As I have already posted today, I will just put up a link to the OneDayBlogSilence site. This is to honor and remember the victims from Virginia Tech . Read more about it at the site. I will now go silent for the rest of the day.
Monday, April 30, 2007
OneDayBlogSilence.com
As I have already posted today, I will just put up a link to the OneDayBlogSilence site. This is to honor and remember the victims from Virginia Tech . Read more about it at the site. I will now go silent for the rest of the day.
Of Birthdays and Other Holidays
The month of May begins on Tuesday and that means several things for me: 1) The Mother's birthday, 2) my oldest daughter's birthday, 3) Mother's Day. I bet you can't guess where we went today!? Yes, we took a trip up-north to bring gifts.
First, we stopped at The Parent's house so that I could give The Mother her birthday and Mother's Day gifts. (I ALWAYS try to do both at once. Why make two trips when I can get away with only one?) They weren't home. Now, I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. We left the gifts at C's house for her to deliver tomorrow--which I certainly HOPE she does, because The Mother's birthday is on Tuesday--so that means I will get a phone call and have to talk to The Mother. I guess a phone conversation with her is preferable to an in-person visit. Anyway, THAT is taken care of for another year. I won't have to go back to their house till the same time next year. (I send K to bring The Father his Father's Day and birthday gifts. I'm not needed for that one.)
I was so very happy to be able to see the grandkids--they are growing so fast. I took some pictures and sure hope they turn out well. K reminded me to take the camera--as he said, 'If we wait for C to send pictures, we'll be waiting forever!'
I managed to find the perfect birthday card for C. I must tell the story behind it, first. When C was in middle school, K was walking past her room--the door was open--and he heard her singing. He looked in and there she was, in front of the mirror, singing at the top of her voice (which, by the way, is VERY good)--and she was using her HANDS as her back-up singers! NO puppets--sock or otherwise--just her hands. He laughed till he almost fell over! As C is one of the most unflappable people I have ever known--even at a young age--we have been able to tease her about this endlessly over the years. And she laughs along just as hard as the rest of us. So, the card. On the front there is a sock puppet and it says 'Happy F(bleep)ing Birthday!' And on the inside it says, 'I wanted to have my sock puppet wish you a happy birthday. I should have known better than to use a dirty sock!' I think she liked the card better than the bag of Jelly Bellys!
First, we stopped at The Parent's house so that I could give The Mother her birthday and Mother's Day gifts. (I ALWAYS try to do both at once. Why make two trips when I can get away with only one?) They weren't home. Now, I don't know if that is a good or bad thing. We left the gifts at C's house for her to deliver tomorrow--which I certainly HOPE she does, because The Mother's birthday is on Tuesday--so that means I will get a phone call and have to talk to The Mother. I guess a phone conversation with her is preferable to an in-person visit. Anyway, THAT is taken care of for another year. I won't have to go back to their house till the same time next year. (I send K to bring The Father his Father's Day and birthday gifts. I'm not needed for that one.)
I was so very happy to be able to see the grandkids--they are growing so fast. I took some pictures and sure hope they turn out well. K reminded me to take the camera--as he said, 'If we wait for C to send pictures, we'll be waiting forever!'
I managed to find the perfect birthday card for C. I must tell the story behind it, first. When C was in middle school, K was walking past her room--the door was open--and he heard her singing. He looked in and there she was, in front of the mirror, singing at the top of her voice (which, by the way, is VERY good)--and she was using her HANDS as her back-up singers! NO puppets--sock or otherwise--just her hands. He laughed till he almost fell over! As C is one of the most unflappable people I have ever known--even at a young age--we have been able to tease her about this endlessly over the years. And she laughs along just as hard as the rest of us. So, the card. On the front there is a sock puppet and it says 'Happy F(bleep)ing Birthday!' And on the inside it says, 'I wanted to have my sock puppet wish you a happy birthday. I should have known better than to use a dirty sock!' I think she liked the card better than the bag of Jelly Bellys!
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Red Wings 3, Sharks 2
I am about the most pessimistic person in the world--I DEFINITELY will NEVER see the glass as half-full--but I really had every reason to be that way for the first 13 minutes of today's game. The Wings played just about the worst hockey I have ever seen! And then they got their first goal--and the tide turned. From then till the end of the game, they played their little hearts out and managed to win with only 1:24 left to the game. The win today gives me hope, but it doesn't turn my pessimism to optimism: they still have to win at least one game in San Jose if they want to take the series. They have a long, hard fight on their hands!
-Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk (13), of Russia, collects the puck to shoot the go-ahead goal against San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov, of Kazakhstan, in the third period of an NHL hockey Western Conference semifinal in Detroit, Saturday, April 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)-
-Detroit Red Wings' Pavel Datsyuk (13), of Russia, collects the puck to shoot the go-ahead goal against San Jose Sharks goalie Evgeni Nabokov, of Kazakhstan, in the third period of an NHL hockey Western Conference semifinal in Detroit, Saturday, April 28, 2007. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)-
And In Conclusion...
Before we got to go in to see Body Worlds 2, we spent some time wandering around the Museum of Science and Industry. While the place was okay, if I had my druthers, we would have been at the Field Museum of Natural History. Now THAT'S a place I could get lost in for DAYS and not want to leave! I don't want too much time to go by before we go back, so that I CAN get to the Field Museum.
Anyway, our tickets for the exhibit were for 5:00pm, the time the rest of the museum closes. By the time we decided we really wanted to see certain things, they were closing--namely, the U-505 submarine and the Pioneer Zephyr (Silver Streak) train. We did walk through most of the museum and found several things that were quite interesting.
In one area of the museum, there are full-sized aircraft suspended from the ceiling. There were several planes from WW2--a German one and a Japanese one. Also, there was a United Airlines Boeing 727--which we got to walk through. It was a bit unnerving to realize you were suspended in mid-air while walking through! Here is a picture of the planes:
The other exhibit that I liked was called The Great Train Story. While I wasn't particularly interested in the trains, the miniature Chicago that the trains went past was really cool. Some of the buildings had to be 5' tall, anyway. (This display was right under the planes.)
On Sunday, we spent three hours at the Ikea store! I LOVE Ikea--such a fun place to explore. Our friends had never been in an Ikea, and we had only been in one once before, so we had a good time.
As we headed back north, we stopped at the Jelly Belly Center in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. We went on the tour--a little lame :)--and bought 'Belly Flops'--'not quite right' Jelly Bellys. It was very touristy, but fun. We got to wear paper hats and ride a 'train' around the warehouse, as we were told the story of Jelly Bellys. (Yes, there is a picture of K and me wearing paper hats. No, you cannot see it. The pic is locked away in a secret underground vault and will only see the light of day when I am skinny and beautiful--or after I am dead. Guess which one will happen first! :)) Here are a couple of pictures from there:
Final thoughts:
The thing that surprised me and flabbergasted me the most on this trip were the tollways in Illinois. You had to pay to get on a road AND you had to pay to get off! It was a little nerve-racking, considering we don't EVER have to go on toll roads. We missed paying at least two tolls--both because we found ourselves in the wrong lane! Now, I am trying to figure out how to pay these tolls--it isn't fun. When you go online to pay, they ask you all sorts of questions that I can't answer: What highway were you on? What exit/plaza did you use? What day did this occur? What time did this occur? What color was the sky at that exact moment? (I made the last one up, but they might as well ask it, cause I won't know the answer to THAT one, either!) Oh, well, I guess I will make up some kind of answers and hope they don't mind--after all, I WILL be sending them money, so why should they complain!
We got home early on Monday evening--exhausted, but happy. Now I get to start planning our next trip: the end of May we will go to see The Lion King! I can't wait!
Anyway, our tickets for the exhibit were for 5:00pm, the time the rest of the museum closes. By the time we decided we really wanted to see certain things, they were closing--namely, the U-505 submarine and the Pioneer Zephyr (Silver Streak) train. We did walk through most of the museum and found several things that were quite interesting.
In one area of the museum, there are full-sized aircraft suspended from the ceiling. There were several planes from WW2--a German one and a Japanese one. Also, there was a United Airlines Boeing 727--which we got to walk through. It was a bit unnerving to realize you were suspended in mid-air while walking through! Here is a picture of the planes:
The other exhibit that I liked was called The Great Train Story. While I wasn't particularly interested in the trains, the miniature Chicago that the trains went past was really cool. Some of the buildings had to be 5' tall, anyway. (This display was right under the planes.)
On Sunday, we spent three hours at the Ikea store! I LOVE Ikea--such a fun place to explore. Our friends had never been in an Ikea, and we had only been in one once before, so we had a good time.
As we headed back north, we stopped at the Jelly Belly Center in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. We went on the tour--a little lame :)--and bought 'Belly Flops'--'not quite right' Jelly Bellys. It was very touristy, but fun. We got to wear paper hats and ride a 'train' around the warehouse, as we were told the story of Jelly Bellys. (Yes, there is a picture of K and me wearing paper hats. No, you cannot see it. The pic is locked away in a secret underground vault and will only see the light of day when I am skinny and beautiful--or after I am dead. Guess which one will happen first! :)) Here are a couple of pictures from there:
Final thoughts:
The thing that surprised me and flabbergasted me the most on this trip were the tollways in Illinois. You had to pay to get on a road AND you had to pay to get off! It was a little nerve-racking, considering we don't EVER have to go on toll roads. We missed paying at least two tolls--both because we found ourselves in the wrong lane! Now, I am trying to figure out how to pay these tolls--it isn't fun. When you go online to pay, they ask you all sorts of questions that I can't answer: What highway were you on? What exit/plaza did you use? What day did this occur? What time did this occur? What color was the sky at that exact moment? (I made the last one up, but they might as well ask it, cause I won't know the answer to THAT one, either!) Oh, well, I guess I will make up some kind of answers and hope they don't mind--after all, I WILL be sending them money, so why should they complain!
We got home early on Monday evening--exhausted, but happy. Now I get to start planning our next trip: the end of May we will go to see The Lion King! I can't wait!
Friday, April 27, 2007
Body Worlds 2--The Anatomical Exhibition of Real Human Bodies
On Saturday afternoon, we went to the Museum of Science and Industry--mainly so that we could see the exhibition Body Worlds 2. When we were in St. Paul for the Clapton concert, the exhibit was just down the street from where we were staying--I had NO interest in it. Then, our friends asked us if we wanted to see it when it came to Chicago and I thought, "Why not." I definitely was convinced that I would not like it. I was wrong. This was one of the most amazing, incredible things I have ever seen.
Soccer Player
When we first walked into the exhibit, I was surprised by the quiet. There were MANY people, but everyone talked in hushed tones--as if we were in a funeral home. Everyone was polite and stood in line to wait their turn--even though this was an exhibit where you just 'milled about.' (Once everyone got used to the exhibit, we all kind of 'loosened up' a bit. Still, everyone acted with a certain degree of dignity and reverence.) In the first display area, there was only one body--and MANY display cases. I was afraid we made a mistake--I wasn't there to look at bones and other body parts in glass cases! Bring on the bodies! And then we saw them.
Male and Female Torso Slices
The 'Ortho Man' was really cool--they had done various orthopedic 'surgeries' on him. There was a knee replacement, hip replacement, pacemaker, artificial jaw, etc. Now, when would a person--other than medical personnel--get a chance to see this? It was neat.
Brain Slice
Ballerina
Soccer Player
When we first walked into the exhibit, I was surprised by the quiet. There were MANY people, but everyone talked in hushed tones--as if we were in a funeral home. Everyone was polite and stood in line to wait their turn--even though this was an exhibit where you just 'milled about.' (Once everyone got used to the exhibit, we all kind of 'loosened up' a bit. Still, everyone acted with a certain degree of dignity and reverence.) In the first display area, there was only one body--and MANY display cases. I was afraid we made a mistake--I wasn't there to look at bones and other body parts in glass cases! Bring on the bodies! And then we saw them.
Ortho Man
A soccer player. Yoga woman. Ring man. Drawer man. A ballerina. Ortho man. Each more fascinating than the one before. There also were many more display cases. Each case held different body parts, organs. We saw diseased lungs next to healthy ones. There was a 'slice' of a breast with cancerous tumors. The entire digestive system was in another case. The entire circulatory system--veins, arteries, capillaries--of the fingers, hand, and arm were display. This last, was in the SHAPE of the arm, but without any bones, muscles, or other 'structure' holding the veins, etc, in place. It is something that has to be seen and cannot be described adequately.
Male and Female Torso Slices
The 'Ortho Man' was really cool--they had done various orthopedic 'surgeries' on him. There was a knee replacement, hip replacement, pacemaker, artificial jaw, etc. Now, when would a person--other than medical personnel--get a chance to see this? It was neat.
Brain SliceSome of the bodies that they 'plastinate' are sliced--as are the torsos and head in the pictures above. There was an entire body that was sliced and displayed spread out--almost like an accordion. Some of the bodies had the organs kind of 'exploding' out of the areas where they are located. The way things were displayed was imaginative, to say the least.
Ballerina
I believe the display I thought was the neatest was: there were two adult 'bodies' with a child. One of the 'bodies' was only the muscles, and the second body was the skeleton and internal organs. The adult 'bodies' were the same person, taken apart. Cool.
The only display that disturbed me at all was the prenatal one. They had unborn babies from a couple of weeks old to 30 weeks. All I could think about were my grandkids--the one who was stillborn and the rest who were premature. There also was a 5-month pregnant woman--with the unborn child in place. It was too emotional for me.
In all, we spent about two hours looking through the exhibit--and if I get a chance, I will do it again. This is something I would recommend for ANYONE to go and see--well worth the time and money. If I could get through it, anyone can.
(There is no age limit on seeing this exhibit. However, I think some children might be disturbed by it. Every parent would have to make the decision based on what they know about their own children. I saw children there from babes-in-arms all the way up. One little girl--pre-school?--had her head buried in her mother's neck. While I didn't hear what the girl said, her mother was saying, "There's nothing to be scared of--just look!" I was disgusted by the woman.)
--All of the pictures I posted were from the Body Worlds site. No pictures were allowed to be taken at the exhibit.--
The only display that disturbed me at all was the prenatal one. They had unborn babies from a couple of weeks old to 30 weeks. All I could think about were my grandkids--the one who was stillborn and the rest who were premature. There also was a 5-month pregnant woman--with the unborn child in place. It was too emotional for me.
In all, we spent about two hours looking through the exhibit--and if I get a chance, I will do it again. This is something I would recommend for ANYONE to go and see--well worth the time and money. If I could get through it, anyone can.
(There is no age limit on seeing this exhibit. However, I think some children might be disturbed by it. Every parent would have to make the decision based on what they know about their own children. I saw children there from babes-in-arms all the way up. One little girl--pre-school?--had her head buried in her mother's neck. While I didn't hear what the girl said, her mother was saying, "There's nothing to be scared of--just look!" I was disgusted by the woman.)
--All of the pictures I posted were from the Body Worlds site. No pictures were allowed to be taken at the exhibit.--
Thursday, April 26, 2007
San Jose 2-Detroit 0
I want to know how a team can get 34 shots on goal and NOT. SCORE. ONCE! I don't know if there is some kind of voodoo magic going on, but this has been a problem for the Wings for too long. Guess they have to pick themselves up, wipe their noses, and show the Sharks just who the dominant team is on Saturday. Go Wings!
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Shedd Aquarium-Chicago
Our purpose for going to Chicago was to see the Body Worlds 2 exhibit, but the tickets we had were for 5:00pm, so we had the entire morning and early afternoon to do other things. We decided to go to the Shedd Aquarium first. We left the hotel about 9:00am and arrived in Chicago about 30-45 minutes later. I was amazed at the amount of traffic--in some places it was bumper to bumper! I never dreamed we would have any traffic problems with it being the weekend--my small-town upbringing showing it's face, I guess. :) I was in awe of the buildings--we have NOTHING to compare here in the UP. Believe me, I had the slack-jawed, wide-eyed look that anyone could read as 'tourist.'
After only ONE wrong turn, we finally found our way to the parking garage for the aquarium, Field Museum, and Soldier Field. When we walked past Soldier Field--which I was told is where the Bears play--I saw the dedications to the veterans and realized why it was called Soldier Field. That was kind of neat. As we walked up to the entrance of the aquarium, we got a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline--the first thing I took pictures of.
Quite impressive!
The aquarium was featuring their lizards and komodo dragon exhibits, so the entrance was covered by a lizard canopy.
As you can see, we were there at a good time--we just walked in and only had to stand in line for a few minutes to get tickets. When we left the aquarium at 1:30-2:00, the line to get in was all of the way down the stairs and way out in front of the lizard's head!
I, in no way, like to do anything on or in the water. You will not catch me swimming, water-skiing, surfing, boating, etc, etc. BUT, I love being around the water and love sea creatures. If I had the space and money, I would own a ginormous salt-water aquarium--so Shedd's was a fantastic adventure for me. Unfortunately, you couldn't take flash pictures in the place, so many of what I took just didn't come out. That, plus despite what I said about no crowds outside, there were enormous amounts of people inside and the opportunities to get decent pictures were few. I did get some okay ones, though.
I was able to get a great picture of the komodo dragon. He was rather beautiful, in a reptily sort of way. I didn't realize just exactly how green they are--and he was very big. He weighed over 100 pounds. A piece of info: komodo's have saliva that will cause infections in whatever they bite. Their saliva, also, has one bad stench--possibly the worst in the animal kingdom. They also are quite cranky--the handlers won't go anywhere near him when he is eating, as he could attack at any time.
We watched the dolphin show--nothing too great. No pictures of the dolphins--they moved too fast! I was surprised to see at least 13 trainers during the show. Now THAT would be a fun job. We also got to see the Beluga whales--there was a baby born not too long ago. Penguins, Pacific otters, sharks--they all were there. I was in heaven!
In one spot, there was a display in the floor. The display was covered by a clear piece of plastic and you could watch the rays swimming right under your feet. Very neat.
I was very disappointed that the pictures I took of the sea horses and sea dragons didn't come out! I didn't even know there was such a creature as a sea dragon! They really aren't all that big--just 6" or less--but they are quite impressive. Here is a pic I found online:
More pictures I took--a moray eel, some starfish, sea anemones, coral, and various other underwater creatures.
This is just one of many varieties of eels that were there--some of them were quite impressive in size! I wasn't aware of the many different colors and patterns they come in. This one is one of the prettier ones:
Starfish are so neat--and who would have known that they come in various colors? Of course, if you look closely, you can see the sea urchins, too.
This was most impressive , as it just waved in the flow of the water. A camera can't capture the true beauty of the colors, though.
Coral is just so awesome--to think a living creature is behind all of that beauty! The aquarium even grows their own!
Salt-water fish are the most colorful there are. Again, a camera can't show the real beauty of the colors.
If you look closely those are--for real!--two fish in the middle of the picture! Most of the pictures I took were of the pretty sea life, but these two guys were just way too interesting to pass up!
We stayed at the aquarium for about four hours and I could have stayed there for four DAYS! A most impressive place. I can't wait to get back there again.
After only ONE wrong turn, we finally found our way to the parking garage for the aquarium, Field Museum, and Soldier Field. When we walked past Soldier Field--which I was told is where the Bears play--I saw the dedications to the veterans and realized why it was called Soldier Field. That was kind of neat. As we walked up to the entrance of the aquarium, we got a beautiful view of the Chicago skyline--the first thing I took pictures of.
Quite impressive!
The aquarium was featuring their lizards and komodo dragon exhibits, so the entrance was covered by a lizard canopy.
As you can see, we were there at a good time--we just walked in and only had to stand in line for a few minutes to get tickets. When we left the aquarium at 1:30-2:00, the line to get in was all of the way down the stairs and way out in front of the lizard's head!
I, in no way, like to do anything on or in the water. You will not catch me swimming, water-skiing, surfing, boating, etc, etc. BUT, I love being around the water and love sea creatures. If I had the space and money, I would own a ginormous salt-water aquarium--so Shedd's was a fantastic adventure for me. Unfortunately, you couldn't take flash pictures in the place, so many of what I took just didn't come out. That, plus despite what I said about no crowds outside, there were enormous amounts of people inside and the opportunities to get decent pictures were few. I did get some okay ones, though.
I was able to get a great picture of the komodo dragon. He was rather beautiful, in a reptily sort of way. I didn't realize just exactly how green they are--and he was very big. He weighed over 100 pounds. A piece of info: komodo's have saliva that will cause infections in whatever they bite. Their saliva, also, has one bad stench--possibly the worst in the animal kingdom. They also are quite cranky--the handlers won't go anywhere near him when he is eating, as he could attack at any time.
We watched the dolphin show--nothing too great. No pictures of the dolphins--they moved too fast! I was surprised to see at least 13 trainers during the show. Now THAT would be a fun job. We also got to see the Beluga whales--there was a baby born not too long ago. Penguins, Pacific otters, sharks--they all were there. I was in heaven!
In one spot, there was a display in the floor. The display was covered by a clear piece of plastic and you could watch the rays swimming right under your feet. Very neat.
I was very disappointed that the pictures I took of the sea horses and sea dragons didn't come out! I didn't even know there was such a creature as a sea dragon! They really aren't all that big--just 6" or less--but they are quite impressive. Here is a pic I found online:
More pictures I took--a moray eel, some starfish, sea anemones, coral, and various other underwater creatures.
This is just one of many varieties of eels that were there--some of them were quite impressive in size! I wasn't aware of the many different colors and patterns they come in. This one is one of the prettier ones:
Starfish are so neat--and who would have known that they come in various colors? Of course, if you look closely, you can see the sea urchins, too.
This was most impressive , as it just waved in the flow of the water. A camera can't capture the true beauty of the colors, though.
Coral is just so awesome--to think a living creature is behind all of that beauty! The aquarium even grows their own!
Salt-water fish are the most colorful there are. Again, a camera can't show the real beauty of the colors.
If you look closely those are--for real!--two fish in the middle of the picture! Most of the pictures I took were of the pretty sea life, but these two guys were just way too interesting to pass up!
We stayed at the aquarium for about four hours and I could have stayed there for four DAYS! A most impressive place. I can't wait to get back there again.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Getting Beautiful Isn't Pretty
I have to thank Yoopergirl for sending me this--it is one funny story!
My night began as any other normal weeknight. Come home, fix dinner, play with the kids. I then had the thought that would ring painfully in my mind for the next few hours: "Maybe I should pull the waxing kit out of the medicine cabinet."
("Cold wax," yeah...right!) I lay the strip across my thigh. Hold the skin around it tight and pull. It works!
Do I hear crashing drums??? Breathe, breathe...OK, back to normal.
I could have amputated my own leg at this point.
Next week I'm going to try hair color......
Sweet Home Chicago
I do not now, nor have I ever lived in Chicago--and I don't want to. But what a weekend! I got to show my true self--that being a small town gal who lives just a block away from Hicksville where I was born and raised. Even though we didn't get a chance to drive the Miracle Mile or the Loop, we were close enough for me to gawk at all the big buildings. I even got to take pictures of the Chicago skyline.
For a bunch of non-city people, we did rather well. We didn't get lost at all--well, almost. I guess you can't call it getting lost if you find your way to where you want to go, but you wind up taking a different route than you were supposed to. This happened a couple of times--only once that could have been a disaster. This was the first time I was a bit disappointed in my Mapquest directions--they just were oh-so-slightly off. The only consequence of that: K and I almost got into a boxing match. But, those adult beverages I consumed helped take the edge off of my being pissed off at him, so all was okay.
Over the next few days I will go on and on and on about the trip--and I will post some pictures. I just had to get on here and say we are back home, the house is still here, the cat didn't pack up and leave out of pissyness that we weren't here to cater to her, and K and I are still talking to each other. What more can you want?
Did I ask what more can you want? Well, I guess nothing today: THE RED WINGS WON THE FIRST ROUND OF THE QUEST FOR THE CUP! Missing the last two games of the series is the only thing that was bad about the weekend--but I've gotten over it 'cause THE RED WINGS WON! Now they start playing San Jose on Thursday for the next round. And I start chewing my fingernails again. Hot damn.
For a bunch of non-city people, we did rather well. We didn't get lost at all--well, almost. I guess you can't call it getting lost if you find your way to where you want to go, but you wind up taking a different route than you were supposed to. This happened a couple of times--only once that could have been a disaster. This was the first time I was a bit disappointed in my Mapquest directions--they just were oh-so-slightly off. The only consequence of that: K and I almost got into a boxing match. But, those adult beverages I consumed helped take the edge off of my being pissed off at him, so all was okay.
Over the next few days I will go on and on and on about the trip--and I will post some pictures. I just had to get on here and say we are back home, the house is still here, the cat didn't pack up and leave out of pissyness that we weren't here to cater to her, and K and I are still talking to each other. What more can you want?
Did I ask what more can you want? Well, I guess nothing today: THE RED WINGS WON THE FIRST ROUND OF THE QUEST FOR THE CUP! Missing the last two games of the series is the only thing that was bad about the weekend--but I've gotten over it 'cause THE RED WINGS WON! Now they start playing San Jose on Thursday for the next round. And I start chewing my fingernails again. Hot damn.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Damn!
Detroit lost at Calgary--again. I'm not feeling very optimistic about the Wings' chances to get past the first round--this really gave Calgary a boost. Unfortunately, Detroit just can't get it together often enough to do what they need to do out west. And if they happen to get past the first round, they have to play out west during the next round. I just don't think it will happen. At least, if they lose the next two games, I won't have to see it.
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Newsy Post
From the title of this post, you can deduce one thing: BORING! While to me, my week has been a bit hectic, other people would say, 'Why can't I have that little to do?' :) Anyway, here is what has been going on in my world.
I don't know what it is about Mondays, but that is when I have to do most of my phone calling--or receive phone calls. A little over a week ago, I went to see our new dermatologist here in town. She is just a sweetheart and I am well pleased with her. (I didn't REALLY have problems with my last derm--I got along well with him. The biggest problem is, he is a little curmudgeonly and you never quite know what mood he is going to be in. And, I think he is close to deciding to retire, so it was time to move on.) She gave me some samples of a new med for my skin and told me to call if I want a prescription for it. I don't know how well the stuff is going to work long-term, but it seemed to help a bit so I called for a prescription. I decided to use the local pharmacy instead of my insurance's pharmacy--after all, it would be nice to help the locals whenever I can. Me calling the office--1st call. The doctor called me back about some test results--2nd call. The nurse called me to say she has a $50 coupon for use on the prescription for the meds--3rd call. The pharmacy called to tell me the prescription CO-PAY was going to be $100 and do I still want them to fill it--4th call. Of course, NONE of these calls were less than 5 minutes in length--more like 10-15 minutes. And there were the normal, everyday phone calls, so I spent more than my share of time on the phone.
To make a long story even longer, the point to all of this. I am VERY grateful for our health/prescription insurance. I am very well blessed and know it--I would NOT be using meds from a dermatologist or allergist if it wasn't for the insurance. Now that I have that out of the way, I have a complaint. The medication that I would have had a $100 co-pay, PER MONTH, at the local pharmacy, will only cost me $45 for a three-month supply if I use the insurance company's mail-order pharmacy. The cost savings is great for me, but in no uncertain terms, the insurance company is FORCING me to use mail-order instead of using local. This just is not fair--either to me OR my local pharmacy. The locals just cannot compete--and the insurance company will not let them. When I order by mail, I get three month's worth of a prescription--when I buy locally, I CANNOT get more than a one month supply at a time. It is not fair. But, I have to go with what will cost me the least. I hate it.
I don't know what it is about Mondays, but that is when I have to do most of my phone calling--or receive phone calls. A little over a week ago, I went to see our new dermatologist here in town. She is just a sweetheart and I am well pleased with her. (I didn't REALLY have problems with my last derm--I got along well with him. The biggest problem is, he is a little curmudgeonly and you never quite know what mood he is going to be in. And, I think he is close to deciding to retire, so it was time to move on.) She gave me some samples of a new med for my skin and told me to call if I want a prescription for it. I don't know how well the stuff is going to work long-term, but it seemed to help a bit so I called for a prescription. I decided to use the local pharmacy instead of my insurance's pharmacy--after all, it would be nice to help the locals whenever I can. Me calling the office--1st call. The doctor called me back about some test results--2nd call. The nurse called me to say she has a $50 coupon for use on the prescription for the meds--3rd call. The pharmacy called to tell me the prescription CO-PAY was going to be $100 and do I still want them to fill it--4th call. Of course, NONE of these calls were less than 5 minutes in length--more like 10-15 minutes. And there were the normal, everyday phone calls, so I spent more than my share of time on the phone.
To make a long story even longer, the point to all of this. I am VERY grateful for our health/prescription insurance. I am very well blessed and know it--I would NOT be using meds from a dermatologist or allergist if it wasn't for the insurance. Now that I have that out of the way, I have a complaint. The medication that I would have had a $100 co-pay, PER MONTH, at the local pharmacy, will only cost me $45 for a three-month supply if I use the insurance company's mail-order pharmacy. The cost savings is great for me, but in no uncertain terms, the insurance company is FORCING me to use mail-order instead of using local. This just is not fair--either to me OR my local pharmacy. The locals just cannot compete--and the insurance company will not let them. When I order by mail, I get three month's worth of a prescription--when I buy locally, I CANNOT get more than a one month supply at a time. It is not fair. But, I have to go with what will cost me the least. I hate it.
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My meds's saga isn't over. On Tuesday I had to go to the doctor's office to bring in the paperwork so that they could fax my prescriptions to the mail-order pharmacy. This helps shortens the time it takes for me to get my meds--by almost a week. So, it was out and about early.
K STILL didn't finish removing the old TV and stand from the living room, so it still was a mess. I, however, DID go out and buy the storage unit for our DVDs--I needed to get them off of the window seat in the dining room. I needed to go grocery shopping and needed some stuff for our trip, so it was off to the stores after K left for work. It is so hard for me to get out of the house at a reasonable time with the time change. I find myself thinking I have all the time in the world because it is still light out, when it actually is close to closing time for some of the stores! And I also was racing against time because the game started at 10:00pm, so I wanted to be home for that--and I made it!
K STILL didn't finish removing the old TV and stand from the living room, so it still was a mess. I, however, DID go out and buy the storage unit for our DVDs--I needed to get them off of the window seat in the dining room. I needed to go grocery shopping and needed some stuff for our trip, so it was off to the stores after K left for work. It is so hard for me to get out of the house at a reasonable time with the time change. I find myself thinking I have all the time in the world because it is still light out, when it actually is close to closing time for some of the stores! And I also was racing against time because the game started at 10:00pm, so I wanted to be home for that--and I made it!
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Today the woman who will taking care of the cat for the weekend came over. My youngest worked for a pet sitter before she moved away, and this business was sold to the woman who is sitting this weekend, so she needed to come by and get instructions and meet me and the cat, etc. For the price of $12, she will feed the cat, scoop the litter, clean up whatever litter is on the floor, clean up any hacked-up hairballs, bring in the mail, bring in the newspaper, water plants, play with the cat, brush the cat, and what ever else I need done! Not a bad deal! Of course, her job is much easier here than in other places: she probably won't even see the cat. To say my cat is antisocial is putting it mildly! Our neighbors--who usually take care of her, and are out of town--have said the only way they know the cat is still in the house when they feed her is the fact that the food is gone the next day. But, the woman said she might sit and read for awhile anyway, just to see if the cat comes out of hiding and wants to make friends. Good luck!
I still have so much to get done before we leave. Between the mani/pedi I need to do for myself--and the other grooming-type stuff I put off too long--I take care of all of the packing and household stuff before we go. I know I have talked about this before, but it is enough of an annoyance to do it again. I appreciate K doing all of the driving whenever we go on a trip. If it was up to ME driving, we would never go anywhere. But WHY do I have to do ALL of the preparations! Cleaning the house, packing, garbage, watering plants, feeding the cat, ironing, planning the driving route, adjusting the thermostat and window blinds, etc, etc, etc. I EVEN have to decide what K is going to want to wear! I just don't understand it. So, while I am doing all of the last-minute preparations--which means packing, feeding the cat, thermostat, etc--what is K doing? Sleeping. What COULD he be doing? Putting gas in the vehicle and going to the ATM. When do those things get done? On our way out of town--which adds another 30, 45, or 60 minutes to our trip! The explanation for this? He is a man.
I still have so much to get done before we leave. Between the mani/pedi I need to do for myself--and the other grooming-type stuff I put off too long--I take care of all of the packing and household stuff before we go. I know I have talked about this before, but it is enough of an annoyance to do it again. I appreciate K doing all of the driving whenever we go on a trip. If it was up to ME driving, we would never go anywhere. But WHY do I have to do ALL of the preparations! Cleaning the house, packing, garbage, watering plants, feeding the cat, ironing, planning the driving route, adjusting the thermostat and window blinds, etc, etc, etc. I EVEN have to decide what K is going to want to wear! I just don't understand it. So, while I am doing all of the last-minute preparations--which means packing, feeding the cat, thermostat, etc--what is K doing? Sleeping. What COULD he be doing? Putting gas in the vehicle and going to the ATM. When do those things get done? On our way out of town--which adds another 30, 45, or 60 minutes to our trip! The explanation for this? He is a man.
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I think I will be able to have the house to myself tomorrow, even though K will not be working. He probably will be driving up north to bring some things to C--among them: the old TV. YAY!!!!! I may have it out of the house before we leave! At least I won't have to be tripping over him while doing what needs to be done--it makes my job a whole lot easier.
I don't know how relaxing this trip will be. To begin with, I will be starting out tired--as I am with every trip we take. Then, we will be rushing around all day Saturday, just so we can do all that we want. We still don't know what we will do on Sunday, but we will travel, at the very least--which is tiring enough. One of these days, I WILL get a vacation where I can do NOTHING but relax--maybe we will get to go to one of those Mexican or Caribbean resorts that you hear about. A nice thought--sitting in the sun, drinking mimosas, reading trashy novels, taking leisurely naps, having massages. Now, THAT'S a vacation!
I don't know how relaxing this trip will be. To begin with, I will be starting out tired--as I am with every trip we take. Then, we will be rushing around all day Saturday, just so we can do all that we want. We still don't know what we will do on Sunday, but we will travel, at the very least--which is tiring enough. One of these days, I WILL get a vacation where I can do NOTHING but relax--maybe we will get to go to one of those Mexican or Caribbean resorts that you hear about. A nice thought--sitting in the sun, drinking mimosas, reading trashy novels, taking leisurely naps, having massages. Now, THAT'S a vacation!
Disappointed, But Not Very Surprised
I have been a bit MIA yesterday and today--I am trying to get things ready for our trip. I was hoping to do a nice, newsy post, but it will have to wait till tomorrow. I am beat!
Just finished watching the game and Calgary won 3-2. It really isn't surprising: Calgary is the best team in the NHL on home ice. And it's not as if Detroit played poorly, it's just that Calgary played much better than they did the last two games. Well, there goes the sweep, but no one expected Detroit to win the series in less than 5 games. Hopefully, they will win on Thursday and then just have to finish them off, at home, on Saturday. I can always hope! And I won't even care if I can't see the game on Saturday, just as long as they win the series with it! (I won't be seeing either Saturday's OR Sunday's games--we won't be home. Boo-hoo!)
Just finished watching the game and Calgary won 3-2. It really isn't surprising: Calgary is the best team in the NHL on home ice. And it's not as if Detroit played poorly, it's just that Calgary played much better than they did the last two games. Well, there goes the sweep, but no one expected Detroit to win the series in less than 5 games. Hopefully, they will win on Thursday and then just have to finish them off, at home, on Saturday. I can always hope! And I won't even care if I can't see the game on Saturday, just as long as they win the series with it! (I won't be seeing either Saturday's OR Sunday's games--we won't be home. Boo-hoo!)
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Phone Calls, Sleeping, Husbands, and Hockey
I got a phone call at 10:00am. Now, that might not mean a whole lot to a lot of people, but to me it is a big deal because THE CALL WOKE ME UP! Yes, people, I was still in bed--and I still had two hours to go before my alarm rang. (I probably would have stayed in bed beyond noon, but the game started at 1:00pm, so...) I used to be embarrassed or ashamed to admit I have lousy sleep habits and that I LOVE to sleep during the day, but no more. See, sleeping at whatever time you want, for however long you want, is a person's reward for raising the kids and getting them the hell out of the house. I raised them, I deserve a reward! And I will sleep when I damn well please.
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The phone call I got this morning was from my friend--the friend who, along with her husband, is going to Chicago with us. Turns out, she was surfing the museum website and clicked on 'buy tickets online' and found out that they were sold out for Saturday morning--when we were going to go! Who ever would have thought that a museum would sell-out tickets to an exhibit?! Anyway, we changed plans quickly and decided to see the exhibit on Saturday afternoon instead, so she bought tickets on the spot. Looks like we will get to the aquarium after all (on Saturday morning)--and, if I have anything to say about it, to the Lush store! (I will feel as if I died and went to heaven when I step foot into the place.) We still haven't made plans for Sunday--we might just stay in Schaumburg and not even drive into the city. We'll see.
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K came home from work this afternoon--overtime again--and when he took his shoes off I noticed he wasn't wearing any socks. That isn't THAT big of a deal, but we still have snow and he NEVER goes without socks. So I asked him what was going on. His answer? 'There are no clean socks in my drawer.' I was just about to call him a liar, when I decided to go and see for myself. Sure enough, no clean socks. (He DID have dress socks, which he had to put on, but no everyday socks.) I then realized I hadn't done laundry since a week ago Saturday! This just blew me away: I actually FORGOT to do laundry! I MUST be getting old!
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In the previous paragraph I said 'when he took his shoes off.' K doesn't walk through the house with shoes/boots--at least not very often. I have him trained very, very well. Just another reason why I wouldn't want to get married again if something should happen--like death or divorce. I raised one, wouldn't want to raise another.
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So now that I have let everyone know how lucky I am with my choice of husband, now I have to complain about said hubby. My forearms are scratched and cut up today--they look like I tried, though not very well, to cut into my veins with a dull plastic knife. And here is the story.
The end of March, K went out and bought the new TV. We then decided to wait till the following payday before we bought a new stand for it. All well and good. This past Monday we went and cruised the stores, looking for what we wanted. On Wednesday, we went and bought the thing, brought it home, and propped the box up in the living room--it was a put-it-together-yourself deal. Fine, it was late, so I was okay with nothing being done. Thursday came and went, Friday came and went, and the stand STILL had not been put together. Finally, last night I decided to build me a TV stand--by myself. Actually, I thought he would take over once I started, but it didn't happen that way. It wasn't hard to do--I have actually done things like this before--it just was time consuming. And somehow, someway, I cut my arms all up. I actually think he got a flash of a guilty look on his face when he saw my arms, but I may have been imagining it. After all, he STILL hasn't removed the old TV and stand and placed the new one on the stand I built. He says he'll do it tomorrow.
The end of March, K went out and bought the new TV. We then decided to wait till the following payday before we bought a new stand for it. All well and good. This past Monday we went and cruised the stores, looking for what we wanted. On Wednesday, we went and bought the thing, brought it home, and propped the box up in the living room--it was a put-it-together-yourself deal. Fine, it was late, so I was okay with nothing being done. Thursday came and went, Friday came and went, and the stand STILL had not been put together. Finally, last night I decided to build me a TV stand--by myself. Actually, I thought he would take over once I started, but it didn't happen that way. It wasn't hard to do--I have actually done things like this before--it just was time consuming. And somehow, someway, I cut my arms all up. I actually think he got a flash of a guilty look on his face when he saw my arms, but I may have been imagining it. After all, he STILL hasn't removed the old TV and stand and placed the new one on the stand I built. He says he'll do it tomorrow.
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Earlier in this post I mentioned 'the game.' The Wings won again!!!!!! The score was 3-1 today and, once again, 'my boy' got a goal! Damn but he is going to be a star some day--and I'll be able to say 'I remember him when.' The next game is in Calgary on Tuesday. It won't be as easy of a game for the Wings--Calgary is VERY good on their home ice. We'll have to see what happens.
--Detroit Red Wings' Valtteri Filppula (51) scores over Calgary Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff of Finland in the third period of an NHL Western Conference quarterfinal playoff hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, April 15, 2007. Detroit beat Calgary 3-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
--Detroit Red Wings' Valtteri Filppula (51) scores over Calgary Flames goalie Miikka Kiprusoff of Finland in the third period of an NHL Western Conference quarterfinal playoff hockey game in Detroit, Sunday, April 15, 2007. Detroit beat Calgary 3-1 to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)**********
Mother's Day is coming up and I have to decide whether I should tell K what I really would want as a gift. The trouble is, I don't know if he would pay the price, so I don't want to ask. Anyway, I want an authentic Red Wings' hockey jersey with Filppula's name and number on it. That's all--nothing more. And K REALLY could get it for me--after all, I got HIM his leather Red Wings jacket as a 25th-anniversary present! And the jacket cost at least twice as much as the jersey--ON SALE! Some day.
Words Fail Me!
I went to read burg's blog, as I do every day, and I had the sweetest surprise--she gave me a 'thinker blog' award. I am honored, thrilled, humbled, and totally speechless! (And if you knew me in person, you would know what an achievement it is to render me speechless!) Now, I am tagged and have to list 5 blogs that make me think. So, here goes:
First, here are the rules--
1. If, and only if, you get tagged, write a post with links to 5 blogs that make you think,
2. Link to this post so that people can easily find the exact origin of the meme,
3. Optional: Proudly display the 'Thinking Blogger Award' with a link to the post that you wrote (here is an alternative silver version if gold doesn't fit your blog).
Now, for the blog's that make me think.
To begin with, I do have to mention burg--although I will not have her as one of my five, simply because she tagged me first. There are more times than I can recall where I have read her blog and thought to myself that she is the child I never knew I had! She can make me laugh, cry, and say, 'You got THAT right!' I would miss not being able to keep up with her life. Thank you, again, for putting me as one of your five.
1) You're Shitting Me, Right?
'Ranger' Tom is the writer of this blog. I have read Tom for years--his was one of the first blogs I read regularly. He is definitely NOT politically correct--and he doesn't care! From his political rants to his funny photos, he is a good read. Tom hasn't been updating as regularly these days because he is in the process of moving and planning a wedding. Tom is getting married to (possibly) the first blogger I read regularly, cantellya. I KNEW there was something between them before they did, and I am thrilled they are together. They are two of my most favorite people I have never met! (I didn't list cantellya as one of my five, because she hasn't been able to post regularly for awhile.)
2) As I See It...And That's All That Really Matters, Isn't It?
Doug is the author of this blog, and he is a funny, funny man. Doug isn't as prolific as other bloggers--he posts once a week--but his stories are good enough to keep you going all week! The stories range from childhood memories--and his best friend Skunky Wilson--to life as a single dad, and the joys of getting older. My favorite stories DEFINITELY involve Skunky!
3) LAZY Blogger
This is one of the most fascinating blogs I read. LZ seems to have been EVERYWHERE--and he takes pictures of all of the places he has been. Now, looking at pictures of exotic places is a great deal of fun, but LZ provides a little background/history of the place where the picture is from. Gorgeous pictures and actually learning something--just doesn't get any better than that!
4) Virginia Belle
VB, like burg, is one of the young 'uns I read. But VB is different from burg--VB is a single girl (woman) making her way through the world. VB can make me laugh, cry, sympathize, and cheer. She also can make me want to give her a 'mother lecture' when I don't agree with something she has done! But, I don't. I am just along for the ride, happy that I am not in that stage of my life! It is interesting to see how the younger generation is living, though.
5) Dazd and Confuzed From Here
Dazd has a blog that is a little of this, a little of that--and it is all good. He writes passionately of soldiers he knows in Iraq, trivia, knock-knock jokes, and various aspects of his life. This is another blog where you can laugh, cry, and everything in between. 'Caption This' photos are hilarious and he puts up some good music videos, too.
While those are my 'five,' I feel awful that I can't list cindi, leazwell, etc, etc. All of the blogs I read are great--otherwise, I wouldn't waste my time reading them! :) So, once you are done checking out my 'five,' head on over to the others on the 'Blogs I Read' list. There's some good reading out there!
I Could've Told Them
Two recent news stories have me all aflutter. So here goes.
DIETS DON'T WORK; MAY EVEN BE DANGEROUS
The University of California has reviewed dieting research and has concluded that dieting does not work. HELLO!!!!!!! For however much this study cost, I could have told them the exact same thing for half the money! Don't think I'm just exaggerating: I have been on just about every diet known to modern man, and I STILL am overweight. Here is a partial list: the Stillman Water Diet, Weight Watchers (several times), South Beach, Atkins, the Zone, Fighting Fat Over Forty, Nutrisystem, Slim Fast, calorie counting, portion control, etc. My favorite was: a blended mix of grape juice and banana drunk before every meal. I don't know if I lost weight with this one, but everyone THOUGHT I did. And that was for one reason: no one could get close enough to me to see what I REALLY looked like--the combination of the two fruits did SOMETHING to the digestive system that you DON'T want to know about!
Another conclusion that the researchers made was this: most people who lose weight on a diet put it all back on in 4-5 years AND gain more, to boot! HELLO!!!!!! You don't think I look this way JUST because I have had a hysterectomy, do you? It is because I'm making up for those times when I was on a diet--I need to eat everything I DIDN'T eat then! And these are the people that get paid the big bucks--go figure.
SCIENTISTS FIND 'OBESITY' GENE
Scientists claim to have found real evidence that people who have two copies of a variant of a certain gene, are more likely than not to be obese. Do I understand what that means? Of course not! What I DO understand is this: overweight--or obesity--runs in families. HELLO!!!!!! Again, I could have told them this for half the money that these scientists were paid. All anyone would have to do is look at pictures of my family, both past and present. My great-grandmother was so chubby, that I couldn't sit in her lap when she rocked in her rocking chair--SHE HAD NO LAP! My maternal grandfather was described as being 'as wide as he was tall.' I have seen many pictures of relatives I never met: all overweight! The Mother has battled her weight all of her life. Both of my girls have trouble with their weight. Guess what? I think it runs in families! What a concept!
The best part of this whole study is this: part of the study group was from Finland. Yessireebob! My entire family heritage is Finnish. Just another thing I have to thank my family for. :)
So, here is my bottom line: I KNOW I will never have the body I once did. Bikinis, Playboy, porn, designer clothes--NOT going to happen for me. That ship has sailed. I guess all I can ever hope to achieve is a healthy-enough body--one that will last for a few more decades, at least. Until then, I leave you with a picture of me. WARNING: It is NOT safe for work--or anywhere else, for that matter!
--Venus of Willendorf (sorry, don't know who to give credit to for this pic)--
DIETS DON'T WORK; MAY EVEN BE DANGEROUS
The University of California has reviewed dieting research and has concluded that dieting does not work. HELLO!!!!!!! For however much this study cost, I could have told them the exact same thing for half the money! Don't think I'm just exaggerating: I have been on just about every diet known to modern man, and I STILL am overweight. Here is a partial list: the Stillman Water Diet, Weight Watchers (several times), South Beach, Atkins, the Zone, Fighting Fat Over Forty, Nutrisystem, Slim Fast, calorie counting, portion control, etc. My favorite was: a blended mix of grape juice and banana drunk before every meal. I don't know if I lost weight with this one, but everyone THOUGHT I did. And that was for one reason: no one could get close enough to me to see what I REALLY looked like--the combination of the two fruits did SOMETHING to the digestive system that you DON'T want to know about!
Another conclusion that the researchers made was this: most people who lose weight on a diet put it all back on in 4-5 years AND gain more, to boot! HELLO!!!!!! You don't think I look this way JUST because I have had a hysterectomy, do you? It is because I'm making up for those times when I was on a diet--I need to eat everything I DIDN'T eat then! And these are the people that get paid the big bucks--go figure.
SCIENTISTS FIND 'OBESITY' GENE
Scientists claim to have found real evidence that people who have two copies of a variant of a certain gene, are more likely than not to be obese. Do I understand what that means? Of course not! What I DO understand is this: overweight--or obesity--runs in families. HELLO!!!!!! Again, I could have told them this for half the money that these scientists were paid. All anyone would have to do is look at pictures of my family, both past and present. My great-grandmother was so chubby, that I couldn't sit in her lap when she rocked in her rocking chair--SHE HAD NO LAP! My maternal grandfather was described as being 'as wide as he was tall.' I have seen many pictures of relatives I never met: all overweight! The Mother has battled her weight all of her life. Both of my girls have trouble with their weight. Guess what? I think it runs in families! What a concept!
The best part of this whole study is this: part of the study group was from Finland. Yessireebob! My entire family heritage is Finnish. Just another thing I have to thank my family for. :)
So, here is my bottom line: I KNOW I will never have the body I once did. Bikinis, Playboy, porn, designer clothes--NOT going to happen for me. That ship has sailed. I guess all I can ever hope to achieve is a healthy-enough body--one that will last for a few more decades, at least. Until then, I leave you with a picture of me. WARNING: It is NOT safe for work--or anywhere else, for that matter!
--Venus of Willendorf (sorry, don't know who to give credit to for this pic)--
Saturday, April 14, 2007
NON-Hockey Trivia
For all who are tired of hockey posts, I give you some non-hockey trivia. As usual, these are from mental_floss.
4 Amusing Celebrity Lawsuits
* During a concert, Kenny Rogers tossed a Frisbee, which hit a chandelier, which crashed down and ... rendered a dude impotent? True or not, the dude sued.
* A casino dealer sued Dennis Rodman for rubbing dice on the dealer's bald head and groin for luck.
* British rock band Led Zeppelin possibly sidestepped a lawsuit by Eva von Zeppelin (related to Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin, inventor of the zeppelin) by playing in her country,
* Penthouse magazine was sued by the following: Anna Kournikova, a nude woman who looked like Anna Kournikova, and a bunch of disappointed "readers" hoping to read about Anna Kournikova.
Not everyone who trains in medicine sticks with it
Take these folks who wisely opted for other fields:
* John Keats: He trained as a surgical apprentice, but was distracted and weakened by tuberculosis and dropped out of training to write poetry.
* Sir Arthur Conan Doyle: A failed ophthalmologist, he based Sherlock Holmes' powers of deductive reasoning on the method he had learned in med school.
* Michael Crichton: He started writing his trademark scientific suspense novels while studying at
* Graham Chapman: This Monty Python alum left medicine for comedy, and the world's a better place for it. Of course, if he'd taken to his profession, we might never have seen such seminal skits as the Ministry of Silly Walks or the Upper Class Twit of the Year Contest.
* Anton Chekhov: In his early career, the playwright alternated between writing and medicine, focusing on one when the other wasn't going well.
How to Tell If a Body is Dead
If your patient fits these criteria, you've probably messed up:
* The patient isn't breathing.
* The patient's limbs are stiff.
* The patient's eyes are "fixed and dilated."
* The patient's skin is blue or paper-white.
* The patient's EKG looks like something out of Flatliners.
* The patient has no reflexes.
* The patient doesn't mind if you hit him upside the head.
But don't despair just yet: A few conditions – hypothermia, for instance – may cause your patient to appear dead by many of these standards, even though he's not.
Trivia
You were expecting this. And you thought I forgot. But I didn't! Here we go people, Stanley Cup trivia! (Trust me, you WILL find something interesting here. :))
--The Stanley Cup was first presented in 1893.
--And it is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes.
--Has logged more than 400,000 miles in travel during the past five years.
--Weighs 35 pounds and stands just under three feet in height.
--Is the only trophy that is passed along from player to player the summer their team wins it. Each player and team management member of the winning team gets to take it home for a day.
--Has visited the White House (several times), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the David Letterman Show.
--Players have used /abused the Cup in many ways. Among them: It has been used as a baptismal font. It was 'forgotten' on the side of the road by a group of players when they stopped to fix their flat tire--it was still there when they went back to get it. Has been used as a cooler at parties. Has had cereal eaten out of it. Several players have tried to see if the Cup 'will float' by throwing it in a swimming pool or lake. (I guess it doesn't.)
--Is the only trophy in professional sports to have names of all players, coaches, management, and club staff of a winning team engraved on it.
--There are 10 women's names engraved on the Cup.
--There are several misspellings on the Cup. Jacques Plante's name has been misspelled five times.
--One name was put on it--and shouldn't have been--and was later "x'd" out.
--Henri Richard won the Cup 11 times.
--Jean Beliveau's name is on the Cup the most times: 17. Ten times as a player, 7 as management.
--It takes 13 years to fill a ring of the Stanley Cup with names.
--In the space for the 2004-2005 season, it is engraved "2004-2005 Season Not Played." That was the year the season was canceled due to a labor dispute.
--Montreal has won the Cup a record 24 times. Toronto comes in second with 13 wins.
--Detroit has won the Cup more times than any other US team. At 10 wins, they are number 3 on the list behind Montreal and Toronto.
--The first US citizen to have his name engraved on the Cup is John Sherf of Calumet, MI. (That is here in the UP!) He played with the Red Wings in 1936.
--To have one's name inscribed on the Cup, a player must have played at least 41 games for the championship team during the regular season, or played at least one game in the finals. There are exceptions--of course--and are looked at in a case-by-case basis.
--It is a tradition that, after winning the Cup, each member of the team takes a lap around the ice while holding the Cup above his head.
--When the Cup travels, it is always accompanied by at least one representative of the Hockey Hall of Fame. When the reps touch the Cup, they always wear white gloves.
--In 1997, the Wings won the Cup for the first time in 42 years. The last time they won was in 2002.
--The Stanley Cup was first presented in 1893.
--And it is the oldest trophy competed for by professional athletes.
--Has logged more than 400,000 miles in travel during the past five years.
--Weighs 35 pounds and stands just under three feet in height.
--Is the only trophy that is passed along from player to player the summer their team wins it. Each player and team management member of the winning team gets to take it home for a day.
--Has visited the White House (several times), The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the David Letterman Show.
--Players have used /abused the Cup in many ways. Among them: It has been used as a baptismal font. It was 'forgotten' on the side of the road by a group of players when they stopped to fix their flat tire--it was still there when they went back to get it. Has been used as a cooler at parties. Has had cereal eaten out of it. Several players have tried to see if the Cup 'will float' by throwing it in a swimming pool or lake. (I guess it doesn't.)
--Is the only trophy in professional sports to have names of all players, coaches, management, and club staff of a winning team engraved on it.
--There are 10 women's names engraved on the Cup.
--There are several misspellings on the Cup. Jacques Plante's name has been misspelled five times.
--One name was put on it--and shouldn't have been--and was later "x'd" out.
--Henri Richard won the Cup 11 times.
--Jean Beliveau's name is on the Cup the most times: 17. Ten times as a player, 7 as management.
--It takes 13 years to fill a ring of the Stanley Cup with names.
--In the space for the 2004-2005 season, it is engraved "2004-2005 Season Not Played." That was the year the season was canceled due to a labor dispute.
--Montreal has won the Cup a record 24 times. Toronto comes in second with 13 wins.
--Detroit has won the Cup more times than any other US team. At 10 wins, they are number 3 on the list behind Montreal and Toronto.
--The first US citizen to have his name engraved on the Cup is John Sherf of Calumet, MI. (That is here in the UP!) He played with the Red Wings in 1936.
--To have one's name inscribed on the Cup, a player must have played at least 41 games for the championship team during the regular season, or played at least one game in the finals. There are exceptions--of course--and are looked at in a case-by-case basis.
--It is a tradition that, after winning the Cup, each member of the team takes a lap around the ice while holding the Cup above his head.
--When the Cup travels, it is always accompanied by at least one representative of the Hockey Hall of Fame. When the reps touch the Cup, they always wear white gloves.
--In 1997, the Wings won the Cup for the first time in 42 years. The last time they won was in 2002.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Detroit 4, Calgary 1
Don't want to get ahead of things here, but the way Detroit played tonight, they can win this series in four! They came out and pushed Calgary around--they didn't wait to get pushed. All around, the game was played nicely. My favorite moment of the game? When 'my boy' got the first goal of the game--his first playoff goal in his first playoff game! It was beautiful. Datsyuk scored a goal--which brought to an end his playoff goal-scoring drought. I loved seeing Zetterberg back on the ice. Granted, he wasn't playing like he did before his injury, but give him time. And Bertuzzi might play on Sunday, so all will be right in my world!
--Wings' Valtteri Filppula (center) celebrates with his teammates after scoring the first goal of the game during the first period. (photo by John T. Greilick/Detroit News)--
This Was Nuckin' Futz
A hockey game is made up of 3 periods. Each period is 20 minutes long. During the playoffs, there are no shootouts, so a tie game goes to sudden-death overtime. Each overtime period lasts 20 minutes--unless someone scores, of course. Last night's Dallas-Vancouver game ended in a tie. They played 2 minutes less than 4 overtimes before Vancouver finally scored to end the game. So, they played a total of 2 and 1/3 games before there was a winner. From the beginning of the game to the end, it was 5+ hours. And they play again tomorrow night. Now THAT is nuckin' futz!
Updating
Our snowstorm finally ended--and now we are in the middle of another winter storm warning! This is supposed to last till tomorrow late afternoon or evening. The snow started just before we left the restaurant tonight and it looks as if we have gotten a couple of inches already. This is the real yucky kind of snow: wet, heavy, slushy. Not a lot of fun. However, it should not be as bad as the last storm. Here is how the totals added up: we got about 49" of snow during the storm and the town where K and I went to high school got 65"! Yep, you read that right--almost 6 feet of snow from one storm! The beginning of this week brought us some record low temps: -1 on Monday and a balmy +1 on Tuesday. I'm still waiting for all of the global warming to hit us here. Just have to keep telling myself that it WILL finally quit snowing--maybe. :)
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We're making plans to go to Chicago a couple of weeks from now. Our friends from Wisconsin wanted to see the Body Worlds 2 exhibit at the Science and Industry Museum, so we agreed to go with them. We will be staying in Schaumburg and drive into the city to see the sights. Of course, we won't be able to do all we would like--after all, we will only be there for two days--but if all goes well, we can always go back. I really am getting excited about the trip. The last time I was in Chicago is when we went on our class trip--and that was a looooooooong time ago.
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I just finished reading Hannibal Rising, the newest book by Thomas Harris. It was quite good--I enjoyed finding out why Hannibal 'The Cannibal' Lecter turned out the way he was. Now I have to re-read all of the Hannibal Lecter books in order. This should produce a few nights' worth of nightmares! :)
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Tonight the Stanley Cup playoffs started. Two of the games went into double overtime (as I am typing this, one of the games is about to go into the third overtime period!), Sidney Crosby was allowed to score only one goal (YAY! Can't help it, don't care for the kid.), and another game was won by one goal--a great start! I watched parts of two different games and I think it is going to be a battle of the goalies--whichever goalie is best and has the good luck, will help his team to the Cup. Much, much physical play--and it will only get worse as the games go on. Detroit plays their first game tomorrow night--guess where I will be sitting! :) Zetterberg WILL play tomorrow, but Bertuzzi is still out with a concussion. It will be nice to see the full team play together--maybe on Sunday.
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One of the good things about watching sports is the commercials. This particular one has been on for a little while, but it is my current favorite--I crack up EVERY time it comes on.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Just For Your Info
I haven't posted OR responded to any of the blogs I read for the last couple of days because my internet has been on and off. It seems as if every time I settle down to some serious internet surfing, the connection goes kaflooey. Hopefully, all will be well later and I can give a few updates. Till then...
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Easter Evening
Here it is Easter in the UP and we are seeing a not-unusual sight: SNOW. Actually, the snow has stopped and the sun was out today--a very welcome thing. K pretty much finished the snow-blowing today--it sure looks as if we got at least 36" in our yard. I'm hoping the local weatherman will give snow totals on tomorrow night's broadcast. I have been hearing reports of at least 48" in some parts of the UP. As of Friday, we have gotten 212" for the year--and with the snow we got this weekend, we probably broke the record for the snowiest April. The only good thing: at this time of year, it will melt pretty quickly.
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Today is the last day of the hockey season. Now we go into the most important part of the year--the playoffs! It has already been determined who Detroit will play in the first round: Calgary. The two teams were even in wins against each other this year, so it is a toss-up as to who will win it. If Detroit can win this round, I think they have a very good chance of going all the way. The bad part: the trip to the west. The good part: Detroit has home-ice advantage. The first game will be played on Thursday or Friday--it will be interesting to see if Bertuzzi and Zetterberg will be playing. If Z isn't playing during the opening game, I would have my doubts as to if he will be back at all this year. Time will tell.
(And the Wings DIDN'T win the President's Trophy--Buffalo did. Oh, well.)
(And the Wings DIDN'T win the President's Trophy--Buffalo did. Oh, well.)
Friday, April 06, 2007
Happy Easter
For those of you who actually have a life and will NOT be spending your time on the computer this weekend, I want to wish you a Happy Easter! Have a great time. Here are some pics I took from Cuteoverload.com--enjoy!
Are you just DYING over the cuteness? :) If not, here is a video--NOT an Easter video, but cute nonetheless.
Datsyuk Signs
The Red Wings have signed Pavel Datsyuk to a new seven year contract--to the tune of $6-7 million a year! I think Ken Holland made the right move on this one--it would have been a disaster to let another team get Pav. Now Pav has nothing more to worry about than playing his best for the playoffs--always a plus. This will give him an almost $2 million-per-year raise in pay. My biggest concern is, what do they do for the rest of the guys? Like Zetterberg, Bertuzzi, Calder? With the salary cap, Detroit is not in the position of buying whoever they want for whatever amount like they were able to do in the past.
I just had to laugh out loud when I read the news, though. During the NBC broadcast of the game on Sunday, Brett Hull stated, ON THE AIR, that Pavel Datsyuk will DEFINITELY leave the Red Wings after this year is over. AND that he will be signed by the Washington Caps because Ovechkin is his best friend! I always knew Brett Hull just talked because he likes hearing himself talk, but this was just too much. Hull has got to be the most annoying person NBC has for hockey games. HIS contract should not be renewed for next year--it would make the game-of-the-week SO much better. Guess you didn't know what you were talking about after all, did you Brett?
Thursday, April 05, 2007
How? Why?
Detroit had 58 shots on goal to Chicago's 19--HOW DID THE WINGS NOT WIN THE GAME? I WATCHED the damn thing and I STILL don't know how they lost! They did, however, come back from a 2-0 deficit to tie it all up--then they lost in the shootout. With the point tonight, the Wings won the Central Division--for the sixth straight time--and are only one point away from winning the Western Conference. There still is a chance they can win the President's Trophy. It now is between Detroit and Buffalo.
Three statements you DON'T want to hear a week before the playoffs start:
1) Zetterberg will NOT play another regular season game this year. (Granted, there IS only one left.)
2) Lidstrom was out with a stiff back tonight.
3) Bertuzzi didn't come back for the second OR third periods tonight because of a strained neck.
Three statements you DON'T want to hear a week before the playoffs start:
1) Zetterberg will NOT play another regular season game this year. (Granted, there IS only one left.)
2) Lidstrom was out with a stiff back tonight.
3) Bertuzzi didn't come back for the second OR third periods tonight because of a strained neck.
{shudder}
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
4 April 2007
Okay, people, look very closely at the title of this post. It is the FOURTH day of APRIL. Got that? I had to emphasize that because we are in the middle of a blizzard here in the grand old UP of Michigan. It started yesterday with rain turning to ice/snow and then snow and high winds. We have gotten, at the very least, 12 inches of snow. The winds have been gusting to 50 mph and there are whiteout conditions and drifting. And, this is supposed to continue through Friday--at least the snow. So, for all of you who will be wearing your new Easter clothes and Easter bonnets on Sunday, think about us here in our winter hats, mittens, scarves, and boots--and be happy your weather is springlike! It is great to live in the UP--at least the weather continues to produce a lot of excitement. :)
*UPDATE: Here in the city, as of 6:00pm, we received 15" of snow--with more coming. There were parts of the UP that got 24" of snow with this storm--and they continue to get more. It will be interesting to see what the totals work out to when it is all said and done. K isn't sure whether he should try and do the snow-blowing tonight or wait until tomorrow when it is supposed to start slowing down. The dilemmas of winter weather!
*UPDATE #2: It is now after 11:00pm and the snow just keeps on coming. We have a drift in the backyard that is only about a foot or two lower than the window in the breakfast nook. The only good thing is this: when it starts to melt, it will only take a week for it all to go. And to think, I just talked to our 'lawn guy' last week and we were planning on when he would be here to do the spring clean-up! He thought he would be able to do it next week. HA!
*UPDATE: Here in the city, as of 6:00pm, we received 15" of snow--with more coming. There were parts of the UP that got 24" of snow with this storm--and they continue to get more. It will be interesting to see what the totals work out to when it is all said and done. K isn't sure whether he should try and do the snow-blowing tonight or wait until tomorrow when it is supposed to start slowing down. The dilemmas of winter weather!
*UPDATE #2: It is now after 11:00pm and the snow just keeps on coming. We have a drift in the backyard that is only about a foot or two lower than the window in the breakfast nook. The only good thing is this: when it starts to melt, it will only take a week for it all to go. And to think, I just talked to our 'lawn guy' last week and we were planning on when he would be here to do the spring clean-up! He thought he would be able to do it next week. HA!
Did He Or Didn't He? Or Does Anyone Really Care?
"The strangest thing I've tried to snort? My father. I snorted my father. He was cremated and I couldn't resist grinding him up with a little bit of blow. My dad wouldn't have cared. It went down pretty well, and I'm still alive."
Keith's rep said it was said as a joke. "Said in jest. Can't believe anyone took [it] seriously."
Don't Want To Jinx It, But...
I am smiling--Detroit won 3-0 tonight and it looks as if they will win the Central Division. There is even a real good chance that they will win the President's Trophy again. If they get the President's, they will be the first team in 30 years to win it three years in a row. Whether they win the trophy or not, I have to just smile over the fact that they have done so much better than anyone thought they would this year. Two games and then the playoffs!
Now, back to reality. The Wings sucked--BIG TIME--tonight. The ONLY reason they won was because Hasek played as well as he did. It was as if he was the only player for the Wings for the first 40 minutes! This is not a way to win a Stanley Cup, guys! The third goal was an empty-netter, so that isn't even something to factor in to the way they played.
Zetterberg probably won't play till the playoffs. I know, that is said almost every day, but it seems to be a done deal the closer it gets to the end of the season. The only bright spot is this: at least he HAS been practicing with the team lately. That should go a long way toward helping him get back into the game.
Now, back to reality. The Wings sucked--BIG TIME--tonight. The ONLY reason they won was because Hasek played as well as he did. It was as if he was the only player for the Wings for the first 40 minutes! This is not a way to win a Stanley Cup, guys! The third goal was an empty-netter, so that isn't even something to factor in to the way they played.
Zetterberg probably won't play till the playoffs. I know, that is said almost every day, but it seems to be a done deal the closer it gets to the end of the season. The only bright spot is this: at least he HAS been practicing with the team lately. That should go a long way toward helping him get back into the game.
Monday, April 02, 2007
A Runaway, Strange Noises, and A Cell Phone Story
C called yesterday to tell me all about the trouble she has been having with the 2-year-old boy. It seems as if he is back to his old 'runaway' tricks. He had let himself out of the house no less than three times yesterday--at one point she found him less than a block from main street! There he was, shoeless, sockless, droopy pants, and a short-sleeved T-shirt, running down the street. The way he gets out of the house is: he drags a chair to the backdoor, uses something (a toy or other object) to force the hook-latch open, puts the chair back where it belongs, and then sneaks out of the house. She was at her wits end. Today they went out and bought different locks, etc, for the doors and so far they are working. She gives it about a week, two at the most, before he figures out how to open them--and then it is back to searching for a way to keep him in the house! Her biggest fear, of course, is him leaving in the early morning hours while she is sleeping--something he has been known to do. I DO feel sorry for her.
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The other day I was sitting here in the computer room, reading my mail, when I began to hear some strange noises. The noises weren't very loud, but kind of annoying and a little unsettling. I knew there weren't any TVs or radios on and I was the only one in the house. Of course, I went to make sure I hadn't turned on a TV and forgotten about it and I checked to make sure it wasn't unusually windy outside, but I got no explanation for the noises. So, I sat back down to continue reading my mail and heard the noises again. I sat very still and strained my ears to see if I could find the direction of the noises when I realized they were coming from very close to me. I looked down and there was the cat--and sure enough it was her making the sounds. She was doing something between a snore and stuffy nose sound--a first for her. I guess that's what happens when you get old, you start making old-people noises! I suppose the next thing she will learn to do is pass gas--just what I need.
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Doug posted a funny story about his cell phone going off during church services and that brought to mind my cell phone story. Because it ISN'T a funny story, I had to tell it here instead of in his comment section.
About six years ago, I turned my cell phone off during a church service. Later that day we had to leave town--our youngest had a medical appointment. We were only going to be gone that night and would be home late the following evening, so we didn't mention our trip to anyone other than some close friends. When we got home, our caller-id phones and answering machine were blinking faster than we ever had seen. Obviously, someone was trying to reach us. This was when I realized I hadn't turned my cell phone back on--which I promptly did and found the numerous messages left for us. It turned out that K's sister was trying to call us to say that his mother had passed away. The entire family was pissed at us: 'Why have a cell phone if no one can get hold of you?' Because of that, I never turn my cell phone off--AND I set the call-forwarding feature on our landline phone when we go out of town, just so I WON'T miss any more calls. DON'T need to go through THAT ever again!
About six years ago, I turned my cell phone off during a church service. Later that day we had to leave town--our youngest had a medical appointment. We were only going to be gone that night and would be home late the following evening, so we didn't mention our trip to anyone other than some close friends. When we got home, our caller-id phones and answering machine were blinking faster than we ever had seen. Obviously, someone was trying to reach us. This was when I realized I hadn't turned my cell phone back on--which I promptly did and found the numerous messages left for us. It turned out that K's sister was trying to call us to say that his mother had passed away. The entire family was pissed at us: 'Why have a cell phone if no one can get hold of you?' Because of that, I never turn my cell phone off--AND I set the call-forwarding feature on our landline phone when we go out of town, just so I WON'T miss any more calls. DON'T need to go through THAT ever again!
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