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Wednesday, October 22, 2008

10:31AM - Commercialization and Capitalism of Tragedy?

Phil and I sort of have this unspoken practice not to watch the news at night because the news hardly reports anything uplifting or positive. Not that everything reported in the news has to be positive but I think most out there will understand what I mean.

Contrary to this norm every once in a while there is a story that intrigues. We had just finished watching Fringe a sort of X-Files for the 2000’s when the featurette for the news mentioned that one town in MA had made September 11th a holiday. Curious about this we watched and waited for the story.

In short, the story is that the police department (200 Officers) of Peobody, MA had it written into their contract to be paid time and a quarter for working on September 11. Now the fire department is looking to have the same “deal” written in for them during their next contract negotiation.

I am so mixed on this issue and I can certainly understand the flack that the Peobody Police are getting over it.

Firstly let me begin just by saying that I highly respect those in law enforcement that strive to keep people like me safe, firefighters who strive to save lives and livelihoods, and teachers who are responsible with the education of the next generation. They all have the hardest jobs one could ever have.

I applaud the idea of making September 11th a holiday of remembrance, and community service promoting unity and peace.

I feel that though they are perhaps going about it the wrong way the Peobody Police have the right idea in the hopes that other cities and towns in our nation will follow suit. After all Massachusetts to some extent recognizes such holidays as Bunker Hill Day, Patriots Day etc. which few if any other constituencies recognize.

Where I find issue is of course where most are finding issue. The whole time and a quarter. I don’t like the idea of creating a holiday just to commercialize it. We have enough holidays that have become commercialized. And we have plenty of holidays that are holidays without people getting extra money for working.

When the segment ended they actually wrapped up by saying that the fire departments was looking to make the same “deal”. That just bothered me and still does enough at this moment that I felt it needed a journal entry. Surly they could have at the very least come up with a better choice of words. Ho hum.

Current mood: annoyed

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

4:37PM - That’s why God had emergency breaks invented

For some reason I have noticed over the past few weeks how people treat each other. Why the epiphany and why Oprah chose to do a show on it last week (no I don’t watch Oprah but was flipping the channels last week when home sick)is anyone’s guess though I find the Oprah coincidence kind of funny.

I think maybe it has to do with the fact that Breina is about to turn 1 in a few weeks. I just shipped her gift. I really hope she likes it. At this age she would probably be more content with box then anything yet I feel that since I got it monogrammed with her name as she gets a little older being a little one she would enjoy having something warm and snuggly of her very own and no one else’s. But I digress.

I find myself wondering as a far away aunt about the sort of strides she is making, what she is discovering and what she is learning. She was such a smiley delight when I met her. And I find that even though I have only met her once I miss her. I do however find much delight too in all my soon to be nieces and nephews ranging in age from 2 ½ to having a nephew in college (wow).

Though I have always been good with kids it has caused me to pause. Not in a biological clock is ticking sort of way because with certainty I am not ready for children yet, not for a couple of years I think. It is very questionable whether Phil and I actually can have kids but that is a different subject entirely.

I find myself noticing little ones more particularly their innocence and curiosity and the yes even so little they are people too, with all the little personality quarks that go with being a person.

I notice this not just in the munchkin ages but in young people in general. I like noticing how care free they are, how they have this unabashed sense of the world being a big play ground. It has caused me to realize I think something very positive for myself. Or maybe to say best that I have discovered something about myself in the past couple of weeks that I think I have discovered before only to forget and discover again. It is in a word a delight. It is also too a warning.

It is a delight to know that even with my lack of childhood and how rough it was for me growing up, I haven’t lost joy. I haven’t lost contentment like so many that forget about the simple things when they grow up and find more to be miserable about in daily dull drums of life then to find joy in even the littlest of things.

It is a warning to remember to enjoy the joy and that the world isn’t always roses so be cautious and carful when caring for you and your joys. A warning to never take the joys for granted. A warning to remember to appreciate your joy.

Yesterday is a prime example of what I mean. I was in the elevator of my office building going up to my office when a young child (not more then 3) and her mother got on the elevator. The child clung shyly to her mother as one would probably expect. As I was about to press the button for my floor I suddenly stopped and turned to the mother. Becoming acutely aware of children’s simple joys. “Does she like to press the button?” I asked. “Why yes.” The mother answered a little shocked at the question. “Its one of her favorite things.” I bent down and asked the girl if she would like to press the buttons to our floors. The child to a brief look at her mom and shook her head to me in a delighted yes fashion. I pointed to the button I needed pressed (10) and her mom did the same (8). With great pride and a smile the little girl walked up to the numbers console and pressed both buttons.

Later that day I was in another elevator heading above ground from the T. A mother and her two children (or maybe one was her child and her child had a friend) walked in with me. The two girls were asking some questions about the nature of people. One girl turned to me and said that sometimes people can be really mean can’t they? I responded that while that is true there are many nice people too. She agreed.

The mother seemed to appreciate that her question had not been met with the cold silence of someone trying not to pay any attention. Then out of the blue as we were riding up the girl asked me why the windows had small X’s. I was a bit perplexed by the question as I didn’t see any X’s on the windows. This was until we reached the top floor above ground. The outer doors of the elevator’s windows had within it a wire weave of X’s. This particular one had a small piece of cracked glass in it. It then dawned on me the answer that the weave was probably so people would have a hard time breaking the glass. This she and her friend seemed to understand and the threesome and I parted ways. I remember thinking as I was making my way to Star Market that its interesting the things people notice because I certainly given the X’s notice or thought before.

This morning during my commute to work as I was thinking about this journal entry the train came to a lurching stop. It wasn’t violent in the sense that people went flying but it was just jarring enough for people to notice. I recall hearing someone say that if the train were an elevator the cable would have snapped with a jolt like that. Rather than thinking about how negative and morbid the comment made was, I just had a single thought come to mind. That is why God had emergency breaks invented. (God had invented us and gave us free thought, free will, and the knowledge to invent breaks ourselves lol).

As I stepped off the train at my stop I could hear over the blast of Goo Goo Dolls in my ears the sound of the banjo man. The banjo man as I have come to call him in my brain strums his banjo singing most mornings. Typically you will hear more than once “Jesus woke you up this morning, praise the Lord.” Indeed you will hear it more than twice, three times, consecutively. By the tenth time most are probably thinking enough already but I have come to appreciate his words because after all I did wake up this morning. It didn’t have to happen but it did and I think that regardless of how you think that comes to be, it still warrants appreciation.

I guess what the moral of this is (for me or for whomever chooses to read and subsequently read into this) if you haven’t taken time to appreciate all that’s good in life (no matter how small) time for you to apply your personal set of emergency breaks because you aren’t promised tomorrow.

Me? I have a happy home with a man who I love and who loves me. Yeah, I’m all good. :)

Current mood: happy

Friday, October 17, 2008

4:56PM - A Seasonal Holiday

I love holidays and I love too the change of seasons. Yes I am one of those people that decorate according to seasons and respective holidays (within reason).

Because of the unpacking and organizing I haven’t of course had any chance to do that. I haven’t had a chance to do a lot of things but you can be sure of one thing…All the fall décor I have will be out in time for our housewarming. You can be sure of that. November 22nd. I am soooo looking forward to that.

Current mood: happy

3:51PM - The Lily Pad Bunny Hutch Village A.K.A. “The Village”

Our home sweet apartment, oh how we love. You know the old saying “A bird may love a fish but where would they build a home together?” Well a Bunny loves a Frog (and vice versa) and we got one.

It was totally worth the wait, aggravation and adventure in its getting too (read herein for that story – abridged version just to catch up those that didn’t know all this was going on.).

Our apartment was supposed to be ready in August but we found out that the tenants wouldn’t or couldn’t move till the September 1 deadline. Naturally because of this development it all had to be very timely and naturally Murphy’s Law (whatever can go wrong…will.)had to play its hand. It was anything but timely.

Fast approached September 1st. Phil and I learned the week before we were to move in (and had to be out of our respective apartments) that the then tenants of our new apartment had not only not left but were not going to leave. This left Phil and I in a truly precarious position as I had to be out of my apartment September 1st because of an incoming tenant and he needed to be out of his for renovations to begin. Fortunately for us his landlord let us stay at Phil’s place while we sorted things out. Unfortunately for us we had to throw the majority of our stuff in storage and I had a three hour commute a day to be able to go to work, not to mention one hell of an expensive T-Pass for the time being. And as they say when it rains it pours because during all this my grandmother passes away.

It wasn’t all bad. Phil and I were still under the same roof together (yay!) and the circumstances allowed so that we could cat sit for a couple friends who were going to Florida for a week. (shout out to Tricky, Little Bite, and Dragon – want a cookie? Or maybe just swing you off the balcony for old times sake? J/K . I wouldn’t hurt a fly….SPLAT!!!) We also got to spend a weekend with friends on the cape. But I digress…

Just when we thought we were going to have to start from square one on the apartment search we learned the tenants or should I say squatters had been removed from the apartment and our new move in was set for October 1. During this time I had been learning from our new land lady the sort of state in which they left the apartment (which was one reason we couldn’t move in right away.) Just to name a few things she did without complaint (as she felt very bad about the whole situation and our particular innocent position in it) She had the floors refinished, repainted, redid the ceilings, replaced the blinds and pretty much cleaned the place top to bottom.

So on the last Saturday of September, when it was rainy (and I do mean rainy) and cold and windy. A group of some of the greatest people I have ever had the pleasure of being friends with helped us move our crap (I mean stuff) without complaint.

When we moved in we noticed a plug in our bedroom wasn’t functioning and for whatever reason the shower (though everywhere else in the apartment would) wouldn’t produce hot water. It took one call and our land lady and she was right to work getting a plumber and an electrician out to fix the things that need fixing.

The plumber informed us that the knob installed was done incorrectly and a piece had shifted preventing the knob from turning and allowing hot water. Jokingly we agreed not to ask ourselves or each other how the previous tenants washed themselves or their toddler. – All fixed now though the plumber left our bathroom in the kind of state that still has Phil and I cleaning.

The electrician said that the line to the plug was dead so he had to run a new line by cutting into the wall – we joked with him (because he cleaned up the mess pretty well) that the plumber was shall we say less considerate. He said agreeably and with a laugh that yes while the plumber is a slob and sometimes arrogant he is still one of the best in the business. Plug is all fixed now but we have blotches of unpainted spackle on our bedroom walls – heh an excuse to repaint sooner rather than later as planned lol.

All in all the place has its quarks and its character as Phil and I do so it fits us very nicely. It’s also very nice to have a very responsive, kind landlady who is as attentive to concerns and requests as I have ever seen any landlord. You can definitely tell she cares about the space as much as we do and that is a very good quality to have in a landlord.

Slowly but surely things are ending up in their proper places and in their proper ways. Things have been a little slow going in that department particularly this week since Phil and I have not been feeling well. We both have sinus infections and Phil is just ending a not so fun bout with conjunctivitis. With all the stuff we are both taking (thank you doc) we are only now just starting to feel better

Tomorrow our friend “The Captain” who lives down the street is coming in the morning for breakfast (I’m making muffins :) )and to help us put the French desk together. Given the fun that was had the first time it was put together (and the taking a part for the move) I expect a fair amount of snippiness and cursing on my part LOL.

Current mood: giddy

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

10:28AM - Grandma’s Obit - I think she would have liked it.

Here in is my Grandma Jane's Obit. Written cleverly by my Aunt Anne it explains (in a nice way) the sort of person my grandma Jane was. Yes I have seen the picture. Though I have no idea how they got her to do it LOL.

Jane Louise Ashcraft was born in 1913 and grew up on Madison's east side. As a sixteen year old she met a lifeguard, George Kroncke at "Suicide Beach". After graduating from the UW Madison with a degree in Home economics specializing in making dinner reservations, George and Jane were married at the home on Lake Monona where they raised four children, Tom, Ann, Gretchen and Fritz. Jane also has 11 grandchildren. She and George would boat out to Jack Burke's steakhouse and visit friends around both lakes. Jane fought against the power company's increased hot water discharge into Lake Monona near BB Clarke Beach to protect her children from falling through the ice while skating. The snow fence and log boom that are still placed around the MG&E outlet off Livingston St. wear a result of her efforts. Jane entertained lawyers, judges and their wives often along with her neighbors the Muellers other lifelong friends. In 1986, her husband passed away. Jane continued to be active with neighbors and eventually remarried to Bob Huegel, who also lived on Rutledge St. They had five happy years of marriage. In celebration of her ninetieth birthday, Jane was photographed dressed in leather chaps riding a Harley. She will be remembered for her loyalty to family and friends, sense of fun and love of good Manhattan.

Current mood: cheerful

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

2:35PM - The Three More Days Day

Its funny when life is so busy and you wake in the morning feeling like you have lived a month’s time in a matter of days.

I fell asleep exhausted yet again last night; out before my head even hit the pillow. Monday didn’t feel like a Monday, yet it didn’t feel as though it were any other day either. It didn’t have the damn it’s only Tuesday Blues. It didn’t have the Hump Day half way through the work week and another half to go. It didn’t have the Who Cares about Thursday? Tomorrows Friday, or the freedom you feel when it is Friday. So what was yesterday? A non-designation day? If so it felt that way more than once yesterday at least.

But before I go there let me tell you about the weekend. Friday my office made the migration over to Microsoft Outlook from our Groupwise System. This transition meant that those in the office could not use our computers. Translation? Becca got to leave at 4pm and take an earlier train to see her Frog.

Saturday Phil and I went with a few friends to Portsmouth New Hampshire. I had never been and was sooo looking forward to it. What a lovely little seaside town. It reminded me a lot of the cape.

Sunday was full day. First bright and early was Yard Sale Number 2 – the extended edition. A. K. A. Crap Sale (2). I guess its true what they say “One person’s junk is another person’s treasure.” Terri joined us again for this round 2 where Phil’s family who had no time to drop off stuff for the last yard sale encouraged the second one. They gave us their stuff the night before and that morning and said we could keep the proceeds. (though to Aunt MaryAnn’s suggestion – use proceeds for dinner so at least you won’t have to worry about food with everything else you are doing today.)

After sitting in the virtual ghost town setting of Waverly Road under the blazing hot sun (and I have the sun burn to prove it) for 2 ½ hours we were ready to call it quits. We curbed what didn’t sell and walked away with $20 in proceeds which we used for gas. Terri was kind enough (this all taking place on her husband Bob’s birthday no less) to help Phil and I load up his car with stuff to take to the storage facility back in Somerville (long story on why we had to get a storage facility for those that don’t know – long and short of it being the new apartment we are moving into isn’t ready yet).

It was a race against the clock since the storage facility closes at 5pm on Sundays. We were hoping to get a load of Phil’s stuff and two loads of my stuff (since I am way geographically closer) in before that deadline. In the end we got a load each but as they say 2 out of 3 ain’t bad. We even managed to have a little bit of fun while carting our stuff up to 5th floor locker. It was not a fun discovery to find many bees roaming about (something about they like the wood and old plaster – and me being deathly allergic). It was fun when it being dark and spooky how you could hear the echos of everything (Phil did his Eagor impression “This way master.”) knocked on the storage door next to ours (and I said how it would really be something if someone knocked back), and Phil wanting to ride to the elevator on the empty cart. (yeah hes so cute. :) )

When we came home (my house) we were not only starving not having eaten all day but we really wanted a shower (we didn’t smell or anything we just felt gross – and who wouldn’t with all that moving and lifting). In short order we decided food first. Not wanting to go the norm of Chinese, Pizza, or Subs we settled on Indian Food. As we walked to Davis Square a gleeful smile came over Phil’s face. I asked him about it and he said “This is really happening isn’t it?” and I answered with an equally gleeful smile saying “Eeeee Yup”.

When we came back to the house we were so overcome with exhaustion it was nap time. 1 ½ hours later we got up for a shower then crashed again on the couch half awake. My mom called around 7:30pm to let me know that my grandmother was in end of life hospice, in a coma, on oxygen. It would only be a matter of hours or maybe days. This news wasn’t wholly unexpected. My grandmother has been growing steadily more frail and in poorer health for years. (My mom would try to goat me into a visit saying how this could be the last time to see grandma all the time.) She’s led a long full life into her mid 90’s and I knew this last visit would likely be the last (went to visit in February – She got to meet Phil)

Phil said maybe we should go out there (to Wisconsin). I said that we were smack dab in the middle of a move and even if we weren’t we didn’t have the money for it. That if we are needed my mom would let us know and based on that we can decide what to do.

Yesterday I called my mom to check in and see how things were. She had just come back from the funeral home. There was a bit of confusion at the start of our conversation because she thought I already knew my grandmother passed (8pm the night before). I didn’t but she did know that because she recalled talking to me but not the time as she had spoken to so many people that day. She mentioned that starting today (Tuesday) she would ready the house to sell. I told her it could wait but she doesn’t want to wait. She also mentioned that she was upset with my brothers because they hadn’t returned her messages. That she didn’t care if they hated their grandma, that her mother just died and they should call. She was like “At least you call to see how things are. You call back.”

She doesn’t need Phil and I to come out and if she changes her mind I know she will let us know. My grandmother is being cremated today and there will be a service a week from today (Tuesday) with a party following at the Avenue Bar (one of my grandma’s favorite places to eat).

Later that night after work my friend Mike and I loaded his car to rush a load of stuff into the storage facility that was to close at 7pm. Once that was done we went back to the house where he took the favors off my hands to store until Phil and I can get into the new place and I grabbed my digital camera to take detail pics of the wedding dress for my head piece maker. After taking the pics and dropping the favors off at Mike’s house we went to the 99 for dinner. There I toasted my Grandma Jane with a Sea Monster Martini. I think she would have liked that.

Ok so now on to my feelings about all this, and you can be sure I have plenty.

My grandmother and I were never what you could call close by any stretch of the imagination. It’s not like she was this unhappy shrew that didn’t like anyone or anything but she was far from the warm loving grandma a child is supposed to have. She was what I would call stringent. A socialite that believed children are to be seen but not heard. Old fashioned in never showing emotion (I think I only ever heard her laugh once) etc. As children my brothers and I couldn’t understand it (nor even to this day could I tell you where it came from – too much to say it’s the generation) She was never particularly affectionate or anything really warm. Still in her way I see now what I could not then. That in her own way she did care. Not much maybe, but a little.

She was strict about her afternoon tea but after a while I actually began to enjoy it (when I was older), she showed me the proper way to clean fish (when I went fishing on the dock – lake front property), and that if you bury the heads its excellent organic fertilizer. When I would go visit as a child (usually 2 weeks out of the year in the summer) she would have bananas on my plate at every meal. I couldn’t leave the table till I ate them. I think this was her way of trying to assist in some of my health issues (one being an iron deficiency). Now I like bananas but I can tell you after 2 weeks straight of 3 meals a day having bananas at every meal I didn’t look at another banana for six months after each visit.

My brothers still to this day don’t like grandma even a little. Ben never liked the manual labor she would make him do. Big jobs and the pay wasn’t up to par. (Carry an air conditioner up three flights of stairs, install and get a quarter. – Build a brick walk in the back yard over a two week period, get 5 bucks kind of thing).

Micah my eldest brother never forgave her for her reaction when he crushed his fingers in the garage door as a kid. (Not even still to this day) I don’t remember what it was. Something in the “Oh that’s nice dear.” sort of tone. You know when he tells that story he never tells how he was playing with the garage door at the time and she probably thought served him right when she had told him to stop and he didn’t.

I hope that now she is gone they will stop holding such petty grudges.

On to the whole selling of the house thing. I wish this wasn’t happening. My family has been in that house over 5 generations. Its primo lake front property on protected land, a park across the street and you would never think you were 10 blocks from the capital. Its not like my mom needs to sell. She has the house outright along with my uncles and my aunt. It was just appraised a million dollars. Its in great condition and does more then pay for itself since it was broken up into rented apartments. She says even though she is interested in keeping the place her siblings would never go for it. That’s a load of shit. I asked her if she had discussed it with them, let them know she might be interested in this option, or even approached them about it. She had not.

This is what I don’t think. I don’t think its all about her siblings. How can something be discussed they don’t even know is on the table. I think my mom wants to sell as much as she thinks they do and that she doesn’t want to approach the subject because she thinks one of them would pipe up about not selling (my mom is the only one that has equity in the house so she gets the final word)

My mom wants to sell simply because she wants to go back to California and I find that stupid. She would keep the place if she could do so and still move to California. I say keep the house. Rent the apartment your in and move. You don’t need to sell. She finds the very idea of this too complicated. (This doesn’t surprise me. She has always found the exertion of effort difficult.)

Even Phil is sad by the fact the house is going to be sold. He likes it as much as I do. We would probably never live there but still don’t take it away from the family. That house has a lot of our history and it has great character (hidden cup boards, old fashioned wood they don’t build with anymore, even what we call the dungeon lol). My mom said we could buy it if we had the million (heh yeah right). And what’s her frickin hurry anyway? My grandmother hasn’t even been laid to rest yet and my mom is talking about superficial (at this point anyway) logistics looking to high tail her ass back to California as fast as she can get there. It’s not like she has anything there to go back to. Shes been in retirement for years living off my grandmothers money.

Ah well the house is going to be sold (though foolish to do it in this economy) and I guess I should just resign myself to that.

I can’t wait for all this unsettledness to be over with Phil and I in our place and everything turned out well. I can’t wait till we are focusing on positive things getting settled into our life together. He doesn’t even know my grandmother has passed yet. We didn’t have much time to talk about anything yesterday. I want this week to be over so that next week can be over so that he and I can go home. I stepped off the train today and the lady handing out the paper announced how it was Tuesday the three more days day. Yeah its only Tuesday.

Current mood: blah

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

9:32AM - “Smiley” Girl and the respect of Motherhood

Last night Phil and I met up with my brother, my sister in-law, and my new niece for dinner. They are in town making the rounds visiting from Michigan. It was the first of what I hope are many meetings. While Phil was slightly yet understandably nervous about meeting more members of my family, my mind was totally on seeing my niece for the first time.

Naturally she was the star of the show. Gerber Baby eat your heart out. You don’t hold a candle to the cuteness of this little one (and I say that as a completely bias Auntie of course LOL) The time was 7 O’Clock. The place was Casa Portugal in Ingman Square. I am happy to report to all that know or have met, or have heard about my brother that fatherhood has in my view mellowed him out considerably.

We were all ease in conversation. There was none of the pretense that accompanied my last meeting with my brother when my father was present. Whats more my brother announced that they can and will be coming to the wedding. He may have to duck out of the reception a bit early but Meg and Breina will be there in entirety. :)

Stories were naturally shared. The usual of how Phil and I met (who is this handsome specimen of a man walking toward me?), to how he proposed. One particular favorite story was one that Ben and Meg told about their recent trip to Poland (?). Apparently they are big over motherhood over there. Everyone and everything is all about baby when they see one. Even thug like teenagers were melting at the sight of little Breina (and who could blame them?) One day Meg was in the park breastfeeding Breina and a drunk bystander was leering at her. A gentleman not far away and seeing this went over to the drunk man and decked him for disrespecting motherhood. Yeah you go stranger!

I got to hold Briena and take pictures with her. Meg did warn me beforehand that she doesn’t do well in the arms of people she doesn’t know and starts crying. Imagine everyone’s surprise to find that Breina was very at home sitting with me laughing and smiling. It had also remarked that while she inherited most of Ben’s features she definitely got the same eyes as Annie and I. How cool is that?

After dinner we all went for ice cream. Very yummy. By the time we left the ice cream shop it was well past Breina’s bedtime. Ben and Meg gave Phil and I a ride back to the house. While in the back seat I was playing with Breina (pretending to eat her feet but just kissing them). She loved it. All in all a great evening. The next time I will see them will likely be the wedding. I am told Breina loves to dance. :) With Phil’s nieces and nephews naturally she will have lots of partners lol.

Current mood: giddy

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

3:35PM - Annie Trip

Ok so I know you are all dying to know how the trip to see Annie went.

To my shame it has been at least a couple of years since I had seen my sister face to face. So when the opportunity presented itself Phil and I (or Frog and Bunny if you prefer) hopped to it.

Phil through the powers that be had been given a USAir Voucher do to a flight mishap last year on the way back from Aruba. The catch was that he had a year to use it. As the clocked ticked ever closer to the deadline we pondered its possible uses. Flights to Philadelphia to see friends, maybe even venture our way to Atlantic City to see other friends. Two big things we had been pineing to do. Phil also very much wanted to meet my sister Annie, but how would we do all these things or even some of these things on limited days off and a severely limited budget? We needed to consider a lot and in the end the only practical thing was just to choose one. The one that was most feasible to do in three days and affordable would be the winner. Now if you look at this from an economic standpoint we could have done this a hell of a lot cheaper without taking a flight believe it or not (but don’t forget that what you don’t pay in cost you usually pay in time to afford that) We also had a voucher in need of using. Flights are for the most part expensive and while Phil would likely be flying for free or very close to, I would not. So of course the tickets still had to be affordable. Hello Family Day at Annie’s school. A perfect time to use the voucher and find a fair priced flight to NY. Now many have heard about the logistical nightmare it is to get to my sister because the school is very much out in the middle of nowhere. Not only is it nowhere its an expensive nowhere being one of the more affluent areas of NJ. Phil got to witness this first hand.

We managed to find a fairly priced hotel in Basking Ridge the closest advertised place to where my sister is in Peapack (in Peapack its all bed and breakfasts that have yet to reach out to the internet age.) There is a 45 minute drive between them. There are no taxies only car services for hire and since Phil needs a modified vehicle and is not from the area (a lot of backwood roads and farm land) we found it best to use those. There was a lot to keep strieght so I made up an itinerary with important numbers, projected prices and schedules so that nothing would slip through the cracks.

Ok so now that you have the background let the adventure begin. Make sure your seat belts are buckled, seats and tray tables are in their upright position. The FAA prohibits anyone standing during taxi, take off, and landing. Blah blah blah blah blah…lift off.

From Boston to NY the flight was uneventful. We landed late afternoon on Saturday. A co-worker from the NY Office was kind enough to send vouchers for a cab/car service to me before the trip. I would end up paying for it in the end out of my check but at least it eased having to carry around so much cash particularly when we had no idea about the charges.
We call for the car and when it pulled up it didn’t advertise itself very well so it sat waiting in front of us for about 5 minutes (yes we were charged a five minute wait time). It then drove us to our destination in the city – NY Penn Station to get NJ Transit. When getting out of the car the driver refused to give me an appropriately filled in receipt so that I would know what I was to be charged. He told me it would be in the neighborhood of $44 but that it would need to be processed by his company then PFM would be billed. Now can anyone else see the problems and potential issues from this? I could have at the time totally railed on business practices and maybe a call to the Better Business Bureau would be in order but there was a train to catch. So I begrudgingly took the blank receipt and Phil and I headed into the station.

To save time later I detailed on our itinerary what tickets we would need and how many for the entire leg that had to do with NJ Transit. RT NY to Basking Ridge (switch trains in Summit) and RT Basking Ridge to Peapack for each of us. We got on the train and I watched my map intently so not to miss our switch. We get to Summit to find out that the line we needed to travel (Gladstone) was under construction and replaced with busing. What’s more the driver we had was completely clueless as to where he was going. No I take that back. He was way more then completely clueless. We are talking missed turns, completely wrong directions, and more narrow misses (and we are talking narrowest of narrow) with other vehicles on the road. Phil and I were holding our breath the entire time even when those familiar with the area tried to direct the driver (and the driver would get all huffy about having to be directed.) We were finally let off at what was supposed to be the Basking Ridge Train Station. In reality it was an intersection in the middle of God knows blocks away and down a long hill from where the train station actually was. We called for a car “Where are you?” “We are at the corner of N. Finley and Ridge Streets.” “Your where?!” It would take more than 20 minutes for us to be located and picked up. Phil and I passed the time by trying to guess the thoughts of the people in the lone house which was there. “Who are these two strange people that have been standing on our lawn for the past half hour?” “I don’t know dear…transients of some kind.” We also had a contest to count how many cars there were that passed us by. Standard vs. SUV and how many of them gave us strange looks as they passed. Answer: There are a hell of a lot of SUVs in that area. Answer: Yeah we definably looked out of town.

The car got us pretty near to sunset and we made it to the hotel (about a half hour away) while there was still a little light out. Total hours traveled…8. The concierge checked us in and I guess we looked a little disheveled to say the least. We did remark to him that we had just traveled 8 hours from Boston. “Oh took the train or bus?” “Flight.” “You flew???” We were hungry but there was nothing around for food but there were places that delivered to the hotel. The concierge recommended which ones he found the best for any type of food we wanted. We went up to our room where we found a flat big screen (sweet) and cleaned ourselves up a little watching Ocean’s Thirteen settling on Chinese for dinner. Review: I guess you can get some pretty damn good Chinese food even in the sticks. Yummy. Oh and we liked Ocean’s Thirteen too.

The next morning we got up early, made coffee in room (Blehhh – is there a Dunkies anywhere?), and got our stuff together to go see Annie (we were armed with gifts too because it was inevitable that we would get the “Oh my God I can’t believe you’re here. What’d you bring me?”) We went down the lobby and waited for our car to arrive (estimated time of arrival 30 min.) There we sat having complimentary coffee (much better then upstairs) and enjoyed each other’s company. When the car arrived we got in and were driven to the train station. As we arrived so did the bus and it was lucky too that the bus came there because apparently that intersection we were initially dropped at was correct even though there was no sign. We got to Peapack and waited for our ride from the school to come and get us. Low and behold and unknown to us the ride was in fact Mari, my sisters social worker. She explained gleefully during the 5 minute ride to the school that Annie didn’t even want to get out of bed this morning because no one was coming to see her for family day (Yes this was a surprise.) It was kind of funny because Annie loves a party and would love it still even if no one was specifically there to see her. But we were there specifically to see her. The staff was buzzing with excitement. Some even followed us as we went to find her just to see her reaction. We finally saw her way down a hallway so I yelled “Where is my munchkin?” If there had been a speed limit the cops would have had a high speed chase on their hand she barreled down the hallway so fast. She was then speechless for an entire 5 minutes before saying a word (that’s unheard of really – I mean come on she is my sister – twin at that, and I am a talker. Yes I know and I admit it freely, I am a talker). The last time I had seen her that speechless was October 2003. Disneyworld. Of course this was the first time she was meeting Phil so it was a big deal. I think its safe to say she loved him from the start but of course that begs the question…who wouldn’t love Phil? (shout out – Hiya honey.) Well to have the Annie seal of approval is a very important thing and it didn’t take five seconds. She looked at him the entire time as if he was her favorite celebrity (and why not? He is very pleasant to look at – and talk to, and be with etc etc.)And when we gave her presents well that clinched it lol. (we brought her a Boston zip down hoodie and something she had been after me to get her for years…an Official Disney Belle Doll – Instant hit.)

The three of us then moved out to the side lawn where a tent was set up for lunch. We had just sat down to eat when it started pouring (and I mean buckets). There was thunder and there was lightning. We are talking a show. Annie doesn’t like thunderstorms so we moved her inside to finish eating and have some ice cream. We then went to the courtyard and tie dyed some shirts. The sun was shining by this time and it was beautiful. They had even just opened the pool. Then out of nowhere mid dye it poured again. The second deluge proved too much for the power wheelchair which cut out shortly thereafter. It was fine it just needed to dry out. But if you have ever tried to push around a power wheelchair you would know real quick particularly uphill, its no easy job.

Annie wanted to go swimming and we were suited up and ready. It was one detail we wanted to be sure to do with her while there. But since there were thunderstorms and rightly so she didn’t want to go in the pool because she was afraid something bad would happen. So instead we took her back to her room and watched tv with her.

Before we all knew it, it was time to go. And to my surprise Annie seemed pretty ok with it. No temper tantrum. I am glad she didn’t have a fit. Its always hard leaving when she does that. I mean take your heart out with a spoon and do the Mexican hat dance on it hard.
Phil and I waited at the not so well designated bus stop for the bus back to Basking Ridge. It came about 20 minutes later and when we got back to good old N. Finley and Ridge Streets we were again waiting another 20 minutes to get our half hour ride back to the hotel.
We decided after I checked us in on our flight and printed our boarding passes at the business center that it was still early enough to go use the pool and Jacuzzi. We tried using our key card to get in but it wasn’t working. We checked the time and it was still open and looked as though people had been there recently. Just then someone was coming to return a towel and we got in.

The Jacuzzi was nice and all we needed was 20 minutes to recharge our batteries. We were so relaxed that we decided we had enough and didn’t even bother to actually go swimming. We got up to the room and again our keys weren’t working. Phil went downstairs and found that for whatever reason the keys had reset. Minutes later we were in the room enjoying its comforts and ordered dinner.

The next morning was another early one because after all we knew it would take some time to get to the airport and we had an early afternoon flight to catch. We had a hearty breakfast in the café in the hotel and called for our car to take us to our intersection. We got there and we waited, waited and waited some more. I checked the schedule I had and it looked as though we had another at least 20 minutes to wait. It seemed odd that we had not even seen another bus run in the opposite direction the whole time we were standing there. At first I thought it was the fact he was wearing his Red Sox cap so close to NY – dangerous. So I made him remove it and put it in his bag. After doing this we were pondering where the bus could be. Then we saw a bus coming figuring that it was ours. It wasn’t but it was a bus to NY City Port Authority. Ironically this unmarked stop was an actual stop for it and this was the only run it was making that day. It also wasn’t very expensive. Phil and I had to make split second decision to either take this bus or deal with NJ Transit that had been a good thorn in our side for the weekend thus far. We decided to take this bus. We learned from the driver while we were on our way that the construction hadn’t started during the week yet and was only happening on the weekends for at least the next month. This would have been another detail that NJ Transit should have been good enough to share with us back in NY at the beginning but didn’t. So essentially if this magic bus hadn’t appeared when it did going to the Port Authority we would have probably just stood there not knowing our next step for a while and possibly missing our flight.

When we got to the authority we had depleted our cash stash and had to visit the ATM. Off to the Banc of America. Phil was able to get money fine but when I put my card in the machine played like it had the transaction go through including asking and have me answer about the 2transactionfeesinceitwasn’tmybank.ButInevergotthemoneyorareceiptforthetransaction.PhilandItalkedtothebranchmanagerwhosaidnothingcouldbedonesinceIwasn’taBancofAmericacustomer.Ithencalledthenumberonthebackofmycardandtheysaidthatfromwhattheycouldseethetransactionhadnotcomethroughyetbutputanoteinmyrecordincaseitdid.PhilandIratherthanusingavoucherforthecarserviceandmyspendinganotherquestionable2 transaction fee since it wasn’t my bank. But I never got the money or a receipt for the transaction. Phil and I talked to the branch manager who said nothing could be done since I wasn’t a Banc of America customer. I then called the number on the back of my card and they said that from what they could see the transaction had not come through yet but put a note in my record in case it did. Phil and I rather than using a voucher for the car service and my spending another questionable 2transactionfeesinceitwasn’tmybank.ButInevergotthemoneyorareceiptforthetransaction.PhilandItalkedtothebranchmanagerwhosaidnothingcouldbedonesinceIwasn’taBancofAmericacustomer.Ithencalledthenumberonthebackofmycardandtheysaidthatfromwhattheycouldseethetransactionhadnotcomethroughyetbutputanoteinmyrecordincaseitdid.PhilandIratherthanusingavoucherforthecarserviceandmyspendinganotherquestionable44 dollars decided to take a bus that was going to Laguardia. When we got to Laguardia we got to our gate without any problems. But then it was time to play the hurry up to wait game. Due to bad weather somewhere nobody could see between Boston and New York they couldn’t get the plane in that was to fly us home. Our 2pm was cancelled. Then the 3pm, and the 4pm followed by the 5pm. By this time after hours sitting in the airport hopping up and down in and out of lines, changing and re-changing tickets it was becoming an old hat routine. You get to the counter “Standby for the 6 please and book us on the 7pm”. The woman behind the counter was kind of funny. She said that I was becoming so good at it that I could go behind the counter and do it myself by then. She managed to in a hush hush way find us two seats for the 6pm flight, not just find us two seats but also find two seats with us sitting together (something we were unable to get for every preceding cancelled flight up till then). Phil was again wearing his Red Sox hat which I made him remove thinking we were (jokingly of course) doomed for another cancelled flight. We were very close to and almost had no choice in taking a bus back to Boston. The 6pm flight did however manage to not be cancelled (maybe it really was the hat lol). But it also took off an hour and a half late.

Still with every almost imaginable mishap we had such a great time. We even found the mishaps thoroughly enjoyable.

Current mood: chipper

2:50PM - The 4th

It’s funny how when you are in a relationship with someone you love and who loves you in return every day almost seems like a holiday and every holiday is like the best holiday you have ever had.

Phil’s parents are in Aruba and before they left they kept telling Phil and I to feel free to stay at their house. They stressed that particularly during the long 4th weekend would be good (like a mini-break) before things get in full swing with moving etc. and it would be harder to have R and R for a while.

Thursday started out much like any other Thursday except for the fact I was in jeans and sandals with the small hope of leaving work early. I did end up leaving work early which was great, caught an earlier train which was even greater, and got to see my frog sooner which was the greatest thing of all.

We ventured off to the market to pick up fixings for our small 4th of July gathering the next day then started an impromptu date night (don’t you just love those?). You see before Phil’s last session of classes ended one of his students gave him a gift card to a local restaurant. The restaurant as luck would have it was right there so that is where Phil and I decided to have dinner. Afterwards we made a quick stop at his house then went on to his parents.

The next morning Phil and I slept in a little then began the long journey of making the fixings into edible food. Phil turned on some music and started chopping onions. I started cleaning potatoes, boiling eggs and chopping celery. Before we knew it, it was pencils down and Phil and I were in full dance mode in the middle of the kitchen floor with the oldies station.

Not long after that little break our guests arrived and it was time to fire up the grill. On the menu: Potato Salad, Pasta Salad, Brats, Burgers, Steak Tips, and Spinach and Nectarine Salad. It was yummy and the company was all top notch. There was Phil and I (of course), Terri and Bob, and Chris. To make sure that everyone worked up a good appetite we puttered around outside beforehand looking at the fishes and froggys at the pond, took pictures and played a spirited game of Frisbee.

An unexpected bonus to the evening was fireworks provided by a neighbor (after all what is the fourth without fireworks?)

Saturday Phil and I went clothes shopping (my birthday gift was a shopping spree – isn’t he sweet? :) ) Then went to see Scott and Stacy’s for the evening. It was really great. We played a game called Imagine If which was really funny and enjoyable, then indulged in the sweet of ice cream and the salty of popcorn. Scott even showed me some early footage of the band with Phil on the drums. Very cool.

Sunday was more low key. Phil and I made sure his parents place was in tip top shape before leaving so that I could catch my train back to Boston. When I got home I pretty much vegged for the rest of the night. All in all a great weekend. I want to hit the rewind button.

Next up for this weekend 2 out of 3 bridesmaids and I are coming together to hash out the bridesmaids dress issue. For those that haven’t heard they have now discontinued the initial choice. No biggie though. You know what they say…gotta roll with the punches. After that it’s Beatle Meet 6. :)

Current mood: happy

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

3:30PM - The Biggest Social Dork of the Season – My Mother

Ok so roughly a year from now I will be marrying one of the greatest guys ever. It isn’t news or at least it shouldn’t be news that my mother has certain expectations about everything from a periay juay (Cant spell the damn thing but know its over $100 a bottle) champagne toast to “Well I thought we were going with something a little more upscale.”(yes, there was a pompous voice to match and what does she mean we? And I happen to think that what we are doing is going to be very nice.) Yes she wants to have all these fine things but guess what? She doesn’t want to be the one to pay for them. She has stated that whatever money she puts toward the wedding she wants back and with the stipulation that if she ever needs financial help we are to give it to her. She has her own guest list of 40 people (either we mutually want or she wants there - more she wants there then we both) and has given insufficient funds to cover the 40 expecting that we should make the difference if any. Not only this, but anyone who does not accept from the 40 we have to give back the money for. This is her noble contribution. A migraine the size of Texas.

For someone so eager to make a social impression she doesn’t want to put money toward the wedding but toward herself. She called me some months ago letting me know that she had her personal shopper on the lookout for a new outfit to wear at the wedding. This weekend she called to me bragging how she didn’t buy one outfit, not two outfits but THREE OUTFITS!. Total of which she could have bought a car (yes she actually said that). She detailed to me how one had hand painted Chiffon and another was hand stitched embroidery. This outfit cost this and that outfit cost that.

This from a woman who fains poverty that she cant contribute to the wedding. You want your champagne – pay for it. You want an out of town guest reception – pay for it (completely forgetting the fact that my side is all travelers and Phil’s side is virtually all local. I mean this is supposed to be the coming together of two families. I can hardly picture a worse way then to have a cocktail party almost entirely without representation for the groom). She refuses to stay in one of the hotels we are arranging because it isn’t upscale enough. She won’t take a shuttle we are thinking to provide to and from hotels to the venue for the safety of our guests, yet she doesn’t want a cab either. I cannot tell you just how much this behavior of hers just sickens me. We already know that whatever we do its not going to be good enough for her but man she is just making headaches. Phil and I couldn’t believe that she would spend thousands of dollars on clothes for the event but put virtually nil toward the event itself. I would think she would have higher satisfaction with herself and better bragging rights by saying that she assisted in the cost of the day then just her appearance but I guess not. But then again she will probably take credit for the day regardless.

Phil’s family is putting money toward the wedding and they have no such expectations. They know that Phil and I are virtually doing this on our own and they want to help as much as they can. They know that we will have something very nice but without hopefully the astronomical price tag to do it particularly when I am the one souly responsible for my side. My mom told me when I first got engaged that she wants to make sure I get what I want. What a load of crap. This isn’t about what I want or what Phil wants but about what she wants and she will do anything to get it as long as she doesn’t have to be the one to provide it.

I guess she never learned what it is to have class. Outfits don’t make the person. If she is looking to make an impression, she is making the worst kind of impression acting like this.

Current mood: annoyed

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

10:23AM - Student Loans I am coming after your ass next...

I just paid off my last credit card WAHOOOOOOO!!!!! *doing the dance of joy*

Now the only debt I have is Student Loans. *bounce bounce bounce.*

Current mood: giddy

Friday, March 28, 2008

2:38PM - The best line I’ve heard all night meets Friday eloquence.

Last night Phil and I had dinner with my favorite cousin Brett who was in town. Of course my mother came up in discussion and there were lots of laughs because when my cousin was attending the University of Wisconsin he lived at my grandmother’s house with her so he knows how my mom can be. The classic line of the evening came when we were discussing difficult family members and Phil was like "Yeah there's at least one in every family. I have an aunt like that." Brett without missing a beat goes "Yeah so do I, her mother" (meaning my mother) The three of us were erupting in laughter over that the rest of the night. Its soo funny because its sooo true lol.

Then this morning, a Friday that feels like any other day in the office other then a Friday I was in the elevator with someone and said “There should be laws against it being this busy on a Friday.” She responded “Talk to President Bush I am sure he could accommodate you.” The best I could come up with not feeling very eloquent or profound was “Bush is a butthead.”

Current mood: drained

Friday, August 17, 2007

9:49AM - At the Airport, You Better Smile

I did the play 1984. Again I ask...Is this life imitating art or the other way around? Nuff said.

At the Airport, You Better Smile
'Behavior Detection Officers' are now watching passengers' facial expressions for signs of danger. It's a new level of absurdity for America.
WEB-EXCLUSIVE COMMENTARY
By Patti Davis
Special to Newsweek
Updated: 12:40 p.m. ET Aug 16, 2007
Aug. 16, 2007 - It was bound to happen. Now even a frown or grimace can get you into trouble with The Man.

"Specially trained security personnel" will be watching passengers for "micro-expressions" that will reveal treacherous agendas and insidious intentions at airports around the country. These agents, who may literally hold your fate in their hands have been given a lofty, Orwellian name: "Behavior Detection Officers."

Did anyone ever doubt that George Orwell's prophecies in "1984" would arrive? In that novel, he wrote, "You had to live—did live, from habit that became instinct—in the assumption that every sound you made was overheard and, except in darkness, every movement scrutinized."

In the study of "micro-expressions"—yes, it is actually a field of study and there are some who are arrogant enough to call it a science—it has been decided that when people wish to conceal emotions, the truth of their feelings is revealed in facial flashes. These experts have determined that fear and disgust are the key things to look for because they can hint of deception.

Let's see, fear and disgust in an airport? I'm frightened and disgusted weeks before I have to show up at an airport. In fact, I've pretty much sworn off the whole idea of going anywhere by airplane. It's bad enough that I might be trapped in a crowded plane with no food or water and nonworking toilets for hours; now there are security agents interpreting our facial expressions. The face police, in place at more than a dozen U.S. airports already, aren't identified as such. But the watcher could be at curbside baggage, the ticket counter or near the metal detectors and X-ray machines. The Transportation Security Administration hopes to have as many as 500 Behavior Detection Officers on the job by the end of 2008.

But what about the woman who is getting on a plane to see a dying relative? Or the man who is traveling to another state to see a cancer specialist in a last bid for extending his life? What about the guy who just had a fight with his spouse and now worries that a plane crash would mean their last words were in anger? We've all had the experience of having a bad day, being in a rotten mood—especially at the airport, which has become a modern-day chamber or horrors. On those days, doesn't it seem like everyone we meet looks sour and unpleasant? The opposite is also true. When we're happy and joyful, we look at others and see happiness in them. Or even if we don't, we look at them kindly and with compassion. It's human nature to look at others through the lens of our own reality.

Here's where it gets really absurd. Apparently, these Behavior Detection Officers work in pairs. One scenario is that an officer might move in to "help" a passenger retrieve their belongings after they've been screened. And then the officer will ask where the passenger is headed. If the passenger's reaction sets off alarm bells in the officer's well-trained mind, another officer will move in and detain them. Let's be really clear here. If a stranger moved in on me like that, I'd tell that person to go to hell, throw in a few other expletives for good measure and probably give them the finger as I stomped off. Of course, I wouldn't be stomping very far.

So while TSA employees are confiscating our scissors and water bottles, they're going to secretly be staring at us, looking for some telltale sign of terrorist intent in a grimace, a sigh, a crinkled nose? Who knows what? In the end, the Behavior Detection Officers are the ones who are really acting suspicious. Which is the truth of the matter anyway.

Current mood: working

Monday, August 6, 2007

11:48AM - Were did this come from?

I love surprising my little sister. 10 bucks says I will get at least 3 calls from her tomorrow.

People including myself have been sending her DVDs. (They have several community DVD players there in the common areas.) I did not know till recently that she could have, but didn’t have her own DVD Player. Apparently it was an issue that every time she wanted to watch something the available DVD Players were in use. SO as her birthday present I sent her a DVD Player. She doesn’t know about and it will be installed in her room tomorrow while she is in class.

When she gets back from class it will be there ready to go. I can just picture it. Annie wheels into the room like the speed demon from hell as usual and finds it. “Where did this come from?” “Oh your sister sent it, it’s your birthday present.” “REALLY! I want to call her. So she calls and we talk, then she goes watches a DVD, calls again telling me how great it was, then goes and watches another DVD etc.

Current mood: giggly

Friday, August 3, 2007

10:30AM - So when will I know I’m in love with you?

Phil and I share a very strong, deep connection. More often then not we find though candid conversation and open communication that we share a lot of the same thoughts and feelings. More often then not we are finishing each others sentences and can even sense what the other is feeling even when its not voiced.

Last night was one such conversation. We began by addressing the strangeness of the evening. Phil had been with me all week. It was so nice to come home and find him there to greet me. Last night was the first night we were in our separate homes. Kieran’s away and while its nice to have the house to myself it felt strangely empty not to find Phil coming to the door kissing and hugging me hello as I entered from my work day.

I was rather melencoly at work yesterday at the prospect of going home. On the one hand I would have me time. On the other I wouldn’t have Phil. Phil and I talked about it and that launched into basically asking where we were with our feelings for each other. I told him I was feeling rather cautious and rightly so. I didn’t want to get hurt, and I didn’t want to hurt him. There is nothing worse then to feel something for the other when its not yet reciprocated if its reciprocated at all. I found he has the same fears. He said I was different then any woman he has ever met (good thing). Then he asked “When will I know I’m in love with you?” I was sort of taken back by the question and had no answer for him at first. Then I answered him as I answer myself when my heart asks my head that question. “I think that when you are in love with someone you won’t have to ask, you just know you are.”

The fear of relationships is like going through the Forbidden Forrest. There are things, thoughts, and feelings to caution on every side, ahead of you and behind you. But you go through it anyway because you know deep down there could be something really great and wonderful when you reach the other side.

The journey Phil and I have taken so far has been really great. I think in a lot of ways we are each wondering if the other shoe is going to drop and if so, when. That I think is the Voldemort fear of all fears. And yet like I said… you go on.

Current mood: contemplative

Wednesday, August 1, 2007

9:31AM - Yay for Zebrafish

Ok so most of you know about all my eye issues and how they will eventually render me blind (moment to moment you just never know. One minute you see and the next…– but I try not to think about it). Well the Reliv has helped stall the progression of the progressive diseases, which is great and now this new article just came out. It’s a step forward and if what they say is true not only will I not go blind but my vision may improve to better then ever. Of course I may have too much wrong which is why my docs don’t want me to get my hopes up. It is after all a miracle I can see at all for the length of time I have it. Still this is a great step not just for me but for everyone…read on :)

Zebrafish study may point way to blindness cure
By Ben Hirschler
Wed Aug 1, 2007

The ability of zebrafish to regenerate damaged retinas has given scientists a clue about restoring human vision and could lead to an experimental treatment for blindness within five years.

British researchers said on Wednesday they had successfully grown in the laboratory a type of adult stem cell found in the eyes of both fish and mammals that develops into neurons in the retina.

In future, these cells could be injected into the eye as a treatment for diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetes-related blindness, according to Astrid Limb of University College London's (UCL) Institute of Ophthalmology.

Damage to the retina -- the part of the eye that sends messages to the brain -- is responsible for most cases of sight loss.

"Our findings have enormous potential," Limb said. "It could help in all diseases where the neurons are damaged, which is basically nearly every disease of the eye."

Limb and her colleagues studied so-called Mueller glial cells in the eyes of people aged from 18 months to 91 years and found they were able to develop them into all types of neurons found in the retina.

They were also able to grow them easily in the lab, they reported in the journal Stem Cells.

The cells have already been tested in rats with diseased retinas, where they successfully migrated into the retina and took on the characteristics of the surrounding neurons. Now the team is working on the same approach in humans.

"We very much hope that we could do autologous transplants within five years," Limb told Reuters.

Autologous transplants, initially on a trial basis, will involve manipulating cells and injecting them back into an individual's own eye. Eventually, Limb hopes it will also be possible to transfer the cells between different people.

"Because they are so easy to grow, we could make stem cell banks and have cell lines available to the general population, subject to typing as with blood transfusions," she said.

Just why zebrafish have an abundant supply of adult stem cells to regenerate their retinas, while they are rare in mammals, remains a mystery but Limb suspects it is because mammals have a limiting system to stop proliferation.

The new work on Mueller glial cells is the latest example of researchers exploring the potential of different kinds of stem cells in treating eye disease. Another team from UCL and Moorfield's Eye Hospital said in June they aimed to repair damaged retinas with cells derived from embryonic stem cells.

Current mood: cheerful

Tuesday, July 31, 2007

11:31AM - Merlin’s sexist

When Phil and I met we were out with a group of friends going to dinner and a concert. We were the only two single people in our crowd. Now you may already know how he made a friend move to make sure we sat together during the concert but as I didn’t know and he recently told me he also made it a point to make sure that we sat together during dinner that night. :)

He is with me for most of this week. Happy, happy, joy, joy. Last night we made fish and veggies for dinner. This morning I made waffles with real Maple Syrup.

Before I left for work I turned on the television to find the musical Camelot. I mentioned how “Oh its Camelot. I did that show.” It was on the song How to Handle a Woman. And Arthur had just said how Merlin had mentioned not to worry about if you don’t know what a woman is thinking “They don’t do it very often.” Phil’s response to that line… “Merlin’s sexist.” “That’s my Frog!” I thought to myself before kissing him goodbye and heading out the door.

Tonight we will head to see a friend play some really great music. (yay Tom – who just won a music contest – you rock)

Current mood: chipper

Friday, July 27, 2007

3:55PM - LOTR meets Vermont

For those like myself who had never been to Vermont before…It was great! An A+ trip.

Nick, Nicole and I started our journey by having brunch at one of our favorite breakfast dives Paul Revere’s. Omelets and cups of coffee (or tea depending) later we were on the road. It was so nice to spend some quality time with Nick and Nicole. I don’t get to see them very often and miss them.

We reached Vermont mid afternoon and found our way to where we were staying with relative ease. Not 5 min. in the door of our condo were we joined by Josh. The place was great, certainly more posh then what we had expected when I told Julie (my travel agent) we basically just need beds to sleep in over night. The condo had full kitchen, games, movies, and a cupboard with snacks included. Very nice and it was a mile and a half from the wedding.

Friday evening we went to dinner at a lovely resteraunt. I can tell you that none of thought it was going to be as expensive as it was but pricing aside it was a great meal. We came back to the condo and started playing a role playing card game by the name of Munchkin. I know what your saying…between that and LOTRO what is up with these people and role playing lol.

The game was really cool and got cooler as we all got the hang of the rules. I think I might pick it up at some point. Ok so that is yet another game that Nick and Nicole have turned me on to. First it was Apples to Apples. Now its Munchkin. Whats next guys? lol. Saturday we puttered around mostly till it was time to get ready and go to the wedding.

We got to the lodge which was lovely, met some faces we knew but had never seen, which was really cool and then headed out back to the yard where the ceremony was being held. We seated ourselves and not long after doing so we saw an uninvited guest. It was without a doubt the biggest flying beetle I had ever seen, and made it its business to come and say hi. This thing was huge. You would think he just materialized out of the stone age he was soooo big. Now being the bonified etimophobic that I am I got up and tried to walk away. Well that was when it decided to get up close and personal and landed on my back. The moment he made contact with my skin I screamed like a girl (yes I know I’m a girl – lol) He flew off to meet his demise as one of the gentleman got him when he landed on the grass between my and his chair. My hero.

A few moments later the ceremony began with a drum jamming session. It was really creative, fun to watch and fun to listen to. As each person made their way down the makeshift isle they joined in the drumming until everyone in the wedding party including the bride and groom were drumming happily. It was meant to symbolize to families with their own beats joining together to make a new beat. Well I have to say with certainty that it made the desired effect. Very, very cool.

Being the LOTR crazy people our group is known to be Chris and Nicole had little Lord of the Rings touches in the wedding. Nicole looked so beautiful in her gown and wearing Arawen’s crown.

When we went back into the lodge to have the reception Chris and Nicole made sure to tell me to look out for all the LOTR touches they had. Chris said that I should first see the front table. So off to the front table I went of course. I walked up and noticed right away that the tree that was sitting in the middle of that table wasn’t just any tree. It was The Party Tree. Then at the tables there were really neat centerpieces of real grass and flowers with signs of different places in The Shire. It was so great. And there was intermittent playing of music featured in the LOTRO which we all play. Tracks provided by yours truly. It was a great evening.

The next morning Nick, Nicole and I (Josh had left earlier) packed and went to have breakfast before setting on the long drive back. I had a Belgian Waffle with real Vermont Maple Syrup. Yummy. We then went and did a little souvenir shopping. First to a Maple shop to get Maple Candy and Maple syrup. Then to the Cider Mill which boasted about having not just good, not just great, but LEGENDARY Cider Donuts. Now maybe it was just me but I wasn’t that impressed with them. I had quite frankly expected them to have more flavor then they did. They were fresh. We watched them being made, and were still quite warm as we ate them. But I don’t know I expected more apple or cider taste.

From there we made our way back to Boston. I came home all excited because my Phil was home from Aruba. I was not in the door five minutes before he arrived. He and I had such a nice weekend it seemed to go by far too fast even with my taking Monday off. He is soooo tan. I look like an albino next to him lol.

Current mood: happy

Thursday, July 26, 2007

9:45AM - Next Stop…Jewelers

So I went home with my heart in my feet. My eyes had been dabbed from tears about a thousand times as I sat at my desk yesterday. I darted in the door to every room I had been in the house that morning. No Ring. Kieran noticing my rapidly slipping composure asked what was wrong. I told him. He had of course seen the ring before, but had not that morning. Then he went to walk to walk the dog.

I went to my room slowly resigning myself to the fact it was gone and living in my mind Phil’s reaction to this. Finding it hard to accept naturally I looked again to every avenue of possibility. I went to my Disney bag that travels with me every morning containing all the crap I think I might need for the day and dumped it on my bed. As I had thought no ring. I then reached my hand inside for all the small stuff that didn’t make it out groping in the nooks and crannies of the bag with little hope. My hand fell around something small, metal and circular. I snatched it up bringing it to light. A key ring. In a strange sense of irony it was exactly what I was looking for being a ring and all just not the one I wanted. God has a strange sense of humor I thought. Particularly since on my walk home I was praying aloud that the ring be at home.

Is it possible for your heart to be torn magically out of your feet and land in the pit of hell? Well whether or not that can happen that’s certainly what it felt like.

I tried one more time before having to face the fact I so desperately didn’t want to face. My hand reached in the now virtually empty black hole that was my bag. My hand fell in the corner amid some change. It closed around something small and metal and circular. In my heart I knew it was change and I was utterly convinced by this point. I bring it up, open my palm and it was the ring. My heart leaped to life with excitement and I was so relieved I cried. Okay so I down right sobbed, but after the emotional upheaval that was my day could I be blamed?

I tucked it snuggly in its little white ring box with its silver bow, placed the box in its little metallic red ring bag and tucked that safely in my purse. Today before my usual Dunkies run this afternoon, before I get my T Pass, before I do anything requiring me to be out of the office. This lovely, sunny band, that has immeasurable sentimental value is going to the jewelers.

There is a part of me that still cant believe it actually has been found safe and sound. What was the evolution of its loss? Well the more I think about it, its really quite simple. Once I got to the office yesterday morning I reached in my Disney bag to pull out my lunch to place in the fridge. It must have slipped off unnoticed as I was grabbing my lunch and pulling it out of the bag.

Last night I of course relayed the entire ordeal to Phil when he asked me how my day went. My voice was still heavy with emotion. He said nothing and when I told him that the ring is found and fine there was an audible sigh of relief on his end. He then said that he knew we would have to get it resized and that he wanted to pay for it. After this he promptly changed the subject. I think it was his own subtle way of trying not to have me think about it anymore. I told him about yesterday’s journal entry and the quote I used saying “Darling sorry you have such a shit for brains girlfriend.” He laughed and doesn’t think I have shit for brains.

Quite the contrary, he likes me just as I am, shit for brains and all.

I am going to see him in Andover this weekend then he is coming back with me for most of the week. Kieran is going to be away most of the week so we wanted to take advantage of having the house to ourselves being close to the city. We are going to cook together and everything its gonna be great. I told him I would make him French Toast so that he can have some of the Maple Syrup I brought back from Vermont. Yummy. Our social calendar is filling up too. It seems like we have something going one virtually every weekend till mid September.

Yesterday was hell. Today all is right with my world. What a switch.

Current mood: relieved

Wednesday, July 25, 2007

11:50AM - An 8 hour Panic Mode

Do you know what it feels like to have an 8 hour long panic attack? Well I am about to find out.

Phil came back from Aruba and presented me with among other things a lovely silver ring with sun smileys on it. It is so sweet and cute. I began wearing it immediately on my thumb (its way big so I am fully intending to get it resized to better fit one of my middle fingers). I sometimes take it off when doing something where I feel it would get damaged. When I was drying my hands this morning in the bathroom it went clanging to the floor. This should have been my first clue. I am fairly certain that I just put it back on and went about my morning evolutions. As I was in my office I got the usual “Mail is here.” Email. I went into the elevator with its reflective surfaces of wall to wall mirrors, looked down to find NO RING on my thumb. My heart is so low. I pray to God I just put it away in the house till I could take it the jewelers. I pray it didn’t fall to peril where I could neither hear it nor help it between my earphones and Harry Potter Book. I pray I won’t have to go back to Phil saying “Darling? You know that lovely ring you gave me 72 hours ago? Well your shit for brains girlfriend just lost it. Its gone.” I swear if I find it its first stop will not be my finger but the nearest jewelers. I don’t want to be here at work typing this. I want to go home and know once and for all its fate. Of course if it is lost I will be more upset then I am now. You can’t imagine sitting here trying to work when all you want to do is cry. I hope its not gone. I don’t want to tell Phil its gone. I am really honestly hating myself right now, and I have hours to wait before I can go home.

Current mood: distressed

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