOUS. Anna Paquin of TRUE BLOOD beat out my favorite Sally Field of SISTERS AND BROTHERS. 30 ROCK beat out my THE OFFICE for best television comedy. Pat was right with her pick of Alec Baldwin of 30 ROCK over my pick of Steve Carrell from THE OFFICE.
My wins were the Best Actor in a comedy, Colin Ferrell of IN BRUGES, Best Supporting Actor in a landslide was Heath Ledger for his role in THE DARK KNIGHT. Best Supporting Actress was my will win, Kate Winslet for THE READER. Best Television Drama was my pick, MAD MEN. I was right on with my pick of Tina Fey for 30 ROCK. I also won with supporting actor and actress, Tom Wilkenson for JOHN ADAMS and Laura Dern for RECOUNT.
How did you do?
I hope this is an award winning day for all of you!
Monday, January 12, 2009
The Bland Leading The Bland
I’m a little late reporting on Top Chef this week due to car appointments and doctors’ appointments. It was a great week on Top Chef with a lot of life lessons to take from it.
Admit your mistakes, don’t be afraid to bring your creativity to the forefront, don’t have such an ego that you refuse to take advise from those more successful than you are, always make sure your meat is well done, always be kind to your competition because they may judge you some day, sometimes if you get a second chance you can excel at your craft and don’t smell up the place.
Guest judge this week was desert specialist, Jean-Christophe Novelli. The QuickFire Challenge was to make sugar free desserts that didn’t taste sugar free. The top three dishes were: Jeff’s Frozen Cherry & White Fig Yogurt with s baklava spring roll; Leah’s Crepe with whipped ricotta strawberries and balsamic reduction; and the immunity winner Radhika’s bread pudding with sautéed white peach and roasted cashews.
On the elimination challenge. The new judge replacing the honeymooning newlywed Gail Simmons is U.K. food critic, Toby Young. Young seems a little more brutal than the other judges with comments like “it tastes like cat food”, “the bland leading the bland “ and “we found the weapons of mass destruction in that soup.”
The elimination challenge was to create a family style mean for a blind tasting. The cooks were divided into two groups. Group A - was Melissa, Fabio, Eugene, Jamie, and Hosea. Group B- was Stefan, Ariane, Jeff, Carla, and Leah. As the winner of the Quickfire Challenge Radhika got to choose her group and chose Group A to avoid Stefan. The judges for the Elimination Challenge? Padma, Toby, Tom, Jean-Christophe, and each group of chefs judging the other group’s dishes!
The best three dishes were my gal Ariane’s skate wing with pineapple and cauliflower puree, Stefan’s roasted duck and braised cabbage with bread dumplings, and Jamie’s seared scallops with fennel garlic, oranges and olives. This weeks winner? Jamie went to the bottom three the last time she cooked scallops but this time she redeemed herself and took home this week’s trophy!
The bottom three dishes were Carla’s seared scallops on top of risotto with Grenqlata topping, Melissa’s ani tuna crudo tacos, and Eugene’s crispy red snapper with tomato, basil, and daikon fettuccini. At the judges table Carla admitted her mistake and said she wasn’t surprised to be in the bottom three because her dish didn’t turn out the way she wanted. Melissa was reamed for making to simple of a dish and not being creative enough. Eugene as he has in the past showed an ego the size of New York by saying he shouldn’t try such hard dishes but should do easy ones like his competitors. Eugene has consistently throughout this season of Top Chef refused the advise of those more successful than he is, the judges. Toby referred to Eugene’s dish as “:the bland leading the bland.” Two of the three were sent home. The one staying is the one that admitted her failing, Carla. Eugene and Mellissa were sent packing.
I hope this week your life will more exciting than the judges found Eugene’s dish and this week the bland won’t lead the bland in your life!
Admit your mistakes, don’t be afraid to bring your creativity to the forefront, don’t have such an ego that you refuse to take advise from those more successful than you are, always make sure your meat is well done, always be kind to your competition because they may judge you some day, sometimes if you get a second chance you can excel at your craft and don’t smell up the place.
Guest judge this week was desert specialist, Jean-Christophe Novelli. The QuickFire Challenge was to make sugar free desserts that didn’t taste sugar free. The top three dishes were: Jeff’s Frozen Cherry & White Fig Yogurt with s baklava spring roll; Leah’s Crepe with whipped ricotta strawberries and balsamic reduction; and the immunity winner Radhika’s bread pudding with sautéed white peach and roasted cashews.
On the elimination challenge. The new judge replacing the honeymooning newlywed Gail Simmons is U.K. food critic, Toby Young. Young seems a little more brutal than the other judges with comments like “it tastes like cat food”, “the bland leading the bland “ and “we found the weapons of mass destruction in that soup.”
The elimination challenge was to create a family style mean for a blind tasting. The cooks were divided into two groups. Group A - was Melissa, Fabio, Eugene, Jamie, and Hosea. Group B- was Stefan, Ariane, Jeff, Carla, and Leah. As the winner of the Quickfire Challenge Radhika got to choose her group and chose Group A to avoid Stefan. The judges for the Elimination Challenge? Padma, Toby, Tom, Jean-Christophe, and each group of chefs judging the other group’s dishes!
The best three dishes were my gal Ariane’s skate wing with pineapple and cauliflower puree, Stefan’s roasted duck and braised cabbage with bread dumplings, and Jamie’s seared scallops with fennel garlic, oranges and olives. This weeks winner? Jamie went to the bottom three the last time she cooked scallops but this time she redeemed herself and took home this week’s trophy!
The bottom three dishes were Carla’s seared scallops on top of risotto with Grenqlata topping, Melissa’s ani tuna crudo tacos, and Eugene’s crispy red snapper with tomato, basil, and daikon fettuccini. At the judges table Carla admitted her mistake and said she wasn’t surprised to be in the bottom three because her dish didn’t turn out the way she wanted. Melissa was reamed for making to simple of a dish and not being creative enough. Eugene as he has in the past showed an ego the size of New York by saying he shouldn’t try such hard dishes but should do easy ones like his competitors. Eugene has consistently throughout this season of Top Chef refused the advise of those more successful than he is, the judges. Toby referred to Eugene’s dish as “:the bland leading the bland.” Two of the three were sent home. The one staying is the one that admitted her failing, Carla. Eugene and Mellissa were sent packing.
I hope this week your life will more exciting than the judges found Eugene’s dish and this week the bland won’t lead the bland in your life!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
The Golden Globes
Tonight is the Golden Globe awards. Last year due to a strike we didn't really get the Globe show so this is the first one in two years. Often the Globes predict the outcome of the Oscars. I love award shows. Love the glitz. Love the glamor. I even love watching the Red Carpet before the shows. I will be glued to the TV from about four o'clock on. Love the men often dressing inappropriately not even wearing a tie, showing a tremendous lack of respect towards those that promote them and award them. Love the women making every effort to be what they want to be instead of accepting who they are. Spray tans, enhanced cleavage with a myriad of tricks. While some men may go ape over the tans and the cleavage I don't. It just humors me. I think a woman is much sexier with wet hair, pajama bottoms, and a top then she is with a phony tan and more cleavage than humanly possible. Because that is who she is and that is who I would prefer to be with. There is just something bothersome to me when a woman has a spray tan, enhanced cleavage, a wig and then tells me she is afraid I'm not who I say I am. Boggles the mind.
I love some of the acceptance speaches. The touching ones are always my favorite. I'm sure there are going to be some touching moments tonight, especially when Heath Ledger wins the award for best supporting actor.
I also love to dream. That against all odds my book, "Searching For Justice", is published made into a movie, and nominated for an award. Then we get a special table at the Globes for all my relatives, Section 16 and blog friends and have a ball! However, if you are at my table no spray tans allowed, maybe some cleavage but no spray tans.
Here are my predictions:
Best Movie:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Who I want to win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: The Reader
Best Director:
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road
Who I want to win: Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: Boyle Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Best Actor - Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio,Revolutionary Roa
Frank Langella ,Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke,The Wrestler
Who I want to win: Frank Langella Frost/Nixon
Who should win: Sean Pean, Milk
Who will win: Pitt, Button
Best Actress - Drama
Anne Hathaway ,Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, The Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Who I want to win: love of my life Kristin Scott Thomas
Who should win: Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married
Who will win: Meryl Streep, Doubt
Best Picture - Musical/Comedy
'Burn After Reading'
'Happy Go Lucky'
'In Bruges'
'Mamma Mia'
'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Who I don’t want to win: Burn After Reading
Who should win: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Who will win: Mama Mia
Best Actor - Musical/Comedy
Javier Bardem 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Colin Farrell ,'In Bruges'
James Franco'Pineapple Express'
Brendan Gleeson 'In Bruges'
Dustin Hoffman ,'Last Chance Harvey'
Who I want to win: Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
Who should win: Hoffman
Who will win: Colin Farrell, In Bruges
Best Actress - Musical/Comedy:
Rebecca Hall ,'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Sally Hawkins 'Happy Go Lucky'
Frances McDormand 'Burn After Reading'
Meryl Streep 'Mamma Mia'
Emma Thompson 'Last Chance Harvey'
Who I want to win: Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
Who should win: Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Who will win: Streep, Mamma Mia
Best Supporting Actor:
Tom Cruise ,'Tropic Thunder'
Robert Downey Jr,'Tropic Thunder'
Ralph Fiennes 'The Duchess'
Philip Seymour Hoffman 'Doubt'
Heath Ledger 'The Dark Knight'
Who I want to win: the man my siblings say that reflects my offbeat personality
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Who should win: Heath Ledger, Dark Knight
Who will win: Heath Ledger.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams ,'Doubt'
Penelope Cruz 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Viola Davis 'Doubt'
Marisa Tomei 'The Wrestler'
Kate Winslet 'The Reader'
Who I want to win: The other love of my life Amy Adams, Doubt
Who should win: Viola Davis, Doubt
Who will win: Kate Winslet
Best Television Drama:
Dexter
House
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood
The winner: Mad Men
Best Actor - Television Drama:
Gabriel Byrne,In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
The winner: Hugh Laurie, House
Best Actress - Television Drama:
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'
January Jones, Mad Men
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Wow some really great women her but my choice to win: Sally Field. I like her, I really like her.
Best Television Musical/Comedy:
30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds
The winner: The Office
Best Actor - Television Musical/Comedy:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
The winner: Steve Carell, The Office
Best Actress - Television Musical/Comedy:
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds
The winner: Sarah Palin, aks, Tina Fey.
Best Supporting Actor - Television:
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
The winner- since I'm related to John Adams, Tom Wilinson.
Best Supporting Actress - Television:
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
The winner is: Laura Dern, Recount.
I love some of the acceptance speaches. The touching ones are always my favorite. I'm sure there are going to be some touching moments tonight, especially when Heath Ledger wins the award for best supporting actor.
I also love to dream. That against all odds my book, "Searching For Justice", is published made into a movie, and nominated for an award. Then we get a special table at the Globes for all my relatives, Section 16 and blog friends and have a ball! However, if you are at my table no spray tans allowed, maybe some cleavage but no spray tans.
Here are my predictions:
Best Movie:
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Frost/Nixon
The Reader
Revolutionary Road
Slumdog Millionaire
Who I want to win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: The Reader
Best Director:
Danny Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Stephen Daldry, The Reader
David Fincher, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Sam Mendes, Revolutionary Road
Who I want to win: Boyle, Slumdog Millionaire
Who should win: Boyle Slumdog Millionaire
Who will win: Ron Howard, Frost/Nixon
Best Actor - Drama
Leonardo DiCaprio,Revolutionary Roa
Frank Langella ,Frost/Nixon
Sean Penn, Milk
Brad Pitt, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Mickey Rourke,The Wrestler
Who I want to win: Frank Langella Frost/Nixon
Who should win: Sean Pean, Milk
Who will win: Pitt, Button
Best Actress - Drama
Anne Hathaway ,Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie, The Changeling
Meryl Streep, Doubt
Kristin Scott Thomas, I've Loved You So Long
Kate Winslet, Revolutionary Road
Who I want to win: love of my life Kristin Scott Thomas
Who should win: Anne Hathaway Rachel Getting Married
Who will win: Meryl Streep, Doubt
Best Picture - Musical/Comedy
'Burn After Reading'
'Happy Go Lucky'
'In Bruges'
'Mamma Mia'
'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Who I don’t want to win: Burn After Reading
Who should win: Vicky Cristina Barcelona
Who will win: Mama Mia
Best Actor - Musical/Comedy
Javier Bardem 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Colin Farrell ,'In Bruges'
James Franco'Pineapple Express'
Brendan Gleeson 'In Bruges'
Dustin Hoffman ,'Last Chance Harvey'
Who I want to win: Hoffman, Last Chance Harvey
Who should win: Hoffman
Who will win: Colin Farrell, In Bruges
Best Actress - Musical/Comedy:
Rebecca Hall ,'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Sally Hawkins 'Happy Go Lucky'
Frances McDormand 'Burn After Reading'
Meryl Streep 'Mamma Mia'
Emma Thompson 'Last Chance Harvey'
Who I want to win: Emma Thompson, Last Chance Harvey
Who should win: Sally Hawkins, Happy Go Lucky
Who will win: Streep, Mamma Mia
Best Supporting Actor:
Tom Cruise ,'Tropic Thunder'
Robert Downey Jr,'Tropic Thunder'
Ralph Fiennes 'The Duchess'
Philip Seymour Hoffman 'Doubt'
Heath Ledger 'The Dark Knight'
Who I want to win: the man my siblings say that reflects my offbeat personality
Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Doubt
Who should win: Heath Ledger, Dark Knight
Who will win: Heath Ledger.
Best Supporting Actress:
Amy Adams ,'Doubt'
Penelope Cruz 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona'
Viola Davis 'Doubt'
Marisa Tomei 'The Wrestler'
Kate Winslet 'The Reader'
Who I want to win: The other love of my life Amy Adams, Doubt
Who should win: Viola Davis, Doubt
Who will win: Kate Winslet
Best Television Drama:
Dexter
House
In Treatment
Mad Men
True Blood
The winner: Mad Men
Best Actor - Television Drama:
Gabriel Byrne,In Treatment
Michael C. Hall, Dexter
Jon Hamm, Mad Men
Hugh Laurie, House
Jonathan Rhys Meyers, The Tudors
The winner: Hugh Laurie, House
Best Actress - Television Drama:
Sally Field, Brothers & Sisters
Mariska Hargitay, Law and Order: Special Victims Unit'
January Jones, Mad Men
Anna Paquin, True Blood
Kyra Sedgwick, The Closer
Wow some really great women her but my choice to win: Sally Field. I like her, I really like her.
Best Television Musical/Comedy:
30 Rock
Californication
Entourage
The Office
Weeds
The winner: The Office
Best Actor - Television Musical/Comedy:
Alec Baldwin, 30 Rock
Steve Carell, The Office
Kevin Connolly, Entourage
David Duchovny, Californication
Tony Shalhoub, Monk
The winner: Steve Carell, The Office
Best Actress - Television Musical/Comedy:
Christina Applegate, Samantha Who?
America Ferrera, Ugly Betty
Tina Fey, 30 Rock
Debra Messing, The Starter Wife
Mary Louise Parker, Weeds
The winner: Sarah Palin, aks, Tina Fey.
Best Supporting Actor - Television:
Neil Patrick Harris, How I Met Your Mother
Denis Leary, Recount
Jeremy Piven, Entourage
Blair Underwood, In Treatment
Tom Wilkinson, John Adams
The winner- since I'm related to John Adams, Tom Wilinson.
Best Supporting Actress - Television:
Eileen Atkins, Cranford
Laura Dern, Recount
Melissa George, In Treatment
Rachel Griffiths, Brothers & Sisters
Dianne Wiest, In Treatment
The winner is: Laura Dern, Recount.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
It's Your Turn
Update day #2 for 2009. I want to hear everything going on in your life, whether you are caring for an elderly parent or not. If you have been following the blog but haven't posted, would love you to introduce yourself. You may make some new friends!
Negativity has been big with me this week. How negative Mom is really got to me yesterday. I can be really positive, really enjoying life, and then whammo I visit Mom. It brings me down below bottom. I really try to be positive around her and bring her up. A lot of the days I manage to do that. Not yesterday. I finally said to her "do you suppose in the next ten minutes you could maybe say one positive thing before I go crazy?" The response. "I'm not being negative, I just don't get it. I was being upbeat." Her pains are bad, she is sick all the time, my brother never calls, they messed up her drugs at the pharmacy, she is alone to much, sis just doesn't understand her getting old, I'm not there often enough (right like every day isn't enough. I'd really hate to see what her take is when she thinks she is being negative. I made mom check her sugar, checked her blood pressure, everything was normal. Then I left. A few more minutes there and justifiable homicide might have been an option. Would I have been convicted?
The rest of the week was preparing. Preparing for tax season. I'm trying to get all of my errands out of the way before the job starts. My car got its normal checkup on Friday. I got my annual eye checkup on Thursday. Wednesday was lunch with my old friend. Tuesday was getting all my documents in order to do my corporate tax return. Monday was grocery shopping. Today it is getting my mom's books done. I have to be at Mom's most of the day to accomplish that. Watch the news reports just in case I go over the edge. I'm also going to watch Top Chef tonight and will report on it tomorrow. I kind of watched it Wednesday night but recorded it so I could view it a second time. Double elimination week on T.C. Tomorrow it is shopping for new duds. January of every year I buy a few new shirts, a couple of pairs of slacks and the marry some old clothes with Goodwill. Sunday I also plan on going to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and then Sunday night watch The Golden Globe awards. Last year's Golden Globes were a shell due to a strike so this year should be really good. Next week I really haven't planned much but I am sure there will be a lot of Mom time. I'm also sure since Mom's 93rd birthday is the 21st, I will do some gift shopping.
OK tell me everything. Ask me anything. Give me advise. I'm all ears! (at least that is what they said when I was growing up, but fortunately my head grew into my ears)
I will anxiously await getting to know more about you!
Negativity has been big with me this week. How negative Mom is really got to me yesterday. I can be really positive, really enjoying life, and then whammo I visit Mom. It brings me down below bottom. I really try to be positive around her and bring her up. A lot of the days I manage to do that. Not yesterday. I finally said to her "do you suppose in the next ten minutes you could maybe say one positive thing before I go crazy?" The response. "I'm not being negative, I just don't get it. I was being upbeat." Her pains are bad, she is sick all the time, my brother never calls, they messed up her drugs at the pharmacy, she is alone to much, sis just doesn't understand her getting old, I'm not there often enough (right like every day isn't enough. I'd really hate to see what her take is when she thinks she is being negative. I made mom check her sugar, checked her blood pressure, everything was normal. Then I left. A few more minutes there and justifiable homicide might have been an option. Would I have been convicted?
The rest of the week was preparing. Preparing for tax season. I'm trying to get all of my errands out of the way before the job starts. My car got its normal checkup on Friday. I got my annual eye checkup on Thursday. Wednesday was lunch with my old friend. Tuesday was getting all my documents in order to do my corporate tax return. Monday was grocery shopping. Today it is getting my mom's books done. I have to be at Mom's most of the day to accomplish that. Watch the news reports just in case I go over the edge. I'm also going to watch Top Chef tonight and will report on it tomorrow. I kind of watched it Wednesday night but recorded it so I could view it a second time. Double elimination week on T.C. Tomorrow it is shopping for new duds. January of every year I buy a few new shirts, a couple of pairs of slacks and the marry some old clothes with Goodwill. Sunday I also plan on going to SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE and then Sunday night watch The Golden Globe awards. Last year's Golden Globes were a shell due to a strike so this year should be really good. Next week I really haven't planned much but I am sure there will be a lot of Mom time. I'm also sure since Mom's 93rd birthday is the 21st, I will do some gift shopping.
OK tell me everything. Ask me anything. Give me advise. I'm all ears! (at least that is what they said when I was growing up, but fortunately my head grew into my ears)
I will anxiously await getting to know more about you!
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Good Lunches And Good Doctors
Been an interesting couple of days. Yesterday I had a really enjoyable lunch with an old friend. It has been over five years since we connected. We ate at Ruby Tuesday's, I had never been to one of those before. The last time I was at this particular Ruby Tuesday's it was a Beaches restaurant. Lorraine is just the most charming, pretty, intelligent, fun person to be around. I met her when she was a payroll rep for a payroll company, she was pregnant with her first child. She now has three children, all teenagers. Wow does time ever go fast. Watching her rise from a rep to eventually a district manager for the same company, one of the few women to rise to that level in the company, was just a joy to watch. She just recently started a new job for a large company. Her new company better watch out, she may be C.E.O. before you know it!Her husband also started a new job recently going from real estate to a sales person for a large TV network. Real estate just is at a stand still right now and I know he will do great at the new job.
Today was my annual eye appointment. My eye doctor and his assistants are just really great. I don't know how I feel about his assistant calling me dear several times. I took it as a compliment but maybe I should have been offended. The good news is my eyes had no change from last year and there is absolutely no sign of eye disease. I go back in a year. I did get a new prescription for glasses, not because I had to but because the glasses I have now have been through hell. They have been sat on, been stepped on, been dropped from high places, I'm surprised those classes stuck by me for five years. They should have divorced me a long time ago.
Interesting story about how I ended up choosing Dr. C as my doctor. A few years ago my Mom had cataract surgery. Mom ended up with an infection that they said happens in one of every five thousand cataract surgeries. The doctor that did the surgery went on vacation right after the surgery. When Mom started having problems she called Dr. L's office and was referred to Dr. C., he saw her immediately. When he examined Mom's eyes, he just said "I'm sorry this is way beyond me." and referred her to Dr. D, called him made an emergency appointment with him and we went right from one office to the other. When we got to Dr. D's office he immediately performed a procedure on Mom's eyes saying she didn't have time to get to the hospital. Dr. D saved mom's eyesight. As did Dr. C. I really respect a doctor that knows what not to treat as well as he knows what to treat. So many doctors would have tried to perform a procedure on Mom's eyes rather than admit they didn't know what to do. I've been going to Dr. C. since. I know he will perform what he knows how expertly and what he doesn't know how to do he will send me to the person that does. I find that extremely comforting.
How did you choose your doctors? I often thought we spend more time choosing a car or a TV then we do a professional, whether it be an attorney, a CPA, or a doctor. What steps to you go through before making the leap to a professional?
Today was my annual eye appointment. My eye doctor and his assistants are just really great. I don't know how I feel about his assistant calling me dear several times. I took it as a compliment but maybe I should have been offended. The good news is my eyes had no change from last year and there is absolutely no sign of eye disease. I go back in a year. I did get a new prescription for glasses, not because I had to but because the glasses I have now have been through hell. They have been sat on, been stepped on, been dropped from high places, I'm surprised those classes stuck by me for five years. They should have divorced me a long time ago.
Interesting story about how I ended up choosing Dr. C as my doctor. A few years ago my Mom had cataract surgery. Mom ended up with an infection that they said happens in one of every five thousand cataract surgeries. The doctor that did the surgery went on vacation right after the surgery. When Mom started having problems she called Dr. L's office and was referred to Dr. C., he saw her immediately. When he examined Mom's eyes, he just said "I'm sorry this is way beyond me." and referred her to Dr. D, called him made an emergency appointment with him and we went right from one office to the other. When we got to Dr. D's office he immediately performed a procedure on Mom's eyes saying she didn't have time to get to the hospital. Dr. D saved mom's eyesight. As did Dr. C. I really respect a doctor that knows what not to treat as well as he knows what to treat. So many doctors would have tried to perform a procedure on Mom's eyes rather than admit they didn't know what to do. I've been going to Dr. C. since. I know he will perform what he knows how expertly and what he doesn't know how to do he will send me to the person that does. I find that extremely comforting.
How did you choose your doctors? I often thought we spend more time choosing a car or a TV then we do a professional, whether it be an attorney, a CPA, or a doctor. What steps to you go through before making the leap to a professional?
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON or What if?
What if you were eighty-six years old when you were born and got younger every year? Would you look at death differently? Would you look at love differently? Would people view you differently?
The CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON starring Brad Pitt tries to answer some of those questions. Based loosely on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Oscar nominated worthy roles by Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, Cate Blanchett as Daisy and a marvelous supporting role by Jared Harris as Captain Mike the movie is to long at two hours and forty-five minutes.
Benjamin's mother died while giving birth to him, overwhelmed with the ugliness of his new baby Thomas Button abandon's Benjamin, leaving him on the door step of a nursing home. Queenie played marvelously Taraji P. Hanson finds the baby and raises him as her own together with her husband Tizzy. The African-American couple manage the nursing home where Benjamin learns death is normal.
As Benjamin grows younger he goes to brothels, learns to drink, learns the value of the dollar, goes to war (where he learns death isn't always normal), falls in love, first with a married woman played marvelously by Twilda Swinton, then with the beautiful Daisy. As Daisy ages, Benjamin gets younger. Their love grows.
We see the story unfold as Daisy's daughter (played beautifully by the beautiful Julie Ormand) reads from a diary to her dying Mom in a hospital in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina approaches.
I start with one negative football because of the length, but I give one football each for Pitt, Blanchett, and Harris, I add another for the cinematography, another for the screenplay, another for the questions it had me asking myself. Five footballs.
The questions that the movie had me asking myself? If I lived life in reverse how would my life have been different? Were there moments during my life that if I had made a different choice my life would have been better or worse? Do I now view aging differently? I am pondering those questions as I write this and if I get the courage may blog about a couple of moments in my life that I wish the decision I had made would have been different.
A couple of questions for you and admittedly they are very difficult ones. If you had the choice of being born young and then aging like we do now or being born old and then getting younger which would you choose? Does aging scare you? If so how?
The CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON starring Brad Pitt tries to answer some of those questions. Based loosely on a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Oscar nominated worthy roles by Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button, Cate Blanchett as Daisy and a marvelous supporting role by Jared Harris as Captain Mike the movie is to long at two hours and forty-five minutes.
Benjamin's mother died while giving birth to him, overwhelmed with the ugliness of his new baby Thomas Button abandon's Benjamin, leaving him on the door step of a nursing home. Queenie played marvelously Taraji P. Hanson finds the baby and raises him as her own together with her husband Tizzy. The African-American couple manage the nursing home where Benjamin learns death is normal.
As Benjamin grows younger he goes to brothels, learns to drink, learns the value of the dollar, goes to war (where he learns death isn't always normal), falls in love, first with a married woman played marvelously by Twilda Swinton, then with the beautiful Daisy. As Daisy ages, Benjamin gets younger. Their love grows.
We see the story unfold as Daisy's daughter (played beautifully by the beautiful Julie Ormand) reads from a diary to her dying Mom in a hospital in New Orleans as Hurricane Katrina approaches.
I start with one negative football because of the length, but I give one football each for Pitt, Blanchett, and Harris, I add another for the cinematography, another for the screenplay, another for the questions it had me asking myself. Five footballs.
The questions that the movie had me asking myself? If I lived life in reverse how would my life have been different? Were there moments during my life that if I had made a different choice my life would have been better or worse? Do I now view aging differently? I am pondering those questions as I write this and if I get the courage may blog about a couple of moments in my life that I wish the decision I had made would have been different.
A couple of questions for you and admittedly they are very difficult ones. If you had the choice of being born young and then aging like we do now or being born old and then getting younger which would you choose? Does aging scare you? If so how?
Monday, January 5, 2009
The Holiday Officially Ends, The New Year Begins
I'm looking at today as the true first day of the New Year. The Schools reopened today, many parents went back to work. This is a great day for me to start the work on my goals. It isn't even nine o'clock in the morning yet and I've already knocked nine items off my to do list. I feel energized today, it just seems like a new beginning. This is the first time in three weeks when there wasn't snow or ice in my driveway or on my car. It just felt safe to walk again and everything felt right with the world.
Now on the list today is grocery shopping. Then maybe a movie. Both my brother and sister said Benjamin Button was a good movie so I might take that one in. It is showing at 11:30 in Sherwood. Then there is some time with Mom, she needs to go to The Dollar Tree. She wasn't feeling well yesterday so stayed in all day. I talked to her this morning and she sounded great. She said she kind of felt energized too.
Tomorrow I take my car for the regular service and will also take mom to dinner at Rose's tomorrow night. They have a special $9.99 dinner special that we want to try. No caregivers tomorrow night. Just my nephew staying with mom. He always comes to late for dinner so I thought this would be a great way to spend time with mom and save her from cooking. Wednesday is lunch with my old business associate and friend. Not to mention watching the first new Top Chef in three weeks! Thursday is my annual eye appointment. Friday is knocking things off my list that I have to get done before the job starts on the 19th. In between there is checking web sites for LA, Phoenix, Palm Springs, etc to see what living options they have there. How much winter homes would cost. What rent is, what property is selling for. I will also check the cost of living in those areas. See how many accounting firms each locale has. Next winter we will in one of those places!
Do you feel energized today? Does this feel like a start of a better year for you? What is on your to do list for today? DR how was the doctor appointment?
Now on the list today is grocery shopping. Then maybe a movie. Both my brother and sister said Benjamin Button was a good movie so I might take that one in. It is showing at 11:30 in Sherwood. Then there is some time with Mom, she needs to go to The Dollar Tree. She wasn't feeling well yesterday so stayed in all day. I talked to her this morning and she sounded great. She said she kind of felt energized too.
Tomorrow I take my car for the regular service and will also take mom to dinner at Rose's tomorrow night. They have a special $9.99 dinner special that we want to try. No caregivers tomorrow night. Just my nephew staying with mom. He always comes to late for dinner so I thought this would be a great way to spend time with mom and save her from cooking. Wednesday is lunch with my old business associate and friend. Not to mention watching the first new Top Chef in three weeks! Thursday is my annual eye appointment. Friday is knocking things off my list that I have to get done before the job starts on the 19th. In between there is checking web sites for LA, Phoenix, Palm Springs, etc to see what living options they have there. How much winter homes would cost. What rent is, what property is selling for. I will also check the cost of living in those areas. See how many accounting firms each locale has. Next winter we will in one of those places!
Do you feel energized today? Does this feel like a start of a better year for you? What is on your to do list for today? DR how was the doctor appointment?
Saturday, January 3, 2009
First Update Day of 2009.
Today is my first favorite blog day of 2009! Update Day! This is the day when you tell me anything you want to tell me about anything that is going on in your life. You can ask any questions of me or maybe you need some suggestions with how to handle the elderly relative that you caring for. The posters her are both supportive and helpful so ask away.
I've pretty much already updated my life in the previous posts. A couple of things though that I haven't mentiond. One is my annual eye appointment Thursday. Looking forward to it. My eyesight has remained the same for about ten years now and I am hopeful that it will be eleven. Wednesday the day before I am going to have lunch with an old friend and business associate that gave me a really surprise call last Tuesday night. She was the manager of a payroll service company that I referred my clients to. I never liked doing payroll so I always farmed it out. I met Lorraine when she was pregnant with her first child. She has three children now, all teenagers. We really enjoyed each other's company so we became friends. Even when they changed her territory she kept me as a client. Her husband Pat is a darn nice guy too. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with her.
As part of Update Day I am going to pass along a question that Lady Dr. emailed me. Here is her email:
"Bill, I don't know if this is a possible discussion item on the blog, but it's a question I've been dealing with for some time and I think it applies to single caregivers going out with friends, as well as married caregivers going out with spouses. How do you feel about this issue, cause it's been a pondering point for me for several months.
You have a parent who's capable of going out to eat, whether they're living at home or independent living or even assisted living in some cases. A parent who loves to get out and loves to eat out. You take him/her out for Mothers/Fathers Day, his/her birthday, date of wedding anniversary. You take him/her to lunch before/after doctor appointments or sometimes grocery shopping or just because and sometimes out to dinner. But... it comes to your birthday or your spouse's birthday or your anniversary or just the fact the two of you need a treat and you want to go alone as a couple or, if single, out with a good friend or two.
Does anyone else feel guilty about this? Leaving Mom/Dad at home/wherever, while you go out and indulge in a nice dinner? Especially when he/she raises the question, "Where are you going to celebrate" Is it easier if you're single or do you still want to celebrate with friends and take this as a break you deserve? Where the heck is the balance on this issue? "
Back to me. I'm not the best one to answer this one since most of my personal celebrations include Mom. I don't feel guilty, however, when I do things by myself, go on a date, or take a personal day. Mom has gradually become very supportive of me having a life away from her. She was extremely supportive of me taking the comeday class even though it meant one less day that I would have to do things for her.
OK, the blog is now yours. Tell me anything. Ask me Anything. Give Lady Dr. some help or support. I am looking forward to your responses.
I've pretty much already updated my life in the previous posts. A couple of things though that I haven't mentiond. One is my annual eye appointment Thursday. Looking forward to it. My eyesight has remained the same for about ten years now and I am hopeful that it will be eleven. Wednesday the day before I am going to have lunch with an old friend and business associate that gave me a really surprise call last Tuesday night. She was the manager of a payroll service company that I referred my clients to. I never liked doing payroll so I always farmed it out. I met Lorraine when she was pregnant with her first child. She has three children now, all teenagers. We really enjoyed each other's company so we became friends. Even when they changed her territory she kept me as a client. Her husband Pat is a darn nice guy too. I am really looking forward to reconnecting with her.
As part of Update Day I am going to pass along a question that Lady Dr. emailed me. Here is her email:
"Bill, I don't know if this is a possible discussion item on the blog, but it's a question I've been dealing with for some time and I think it applies to single caregivers going out with friends, as well as married caregivers going out with spouses. How do you feel about this issue, cause it's been a pondering point for me for several months.
You have a parent who's capable of going out to eat, whether they're living at home or independent living or even assisted living in some cases. A parent who loves to get out and loves to eat out. You take him/her out for Mothers/Fathers Day, his/her birthday, date of wedding anniversary. You take him/her to lunch before/after doctor appointments or sometimes grocery shopping or just because and sometimes out to dinner. But... it comes to your birthday or your spouse's birthday or your anniversary or just the fact the two of you need a treat and you want to go alone as a couple or, if single, out with a good friend or two.
Does anyone else feel guilty about this? Leaving Mom/Dad at home/wherever, while you go out and indulge in a nice dinner? Especially when he/she raises the question, "Where are you going to celebrate" Is it easier if you're single or do you still want to celebrate with friends and take this as a break you deserve? Where the heck is the balance on this issue? "
Back to me. I'm not the best one to answer this one since most of my personal celebrations include Mom. I don't feel guilty, however, when I do things by myself, go on a date, or take a personal day. Mom has gradually become very supportive of me having a life away from her. She was extremely supportive of me taking the comeday class even though it meant one less day that I would have to do things for her.
OK, the blog is now yours. Tell me anything. Ask me Anything. Give Lady Dr. some help or support. I am looking forward to your responses.
Friday, January 2, 2009
My Goals For 2009.
I used to do resolutions but had such a poor record about keeping them that I do goals instead of resolutions but I do make one resolution every year that I know I can keep. I resolve not to get pregnant in 2009.
My goals for 2009:
1. Since I'm not sure how much time Mom has left, try to make her life as enjoyable as possible.
2. Stay the course until all my fitness goals are met.
3. Complain less.
4. Go out of my comfort zone more often.
5. The one I've made every year for ten years, finish the book I am writing, with your support I made more progress on the book in 2008 then I ever have. This year I want to not only continue the process but finish it.
6. Find a winter home away from Portland.
7. Take a standup class.
8. Travel more.
9. Finish getting my minimal assets into the trust I set up
10. Date more. Hopefully meet the one. I know you can't schedule or put a time deadline on love, however, it would be a trip to put an engagement ring under next year's Christmas Tree, then
have a celebration on New Year's Eve!
Did you make any resolutions this year? Goals? If so what were they? Have any exciting plans for 2009? Inquiring minds want to know!
My goals for 2009:
1. Since I'm not sure how much time Mom has left, try to make her life as enjoyable as possible.
2. Stay the course until all my fitness goals are met.
3. Complain less.
4. Go out of my comfort zone more often.
5. The one I've made every year for ten years, finish the book I am writing, with your support I made more progress on the book in 2008 then I ever have. This year I want to not only continue the process but finish it.
6. Find a winter home away from Portland.
7. Take a standup class.
8. Travel more.
9. Finish getting my minimal assets into the trust I set up
10. Date more. Hopefully meet the one. I know you can't schedule or put a time deadline on love, however, it would be a trip to put an engagement ring under next year's Christmas Tree, then
have a celebration on New Year's Eve!
Did you make any resolutions this year? Goals? If so what were they? Have any exciting plans for 2009? Inquiring minds want to know!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
My Top Ten Personal Stories Of 2008
Today is my top personal stories of 2008.
Leading the way as my best story is my improving health, I am the healthiest that I have ever been.
Coming up next is my going way out of my comfort zone and taking a improv class that was meant to be eight weeks but turned into eleven weeks when I went on to the intermediate class. I not only learned about improv, I also learned several lessons that will help me in life. Don't fear failure. Don't be afraid to go out of my comfort zone. That I might have latent talents that I need to bring to the forefront. I gained confidence and reduced my shyness a little. The highlight of the class for me was going on stage by myself, not remembering a word I said, and receiving compliments from the instructor and students about how well I did. It was a life improvement class that if I take the lessons that I learned in the class and go forward with them it could be a life changing class.
Number three on my list is my Mom's declining health and my efforts to distance myself from her. The first was dramatic to watch and very emotional as it reminded me how traumatic it was to watch dad decline. The second was an effort that didn't succeed.
Number four on my list is the increase traffic on my blog and the wonderful people I met this year. When I first started the blog I'd get very few hits, now I've had visitors from forty-three states and twelve countries. I met people that I didn't know until I stated the blog, Dona, Kim, Snug, Janet, and Mary Z. What a treasure it was to meet each one of you. People I knew from different areas visited the blog and offered up nice comments Lisa (Dancing With The Stars Message Board) and Symply (From the AOL Gentlemen Over 40 Chat Room) complimented my writing and Kaye also from the Gentlemen Over 40 chat room surprised me by saying I had multiple layers to me. Those that knew me well from the old Issues Forum Days found out new things about me, Sian, Pat, Bev, Mary, Shirley, DanaRae, Ellen, learned that I counted my veggies. I have had a great time getting to know all of you, learning about your lives, and most of all treasure your support. Thank you all.
Number five on the list is my own economic decline. The retirement fund that I thought had me set declined thirty-seven percent forcing me to look for a job to recover my loss.
Number six on the list was finding that job easily.
Number seven on my own personal list was being remembered by my Aunt Ella in her will just at the time I needed a financial boost. God love her.
Number eight on my list was making a decision not to spend another winter here. My mom also came to the same conclusion so both of us are going to explore winter retreats in other areas this next year.
Number nine on the list was the visit of an old lover which resulted in the decision that it is best that we no longer contact each other and both move on with our lives.
Number ten on the list was actually going on a couple of dates!
What are your top personal stories of 2008? There doesn't have to be ten of them. I would love to know more about you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE MAY 2009 BE YOUR BEST YEAR EVER!
Leading the way as my best story is my improving health, I am the healthiest that I have ever been.
Coming up next is my going way out of my comfort zone and taking a improv class that was meant to be eight weeks but turned into eleven weeks when I went on to the intermediate class. I not only learned about improv, I also learned several lessons that will help me in life. Don't fear failure. Don't be afraid to go out of my comfort zone. That I might have latent talents that I need to bring to the forefront. I gained confidence and reduced my shyness a little. The highlight of the class for me was going on stage by myself, not remembering a word I said, and receiving compliments from the instructor and students about how well I did. It was a life improvement class that if I take the lessons that I learned in the class and go forward with them it could be a life changing class.
Number three on my list is my Mom's declining health and my efforts to distance myself from her. The first was dramatic to watch and very emotional as it reminded me how traumatic it was to watch dad decline. The second was an effort that didn't succeed.
Number four on my list is the increase traffic on my blog and the wonderful people I met this year. When I first started the blog I'd get very few hits, now I've had visitors from forty-three states and twelve countries. I met people that I didn't know until I stated the blog, Dona, Kim, Snug, Janet, and Mary Z. What a treasure it was to meet each one of you. People I knew from different areas visited the blog and offered up nice comments Lisa (Dancing With The Stars Message Board) and Symply (From the AOL Gentlemen Over 40 Chat Room) complimented my writing and Kaye also from the Gentlemen Over 40 chat room surprised me by saying I had multiple layers to me. Those that knew me well from the old Issues Forum Days found out new things about me, Sian, Pat, Bev, Mary, Shirley, DanaRae, Ellen, learned that I counted my veggies. I have had a great time getting to know all of you, learning about your lives, and most of all treasure your support. Thank you all.
Number five on the list is my own economic decline. The retirement fund that I thought had me set declined thirty-seven percent forcing me to look for a job to recover my loss.
Number six on the list was finding that job easily.
Number seven on my own personal list was being remembered by my Aunt Ella in her will just at the time I needed a financial boost. God love her.
Number eight on my list was making a decision not to spend another winter here. My mom also came to the same conclusion so both of us are going to explore winter retreats in other areas this next year.
Number nine on the list was the visit of an old lover which resulted in the decision that it is best that we no longer contact each other and both move on with our lives.
Number ten on the list was actually going on a couple of dates!
What are your top personal stories of 2008? There doesn't have to be ten of them. I would love to know more about you!
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE MAY 2009 BE YOUR BEST YEAR EVER!
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Portland, Oregon's Top Ten Stories of 2008 According to Moi.
Today is the top ten stories for 2008 in the city of Portland, Oregon in my estimation.
Number one on the list is the great snow and ice storm of 2008. Not prepared for snow most winters the city was ill prepared for a storm that lasted eleven days dropping in excess of twenty inches of snow and ice in areas from as far South as Salem, Oregon to as far North as Seattle, Washington. Cities blew their winter budget with overtime, extra electricity to keep the cities working twenty four hours a day cleaning up roads. Mail delivery and garbage pick up was stopped in many areas. Five deaths were attributed to either the storm or the road conditions caused by the worst storm in Portland, Oregon history. Devoid of the correct number of snow plows to fight the winter blizzard only the main roads were plowed leaving side streets and many neighborhoods impassable.
Number two on the list was the visit of Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama to Portland resulting in record crowds to attend a political rally in our fine city. There were estimates that the crowd was in excess of fifty thousand.
Coming in third was the defeat of long time Oregon senator Republican Gordon Smith by a basically unknown Democrat, Jeff Merkley. Smith was considered untouchable at the beginning of 2008 but was swept away in the nationwide sea of change.
Fourth is the Oregon economy with the highest unemployment rate in over twenty years at 8.1%. Retail stores had the worst holiday season in history caused not only by the economy but also by people being housebound by what is referred to by some news stations as our Artic Blast.
The bombing in Woodburn, Oregon that killed three law enforcement officers and injured a fourth comes in at number five. Woodburn a normally quiet community with a large Hispanic population became the focus of national news. A father and son were arrested for a multiple of crimes including extortion.
Sam Adams was elected Mayor of Portland. The first openly gay mayor elected in the history of the Portland metro area comes in at sixth on the list. He replaces Tom Potter an ex police chief that had worn out his welcome as mayor.
Number seven was the decline of the Oregon College Savings Plan dropping value by as much as 40% by some estimates causing some students to consider dropping out of college and work to make up the money necessary to afford college.
Oregon passed a nonsmoking law in 2008 and becomes completely smoke free on January 1, 2009. Smoke free Oregon is the my eighth ranked story.
Coming in at number 9 is the decline in Portland's real estate market. The market held up until September then began to drop as the inventory of houses for sale increased. I ranked this ninth because the drop wasn't as severe as other cities, with Portland having the fifth lowest decline in real estate values in the nation.
Number 10 is reality TV bliss. The Amazing Race ended this season in our great city. Portlander Leanne Marshall won the most recent Project Runway and promptly moved to New York City with her winnings and hope for design fame. Local woman, Monica Carlson, won American Gladiator.
I would love to hear what the big stories of 2008 were in your city and your state. This is a great opportunity for us all to learn about each other's locales.
Hope your big story for today is a lottery win!
Number one on the list is the great snow and ice storm of 2008. Not prepared for snow most winters the city was ill prepared for a storm that lasted eleven days dropping in excess of twenty inches of snow and ice in areas from as far South as Salem, Oregon to as far North as Seattle, Washington. Cities blew their winter budget with overtime, extra electricity to keep the cities working twenty four hours a day cleaning up roads. Mail delivery and garbage pick up was stopped in many areas. Five deaths were attributed to either the storm or the road conditions caused by the worst storm in Portland, Oregon history. Devoid of the correct number of snow plows to fight the winter blizzard only the main roads were plowed leaving side streets and many neighborhoods impassable.
Number two on the list was the visit of Presidential Candidate Barrack Obama to Portland resulting in record crowds to attend a political rally in our fine city. There were estimates that the crowd was in excess of fifty thousand.
Coming in third was the defeat of long time Oregon senator Republican Gordon Smith by a basically unknown Democrat, Jeff Merkley. Smith was considered untouchable at the beginning of 2008 but was swept away in the nationwide sea of change.
Fourth is the Oregon economy with the highest unemployment rate in over twenty years at 8.1%. Retail stores had the worst holiday season in history caused not only by the economy but also by people being housebound by what is referred to by some news stations as our Artic Blast.
The bombing in Woodburn, Oregon that killed three law enforcement officers and injured a fourth comes in at number five. Woodburn a normally quiet community with a large Hispanic population became the focus of national news. A father and son were arrested for a multiple of crimes including extortion.
Sam Adams was elected Mayor of Portland. The first openly gay mayor elected in the history of the Portland metro area comes in at sixth on the list. He replaces Tom Potter an ex police chief that had worn out his welcome as mayor.
Number seven was the decline of the Oregon College Savings Plan dropping value by as much as 40% by some estimates causing some students to consider dropping out of college and work to make up the money necessary to afford college.
Oregon passed a nonsmoking law in 2008 and becomes completely smoke free on January 1, 2009. Smoke free Oregon is the my eighth ranked story.
Coming in at number 9 is the decline in Portland's real estate market. The market held up until September then began to drop as the inventory of houses for sale increased. I ranked this ninth because the drop wasn't as severe as other cities, with Portland having the fifth lowest decline in real estate values in the nation.
Number 10 is reality TV bliss. The Amazing Race ended this season in our great city. Portlander Leanne Marshall won the most recent Project Runway and promptly moved to New York City with her winnings and hope for design fame. Local woman, Monica Carlson, won American Gladiator.
I would love to hear what the big stories of 2008 were in your city and your state. This is a great opportunity for us all to learn about each other's locales.
Hope your big story for today is a lottery win!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Top Ten National Stories of 2009
What I tried to do with my top ten national stories is to pick stories from several different segments; sports, entertainment, politics, etc.
In a normal year easily the number one story would be the election of Barrack Obama as the first African American President. However, I think the economy going in the tank pushes the election of Obama to the number two story of the year as the economy will effect almost all of us. The economy tanked and it tanked fast. Early in September things were seemingly OK but by October banks were going out of business, bailout became one of the most common words seen in our daily paper. Economy the number one story, the election of Barrack Obama the number two story.
My third story is the declining violence in Iraq. The number of soldiers killed in Iraq were the fewest in several years. The surge seemed to work. During the election the improvement in Iraq took the discussion of the war off of the table and the discussions of the war were replaced with discussions about the economy.
My fourth ranked story comes from the world of sports. The Olympics. Michael Phelps setting a record and winning eight gold medals. His quest fascinated the nation. We yelled our support for him at our TV set during each one of his quest for a gold medal. He is now known as the best swimmer in the history of the Olympics.
Number five on my list is the choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate. The first woman named a Republican ticket. She gave an amazing speech at the Republican Convention improving John McCain’s chances for victory. Then her ratings begin to fall. Whether you think she helped or hurt McCain she is now on the national political scene for years to come. There is even some talk of her being a presidential candidate in 2012.
The sixth story are gas prices. Heading up to over four bucks a gallon. It changed our travel plans, raised prices for airline tickets, and had us changing our budgets. Then at just the time the economy tanked the gas prices began to decline, now they are near a buck sixty a gallon amid reports that they will eventually decline to less than a buck a gallon.
The seventh story is the recent bombing of the Gaza Strip by Israel and the return fire by The Hamas. Violence just never seems to stop in the Middle East.
Coming in at number eight is the death of several icons. Three that come quickly to mind are Heath Ledger, Paul Newman and William F. Bucley, Jr. Ledger overdosed on a combination of pills at the age of 28. Known for his role in Brokeback Mountain it is my guess that he will soon win another Oscar for his role in The Dark Knight. Paul Newman, faithful husband, lived for donating to charity, a great actor died of cancer at age 86. Conservative icon and author William F. Buckley, Jr died at age 82 from the effects of emphysema and diabetes.
The entertainment world gives me my ninth ranked story, the Writers’ Guild Strike that destroyed the Golden Globes but was settled just in time for the Oscars to go on as planned.
Politics brings us my tenth ranked story or rather that should be politicians devoid of morals. John Edwards admits to an affair. Elliot Spitzer is visiting prostitutes. Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich not only stole Donald Trump’s hair but was selling the Senate seat left vacant by the election of Barrack Obama to the highest bidder.
What were you top ten national stories of the year? What story above would you replace and with what story would you replace it with? Inquiring minds want to know.
In a normal year easily the number one story would be the election of Barrack Obama as the first African American President. However, I think the economy going in the tank pushes the election of Obama to the number two story of the year as the economy will effect almost all of us. The economy tanked and it tanked fast. Early in September things were seemingly OK but by October banks were going out of business, bailout became one of the most common words seen in our daily paper. Economy the number one story, the election of Barrack Obama the number two story.
My third story is the declining violence in Iraq. The number of soldiers killed in Iraq were the fewest in several years. The surge seemed to work. During the election the improvement in Iraq took the discussion of the war off of the table and the discussions of the war were replaced with discussions about the economy.
My fourth ranked story comes from the world of sports. The Olympics. Michael Phelps setting a record and winning eight gold medals. His quest fascinated the nation. We yelled our support for him at our TV set during each one of his quest for a gold medal. He is now known as the best swimmer in the history of the Olympics.
Number five on my list is the choice of Sarah Palin as the Republican Vice Presidential candidate. The first woman named a Republican ticket. She gave an amazing speech at the Republican Convention improving John McCain’s chances for victory. Then her ratings begin to fall. Whether you think she helped or hurt McCain she is now on the national political scene for years to come. There is even some talk of her being a presidential candidate in 2012.
The sixth story are gas prices. Heading up to over four bucks a gallon. It changed our travel plans, raised prices for airline tickets, and had us changing our budgets. Then at just the time the economy tanked the gas prices began to decline, now they are near a buck sixty a gallon amid reports that they will eventually decline to less than a buck a gallon.
The seventh story is the recent bombing of the Gaza Strip by Israel and the return fire by The Hamas. Violence just never seems to stop in the Middle East.
Coming in at number eight is the death of several icons. Three that come quickly to mind are Heath Ledger, Paul Newman and William F. Bucley, Jr. Ledger overdosed on a combination of pills at the age of 28. Known for his role in Brokeback Mountain it is my guess that he will soon win another Oscar for his role in The Dark Knight. Paul Newman, faithful husband, lived for donating to charity, a great actor died of cancer at age 86. Conservative icon and author William F. Buckley, Jr died at age 82 from the effects of emphysema and diabetes.
The entertainment world gives me my ninth ranked story, the Writers’ Guild Strike that destroyed the Golden Globes but was settled just in time for the Oscars to go on as planned.
Politics brings us my tenth ranked story or rather that should be politicians devoid of morals. John Edwards admits to an affair. Elliot Spitzer is visiting prostitutes. Governor of Illinois Rod Blagojevich not only stole Donald Trump’s hair but was selling the Senate seat left vacant by the election of Barrack Obama to the highest bidder.
What were you top ten national stories of the year? What story above would you replace and with what story would you replace it with? Inquiring minds want to know.
Sunday, December 28, 2008
A Quick Melt, GQ, and Your Update
What a difference a couple of days makes let alone a week. Last Sunday I was housebound amongst snow, ice, and Portland’s worse winter storm in history. This is my lawn a couple of days ago after shoveling the drive way and the sidewalk near my townhouse. I had to put the snow somewhere! Things will start getting even more back to normal tomorrow when we get our first mail delivery in a week. Then in the next few days we should get our first garbage and recycle pickup in two weeks.! I'm hoping we've seen the last of winter storms for a while.
My sister likes to dress me. This is what she got me for Christmas. She referred to it as “GQ” and ordered me to wear it on a date. Now I just have to get a date!
Now it is update day. I want you to update me on what is going on in your life. I am going to be doing some care giving the next couple of days because the regular caregiver doesn’t want to work on the holidays, so this is my week. I’m going to try to make it as fun for Mom as I can. Then the New Year starts and I am going to work on my goals.
Here is the blog schedule for the next few days:
Monday - Top Ten National Stories of 2008.
Today, however, is your day. Tell me whatever you want to tell me. Vent about whomever or whatever you want to vent about. Sing glorious praises for whomever or whatever you want to tell us their or its virtues. What are you doing New Year’s Eve? New Year’s? You can still ask me anything you want.
I now turn it over to you. New posters/visitors are absolutely welcome.
Then we actually saw grass this morning, this is the picture of the same lawn today! Wow did the melt happen fast, the rain certainly helped. I never thought I would be so happy to see rain.
My sister likes to dress me. This is what she got me for Christmas. She referred to it as “GQ” and ordered me to wear it on a date. Now I just have to get a date!
Now it is update day. I want you to update me on what is going on in your life. I am going to be doing some care giving the next couple of days because the regular caregiver doesn’t want to work on the holidays, so this is my week. I’m going to try to make it as fun for Mom as I can. Then the New Year starts and I am going to work on my goals.
Here is the blog schedule for the next few days:
Monday - Top Ten National Stories of 2008.
Tuesday- Top Ten Locan Stories of 2008.
Wednesday - Top ten personal stories of 2008 and personal goals for 2009.
Today, however, is your day. Tell me whatever you want to tell me. Vent about whomever or whatever you want to vent about. Sing glorious praises for whomever or whatever you want to tell us their or its virtues. What are you doing New Year’s Eve? New Year’s? You can still ask me anything you want.
I now turn it over to you. New posters/visitors are absolutely welcome.
Friday, December 26, 2008
The Melt Starts, The Digout Begins
I got home from Mom's about 1:30 yesterday afternoon to begin the cleanout process from the storm. I got the twenty some inches of snow and ice out of my driveway, my car started, and now today it is clearing the sidewalk, find and clear the storm drain on the street so that the water has a place to go when the snow melts. Today the warmup starts, 39 to 40 is the high, tomorrow it could get up to 50. The snow will melt fast and with the storm drain clogged the water won't have anywhere to go. The City of Sherwood is supposed to take care of it but they won't so I am making it my responsibility.
We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. With chains and front wheel drive brother-in-law as able to drive us out to lunch at my favorite deli, Rose's, and then we went to the new Will Smith movie, SEVEN POUNDS, I wasn't quite ready for that emotional of a movie.
Christmas Eve night we followed our family tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve. There was just four of us as due to the roads our guest list was downsized from fifteen because relatives just couldn't make it here from Eugene, etc. Sis cooked a nice ham dinner. Then we opened packages. I made out like a bandit. Mom gave me a good chunk of change. Sis gave me a nice GQ outfit. See why I don't worry about buying my own clothes? Sis loves to dress me. The outfit that I am ordered to where on a date? A very nice black leather jacket, a neat pair of slacks, a nice scarf. I left it at Mom's because there wasn't really room in the car for it when they brought me home with Mom's wheelchair, my suitcase, my laptop, sis, mom, a snow shovel in case we got stuck, brother-in-law. I will take a picture of my new outfit later in the week and upload it. This year the gift from heaven caused more emotion from Mom then ever before, maybe the storm, the family being together, all came together when she saw the gift and opened it. Sis thought something was wrong with her (I don't tell anyone in the family about what I do because I want to maintain the mystery). She will cherish that Chanel #5 perfume.
I want you guys to give some thoughts to a few questions that I am going to ask on the blog this final week of 2008. There will be a separate post each day about top ten lists. What do you think the top ten national stories of the year were? What were the top ten local stories in the locale where you live? Last my favorite, what were you top ten personal accomplishments/stories of 2008.
For today though, I just want to know how your Christmas was, what you had for dinner, who cooked, what did Santa bring you, what was your favorite gift. I always like to know what is going on with everyone. If you haven't posted before don't let that stop you, we would love to meet you and hear about your Christmases too!
We had a great Christmas Eve and Christmas morning. With chains and front wheel drive brother-in-law as able to drive us out to lunch at my favorite deli, Rose's, and then we went to the new Will Smith movie, SEVEN POUNDS, I wasn't quite ready for that emotional of a movie.
Christmas Eve night we followed our family tradition of celebrating Christmas on Christmas Eve. There was just four of us as due to the roads our guest list was downsized from fifteen because relatives just couldn't make it here from Eugene, etc. Sis cooked a nice ham dinner. Then we opened packages. I made out like a bandit. Mom gave me a good chunk of change. Sis gave me a nice GQ outfit. See why I don't worry about buying my own clothes? Sis loves to dress me. The outfit that I am ordered to where on a date? A very nice black leather jacket, a neat pair of slacks, a nice scarf. I left it at Mom's because there wasn't really room in the car for it when they brought me home with Mom's wheelchair, my suitcase, my laptop, sis, mom, a snow shovel in case we got stuck, brother-in-law. I will take a picture of my new outfit later in the week and upload it. This year the gift from heaven caused more emotion from Mom then ever before, maybe the storm, the family being together, all came together when she saw the gift and opened it. Sis thought something was wrong with her (I don't tell anyone in the family about what I do because I want to maintain the mystery). She will cherish that Chanel #5 perfume.
I want you guys to give some thoughts to a few questions that I am going to ask on the blog this final week of 2008. There will be a separate post each day about top ten lists. What do you think the top ten national stories of the year were? What were the top ten local stories in the locale where you live? Last my favorite, what were you top ten personal accomplishments/stories of 2008.
For today though, I just want to know how your Christmas was, what you had for dinner, who cooked, what did Santa bring you, what was your favorite gift. I always like to know what is going on with everyone. If you haven't posted before don't let that stop you, we would love to meet you and hear about your Christmases too!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Merry Christmas
Just a quick post to wish all of you and yours a very Merry Christmas. May Santa bring you everything you wanted and most of all may he bring you a 2009 filled with answered prayers, fulfilled dreams, much love, more happiness, and may it be your best year ever.
Things are going good here. Two days housbound with relatives and my sister and I haven't killed each other yet. We just have to make it two more days for the winter storm to turn to rain. We can do that.
Have a great day!
Things are going good here. Two days housbound with relatives and my sister and I haven't killed each other yet. We just have to make it two more days for the winter storm to turn to rain. We can do that.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Hope But First Ice
That was the headlines in this morning's paper. Today will be the first day in ten days that we haven't had snow or ice. The temps are still below freezing which means the roads are still not really drivable, chains are required anywhere you go in the Portland area. Two more storms are expected, one Christmas Eve and one Christmas Day. Then on Friday the temps wil be in the hight forties and the melt starts.
Bless my brother-in-law's heart, he came and got me yesterday when there was about an hour window with the weather and brought me into Mom's. Had he not done that I would have been stuck at home alone for Christmas. So I am now at Mom'with my sis, my brother in law, and mom. We have decided to make a party of it, play games, share stories, and have fun until we can get out. By the way to drive the four miles from my house to Mom's took forty-five minutes.
I'm just grateful that I have relatives that care so much for me that they will brave the elements so I won't be alone for the holidays.
There are currently five hundred people stuck at the airport. Some will miss Christmas. Those are the ones that my heart goes out to. One neat story that tells the good side of Portland. A couple with a four wheel drive and chains drove to the airport even though they weren't going anywhere. They saw a couple with a couple of small children sleeping on chairs, went and took them home with them to spend a night with them until their flight went out the next day. Don't you think that is the true spirit of Christmas?
Well off to get my best game face one for the day so I can bring home a couple of victories against my very competitive family. May this be a great day for you!
Bless my brother-in-law's heart, he came and got me yesterday when there was about an hour window with the weather and brought me into Mom's. Had he not done that I would have been stuck at home alone for Christmas. So I am now at Mom'with my sis, my brother in law, and mom. We have decided to make a party of it, play games, share stories, and have fun until we can get out. By the way to drive the four miles from my house to Mom's took forty-five minutes.
I'm just grateful that I have relatives that care so much for me that they will brave the elements so I won't be alone for the holidays.
There are currently five hundred people stuck at the airport. Some will miss Christmas. Those are the ones that my heart goes out to. One neat story that tells the good side of Portland. A couple with a four wheel drive and chains drove to the airport even though they weren't going anywhere. They saw a couple with a couple of small children sleeping on chairs, went and took them home with them to spend a night with them until their flight went out the next day. Don't you think that is the true spirit of Christmas?
Well off to get my best game face one for the day so I can bring home a couple of victories against my very competitive family. May this be a great day for you!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
California Here I Come
Or Nevada or Arizona but I won't spend another winter here. My house has an enclave that is usually protected from the elements. Not this time. Here are junks of ice that I had to clear away from my enclave to get to the newspaper. The other picture is the enclave to my front door before the ice storm hit. They estimated that Sherwood got ten inches of snow before the ice storm hit.
Further out on my front lawn was about a three inch layer of ice which had nothing between it and the ground. If you crunched the ice with you foot you got to soft snow on the ground and were able to walk on it.
At least the leaves are not longer a problem. This is my backyard BEFORE the ice storm hit.
These are two of the four trees in my backyard that caused the leaf problem.
My car covered with ice, my car covered with snow.
Bigfoot was here last night.
It is not going to warm up enough today to thaw and it is only going to warm up enough tomorrow to have a partial thaw. Christmas Day will be the first time in over two weeks that both the low and the high will be above freezing. The predicted high is 39, the low 33. A heat wave.
Further out on my front lawn was about a three inch layer of ice which had nothing between it and the ground. If you crunched the ice with you foot you got to soft snow on the ground and were able to walk on it.
At least the leaves are not longer a problem. This is my backyard BEFORE the ice storm hit.
These are two of the four trees in my backyard that caused the leaf problem.
My car covered with ice, my car covered with snow.
Bigfoot was here last night.
It is not going to warm up enough today to thaw and it is only going to warm up enough tomorrow to have a partial thaw. Christmas Day will be the first time in over two weeks that both the low and the high will be above freezing. The predicted high is 39, the low 33. A heat wave.
My sister wants me to come in a stay with them tonight in case the power goes out and I might do that to keep her happy. However, I think I am fine here as long as my power stays on. If I do go in to Mom's house and fight the relatives as well as the snow I may not be posting for a couple of days.
Hope things are going well for all of you and my heart goes out the East Coasters that post here that are dealing with the same elements. May things warm up for them soon!
Update Day
It is my favorite day of the week on the blog. Update Day. Your day to tell me everything.
OK, I'll go first. First, Sister and her husband made it safely here from Utah. They got here at about six last night. The roads were terrible all the way but drivable. It took them about eight hours longer than the trip normally takes. Second, I want to thank you for how supportive you all were to me when I posted an in a funk message. I especially want to thank Kim as it couldn’t have been easy for her to tell us about her struggles. The thanks extend to all those that posted supportive messages to her. This is such a great group of women. I feel blessed to have you all in my world. Third, the weather still stinks and according to reports it isn’t going to get any better. Later this afternoon a major snow storm is coming in and it will turn into my worst nightmare, freezing rain Sunday morning. It doesn’t look like we are going to get half way decent weather until Christmas Eve Day. According to reports this is the worse weather stretch we have had since 1977, the year I moved here. Fourth, mom is convinced more than ever that she doesn’t want to deal with the winter elements any more and is absolutely ready to get out of here. In addition my sister mentioned her and her husband might want to get out of Utah for winters. We could all me down there next winter! We all have friends and relatives that live there so we wouldn’t be going there blind. My friend Ted that I have breakfast every Sunday leaves here after Thanksgiving and stays there until March. My friends from Seattle, Mark and Sandra, go there every winter. I also have some old friends still there from the eight years that I lived there. Not to mention Pat. I have been appointed head scout. My job is to take some trips down there and check out living options and areas. We want to find a self-contained community that doesn’t require a lot of driving, not to far from hospitals (Mom), check out doctors, stores, etc. I’m actually excited about the prospects. Last, I took the break from the weather to slice down my to do list. The to do list that increased to seventy-four items is down to twenty-eight. All my Christmas shopping is done. I repaired the laptop that crashed on my own saving me some big bucks. I now have two working laptops. That prepares me for tax season. There won’t be any additional crashes that I can’t handle during tax season so it should be a very smooth tax season. A great start to 2009!
OK, it is your turn. I spilled my guts. So now you get the same chance to spill yours! Let me know how you are doing and what is going on with you. Shopping done? When do you celebrate Christmas? Christmas Day or Christmas Eve? We always have celebrated Christmas Eve What is your traditional dinner? Ours is turkey, mashed potatoes, green been casserole, home made rolls, pie, a salad that changes every year, and snacks all around!
If you are new to the blog or have been reading the blog and haven't posted yet don't let that stop you, we would love to meet you and hear from you!
OK, off to do my laundry. I am at that stage where I either have to do my laundry or buy more clothes!
OK, I'll go first. First, Sister and her husband made it safely here from Utah. They got here at about six last night. The roads were terrible all the way but drivable. It took them about eight hours longer than the trip normally takes. Second, I want to thank you for how supportive you all were to me when I posted an in a funk message. I especially want to thank Kim as it couldn’t have been easy for her to tell us about her struggles. The thanks extend to all those that posted supportive messages to her. This is such a great group of women. I feel blessed to have you all in my world. Third, the weather still stinks and according to reports it isn’t going to get any better. Later this afternoon a major snow storm is coming in and it will turn into my worst nightmare, freezing rain Sunday morning. It doesn’t look like we are going to get half way decent weather until Christmas Eve Day. According to reports this is the worse weather stretch we have had since 1977, the year I moved here. Fourth, mom is convinced more than ever that she doesn’t want to deal with the winter elements any more and is absolutely ready to get out of here. In addition my sister mentioned her and her husband might want to get out of Utah for winters. We could all me down there next winter! We all have friends and relatives that live there so we wouldn’t be going there blind. My friend Ted that I have breakfast every Sunday leaves here after Thanksgiving and stays there until March. My friends from Seattle, Mark and Sandra, go there every winter. I also have some old friends still there from the eight years that I lived there. Not to mention Pat. I have been appointed head scout. My job is to take some trips down there and check out living options and areas. We want to find a self-contained community that doesn’t require a lot of driving, not to far from hospitals (Mom), check out doctors, stores, etc. I’m actually excited about the prospects. Last, I took the break from the weather to slice down my to do list. The to do list that increased to seventy-four items is down to twenty-eight. All my Christmas shopping is done. I repaired the laptop that crashed on my own saving me some big bucks. I now have two working laptops. That prepares me for tax season. There won’t be any additional crashes that I can’t handle during tax season so it should be a very smooth tax season. A great start to 2009!
OK, it is your turn. I spilled my guts. So now you get the same chance to spill yours! Let me know how you are doing and what is going on with you. Shopping done? When do you celebrate Christmas? Christmas Day or Christmas Eve? We always have celebrated Christmas Eve What is your traditional dinner? Ours is turkey, mashed potatoes, green been casserole, home made rolls, pie, a salad that changes every year, and snacks all around!
If you are new to the blog or have been reading the blog and haven't posted yet don't let that stop you, we would love to meet you and hear from you!
OK, off to do my laundry. I am at that stage where I either have to do my laundry or buy more clothes!
Thursday, December 18, 2008
All Over The Map
After reading this post that mass sitting on the ground next to you may be my guts as that is what I am doing with this post, spilling my guts.
My emotions have been all over the map this week. A lot of it has to do with being housebound for three days and feeling trapped. That lead to some soul searching about how I really do feel trapped with the care giving of Mom and being Mom’s main force in her life. I really don’t want to deal with the winter elements any more. If I didn’t have the responsibility of Mom I’d be in California. What is a little rain compared to sheets of ice, freezing cold, snow, and dreams of being somewhere else. I did talk to Mom about it and she said she would be willing to move to California as did the caregiver we like whom has a sister in the LA area. So I am going to start looking at the LA Times web page, make plans to go to LA after tax season to look at homes, apartments, etc. Next winter I really want to be out of here.
It is also very hard being single during the holidays. Probably the hardest time of the year not to have someone to share your life with. At the family get togethers you feel like a fifth wheel. It also doesn’t help when the relatives start asking when you are going to settle down. "Why can't a nice man like you find someone?" "Why are you single, a woman would be so lucky to have you." My standard answer is that I’ve settled down a long time ago and I do hope to settle down with someone when the higher ups see fit to put someone in my life.
It really has been a crummy ten days with computer crashes, flat tires, broken phone lines, my favorite pod cast calling it quits and a call from my sister saying they were snowed in, in Utah and just wouldn’t be able to make it for Christmas. She sounded so depressed and disappointed it depressed me.
However, things sometimes change. Got a call from Sis this morning and they were on the way here. There was a break in the winter weather and they hopped right in their car and took off towards here. They will go as far as Boise tonight and come the rest of the way tomorrow. Sis’s call brought me out of the doldrums and I am hopeful that it is the start of a turn around for me, for mom, for the pod casters, for everyone. After her call even the weather took a turn for the better, just rain and I can actually walk to my mailbox instead of skating there!
Do you ever feel trapped? How do you handle that feeling? Do you ever have weeks when you feel like things just aren't right with your world? What do you do to change that feeling?
My emotions have been all over the map this week. A lot of it has to do with being housebound for three days and feeling trapped. That lead to some soul searching about how I really do feel trapped with the care giving of Mom and being Mom’s main force in her life. I really don’t want to deal with the winter elements any more. If I didn’t have the responsibility of Mom I’d be in California. What is a little rain compared to sheets of ice, freezing cold, snow, and dreams of being somewhere else. I did talk to Mom about it and she said she would be willing to move to California as did the caregiver we like whom has a sister in the LA area. So I am going to start looking at the LA Times web page, make plans to go to LA after tax season to look at homes, apartments, etc. Next winter I really want to be out of here.
It is also very hard being single during the holidays. Probably the hardest time of the year not to have someone to share your life with. At the family get togethers you feel like a fifth wheel. It also doesn’t help when the relatives start asking when you are going to settle down. "Why can't a nice man like you find someone?" "Why are you single, a woman would be so lucky to have you." My standard answer is that I’ve settled down a long time ago and I do hope to settle down with someone when the higher ups see fit to put someone in my life.
It really has been a crummy ten days with computer crashes, flat tires, broken phone lines, my favorite pod cast calling it quits and a call from my sister saying they were snowed in, in Utah and just wouldn’t be able to make it for Christmas. She sounded so depressed and disappointed it depressed me.
However, things sometimes change. Got a call from Sis this morning and they were on the way here. There was a break in the winter weather and they hopped right in their car and took off towards here. They will go as far as Boise tonight and come the rest of the way tomorrow. Sis’s call brought me out of the doldrums and I am hopeful that it is the start of a turn around for me, for mom, for the pod casters, for everyone. After her call even the weather took a turn for the better, just rain and I can actually walk to my mailbox instead of skating there!
Do you ever feel trapped? How do you handle that feeling? Do you ever have weeks when you feel like things just aren't right with your world? What do you do to change that feeling?
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Day 3 Of The 08 Freeze - THE SHINING
Heeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreeeee’s Johnnnnny, On Day 3 of being housebound it was either look for the axe and scare the neighborhood or attempt to go out and fight the elements. First, it was a walk to the Shell station not to far from here. I stopped at the parking lot because it was a sheet of ice and only a fool would have attempted to walk on it. Then I walked to Safeway. I turned around at the back entrance to their parking lot because again the parking lot was a sheet of ice and it would have been foolish to attempt going across the parking lot to the salted entrance to the store. I waited an hour and drove to Safeway. I had no trouble. Well except walking into the store. It was a little slippery but not near as bad as it was on the attempted walk over there. They courtesy clerk was salting the parking lot and when I finished shopping the parking lot was as safe as it has been in several days. While at the store I bought two big bags of deicer and two big bags of cat litter. Both are great in the snow, when I walked to the mail box I salted all the slippery spots. I also salted the road at the stop sign in front of my house. Since I am bored I might as well make it safer for others.
The latest on the Woodburn, Oregon bombing is there was a second arrest in the case. The father of the first suspect arrested was also arrested. I guess bomb making and murder are father-son activities. Seems like going to ball games together would have been a little better activity.
On a sad note, I heard my favorite pod cast suspended production due to not being able to find funding. I’m to bummed to write about it now. I will post about it tomorrow when I get my thoughts together. I hope the farewell for the Satellite Sisters will turn into a happy return. We need more women voices in both radio and television.
A dumb joke for the day. Know why Santa comes down the chimney? It soots him.
I hope none of you are housebound recreating scenes from The Shining!
The latest on the Woodburn, Oregon bombing is there was a second arrest in the case. The father of the first suspect arrested was also arrested. I guess bomb making and murder are father-son activities. Seems like going to ball games together would have been a little better activity.
On a sad note, I heard my favorite pod cast suspended production due to not being able to find funding. I’m to bummed to write about it now. I will post about it tomorrow when I get my thoughts together. I hope the farewell for the Satellite Sisters will turn into a happy return. We need more women voices in both radio and television.
A dumb joke for the day. Know why Santa comes down the chimney? It soots him.
I hope none of you are housebound recreating scenes from The Shining!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Day Two Of The 08 Freeze
Day two of the 08 freeze, housebound for the second day in a row. The temperatures are predicted to go up to 25 today. The main roads are nice due to the sanding and the deicing. However, the roads that feed into the main roads are a sheet of ice. It is impossible to get to the main roads. This is the longest bad winter spell in Portland since about 1990. Today’s plans include getting ready to do my corporate and individual tax returns. I want to file early in January before the busy season starts. I can file the corporate return early but I will have to wait until March to file my individual return due to a K-1 I am expecting from my Aunt Ella’s estate. That doesn’t mean I can’t have my return completed except for the K-1 and that is what I plan on doing.
Just some miscellaneous items today:
They arrested a suspect in the Woodburn, Oregon bombing that killed two law enforcement officers. Apparently he was seen on a security video from a close by Wal-Mart Store. The suspect makes his first court appearance today.
In another bit of interesting if not surprising news, according to a Harris Poll fifty percent of the women polled in a survey said they would give up sex instead of the internet if given a choice between the two. It doesn’t surprise me that some women would choose the internet over sex but fifty percent? The mind boggles.
Being housebound I have been catching up on some reading. Here are the ones I just finished:
KILLER VIEW by Ridley Pearson, three of five stars, about the covering up of poisoned water and dead animals.
CRUEL INTENT by J. A. Jance, three of five stars, about internet dating, marital affairs, and computer sabotage.
BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly, five of five stars, about a lawyer that takes over the case of a murdered colleague, police procedures, and a friendship developing between a police detective and the lawyer.
DIVINE JUSTICE by David Baldacci, the Camel Club looking for member Oliver Stone being sought for the murder of two high government officials, life in a small town, and friendship.
Hope things are going well with all of you. How is the weather in your neck of the woods?
Just some miscellaneous items today:
They arrested a suspect in the Woodburn, Oregon bombing that killed two law enforcement officers. Apparently he was seen on a security video from a close by Wal-Mart Store. The suspect makes his first court appearance today.
In another bit of interesting if not surprising news, according to a Harris Poll fifty percent of the women polled in a survey said they would give up sex instead of the internet if given a choice between the two. It doesn’t surprise me that some women would choose the internet over sex but fifty percent? The mind boggles.
Being housebound I have been catching up on some reading. Here are the ones I just finished:
KILLER VIEW by Ridley Pearson, three of five stars, about the covering up of poisoned water and dead animals.
CRUEL INTENT by J. A. Jance, three of five stars, about internet dating, marital affairs, and computer sabotage.
BRASS VERDICT by Michael Connelly, five of five stars, about a lawyer that takes over the case of a murdered colleague, police procedures, and a friendship developing between a police detective and the lawyer.
DIVINE JUSTICE by David Baldacci, the Camel Club looking for member Oliver Stone being sought for the murder of two high government officials, life in a small town, and friendship.
Hope things are going well with all of you. How is the weather in your neck of the woods?
Monday, December 15, 2008
Let It Snow
We had an early winter storm with four inches of snow in Sherwood on Sunday turning into extreme cold weather Sunday night and this morning. The thing that is weird about the Portland metro area is some areas didn't get any snow and some areas got up to five inches. West Linn a city maybe ten miles from here got five inches, while close in East Side Portland got little or none, Vancouver, Washington which borders Portland and is considered my some to be part of the Portland metro area got none. This morning my temp gauge shows it to be 16 degrees.
I went to high school in the Southern Oregon town of Klamath Falls. K. Falls is a mile high, the same altitude as Denver, Colorado. When you got snow there you still went to school. If it snowed 18 inches it didn't matter, you went to school anyhow. I think the only time the schools closed in my years at K. Falls is the one time when it was 26 below and the boiler in the high school froze and they had to close the school. You learned at a very early age in K. Falls how to drive in the snow. In Portland they don't get the much snow so most people living here don't really know how to drive in it. The worst ones are the SUV drivers that can't figure out that four wheel drive may help them go but it doesn't help them stop. I get my jollies during winter storms here by having an SUV pass me at a to high of speed and then when I go around the next corner they are in the ditch. A man has to get his laughs somewhere.
This is my car. This is after cleaning it off three times. I went out in the snow yesterday a few times to test the roads to make sure I could get to Mom's in case of an emergency. I had no trouble. But if you picture three times as much snow on my car as this picture shows, you have an idea of how much snow we get.
This following is a picture of the road this morning that is right outside of my house. I don't know if you can tell but it is a sheet of ice. I don't drive on ice, snow yes, ice no. You can't get traction on ice. It is supposed to be better later this morning after they de-ice the road, put sand on it, and cars drive on it and beat it down. I won't be one of the first cars driving on it. I'll wait.
Seems like a good day for me to do some housecleanng!
I hope the snow doesn't rain on your parade today or this holiday season!
I went to high school in the Southern Oregon town of Klamath Falls. K. Falls is a mile high, the same altitude as Denver, Colorado. When you got snow there you still went to school. If it snowed 18 inches it didn't matter, you went to school anyhow. I think the only time the schools closed in my years at K. Falls is the one time when it was 26 below and the boiler in the high school froze and they had to close the school. You learned at a very early age in K. Falls how to drive in the snow. In Portland they don't get the much snow so most people living here don't really know how to drive in it. The worst ones are the SUV drivers that can't figure out that four wheel drive may help them go but it doesn't help them stop. I get my jollies during winter storms here by having an SUV pass me at a to high of speed and then when I go around the next corner they are in the ditch. A man has to get his laughs somewhere.
This is my car. This is after cleaning it off three times. I went out in the snow yesterday a few times to test the roads to make sure I could get to Mom's in case of an emergency. I had no trouble. But if you picture three times as much snow on my car as this picture shows, you have an idea of how much snow we get.
This following is a picture of the road this morning that is right outside of my house. I don't know if you can tell but it is a sheet of ice. I don't drive on ice, snow yes, ice no. You can't get traction on ice. It is supposed to be better later this morning after they de-ice the road, put sand on it, and cars drive on it and beat it down. I won't be one of the first cars driving on it. I'll wait.
Seems like a good day for me to do some housecleanng!
I hope the snow doesn't rain on your parade today or this holiday season!
Saturday, December 13, 2008
It's Your Turn & What Are Special Gifts That You Have Given or Received?
This has become the favorite day of the week for me on the blog because I absolutely love hearing about you and what is going on in your lives. Not much to update you on that you don't already know about but here is my week in review, Monday was a work day. I did three weeks of work in five days, so I am done with all the work they had for me until January. Tuesday and Wednesday were tax update seminars. I did run into two old friends. One, Larry, was one of the speakers. Larry is fun to listen to because he does sound effects, when he asks a question the Jeopardy theme plays in the background. The other was an attendee, Arnie, he used to have his office next door to mine when I first started my business. Thursday & Friday were lunch with mom and errand days. Today is getting two houses ready for a predicted extreme cold spell and potential ice storm. Flashlights at mom's house and my house working. Mom's cell phone charged. The grocery shopping done for a week in case we get house bound due to the possibility of an ice storm. Cover up all the outside faucets at both houses so the pipes don't freeze. And so on.
The one thing I am going to do today after the phone repair guys leave (yes besides the computer crashing, the flat tire, one of my jacks quit working, a really good week it was) is going out and start and finish my Christmas shopping. I have a short list, Mom, Sis, Brother-in-law, and the gag gift for the family get together. All other family members have chosen not to exchange gifts this year and I'm going to following the rules. There is one gift I love to give because it requires three people working together to make someone happy. When I first started this blog before most of you were reading it I actually wrote about the gift. My parents were married for over sixty years. Every one of those years dad would buy mom a bottle of Chanel #5 perfume. Even when he didn't have a job or they had no money dad would find a way to get the perfurme, my Mom's favorite. My mom has given up so much lately. First she lost part of dad when he had dementia, then she lost all of dad when he died. She is losing movement in her legs. She has been declining from the day that dad died. After dad died I made a committment to myself that mom had given up so much that I wasn't going to let her give up the romance of receiving that Chanel #5 from my dad on Christmas Eve. Every year since dad has died, I enlist the help of a neighbor and a friend that writes like dad. I go to Macy's and I buy the nicest bottle of Chanel #5 that I can buy. I get a romantic card and have my freind sign it "From your angel in heaven, Johnny". On Christmas Eve, after all the gifts are given out, after dinner, depending on how mom is feeling I take her either out to see the Christmas decorations in a neighborhood near us or to the Christmas Eve church service. While we are gone the neighbor comes to our house and puts the gift with an angel on top of the wrapped package and the card next to it under the tree. When we return there it is. Mom does think it is me since I am the most romantic one in the family but then how could I be, I was with her when the package was delivered and it isn't my handwriting that signed the card. She crys and treasures the perfurme. I love doing it, my friend loves doing it so much that he calls every year asking when he can sign the card, and the neighbor calls and tells me her schedule. Three of us working together to create a special moment, could it be any better?
Ok it is your turn, tell me about your week, about your plans, tell what special Christmas gifts you have given or received. I'm really looking forward to hearing from you all and if you are new don't be afraid to post we would love to hear from you too!
The one thing I am going to do today after the phone repair guys leave (yes besides the computer crashing, the flat tire, one of my jacks quit working, a really good week it was) is going out and start and finish my Christmas shopping. I have a short list, Mom, Sis, Brother-in-law, and the gag gift for the family get together. All other family members have chosen not to exchange gifts this year and I'm going to following the rules. There is one gift I love to give because it requires three people working together to make someone happy. When I first started this blog before most of you were reading it I actually wrote about the gift. My parents were married for over sixty years. Every one of those years dad would buy mom a bottle of Chanel #5 perfume. Even when he didn't have a job or they had no money dad would find a way to get the perfurme, my Mom's favorite. My mom has given up so much lately. First she lost part of dad when he had dementia, then she lost all of dad when he died. She is losing movement in her legs. She has been declining from the day that dad died. After dad died I made a committment to myself that mom had given up so much that I wasn't going to let her give up the romance of receiving that Chanel #5 from my dad on Christmas Eve. Every year since dad has died, I enlist the help of a neighbor and a friend that writes like dad. I go to Macy's and I buy the nicest bottle of Chanel #5 that I can buy. I get a romantic card and have my freind sign it "From your angel in heaven, Johnny". On Christmas Eve, after all the gifts are given out, after dinner, depending on how mom is feeling I take her either out to see the Christmas decorations in a neighborhood near us or to the Christmas Eve church service. While we are gone the neighbor comes to our house and puts the gift with an angel on top of the wrapped package and the card next to it under the tree. When we return there it is. Mom does think it is me since I am the most romantic one in the family but then how could I be, I was with her when the package was delivered and it isn't my handwriting that signed the card. She crys and treasures the perfurme. I love doing it, my friend loves doing it so much that he calls every year asking when he can sign the card, and the neighbor calls and tells me her schedule. Three of us working together to create a special moment, could it be any better?
Ok it is your turn, tell me about your week, about your plans, tell what special Christmas gifts you have given or received. I'm really looking forward to hearing from you all and if you are new don't be afraid to post we would love to hear from you too!
Friday, December 12, 2008
Name That Ingredient & Your Recipe For Life.
Remember the game show Name That Tune? I can name that song in five notes? The Quickfire Challenge on Top Chef this week was a take off of that game show, with a game called Name That Ingredient. It was done in tournament style. The chefs were to say how many ingredients that they could name in a dish that they tasted. The first round was Daniel vs. Hosea, Arianne vs. Jeff, Jamie vs. Stefan, Eugene vs. Leah, Fabio vs. Radhika, Carla vs., Melissa; the second round match ups were Hosea vs. Ariane, Stefan vs. Leah, Radhika vs. Carla and the finals were Carla, Stefan, & Hosea. Hosea won immunity from the elimination challenge by lasting the longest in a name the ingredient until you miss finals.
The elimination challenge became personal because it involved two of the regular judges, Padma throwing a bridal shower for Gail Simmons of Food & Wine Magazine with an estimated forty women in attendance. The cooks were divided into four teams:
Something old, Stefan, Jeff, & Hosea. They actually did three dishes. Jeff made heirloom tomato carpaccio and sorbert, Stefan made a heirloom tomato eggplant & basil terrine, and Hosea made heirloom gazpaccio with mint, watermelon, and cucumber salsa.
Something new, Carla, Eugene, & Daniel. They made components that combined into one dish Tempura shrimp (Eugene) Beef Skewer with peach-miso bbq sauce (Daniel), frisee salad with wonton (Carla), and Yuzo sorbet.
Something borrowed - Ariane, Jamie, & Radhika also made several components into one dish. Indian Spiced Lamb (Ariane) on carrot puree (Jamie) with raita and wilted kale (Radhika). Ariane almost didn't get the lamb cooked in time and it looked pretty rare.
Something blue - Leah, Melissa, & Fabio all of whom had to struggle with there being no blue food so they went the blue ocean route and made blue corn encrusted Chilean sea bass (Fabio), with Swiss charo (Melissa), and corn puree (Leah) which some of the guests referred to as old people nursing home food.
The guest judge for this segment was Dana Cowin, editor and chief of Food & Wine Magazine. Her and the regular judges Tom, Padma, & Gail picked the two bottom teams as the New and Blue Teams. The New Team was picked last. Tom wanted to send all three of the new team packing but could only choose one. The one common theme throughout this season of Top Chef is that the chef that defends a bad dish is sent home. This week Daniel thought his dish was great, the judges thought his dish stunk. Daniel was sent home.
The two best teams were the Old and Borrowed Teams with the Borrowed team coming out on top. The Top Chef of the night. Ariane ended up making a perfectly cooked tasteful lamd and for the second week in the row my gal, Ariane, came out on top!
There really weren’t a lot of life lessons on Top Chef this except maybe that if you are a straight guy don’t put the moves on a lesbian. However, watching the cooking show the question occurred to me that I would like to ask the readers here, what is your recipe for a happy life?
Mine would be a lot of compassion, mixed with romance, a little selfishness, a lot of selflessness, some charity, a dose of reality, a lot of testing the waters, a lot of love, a side of patience, an ounce of caution, some humility, some helpfulness, some willing to be helped, a great deal of humor, the ability to laugh at yourself and a dish of entertainment. Yours?
The elimination challenge became personal because it involved two of the regular judges, Padma throwing a bridal shower for Gail Simmons of Food & Wine Magazine with an estimated forty women in attendance. The cooks were divided into four teams:
Something old, Stefan, Jeff, & Hosea. They actually did three dishes. Jeff made heirloom tomato carpaccio and sorbert, Stefan made a heirloom tomato eggplant & basil terrine, and Hosea made heirloom gazpaccio with mint, watermelon, and cucumber salsa.
Something new, Carla, Eugene, & Daniel. They made components that combined into one dish Tempura shrimp (Eugene) Beef Skewer with peach-miso bbq sauce (Daniel), frisee salad with wonton (Carla), and Yuzo sorbet.
Something borrowed - Ariane, Jamie, & Radhika also made several components into one dish. Indian Spiced Lamb (Ariane) on carrot puree (Jamie) with raita and wilted kale (Radhika). Ariane almost didn't get the lamb cooked in time and it looked pretty rare.
Something blue - Leah, Melissa, & Fabio all of whom had to struggle with there being no blue food so they went the blue ocean route and made blue corn encrusted Chilean sea bass (Fabio), with Swiss charo (Melissa), and corn puree (Leah) which some of the guests referred to as old people nursing home food.
The guest judge for this segment was Dana Cowin, editor and chief of Food & Wine Magazine. Her and the regular judges Tom, Padma, & Gail picked the two bottom teams as the New and Blue Teams. The New Team was picked last. Tom wanted to send all three of the new team packing but could only choose one. The one common theme throughout this season of Top Chef is that the chef that defends a bad dish is sent home. This week Daniel thought his dish was great, the judges thought his dish stunk. Daniel was sent home.
The two best teams were the Old and Borrowed Teams with the Borrowed team coming out on top. The Top Chef of the night. Ariane ended up making a perfectly cooked tasteful lamd and for the second week in the row my gal, Ariane, came out on top!
There really weren’t a lot of life lessons on Top Chef this except maybe that if you are a straight guy don’t put the moves on a lesbian. However, watching the cooking show the question occurred to me that I would like to ask the readers here, what is your recipe for a happy life?
Mine would be a lot of compassion, mixed with romance, a little selfishness, a lot of selflessness, some charity, a dose of reality, a lot of testing the waters, a lot of love, a side of patience, an ounce of caution, some humility, some helpfulness, some willing to be helped, a great deal of humor, the ability to laugh at yourself and a dish of entertainment. Yours?
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
From The Bad To The Good To The Amazing.
Saturday and Sunday were just bad days. First, Saturday my computer started acting up and crashed in the late afternoon. Without the computer I couldn’t get to the blog or do any work requiring the computer. I walked over to the store Saturday night and bought the early version of the Sunday paper to check for ads on new computers. Office Max had a nice ad with a really reasonably priced computer for sale. They opened at 10 on Sunday morning.Sunday I made sure I was at the closest Office Max to my house exactly at 10. Of course the store was out of the sale model. The clerk did check all the stores in the Portland area and found out that the store in downtown Portland had one. The downtown store reserved the computer for me. It was about a half of an hour drive from the store where I was first at to the second store. On the trip from the one store to the other, I got maybe a mile and heard a clunking noise and pulled over. Flat tire city. It took an hour for AAA to get there. I finally did make it to the store in downtown Portlnad and bought the new computer. Not a great weekend.
Monday things started to turn around. When I got to work there was an email waiting for me from one of the partners about a project that I had done. The email started “nice job, Bill” I mean after the weekend from hell it was so nice to have a compliment. I know I did a good job but the partner didn’t have to say that. She kind of put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Monday night was good too. A little background. I am in a football pool with ten other guys and one woman. At this point in the season four of the participants are knocked out of the pool and the other eight compete the rest of the season. At the start of the game Monday night I was one of the four to be eliminated. I needed something to happen for me to move into the top eight and it did Monday night. What happened would have normally eliminated my good friend Ted unless it was combined with something that probably had a thousand to one chance of happening. We beat the odds, Ted and I move on into the top eight and the guy nobody likes was eliminated. Then I found out that a link was provided to my blog on The Oregonian’s web page, Oregonlive.com. For those of you that didn’t read my comment to Pat, here is the link where they mentioned my blog, http://www.oregonlive.com/idahosportugal/index.ssf/2008/12/amazing_race_in_portland_voodo.html
Monday was a great day!
Today was a good day too thanks to an amazing neighbor. I’ve written about my leaf problem. I was pretty much fifty per cent done with the project and planned on complete the leaf removal this weekend. Today I was in an accounting seminar updating us on the new tax laws that came with the Economic Stimulus Act. It is a two day seminar so I will be there tomorrow too. Accounting seminars are a good place to catch up on some sleep, read a book, do some writing, but listening to boring speakers all day can be very exhausting. I was pretty tied when I got home. I heard some noise in my backyard. I walk out there and there is my neighbor Jim mowing my lawn and the rest of the leaves were gone. Bless his heart, what a great neighbor. Said he was bored and needed something to do. Is that a good neighbor or what?
May all your days be good and may all your neighbors like my amazing neighbor, Jim.
Monday things started to turn around. When I got to work there was an email waiting for me from one of the partners about a project that I had done. The email started “nice job, Bill” I mean after the weekend from hell it was so nice to have a compliment. I know I did a good job but the partner didn’t have to say that. She kind of put me in a good mood for the rest of the day. Monday night was good too. A little background. I am in a football pool with ten other guys and one woman. At this point in the season four of the participants are knocked out of the pool and the other eight compete the rest of the season. At the start of the game Monday night I was one of the four to be eliminated. I needed something to happen for me to move into the top eight and it did Monday night. What happened would have normally eliminated my good friend Ted unless it was combined with something that probably had a thousand to one chance of happening. We beat the odds, Ted and I move on into the top eight and the guy nobody likes was eliminated. Then I found out that a link was provided to my blog on The Oregonian’s web page, Oregonlive.com. For those of you that didn’t read my comment to Pat, here is the link where they mentioned my blog, http://www.oregonlive.com/idahosportugal/index.ssf/2008/12/amazing_race_in_portland_voodo.html
Monday was a great day!
Today was a good day too thanks to an amazing neighbor. I’ve written about my leaf problem. I was pretty much fifty per cent done with the project and planned on complete the leaf removal this weekend. Today I was in an accounting seminar updating us on the new tax laws that came with the Economic Stimulus Act. It is a two day seminar so I will be there tomorrow too. Accounting seminars are a good place to catch up on some sleep, read a book, do some writing, but listening to boring speakers all day can be very exhausting. I was pretty tied when I got home. I heard some noise in my backyard. I walk out there and there is my neighbor Jim mowing my lawn and the rest of the leaves were gone. Bless his heart, what a great neighbor. Said he was bored and needed something to do. Is that a good neighbor or what?
May all your days be good and may all your neighbors like my amazing neighbor, Jim.
Monday, December 8, 2008
The Amazing Race Comes To Portland
The Amazing Race was interesting because almost all of it took place in the Portland area ending like I predicted on the grounds of The Pittock Mansion. Before talking about the winning and runner up teams here are the sights that the Amazing Race visited. Some of you that were here for the Portland Netstock will remember some of them. In Order of Appearance:
Newberg. Newberg is the city that borders Sherwood and is the city where the assisted living was that mom stayed in. The road the cars went on was 99-W which runs right by my house. I pass Bell Road, the road they had to turn on to get to their clue, every time I go to pick up Mom’s drugs. Newberg is in Yamhill County, a county defined by the number of vineyards it has.
From Newberg the teams went to the Bridge of The Gods in The Columbia Gorge. The Columbia Gorge is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. Just stunning. When the crew was here for Netstock we took a Sternwheeler ride through the Gorge. We passed right under The Bridge of The Gods. It was where all the wind surfers were.
From the Bridge of The Gods they went to downtown Portland to The Portland Building but their real destination was The Standard Building. The Standard Building is where my brother started his law career, His first job was in it. It is two blocks down and one block over from Higgins where we all enjoyed the best crème brulee on the West Coast.
From the Standard Building they went to Adler Street. Alder Street isn’t all that far from where Saturday Market is held. They have a lot of food carts in one specific area on Alder street. They also have a lot of food carts in downtown Portland but usually not on weekends.
Even closer to where the Saturday Market was right near old town, Voodoo Donuts. An amazing and fun place. They make any kind of donut that you want in any shape you want. They have made wedding donuts, Elvis likenesses, donuts shaped like ships, or buildings like The Empire State Building, or any movie star etc. If you go there you may see a punk rocker having coffee and a donut with a guy in a three piece suit. It is true Portland!
From Voodoo Donuts they went to the pit stop at the Pittock Mansion. The Pittock Mansion sits on a hill and overlooks Portland. A beautiful place to take picture of our city. The building was originally owned by the founder of the local newspaper, Pittock, who sold it to the city when he was having financial troubles. They now have daily tours through the building. The architecture is absolutely amazing.
Coming in third in the race where the frat boys, Andrew and Dan. They got a cab driver that didn't know where Newberg. Couldn't overcome that. They should have called mem, I would have caught them up! Coming in second were the separated couple, Ken & Tina, who really were winners. At the end of the race Ken presented Tina with the rings they used to wear and they decided to give their relationship another go. It even had host Phil shedding a tear or two.
Winning a million books were the sibling team, Nick & Starr.
With the Amazing Race and Dancing With The Stars both over now my only two fun TV shows are Boston Legal and Top Chef. Guess I will have to find something else to do besides watch TV!
Hope you have such a great week this week that you feel like a million bucks!
Newberg. Newberg is the city that borders Sherwood and is the city where the assisted living was that mom stayed in. The road the cars went on was 99-W which runs right by my house. I pass Bell Road, the road they had to turn on to get to their clue, every time I go to pick up Mom’s drugs. Newberg is in Yamhill County, a county defined by the number of vineyards it has.
From Newberg the teams went to the Bridge of The Gods in The Columbia Gorge. The Columbia Gorge is one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. Just stunning. When the crew was here for Netstock we took a Sternwheeler ride through the Gorge. We passed right under The Bridge of The Gods. It was where all the wind surfers were.
From the Bridge of The Gods they went to downtown Portland to The Portland Building but their real destination was The Standard Building. The Standard Building is where my brother started his law career, His first job was in it. It is two blocks down and one block over from Higgins where we all enjoyed the best crème brulee on the West Coast.
From the Standard Building they went to Adler Street. Alder Street isn’t all that far from where Saturday Market is held. They have a lot of food carts in one specific area on Alder street. They also have a lot of food carts in downtown Portland but usually not on weekends.
Even closer to where the Saturday Market was right near old town, Voodoo Donuts. An amazing and fun place. They make any kind of donut that you want in any shape you want. They have made wedding donuts, Elvis likenesses, donuts shaped like ships, or buildings like The Empire State Building, or any movie star etc. If you go there you may see a punk rocker having coffee and a donut with a guy in a three piece suit. It is true Portland!
From Voodoo Donuts they went to the pit stop at the Pittock Mansion. The Pittock Mansion sits on a hill and overlooks Portland. A beautiful place to take picture of our city. The building was originally owned by the founder of the local newspaper, Pittock, who sold it to the city when he was having financial troubles. They now have daily tours through the building. The architecture is absolutely amazing.
Coming in third in the race where the frat boys, Andrew and Dan. They got a cab driver that didn't know where Newberg. Couldn't overcome that. They should have called mem, I would have caught them up! Coming in second were the separated couple, Ken & Tina, who really were winners. At the end of the race Ken presented Tina with the rings they used to wear and they decided to give their relationship another go. It even had host Phil shedding a tear or two.
Winning a million books were the sibling team, Nick & Starr.
With the Amazing Race and Dancing With The Stars both over now my only two fun TV shows are Boston Legal and Top Chef. Guess I will have to find something else to do besides watch TV!
Hope you have such a great week this week that you feel like a million bucks!
Saturday, December 6, 2008
My Week Preview/Your Update
I really haven't much to update you on so most of my update is going to be a preview of the coming week. The two things I do have to update you on are the caregiving situation with my mom and the job. The caregiver that has been working two days has agreed to work five days. She is the one that we like really well, that mom gets along with very well, and has been with us for over a year. The other two days will be filled by my nephew. He has a job near mom's house and doesn't want to move from Eugene to here so stays at mom's house on the four days a week that he works. I may have to fill in once in a while but I am fine with that. My main focus from now until April 1st is to make as much money as I can between now and then. I need to recover the money I lost in the stock market. I want to be financially set the rest of the year. That will allow me to do the things that I would like to do. Like maybe go to another city and take a standup class that Portland doesn't offer. Right now I am seriously considering taking the long form improv class to fill in the gap and as an outlet during tax season. Which brings me to the job that I started Wednesday. I have already finished all but two projects that they had scheduled for me. I work faster than they anticipated. So I may work myself out of a job! During tax season I will really have four jobs. This job. Doing tax returns for a small number of corporate clients and relatives. Working Sundays for the firm that bought my business. The final thing is some minimum work for Glowtrition, phone calls with my sister, etc. I will go from being bored to being stressed!
The week ahead is both exciting and boring. Sunday morning is brunch with Ted and the guys. Sunday night is the finals of The Amazing Race. Guess what city they end their race in? Good old Portland, Oregon. They didn't say where in Portland they were ending the race but from the picture in this morning's paper I am guessing they are ending the race on the grounds of the Pittock Mansion. Monday is the job. Tuesday and Wednesday is a tax seminar (BORING!), Thursday and Friday are the job. Saturday is Christmas Shopping and grocery shopping with and for mom.
Now I am turning the blog over to the readers and posters. Tell me anything you want about what is going on in your life. Tell me everything, inquiring minds want to know. Need support? Some wonderful posters here will offer you that. Need some ideas? The posters here will give you some. New to the blog and want to introduce yourself? We accept and welcome everyone here! If you just want to ask me someting I promise to answer any non x-rated questions, heck if I am in the right mood I might even answer some x-rated questions!
Your turn. I really want to know how and what all my friends here are doing!
The week ahead is both exciting and boring. Sunday morning is brunch with Ted and the guys. Sunday night is the finals of The Amazing Race. Guess what city they end their race in? Good old Portland, Oregon. They didn't say where in Portland they were ending the race but from the picture in this morning's paper I am guessing they are ending the race on the grounds of the Pittock Mansion. Monday is the job. Tuesday and Wednesday is a tax seminar (BORING!), Thursday and Friday are the job. Saturday is Christmas Shopping and grocery shopping with and for mom.
Now I am turning the blog over to the readers and posters. Tell me anything you want about what is going on in your life. Tell me everything, inquiring minds want to know. Need support? Some wonderful posters here will offer you that. Need some ideas? The posters here will give you some. New to the blog and want to introduce yourself? We accept and welcome everyone here! If you just want to ask me someting I promise to answer any non x-rated questions, heck if I am in the right mood I might even answer some x-rated questions!
Your turn. I really want to know how and what all my friends here are doing!
Friday, December 5, 2008
The Job & Top Chef
The first day of the job had me wondering whether or not going to work there was the right idea. The second day was much better. I actually accomplished a lot the second day. One of the partners seemed pleased with how fast that I did a project she gave me. They thought it would take all day, I finished at 3, would have been 2 if I hadn't taken a lunch. I got to go home early because they hadn't planned on me finishing that fast. Just like me they are adjusting too, I am adjusting to them and they are adjusting to me. I am hopeful that it will work out.
The life lessons we learned on Top Chef this week? Sometimes it is better if you aren't spicey, personality often matters, following instructions is sometimes better than putting your own spin on things, it might be better once in a while if you had immunity, sometimes it is better to cut your own meat, and often presentation matters.
The guest judge the week was my man from Dancing With The Stars, Rocco Dispirito. The challenge was to create a breakfast amuse bouche (one bite). Daniel's cornflake crusted zucchinni flower stuffed with hash and Fabio's briuchs with brulee banana and expresso cream left Rocco very disappointed. Leah won immunity with a one bite bacon, quail egg, & cheese with grilled bread just barely edging out Jamie's b,l,t breakfast sandwich.
The elimination challenge this week was to create a two and one half minute dish for a live television presentation. Unknown to the cooks was that the winner was going to picked by the Today Show crew from the Judges' top three.
The bottom three were Alex, Jamie, and Melissa. Alex tried a creme brulee which just couldn't be done in the time they allotted the chef. Jamie blew it with a salad white fried duck egg bacon and caviar because she didn't cook the egg. Raw eggs really don't please the judges. Melissa blew the lid off the judges with a way to spicey blackened mabanero shrimp that made one side of Padma's mouth numb. Packing his knifes and heading home was Alex. I really don't think he was that disappointed considering that he was getting married in twenty days from when the show was taped.
The top three, Ariane, Jeff, and Fabio were awakened by Tom at 2 a.m. in the morning and at that time found out they were going to the studios of The Today Show to cook their dishes for the Today Show crew. Although Meridith doesn't really like watermelon Ariane wowed them with her beef steak tomato salad with watermelon and feta cheese. They also seemed to like Fabio's tuna with roasted carrots and asparagus salad. Jeff pleased everyone but Kathy Lee with is malfauf roll with shrimp and muhmammara sauce. Kathy Lee spit out Jeff's dish. After huddling the crew picked my gal Ariane as the winner! Wow, that woman has made a comeback. I'm glad I stuck with her. As the winner of the elimination challenge Ariane was given a cooking tool kit by Rocco and was on The Today show the day after this Top Chef aired presenting her dish to the millions watching.
I hope that whether there are millions or few watching you that you have a successful day!
The life lessons we learned on Top Chef this week? Sometimes it is better if you aren't spicey, personality often matters, following instructions is sometimes better than putting your own spin on things, it might be better once in a while if you had immunity, sometimes it is better to cut your own meat, and often presentation matters.
The guest judge the week was my man from Dancing With The Stars, Rocco Dispirito. The challenge was to create a breakfast amuse bouche (one bite). Daniel's cornflake crusted zucchinni flower stuffed with hash and Fabio's briuchs with brulee banana and expresso cream left Rocco very disappointed. Leah won immunity with a one bite bacon, quail egg, & cheese with grilled bread just barely edging out Jamie's b,l,t breakfast sandwich.
The elimination challenge this week was to create a two and one half minute dish for a live television presentation. Unknown to the cooks was that the winner was going to picked by the Today Show crew from the Judges' top three.
The bottom three were Alex, Jamie, and Melissa. Alex tried a creme brulee which just couldn't be done in the time they allotted the chef. Jamie blew it with a salad white fried duck egg bacon and caviar because she didn't cook the egg. Raw eggs really don't please the judges. Melissa blew the lid off the judges with a way to spicey blackened mabanero shrimp that made one side of Padma's mouth numb. Packing his knifes and heading home was Alex. I really don't think he was that disappointed considering that he was getting married in twenty days from when the show was taped.
The top three, Ariane, Jeff, and Fabio were awakened by Tom at 2 a.m. in the morning and at that time found out they were going to the studios of The Today Show to cook their dishes for the Today Show crew. Although Meridith doesn't really like watermelon Ariane wowed them with her beef steak tomato salad with watermelon and feta cheese. They also seemed to like Fabio's tuna with roasted carrots and asparagus salad. Jeff pleased everyone but Kathy Lee with is malfauf roll with shrimp and muhmammara sauce. Kathy Lee spit out Jeff's dish. After huddling the crew picked my gal Ariane as the winner! Wow, that woman has made a comeback. I'm glad I stuck with her. As the winner of the elimination challenge Ariane was given a cooking tool kit by Rocco and was on The Today show the day after this Top Chef aired presenting her dish to the millions watching.
I hope that whether there are millions or few watching you that you have a successful day!
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
What A Day!
The day started out with making a to do list of things I need to get done before I start the job on January 19th. Fifty-five items on the to do list!
I was in my backyard thinking what an idiot I was when I received the first phone call. More about the call later but the reason that I thought I was an idiot is the timing of letting my landscaper go. If you remember a couple of months back I saw the economy tanking and did some cost cutting measures like letting the housekeeper and landscaper go. I should have waited until after the leafs fell before letting the landscaper go. I have four big trees in my backyard. This morning I took out five big garbage bags of leaves and that hasn't even cut a dent into my leaf removal job. There has to be at least ten to fifteen more bags of leavess before my lawn is leaf free. So a person who usually gets dirty doing household chores because the ink from the yellow pages rubs off is knee deep in yard work. Why didn't I foresee this and wait a couple of months before tubing the landscaper? What an idiot.
The call was from my future employer. They don't want me to start January 19th. They want me to start tomorrow. Of course I said yes but wow does that ever put the pressure on to get things done!
Shortly after that call I got a second call. This one from Mom. Remember we had a caregiver move into Mom's house that we didn't ask to move in? We rolled with the punches and decided to let her stay there. We did make a deal with her at the time that when my sister visited from Utah then she would have to find another place to stay as long as my sister was here. She agreed to that. My sister and her husband are visiting on December 20th and leaving on December 27th. We have told the caregiver this maybe seven times in the last week, that she would have to find a place to stay from the 20th to the 27th. I mean first this lady moves in without asking us. Now she has really taken over the house and taken all the options we have with the house away from us. You would think she would be willing to work with us. Mom asked where she was going the 20th and she responded "I'm not going anywhere, I am staying right here." Which upset Mom, she called me which upset me. I drove into Mom's house and had a heart to heart talk with the caregiver. Mom said I sounded firm but not angry. I learned a long time ago when you are mad if you yell people ignore you but if you firmly and calmly state your position they believe what you are telling them. I basically restated what mom said. The long and short of it is the caregivers' last day working for us is the 20th. She will move out by then. If she moves out by that date we will give her one week's pay and pay for a month storage. She actually reacted to that very well and almost seemed relieved. I know Mom and I are both relieved. It has just been to much stress for both of us having her living there. Mom wanted to wait until April to let her go because she thought that would be easier for me. However, the truth is that having to deal with Mom being upset every day and having to deal with an out of control caregiver that has taken Mom's house away from her is just more stress than having to do a few extra days of care giving myself is!
How was your day?
I was in my backyard thinking what an idiot I was when I received the first phone call. More about the call later but the reason that I thought I was an idiot is the timing of letting my landscaper go. If you remember a couple of months back I saw the economy tanking and did some cost cutting measures like letting the housekeeper and landscaper go. I should have waited until after the leafs fell before letting the landscaper go. I have four big trees in my backyard. This morning I took out five big garbage bags of leaves and that hasn't even cut a dent into my leaf removal job. There has to be at least ten to fifteen more bags of leavess before my lawn is leaf free. So a person who usually gets dirty doing household chores because the ink from the yellow pages rubs off is knee deep in yard work. Why didn't I foresee this and wait a couple of months before tubing the landscaper? What an idiot.
The call was from my future employer. They don't want me to start January 19th. They want me to start tomorrow. Of course I said yes but wow does that ever put the pressure on to get things done!
Shortly after that call I got a second call. This one from Mom. Remember we had a caregiver move into Mom's house that we didn't ask to move in? We rolled with the punches and decided to let her stay there. We did make a deal with her at the time that when my sister visited from Utah then she would have to find another place to stay as long as my sister was here. She agreed to that. My sister and her husband are visiting on December 20th and leaving on December 27th. We have told the caregiver this maybe seven times in the last week, that she would have to find a place to stay from the 20th to the 27th. I mean first this lady moves in without asking us. Now she has really taken over the house and taken all the options we have with the house away from us. You would think she would be willing to work with us. Mom asked where she was going the 20th and she responded "I'm not going anywhere, I am staying right here." Which upset Mom, she called me which upset me. I drove into Mom's house and had a heart to heart talk with the caregiver. Mom said I sounded firm but not angry. I learned a long time ago when you are mad if you yell people ignore you but if you firmly and calmly state your position they believe what you are telling them. I basically restated what mom said. The long and short of it is the caregivers' last day working for us is the 20th. She will move out by then. If she moves out by that date we will give her one week's pay and pay for a month storage. She actually reacted to that very well and almost seemed relieved. I know Mom and I are both relieved. It has just been to much stress for both of us having her living there. Mom wanted to wait until April to let her go because she thought that would be easier for me. However, the truth is that having to deal with Mom being upset every day and having to deal with an out of control caregiver that has taken Mom's house away from her is just more stress than having to do a few extra days of care giving myself is!
How was your day?
Monday, December 1, 2008
The Amazing Race/Sundays
Last night's Amazing Race was very entertaining but of course I jinxed the Mother/Son team by saying that I wanted them to win. The four teams remaining going into last night's episode were, first, mother-son Toni & Dallas, second separated couple Ken & Tina, third brother-sister Star & Nick and last the frat boys Andrew and Dan. This segment of the race took place in Moscow. This race included a lot of mistakes by the teams especially by Toni & Dallas. Dallas messed up by leaving his backpack with all their money and passports in a cab. They spent most of the night begging for money from Russian citizens, who were extremely generous to the team. Andrew and Dan ended up at the wrong park one time. Then Ken & Tina got to the pit stop but were not allowed to stay there because they didn't pickup one of the clues along the race. They had to go back and get the clue and get to the pit stop again. Star & Nick kind of glided through the segment and ended up first. Believe or not the frat boys, Andrew & Dan, overcame several obstacles to end up second, Ken & Tina were third. Toni and Dallas just couldn't overcome losing their money and passports and were eliminated. The finals are next week and one of the teams will win a million bucks. I am going to jinx Andrew and Dan by saying I am kind of rooting for them, they are just such nerds.
Now on to Sundays. Sundays really are my favorite day. It starts out reading the Sunday Paper and doing one of my favorite exercises, clipping coupons! Then it is out to a nice brunch with good men friends, Ted, Bill E, & Doug. Later in the day it is reading the NY Times or going to a movie! Sometimes a nice dinner out with Mom. Sometimes some shopping in the afternoon. Sometimes an experience at the Keller Auditorium. Then at night it is sitting down and relaxing in front of the TV and watching something mindless.
Now I was thinking if I am lucky enough to meet the woman of my dreams the Sundays may have to change a bit. We get up in the morning. I fix breakfast ( I like to cook breakfast) which we just kind of enjoy breakfast, coffee and chat. After breakfast we have two papers. One from the city that we live in, one from either New York or Chicago. We quietly sit there enjoy each other's company while she reads one paper and I read the other. After we finish we switch papers. When we are done with the reading we get dressed and head out to a movie or a play or just a walk. Then at night we quietly enjoy the mindless shows on TV together! Could work.
What is your favorite day of the week? What do you married folks do on Sundays?
Now on to Sundays. Sundays really are my favorite day. It starts out reading the Sunday Paper and doing one of my favorite exercises, clipping coupons! Then it is out to a nice brunch with good men friends, Ted, Bill E, & Doug. Later in the day it is reading the NY Times or going to a movie! Sometimes a nice dinner out with Mom. Sometimes some shopping in the afternoon. Sometimes an experience at the Keller Auditorium. Then at night it is sitting down and relaxing in front of the TV and watching something mindless.
Now I was thinking if I am lucky enough to meet the woman of my dreams the Sundays may have to change a bit. We get up in the morning. I fix breakfast ( I like to cook breakfast) which we just kind of enjoy breakfast, coffee and chat. After breakfast we have two papers. One from the city that we live in, one from either New York or Chicago. We quietly sit there enjoy each other's company while she reads one paper and I read the other. After we finish we switch papers. When we are done with the reading we get dressed and head out to a movie or a play or just a walk. Then at night we quietly enjoy the mindless shows on TV together! Could work.
What is your favorite day of the week? What do you married folks do on Sundays?
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