Home after the Cthulhu game

and it's still light outside. I went over this morning, helped clean the house, got some things at Kroger to eat during the game, and played for almost six hours. Now I'm home and I think I'm going to try to do some reading rather than just turning in for the night and maybe put some music on or something soothing to listen to. So I think I will retire to the bedroom, get comfy with a study pillow to prop myself up with, and have a quiet evening. Good night.

I knew most of these (except for 'The Fox and the Hound' and 'Bambi')

Disturbing Disney: 15 Of Your Favorite Disney Films With Horrifying Origins

But I think I still prefer the original fairy tales, no matter how gruesome.

Awww....

Owner takes terminally ill dog on bucket-list adventure to make happy memories: When one beloved dog received a terminal diagnosis, his owner was devastated — but wanted to make the most of his pet's final days.

Thomas Neil Rodriguez, a DJ from New York City who was told 16-year-old Poh might only have "days" to live, set out to make sure his canine friend spent the rest of his time enjoying landmark destinations across the country, and began chronicling the happy moments on Instagram.

"I've gotten a lot of messages like, 'This reminds me of my dog,' and, 'One day, I hope I get to do this with my dog,' and, 'I lost my dog recently, and I wish I could have done this with my dog,'" Rodriguez, 40, told TODAY.com.

Back in December 1999, Rodriguez — who goes by the stage name DJ Neil Armstrong — adopted Poh from the North Shore Animal League shelter in Port Washington, New York, where he instantly fell for the 8-week-old pup with a mischievous side. "He chose [me], at the end of the day," he said of Poh, believed to be half pit bull and half Labrador retriever. "Very loving, very loyal."

NYC dog owner takes terminal pooch on cross-county bucket list adventure

Every dog has its day, unless you're Poh — then you get seven awesome weeks, and counting.

The New York City-born pooch recently wrapped up an impressive cross-county tour of the U.S. while ticking off a bucket list of landmarks after given a terminal diagnosis.

Neil Rodriguez, who adopted his four-legged best friend from a shelter at just eight weeks old, believes the exciting excursion is the least he can do.

"The unfortunate fact is that we're all going to pass away," he told the Daily News Wednesday. "I'm kind of determined to live it to the fullest with Poh."

You can follow Poh on Instagram: pohthedogsbigadventure

I actually went to the pool today and exercised

for about 45 minutes. I was afraid to stay out much longer because I am pretty pale, it was sunny, my sunscreen is from last year, and I couldn't get my back well. But I didn't have any good excuses not to go get in the water and exercise, so I did. My knees and other joints felt so good while I was in. Mind you, the water was a bit cool--no one else would go in, because they'd try a little at a time and didn't like the temperature. I went in pretty much all at once, got my head wet, and then I felt fine.

I did this despite the fact that two years ago when I went looking for a bathing suit, the only one I could find to fit me was very, very bright, shall we say even neon, pink. So I always feel like a giant pink blobbie in the pool. But today I decided to not focus on that at all, and just go have fun. Anyway, I'm glad I did.

After that, I came in and got a shower. I'd gotten a late start to my morning; I'd slept till 10:30 am, which is almost unheard of these days, but what can I say, it's been a difficult week. I went into the pool about 11:30. After my shower, I found I had a voice message; a friend was out of medicine and the pharmacy was going to close in less than half an hour. I dressed quickly, called the pharmacy to let them know I was coming, and then booked it all the way across town, hitting just three red lights, and arriving with two minutes to spare. Then I stopped by Kroger for drinks and something to eat, and when I got back to the car and sat down, the inside seam of my capris tore all to hell, about five inches down, even though the capris are not tight, but comfortable. I went on to my friends' house, delivered the medicine, and visited for awhile, watching videos on YouTube. Then we went for the grocery run, stopping by my house first so I wouldn't be out in public with torn pants. When we got back and had put away the groceries, YKWIA and I watched Joyful Noise with Queen Latifah and Dolly Parton, which was fun. Now I'm home, and I need to work on the game notes. (Yes, I left them till the last minute again.) But all in all, it's been a good day, and fairly productive.

Apparently

a sneaky squirrel deposited an acorn into my geranium window boxes and this little oak tree popped up. I couldn't beat to just toss it, so I put it in its own temporary pot while I find a place for it. Mind you, I live in an apartment, so that may be difficult. I think, judging by the other oaks around here, that it's a pin oak.

T minus five days and counting

Till I start teaching an eleven-week,  one-session-a-week class.  I'm starting to get a little nervous,  but I'm excited,  too.  This will be my first time doing this. Wish me luck!

You know your eyes are getting old and tired

when you go to mend something and try your best to thread a needle, only to realise that you're holding a pin. :)

Home and tired, ready for bed

I made a special trip to Danville this evening after work to visit my mom, who is in the hospital, and this greeted me as I pulled into my apartment complex afterwards. Pretty, yes?

Sorry I didn't write last night; my stepfather and I and a friend and I were exchanging phone calls regarding my mom, who is being a somewhat difficult patient, but otherwise I think should be doing better soon, or at least let's hope so. I brought her a pretty pink-and-yellow miniature rose to help cheer her up.

I did get word from the Kentucky NAMI group that I am officially accepted as a teacher for the Family-to-Family class and they've sent the agenda for the training, which is pretty intensive; essentially all eleven classes are covered, with additional information, in a two-day training. But I am excited. And even though driving up is still a little anxiety-producing, I did well in rush-hour traffic down a state road today, so that was good practice. The training is at Sullivan in Louisville, and that's where Brenda takes her son for his classes, so I think I'll ask her about the construction I've heard about.

I got a note on my door this evening from my leasing agent about expanded options for lease renewals that include an 18-month lease with only $5 increase in rent. I think I'll take that one. I've been here for 10 years and don't anticipate moving any time soon.

Okay, I've gotten home, I've alerted my friend that I'm back, have eaten a McDonald's double-filet-of-fish meal, and am a bit pooped. I have to get up at 6:30 in the morning because it's my allergy shot day and I go into work early. So I'm heading to bed, I think. Good night!

One last post for the night

Listening to:



(Yes, that's Donald Sutherland.



(Yes that's Dawn French, Hugh Laurie, and Gary Oldman, among others.)

Tonight was 'iZombie' night, but

the friend I was going to watch it had a headache and wasn't feeling well, so we let it record on the DVR and I rubbed his feet till he fell asleep. I'm hoping we can watch it sometime this week.

Today I have:

1. Gotten up incredibly early in order to get my friend to an appointment
2. Taken said friend to said appointment
3. Forgotten to clock in the new way (I'm a test subject, and they decided to start this on the first day back from a holiday weekend, so I don't think I was the only one who forgot and totally ignored the signs. But I clocked out correctly.) :)
4. Discovered that our hospital system has joined the Mayo Clinic Care Network. But we're still us. It's a partnership, not a takeover or merger. I'm still wrapping my head around it to understand exactly what that means.
5. Managed to spill orange soda all over my desk during a web conference with the Kentucky Medical Library Association meeting that was in Louisville today. I'm so glad that I didn't have a camera and microphone at my desk. Mind you, I never spill cola or water. Just orange soda. I've had it there about three times in all the time I've been there, and I've spilled it twice. :(
6. Went and got my allergy shots after work.
7. Came home, watched 'Emergency!' while I ate, and then took a nap.
8. Went over to my friends' house, watched a bit of The Sentinel with Michael Douglas, Kiefer Sutherland, Eva Longoria, and Kim Basinger. Pilled a dog who was fine with a tiny pill in a bit of bread and peanut butter, but the big pill she just kept getting bits of the nummy stuff and spitting out the pill. I finally had to coat it in peanut butter, force it into her mouth and then make her lick my peanut-butter-covered fingers until she swallowed. But I got it down her. My hands still smell like peanut butter, though, even after being washed several times.

Okay, I've blogged quite a bit tonight. I didn't really do anything to the house tonight. Perhaps tomorrow? But I think I'll go ahead and get off the computer for now. Tomorrow I have an appointment in the late afternoon. We'll be exactly one week out from the class I'm teaching. Also, the Books are Fun book fair is coming to the hospital tomorrow. Yay!

I love the rule about the bats

9 Very Specific Rules From Real Libraries

But maybe they should consider this:

Bats Act As Pest Control at Two Old Portuguese Libraries

This is priceless!

Westboro Baptist Church Accidentally Condemns Ivory Coast In Anti-Gay Marriage Flag Fail

The Westboro Baptist Church (WBC) has inadvertently declared its hatred of the Ivory Coast, after printing the Irish flag backwards on its placards.

The controversial religious group - famous for their homophobic attacks and hate-filled speeches - took to Twitter to share photos of its members protesting the monumental yes vote in the Irish Gay Marriage Referendum last week.

But there was a problem – the colours of the flags were reversed to orange, white and green - transforming the flag from that of Ireland, to that of the Ivory Coast .

For reference:

Flag of the Republic of Ireland

The colours of the flag of Ireland (also known as Éire in Irish), are 'green representing the Gaelic tradition of Ireland, orange representing the followers of William of Orange in Ireland, and white representing the aspiration for peace between them.'

Flag of the Ivory Coast

The colours of the flag of la Côte d'Ivoire 'were intended to symbolise the following: the orange colour stands for the land, the savannah found in the northern part and its fertility, the white represents peace, and the green represents hope and also the forest of the southern part of the country'.

So in both flags, white symbolises peace. It's a shame that the Westboro folks don't seem to know the meaning of peace and all it entails. But what do you expect of bigots?

My flamingo plant

is finally blooming for the first time since I got it two years ago. Yay! I had gotten one for my grandmother years ago and it stayed blooming, even in her room at the nursing home, most of the time she was there. I miss her. This month she would have been 91. It was the first time in a very long time that I didn't go to Danville to visit for her birthday. It's hard to believe it will soon be a year since she passed. But I remember her when I see certain plants and birds, as she loved both. :)

A view into the lives of those many people ignore

California’s Homeless Find a Quiet Place

In 2010 the federal government set forth an ambitious goal to end chronic homelessness by 2015. Numbers have declined, but according to a 2014 HUD report, more than 570,000 people are still without homes in America—and 20 percent of those are in California. Urban libraries fill the void, sheltering the homeless by day.

Cities have responded to homelessness with new codes of public conduct and trespassing ordinances enforced on persons deemed to be disorderly, unkempt, or of foul smell. The San Francisco Public Library has directly addressed the situation—it was the first in the country to add a full-time social worker to its staff. Leah Esguerra reaches out to homeless patrons in the main branch of the library. “Libraries are the last bastion of democracy,” she says.

I was watching MeTV at the allergist's

while waiting after getting my shot, and 'Emergency!' was on. So when I got home, I went ahead and turned it on. (I don't have cable TV, but I get MeTV over digital antennna). I loved that show when I was a kid. I knew more medical terminology than your average 8 year old as a result. I also had a crush on Randolph Mantooth (the dark-haired one who played John Gage--on the right in this picture). :)

An incredibly well-done and moving film

I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don't notice it. People think pleasing God is all God cares about. But any fool living in the world can see it always trying to please us back.--Alice Walker, The Color Purple (also in the film)

So I watched The Color Purple with my friends today, a 30-year-old movie that I have never seen, with Whoopi Goldberg, Danny Glover, Oprah Winfrey, Margaret Avery, and a fine overall cast. It had an excellent story (based on the book of the same name by Alice Walker), had beautiful cinematography, music, and acting (especially considering it was Whoopi Goldberg's first film role)--it really should have won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and in fact it was nominated for eleven awards that year, winning none. In fact, A hasn't deigned to watch the Oscars ever since it lost out to Out of Africa, believing it to have been snubbed, even though it was both a critical and commercial success. I have not read the book (although I have a paperback of it somewhere around here), but I gather it is even more unforgiving in its portrait of sexism and racism. Some critics say the film is too sentimental by comparison. The same was said of The Help, although I thought it did a pretty decent job, deviating in small ways. And as difficult as 12 Years a Slave was to watch at times, of course it does not do pure justice to the utter horror of slavery.

Each of these films deals with the black experience in the South, and each deals with racism in their own ways. One thing I appreciated from The Color Purple was that it was a woman's story of surviving yet finding her voice in the wake of abuse. The women in the film are its backbone. Yes, there is the sense that, according to the film, all men are utter pigs, and that's perhaps too much of a generalisation. But it is a story that is believable, and it is a story that inspires emotion and thought. And that, along with its execution, makes for a very good film.

Hmmm, I'd planned to go to this

Sherlock Holmes and the case of the contested copyright: Arthur Conan Doyle's estate launches legal battle over Hollywood film depicting detective during his retirement

Heirs to the literary rights of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are suing Hollywood producers over a soon-to-be released blockbuster movie which follows Sherlock Holmes during his retirement.

The author's estate, which has been involved in several high-profile legal battles, has hit the director, distributor and studio behind the upcoming Mr. Holmes with a copyright complaint, claiming the plot infringes on the fictional stories written by Conan Doyle.

The estate now wants an array of damages from those behind the film, including Miramax studio, film distributor Roadside Attractions, and director Bill Condon, who previously directed Chicago and Dreamgirls.

The Conan Doyle estate even wants the movie - which stars Sir Ian McKellen as the fictional detective - to be stopped in its tracks. The film is due to be released in the UK and the U.S in July.

The lawsuit also accuses writer Mitch Cullin and Penguin Random House, which published the book on which the film is based, of infringing on copyright.

They say the book, A Slight Trick of the Mind, has striking similarities to one of Conan Doyle's final Sherlock tales.

Although much of Conan Doyle's work is now in public domain, the the final ten works are not, and it is upon these that the heirs claim much of the book and film infringe upon. I suspect there will be a settlement, but it may delay or even prevent the movie from coming out.

Wow--that's just, horrible

More on the cyclist's death the other day.

Police: 'Cold beer in cup holder' of truck that killed cyclist

Police found a "cold beer in the cup holder" of the truck that killed Lexington Lawyer Mark Hinkel during the Horsey Hundred.

Odilon Paz-Salvador told the arresting officer he had drank six beers and smoked marijuana before the fatal crash at 1235 Lemons Mill Road Saturday, according to the police report.

Hinkel, 57, was struck head on, hit the windshield of the black Dodge truck driven by Paz-Salvador. The impact, according to the police report, left "a huge hole" in the windshield. Hinkel landed, bleeding but alive, on the bed cover of the truck.

Paz-Salvador, who doesn't have a driver's license or Social Security number, drove nearly three miles with Hinkel in his truck.

'Uptown Funk' (by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars) is on the radio

and it always makes me think, what's the thing with Michelle Pfeiffer? Okay, yes, she is beautiful, and a good actress. But she's mentioned in that song and also 'Riptide' by Vance Joy, which are both very popular at the moment. I don't think she's currently in anything that's out, and she's not some young ingenue, but rather a seasoned veteran of Hollywood, but she sure made an impression on the songwriters somewhere along the way. Check out: Michelle Pfeiffer is the pop-music muse of the moment. Although it was probably not her finest performance, but a decent one, my favourite Michelle Pfeiffer film is actually Ladyhawke. Yeah, I know, I'm a geek.

Apparently

all I had to do to banish the desire to go back to bed was take a walk outside. It's beautiful--sunny, humid but not sticky, a lovely breeze, birds and squirrels about, people in the pool, that sort of thing. I took the fruit fly traps over to the Dumpster and got rid of them, since most of the flies are gone, and I didn't want to attract more. I also looked at the construction area nearby before getting my soda. They've taken the fence down for one of our tennis courts (there were two of them) and are going to build a fitness centre/laundry facility there. Yay! Although I do my laundry at my friends' house, a newer facility is good for when I can't get over there. Maybe it won't be in the basement, down the steep stairs. And while experience tells us I wouldn't use the fitness centre regularly, I'd like to give it a try, anyway.

So, inspired by the conditions outdoors, I came in, turned off the air conditioning, opened up the windows, and watered the plants inside and out. Now I have the radio on, which should also help. And it's still a little dark in the apartment (I get afternoon light), so I'm going to just turn the lights on so it's brighter in here. Okay, better to do it than write about it. :)

Left to do

1. Finish straightening up house
2. Clean out refrigerator
3. Clean bathroom
4. Sweep/mop bath and kitchen
5. Vacuum carpet
6. Dust
7. Water plants
8. Water fish
9. Watch The Color Purple with friends

I have to admit, I'm not feeling the cleaning bit right now. Maybe I need some caffeine. I don't really feel like getting showered and going out just yet, either. I think I'll put some shorts and a top on and walk over to the laundry room to see if I can get a Diet Coke, something to jump start me a bit (I don't care for coffee or tea). Then I'll see if I can give it a go. I got rid of a lot of the fruit flies but there are still some stragglers, so I don't know if we'll be able to watch the movie over here anyway. But I need to get the house put together for me, regardless.

A shame

John F. Nash Jr., Math Genius Defined by a ‘Beautiful Mind,’ Dies at 86

John F. Nash Jr., a mathematician who shared a Nobel Prize in 1994 for work that greatly extended the reach and power of modern economic theory and whose long descent into severe mental illness and eventual recovery were the subject of a book and a film, both titled “A Beautiful Mind,” was killed, along with his wife, in a car crash on Saturday in New Jersey. He was 86.

Dr. Nash and his wife, Alicia, 82, were in a taxi on the New Jersey Turnpike in Monroe Township around 4:30 p.m. when the driver lost control while veering from the left lane to the right and hit a guardrail and another car, Sgt. Gregory Williams of the New Jersey State Police said

Speaking of the game

I came across this woman's story while researching one of my characters for the game. She was the daughter of the King of Italy, of the House of Savoy, married to a German prince, and was arrested by the Germans and sent to the Buchenwald concentration camp, where she died after an Allied bombing raid. It is a tale of how quickly anyone's fortunes can change.

Home after a very long day

Today I:

1. Loaded two carts of laundry, a backpack, a laptop bag, and a reusable grocery bag full of stuff into the car
2. Stopped by the grocery for laundry detergent and a few things
3. Backed up my friend's computer onto an external hard drive
4. Prepared the their house for the game, doing the weekly chores
5. Watched some 'Fairly OddParents' and bits of 'Law & Order'
6. Did three loads of laundry
7. Received two kinds of lettuce, kale, and green onions from Brenda's garden
8. Tried to pill a dog that was outside by an air conditioning unit under a large poison ivy vine. I had two medicines to give her with some bread and Marmite. I managed to get the first down her but not the other. :( YKWIA is going to try later.
9. Played the game and visited with YKWIA and Brenda
10. With help, loaded everything back into the car
11. Came home and got it all unloaded in two trips
12. Emptied out the fruit fly traps and reset them (they're really helping)

I am so glad I put the air conditioning on before I left today, although I set it at 75, so it shouldn't have kicked on too much. I didn't stay for 'Salem'; I'm terribly behind, but YKWIA brought me up to speed. I'm a little tired, and just want to go on to bed, I think. I must remember not to get up and go to work in the morning; I keep forgetting it's a holiday.

Tomorrow my plan is to work on the house some more and then watch The Color Purple with friends. I also need to mop over there; I didn't get that finished before Brenda got there today. But all in all, I hope for a productive day.

Okay, I think this is where I say good night. Hope your weekend is going well.

On the other hand, for those braver than I

Life is meant to be lived, of course, not hidden from or played safe.

A sad end to a fun event, and the perils of impaired driving

Lexington man dies after being hit by vehicle during Horsey Hundred cycling event; driver is arrested

The Horsey Hundred, sponsored by the Bluegrass Cycling Club, includes several rides of various lengths, including the Century ride, which is the longest.

Thomas said about 2,500 cyclists from throughout the U.S. and several foreign countries are participating in this year's event. She said this is the first time a fatality has occurred during the event's 38 years.

Mark Hinkel, a local attorney, was struck and killed by a driver who has been charged with murder and driving under the influence, among other charges. He did not even stop after striking the man, who wound up in the bed of his truck.

Last year there was this on an unrelated ride, also in Scott County, although that one was apparently a genuine accident:

Bicyclist hit by pickup, killed while fixing a flat in Scott County during cross-country fundraising trip

and then there's the person doing the same trek in her memory--

Lexington bicyclist readies for cross-country charity trek, inspired by rider killed in Scott County

Lexington itself is continuing to expand bike lanes. I noticed some were put in on Alexandria Drive recently, with areas where they cross the intersection marked in green (like on Southland Drive and Cooper Drive). I hope this helps for safety, although I think drivers and cyclists need to work hand in hand for that--I see far too many cyclists forgetting that they are subject to the laws that govern the road, and far too many drivers who fail to yield or share it. On the other hand, the county roads in the surrounding area are a totally different thing. A friend of mine used to ride long-distance in Woodford County. I'm not sure I'd be brave enough to tackle either roads on main thoroughfares here, or out in the country, where people often speed in their cars. When I didn't have the car, I considered getting a bike, as it's a straight stretch down Richmond Road to work, but decided it was far too dangerous. For those brave souls out there, more power to them. I'd stay in bike parks and local neighbourhoods, myself.

I've been excavating the bedroom

Purses are now neatly hung up. Luggage is put up in the closet. Clean clothes are neatly folded, waiting for me to figure out where on earth to put them. I think it's time to put the cold-weather things into the big bin I keep them in during the summer so I can put the warm-weather clothes in the chest of drawers. The dirty laundry has been sorted into hand washables and regular. I'm going to try to get those out to the car tonight, so I don't have to fool with them in the morning, when I'm on a schedule. Fortunately my friends, who let me use their washing machine, have a hand-washable setting on it. That, plus the delicate cycle on the dryer, means I can wash most of them without having to drip dry.

Of course, the bed is now totally covered.

I did have to switch from my jean capris to some short because, well, they're a little big and they've stretched as I've moved throughout the day, and so they were falling off me. Fortunately that didn't happen at my friends' house or when I was out in public. I think it's time to give them to Goodwill. So they went into the pile to be washed so I can donate them.

I'm tired. This is really more than a day's project. I'm probably not going to have it worthy for visitors by tonight, although maybe I can work a little after the game or Monday morning, and then have them over in the afternoon. Or we'll gather around the computer in their library.

Speaking of watching TV, I was fiddling with mine earlier and discovered that Samsung has revamped things and apparently the Fitness module is no longer there, at least that I can see. And Netflix has not only Galaxy Quest, which I would like to watch, but also 'Battlestar Galactica' (the original series, which I loved, and I never got into the re-make), as well as it's companion series 'Galactica 1980', which I remember as awful, but still, I'd like to re-watch them. There's only 31 episodes between the two series. I know YKWIA will not watch with me, so I'll have to watch on my own. :)

Okay, I'm going to try to do something with the bedroom, maybe put Pandora or Galaxy Quest on the old TV that has a Roku box. I'm not sure I'll be doing any more writing tonight. If not, hope you're having a good weekend, and remember the reason behind the holiday, honouring those who have died, primarily in battle, but here in the South we decorate the graves of our ancestors regardless of service.

So I got a little side-tracked

because my friends asked me to come over to their house to help with a project. But that is now complete, and I am now home again. I have the windows open again. A car alarm has been going off for several minutes now, but it has finally stopped. I have made two homemade traps for the fruit flies, one in the kitchen and one in the bath. These consist of a jelly jar with a piece of banana in it, with a taped piece of paper in the shape of a cone that has been placed inside the jar. The idea is that the flies can get in, but can't fly out, and get trapped in the jar, and then you can kill them or take them outside. We'll see if it works at all. It's one of those things that are popular on the Internet, but you don't really know if they work until you try.

So I should figure out what to do next. I'll leave the kitchen and bath alone to try to lure the flies in. That leaves the bedroom, which is a bit daunting, with the laundry that needs collecting, or the living/dining area, which is looking much better already, but will be where we watch the movie if I can get this place shaped up. We'll see. I think I will take a few minutes to enjoy this lovely afternoon, though. It's sunny, the birds are singing, and there's a light breeze. All in all, it's been a nice day. Then I'll work on the house for awhile, and see what progress I can make.

This is so sad

Mother Found Pushing Dead Toddler on Swing Set

Mother found pushing dead 3-year-old in swing at La Plata park

No apparent signs of foul play were found, but an autopsy will be done to see what was the cause of death. The mother was taken for a medical evaluation. It's unclear exactly what happened. But regardless of the cause of death, this is terrible.

Cool

Andreessens pair with H-P to send computers to Ferguson, Baltimore libraries

The couple says they were moved by the "individual acts of heroism" of library staffers who kept the doors open to the public even as protests raged over police brutality and the deaths of young black men.

"Libraries became in essence the heart of Ferguson and Baltimore amidst a time of immense darkness for so many," Arrillaga-Andreessen told USA TODAY in an exclusive interview. "So we felt this calling to help the libraries in a way that we felt we could uniquely do."

The donation is part of a growing effort in some quarters of Silicon Valley to address the digital divide that persists throughout the rest of the country, especially in poor or underserved neighborhoods.

Time for a break

I've gotten the dishes done and the majority of the living, dining, and kitchen picked up, so that things that shouldn't be there are now gone. The next step is to take out the recyclables and trash, as I am tripping over the bags. I have one bag of plastic Kroger bags to take out to the car, five 13-gallon bags of recyclables, and three bags of trash so far. A lot was stuff like mail and things from a fairly large container, and the trash includes the bathroom trash as well. But you can see what I was overwhelmed the other day. I also found the source of the fruit flies--a couple of overripe bananas that never made it back to the kitchen from a bag I'd taken to the game a couple of weeks ago. I'm hoping that once I take care of everything, they'll go find some other place to annoy. That's usually the case. And it's important to make sure all the dishes are clean and the sinks, because they're attracted to water. Now none of my dishes were sitting soured and wet, really, so that was good.

I think after I take everything out, I'm going to take a shower. Even though I'm certainly not finished with the cleaning, I'm feeling a little sticky. And I think it's time to break out the granny cart, since there are so many recyclables, etc.

But first....

In Early Vote Count, Ireland Appears Headed Toward Legalizing Same-Sex Marriage

Ireland appeared poised to become the world’s first nation to approve same-sex marriage by a popular vote on Saturday, with early vote counts showing strong and broad support for a measure that would have been unthinkable just a few years ago in what had traditionally been a Roman Catholic stronghold.

Not long after counting began at Dublin Castle, a government complex that was once the epicenter of British rule, the leader of the opposition, David Quinn, director of the Iona Institute, conceded the outcome in a tweet: “Congratulations to the Yes side. Well done.”

Both proponents and opponents said the only remaining question was the size of the victory for approval. Ronan Mullen, an Irish senator and one of only a few politicians to oppose the measure, predicted the win would be “substantial.” The official results will be announced this afternoon.

Oh. yes. If it can happen in Ireland, it can happen here, if not this summer by legal opinion, then eventually through referendum. I want to go to my friends' wedding. Please let it happen soon. This makes me so happy. Congratulations, Ireland!

What I hope to accomplish today:

1. Dishes
2. Pick up living room
3. Pick up kitchen
4. Clean out refrigerator
5. Pick up dining room
6. Clean bathroom
7. Gather laundry
8. Pick up bedroom
9. Take out trash
10. Take out recyclables
11. Sweep/mop bath and kitchen
12. Vacuum carpet
13. Dust
14. Water plants
15. Water fish
16. Solve the fruit fly issue

I think I'd better take my medicine first, as my allergies are pretty bad right now, and I have the windows open, which probably won't help that much with that, but is good for getting some fresh air in this morning. It looks like it's going to be sunny and a little warmer than it's been. So I've got the Top 40 Countdown on and I'm up, and I've eaten. So here we go....

I have got to start reading more of this series

So Gary Corby's new book, Death Ex Machina is out, and while I loved the first book The Pericles Commission, and have The Ionia Sanction, The Marathon Conspiracy, and Sacred Games, I haven't made the time to read the latter three of of Nicolaos and Diotima's adventures in Ancient Greece yet. That's going to have to change, I think. Maybe I can get some reading in while I'm taking breaks from cleaning this weekend.

This was hilarious--and so true!

The Truth About College And Getting A Job. This Is Perfect.

She has some very good points...

Like Comparing Fat People and Oranges

Let’s look at a final example: Research found that men with certain baldness patterns have a much higher risk of heart disease. Additional research found that the baldness and heart disease likely have the same root cause. Thank goodness the weight loss people weren’t in charge of this or instead of the additional research we’d have a government-sponsored War on Baldness and a sixty billion dollar industry telling men that they have to grow their hair back to be healthy and that if they don’t it’s their fault, accompanied by reporters whipping everyone into a frenzy with articles about how much bald men who get heart disease are costing society.

I really like this writer, who makes a lot of sense in a world where fat people are considered funny (and not in a good way), greedy, lazy, a drain on society, and immoral, simply because they are either overweight or sometimes, just because they are perceived as such even when they're an average size. People who have never been fat do not understand that while there are those of us who are fat and not particularly healthy (and I count myself in that category, as I need to work to increase my health--physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually), there are people who are fat who are, like this lady, training physically and eating well (she's working on finishing an Ironman challenge, for crying out loud), and yeah, they're still fat. I know that I will never be thin. That's okay. I would like to have some better stamina, balance, and be able to walk up stairs without going into an asthma attack. That's something I can do and improve myself. I think that's more realistic and more important than 'looking' thin. Fat phobia is real. I even have a lot of internalised fat phobia myself--I think most fat people do. People like Ragen Chastain are trying to get people to recognise the biases against fat people. And even more to the point, she's doing things that make her happy, and leads a full life, from what I can tell, and that's important no matter what size you are. Fat people have a tendency to hide away because they don't want to be seen doing things like dancing, biking, travelling, etc., when they should be embracing life. I highly recommend her blog.

There is no new 'Grimm' tonight, and that is sad

--although at least we can look forward to next season. I'm home now after doing the following after work:

1. Getting my allergy shot
2. Picking up medicine for a dog from a vet
3. Picking up medicine for three people from a pharmacy
4. Taking A to the grocery store, and getting some things for me, too
5. Filling up the tank with gas

Now I'm kind of pooped. We normally do the Kroger run on Saturdays, but we were both pretty much out of food, so we moved it up a day. I don't have notes to do tomorrow, as I've already finished them. Most of the things we would normally do on a Saturday have been done--I even got string cheese for the game already, assuming we play. So technically, at this moment, I have no plans for tomorrow, and should really work on the house with gusto, because we have The Color Purple out, all three of us want to watch it, and it would be nice if we could watch at my house on the TV rather than around the computer, and my house is looking really, really scary--so scary that last night I looked at all the stuff to do and had a great deal of anxiety, and pretty much curled up in bed hugging something in the hopes the feeling of being overwhelmed would end. I know, that's kind of sad. Welcome to life with anxiety issues. This weekend the plan is to break it up into doable sections and try that, starting with the dishes. Also, I have a plan for attack about the phobic driving issue as well, using some worksheets my counselor suggested to focus on the problem. Of course, it is designed to take several months to desensitise a person who has a phobia. I have to drive to Louisville in two weeks. So it will be a bit of a crash course. :)

This just about sums it up, don't you think?

One thing I agree with the Germans about

Pills should be taken 'against' headaches (gegen Kopfschmerzen) rather than for them. I've been nursing a headache all evening, and it has finally reached splitting/not-ignorable status, so I took some ibuprofen, something I try not to do in an effort to minimise issues to the kidneys. But alas, sometimes you just have to break down.

I will be somewhat brief tonight, as I missed my allergy shot this afternoon, so I'm going to try to go in early tomorrow so I can do it tomorrow afternoon before my friend's appointment. Today was technically one of my early days, but I had a slew of things to do this afternoon when all was said and done, so I'm glad I voted in the primary election very early this morning rather than putting it off.

I did find out why my check engine light is on in the car (it popped up right before the odometer hit 50,000 miles). The code most likely points to a faulty exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve, or its corresponding sensor. I was told that while it should be fixed, a month or two should be okay if I'm not having issues, which is good, as I don't have the money to do it just now. I wanted to double-check, as I will be making the trip to Louisville in a couple of weeks.

I told my counselor of my anxiety about driving and how I planned to do some practice runs before going to Louisville by interstate. She copied some pages from The Anxiety and Phobia Workbook, and I think they include a useful exercise. Actually, when I did some poking around, the whole book sounded quite useful. I looked it up at the library, but their copies were missing or lost. Amazon had both paperback and Kindle versions. Since it's a workbook, with worksheets, I thought the paperback copy would be more useful, so I used some of my credit card bonus rewards and bought it. I should be getting it Thursday, which isn't too bad, considering I no longer have Amazon Prime, as I couldn't afford to renew it when the price went up.

I did a lot of running around after work today, driving for about 2 1/2 hours around the city in rush hour traffic. I:

1. Went to the pharmacy for a friend
2. Had my car checked due to the check engine light
3. Put a cheque in the bank
4. Grabbed some Taco Bell for dinner
5. Picked some Marmite up at the store for a friend

and then I went over there to their house and watched:

1. 'House of Anubis'
2. 'iZombie'
3. 'Lab Rats'

That was fun. In particular, 'iZombie' is growing on me even more.

Okay, I should head on to bed. The headache is easing up somewhat. Good night!

Awww....

This is kind of cool

Thanks to the Centers for Disease Control, we now have a map of The Most Distinctive Causes of Death by State, 2001-2010. Ours is 'pneumoconioses and chemical effects'.

Okay, it's almost 31 years late

but I finally watched the movie Gremlins today, with YKWIA, as a DVD out from Netflix. It was fun. I was 16 when it came out and really didn't go to the cinema, so I missed it. It came out the summer between high school and college. I should have watched it then, just like The Breakfast Club which I finally saw a couple months ago. (I still have only seen bits of Sixteen Candles. Yes. Really.) YKWIA did see Gremlins then, of course, and even had or has a Gizmo that makes cute noises. For fun, here's:

21 Things You Might Not Know About 'Gremlins'

Good for them

Behind the impasse that led USC's 2016 MFA students to withdraw in protest

The [entire] graduate class of 2016 at USC’s Roski School of Art and Design withdrew in protest Friday from the visual arts program over administration and curriculum changes. The master of fine arts students publicly posted a letter on the website Art & Education. "We are a group of seven artists who made the decision to attend USC Roski School of Art & Design's MFA program based on faculty, curriculum, program structure and funding packages," they wrote. "We are a group of seven artists who have been forced by the school's dismantling of each of these elements, to dissolve our MFA candidacies." The conflict stems from changes made to the program after students had already arrived on campus, as well as resignations by prominent faculty members.

Technical design may get more funding, but studio art has more passion and beauty. This was one programme that seemed to understand that in a field where art and the humanities is often minimised in favour of more lucrative scientific patents, etc. Now, even in the art field, technical design seems to be where the money is, from the university's point of view, at least. The school assures the public that it is not marginalising studio and fine art in favour of other forms, but the faculty who have left seem to be supporting the students in this. If the programme has substantially changed from the one that brought them from places like Australia and France, then they certainly have every right to withdraw. The fact that all seven of a graduating class chose to do so, setting their studies back at least a year if not more, means that there is something that needs to be reconsidered if the prestgious art programme is to continue.

From their open letter at Art & Education:

The dean of the Roski School of Art and Design was appointed by the university in May 2013, despite having no experience in the visual arts field. She, along with Roski’s various vice and assistant deans, made it clear to our class that they did not value the program’s faculty structure, pedagogy, or standing in the arts community, the very same elements that had attracted us as potential students. The effects of the administration’s denigration of our program arrived almost immediately. In December 2014, Roski’s MFA program director stepped down from her position, and was not replaced with another director; shortly thereafter that month, the program lost a prominent artist, mentor, and tenured Roski professor, her pedagogical energies and input devalued by the administration. By the end of the Fall 2014 semester, we quickly came to understand that the MFA program we believed we would be attending was being pulled out from under our feet. In January 2015, we felt it necessary to go to the source of these issues, the dean of the Roski School.

In a slew of unproductive, confounding, and contradictory meetings with the dean and other assorted members of the Roski administration in early 2015, we were told that we would now have to apply for, and compete with a larger pool of students for, the same TAships promised to us during recruitment. We were presented with a different curriculum, one in which entire semesters would occur without studio visits, a bizarre choice for a studio art MFA. Shocked by these bewildering and last-minute changes, we reached out to the university’s upper administration. We were then told by the vice provost for Graduate Programs that the communication we received during recruitment clearly stating our funding packages was an “unfortunate mistake,” and that if the program wasn’t right for us, we “should leave.” Throughout this grueling process of attempting to reason with the institution, the Roski School and university administration used manipulative tactics of delaying decisions, blaming others, contradicting each other’s stated policies, and attempting to force a wedge of silence between faculty and students. At every single turn, the dean and every other administrator we interacted with tried to delegitimize and belittle our real concerns, repeatedly framing us as “demanding” simply for advocating for those things the school had already promised us.

*snort*

'Short' nap. Riiiiiiiiiiiggggggggggggghhhhhhhtttttttttt. 4 1/2 hours later, I'm just waking up. I uncharacteristically got cold, put the comforter over me in addition to the soft fuzzy blanket I usually use, and I was gone. So no working on the house tonight. I am going to go to back to bed in a few minutes and try to get up about 5, though, so maybe all is not lost. Good night.

Whoopee!

It's 7:15 pm and I am finished with the game notes early in the evening on a Saturday rather than waiting till 3 in the morning on a Sunday. Yay!!! Everything is loaded onto Dropbox so I can get it from the cloud if needed. Now I just have to download it to the laptop, which I take with me, as there's no Wi-Fi there and while I can use my phone for both viewing and as a connexion for the laptop, it will just be easier. Now I'm going to go celebrate with a short nap. :) I started at 4:30, to give you an idea of what sort of process this is.

I went to turn the light out

On the small aquarium.  The betta was swimming above the round bubble wand,  playing in the bubbles.  He does that fairly often.  It's fun to watch.  When I had the one with the LED lights that changed colours,  the last one would hide under it to avoid the light. I think it hurt his eyes,  even though that's what came with the tank.  Then I took it out and put a white light that clips above the tank in,  and a normal bubble stone.  This one has only known this setup.  He only sits under the stone when resting.  Otherwise he's swimming around the three-gallon tank or playing with the bubbles. I think he enjoys it,  and it's much better than those little cups or vases they normally put those fish in.

I couldn't stand it any more

I've been actually straightening up the house, removing the various detritus that has accumulated. I have two small bags of trash ready to go out, two of recyclables plus a full recyclables container, and a bag of grocery bags to put in the trunk of my car for the next time we go to Kroger. I've corralled some of the reusable and lunch bags, as well as a satchel and a backpack/purse. There are two piles to go through, one on the TV stand in front of the TV and one on the end table. I've deleted old voice mails from that phone. I've vacuumed the computer keyboard and wiped it down with alcohol prep pads. I've gotten all the dishes together and ready to put in the dishwasher. It had gotten pretty bad. I haven't touched the rest of the house. That's just the living room and part of the kitchen, though. But if I can work an hour or two every day, I think I can get everything back to normal pretty soon. Then I can vacuum, and maybe get the carpet cleaned, as I never took advantage of that service I got for free when I renewed my lease, and it's almost up again. :) They offer a free cleaning most years.

I'm kind of pooped now. I think I'm going to go take my purse into the bedroom and move everything back to my tote bag for tomorrow. I'd changed to the bright pink purse because I had on a floral skirt, bright pink camisole and blouse, and an off-white lacy shrug on today, and it matched better than the tote. But I love my 'Chicago' tote. I got it in the airport at O'Hare for less than $20. It's a faded green colour (yeah, no purple, I'm afraid, although there was blue and brown, and maybe pink). It zips up, has a large zippered pocket with phone holders on it, and side pockets for drinks, etc., and a metal tab for hanging my keys on. I particularly like that there is a pocket inside that can store things I must be able to get a hold of immediately, such as my Epi-Pen and my albuterol inhaler and spacer. :) Everything fits very nicely. I have two plastic bags, clear ones that held a traveling kit of airline-safe liquids. One has all my medicine and diabetic supplies. One of them has things like a comb, nail clippers, lip balm, microfiber cloth and glass cleaner, and contacts cleaner and case--those things that go rolling around in a bag easily. That way, I can just change them between purses and bags with no trouble.

Tomorrow I'm going to get a loaned text for the class I'll be teaching, so I can read through it before the training. I am glad it'll be Friday tomorrow. It'll be jeans day at work, for one. And 'Grimm' will be on that evening, which is the season finale.

Okay, I'm going to go work on transferring things, and then I'll probably head on to bed, as tomorrow is one of my early days, and I'll be getting up at 6 am. Have a good night!

It looks like I will be almost certainly

be teaching a class from June 3rd to August 26th. It is from 6:30 pm to 9 pm on Wednesdays. I am very excited, and I am looking forward to it. Oddly enough, my anxiety issues aren't hitting me when it comes to the idea of teaching the class. Some of the people are taking the class again, ones I know from when I took it, so I'll have some familiar faces. That will help. And a lot of the material is pretty much meant to be read to the class, so I'll have a script.

My main hurdle is not the teaching, not the material, not anything like that. It's getting to and from the training, which is in Louisville. The teaching gig is completely volunteer, but they will pay for my training and a hotel room in Louisville overnight during an upcoming weekend. This means driving to Louisville, for a person with driving anxiety who quite frankly has not been on an Interstate since 1993. Part of that was the fact I had either no car, or a car I didn't trust to get me over the Interstate, so I didn't go anywhere. But part of it is anxiety, as well.

So here is my plan of attack. Between now and the training, which will be June 6th, I'm going to go onto the Interstate around Lexington, get a feel for being back on it, and maybe go over to Frankfort or Richmond, two fairly short drives. Now, I've never actually driven in Louisville itself, I've always been a passenger, and there's some major construction going on right now there, but I'll worry about that when I have an idea about where the hotel is, etc. I have a co-worker from Louisville who said she could help me get alternate routes. And as an absolute Plan B, there US 60, which runs parallel all the way from Frankfort to Louisville, and I have about three ways that don't involve the Interstate that I can get to Frankfort. :)

Great attitude

When A Student’s Baby Started Crying In Class, This Professor Had The Best Response Ever

Professor Sydney Engelberg, a 45-year lecturing veteran at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, was unfazed when the child of a mother at his lecture on organizational behavior began to cry. The embarrassed mom tried to leave the class, but instead, the father-of-four and grandfather-of-five scooped the kid up and soothed him in his arms – without missing a beat in the lesson.

According to his daughter, Engelberg allows the mothers that attend his masters’ lectures to bring their children and even breastfeed. No mother should have to choose between a child and an education!

I'm very happy for this young woman--she has remarkable drive

Standout BCTC graduate snags prestigious $120,000 scholarship to continue her education

Ebony Nava has been a standout at Bluegrass Community and Technical College, a straight A science major who headed student government, wrote for the school newspaper and won nearly every academic award offered — all while raising her son and her six siblings.

Nava, 26, graduated from BCTC last year and will graduate again Saturday, this time with a certificate in biotechnology and a $120,000 scholarship to continue at a four-year school.

The Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship is given to 90 community college students a year from all over the country. For now, Nava is thinking about attending Wellesley College in Massachusetts with a double major in biochemistry and philosophy

.....

Nava, who lives in Georgetown with her family, credits many in her community there and at BCTC for her ascent. When she gained custody of her siblings at age 20, she had a second-grade education but quickly earned her GED before entering BCTC.

Cool

Scientists have discovered the first fully warm-blooded fish

It’s one of the most basic biology facts we’re taught in school growing up: Birds and mammals are warm-blooded, while reptiles, amphibians and fish are cold-blooded. But new research is turning this well-known knowledge on its head with the discovery of the world’s first warm-blooded fish — the opah.

In a paper published today in Science, researchers from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) describe the unique mechanism that enables the opah, a deepwater predatory fish, to keep its body warm. The secret lies in a specially designed set of blood vessels in the fish’s gills, which allows the fish to circulate warm blood throughout its entire body.

Anyone else find this disturbing?

Beekeepers see 42% of US honeybee colonies die off in a single year

More than two out of five American honeybee colonies died in the past year, and surprisingly, the worst die-off was in the summer, according to a federal survey.

Since April 2014, beekeepers lost 42.1% of their colonies, the second-highest rate in nine years, according to an annual survey conducted by a bee partnership that includes the US Department of Agriculture.

“What we’re seeing with this bee problem is just a loud signal that there’s some bad things happening with our agro-ecosystems,” said study co-author Keith Delaplane at the University of Georgia. “We just happen to notice it with the honeybee because they are so easy to count.

One of my favourite arcade games of my youth

(and yes, I have both Gauntlet and Gauntlet II on an old Nintendo system hooked up to a TV in my bedroom. I am a geek.) What it lacked in the stunning graphics of today, it had in actual fun.



There is a fun 'clone' of Gauntlet that is called 'Get Medieval' that is also very fun. Unfortunately, when I upgraded computers, it only runs on 32-bit Windows systems and not 64-bit ones, and both the desktop and laptop are 64-bit. It had a certain comedy factor, as you can see:

Listening to Harry Chapin

This is what made me sad the other day

So this is the end of the finale of 'The Big Bang Theory' this season, so if you haven't seen it, and don't want a spoiler, don't watch. But it was so sad.

And now something random I've posted before, but I love it

although I still can't quite wrap my head around a steer/bull with an udder. :)

We will fight for bovine freedom,
and hold our large heads high.
We will run free with the buffalo,
or die.
Cows with guns!

Okay, maybe it's just because I'm a pescetarian/vegetarian. I haven't eaten beef since 1991. :)

Amazing

how people whose insecurity is only assuaged by money and material things can be totally dickwads when someone who appears to be homeless offers them money instead of begging:



I would have probably reacted like the one woman who he hugged. At least, I would hope so. The rest of them? They need some time in someone else's shoes to learn that money, while useful, doesn't dictate who is better than whom, and it shouldn't be what your self-esteem is based upon. In the end, we all end up in the cradle of death, and it doesn't matter what car we drove or the balance on our bank account. Our legacy is the difference we made in other people's lives, and the reasons we gave them to remember us. The people who were abusive may be rich in things, but they are poor in life. (This was a video YKWIA happened upon tonight and showed me).

Interesting

A table from the sttudy

America is becoming less Christian, and US Christianity is becoming less white

Christianity is on the decline in America among just about every demographic you can think of: young adults, older adults, white and black Americans, Latinos, men, women, and people with and without a high school education.

But the new Pew demographic study with those findings has another interesting twist: the Christians who remain are more diverse than ever.

:)

Meet The Skater Girls Of Afghanistan: Pretty much no one had seen a skateboard in Afghanistan—so no one could tell young girls they weren't allowed to do it

In Afghanistan, where few women drive, and female soccer teams have faced death threats, it's now possible to find seven-year-old girls learning to ollie and ride a halfpipe on a skateboard. In a recent photo series, U.K.-based photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson documented the girls of Skateistan, a program that helps young Afghans learn to skate—and brings them back to school.

The project started eight years ago, when Australian skateboarder Oliver Percovich got out his board on the streets of Kabul and was quickly surrounded by crowds—especially children—who had never seen a skateboard before. He realized that he could use skateboarding as a draw to help get more kids back in the educational system, and eventually officially launched Skateistan as a back-to-school program.

Such a beautiful song and legacy

Guy Carawan Dies at 87; Taught a Generation to Overcome, in Song

On an April night in 1960, Guy Carawan stood before a group of black students in Raleigh, N.C., and sang a little-known folk song. With that single stroke, he created an anthem that would echo into history, sung at the Selma-to-Montgomery marches of 1965, in apartheid-era South Africa, in international demonstrations in support of the Tiananmen Square protesters, at the dismantled Berlin Wall and beyond.

The song was “We Shall Overcome.”

Mr. Carawan, a white folk singer and folklorist who died on Saturday at 87, did not write “We Shall Overcome,” nor did he claim to. The song, variously a religious piece, a labor anthem and a hymn of protest, had woven in and out of American oral tradition for centuries, embodying the country’s twinned history of faith and struggle. Over time, it was further polished by professional songwriters.

But in teaching it to hundreds of delegates at the inaugural meeting of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee — held in Raleigh on April 15, 1960 — Mr. Carawan fathered the musical manifesto that, more than any other, became “the ‘Marseillaise’ of the integration movement,” as The New York Times described it in 1963.

Here he is, singing the song:

The son of Southern parents, Guy Hughes Carawan Jr. was born on July 28, 1927, in Santa Monica, Calif. His mother was a poet, his father an asbestos contractor who later died of asbestosis. After Navy service stateside at the end of World War II, the younger Mr. Carawan earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Occidental College in Los Angeles, followed by a master’s in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Around this time, Mr. Carawan, who sang and played the guitar, banjo and hammered dulcimer, became deeply interested in the use of folk music to foster social progress. But Wayland Hand, a distinguished folklorist with whom he studied at U.C.L.A., warned him against mixing folk music with activism — they had been combined to devastating effect, Professor Hand pointed out, in Nazi Germany.

Mr. Carawan disregarded the warning. Moving to New York, he became active in the folk revival percolating in Greenwich Village. In 1953, he and two friends, Frank Hamilton (later a member of the Weavers, the musical group closely associated with Mr. Seeger) and Jack Elliott (soon to be known as the folk singer Ramblin’ Jack Elliott), took to the road, collecting folk songs and singing for their supper throughout the South.

This sounds like something YKWIA would do

--if he would even deign to have an e-book reader:

Man photocopies his Kindle to make physical backup

In what may seem like an act of either extreme whimsy or incredible paranoia a man has photocopied every page of his Kindle version of George Orwell’s 1984, creating a paper copy of the digital text.

The physical e-book is the brainchild of artist Jesse England who calls the project “E-Book Backup.” England originally carried out the project in 2012 though people seem to be picking up on it now. Here’s what a lame old e-book looks like when printed out and handsomely bound.

Wow. I have no words for this.

The Shocking Story of the Philippine Tribe Exhibited in America’s Human Zoos

Just after the turn of the 20th century, members of the Filipino Bontoc Igorrote tribe were a leading attraction at Coney Island’s Luna Park. Portrayed in the press as “head hunting, dog eating savages,” the Igorrotes were contained in their own “village” and acted out distorted imitations of their customs. Now, such an exhibit would seem downright inhumane, but at the time visitors numbered in their millions. In fact, this wasn’t the only popular “human zoo” featuring Igorrotes in America; the shows toured nationwide.

Ah... Feels great to lie down with my feet up

I got up at 5 am this morning so that I could go over to my friend's house and make sure he was awake in order to take a pet to the vet for some special care.  He was actually already awake.  We watched some 'House of Anubis' episodes and then headed over to the vet about 8 am.

I got to work a little after 8:30. The day seemed to go by slowly,  but then it was time to pick up the pet.  We visited for awhile,  and then I did a run to the grocery alone for both of us.  I lugged large pet food bags in,  litter,  as well as the food.  Then I took my leave,  as I had a bag of ice in the car and some frozen food.

I got home,  got into my sleep shirt,  then realised my purse and phone were in the car.  I went out there with just that on, along with some sandals.

Now I've eaten,  I'm in bed with my feet up,  and feel like going on to sleep.  I have to get up in 8 hours,  around 6 am,  so Tuesday is one of my early days at work.

So,  good night. Tomorrow I have no real plans beyond watching iZombie at 9 pm.  :)

It was a long but good day

Before the game there were the preparations,  and YKWIA and I watched some 'Better Off Ted',  which is a fun show.

In the game we finally managed to get out of the Amazon rain forest,  although two of my characters nearly died after being attacked by a newborn serpent man-human hybrid with gnashy teeth and horrible,  fast-acting venom. Since another of my characters is linked to that one magically,  she had the same symptoms up in Canada.  An elixir taken by one as an antidote to venom and magical healing, plus CPR in both locations, saved them,  barely.

After the game I fixed my friend some food and we watched 'House of Anubis'. I'd been uncomfortably hot all day,  although it was 74 degrees in the house.  I'd also been itching badly in my neck and upper back. After eating he looked at my back and apparently it was very red and broken out in a fine rash.  There was some on my decollatage as well. I'm not sure what I reacted to--I haven't changed detergents,  used lotion there,  changed bodywash,  or anything of the sort.  I was near poison ivy,  but that was 2-3 days ago. Weird.

I didn't stay for 'Salem'  because I hadn't seen the last one yet,  and I have to get up at an ungodly hour tomorrow--5 am,  and it's 11:30 now.  I should go on to bed.  Good night!

So

I got everything accomplished today that I'd like to except getting the book returned to the library (I forgot to ask for it), working on the house, and working on the job application. The latter isn't due till May 27th, so while I'd like to take care of it soon, it doesn't have to be in today. The house really needs some work. The notes are finished, and I normally would sleep till about 8 am on Sunday, but I'm going to try to get up at 6, do some things around the house, get my laundry together to do over there, etc. But all in all, it was a pretty productive day. :) Okay, it's almost 1 am, and I have to get up in five hours. Good night!

Having a Pogues moment or two

For more on the Pogues, a Celtic punk band, you can see their website, their Facebook page, or their entry on Wikipedia.

I had a new book review published this month

so I updated my curriculum vitae, and was quite amazed to see that I have a total of 31 publications--finding aids, book reviews, collection development recommendations, and book chapters. Wow. Now I should either write a research article or an actual book. :) Anyway, here's a list of what I've published so far:

1. Broadbent, LK, 1986 Checklist of Kentucky State Publications. Frankfort, Ky.: KDLA, 1992 (under former name).
2. Rowan, EE. Providing Library Services in a Unique Pediatric Orthopaedic Setting: Experiences at the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Journal of Hospital Librarianship. 5(2). 2005, pp. 65-72.
3. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody's Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2006. Doody Enterprises, Inc. [Orthopedics]
4. Rowan, E. Medical Librarian, Pediatric Hospital Library. A Day in the Life. Ed. Priscilla K. Shontz and Richard A. Murray. Libraries Unlimited, 2007.
5. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2007. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
6. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2008. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
7. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2009. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
8. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2010. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
9. Rowan, EE., 'Caring for Patients From Different Cultures, 4th edition Geri-Ann Galanti', Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 10(2), 2010, pp. 205-206.
10. Rowan, EE. 'Document Delivery and Interlibrary Loan on a Shoestring by Emily Knox', Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 10(4), 2010, pp. 420-421.
11. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2011. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
12. Rowan, EE. 'The Accidental Health Sciences Librarian by Lisa A. Ennis and Nicole Mitchell', Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 11(2), 2011, pp. 204-205.
13. Mason, T., Rowan, E. Orthopedics. The Medical Library Association's Master Guide to Authoritative Information Resources in the Health Sciences. Ed. Laurie L. Thompson. Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2011.
14. Rowan, E. Orthopedic Nursing. The Medical Library Association's Master Guide to Authoritative Information Resources in the Health Sciences. Ed. Laurie L. Thompson. Neal-Schuman Publishers, 2011.
15. Rowan, EE. ‘Effective Blogging for Libraries by Connie Crosby’, Journal of the Medical Library Association, 99(4), 2011, pp. 321-322.
16. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2012. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
17. Rowan, EE. ‘Disaster Response and Planning for Libraries by Miriam B. Kahn’, Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 13(2), 2013, pp. 186-187.
18. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2013. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
19. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2013. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Nursing--Pediatrics]
20. Rowan, EE. ‘Sir William Osler: the Man and His Books edited by William Feindel, Elizabeth Makney, and Pamela Miller’, Journal of the Medical Library Association, 101(3), 2013, p. 231.
21. Rowan, EE. ‘Jump-Start Your Career as a Digital Librarian: A LITA Guide edited by Jane D. Monson’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 13(3), 2013, pp. 302-303.
22. Rowan, EE. 'Grassroots Library Advocacy: A Special Report by Lauren Comito, Aliqae Geraci, and Christian Zabriskie'. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 13(4), 2013, pp. 400-401.
23. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2014. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
24. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2014. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Nursing--Pediatrics]
25. Rowan EE. ‘Making the Most of Your Library Career edited by Lois Stickell and Bridgette Sanders’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 14(4), pp. 413-414.
26. Rowan EE. ‘The Whole Library Handbook: Current Data, Professional Advice, and Curiosa about Libraries and Library Services edited by George M. Eberhart’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 14(4), p. 409.
27. Rowan EE. ‘Library Management 101: A Practical Guide edited by Diane L. Velasquez’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 14(4), pp. 410-411.
28. Rowan EE. ‘Responsive Web Design for Libraries: A LITA Guide by Matthew Reidsma’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 15(1), 2015, pp. 125-125.
29. Rowan EE. ‘Guide to Reference: Essential General References and Library Science Sources edited by Jo Bell Whitlatch and Susan E. Searing’. Journal of Hospital Librarianship, 15(2), 2015, pp. 245-246.
30. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2015. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Orthopedics]
31. Rowan, E., Library Selector. Doody’s Core Titles in the Health Sciences 2015. Doody Enterprises, Inc., [Nursing--Pediatrics]

Tomorrow

1. Go to the library as soon as they open and check out My Real Children, by Jo Walton, which was showcased in Unshelved's book talk strip today
2. Take a friend and his pet to the vet
3. Watch a movie that we have out from Netflix (Jumpin' Jack Flash, with Whoopi Goldberg
4. Get a book from a friend that I have checked out in my name so I can take it back to the library (it is overdue. and I can't renew it using the library's mobile application) [drat, I forgot to, must do that on Sunday!]
5. Check with Brenda to see if she's up to playing the game on Sunday, or whether they have other plans for Mother's Day
6. Repot an African violet that is huge
7. If so, do the game notes
8. Pay a couple of bills
9. Go to the grocery and get some food in the house
10. Work on the house (for real, this time--really)
11. Work on another job application

Okay, I'm going to check on some things online and then I think I'm going to head on to bed. Good night!

I'm really looking forward to the 'Grimm' season finale next week

Warning...I'm going to try to tiptoe around the spoilers, but it might be too much if you haven't seen tonight's episode of 'Grimm'. If you really don't want to know anything, stop reading now.

Okay, so anyone who saw the movie Se7en, and many of those who didn't, realised what was going to happen at the end of tonight's episode. It didn't make it less shocking. Nick lost major sanity (in 'Call of Cthulhu' terms, he so failed his roll) and things were set up for a very interesting final episode coming up. And all I can say is, I'm done with Juliette. I admit there may be some small hope of saving her from herself, but it's unlikely. I suspect if it happens, it will happen through Diana, and not through any intervention from the gang. And I suspect Kenneth will not succeed in the manner he believes he will.

But I did enjoy the episode. So is Sean 'cured'? How will next week's showdown go? And once it's over, there will be a summer without 'Grimm', which is sad. Fortunately it's been renewed for another season. Yay!

Listening to:

Okay, it's almost 10 pm. I have to get up at 6 am. Time for bed. Good night!

Today's post-work to-do list:

1. Pay a bill.
2. Go to the pharmacy for me and for someone else.
3. Drop off the medication for the other person.
4. Eat dinner.
5. Check the news.
6. Apply for a job.
7. Watch 'The Big Bang Theory' season finale. I gasped and could have hugged him!
8. Work on financial stuff.
9. Work on the game notes, if there's time.
10. Work on the apartment, if there's time.

I broke down today and used air conditioning in both the car and at home. It was 86 degrees and more humid than it had been. Welcome to spring summer!

Thought-provoking

I think I've shared this before, but I saw it again, and it still is very interesting.

I like this

The Problem With Calling People Overweight, and why the descriptor 'fat' makes much more sense, from the Dances with Fat blog.

In case you didn't know

May is Mental Health Month. You can go to the national NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness) organisation web page for information on mental illness and finding support, and sign the stigma-free pledge, if you'd like, or go to the the NIMH (yes, as in The Rats of NIMH, the National Institute of Mental Health) website for a wealth of information. Jared Padalecki's description of the stigma of mental illness from the second article mentioned in the last post pretty much sums it up. The statistics are one thing. Living with mental illness, or loving someone who is struggling with mental illness, is very hard. I know that from personal experience. NAMI Lexington's Family-to-Family class, which was free, really helped me understand mental illness better, to learn to communicate better, and to care for myself and my loved one. I hope to go through training soon to teach the class to others. It's a mixture of learning facts and sharing your own story in a supportive environment, and for many it's been a life line. Here's a video about the class:



If you are having suicidal thoughts, in the US there is: 1 (800) 273-8255 [National Suicide Prevention Lifeline], Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week, Languages: English, Spanish, Website: www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org

If you or a loved one is in crisis, or otherwise you need guidance, call 1 (800) 950-6264 for the NAMI Helpline.

Good for them

'Supernatural' Actors Jensen and Jared Help Raise Awareness for Depression, Admit They Have Gone Down the "Dark Road"

With their charity campaign ‘Always Keep Fighting’, ‘Supernatural’ actor Jared Padalecki raked in the necessary funds for non-profit organization To Write Love on Her Arms to reach their goals in supporting individuals experiencing addiction, depression and suicidal tendencies.

In addition, the 32-year-old actor also drew attention to raising awareness for mental illness after the suicide of a close friend or family member.

With the aid of ‘Supernatural’ fans, who continue to support the series even if it is already headed towards its season 10 finale, the T-shirt campaign has already gained considerable success.

Now, Padalecki has joined forces with co-star Jensen Ackles and the duo has already come up with a joint fund to promote a number of causes and support people suffering from mental illness and mood disorders, among others.

Why Supernatural Star Jared Padalecki Is Speaking Out About Mental Illness

It's really hard to put into words. It's been amazing. Hopefully it's helping to destigmatize these issues, because it's all around us. It's ubiquitous, and people hide it. If somebody has cancer, they're not embarrassed to have cancer – they know it's not their fault. They know it's a struggle. But, for some reason, if someone says they're depressed, they assume that people are going to look at them like they have three heads. Hopefully, this is helping to start a conversation.

For me, the chicken story is the most haunting I've ever seen on a sitcom

and then there's this...



Guess I'm oddly sad, tonight. No real reason.

Two very amusing videos YKWIA showed me tonight

An oldie but a goodie from College Humor:



and of course it would be the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD).

And this is is true of me (okay, I was more the Atari era than Nintendo, but still....):

A little excited

Next Monday, May 11th, Charlaine Harris is doing a ticketed book signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers in Lexington at 7 pm. I must admit, it would be nice to go. I've read the Aurora Teagarden, Sookie Stackhouse, and Harper Connelly series, as well as part of Midnight Crossroad, which is on my Kindle and is the pre-cursor to the one she's signing, Day Shift. Strange for a librarian, I suppose, but I've never actually been to a book signing. Of course, if I get the physical book of Day Shift signed, then I'll have to eventually get the first book in hardback, too. :) I have the Sookie Stackhouse books in book club hardbacks, most of the Aurora Teagarden books, which are about a librarian-turned-sleuth, in paperback (still working on that, through PaperbackSwap.com). The others I've read through the library or on my Kindle. We'll see. I'm not a great fan of crowds. If I go, I'll report back here.

Sorry I haven't blogged in a couple of days. Sunday I came home a little early because Brenda had a meeting so we cut the game a couple of hours short. I went straight to bed for a couple of hours and then called YKWIA at 9:30 (I set an alarm) so he'd be able to watch 'Salem'. But he recorded it so A and I could watch it later. Monday was a friend's '5th birthday' in a 12-step programme and we went to his celebration. It lasted till 9 or 9:30. I got home around 11 pm, and had to be up at 6 am, so I didn't get much sleep as it was and couldn't really bring myself to blog. But I'm glad I went, and I got to meet his co-worker/distant cousin, who came as well.

Today was one of my early days at work, so I was able to leave by 4 for an appointment with the allergist and my allergy shot. One more shot and I'll be ready to go up a step in the shots. I'm feeling much better than I was because I'm on a medicine called levocetirizine that is related to Zyrtec. It's been really helping with my allergies.

Tonight is 'iZombie', which I heard was picked up for next season, so yay! That's at 9. I think I'll take a little nap before heading over there to watch. Hope you are enjoying your week, so far!

YKWIA showed Brenda and me this video last week

and it's dead on.

Listening to:

It's amazing to me

how difficult it is for me to do anything remotely related to conflict, even if I'm making a complaint to someone in authority rather than confronting an (unknown) person directly. We've had a car parked blocking our stairs for three days now. It was there on Thursday when I was home all day and hasn't moved since then. Now another car is (legitimately) parked in front of it and there is no room for laundry carts, trash bags, etc. between the two cars. I had been meaning to call the office today anyway (I think notes are just passive-aggressive, and can lead to parking wars), but watching people slide between the two cars finally got me to call, and when it was busy, I finally got up, got a shower, and walked over there. I talked to the leasing agent, someone I've spoken with before, gave her the colour, make of the car, and the licence plate number, my apartment building, and I showed her a picture of the car blocking the stairs. But my voice shook as I said it. It annoyed me, yes, that they did it, but I wasn't actually angry. No, my voice was shaking because I was essentially tattling on someone, and there was fear underneath that. Pathetic, I know. It's just something I have to work on, though. Emotionally I try to appease those in authority and make sure I don't piss off any one else, and there are just times when that doesn't fly. I would make an excellent, loyal dog. But I'm a person, with my own opinions, and I need to start having some confidence in myself. Anyway, the agent said she'd take note of it and if it were still there Monday they'd tag it for removal. In the meantime, I may have to get creative to get my laundry to my friends' house tomorrow. Right now you can walk around the side and back of the car, because there isn't one behind it, at least. But I doubt that will be the cast tomorrow morning.

I had a very slow morning. I just couldn't get up, and I want to go back to bed now. I didn't get to bed till 1 am last night, and I only got about 6-7 hours the night before, I think, since I had to get up early on Friday, but this is a little odd for me. I don't feel sick, just a little run down. I feel like I've been going and going and now my batteries have run down, even though I've had rest over the week and even had a day off. I need to work on the house and the game notes--and I have time, as A isn't supposed to call until he gets back from getting his hair cut so we can go to the grocery around 3 pm or so. But I'm just not feeling it.