I work at an alternative school which also houses the teenage mothers and soon to be mothers, therefore we also have a nursery for the kids, which some of the staff use as well (for a fee). This week the asst. principal had to suspend a kid from the nursery for a couple of weeks. Apparently this 2 year old gangster had learned a new word, one that sounds a lot like truck, and was using it to the extent that some of the other kids were picking it up as well.
Now that's one tough school!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Monday, September 21, 2009
A Monday
I'm not too far into Monday yet but It has lived up to the cultural designation thus far. I got up early and grouted the tile in the upstairs bathroom that I've been working on. That was OK but I was sweating buckets as I washed up the excess grout, and kneeling just hurts anymore. Then I started fixing breakfast (eggs & toast) only to find that we didn't have any bread out. I got some fromt he freezer and started defrosting it. Then noticed we didn't have any butter except in the freezer. Finally got all that put together and ate some semi-cold eggs.
Left for work, luckily didn't stop and get a drink. Stopped at the light by UVU. When the light changed we moved forward a bit then two cars ahead of me the guy stopped again. The guy behind me didn't see that and banged into me. When we finally got pulled over to the side I couldn't see any damage to my truck and his front end only had a bent licence plate holder....so other than a sore neck, maybe it wasn't all that bad after all?
Only justification was that whatever they guy was eating when he hit me was all over him when he got out of the car. Ha Ha
Left for work, luckily didn't stop and get a drink. Stopped at the light by UVU. When the light changed we moved forward a bit then two cars ahead of me the guy stopped again. The guy behind me didn't see that and banged into me. When we finally got pulled over to the side I couldn't see any damage to my truck and his front end only had a bent licence plate holder....so other than a sore neck, maybe it wasn't all that bad after all?
Only justification was that whatever they guy was eating when he hit me was all over him when he got out of the car. Ha Ha
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Cancer update
Just got back from the Dr. (another hole in my vein) Pretty good news. My infected cells went from 64% 4 months ago to 24% in the last test (a month ago), so the pills are doing their job. Most blood count levels are near normal however it's suspected that the gleevec (the wonder drug) is causing me to be somewhat anemic so my platelett level is somewhere like a woman who just gave birth 2 days ago. I guess that explains why I still can't seem to jog very far or very fast and why I still get winded sometimes. Overall I feel pretty good for a 65 year old.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Water line LAID
I like to have a few projects going on around the house, but this one was dragging on a bit. Our water line currently comes down the old lane, which you couldn't find now, but goes through the backyards of two neighbors. Its a good line, cold water, good pressure, and so forth but it is now about 55 years old.
When the cul-de-sac was put in I had the foresight to have them install a hook-up at the street. Then when we redid our TV room and made it an entrance (which included taking up the floor, removing the old porch, and building new stairs) I had the idea to bury a new line from the water heater area to the outside of the house. The plumbing store would only sell me a roll of 100' of the blue plastic pipe so I used about 30 feet on that deal.
So last fall I started digging some holes in our Japanese sand garden. I would dig for a few minutes and then sit there and pant and wonder why I couldn't work as hard as I used to could. Before winter set in I had a trench 3' deep extending to the lawn. During the winter some of the sides sloughed off requiring some extra digging, I also found out I had cancer which explained my shortness of breath and endurance. Monday I decided to finish the job so I started to dig the trench across the lawn, trying to save some of the roots of the trees I was going by. Here it is Sat. and with the help of Matt we were able to install the pipe from the house to the sidewalk. I was going to mine under the sidewalk but I would have been about 3 feet short so I'll do this part and then whoever is living here when the other line ruptures can call a plumber and have them hook up the two ends, splice the middle and connect to the new meter. Good luck whoever you are.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Libs and conservs.
For many years I struggled for an explanation as to why the super wealthy are often found on the liberal side of the democratic debate. Based on what is considered liberal and conservative today its pretty easy to draw the economic line. The liberals should be the poorer groups that want some help from the rich which will result in a more equal nation or world. The conservatives would naturally be made up of those with excess wealth that would be stressing the need for independent achievement and opportunity unhindered by government regulations or taxation.
So why would the Kennedy's or the Sean Penn's of the world side with the liberals?
My cursory study of philosophy has made me realize that even tho many of the philosophers think they are discovering eternal truths they are naturally being guided by their circumstances or the zeitgeist of the day. For example Thomas Hobbs happened to be on the King's side when they lost to the Cromwell gang and the King was executed. From Hobb's perspective the masses were wrong and stupid and life in a world with them in charge would be nasty, brutish, and short. John Locke, about 40 years later was a tutor for the side that won the "glorious revolution" what he viewed was an example that the people were a rational bunch who could make proper decisions and govern themselves. So the eternal truth each came up with was based on their position as they watched the world.
So this thought came to me about liberals and conservatives. You tend to side with the group that reflects your own experience. Poor people who can't catch a break or are taught that their efforts against some form of "the man" are useless would tend to gravitate to a liberal attitude. Whereas people that feel they have worked hard and found success by their efforts will feel that everyone can do what they did and will natually fall into the conservative camp. The super rich who have gotten to their position because they were handed the money from their family will natually believe that the only way to make it in this unfair world is to have someone else give it to you. After all that's their experience and as they see the struggles of the poor it would only be natual that they would surmise that the suffering masses just need an injection of wealth from some rich uncle, after all that's how they made it.
Of course there are other factors involved in gravitating to your side of the political spectrum, mainly what a person is taught at home or by those he admires. Admittedly some of the Hollywood group have worked hard to get to the top of their game so they might lean conservative (Drew Carrey, Ted Nuggeut,) but the fact that many of them hang out and seek the adoration of their liberal peers they would tend to drift that direction.
So why would the Kennedy's or the Sean Penn's of the world side with the liberals?
My cursory study of philosophy has made me realize that even tho many of the philosophers think they are discovering eternal truths they are naturally being guided by their circumstances or the zeitgeist of the day. For example Thomas Hobbs happened to be on the King's side when they lost to the Cromwell gang and the King was executed. From Hobb's perspective the masses were wrong and stupid and life in a world with them in charge would be nasty, brutish, and short. John Locke, about 40 years later was a tutor for the side that won the "glorious revolution" what he viewed was an example that the people were a rational bunch who could make proper decisions and govern themselves. So the eternal truth each came up with was based on their position as they watched the world.
So this thought came to me about liberals and conservatives. You tend to side with the group that reflects your own experience. Poor people who can't catch a break or are taught that their efforts against some form of "the man" are useless would tend to gravitate to a liberal attitude. Whereas people that feel they have worked hard and found success by their efforts will feel that everyone can do what they did and will natually fall into the conservative camp. The super rich who have gotten to their position because they were handed the money from their family will natually believe that the only way to make it in this unfair world is to have someone else give it to you. After all that's their experience and as they see the struggles of the poor it would only be natual that they would surmise that the suffering masses just need an injection of wealth from some rich uncle, after all that's how they made it.
Of course there are other factors involved in gravitating to your side of the political spectrum, mainly what a person is taught at home or by those he admires. Admittedly some of the Hollywood group have worked hard to get to the top of their game so they might lean conservative (Drew Carrey, Ted Nuggeut,) but the fact that many of them hang out and seek the adoration of their liberal peers they would tend to drift that direction.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Utah Weather
last Saturday I mowed the back lawn, on Monday I shoveled 4 inches of snow off the driveway.
Monday, March 23, 2009
DC trip
After reading what Ben wrote about his San Francisco trip I thought I could give an update of my trip which illustrates some real differences in how we view the big city life.
I flew into DC on Thursday afternoon, got to the hotel, in Chinatown, and promptly went to one of those exotic little joints to try some local tastes, when I found one that was reasonably priced I went in and ordered by favorite, sweet and sour. I spent the rest of the evening strolling around but since all the museums close by about 5:00, I ended up back at the hotel watching TV.
The next morning I thought I was getting a free hotel breakfast but apparently that Western Tradition hasn't gotten to the Potomac. I was shuffled into the adjoining resturant and handed a menu that required $8 for an egg and juice. Remembering seeing a Burger King around the block I snuck out of the place and choked down a dry McMuffin type meal. I had picked out a couple of places I hadn't seen before, the old patent office is now the architectural museum so I got there right at 10:00, it was open and free but was basically a big open building that itself had some interesting architecture but I assumed the real museum was still under consideration for construction. Next I tried the National Portrait Gallery only to find that it didn't open until 11:30. So I wondered up to capital hill and went inside the Supreme Court building. It was nice going to such a place without worrying about the behavior of 28 17 year olds.
I had to be out of my hotel by noon and the other one I was going to didn't check people in until 3 or 4. I considered taking the metro but then decided to just hoof it the 17 or so blocks. So putting my two satchels over my shoulders I sauntered Eastward (I think). On the journey I recognized a Mcdonalds that I had visited some years earlier and since I wasn't in a hurry and it was lunchtime decided to try the exotic menu there. The only thing exotic were the two fellows in the foyer singing their hearts out for the good customers. Only trouble was they weren't very good. After eating and reading a bit I decided against encouraging their talent further and headed towards the White House to see what the protests De Jour were. The anti nuclear weapons folks were still manning their posts as they have done steadily since 1984. Another group was doing some type of street threater, they had about 10 guys dressed up in orange robes and h oods, I got the impression they represented dead people? The third group was holding signs and standing against the WH fence. The signs were calling attention to someone who had been arrested in Mexico and asking the State Department to get involved and get this guy freed. I decided not to tell them that the state department was over a couple of blocks and that Obama himself was in CA doing a taping of the Jay Leno show, so their protest probably didn't matter much...they seemed to be enjoying themselves so I moved on.
I got to the 22nd street Marriot which was a giant step up from the Red Roof Inn. It was then about 2:00 and my room was ready so I was able to dump my stuff and find the metro for a trip to the DC zoo. Another attraction I had never been able to fit in. I got off at the right stop and rode what must be the world's longest escalator. I timed it on the way back in and it was 2 1/2 minutes, which is along time to stand there. I started up the road not sure which way the zoo was, but then I started seeing signs, baby strollers! Some were following me and others were coming from the direction I was headed. I surmised that since I hadn't seen a child in the whole city that the zoo must be a gathering spot of small people.
When I got back to the hotel then the next decision came up, what to wear to the reception? I hadn't brought a tie so I dressed with the best that I had. when I got there I was the only male without a tie or a coat. but it didn't matter much, it was a nice reunion with some people I hadn't seen for about 14 years.
The next day was work work work, reading applications till our eyes hurt. Then Dinner was on our own so I wondered to Georgetown (Ben would have loved this place) Busy foot traffic resturants every 15 feet. Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Italian, etc. I wondered around looking at the architecture and the menus. Finally I was drawn to a basic Subway where I bought a rather exotic sandwich.
As you can see my food tastes tend toward the mundane and based more on economics than taste. But it was a fun adventure all the same.
I flew into DC on Thursday afternoon, got to the hotel, in Chinatown, and promptly went to one of those exotic little joints to try some local tastes, when I found one that was reasonably priced I went in and ordered by favorite, sweet and sour. I spent the rest of the evening strolling around but since all the museums close by about 5:00, I ended up back at the hotel watching TV.
The next morning I thought I was getting a free hotel breakfast but apparently that Western Tradition hasn't gotten to the Potomac. I was shuffled into the adjoining resturant and handed a menu that required $8 for an egg and juice. Remembering seeing a Burger King around the block I snuck out of the place and choked down a dry McMuffin type meal. I had picked out a couple of places I hadn't seen before, the old patent office is now the architectural museum so I got there right at 10:00, it was open and free but was basically a big open building that itself had some interesting architecture but I assumed the real museum was still under consideration for construction. Next I tried the National Portrait Gallery only to find that it didn't open until 11:30. So I wondered up to capital hill and went inside the Supreme Court building. It was nice going to such a place without worrying about the behavior of 28 17 year olds.
I had to be out of my hotel by noon and the other one I was going to didn't check people in until 3 or 4. I considered taking the metro but then decided to just hoof it the 17 or so blocks. So putting my two satchels over my shoulders I sauntered Eastward (I think). On the journey I recognized a Mcdonalds that I had visited some years earlier and since I wasn't in a hurry and it was lunchtime decided to try the exotic menu there. The only thing exotic were the two fellows in the foyer singing their hearts out for the good customers. Only trouble was they weren't very good. After eating and reading a bit I decided against encouraging their talent further and headed towards the White House to see what the protests De Jour were. The anti nuclear weapons folks were still manning their posts as they have done steadily since 1984. Another group was doing some type of street threater, they had about 10 guys dressed up in orange robes and h oods, I got the impression they represented dead people? The third group was holding signs and standing against the WH fence. The signs were calling attention to someone who had been arrested in Mexico and asking the State Department to get involved and get this guy freed. I decided not to tell them that the state department was over a couple of blocks and that Obama himself was in CA doing a taping of the Jay Leno show, so their protest probably didn't matter much...they seemed to be enjoying themselves so I moved on.
I got to the 22nd street Marriot which was a giant step up from the Red Roof Inn. It was then about 2:00 and my room was ready so I was able to dump my stuff and find the metro for a trip to the DC zoo. Another attraction I had never been able to fit in. I got off at the right stop and rode what must be the world's longest escalator. I timed it on the way back in and it was 2 1/2 minutes, which is along time to stand there. I started up the road not sure which way the zoo was, but then I started seeing signs, baby strollers! Some were following me and others were coming from the direction I was headed. I surmised that since I hadn't seen a child in the whole city that the zoo must be a gathering spot of small people.
When I got back to the hotel then the next decision came up, what to wear to the reception? I hadn't brought a tie so I dressed with the best that I had. when I got there I was the only male without a tie or a coat. but it didn't matter much, it was a nice reunion with some people I hadn't seen for about 14 years.
The next day was work work work, reading applications till our eyes hurt. Then Dinner was on our own so I wondered to Georgetown (Ben would have loved this place) Busy foot traffic resturants every 15 feet. Ethiopian, Vietnamese, Italian, etc. I wondered around looking at the architecture and the menus. Finally I was drawn to a basic Subway where I bought a rather exotic sandwich.
As you can see my food tastes tend toward the mundane and based more on economics than taste. But it was a fun adventure all the same.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Good News and Good News
We were able to host a couple of functions in our newly remodeled living room. It has been a 6 month project that included sanding down the oak floors and refinishing them, plastering a couple of walls, making the entrance larger by ripping out a pocket door, changing the lighting scheme, building and installing base boards, learning how to cut cove molding. And finally yesterday installing my home crafted threshold boards. We hung some pictures on Monday and its looking pretty homey. This all started because we put in a new window, which necessitated new drapes, which required a new paint job...but that wouldn't match the old carpet, and while we're at it lets make the door bigger, etc, etc.
Our progress was slowed somewhat by the fact that I was diagnosed with leukemia in the middle of it all which gave me a great excuse to lay around more and put things off till later, which I did. But the second good news was that on Tuesday I jogged 2 miles in the early morning. Its been about one year since I had done that before. It was last March when I started getting the shortness of breath and the weakness that I figured was tied to some sort of lung problem. In reality I had bad blood, the cells weren't getting the oxygen to their proper areas of need. My blood was running kind of like the U.S. Postal Service. Today, after a productive (costly, but productive) trip to the dentist I went to the cancer clinic and had them do a blood test, which showed that my blood is now much more like UPS or DHL. I have the right amounts of nearly everything and I'm feeling pretty good.
I continually get people telling me how much better I look, man I must have been UGLY before.
Our progress was slowed somewhat by the fact that I was diagnosed with leukemia in the middle of it all which gave me a great excuse to lay around more and put things off till later, which I did. But the second good news was that on Tuesday I jogged 2 miles in the early morning. Its been about one year since I had done that before. It was last March when I started getting the shortness of breath and the weakness that I figured was tied to some sort of lung problem. In reality I had bad blood, the cells weren't getting the oxygen to their proper areas of need. My blood was running kind of like the U.S. Postal Service. Today, after a productive (costly, but productive) trip to the dentist I went to the cancer clinic and had them do a blood test, which showed that my blood is now much more like UPS or DHL. I have the right amounts of nearly everything and I'm feeling pretty good.
I continually get people telling me how much better I look, man I must have been UGLY before.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Texas Trip
We finally made it! The flight down was great, the kids warmed up to us real quick. When people ask me what I saw in Texas over the weekend, I tell them "Two cherubic little faces." Clark scored big on his birthday getting both an elephant and a trike. Eva has a cute personality and she loves to talk...in some language.
We gave Ben and Jan an opportunity to do some jogging without pushing two kids along in front of them, and we went to a pre-rodeo fair, I could have taken my hat!
The flight back was delayed in Dallas, but we finally got home and got to bed by about 1:00 AM. Thanks Em for being our driver.
We gave Ben and Jan an opportunity to do some jogging without pushing two kids along in front of them, and we went to a pre-rodeo fair, I could have taken my hat!
The flight back was delayed in Dallas, but we finally got home and got to bed by about 1:00 AM. Thanks Em for being our driver.
Monday, February 9, 2009
diagnosis
I swore off these blog things because I didn't see much point to them. Generally what I have to say I'll say to the individual that is interested in listening. But just for kicks I think I'll follow up on my last blog in April and inform the uninformed world that I finally discovered what might have triggered that chest congestion back in April. It was a long and complex puzzle, I went to 3 different doctors because I just couldn't get over the bronchites stuff. I also had to limit my running because I went from doing a mile every other morning to doing 1/2 a block then having to walk because I couldn't get enough air. Then my feet kept falling asleep. I would lay down at night and my feet would go numb and feel cold from the inside. The next exciting complication was feeling a hard lump in my left side under my ribs.
On Dec 22 I got an appt with Dr. Durrans, he checked me over. They sucked some blood and set me up with a CAT scan for the next morning. The 23rd I went into Orem Community Hospital and got the scan about 7:30 (after drinking copious amounts of cranberry juice laced with something). By 10:30 Durrans was calling me and suggesting I come back and see him and bring Susan, she was at work so she couldn't come. He informed me that my spleen was a whopper maybe 5 times the normal size, thus the pressure on my circulatory system and the lump. He had also discovered from the blood work that I had 220,000 white blood cells per something when I was only supposed to have about 7,000. He had already set me an appt for an oncologist, which I soon discovered was a cancer doctor.
This time Susan met me at the Central utah Cancer Clinic, they sucked some more blood. Did a little exam, then placed me face down on those little tables and stuck giant needles in my back, and into my hip bone to suck out some marrow. By 5:00 I was downing some chemo pills and had been partially diagnosed with CML. Chronic Meg..... Leukemia, which I was told was "the good kind".
Since the 23rd of Dec. I have been taking oral chemo with no apparent side effects (I still have my hair) and I actually started jogging again and got clear around the block!! I also played basketball with the guys I've been playing with the past 17 years and they said my game had improved with the disease, which indicates where it was before.
On Dec 22 I got an appt with Dr. Durrans, he checked me over. They sucked some blood and set me up with a CAT scan for the next morning. The 23rd I went into Orem Community Hospital and got the scan about 7:30 (after drinking copious amounts of cranberry juice laced with something). By 10:30 Durrans was calling me and suggesting I come back and see him and bring Susan, she was at work so she couldn't come. He informed me that my spleen was a whopper maybe 5 times the normal size, thus the pressure on my circulatory system and the lump. He had also discovered from the blood work that I had 220,000 white blood cells per something when I was only supposed to have about 7,000. He had already set me an appt for an oncologist, which I soon discovered was a cancer doctor.
This time Susan met me at the Central utah Cancer Clinic, they sucked some more blood. Did a little exam, then placed me face down on those little tables and stuck giant needles in my back, and into my hip bone to suck out some marrow. By 5:00 I was downing some chemo pills and had been partially diagnosed with CML. Chronic Meg..... Leukemia, which I was told was "the good kind".
Since the 23rd of Dec. I have been taking oral chemo with no apparent side effects (I still have my hair) and I actually started jogging again and got clear around the block!! I also played basketball with the guys I've been playing with the past 17 years and they said my game had improved with the disease, which indicates where it was before.
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