From Animals To Health.

"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." Plato

Let's start the day out with an unusual animal story:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110408/od_nm/us_deer_goose

Do you ever wonder how doctors treat themselves if the contract a serious disease. Would they choose normal treatments are riskier ones?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110411/ap_on_he_me/us_med_doctors__choices

Speaking of health news, an amazing discovery:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110407/ap_on_sc/eu_med_mutant_malaria_fungus

Looking forward to your responses.

Ads, Rescues, & A New Country Star.

The quote of the day replaces the Who Am I for a few days.

Winston Churchill " If you are going through hell, keep going."

Let's talk about a new trends for homes. It is a new way to make money and pay for the mortgage:

http://realestate.aol.com/blog/2011/04/07/shill-on-a-shingle-billboards-finally-hit-houses/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209337

I don't think in this lifetime I would ever do that to my house. I'd starve first.

Nothing like a good rescue story to start out the week:

http://www.mydaily.com/2011/04/08/river-rescue/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209161

Those two men are heroes. They stopped and helped. Good for them.

A friend of a friend had a country music album, Heaven to Heartache, debut in the top twenty on the C & W charts in England. With songs like GIRLS NIGHT OUT and SHAVE I think she has a winner, watch for her to move up the charts here in the US. I am wondering what the music expert, Pat, and the country and western expert, DR, have to say about the young ladies singing. First up is a song from before the release of HEAVEN TO HEARTACHE:

http://blog.limewire.com/posts/16534-uncovered-susan-cattaneo/#

Click on the download button next to "Suddenly" and the song will start playing.

Next up is a link to her web page where you get one free download. "Girls Night Out" would be my choice.

http://www.susancattaneo.com/

Hope you aren't in such financial straits that you need to put billboards on your house, that you don't need rescuing today or ever, and that you enjoy the music.

Fire away.

The Home Stretch.

The story that didn't make the blog yesterday:

http://www.diylife.com/2011/04/06/paper-towel-roll-crafts/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk3%7C209178

This is the home stretch now and the number of hours of work per day increases and increases in such a way that there won't be time left to do the Who Am Is next week. They will return April 18th or 19th. If things go as planned there will be a daily blog entry but no promises.

The entertainment update: Eliminated from The Celebrity Apprentice was Richard Hatch. Trump gave the women a choice not to eliminate someone but they chose to eliminate someone. I think was the right choice. The women have been playing with three less members on their team beam because of a three week losing streak. The reason Trump gave them a choice was two-fold, Jose Canseco quit due to the illness of his father and the men's team raised a ton of money for charity just not enough to beat the women. There was no Amazing Race this week due to the Country Music Awards. Eliminated on Dancing With The Stars, thank goodness, was talk show hostess Wendy Williams. The big news was Max and Kirstie Alley fell but still got a twenty-one.

My update. Last week five and a half days at the job. Four work projects for the guys that bought my business. One day at Mom's (last Sunday). One dinner out with the family. Laundry. Normal errands. Next week is seven work days at the regular job. One work project for Mark. One of my own work projects. Dinner out with the family. Maybe lunch with Mom today. My Mom has been a real trooper. She has been very supportive of my job and has been the least demanding she has been in years. My sister has been a trooper doing two nights a week at Mom's. The caregiver has worked an extra night a week. Know what that means? This is the first tax season in ten years that I haven't spent one night at Mom's. Dad had his stroke in 2001 and every year since then I have done between two and seven nights a week at Mom's every tax season. This year everyone pitched in which has allowed be me to work one extra day a week and with the pressure off I have a 30% increase in profit realization. My pay packages is so much per hour or 1/3 of the profit which ever is higher, Not only have I made more because I worked more hours but am most likely going to get a nice bonus. Thank you Mom, Sister, and care giver.

The blog is now yours. Share your life with me.

Whistling A Million Dollar Tune.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I is Florence Farmborough.

Have you ever been a whistleblower? I have and I earned a bad reference for it. I kind of wished I would have earned what the accountant in the following story earned:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110408/ap_on_re_us/us_irs_whistleblower_collects

Do you think that is a good use of government? Do you think it is an OK way to become a millionaire?

I never did like the baggy pants fashion and I hated the wearing them lower than your shoes. However, I may have been to quick to judge since they can save a life:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/07/baggy-pants-save-florida-teen-kendrick-williams-from-gator/

He was one lucky young man.

Are you tired of good dog stories yet? The last story came down between uses of empty paper towel rolls or a good dog story. The dog won:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/08/family-dog-helps-with-everyday-chores-video/

Would you rather have had the empty paper towel roll story?

Enjoy the day.

From Ten to Ninety-Seven

This story touched me to the core:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/07/nicholas-maxim-maine-fifth-grader-born-without-hands-wins-penm/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl11%7Csec1_lnk1%7C209074

Don't throw away the tissues just yet:

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/04/05/massachusetts-man-grants-wifes-wish-65-years-marriage/?&test=gnews

Let's close with a good animal story:

http://icubud.livejournal.com/tag/happy%20stories

Hope you Friday is a good an inspirational.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1887 and died in 1978 and was an authoress, a photographer, a teacher, university lecturer, and a nurse. I was the fourth of six children and after growing up I worked for a while as a governess. When I moved to Moscow I was employed as an English tutor to the two daughters of a heart surgeon. When the War of 1914 broke out I worked as a Red Cross nurse with the Imperial Russian army, and saw service at both the Galician and the Romanian Fronts. During my time as a nurse I kept a diary and habitually took a large plate camera around with me. Extracts from the diaries were eventually used as the source material for my first book. I also worked as a reporter for The Times and for BBC Radio. Following the October Revolution and the disbandment of my Red Cross unit I returned to England, traveling via Siberia, Vladivostok and the USA, crossing the Pacific. During the Spanish Civil War I allied with the Nationalists and worked as a newsreader on Spanish National Radio, broadcasting daily news bulletins in English. I later returned to England and worked for the Women's Voluntary Service during the Battle of Britain, becoming particularly involved in the rehabilitation of Spanish-speaking Gibraltarians.
I was awarded Honorary Life Membership of the British Red Cross. Have you ever wondered about NURSES ON THE RUSSIAN FRONT? If you do so now, you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Coke, Hookers, & Robert Frost

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Vera Britian.

Let's start out the day with a warning. The scammers are at it again:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/04/06/not-the-real-thing-beware-the-coca-cola-foreign-lottery-scam/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C208913

Let's move on to a story about a woman moving on from the life on the streets to helping others:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-04-06/rachel-lloyd-girls-like-us-talks-about-prostitution-and-gems/

I've always liked Robert Frost. It is interesting to see what he was worried about as World War I was starting:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/05/n-h-university-acquires-robert-frosts-letters-to-pal/

Fire away!

Dogs, Uggs, & Dumb Criminals

I'm coming on strong during the home stretch, getting three tax returns to review yesterday (two is a good day and I generally get the hard ones). Let's start of the day with another good dog story:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/03/ginger-monteleone_n_843898.html?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C208792

I love stories about people giving themselves to others or animals.

From a good story let's go to one of questionable ethics which is a little different than what I have, flexible ethics.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/04/05/sheriff-fired-over-uggs/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl4%7Csec3_lnk1%7C208812

I think it was unethical for the officer to buy slippers with his uniform fund because the chances of him using slippers when performing his duties is pretty small. However, I think he should have gotten a written warning and a one day suspension not a firing.

We all love dumb criminal stories so let's end today with one:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/05/cops-perp-left-t-shirt-with-his-mug-shot-at-crime-scene/


WHO AM I?

I am an author that was born in 1893 and died in 1970. I was also a feminist and pacifist. I was born into a well-to-do family and had an uneventful childhood. I delayed my college degree after one year in order to work as a V.A.D. nurse for much of the First World War. My fiance , two friends and my brother were all killed during the war. At age 32 I married a political scientist and philosopher. My first book was when I was thirty-nine. In the 1920s I became a regular speaker on behalf of the League of Nations Union. I was a practical pacifist in the sense that I helped the war effort by working as a fire warden and by traveling around the country raising funds for the Peace Pledge Union's food relief campaign. I was vilified for speaking out against saturation bombing of German cities. You really should think about a TESTAMENT TO YOUTH, because that will help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Spys, Cooks, & Dogs.

Less then two weeks now. I can do it.

First up today is a surprising story about World War II:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/04/04/pastorius-nazi-saboteurs-british-spy-files_n_844332.html?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%7C208606F

rom a little known war story to a great idea from a Los Angeles chef.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/04/closed-on-mondays-opens-restaurant-doors-to-nonprofits/

Moving on to the type of stories we all love, good animal stories. This is one from DR's neck of the woods:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/03/family-dog-credited-with-keeping-missing-boy-tyler-jacobson-aliv/

Comment away:

PS

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Marie Brose Tepe.

Good News & Happy Endings.

Good news and happy endings. That is my mission today. I was going to put the following article off until tomorrow but said what the heck:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/01/procrastination-found-to-be-an-effective-way-to-deal-with-stress/

When I was a young tyke playing hide and seek usually made me happy but only if it wasn't played until long into the night:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/02/schools-turn-to-setting-guinness-world-records-to-make-class-tim/

In closing let's honor some kids that got involved:

http://www.katu.com/news/weird/118844164.html

Off to tackle a few tax returns. Two week to go. Can hardly wait.

Comment away.

Who Am I?

I was born in 1834 and died in 1901. Although you mostly did read about in history books and Wikipedia has strangely ignored me this is what was said about me:

"Hers was the only face in the vicinity which seemed in any way gay. She was laughing and pointing very unconcernedly, as she stumbled over axes, spades and other obstacles, on her way through the trench! She was wonderfully courageous or else did not understand the danger . . . the shower of musket-balls, shrapnel, and every sort of projectile falling in the midst of us was trying to the nerves of our coolest."

My dad died when I was ten after which I immigrated to the United States and married at age 10. At the start of the Civil War my husban enlisted in Company I, 27th Pennsylvania Volunteers. He wanted me to stay home and manage their small tailor shop, but Marie I refused. At the age of 27 I followed his regiment as a vivandiere. Before the end 1861 I left her husband and the 27th PA after some soldiers, among whom was her husband, broke into the vivandiere's tent and stole $1,600. I refused to have anything to do with my thief of a husband. During the following year I somehow managed to join the 114th Pennsylvania. I purchased a store of tobacco, cigars, hams and other things not issued by the government and sold them to the soldiers. I also did a thriving trade selling contraband whiskey. I carried the whiskey in a small oval keg strapped to my shoulder.When the regiment was not in action I cooked, washed, mended for the men. I drew the pay of a soldier and was allowed 25 cents per day extra for hospital and headquarters services. At the Battle of Fredericksburg I was noted for helping to establish the field hospital, and assisted in taking care of. soldiers receiving a bullet in my left ankle. After the battle I received a silver cup. After the Battle of Chancellorsville I received the "Kearny Cross" for helping to organize one of the field hospitals. I was with my regiment in the campaign up to Gettysburg. After the war I moved to the Pittsburgh area and married an army veteran. In 1897 I filed divorce papers, and in 1901 I wrote a will leaving all my possessions to my husband, he received a whopping $31.35. It was said of me "for many years the aged woman had been an invalid and was lately a great sufferer from rheumatism and a rebel bullet which she still carrie[d] in her left ankle." If you don't know me by now think of the "Vivandieres: Forgotten Women of the Civil War" and that should help you answer the question, Who Am I?

Weekly Update.

Looking forward to reading the updates of the followers here. I really do want to know all about the readers and the posters here. You are important to me, as is what is going on in your lives.

Last week was an up and down week. My friend Sandra passed away from an unknown virus. She was in her late fifties and it was to young for her to go. I am going to continue to ask for prayers, good vibes, and good thoughts for Sandra's husband, Mark. If you remember the day after Sandra went into the hospital he had prostate cancer surgery. The amazing stress he is under can't good for him. So perform your magic.

Other things done last week, five days of work, lunch out and shopping with Mom on Sunday, taking lunch to Mom on Wednesday, dinner out with the family on Thursday night, finishing a project for Mark, picking up three assignments from him. Also my dry cleaners lost my clothes so went in there three consecutive nights until the found them. I was thinking I was going to have to buy a bunch of clothes so I had something to wear to work. Also in there was my own shopping and the normal chores a person does.

Next week is five days of work, maybe six depending on many returns I have pending. Lunch and shopping with Mom today. Wednesday I am taking lunch to mom like I do every week on that day. Thursday night is family night. In between I have to finish those three assignments from mark, shop, clean house, and a bunch of other stuff like clean my toothbrush:

http://www.diylife.com/2011/03/29/clean-with-a-toothbrush/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk1%7C208391

The entertainment update. Eliminated on Dancing With The Stars was radio host Psycho Mike was eliminated, he is also known as Mike Catherwood. I am really enjoying Kirstie Alley. She has a great sense of humor (she said if she was told to haul ass, it would take two trips) and has some pretty surprising dancing skills. The best dancer so far is The Karate Kid. Winner of Top Chef All Stars was Richard Blaise. Mike finished second. It was really close both cooked their hearts out. Eliminated on The Amazing Race was the mother and son team, Margie and Luke.

The blog is now yours. Your job is to catch me up on your lives. And lurkers your job is to come out from hiding and introduce yourself.

New Parenting, Old Memories, & Crime Solving

I had a really good day yesterday. First, I solved a program problem that even the I.T. guy couldn't solve. Then my boss told me my billings increased thirty percent over last year. She also told me my returns were always so clean that they were a pleasure to review. Then we all got a free lunch. On Friday's the bosses buy us all lunch as a perk. We had sandwiches from Noah's Bagels and they were great. The guys that bought my business e-mailed me and gave me three more assignments. And as an added bonus the guy I have been helping got a huge pat on the back for the way he did a return. I've been kind of feeling sorry for him lately because he told me that I am the only one that he can really ask questions because everyone else seems to blow him off. It really is nice to be wanted, valued, and respected.

Let's start the day of with one of the dumbest parenting ideas in the history of the world and my favorite columnist's take on it:

http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/finalword/2011-03-30-final30_ST_N.htm

Let's go from the new to the old. Growing up every Saturday night Mom and Dad would take us kids to Stauffer's for a cheeseburger, fries, and a milkshake. After dinner they would take us home and all of us kids would get in our pajamas. We would all pour into the station wagon and head out to the local drive in theater. It was really fun and a great memory. Where did the drive-in movies go anyhow?

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/03/31/7-retro-drive-in-theaters-to-watch-a-film-in-now/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk2%7C208383

Believe it or not there is a drive-in movie theater just eight miles from me. I really do think it is a memory that the current kids are missing out on.

How would you like to make The Dahn Report famous by solving a murder?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/04/01/fbi-asks-public-to-help-decode-notes-from-1999-death-of-ricky-mc/

Can you break the code?

Comment away

PS

Answer to yesterday's Who Am I? Nancy Chodorow

Pranks, Snakes, & Lucky Truck Drivers.

Hope you avoid jokes today, April Fools Day. What were some of the greatest pranks of all time?

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1888721_1888719,00.html?xid=rss-top-aolT

he next story is from Pat. I'm not really fond of snakes, at least I don't think that I am because I am usually setting speed records running the other direction when I see one. Pat and her daughter share an affinity for snakes and shared the following story, which I admit it kind of funny:

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/29/twitter-patter-bronxzooscobra/

I'm closing with a good luck story. One that turns a bad thing into a good thing:

http://www.katu.com/news/weird/118918479.html

Comment away and in addition if you would like to share the best April Fool's joke you pulled or had pulled on you I'm game.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1944 and am a feminist sociologist and psychoanalyst. I am widely regarded as a leading psychoanalytic feminist theorist and is a member of the International Psychoanalytical Association. I see gender differences as compromise formations of the Oedipal complex. I begins with Freud’s assertion that the individual is born bisexual and that the child's mother is its first sexual object. Where male children typically experience love as a dyadic relationship, daughters are caught in a libidinal triangle where the ego is pulled between love for the father, the love of the mother, and concern and worry over the relationship of the father to the mother. For me the contrast between the dyadic and triadic first love experiences explains the social construction of gender roles, the universal degradation of women in culture, cross-cultural patterns in male behavior, and marital strain in the West after Second Wave feminism. If you are interested in THE REPRODUCTION OF MOTHERING: PSYCHOANALYSIS AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF GENDER, then you can answer the question, Who Am I?

A Day To Reflect

After over four hundred consective days of posts I am taking a day to reflect today.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Margaret Mahler.

The blog will return to abnormal tomorrow.

Be well and enjoy the day.

Cable Bills, Amazing Rescues, & Weird Tax Deductions

An update on my friends Mark and Sandra. She made it to UC San Diego Medical Center and exploratory surgery is planned for today. Your prayers vibes and good thoughts are working so keep them up.

How much would pay for a cable TV bill? If would pass out if I got the following bill:

http://www.switched.com/2011/03/28/daniel-devirgilio-gets-16-million-time-warner-bill/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl13%7Csec3_lnk1%7C207785

Nothing better than an incredible rescue story for a Wednesday:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/29/florida-woman-trapped-in-sinkhole-throws-cellphone-for-help-in/

Even better for me than a good rescue story are outrageous things people try to deduct on their tax returns. And sometimes get away with it:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/30/write-off-your-chest-implants-outrageous-tax-deductions-the-irs/

I did the tax return once for an exotic dancer and wrote off her breast implants because her income doubled (what does that say about us men?). I followed a court case that was one by the once famous Carol Doda that allowed the deduction.

What would you do if you got a several million dollar cable bill, were gardening and all of sudden disappeared, and what would you really like to deduct on your tax return? You can also comment on anything else you wish to.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1897 and died in 1985 and like Monday's Who Am I was known for the theory of child development. I into a Jewish family in Sopron, a small town in western Hungary. My younger sister & I had a difficult childhood as a result of my parents' troubled marriage. Dad, however, encouraged me to excel in mathematics and other sciences. After studying art I switched to medical school. Three semesters later I began medical training at the University of Munich, but was forced to leave because of tensions toward Jews. At age 39 I married and due to Nazi's rose in power we moved to Britain and then on to the U.S. After receiving a New York medical license I set up private practice in a basement and began to build my clientele. I worked as a psychoanalyst with young disturbed children and co-founded the Masters Children’s Centre in Manhattan. If you learn about SEPARATION-INDIVIDUALISM you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Keep On Praying, Keep on Sending Positive Vibes.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Susan Sutherland Issacs.

Keep praying for Mark and Sandra. I got a call from him last night. Sandra is in I.C.U. They are trying to find her a bed at the U.C. Medical Center in San Diego. If they can't find a bed for her to do surgery "she has a few days." It is an unknown virus that is attacking her lungs. All this on top of Mark recovering from prostate cancer surgery just last week. That is just to damn much for one man to deal with. Keep praying. Keep sending positive thoughts.

Unusual happening at work. The boss sent me an e-mail yesterday asking me if I would share my thoughts about the man mentioned before on the blog. My response would be confidential between the two bosses and myself. I didn't have to do it if I didn't want to. I did respond without condemning him but also listing my concerns. I pointed out that he has had to adjust to four things and that was a lot for anyone to adjust to. The software we use is Lacerte. It is a voluminous tax program and covers everything including the kitchen sink and an according to him more difficult than the one he used at his last employer. So not only does he have to adjust to a new system he has to learn a very difficult program. I won't mention the concerns here but if you follow the blog you already know.

On to today's post. Prostate cancer is on my mind right now and here is a warning for anyone taking depressants or prostate cancer drugs:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/28/fear-of-switched-labels-prompts-recall-of-antidepressant-prosta/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl3%7Csec3_lnk2%7C207798

Moving on to ultimate stupidity:

http://theweek.com/article/index/213622/the-disturbing-third-grade-quiz-about-killing-illegal-immigrants

Sometimes things just come to a head:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/28/maine-man-lines-front-lawn-with-toilets-in-protest-over-school/

Looking forward to your responses.

Making Whoopie

Good to start out the week with a little whoopie, no?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/26/maine-outdoes-pa-with-massive-whoopie-pie/

Ok, you read that and think this dude has to be from Mars. Women are from Venus and Men are from mars. No kidding aside I may very well be from Mars:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/27/we-might-be-martians-the-search-for-extra-terrestrial-genomes/

Now you probably think after reading the above two articles there is just no hope for me. But when there are women like the one in the following article there is always hope:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/25/california-mom-stacey-jacobs-moved-to-create-one-million-cranes/

I am off to work but will be checking in throughout the day to see your reaction to whoopie, out of this world dudes, and hope.

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1885 and died in 1948 and I was an educational psychologist and psychoanalyst. I published studies on the intellectual and social development of children and promoted the nursery school movement. For me developing a child’s independence is the best way for children to learn the role of adults. I was the daughter of a journalist and Methodist lay preacher. My mom died when I was six years old. At the age of fifteen I was removed from Bolton Secondary School by my father because I had converted to atheistic socialism and my father refused to speak to her for 2 years. I was among the first to bring together education, psychology and psychoanalysis. I believed that it is important to develop children's skills to think clearly and exercise independent judgment. At age 19 I married a botany lecturer. A thirty-eight I became the first Head of the Child Development Department at the Institute of Education, University of London, where I established an advanced course in child development for teachers of young children. Are you interest in THE BIOLOGICAL INTERESTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN? If you are and also are concerned with THE INTELLECTUAL GROWTH OF YOUNG CHILDREN, you should be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

A Taxing Update

I always like Sundays. Love to read the Sunday paper with a good cup of coffee and a nice breakfast sandwich while checking out the coupons. Then on the blog it is the most relaxing day of the week for me because I get to do my favorite thing, hear about what is going on in your lives.

Since this was a taxing weekend for me (I finished my taxes) I thought I would share some tax advise for the readers here:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/11/five-tax-season-secrets-from-a-tax-pro/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk1%7C207426

I agree with most everything in the article it makes a ton of sense.

Last week. Three and a half days at work. One and a half days at home being sick. I did find out that they really care about me at work. They went overboard offering to take work away from me if I am feeling stress. The bosses both came back to talk to me. I thought they would be upset that I missed work at a busy time, instead they were afraid they were working me to hard. It makes me want to please them even more. The problem dude at work is still there and seems to be improving. I decided to take a different approach with him. I told him this week that I was glad he was there because he was making me look good. I took mom out to lunch last Sunday and fixed lunch and dinner for her Saturday. Sis, Brother-in-law, Mom, and I went out to dinner on Thursday. In between I finished a work project for Mark and did my own taxes. When completing my tax return I had a four word reaction, damn I am poor.

On the agenda this week. Today is taking mom out for lunch, finishing another assignment for Mark, and do the Who Am I questions for the week. Then next week there will be six days of work. Crunch time so I am going to give another day to the firm. On Wednesday I plan on taking lunch to Mom on my break and I am sure there will be a family dinner in there some where.

Update on my friends Mark & Sandy. Mark had in office surgery for prostate cancer on Tuesday and is doing well. I'm worried about him not taking care of himself because Sandy has been in the hospital since last Sunday. A virus has got into her lungs and she can't get oxygen. After his surgery on Tuesday he has been spending twelve to fourteen hours a day at Sandy's bedside. While I think he is being the best husband ever I think he needs to rest and take care of himself or he isn't going to be able to take care of anyone. The last report is Sandy may be going home today. Your positive thoughts, prayers, and anything you can muster to throw their way will be appreciated.

The entertainment update. I thought the cast for this season's Dancing With The Stars left a lot to be desired. Then I was knocked of my toes because this was one of the best opening nights of DWTS ever. They were all having a ball and what a shock but Kirstie Alley can really shake it. I picked the Karate Kid last week to win it and he had the highest score but Alley wasn't far behind. Then we have football player, Hines Ward, watching him dance you just knew he was thinking, "I don't care what my score is, I'm having fun." On Celebrity Apprentice Nikki Taylor was eliminated but gained everyone's respect including mine because she took responsibility and didn't throw anyone under the bus. On The Amazing Race, my favorites, the cowboy dudes finished first and the former NFL cheerleaders, Jaime & Cara got sent packing.

That is my update now give me yours! The blog is now yours to do what you please or post what you please.

Up For Grabs

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Agatha Christie

Need money? Check out the following article:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/24/1-1-billion-in-unclaimed-tax-refunds-could-some-be-yours/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl5%7Csec1_lnk1%7C207433

After finding some unexpected cash are you dying to have a cup of coffee to celebrate?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/26/starbucks-coffee-sold-in-texas-funeral-home/

If you woke up after a nineteen year slumber would coffee be your first choice? Or would a juicy steak.?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/26/francisco-franky-carrillo-freed-19-years-after-wrongful-convic/

My comments about the above articles:

I checked the IRS web site even though I know I have nothing coming. Better safe than sorry.

I'm not sure how to react to the coffee in the funeral home. I guess anything to make family members more comfortable during a terrible time is fine by me.

The last article bothers me in so many ways. However, what a hero attorney Ellen Eggers is. What bothered me the most in the article was the state's refusal to listen to a witness coming forward. Courts just don't like to admit they are wrong. Sad really.

You have my comments, now I would love to hear yours.

Freaky Friday

I'm calling to day Freaky Friday with some unusual and in some cases freaky. Let's start the day off with an unusual story that is just very touching and will have you going "ahhhhhhh:

http://newslite.tv/2011/03/24/abandoned-deaf-puppy-learns-si.html

I'd adopted the featured pup in the above story in a minute.

Now let's move from charming to just plan weird:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/25/moses-lanham-man-with-backwards-feet-ready-to-step-into-guinne/

Even if I could I wouldn't want to turn my feet backwards.

From the weird back to the unusual and in some ways fun:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/25/former-exotic-dancer-crystal-deans-teaches-pole-dancing-for-jesu/

Line dancing for Jesus might be more appropriate but the above article makes me want to attend their church!

Hope this day will start a great weekend for you. Looking forward to your responses:


Who Am I

I'm pretty famous, certainly more famous then most of Bill's Who Am I's, I was born in 1890 and died in 1976. I was a novelist and there was a period of time that due to a popular CBS TV show I was confused with Angela Lansbury. I wrote murder mystery, thriller, crime fiction, detective, and romances. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, I am the best-selling writer of books of all time and, with William Shakespeare, the best-selling author of any kind. Only the Bible has sold more than my roughly four billion copies of novels. My mother was the daughter of a British Army captain. I was the youngest of three children. During the First World War I worked at a hospital as a nurse. I later worked at a hospital pharmacy, a job that influenced my work, as many of the murders in my books are carried out with poison. I married an aviator in the Royal Flying Corps. We had one daughter before wey divorced. At age forty I married for a second time, we were happy until I died. During the Second World War I worked in the pharmacy at University College Hospital, London, where I acquired a knowledge of poisons. I was revered as a master of suspense, plotting, and characterization. If you want a MURDER free train trip don't take a trip ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS. They you can sit back and answer the question, Who Am I?

Tigers & Dragons

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Gabriela Mistral. You can read her poems here:

http://www.poetseers.org/nobel_prize_for_literature/gab/gabp/

Let's start the day off with a very charming story:

http://smallbusiness.aol.com/2011/03/18/meet-the-10-year-old-ceo-of-a-500-000-family-business/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk3%7C206751

Next up is a not so charming story but one we all should be aware of.

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/22/scammers-try-to-capitalize-on-radiation-fears-with-fake-pills-f/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C207169

And last but not least one of the questions that I have always asked myself is whether I was a tiger or a dragon. Now I know the answer.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/03/23/are-you-a-dragon-yin-or-a-tiger-yang/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C207190

I just barely made it to Yang (Tiger) with a 70.

Doesn't matter to me if you are a Ying or Yang I am looking forward to all of your comments.

Religion, CPR, & Hobbies

It is back to work today since I'm feeling pretty good.

I really do try to find some interesting articles for the blog and also try to cover several different subjects. I will most often stay away from religion and politics. They just two subjects where people are pretty set in their beliefs and you stand a good chance to offend someone. However, today I found the following article about religion pretty fascinating. Make sure you click on "read the full article."

http://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/viewnews.php?id=202620

One of the reasons I love living in Oregon is that we just do things differently. I've stated before that Ashland is by far my favorite city in Oregon. The following is one of the reasons why:

http://www.aolnews.com/story/oregon-firefighters-trained-to-give-cpr/1676810/

We have talked about hobbies before. Unusual hobbies. What do you think your doctor is up to after hours? You might be surprised.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/21/philadelphia-breast-surgeon-moonlights-as-knife-thrower/

Enjoy the day!

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1889 and died in 1957, I led the life as an educator, diplomat and poet and won the Nobel Prize in Literature. Central themes in my poems are nature, betrayal, love, a mother's love, sorrow and recovery, travel, and Latin American identity as formed from a mixture of Native American and European influences. As a youngster I attended the Primary school taught by my older sister. My father abandoned the family before I was three years old. Throughout my early years I was never far from poverty. By age fifteen I was supporting myself and mother. Although my formal education had ended by the time I was eleven, I was able to get work as a teacher thanks to my older sister. I was able to rise from one post to another because of my publications in local and national newspapers and magazines. After spending two years in Mexico I traveled from Laredo, Texas to Washington D.C. where I addressed the Pan American Union, went on to New York, then toured Europe. After I returned home to Chile where I formally retired from the nation's education system, and received a pension. I was the first Latin American, and fifth woman, to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature. I received the award in person from King Gustav of Sweden. At age 67 I died in New York from pancreatic cancer. Nine days later my body was returned to Chile where the Chilean government declared three days of national mourning, and hundreds of thousands of Chileans came to pay me their respects. My most famous quote lives on: “We are guilty of many errors and many faults, but our worst crime is abandoning the children, neglecting the fountain of life. Many of the things we need can wait. The child cannot. Right now is the time his bones are being formed, his blood is being made, and his senses are being developed. To him we cannot answer ‘Tomorrow,’ his name is today.” Who Am I?

Common Sense & Nightmares

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Louise Arner Boyd.

I am home from work today because although I am feeling better it is just common sense to take another day to recuperate so that I don't relapse because that would be a nightmare.

Speaking of common sense here is an article how to avoid injury after forty:

http://www.thatsfit.com/2011/03/18/stay-injury-free-after-40/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl5%7Csec3_lnk1%7C206549

I could have written the article in four words, don't do anything stupid.

Nightmares? We all have them. I have two recurring ones. The first one is I am in a long line at the movie theater and can't find my wallet. I can't find my wallet because I'm not wearing any clothes. Where would I put my wallet anyhow? In the other recurring nightmare I am being held hostage with several other people in a bank robbery. Of course I become the hero by tackling the gun toting robber and save the day. After reading today's Oregonian I know longer wish to have that nightmare. Ever wonder what it is like to be held hostage?

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/index.ssf/2011/03/for_single_mother_held_hostage_in_her_milwaukie-area_home_the_ordeal_continues.html

Maybe in some other instance the person held hostage might come out of it better than this single mom did but you have to wonder if the Mom's story isn't more common.

Speaking of nightmares. What would you do if your health insurance company declared you dead when you weren't?

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2011/03/the_death_and_life_of_azusa_su.html

Maybe they should have noticed the premiums were no longer being taken out of their back account and screamed a little earlier but still there has to a better way to solve this issue than with attorneys.

Your comments are appreciated.

Monday Briefs

Doing a brief post today as I am fighting a cold. Not bad enough to keep me from work but at the uncomfortable annoying stage.

First up is a story I am guessing that Pat will like:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/18/man-calls-911-from-jail-im-getting-hogtied-to-the-holding-cel/

Next up is a an article that I think DR will like:

http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/index.ssf/2011/03/oregons_governor_wears_cowboy.html

I am closing with an article I think everyone will like:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/20/guide-dog-goes-blind-so-man-gets-new-dog-to-lead-them-both/

WHO AM I?

I was born in 1887 and died in 1972. I was an American explorer of Greenland and the Arctic, who wrote extensively of my explorations, and became the first woman to fly over the North Pole privately chartering a DC-4 and crew. I inherited the family fortune in 1920 after the death of my parents two older brothers. With the inheritance I could control my own destiny and indulge my intrepid spirit. I was presented to the King and Queen of England and soon after chartered the supply ship "Hobby" which had been used by famous explorer Roald Amundsen, for a hunting and filming trip to the Arctic. I was planning a second pleasure trip aboard the "Hobby" when it was learned that the famous Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had recently disappeared in his own attempt to find and rescue the Italian explorer Umberto Nobile. I offered my services and the ship to the Norwegian government to search for Amundsen, saying, “How could I go on a pleasure trip when those 22 lives were at stake?” She traveled about 10,000 miles (16,100 km) across the Arctic Ocean but found no trace of him. Nevertheless, the Norwegian government awarded me the Chevalier Cross of the Order of Saint Olav. I was the first American woman to receive the order and the third woman in the world to be so honored. When World War II started I went on an expedition and its findings were helpful in the war effort. I received an official commendation from the National Bureau of Standards for my work. During the remainder of the war I worked on secret assignments for the U.S. Department of the Army. I was the first woman ever to receive the Cullum Medal of the American Geographical Society and was the first woman to be elected to their board. Bill wonders if you know "The Girl Who Tamed The Artic" because if you do you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I.

Inspirational Update

Let's start update day with an inspirational story:

http://www.parade.com/news/2011/03/20-ladies-of-the-court.html

Last week. One dinner out with the family. The movie The Lincoln Lawyer (very good). Went to Mom's for lunch on Wednesday. I fixed the lunch at home and then took it over on my lunch break. That gave sis a break. One lunch out with Mom last Sunday. Five days of work. I think the before mentioned man is there for the duration of tax season but I have my doubts if he will be back next year. I finished three of my own work projects and one of Mark and Paul's. I made great progress on the preparation of my individual tax return. It is taking longer this year because a computer crash did away with my calendar where I record auto miles and other things. I've got it restored through September.

One the agenda for this week. Today is lunch with and shopping for Mom. Five days of work is on the agenda. One dinner out with the family, one lunch over to Mom's on Wednesday, finish my individual tax return, and shop for three emergency kits, one for Mom, one for Sis, and one for me. Better safe than sorry. Time permitting I am going to write a family contact plan in case of emergency and an evacuation exit plan.

Entertainment update. Eliminated on The Celebrity Apprentice was Lisa and I really wanted it to be Dionne Warwick. Nobody was eliminated on The Amazing Race. The final three on Top Chef are Antonia, Richard, and Michael. Tiffany was eliminated. I would usually root for the woman but for some reason I'm really liking Michael this season and want him to win. Dancing With The Stars starts tomorrow with what I think is a very uninteresting cast. Kirstie Alley, Ralph Macchio, Hines Ward, Kendra Wilkinson, Petra Nemcova, Wendy Williams, Mike Catherwood, Lil' Romeo, Chris Jericho, Chelsea Kane & Sugar Ray Leonard hit the dance floor. I'm kind of thinking Kendra Wilkinson & Ralph Macchio will be the best dancers.

The blog is now yours. Post what you damn well please but I do hope to hear about your lives.

Relationship Saturday.

Make sure you go out and look at the moon tonight. It is going to appear to be the largest moon you have seen in ages. Why? According to an article I read the Moon is closer to the Earth than it has been in eighteen years.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was the designer of Hearst Castle, Julia Morgan.

I am calling today "Relationship Saturday" because all three articles have to do with gender issues. I am trying something new today and while I might comment on an article I will withhold my opinion until I read your input.

First up is marriage:

http://www.newser.com/story/113542/want-a-happy-marriage-be-delusional.html

Next up is boys becoming men or is that men becoming boys?

http://www.mydaily.com/2011/03/13/manning-up-kay-hymowitz-men-boys-pre-adults/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl3%7Csec1_lnk3%7C206559

Last on the list is punishment for cheating:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/8384836/Man-who-cheated-on-girlfriend-humiliates-himself-with-sandwich-board-to-prove-regret.html

Fire away.

A Teaching Moment.

I got some bad news yesterday. M & S are both clients and friends. I've known them for over thirty years. They asked me a few years ago to be executor of their estate. They didn't want one of their kids to do it because they didn't want to create a battle between the kids. I was the one outside of the family that the trusted the most so I agreed to do it for them. Last summer on a flight home from the East Coast S picked up a virus and has been ill since. She has undergone several tests and treatments. In an e-mail from Mark yesterday he said S wasn't doing well at all. Then he threw in another kicker, he has prostate cancer. He has surgery on Tuesday. I know they would appreciate some positive energies, good vibes, and/or prayers if that is your style. I know they have mine.

Teachers have a hard job. They work hard and right now due to budget concerns the work under not the best of circumstances. During school I had some really good teachers (Thank you Baldy Foster) and some clueless teachers (take that Mr. Phelps). Overall I say most teachers do their job and do their job well. However, once in a while a teacher like the one mentioned in the following article slips into the job:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/14/parents-hot-over-florida-teacher-frank-rozanskis-sexual-tension/

Is this teacher a good teacher? Was this the right thing for him to teach or was he off the mark? I think if he was going to teach the subject he should have had enough brains to get parental approval first.

On to the good. Another method to help teachers:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/15/roboroaches-students-prepare-to-control-roaches-with-remote-con/

Away from teaching for the final article of the day. I've never liked Ann Coulter. I thought she was rude, ignorant, and mean. It surprises me that the media gives her so much attention. Here is the latest from her:

http://www.newser.com/story/114417/ann-coulter-radiation-is-good-for-you.html

Do you believe her? Is radiation good for you?

Looking forward to your comments.

Who Am I?

I was born in 1872 and died at the age of eighty-five. I was an American architect. The architect of over 700 buildings in California. I am known for designing castles but designed multiple buildings for institutions serving women and girls. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in civil engineering. After that I headed to Paris to apply to the famous Ecole des Beaux-Arts. Denied at first because the school was not accepting women, and a second time because I failed the entrance exam. After two years I finally passed the entrance exams in the architecture program, placing 13th out of 376 applicants, and was duly admitted. I was the first woman to graduate with a degree in architecture from the school in Paris. I eventually opened my own office in the city by the bay. My most famous client was a magnate and and antiquities collector. Five of the Southern California YWCA buildings were designed by me. If you go to San Simeon and see who the castle there was designed by you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Going Green

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Caroline Lucretia Hershel.

Hope you are going green today. I would hate for any of you to be pinched. Happy St. Patrick's Day. Do ever wonder what the history of St. Patrick's Day is? I have at time. I'm not really Irish but I must look like I am because several have asked if I am Irish. That did make me wonder about the history of going green on March 17 each year.

http://wilstar.com/holidays/patrick.htm

I didn't know he was originally a pagan, did you?

Are you serving a special lunch or dinner today?

Here are some pretty good ideas:

http://www.kitchendaily.com/st-patricks-day/classic-irish-recipes/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk2%7C206263

Chocolate Guiness Cake with Irish Cream Caramel Sauce sounds pretty good.

In some circles Saint Patrick was considered to be a hero, so in honor of today let's end today's post with a good story and honor a young hero.

http://www.parentdish.com/2011/03/16/girl-saves-sister/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl11%7Csec3_lnk1%7C206265

The word of the day is Celebrate. I am doing so with a dinner out with the family. I hope you enjoy the day. I'm looking forward to your thoughts about today's post.

Luck, Lines, & Iodide

The week will be half over at noon. I'm looking forward to the weekend because I always get a lot done on Saturday and get to spend time with Mom on Sunday. I also run errands for both Mom and I and sometimes I have to put up with long lines. What is worth to you to be first in line?

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/15/man-pays-900-to-be-first-in-line-for-ipad-2-joins-long-line-of/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C206136

I don't think I'd pay to be first in line and if I did I wouldn't give nine hundred bucks and you?

Sometimes the purpose of my blog is to provide information and sometimes warnings. Here is a combination of both:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110316/ap_on_he_me/us_med_radiation_pills

Don't let the fear of radiation cause you to do stupid things that could hurt your health.

Are you lucky? We all need a little luck, don't we? Well the man in the following video certainly had luck on his side:

http://newslite.tv/2011/03/15/pedestrian-has-lucky-escape-fr.html

Off to slay a few tax returns at work. Looking forward to your comments.


WHO AM I?

I was born in 1750 and died in 1848. I was a British astronomer, as was my brother. My most significant contribution to astronomy was the discovery of several comets. At the age of ten I was struck with Typhus, a bacterial disease spread by lice or fleas. This disease stunted my growth and I never grew past four foot three. Due to this deformation, my family assumed that I would never marry and that it was best for me to remain a house servant. I possessed incredible dexterity in polishing mirrors and mounting telescopes involving astonishing discipline which my brother did not have. My brother was my love and I became very bitter when he married. His wife tried to get along with but she never succeeded. I did not abandon my astronomical studies after my brother died, continuing to verify and confirm his findings, At age 85 I was elected to honorary membership of the Royal Astronomical Society; one of the two who were first honorary women members. At the age of I was awarded the Gold Medal for Science by the King of Prussia. I died at age 97, prior to my death my health continued uninterrupted, my faculties perfect, and my memory clear. An interesting fact about me was that even though I had many scientific accomplishments, and was able to discover and achieve what most men were unable to in the 1800s I lacked the knowledge of multiplication. I never learned my multiplication tables because I had to learn them so late in life; therefore I always carried a table on a sheet of paper in my pocket to aid me while working. You know of glass slippers and Cinderella but do you know of the Celestial Cinderella? If you do you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

The Unusual & The Different

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Sister Elizabeth Kenney and the sister being an Australian military title not the nun title.

The man survived at work but was negative all day. I really have a hard time being around negative people. They create havoc all around them.

On to today's post. The theme today is the unusual and different.

Are you going friend the Pope?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110312/ap_on_hi_te/eu_vatican_social_media

While I wouldn't mind having more friends on Facebook, it just seems wrong to have the Pope as one.

I never did like snakes but I kind of feel sorry for this one.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/14/snake-dies-of-silicone-poisoning-after-biting-models-fake-breas/

Well, maybe I feel more sorry for the woman.

Speaking of weird animal stories:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/15/600-pound-dolphin-jumps-onto-deck-of-boat-injures-woman-video/

I'm off to work to tackle a herd of tax returns. Looking forward to your comments.

PS

If don't want to friend the Pope, aren't already my friend there, and would like a new friend you can find me there under William J. Dahn.

Healthy Monday

The theme today is health. This is healthy Monday. The first two articles I would classify as good news and the last article will put a lot of you in hog heaven. The following along with the health theme is one of my favorite Who Am Is. When I researched this one I just thought what a special lady she must have been.

First good news part I:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110310/ap_on_he_me/us_med_cancer_survivors

Next good news part II:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110310/ap_on_he_me/us_med_coffee_stroke

If I have a sex change and drink a lot of coffee I may be good to go.

Now on to hog heaven:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110311/od_nm/us_pigs_therapy

May you have a healthy week!

Who Am I?

I was born in 1880 and died in 1952. I was an Australian pioneering physical therapist. When I was 14 I fell from a horse and broke my wrist. Dad took me to Dr. Aeneas McDonnell in Toowoomba where I was cared for during my convalescence. While there, I studied McDonnell's anatomy books and model skeleton. That began a life long association with McDonnell, who became my mentor and advisor. I then became interested in how the muscles worked. Instead of using a model skeleton, as they were only available for medical students, I made my own. When I returned home I began working as an unofficial Bush Nurse. Soon, using the money I earned by brokering potatoes, I opened a cottage hospital, where I treated my first cases of polio. Actually, there was an outbreak of what was thought to be infantile paralysis on the Darling Downs just before World War I, and cases came to my cottage hospital. After I followed the advice of a "Lodge Doctor" assigned to their area I called McDonnell for assurance. He wired back, "...treat them according to the symptoms as they present themselves." Sensing that their muscles were very tight I did what the Lodge doctor advised and what mothers around the world did: applied hot compress and weights made from woolen blankets to their legs . I wrote that a little girl woke up very much relieved and said, "Please, I want them rags that well my legs." When World War I began I volunteered to serve as a nurse. I was not officially qualified, but as nurses were badly needed I was accepted and assigned to "Dark Ships", transports that ran with all lights off between Australia and England carrying war goods and soldiers one way and wounded soldiers and trade goods on the return voyage. I served on these dangerous missions throughout the war, making sixteen round trips plus one around the world via the Panama Canal. I earned the title of Sister, which in the Australian Army Nurse Corps is the equivalent of a First Lieutenant. I used that title for the rest of my life.. During the final months of the war I served for a few weeks as a matron in a soldier's hospital near Brisbane. I gave my profits to the Australian Country Women's Association. I once headed the Gallup poll's Most Admired Women list, the only woman in the first 10 years of the list to displace Eleanor Roosevelt for the #1 spot. Between 1934 and my death I and associates treated millions of polio victims throughout the world. My treatments are also suggested to be the basis for Livy Walton's recovery in The Waltons first season episode "An Easter Story". Alan Alda credits my treatments that he received from his mother as a young boy for his complete recovery from polio. Bill wonders why he had not previously heard of this marvelous woman. Think of the PHYSICALLY HANDICAPPED and know AND THEY SHALL WALK and you will no know this woman too and will be answer the question, Who Am I?

Weird Update

I hope you all moved your clocks an hour ahead last night before you went to bed, if not do it now or you will be an hour late wherever you go.

First, a late Happy Birthday to Pat!

My update:

Last week. Lunch out with Mom. Dinner out with friends. Five days of work. Three of my own work assignments. One assignment of Mark & Paul. One day I made Mom lunch before I went to work and then went over on my lunch hour to have lunch with her, that saved my sister some work. Not a lot of me time in there.

On the agenda next week: finish my individual tax return (corporate done). finish two of my own work projects, five days of work at the job, one going over to lunch with Mom during the week, today it is laundry and taking Mom lunch and shopping. I also will have to fill out the NCAA tournament bracket at work. They do things like that and they also provide us with lunch on Fridays. Not much else is on the agenda unless I can make time to clean house.

Entertainment update.

Eliminated from The Amazing Race, Mike and Mel. I like the Amazing Race and one of the reasons why is the team that does the worst gets eliminated, it isn't decided by judges or an ego maniac. Eliminated on Top Chef All Stars was Carla. I'm fine with that. On Celebrity Apprentice Richard Hatch should have been eliminated but it was David Cassidy.

Since the blog is short a couple of articles:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/10/cops-rodney-kunkel-stocked-walmart-shelves-with-photos-of-himse/

That dude is really weird.

Now meet the really weird:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/12/meet-the-real-spider-man-a-rare-spider-with-a-human-face/

I'm not welcoming that spider in my house.

You know the drill. This is when you tell me about your lives. Fire away.

Laughing Elephants.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Betty Friedan.

My heart just goes out to those killed or injured in Japan and their families. The destruction is unbelievable. The Japanese are strong and I know they will pull together and rebuild better then ever. Peace be with them.

While my heart is with those in Japan, I can't help but ask the question, would the United States be ready for a disaster that huge?

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-03-11/japan-tsunami-why-america-isnt-ready-for-a-disaster/

After that article we need a laugh:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/10/no-joke-americas-first-laughing-competition-guffaws-off-ground/

Are you going to enter the contest?

Do you have the memory of an Elephant? Do you believe in teamwork?

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/10/elephants-prove-intelligence-through-teamwork-video/

Does the article surprise you? It doesn't really surprise me.

Off to spend the day on getting all my work done at home. I want to be caught up just in case what I expect to happen, happens. I have this feeling that someone may be let go at work & we are all going to have to pitch in to make up for it. I may be off base and completely wrong but I'm not the only one upset with the previously mentioned employee. When you stop acting like an adult and think people are "sabotaging" you, you have one foot out the door.

Enjoy your weekend

Stay Safe West Coast.

Pavolka 760-345-0821

The West Coast is under a Tsunami warning. The warning is expected between 7:00 and 8:00 A.M. this morning to hit the U.S. Waves can travel as much as 500 miles per hour. The wave length can be between sixty and three hundred miles. I'm writing this early this morning before taking off for work. Let's hope the warning proves to be unnecessary. We all have friends up and down the west coast and I'm praying for all their and everyone's safety.

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/11/honolulu-other-parts-of-pacific-brace-for-tsunami/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-sb-n%7Cdl1%7Csec3_lnk3%7C205643

Do you think women often sabotage their financial future? Frankly, I don't think that behavior is gender specific I think we all do that at times:

http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/investing-basics/five-ways-women-sabotage-their-financial-futures/19875019/

Do you agree with the author? I think she has some valid points but disagree with theme.

Talk about one lucky dude:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_golden_gate_jumper_lives;_ylt=Airz0SOGAtjitcRCsQDTBkOs0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTN2cmY4NW5mBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTEwMzExL3VzX2dvbGRlbl9nYXRlX2p1bXBlcl9saXZlcwRjY29kZQNtb3N0cG9wdWxhcgRjcG9zAzkEcG9zAzYEcHQDaG9tZV9jb2tlBHNlYwN5bl9oZWFkbGluZV9saXN0BHNsawNjYWxpZnRlZW5zdXI-

I honestly don't remember doing anything on a dare. I just thought anyone that dared me should be willing to do what they were trying to get me to do first and they never did. Have you ever done anything stupid on a dare?

Enjoy your Friday. To my West Coast friends, stay safe.


WHO AM I?

I was born in 1921 and died in 2006. I was an American writer, activist, and feminist and a leading figure in the Women's Movement sparking the second wave of the movement with one of my books. I was the first president of an organization, not Gloria. I stepped down as their president and organized the nation-wide Women's Strike for Equality. In the march I led over 50,000 women and men. My dad owned a jewelry store and mom wrote a society page for a newspaper. As a young girl I was active in Marxist and Jewish circles. I led other feminists in de-railing the nomination of Supreme Court nominee G. Harold Carswell whose record of racial discrimination and anti-feminism made him unacceptable and unfit to sit on the highest court in the land to many in the civil rights and feminist movements. I am credited for starting the contemporary feminist movement and writing one of the cornerstones of American feminism. The New York Times obituary for me noted that I was "famously abrasive" and that I could be "thin-skinned and imperious, subject to screaming fits of temperament." I married a theatre-producer in 1947 while working at UE News and continued to work after marriage, first as a paid employee and then as a freelance journalist. We divorced in 1969. I claimed in my memoir that my husband had beaten me during our marriage; friends recalled having to cover up black eyes in time for press conferences. Bill is fascinated by the FEMININE MYSTIQUE. If you are too you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Heroes

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Peter Rabbit. Ok, I lied, it was the very interesting Beatrix Potter.

I like heroes. Let's celebrate one today:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/portland_dog_who_helped_save_h.html?utm_campaign=Portland%2C+OR&utm_medium=Twitter&utm_source=SNS.analytics.

There are good people and bad people. There are good robots and bad robots. I like this robot better than the professor:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110308/ap_on_hi_te/eu_med_autism_robots;_ylt=AtaXUNYsbaCZWhkWyYZntn2s0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFkNXVmdWtmBHBvcwMxNDkEc2VjA2FjY29yZGlvbl9oZWFsdGgEc2xrA2thc3BhcnRoZWZyaQ--

Can't have a day without the unusual can we? I thought the following story was interesting:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_upshot/20110309/od_yblog_upshot/lake-lights-up-at-night

Thursday means Friday is tomorrow, Yea!! Then Saturday I can catch up on my work.

Enjoy the day!

Good Friends

I had a really nice dinner out last night with friends of over thirty years. Dr. T and his wife Kris. They were my first clients. I didn't have an office when I first started out so I would go to their home to do their taxes and she would always make me chocolate chip cookies. My dad would refer to her as "the cookie lady." Dr. T was once mentioned as one of the best young doctors in Oregon but sometimes life takes a cruel turn. He had to retire from medicine when he came down with MS. He looked great last night. During my last couple of years of owning my practice Kris worked for me. Her and my Mom were the two best employees I had.

On the problem I have/had at work I've kind of changed from being frustrated by him to kind of feeling empathy for him. A couple of things that happened yesterday made me think he is losing his memory and that means I will be more understanding in the future.

I'm starting out the day with a story that Pat is just going to love:

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2011/03/intruder_calls_police_on_homeo.html

Stupidity knows no bounds.

Continuing the theme from yesterday and why there was an International Women's Day.

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/03/08/international-womens-day-they-are-women-hear-them-roar/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-n%7Cdl12%7Csec3_lnk3%7C205262

I like the point she made about men not being forgetten. However, I never thought that I just thought we all should be equal and treated equally.

Have an unusual talent? Want to try something different? Want fame? Then check out the following article:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/09/ripleys-believe-it-or-not-odditorium-starts-sideshow-talent-sea/

Comments are appreciated.

WHO AM I?

I was a social reformer, children's author and illustraror. I was born in 1866 and died in 1943. I was educated by governesses and grew up isolated from other children. I was widely respected in the field of mycology. The rabbit made me rich in my thirties and I bought a farm. Over time I bought property around me. I married at age 47 to a local solicitor. I became a sheep breeder and farmer while continuing to write and illustrate children's books. I published twenty-three books. My uncle tried to introduce me as a student at the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, but I was rejected because I was a woman. When I was 27 and on holiday in Scotland I sent a picture and story about rabbits to the five-year-old son of my last governess who was the first to notice the literary and commercial value of my work. I got the letter back and made a book out of it that was rejected by all publishers I sent the work to. You most likely have heard of the three blind mice but have you heard of THE TALE OF TWO BAD MICE? Learn of them and you can answer the question, Who Am I?

International Women's Day

Work went well yesterday and everybody lived. The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Rosa Bonheur.

There is a new type of professor making the rounds:

http://www.crunchgear.com/2011/03/04/is-this-uncanny-valley-scaling-robot-a-hoax/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec1_lnk1%7C205134

Is this professor a cost saving invention that will make tuition decline or a bad idea that will cost jobs for human professors and take the emotion out of education//.

Now the rest of the post will devoted to International Women's Day

Marlo Thomas remembers:

http://marlothomas.aol.com/photos/womens-movement?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl10%7Csec1_lnk1%7C205152

Then Marlo gives us a quiz:

http://marlothomas.aol.com/2011/03/07/celebrate-womens-history-you-have-to-learn-it-first/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl10%7Csec3_lnk2%7C205152

Thanks to the Who Am I, I had heard of every woman in the quiz but only got eight out of ten. How did you do?

Since most that read my blog are women I am just going to close with just a little bit of advise; Celebrate yourself, celebrate International Women's Day.

Peer Pressure

Got a good nights sleep last and I'm ready to face the day and slay a windmill or two. As I get ready to go to work I was kind of wondering what the happiest jobs in the world are:

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2011/03/04/the-10-happiest-jobs-in-america/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk2%7C204716

Yea, I am the sixth happiest! But I really am surprised that Customer Service is number two. Annoying people must be enjoyable. What surprises you?

Sometimes I have peanut butter toast for breakfast. Not going to be Skippy this morning:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/03/06/skippy-peanut-butter-recalled-over-salmonella-fears/

Check your kitchen and your pantries and toss Skippy.

To quote an unknown man on his ninety-fifth birthday when he was asked what the best thing about being in his nineties was, "No peer pressure." But maybe peer pressure isn't that bad of a thing:

http://www.newsweek.com/content/newsweek/2011/03/06/the-healing-power-of-peer-pressure.html

Ok I want you all to put pressure on your peers to comment on today's post. That is after you comment of course.


WHO AM I?

I was born in 1822 and died in 1899. I was a French animalière, realist artist, and sculptor. As a painter I became famous primarily for two chief works: one depicts a team of oxen plowing a file attended by peasants set against a vast pastoral landscape; the second is about a horse fair. I am widely considered to have been the most famous female painter of the nineteenth century. I was the oldest child in a family of artists. My father was a landscape and portrait painter and an early adherent of Saint-Simonianism, a Christian-socialist sect that promoted the education of women alongside men. The Saint-Simonians also prophesied the coming of a female messiah. My mother who died when I was eleven, had been a piano teacher. My younger siblings included the animal painters and an animal sculptor. By family accounts I had been an unruly child and had a difficult time learning to read. To remedy this my mother taught me to read and write by having me select and draw an animal for each letter of the alphabet. Although I was sent to school like my brothers, sI was a disruptive force in the classroom and was expelled from numerous schools. I eventually went to art school and received a French government commission. One of the reasons I am famous today is that I was known for wearing men's clothing and living with women. When people questioned my clothing, I said wearing men's trousers was practical as it facilitated my work with animals. Have you ever been to THE HORSE FAIR. Go there and you will be able to answer the question, Who Am I?

Relative Update

My update.

Relatives: My aunt that broke her hip comes home next Wednesday. My cousin L that has two types of cancer, one is in remission, one is dormant. They think it is dormant because they can't find it, it may still be there just undetectable. They won't treat it until it can be located. My cousin Jack who was supposed to die of prostrate cancer by 12-09 is in remission. Alive and well, he just gets tired easily. My leg is 99% healed. Mom is declining. She always does when I don't spend as much time there as I usually do. Makes me feel guilty but I just can't do three jobs and Mom, it is to daunting.

On the agenda last week:

The Oscars, car fixed, my corporate tax return completed, one work project for the guys that bought my business finished, two of my own work projects finished, two dinners out with the family, one lunch out with mom, one maddening lunch out with a co-worker, four days of work (it would have been five but there computer crashed. It worked out well for me because I was able to get a lot of work done at home.), grocery shopping, and bill paying.

On the agenda for next week:

Five days of work. Maybe one dead co-worker. Wednesday I'm taking lunch to Mom during my lunch break, Today and next Saturday I'm taking Mom to lunch. Then the normal stuff. Grocery shopping, etc.

Entertainment Update:

Nobody was eliminated on Top Chef. I didn't watch The Amazing Race due to the Oscars but rumor has it that Kris & Amanda were eliminated. The Celebrity Apprentice starts tonight and Dancing With The Stars starts two weeks from Monday.

Before turning the blog over to you I am going to share an uplifting video:

http://www.katu.com/news/specialreports/117448353.html

You know the drill. The blog is yours to do whatever you please and also where you update me on what went on and what well go on in your lives. Special credit for deep dark secrets.

Complaint Time.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Lady Mary Wortley Montagu.

Been kind of a different week. The car did get fixed. Then I did my corporate tax return this morning. I picture the IRS and The Ford Garage playing tug of war with my checkbook. I'm also starting to be bugged by something going on at work. Stealing a line from yesterday's blog entry, trying to train someone that is a know-it-all is like skiing uphill. I'm about ready to tell him the facts of life but I don't want to create discord at the office. He will ask me a question, which I will answer. Then one or two things happen. He will say he already knew the answer (then why in the hell did you ask me the question?" or he will say "That isn't right." (if you don't trust my answer then go ask someone whose answer you trust and leave me alone.) It also bothers me because there is the possibility it effects my pay. I get an hourly rate or one-third of the billings whichever is higher, if I spend time training him then the possibility of me exceeding my hourly rate is pretty small. OK, enough bitching. On to today's post:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/05/support-grows-for-private-anti-pirate-fleet/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl2%7Csec3_lnk2%7C204851

Good idea or bad idea?

Since I may be in the market for a new car I liked the following report:

http://autos.aol.com/article/car-wash-myths/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl9%7Csec3_lnk3%7C204694

I already knew of what was in the article but not all of it.

I'm going to end with the story of a friendship:

http://www.oregonlive.com/milwaukie/index.ssf/2011/03/colleagues_vickie_frick_and_jane_nicholson_become_intimate_friends_after_sharing_life-giving_surgery.html

I was surprised by some of the information in the sidebar of the article. Especially this one "Every day, about 18 Americans die from not receiving a vital organ. " That is just crying shame.

Comment away.

Friday

Friday is for fun and that is what we going to do today, give you the tools to have fun.

First, up you have to be awake to have fun and we all know coffee will keep you awake:

http://www.walletpop.com/2011/01/25/savings-experiment-the-perks-of-brewing-versus-buying-coffee/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl6%7Csec3_lnk3%7C204469

I never knew coffee was so complicated.

Some of us probably need therapy before we can have fun. Why not have a really different type of therapy:

http://www.aolnews.com/2011/03/03/sword-swallowing-the-worlds-most-dangerous-form-of-therapy/

That is pretty sharp therapy but I think I will pass.

It is always fun to do something different.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2011/02/19/1551830/stop-or-well-schuss-wyoming-uphill.html

I'm going to try to do something different this weekend just to have fun. I don't know what it will be but it won't be skiing uphill.

Comment away.

Who Am I?

I was born in 1689 and died in 1762 and was known as an English aristocrat and writer. I am remembered for my letters, particularly my letters from Turkey, as wife to the British ambassador, which have been described as “the very first example of a secular work by a woman about the Muslim Orient”. I am reported to be related to Romeo and Juliet, as my ancestors were close friends of Shakespeare, and he liked our surname. Some of my writings offended the Pope and the doofus attacked me. When I was fifty I left my husband and went abroad, and although we continued to write to each other in affectionate and respectful terms, we never met again. I am mentioned in the Doctor Who novel Only Human by Gareth Roberts as an example of why marrying for love is overrated. My poetry is circulated widely, in manuscript. On a recent episode of the British TV show Antiques Roadshow, several paintings attributed to me were brought in for valuation. Remarkable for their sensitive portrayals of royal courtiers of the Turkish Empire, the paintings show lively and genuine artistic talent. The colors are still vibrant, and it is interesting to note that she was allowed to paint male members of the royal family. These valuable works are currently in the hands of a private owner, who plans to bequeath them to a museum. If you have read the TURKISH EMBASSEY LETTERS then you can answer the question, Who Am I?

One Thing or The Otter.

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Mary Pickford. She was first married to Douglas Fairbanks, therefore the clue in the Who Am I "during her first marriage she wondered about how fair banks were."

First up is a good news story. Maybe not good news for us but certainly good news for the Otter.

http://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/index.ssf/2011/03/aialik_the_otter_doing_better_than_expected_6_weeks_after_surgery.html

Do you know happens a week from Saturday? Well actually it is a week from Sunday morning at 2:00 A.M. I will give you a hint, I complain about it twice a year. Even after reading the following article I still don't like it. Explain it all you want it is stupid.

http://news.holidash.com/2011/03/01/daylight-savings-time-2011/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec3_lnk3%7C204299

Next up is a continuation of a theme of one of the articles from yesterday. I apologize for the couple uses of the "F" word and think the article could have easily made its point without the use of it but still the article makes some valid points. I'm not so sure I agree that men are under attack, they are just being put in places that women have been put in for years.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/dailybeast/12712_manningupthreenewbooksonthemaleidentitycrisis;_ylt=AgDS47sxJSsCVk1qs4r3UUas0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTR2azcyc2NwBGFzc2V0A2RhaWx5YmVhc3QvMjAxMTAzMDMvMTI3MTJfbWFubmluZ3VwdGhyZWVuZXdib29rc29udGhlbWFsZWlkZW50aXR5Y3Jpc2lzBGNjb2RlA21vc3Rwb3B1bGFyBGNwb3MDOQRwb3MDNgRwdANob21lX2Nva2UEc2VjA3luX2hlYWRsaW5lX2xpc3QEc2xrA21vZGVybm1hbGVjbw--

Off to get ready for work. I am assuming my car will start, if not I may be a little ticked. Pre-emptive ticking, that has been my style lately. Comment away.

Woman, Cats, & Myths

We all knew all along. Didn't we? I thought it was interesting that the following book was written by a man:

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/excerpt-dan-abrams-man/story?id=13019655&page=1

I kind of like the idea that women are better at everything, it gives us mean an excuse to get out of anything. "You are better at it, you should do it."

OK after my catty comment let's share an article about a long distance runner:

http://www.pawnation.com/2011/03/01/long-distance-running-cat-has-personal-trainer/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl8%7Csec1_lnk3%7C204082

Myths vs. Reality. What really is the key to a long life? I think the following article will both surprise you and please you.

http://yourlife.usatoday.com/health/medical/story/2011/02/5-myths-about-living-longer/44304898/1

My car now starts. It only took one day and a thousand dollars but it starts. Now that I have a dependable car and the computers are fixed at work off I go to a sea of tax returns and if I don't drown I will look forward to reading your comments.

Who Am I?

Everyone knows my name. I was born in in 1892 and died in 1979 & was one of the thirty-six foundersof the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. As one of silent film's most important performers and producers my contract demands were central to shaping the Hollywood industry. In consideration of my contributions to American cinema, the American Film Institute named me among the greatest female stars of all time. Throughout the 1910s and 1920s I was believed to be the most famous woman in the world, or, as a silent-film journalist described me, "the best known woman who has ever lived, the woman who was known to more people and loved by more people than any other woman that has been in all history." Throughout my career I starred in 52 features. I was married three times. I had a miscarriage and an abortion during my first marriage. Many people believed this led to my inability to have children. My second marriage was to a famous actor. During that marriage I gave a lot of thought to how fair banks were. My third and last marriage was to a band leader with whom I adopted two children. I used my stature to promote a variety of causes. During World War I I promoted the sale of Liberty Bonds, through an exhausting series of fund-raising speeches that kicked off in Washington, D.C. At the end of World War I, I conceived of the Motion Picture Relief Fund, an organization to help financially needy actors. After retiring from movies I developed alcoholism, the addiction that had afflicted my father. In addition to an Oscar for best actress I received an Academy Honorary Award for a lifetime of achievements. If you know America's Sweetheart, the girl with the curls, then you can answer the question, Who Am I?

Weird Laws, Bad Ideas, Going To The Birds & Oscar Fashion

The answer to yesterday's Who Am I was Elisabeth Kubler-Ross.

Let's laugh a little today. These weird laws will make you laugh for sure:

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/02/23/the-worlds-10-weirdest-laws-not-to-break/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec1_lnk3%7C203940


Next up is a really bad idea by a tourist in Germany:

http://news.travel.aol.com/2011/02/28/tourist-arrested-for-giving-nazi-salute-outside-german-parliamen/?icid=main%7Chp-laptop%7Cdl7%7Csec3_lnk2%7C203940

Spy planes are going to the birds:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110301/ap_on_re_us/us_hummingbird_drone

Now on to Oscar Fashion. You see some of the dresses here:

http://www.latimes.com/features/image/lat-oscars-best-and-worst-dressed,0,7897013.photogallery

I didn't like Jennifer Hudson's look. (#1 ), Amy Adams was my favorite (#3), I liked Jennifer Lawrence (#6).

The numbers refer to where they are on the web site.

Hope this day is a great one, not starting off all that great for me as I am off to have my car towed to the garage. Thank good for AAA. Make my day better by commenting away.