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 |  I've maxed out. Closed this blog. |
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This is a way of making myself write something coherent and grammatically correct almost every day. I'm opinionated and need an outlet. I'm also prone to flights of fancy. Thanks for stopping by. |
| I still can't make full use of my new iphone. I learned a lot of cool things about it, but I'm still unable to install free apps. I think I just paid 99 cents for an ap that's advertised as free, too, Audible books. I'm technology challenged. Operating ipods, laptops, and digital cameras is a struggle that I keep trying. The things I do learn only come up once in a blue moon. Another challenge has been to get on a regular exercise plan for more than ten days at a time. I haven't found the right motivation yet, maybe. Getting older is a challenge. And how. Getting tension headaches once or twice a year is a challenge. My current one is starting day 10 (I've tried the exercises, the ice packs, heat, and Tylenol. I've been to several doctors.) By the time I resolve some of the technology issues, the methods will change or upgrades will be necessary. By then my vision will be worse, and my fingers will be stiff. Oh, well. |
| I know there are good things about winter. Bears hibernate, for instance. The ground freezes and that's like a form of cultivating gardens. It breaks up clods and forms new ones. The freeze also kills germs in the top layer of your gardens and flower beds. It makes the sap run in the trees. To some people the bare limbs on trees are ugly and the ground is barren. But I like the look. It has its own awesome beauty. But winter has the down side that everyone knows all so well. Unless you live in a very warm area, you know about frost on the windshield and icy spots on the road. It takes longer to get to work. Some years we get a lot of snow, and some years not so much. When it does snow, there's pathways and driveways to shovel, mailboxes to clear. The years with a lot of sleet and perpetual freeze are the worst. Blame El Nino and get out the Ice-Melt. There's frozen pipes, high heating bills, tires to replace, insulation to put around leaky windows. At the very worst, there's a fender bender on an icy road or parking lot. At my house, if I sit long, I have to have an afghan. I kind of like being cozy under one. When you're up and moving you're warm. But I still appreciate the cold by remembering how I hate sweating it out in July. There's nothing worse than trying to sleep when the air isn't moving, the temperature is stifling, and the humidity has your hair wet lying still. Winter reminds me that none of us stay young forever. Life keeps marching on. In winter, nothing is dead. It may be not as colorful, but quiet and serene. And it's still full of life. Things are still going on, maybe more difficult to see. It may have a risk of danger. But it is wondrous and sometimes powerful. What would spring, summer, and fall be without winter? |
| I get excited when I see older people who are vital and vigorous and accomplishing things. I saw a man who teaches martial arts on TV last night, with white hair. He's retired from the FBI and has been a police detective. He is a black belt instructor, still active and fierce. He was recently a body guard for Chuck Norris while he was traveling. Wow. Not that's an example of gray power. I hate hearing people put down because of their age. I knew a sales manager who had just turned 30. He went out of his way to find fault with all the sales people over 40 until they either quit in anger or he found a reason to dismiss them. He lost some of his best sales people for petty reasons. I believe the base reason was his own insecurity around them, but he would never admit that. I've seen retail clerks and office people give older women around them a hard time. The older ones might have been more knowledgeable, and better liked by the public, but their hearing wasn't as good, or they moved a little slowly. By comparison the younger women were inept and prone to mistakes. Still they had no tolerance for age. One lady told me her mother should quit working so that younger people could have her job. I asked her age, and she told me. Her mother was 3 years younger than me! I was a divorced woman who had to work to pay my bills and to get insurance. I couldn't survive without my job, then or now. But some young people think we have no right to survive I suppose. I like seeing older people physically active or doing volunteer work or having fun together. No one should retire from life or from charity, at least not until they become physically or mentally infirm. Seeing older people working hard and being productive makes me want to cheer. I have a friend who is 90. She still cuts her own grass with a push mower. She trims her own hedges, and rakes her own leaves. Another is in her 80's and has her own share of problems. She cooks food for funerals or people who come out of the hospital and delivers flowers to the home-bound. I once had a landlady who rode a lawn mower at 74 to do acres at her place and her sister's. She went all over the county helping people and did work at her church. Someone said "I hope I'm that active when I'm her age." I answered her, "I'm not that active now, I know I won't be then." Go Gray Power!!! |
| Yikes! I went to the toy store last night and I was shocked. True, there were no toy guns anywhere. But there was a proliferation of swords and knives. And toy caskets! The 18 inch caskets come with a handle and they're for toy vampires. When did children start playing with caskets and vampires? What has happened to the world? Guns are out, but death and the undead are in! And there's a whole series of "Monster High" dolls, including Venus the Fly Trap girl. They have sexy figures, trendy clothing, and fangs. Weird. How can parents be so choosy about some toys, but not others? The dolls are very popular I'm told with elementary school children. So, it's not okay to play soldier or cowboy, but you can play blood-sucking creatures who only cheat and deceive innocent victims, but who are sexy and cool while they do it. What strange values we have in our culture. I think I'll stick with crayons, hula hoops, books, and balls. |
| You may have heard of this. Predictions are that we will have a serious chocolate shortage by 2020. Could be, but it's not necessary. First, cocoa is something we farm. Drought and other farming problems are only temporary set backs. In a few years they are set right again. It may be too late for specific farmers to get right with the bank, but the world supply of any farm product can be made right again, after natural problems. It's not like an animal becoming extinct, or honeybee colonies being wiped out, or minerals being depleted. The problem is that the areas where cocoa is grown have set fees for the farmer (over regulation by the government). But the candy makers and cocoa processors and retailers are still getting their share of profits. The farmer figures he can make more money growing something else, so the small cocoa farmers are not growing cocoa. When there is a shortage of supply, the farmers still growing it will not get increased prices due to the government controls. But the public will still pay more to consume chocolate. The solution is something we can't control. West African countries and others need only lift the limits set on farm prices of cocoa. Let the poor farmer have a larger share of the money made from his crop. Yes, there will be a lot more farmers, but the competition will keep their base prices lower. The public is willing to pay what it must in order to drink cocoa and eat chocolate. |
| I admit I'm not a foodie. But I think a lot about food because I like it so much, too much. I like trying new things. I sometimes regret it later. I never could make myself try the barbecued alligator, but now I think I should have at least tried. I don't like cucumbers, even though I eat cucumber sauce on Greek salads and sandwiches. Today I had Korean tacos! Yes, a Mexi-Korean special. It was advertised a week ago at our hospital restaurant, which is run by Morrison's. They try to be heart healthy occasionally, because of all the doctors and nurses and other dieters. Of course, they still sell lots of desserts and fried onion rings. The Ta-Korean stuff looked healthy, so I tried. It was two flour tortillas, filled with your choice of seasoned beef or pork, kim chee (spelled several ways),cucumbers, and a side serving of cellophane noodles with shredded carrots and something green. You had a option of spicy vinaigrette or Korean BBQ sauce. The BBQ promised to be spicier, so I tried a dab of vinaigrette (which contained soy sauce). It was tasty; I picked out a big pile of cucumbers. I had to do the research. Turns out, the Mexi-Korean or Ta-Korean cuisine started with a food truck in downtown DC. It was so popular in the streets that it grew. Other cities sell it, and there's a stable restaurant carrying it. The seasonings are primarily Korean, but the assembly is Mexican. It's another preppie/yuppie food style. Because it features so many fresh vegetables, it's catching on with the health conscious consumer. Cellophane noodles actually don't save any calories or carbs. They're made with vegetable starch, like greens or beets, instead of flour or corn. The color is gray-brown, although they looked green tinted to me. They are shiny and translucent, hence the nickname "cellophane". Kim chee is a vegetable side, mostly cabbage, that can have many variations, with soy sauce and other flavorings. I had a Korean friend years ago, who was a good cook. She made kim chee amongst other things, and even put the name on her license plate. (She taught me to make egg rolls.) There was some kind of oil on the noodles, but I doubt they paid extra for EVO. Shredded carrots were in everything, and so were onions. I don't have any idea of calories or nutrients. I did try to break it down by known ingredients, and it comes out pretty well. The sodium I'm sure was sky-high. Bottom line, another culture fad has been experienced. It was good. |
| I think a lot of companies make things difficult for us on purpose. Insurance is number one. After you go to the remodeled hospital, for instance, that only offers private rooms, you get penalized by the insurance because there was a hospital with semi-private rooms within 50 miles. Everything needs to be pre-authorized or you get a 20% penalty for that. Not 20% of your normal part due, 20% of the total fee before the deductible and other non-payables. Nedicare? My father is on Medicare and I have tried for years to understand why he has to pay such a huge percentage of his medications, and gets cut off all together about September. They pay next to nothing. He has private insurance, and they pay next to nothing as well. He's pretty healthy with no major problems for someone in his late 80's; but what he pays out of pocket for medicine each year could support me for several months. We're only talking a cheap diuretic, blood pressure pills and several eye drops! I don't know if he's signed up properly or doing something wrong. Then there's the rewards you get from your bank, your charge card, or your cell phone. I have tens of thousands of points with each, and I've never used them. I can't figure them out. It looks like I would be buying merchandise I don't need for normal sale prices if I redeem these points. The ads make it look like I'm really missing out. But I'm afraid to use them. Then there's my cell phone. I don't get it. I use this expensive phone as a phone. Period. I don't text except to one person, and that's hardly ever. I keep it turned off. Today I figured how to turn a picture someone sent to my work computer from a cell phone. I wanted to use it in Publisher. When I finally risked some things, and it worked, I said "Hallelujah" out loud. I didn't think anyone heard me, but the boss was across the hall and laughed. I just explained that I figured out how to do "something". I'm sure everyone else does it all the time. This particular item doesn't fit in with the previous examples, since it doesn't involve money. And I did eventually solve it. But it was more thing over my head, |
| I have many levels of rants tonight. First, my company stayed with Blue Cross but went with a different company in a different state to save money. Our weekly payments went up. Our fees to specialists went up. The percent paid after the deductible went down. That's the beginning. The medical has a separate Prescription card which our Blue Cross company never did before. The Prescription card bears the name of a well-known drug store, even though it's insurance, not a drug store, and is good at any drugstore. Our employees thought it was an advertisement and threw it away! The average working people don't read all those lengthy letters and small print. So now they're paying full price until they can get replacement cards. I have bursitis in both shoulders. I have extreme pain in one of them, and can't close my car door. I have to use the opposite arm and reach across. The doctor hears clicking; I don't. He thinks I may need surgery, not a good option for me. But before he offers alternatives he wants a good picture from an MRI. The insurance will not approve an MRI for me until I have at least six weeks of physical therapy and another doctor evaluation afterward. So I have to suffer for six more weeks without medication or knowing what's really wrong with it. Then if I'm still suffering, I can get an MRI and let the doctor determine what things are available to relieve the pain and let me be productive again, if it's not too late. I'd rather not slowly turn into an invalid. But the insurance company says otherwise. |
| I saw a great inspirational video today. Maybe you've seen it, too. It's about a three year old golfer. This child was born without one arm. His parents were told early in the pregnancy, but as unhappy as they were, they wanted him. He's adapted beautifully. The father, who was more devastated at first, has formed a very close relationship with the son. They let him express himself. At first, he fell in love with golf on TV. He didn't want to switch to cartoons. They got him his own set of clubs, which he carries himself. He uses the nub to help steady the club, but swings one-handed for beautiful, straight drives. His favorite golfer is Bubba. He's met Tiger and Arnold; they think he's terrific. He speaks for himself and isn't at all shy. He doesn't know he's handicapped. No one feels sorry for him, so he doesn't either. He's very accomplished, confident, and friendly. What I liked the most in the video is at the end, when the father, who is so proud, says, "I don't know if golf is just a chapter in his life, or if it's his life story." What an amazing family. To be so open to the possibilities, to be supportive and encouraging, and still remain free of pressure and stress is a testament to this family's love and nurturing. They don't have a handicapped child. They have one who is vibrant, smart, talented, and loved. We can all be encouraged by him to struggle on without complaining. |
| I heard an interesting synopsis of the movie "Into the Woods" today. I haven't seen it, but the individual said everyone in it wishes for something they don't have. Most of literature, movie characters, and fairy tales have people making wishes. In fact, in real life, people generally wish for what they don't have or can't get. Cinderella wishes to dance with her prince. Rapunzel wishes to be free of her tower. The wicked witch wishes to be the fairest in the land forever. You get the idea. It gets the mind reeling about what we wish for. Most of us would agree on some of them. We wish children would never suffer or die from cancer. We wish ISIS didn't exist. We wish there was no need for a word like suicide. We wish there was no such thing as war or terrorism or hijacking of planes, autos, trains, or ships. We wish that no one would go to bed hungry tonight. We wish there was a cure for the common cold, HIV, and Ebola. I saw a woman I know this morning upset and refusing to go home. She didn't recognize her husband and wouldn't leave with him. I knew she was getting forgetful, but this made me cry. I wish no one would have to go through Alzheimer's or any dementia, at least before age 99. I wish no one would get glaucoma. I wish alcoholics could recover, that drug addicts could just say no, that no one would ever start smoking anything. I wish that no one would text and drive, or talk on a cell phone and drive, or drive under any influence. I wish that teachers never had to worry about being attacked, verbally or physically, while on the job. But, hey, let's get serious. I wish I had a stronger singing voice. I wish I could write a noteworthy novel. I wish that I could eat pastries or sausage gravy for breakfast every morning and have gyros for lunch! I wish the hot glazed doughnuts from Krispy Kreme were cholesterol free and low calorie.I wish that staying up late reading or watching old movies didn't make me sleepy the next day. I wish I could meet some of my favorite celebrities. I wish I could travel extensively, but avoid airports. I wish I were rich (even though I know that doesn't solve everything). I can even go back in the past with my wishes. I wish I never had rheumatic fever when I was a child. It could have saved a lot of inconvenience, pain, and expense in the last 18 years, and I could have been healthier and more active in between. I wish my parents had been just a little more comfortable financially when I was very young. I wish I hadn't married the man I did. But welcome to the real world and the present. Wishes don't work out. Once in a while a wish does come true, but we discover it was all wrong for us, or it hurts us even more. Or the fulfilled wish brings a whole new set of problems. It makes us wonder if we had every dream or wish come true, what would be left? Would we get bored? Would there be different wishes? Maybe wishes are part of the human condition, our inability to accept our lives. Wishes might just tell us how unhappy we are with ourselves or our current circumstances. That could be good or not. Just wondering. |
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