MedWorm.com provides a medical RSS filtering service. Over 6000 RSS medical sources are combined and output via different filters. This feed contains the latest items from the 'Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!' source. Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:27:23 +0100 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/08/inspiration-needs-prayers.html Before I can write anything about our latest adventure to New Mexico over the weekend, I have a quick prayer request from a friend...I came home to an email from a dear friend Natalie who writes:I write this email with a heavy heart.... my best friend Melissa was diagnosed with cancer of the lymph nodes late yesterday afternoon. Many of you know her, and some on this list do not. She is a 33 year old mom of two young boys D__,age 1 and D__ almost 3. She is beautiful on the inside and out... I am asking all of you to please send this to as many people you know who will be willing to pray for her and her family. The only known fact is that she has a mass tumor in her lymph nodes in her chest and that her liver is enlarged. She underwent two surgeries today to find if the cancer has spread to her bones. My specific prayer request is that we pray that the tumor is encapsulated and has not spread, and that her liver is not affected by this cancer. Please also pray that God gives Melissa the strength and courage to fight this long battle. Again, please forward this email.... we need MANY MANY prayer warriors.....I'm asking that you all please include Melissa and her family in your prayers. Thank you. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1714000 Mon, 18 Aug 2008 15:50:00 +0100 1714000 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/07/sigh-close-of-wonderful-vacation.html HalfBrainBoy and I have returned from New Mexico rejuvenated. Don’t we look that way? If we were any more relaxed, we'd be dead... Yes, life was truly sweet during our time in the Land of Enchantment. We did miles of hiking, scared up a rattlesnake, several little salamander types of things (which I love and took photo after photo of), filled up both our digital cards with photos of each other standing on very tall rocks breathing in fresh air and just being generally happy to be alive. We did what little driving we needed to do in a rented Prius and I fell in love with that vehicle, let me tell you. If a time comes when I am able to trade in one of the monster vehicles we are currently saddled with, that will be my trade of choice. But since both our vehicles are paid off and we don’t really relish the thought of a car payment any time soon, this is a tough consideration, even with the gas savings. If interested in seeing more of the photos which I seem to have a hard time limiting myself in putting out on flickr, though I did start out well at only about 20 per day/activity… now that I’m home, the number is steadily increasing… you can head on over to my photo gallery where I have them all put together in our New Mexico 2008 set. If you aren’t a member of flickr (and it costs nothing to join), do join up so you can leave your comments on the photos. I do love me some comments about them (be nice, please - I only love the nice ones. heh) and will leave you a comment back if you leave any for me! It becomes a regular social hour out there. All sorts of fun. I spend more time there than blogging any more. Sad to say. But I have no time for blogging. This week’s big time crunch is the truffle business. We have our local home town days. And woohoo! If our little bizniz isn’t going to be in the parade! I’m hoping Keith will be home from work tomorrow in time to be the chief photographer of our little group handing out literature and free truffle samples! In 100 degree Fahrenheit (heat index) weather! Can you say truffle soup? ;-p I’m wishing I had some rollerblades and knew how to use ‘em! AND I wish you were all here so I could meet you on the street and say hello. Now THAT would be a fun parade.Cross your fingers that a twister doesn't come and blow us right off the parade route because that is the kind of weather that is fixin' to pull itself together this evening...Smooches! (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1616197 Fri, 11 Jul 2008 19:42:00 +0100 1616197 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/06/all-night-long.html I've almost reached a point of recovery from last Friday night's Relay For Life of Hudson. Almost. As you can see from my photo set out on Flickr, we had gorgeous weather with the exception of a very brief bout of high wind that threatened to blow in a severe thunderstorm just as the event was about to kick off. It blew some tents around and detached a few banners we had painstakingly hung up that morning in preparation for the event, a few spatters of rain fell, but aside from that, all was bright and sunny and gorgeous. The Brain Trust donned our Pit Crew suits, decorated with patches which showed our sponsors from area business people and the names of loved ones who we were walking in memory and in honor of. (This is far less easy to see - the photos did not turn out great due to the very high sunshine and user error on my part - my apologies...) It is always very difficult to try and name people in a post without the fear of forgetting someone (as I know I have in the past) and so I apologize in advance if I leave anyone's name off the following list of thanks. But for Keith's and my part, we would like to thank the following people who helped make this Relay spectacular by their participation and/or contribution in some way... The members of Keith's Brain Trust. Every member is important, of course. Like any pit crew, one missing member and there could be a disaster. But as always we had the all important crew chief (two!) in Anonybro and Bonnie Wonka. Couldn't have done it without you!!! Mom and Dad, thanks for making the hot dog stand happen. As you know, there was some serious fund raising that could not have occurred had it not been for that event. The raffle came together because of this, and our final hugely generous sponsor came on board that weekend after finding us there. And all of the rest of the team are what make us a team! From workers at the stand to walkers on the track and brain power and assistants in other endeavors, you are all what make it happen. Thank you! Inspirations and Dollar donors: All of the above, because you know ya'll pitched in your own money (especially the crew chief and we have some money for you!)Aunt Roz and Uncle MartyUncle Chuck and Aunt HelenUncle Howard ~dBilly & StaceCheryl Ecker MooreJon Olson - C21 (and thanks for coming out to the track, Jon!)Mr. Schlief (we missed seeing you this year!)MarkCarol MJenoramaKathyCKathyKCursingMama and her MotorcycleMan Jeff the BaristaNatalie the BaristaMommy DodoPeter SMystical Marge!!! (and for your photography skilz - because you have them whereas I do not!)LisaCarolyn and JohnDonnaKris Keith's mommy, AltaKeith's grandma, Dorothy ZZaney Janey MKimbyKatieKMichele and WesWhathisfaceWhatshername There are bunches of people who have supported us for years and years in the past, as well. If I try to list them all I will definitely forget some and be terribly embarrassed. Know that we are grateful to each and every one of you. The cheers from the sidelines are so important to us, as well. I'm not going to try and link up to bloggers here. If you want me to, text or email me and I will. (I'm back in here today because I'm already trying to add people to the list. See? I knew I'd feel bad about putting a list in here because there would be people left off and I'd feel bad about people from previous years not included. I should not have tried to do this. I have lived with guilt for something my whole life and I don't do well with it.) I'm tired. :) There is more to tell. But not much. You can learn most of it in the captions of my photos... (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1551471 Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:21:00 +0100 1551471 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/06/seven-years.html Seven years ago today, we awakened from a fitful night's sleep in one of Rochester, Minnesota's small hotels, very retro in that it hadn't been updated in many years. Our alarm was set early so Keith could be at the surgical center prepped for his surgery well before the procedure was to begin. I don't remember a lot about that day. I'm the queen at forgetting things I don't want to remember. There are many flashes of the day that I do remember, however. I remember the threatening weather. Terrible lightening as we crossed the street from the hotel to the hospital, holding hands and trying to joke about what would happen if they lost power in the middle of surgery. Trying not to think about the fact that there was a 50% chance he might not live through it. I remember how very dark it was that morning. It was early. And it was storming. And we had a lot of apprehension. All of those things were contributing factors. I know that Keith remembers a lot of different details than I do. But I sure remember that darkness. And the chill I felt in the air. My fear. My teeth chattering. I remember the frustration of the waiting. I knew that it would be hours and yet, it was still very difficult waiting those hours. And yet, the hours flew by very quickly. There was all of the frustration of sitting in the surgical waiting area trying to get my laptop to connect to the internet so that I could send out little email dispatch updates to friends and family. Finally giving up on that and making treks to the Mayo library any time I knew any piece of information. Using their computers to send out mini-missives. I remember that Keith's mom was there, and my most long-time friend. My support system. And yet I needed that time to cocoon. And they were okay with that and kept each other company for the most part. I had to spend much of the day processing what was happening because it was all happening so quickly (his diagnosis had come April 13th and here it was, surgical day two months later after a couple of years of strange symptoms that had gone misdiagnosed and now brain cancer?).I remember the surgeon's update. Telling me that he had removed the tumor from the hippocampus and amygdala calling it an amygdalahippocampectomy. He used his hand to demonstrate the size of the tumor being about the size of his thumb and that they'd taken a little margin around it. (That means brain matter folks...) He said they had also tested for seizure activity during the surgery. I remember afterwards when HBB was in ICU for the post-surgery recovery and in the throes of some serious pain (I gotta admit, they were not great at pain management down there in his case - that was a big disappointment...) and I began my sympathy migraine. No surprise there, eh? I remember when they pulled the drains from his head. Dear g*d I hope I never have to witness any of my loved ones going through anything like that again. I weep when I remember that. I remember the kindness of some of those night nurses. I remember his hiccups. And how they would NOT go away. And how nobody seemed to care. And how I ran all over trying to find some yogurt for him to eat while he had them because that had helped him get rid of them once. Imagine how hiccups must feel to someone who has had their skull cut open for deep brain surgery and then stapled back together. I remember wondering if Rochester ever has decent weather or if all of the bad storms pass through that city (and I have to admit that HBB and I still wonder that whenever we watch the weather patterns coming into the cities).I could go on for some time. There are many of these tiny details that come to me. But all I really want to say is, Happy 7th Half Brain Birthday, Keith! I'm so glad to be able to share in this and many other special days with you. This year I am extra grateful to spend with you. You will always be my Half Brain Boy. :D There is only a week left until our local Relay For Life! Help us celebrate Keith's Brain Trust family team with a donation. Or just wish Keith a Happy 7th Half Brain Birthday with a donation to him!Our thanks to bloggers Jen, Bill and Stace, ~d, Mark, Lisa, and Sharon for all you have done to help make this Relay successful! You rock! (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1516600 Fri, 13 Jun 2008 06:07:00 +0100 1516600 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/06/rrrrrrrrracing-against-time.html We're only 9 days away from the Race Against Time... A Walk to Find A Cure. It's our local American Cancer Society Relay For Life and our team is going all out to raise as much money as we can for this event.If you are interested in getting on board, here is one more way you can help... it's too late now to add your patch to our pit crew suits, but we're raffling off this amazing mini Nascar hood (approx 28" x 30"). I can't sell them online, but if you are interested in this raffle, let me know! The beautifully painted hood is valued at $85-100 and our tickets are selling for only $2! (or 3 for $5).If you'd prefer, you can donate to our team online to help us reach our fund raising goal by clicking on this link. Thank you so much!Help us beat this cancer beast!RRRRacing Against Time with Keith's Brain Trust!What? You've never heard of Relay For Life? Never done it yourself? Don't know anyone else who has? Go check out our team's flickr photos from past years and see how much fun we have and then look for a Relay in your area. Then? Get involved! You'll be glad you did. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1508578 Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:31:00 +0100 1508578 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/05/relay-for-life-celebrate-remember-fight.html You know, I've never been a huge fan of going out and asking for money, but it all depends upon the reason/cause. I hate asking for my own needs, but I'm a little less reticent to ask for a good cause. I've been a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society since HBB (HalfBrainBoy) was diagnosed with a Brain Tumor back in 2001 and as a result we joined our local Relay For Life in 2002. I didn't get a lot of money from it, but the most fun I had raising money for the Relay was the time I turned a hike into a fund raiser. I only wish I'd thought of it sooner. And I hope to try this again sometime (frequently)! This is a video I made from that experience. I had put one together a while back, but I remade it last night to show that gathering money for a good cause doesn't always have to be just asking. Although, that is a really important way to do it - the most important actually.So here it is, our Hike for the Cure from 2006.I'd rather be hiking, but this year, I'm asking. Teams are down. Funds are down. I know that finances are tight for a lot of people. I know that there are a lot of deserving places to give charitable donations these days. It's a very hard time to ask for money. But that's what I'm doing this year. If you have five dollars, ten dollars, twenty to spare, any amount will help provide a wig for someone going through chemo, a ride for someone who needs one to a doctor appointment, a piece of medical equipment for a person who doesn't have insurance... the list goes on and on and you can help.Here's a link to our team donation page. From there, click on the STAR that says donate. If you don't have a credit card, you can click on any of the team member names and find a link to print an offline donation form to mail your donation in to the ACS.Thank you so much for your time! (please pass the word on! :D) (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1458617 Wed, 21 May 2008 06:32:00 +0100 1458617 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/04/open-hearts.html The blogging community is huge and very diverse. I have been fortunate to be a part of a very loving and giving part of that community. When I started this blog, it began as a fund raiser for the American Cancer Society's Relay For Life a couple of years after HalfBrainBoy's surgery to remove his brain tumor. And the blogging community that surrounded us came through and very generously gave to our team by opening your wallets and pitching in with donations or else by telling us stories of hope and love and loss which kept me going as I ran those long miles inspiring me in my journey. This week, I would like to ask you to open your hearts for Jeni. If you do not know her, by all means, go meet her. She is a beautifully courageous cancer warrior and some of her Blogger Friends are running a Bloggers for Jeni Auction this week on eBay. The proceeds will help pay for medical expenses that insurance won't cover and provide a trust for her little boy (he's 6), Jack. There are beautiful things for sale at the auction. Beautiful things for beautiful bloggy hearts. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1407073 Tue, 29 Apr 2008 19:43:00 +0100 1407073 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/04/new-bt-warrior.html Our blog friend Michael Manning let us know this week about a new BT Warrior and pointed us to his Caring Bridge website. Please send your best prayers and wishes to young Gunnar.Michael has posted a wonderful intro to Gunnar over on his blog.You can keep updated on Gunnar's condition and learn about his treatment via his Caring Bridge site. Make sure and set up a bookmark! As you know, donations are always welcome. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1389102 Tue, 22 Apr 2008 02:45:00 +0100 1389102 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/04/cancer-patients-caregivers.html Living Well with Cancer – April 19, 2008 SeminarWashington Cancer Institute at Washington Hospital Center invites you to its second FREE Living Well with Cancer seminar of the year featuring Alice Matthews Beers, BSN, an oncology nurse and expert on cancer patient recovery. Beers will provide information and guidance on how to communicate effectively with your doctors and other health care providers about post-treatment issues. She will also address the importance of a healthy emotional recovery by discussing how to recognize and manage anxiety, depression and fatigue. The event will be held on Saturday, April 19, from 9 a.m. to Noon at the National Rehabilitation Hospital Auditorium located on the Washington Hospital Center campus, 102 Irving St., NW, Washington, DC 20010. To register, please call 202-877-DOCS (3627) or register online here. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1352142 Fri, 04 Apr 2008 18:47:00 +0100 1352142 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/01/hbb-insurance-and-doctors.html There are times when I’m reminded that the medical world is a business. As all businesses, making money is important. There is nothing necessarily wrong with this. If practicing medicine didn’t provide money for doctors, hospitals, labs and research facilities, then who would get into the business? I know there is the argument of state-run medical care, I won’t touch that debate. And, I also don’t want to discredit that EXTREMELY caring nurses, technicians and doctors I have met in the medical community. But, if the facility these caring people worked for didn’t make money, these people wouldn’t have a place to provide their care.But, I have found that I can get lured into a kind of comfort that the medical community is out for my wellbeing. They are. Just so long as they make money at it.Of course, the same goes for health insurance. Only double.As much as we might complain, what’s the choice? I don’t see another immediately available choice but to work with these two groups – the medical providers and the insurance companies.Today, I was reminded of the money aspect of healthcare. I have the fantastic fortune of going to a good, very respected medical clinic near my home. Because this clinic is so well respected it even draws people from around the country. Unfortunately, this makes this clinic expensive. To be exact, most procedures at this place are around three times what the insurance company is willing to pay. NO, this isn’t some wildly exaggerated amount. Really, 3 times the “usual and customary” that my insurance will cover 80% of. So, doing my math, that means insurance covers about 27%. I talked to this clinic about their high cost. And, I kid you not, the business office person replied “well, we are three times BETTER than everyone else”. That could well be. I’ve checked that out and it likely is true.I withheld some payments to this clinic to get their attention so they would help me work with the insurance. The woman in the business office agreed that I had not withheld these payments, I probably wouldn’t have gotten their immediate help to work with insurance. It was to no avail. The insurance company did not back down. The only change was that I had to go into a little room before every appointment and pay for the procedures before they were done. It was humiliating.Finally, I tired of the expense and abuse and I contacted the insurance company. I asked who they would have me see in place of this renowned place. I went to the doctor they suggested. I have to breathe deeply before I start a spew of strong words against this medical experience. This doctor’s arrogance and incompetence wrecked a price on me that was phenomenal. My brother, a surgeon, heard my experience with this doctor. He suggested “quack” was too kind.So, I decided to do whatever necessary to return to the good, expensive, effective place. I did. With a little work I have it up to insurance covering half the expense. On some seemingly random occasions, insurance has covered all the billing from this place.So, this is the background to today’s story. Today, I got a call from the business office from this cutting-edge clinic. They told me that they had just gotten off the phone with my insurance company and my insurance company told them that I was losing my health insurance in two days.Maybe your healthcare costs aren’t similar to mine. So, maybe this wouldn’t stop your heart quite the same as it stopped mine. I was shaking. I could hardly dial the phone to call the insurance company. I got a very nice, very helpful woman. She told me that sure enough the screen showed my insurance expired in two days. She asked if I had paid last month’s bill. I was already on the computer finding my cleared check online. Yep. Paid. Nothing else had changed.Did I have a heartbeat? I don’t think so. She said she would go check something and she put me on hold.She came back on and explained that the expiration date didn’t mean the same thing in my type of insurance and all was well and I would continue to be covered.My heart started. I had no idea if I should be angry or grateful or relieved or annoyed or…. Had I not been at work, I likely would have let out some kind of yell – joyous or angry or otherwise.I must say, both the person at the clinic and the person at the insurance company were very professional and helpful and kind.Somewhere along the line, someone made a mistake. Mistakes happen. I’ve probably made a dozen in the last half hour.I know I am amazingly lucky. I have absolutely nothing to complain about. I DO have insurance. I DO go to very good clinics. I AM doing better than anticipated. I do understand how many there are who are not so lucky.But, it was still a scary view into how much I rely on this whole infrastructure of insurance and medical community, and these two getting along, and that all will work reasonably well where these are intertwined.As of today, it appears there isn’t any unraveling going on for us. I think I’ll go eat some carrot sticks to celebrate. I guess the best way to avoid these hassles is to avoid the need for doctors. That's what I'm told, anyway. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1182877 Mon, 28 Jan 2008 20:56:00 +0100 1182877 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/01/hbb-new-toy-leads-to-old-pictures.html I'm having one of those nights.It doesn't help that I didn't leave work until 9 tonight.But, now I'm caught up in fun that could keep me up really late.I've got a new toy. I bought a device to create jpegs from our old negatives (I'm afraid to say HOW OLD some of these are).Many of these negatives have been stored in unheated/non-cooled storage for years in a severe climate. I have some negatives that have travelled several states and maybe countries. So, the quality of the negatives aren't great.But, still, it's fun to turn these old pictures into jpegs.Several down, thousands more to go. I just thought I would share a few.First, Keri and I at an awards banquet. Back then, work was still a "formal" event. My small rebellion against the formal was long hair and the occassional pony tail. Next, this is the three of us at our first Easter. Again, things were way more formal then. I think Keri and I had only been going out for two months here. Then, the amusing thing is, this is our wedding photo. Really. It is. Casual. As in, wedding was held in 4-wheel-only-and-hike location above a glacier lake. July, but we got to have a snowball fight during the wedding.This last is a really great memory. I'm happy to say this is my daughter. It's been a bunch of fun years being dad to her. I'm really, really happy I got that chance. I'd do it again in a second.So, the negatives might be a little scratched and bent and faded. They've been through a lot. We have, too. But, they're clear enough to bring up memories.With that, I am headed towards bed while I can still stop. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1134665 Tue, 08 Jan 2008 05:46:00 +0100 1134665 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/01/hbb-happy-new-year-2-list.html Okay, so I just said that my list of gratitudes for 2007 was too long to be started. I lied. I am sure I will miss some major things that I am grateful for as I enter 2008, but here is a partial list. 1) I am overwhelmingly happy that Keri and I are back together and so close. This still feels a bit like a dream. It's wonderful. 2) I am extremely grateful that Keli and I are seeing each other so much and that I am able to spend some good dad and daughter time with her. 3) I am grateful for my good friends and family. So many have been there and haven't given up. 4) I am grateful for the work I have. I'm glad the work hiccups from last year seem behind us. 5) I am grateful for the good health. I am so glad that the concerns the neurologists had turned out to be nothing. I am so grateful for improvement of neurological functions. 6) Along those lines, I'm thankful for the determination by a certain doc to help get my seizure meds corrected. I can't tell you how much better life is with that improvement. The list could go on and on...--HalfBrainBoy (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123726 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:52:00 +0100 1123726 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2008/01/hbb-happy-new-year.html Happy new year!!!I wish well to all in 2008. I feel good about 2008. I start New Years 2008 in a much happier, healthier place than I've been the past couple of January firsts. In past years, our family spent some time on New Years writing down gratitudes from the year past. This past year, I've had too many to even begin. But, as I've thought about gratitude, I think about how things can work out. I've been lucky. Experiences I've had that seemed bad at the time sometimes ended up setting me up for something good. Lately, looking back and seeing how the good and bad experiences have been related has really helped through any new challenges. There is this fable that has helped me keep this in mind. So, as the start to 2008, as I sit here feeling grateful for how things have all worked out, here's my version of this story. -----There was a poor rancher who owned a horse. One day, the horse ran away into the hills. The rancher’s neighbors came to console him. “You must feel terrible”, they said, “What bad luck for you that your horse ran away.” The rancher answered, “We shall see.” The rancher had treated the horse well, so the horse soon returned home. When the horse returned, it was followed by several wild horses from the hills. The neighbors returned. This time they said to the rancher, “You must be so happy. What good luck you have to have these new horses.”The rancher answered, “We shall see.” A few days later, while working with the new horses, the rancher’s son was thrown and broke his leg. He could no longer help on the ranch. Again, the neighbors came to the rancher. They said, “You must feel so sad that your son broke his leg. This is such bad luck for you.”From the rancher, “We shall see.” Several weeks later, war broke out. The military passed through the rancher’s town. They took all the young men of fighting age to join in the battle. Because of the son’s bad leg, he was skipped. He stayed on the ranch. The neighbors returned. This time they said, “You must feel so good that your son was skipped. This is such good luck for you.”The rancher answered, “We shall see.” Many years later, after the rancher had seen many things in his life, as he had experienced many fortunes and misfortunes, he had become quite old and frail. One day he sat outside his home. A new neighbor dropped by. This neighbor saw the aged, ailing, nearly blind rancher. The neighbor said, “Old man, you are so old and so ill. You must feel sad that you are no longer young, that most of life is behind you. This is such bad luck for you.” The rancher nodded and answered, “We shall see.” --HalfBrainBoy (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1123727 Tue, 01 Jan 2008 06:16:00 +0100 1123727 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/hbb-dark-room-on-gray-day.html It's 4pm on a gray day. I'm still in my sleepwear sitting in bed. The shades are open just a few inches to let just a little light in. Nope, this isn't a bad mood. Next to me Keri is hurtin big time from a migraine. I've spent the day bringing up various ice packs and keeping her company. That's about all I can do. The dark room, ice packs and rest are about all she can do for these. Lately, they've lasted days and made her feel really crappy. I'm glad I have this day off. I may not be able to help out, but it's nice I can be here to try. Keeping quiet is a challenge for me. In case you hadn't heard, I do have moments of lack of coordination. This can lead to thumps and crashes. :)We're thinking about trying a audio book now to see if this will provide a good distraction from the pain. It can't hurt. But, I guess that's easy for ME to say. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1122176 Sun, 30 Dec 2007 22:01:00 +0100 1122176 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/hbb-results-good.html Okay, so after we got the good results on Monday, things zoomed right back into the hectic swing of things. All of a sudden, it's Saturday, and I haven't posted!Here's how it went. KinnicChick and I stayed in a Hotel near the hospital the night before the MRI. I had the MRI very early in the morning. Then, we waited for the eternal hours between the MRI and the meeting with the neuro-oncologist. We got coffee and wrote and wandered around. Then, we went for the appointment to get the initial results. First, we had a bit of a shock. The doc pulled the wrong MRI results on to the computer screen. These MRI results showed a pronounced tumor in a brain. The results made no sense since this showed a head with much more brain than I have. But, it was still an initial shock. The error was corrected and the doctor displayed MY results. All looked good. I've formed an almond-size cyst that is new since the last time I was in. But, this is no problem. All in all, very exciting news. Much relief. Then the doctor looked back at the recent tests on my brain function. He looked at the results, then the MRI, then the results. He told me that he would not have expected the good level of memory I have based on the MRI. He told me that I must be exercising my brain in the right ways. That was nice to hear. Afterwards, KinnicChick and I talked about how much it surprises us each time we see the MRI results. Let's just say that we were reminded that "HalfBrainBoy" is quite the appropriate name. And, I appreciate the doc's nice words about how I've been able to use what I've got. I've been lucky. And, I've had wonderful people around to help me. Now, it's time to head into the holidays. Especially this Christmas, I think I'll have one of the nicest Christmases ever. I think this Christmas I'll likely feel the most gratitude ever. There are my most favorite christmas cookies! KinnicChick's secret recipe. Time to start the holiday feasting. I wish the best to you and yours. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1113430 Sat, 22 Dec 2007 22:40:00 +0100 1113430 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/hbb-prompted-to-remember-then-and-now.html The post yesterday about the MRI had caused me to reflect a bit. It's been a wild ride.Things are so good now.I was looking for pictures to give an idea of how good things are now, compared to a things didn't looks quite so good.What better than a picture as I left the hospital after surgery side-by-side with one that shows this summer's fun?Your brain in pain:Your brain having fun:Any questions???Just so there isn't any doubt, I opt for the "brain having fun". Oh, and one last thing. Keri, when you try to make rabbit ears above somebody's head, make sure they aren't wearing a hat. :P (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1094223 Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:26:00 +0100 1094223 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/hbb-thoughts-on-brain-tumor-follow-ups.html Monday will be an interesting day. I approach Monday with very mixed feelings. Monday is my regular follow-up brain MRI to see if everything is stable. After the MRI , there is the wait for some of the most intense hours experienced. Then, there is the meeting with the neuro-oncologist to get the results. I would be lying if I said I didn't have any worry. Maybe just a tiny bit. But, the day I have these MRI’s are also like my own personal Thanksgiving Day. I have a new set of feelings about these brain MRIs each time I have them. But, there is no way I can approach these days as “just another day”. I knew a brain tumor survivor, a guy who had a similar type of tumor. He said that, after years, he approached these follow-ups as nothing more noteworthy than a dentist appointment. Years down the road, one of these “dentist appointments” changed his life. I think I’d lose out on something if I felt that these MRI where nothing more than dentist appointments. I think I’d miss out on an opportunity to feel such intense feeling of gratitude and relief. I was recently listening to someone who was waiting on biopsy results. She described the feeling so well. She said, “I KNOW this is NOTHING…but there is just this part of me which realizes this COULD be something.” Exactly. There is always the "what if". Monday, I will get good results. I know I will. I hope. Life is too good right now. So, I know they won't be finding any enhancement or growth. All will continue to be stable. But, there is a small voice tapping me on the shoulder, “…but, it COULD be something”. And, I probably pay a bit more attention to that small voice because I’ve experienced receiving the unexpected call, “we’re sorry to tell you, you have a brain tumor….” After experiencing the unimaginable, you realize the unimaginable can happen. I don’t really think this is a sign of excessive worry. This MRI really IS nothing. But, it gives me a chance, if I will pay attention, to realize how lucky I’ve been that it always been nothing. And, once again, I have a vivid reminder of how far I’ve come. These days are strange. I’m working. I’m playing. I’m doing housework. Keri and I are reading or watching movies. Then, suddenly, in the middle of it all, there is a date on the calendar that could throw everything into a single-minded fight for survival. Again. It won't throw us into a fight, because the results will be nothing. But, still...I’ve been reminded that EVERYONE, each day, has the potential of running into some unexpected life-changing crisis. I realize this. But, I have this on my calendar. It’s different when it’s a single point in time. Monday: Celebration or Crisis? I guarantee that by the end of the day, I will be feeling something fairly intense. And, I’m told I’ll likely have these follow-up appointments for life. Part of me groans at the hassle. Part of me wants to forget about it. But, fortunately, there is now still a part of me that appreciates this as a reminder to be thankful. There is nothing like the big relief from good news about a brain tumor.Now to make the big decision, which kind of music should I request on the headset in the MRI? And, where to go out to celebrate after the good news? (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1091387 Thu, 13 Dec 2007 03:20:00 +0100 1091387 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/let-records-show-you-have-been-warned.html I head to the local Relay For Life 2008 Kick off meeting tonight to pick up the packet for the team. Yes, it's that time of the year again for all things Relay to enter my head and begin to swim around and take root. I may not be on the committee this year (thank goodness for a break for my wee brain from that) but that just means I'll have more time for our team and to have more time getting creative with ideas for fund raising and having fun! Expect to hear more about the power of purple from me around here. Maybe you'll consider a quick donation for the holidays? I mean, what's better than tossing your money to a great cause like cancer research than tossing it away on more unnecessary disposables? And? If you live in the area and happen to read this site, I may be hitting you up to be on the team. I love a full team of 15 people. The more the merrier. If you haven't been on it before but have considered it, consider it hard. If you have been a member of the Merry Brain Trust (no, I'm not changing the name, but it is the Holiday season), be prepared for recruitment season to begin. My new Team Captain and I are looking for YOU. Give that some thought and bookmark my site. We'll talk. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1070289 Tue, 04 Dec 2007 15:05:00 +0100 1070289 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/12/id-like-to-teach.html Lying here thinking I should go to sleep. Was just reading a few other bloggers and happened upon Schmutzie... This piece. It brings back some pretty interesting memories of my days in lessons on the Organ. With Mrs. F.Oh yeah. Good times.That's about all I wanted to say. It just seemed like it was time to update around here. Since somebody had gotten too busy to write or something. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1065862 Mon, 03 Dec 2007 05:12:00 +0100 1065862 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/inspiration-needs-prayers.html A teacher from the middle school Kel attended could use your prayers. They had a retirement party for her early this week because it is now obvious that she will not be able to go back to work. I don't know all of the details of where she is with her treatments, but she could use your prayers. Patti's cancer started out as a suspected sinus infection and if you remember, turned out to be a melanoma in her sinus cavity. You can read about her journey on her CaringBridge site. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1028244 Thu, 15 Nov 2007 06:12:00 +0100 1028244 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/hbbs-firey-hot-dinner.html I've learned I'm no fireman. That's okay. Neither is my boss. Tonight I was having dinner with my boss at a fairly swanky restaurant. It had white linens and low lights and candles. Very classy. They have paper table covers so the wait staff can write their names to make you feel at home. As we were recovering from a large dinner, my boss leaned back in his chair, wishing he was already in his recliner. Just then, a frantic woman at the table next to him was trying to get his attention. "Sir, sir, SIR!" she was pointing behind him. Just then I noticed flames leaping up behind my boss. He whipped around thinking he was on fire. Actually, the empty table behind us was in flames. The candle had caught the paper cover on fire. The fire was growing quickly. My boss was closest to the fire, so he started trying to smother it with his napkin. This killed much of the fire, but it started to spread in a new direction across the table. The whole time plastic from under the tablecloth was starting to drip to the floor as it melted. I looked at my glass of water. My first reaction, at a time when split seconds counted, was, "pouring water on it would make such a mess!" GAH! But, my sensible side took over. I grabbed my glass of water and flung it across the table top. My boss did the same with is. A waiter followed immediately with an entire pitcher. We returned to our table with our charred linen napkins. The smell of melted plastic was terrible. We stayed and talked about how terrible our fire-fighting skills were. I, for one, obviously have no fireman instincts to speak of. We were also talking about how amazing it was that we were so oblivious of a small campfire right next to us in a busy restaurant. It was a little startling. I was also amazed at the speed of it all. Even as we sat paying the bill, (No, no "fire sale" discount), we were chuckling about the number of tables around us who were asking the waiters what the smell was. They were oblivious of our heroic (albeit unskilled) firefighting. Have you ever had one of those friends with whom you know some unexpected adventure will always follow? We need to start charging restaurants NOT to frequent them. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1015819 Fri, 09 Nov 2007 03:37:00 +0100 1015819 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/halfbrainboy-tunnel.html I have to put a picture of this. All of this summer, I've been waiting with great anticipation as I watched the construction of this pedestrian/bike tunnel outside my window. This tunnel meant access to many things, including the grocery store and my doctor's office. A few weeks ago, it was completed. It was a thrill to walk through it the first time. Now, I've used this to shop and meet friends and have appointments. I've been able to get to all without needing a ride. Some may argue that this is an example of huge waste of tax-payers' money. I can understand. I also have problems with money spent on projects that seem to benefit a select few. But, I also argue that $4 per gallon gasoline, and increasing health problems from our sendentary lifestyles, might add to the argument for easy pedestrian access to things. I know this is used. I can watch the tunnel from my apartment window. It does draw the foot and bike traffic. This also enhances more than access for just myself. On the opposite side of the road is an assisted living building. I spoke to a resident from that building as she discovered the tunnel for the first time. A whole new world was open to her. So, I might be bias, but I'll enjoy it anyway, even in the sub-zero of winter. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1010475 Wed, 07 Nov 2007 03:22:00 +0100 1010475 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/another-angel.html I cannot believe what I am seeing. I am in complete shock. Sahara is gone. Please send your prayers to her family. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1007339 Tue, 06 Nov 2007 05:57:00 +0100 1007339 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/halfbrainboy-my-coffee.html I've mentioned that I have in my kitchen at least 7 different devices and methods for making coffee. I guess you could say I have a plethora of coffee toys. Or, you could say I have a problem."Coffee, thou are my friend."I do like coffee. Just a little.I like the nuances of coffee that is created different ways. I also like the looks of coffee-making devices. Some people collect stamps. I collect different ways to ingest caffeine. Same difference.Now, I present proof.I've thought about showing proof for awhile now. Keri suggested I take a picture to show all of my coffee stuff. I agreed. Someday, if I can locate everything, and also locate a bunch of clear counter space in my apartment, I would take a picture.Then, last week, tragedy struck. I grabbed some mail from the counter. There was an instant frozen in time as I saw the French press start towards the edge. I stood frozen as it crashed to the floor, shattering into an explosion of glass shards and still-wet coffee grounds. What a sad sight. And, damn it, I needed coffee! Right now!I toyed with the idea of straining the glass from the grounds splattered across the floor. But, I realized the half hour to scoop up the glassy, caffeinated mess would far surpass even the most lenient "5 second rule" concerning food on the floor.I debated leaving the mess for morning. It was late. Keri texted a stern warning that I would regret that. So, I longingly scoop up the grounds and glass and cleaned up the appliances and cabinets.So, to make a short story very long, I was motivated to capture my dwindling coffee crap before there was too little to brag about. (errr, rather, to be embarrassed by?)Without further ado, I present for your consideration, "Keith's coffee collection."There's the standard brewer that wakes me up each morning. This guy keeps me awake enough to be employable. I guess I owe him a lot.There's the press pot mug that Keri brought me from her last Badlands trip. This gets me through the weekends. And, it's cute to have matching his and hers coffee mugs.Next, there's the teeny-tiny French press. This one is advertised as unbreakable. I'm starting to appreciate this feature.The espresso machine. Keri surprised me with this a few Christmases ago. I love making coffee when it actually takes some skill to produce a palatable result. And, I love the fun accessories I got from wife and daughter two Christmases ago.Italian coffee maker. It's been used twice. Coffee is good. Kind of fun to watch. But, it's left red paint on two different stoves now.Single cup filter. This guy I bought to try my hand at making coffee like they make in our favorite Vietnamese restaurant. I even special ordered some Vietnamese beans. If I remember right, Keri thought the results choked down pretty well.Uhhh. I'm embarrassed. In the effort to be complete, I had to include this. It is, after all, a way to make coffee. I use it as my emergency coffee stash. See that red box? At the sound of the depleted caffeine alarm, rip open the box. Tear the pouch. Place in boiling water. Pace while it brews. Drink very fast. *Ahhhhh*If I count right, that's 7 remaining coffee-making devices. The 8th *sniff* will need to be replaced someday. As I type this, I realize there is another medium French press that I visit on weekends.Oh, and those bean grinders. You never know when one might break down. So, it's always good to keep a spare. *Heh* (Keri, missing your burr grinder yet?)So, now you can stop wondering. It is true. I have at least 7 ways to make coffee.Have a good, wakeful day. I know I will. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=1002310 Sat, 03 Nov 2007 19:06:00 +0100 1002310 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/11/rip-wrap-up.html I'm going to do a quick wrap up from Carl's RIP 2007. I was part of the Peril the First in which I agreed to attempt the following: Read four books from any of the genre's discussed on Carl's blog and so I chose... 1. The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) by H. P. Lovecraft and others (because of the movie my family members are involved with) 2. Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (because Jen told me I should) 3. Lisey's Story by Stephen King (because I've never been able to resist his work for long) 4. Coyote Blue by Christopher Moore (yes, lightweight, but I think I'll need it by the time I get here, and hearing Mystical laughing out loud at another of his books just makes me want to dive into something totally irreverent and funny just in time for the darkening days of November)I read these books, plus books two and three of the Vampire series of books by Stephenie Meyer. Because the story by Lovecraft that the movie I have family involved with was not in the book I mention in 1, I had to get another book of stories by Lovecraft. That way I was also able to read the story, The Thing on the Doorstep, which I found delightfully creepy! I really loved being involved with this challenge. It forced me to step outside of my usual reading rut of NYT bestseller list novels, chicklit books and autobiographies. And I entered the realm of H. P. Lovecraft. I ended up reading several of these short stories aloud, sharing them with HBB. They were even more fun read this way. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=998704 Thu, 01 Nov 2007 18:15:00 +0100 998704 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/she-inspired-so-very-many.html Catching up on some of the blog posts that I missed while we were out of town... Lori was one of the most inspirational bloggers who wrote with candid frankness about all aspects of life after diagnosis. She will be missed. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=993249 Wed, 31 Oct 2007 04:12:00 +0100 993249 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/there-she-is.html HalfBrainBoy and I have gone back and forth on this for years. One or the other of us is always letting the less-than-sunny side of our personalities out and then the other offers up a cheery, "There's that happy optimist I've grown to know and love!" earning a much deserved eyebrow. Luckily we balance each other and we aren't typically both at the pessimistic phase at the same time. Today I stumbled upon this little ditty and decided to see just which side of the pendulum I'm really falling these days and low-and-behold! So take that HBB. I'm solid and right in the middle. You Are a RealistYou don't see the glass as half empty or half full. You see what's exactly in the glass.You never try to make a bad situation seem better than it is...But you also never sabotage any good things you have going on.You are brutally honest in your assessments of situations - and this always seems to help you cope.Are You An Optimist or Pessimist?How's your disposition these days? Let's all keep on the sunny side of life in these ever darkening days, shall we? ;) (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=991889 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 17:17:00 +0100 991889 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/more-shopping-at-mineral-point.html Results in this:But also, some really nice stuff like this:and my cute new coffee mug (I'm becoming the crazy chicken lady):And some day we'll figure out where we're going to hang this cool Autumn Tree of Enchantment Spirit Orb... So relax, HBB... We'll find a place for everything and it will all be very cool. No worries. Have another cuppa latte. Kick back. No problem. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=989756 Tue, 30 Oct 2007 04:20:00 +0100 989756 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/mineral-point-1007-shopping.html So we had a very successful day of shopping in Mineral Point today. We hit several galleries and shops and bought things for gifts and things just because we liked them. If you think you'll be a gift recipient, don't look at the photos. HAHAHA. Here's the booty:This was found out at the Brewery Pottery Studio, which is one of my favorite places to go when visiting the Point. HBB hasn't ever been there before, so I was excited to share it with him this trip. I bought this, oddly enough, at a little shop called In the Bag, which is a store specializing in made to order purses... but now that I actually write this paragraph, and write the name of the shop, the fact that I purchased wine there isn't quite so odd to me as it seemed at the time... ;)We ended up eating at Mineral Spirits again this evening. If you'll recall from the trip with Mystical from last year, this was where I nearly ended up wearing a gentleman on my shoulder one evening while I was trying to eat. He kept getting closer and closer. Or rather his butt did. I honestly thought he was going to sit on me. Or perhaps just use my shoulder to lean on during his conversation. It was an interesting, loud evening. I've happened upon a favorite beer down here this year. Spotted Cow Ale is a little bit fruity and not at all bitter or dark. So for the second night in a row, it has been my drink of choice. They haven't had exciting desserts to choose from, so tonight we walked over to the Old Royal Inn where they served up a brownie sundae for two. And it was fantastic. Had I not been wearing boots too treacherous to walk the hilly streets, I'd have been able to walk off my dinner/dessert/beer combo, but instead, after that wonderful coffee and chocolate extravaganza, we had to come back to our hotel to unwrap all our exciting purchases and take pictures to share with folks back home. We head back home tomorrow, but hopefully not before we head back over to High Street and do just a little more shopping. There were a couple of things that we looked at and thought about going back to check one more time after giving some more consideration to. I have a thing for glass. It sparkles and shines when the light hits it in such a way to make me smile. And there was a fish from my childhood that my grandmother had - glass, of course - that I think is what I'm reminded of when I see many of these gewgaws. So I've had my eye on several glass ornaments (like that you would see here at the Johnston Gallery) in many different colors, and we both went kind of crazy about a large glass hanging disc that had red and pink in it. So we need to go back and see if it still has the same impact on us, I think. Hey, at least we aren't always just impulse buyers, we do think about it. :) (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=985651 Sun, 28 Oct 2007 04:14:00 +0100 985651 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/mineral-point-1007.html Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers for Grant and his family. Those of you who read and are in this area, the memorial service and funeral information are posted on his CaringBridge site. HalfBrainBoy and I are in one of our very favorite places to hang out this weekend. No, not New Mexico, although we hope to get there very soon, too. This weekend we are in Southern Wisconsin in the little town of Mineral Point. You've seen me write about this before if you are a repeat reader. Mystical and I visited MP last fall about this time, with a day trip to Galena, IL. And HBB and I have been here on several visits ealier, bringing Keli along with us, too. The town has such a great feeling to it. You can see a video about it here. (It is available in two formats, one for mac, and one for windows...) I think we like it so much because of the many artists who live here and sell their work from their studios and various galleries. Shortly before HBB's brain tumor was diagnosed, we even entertained the thought of buying a building that was for sale on the main street through the down town area and having a business or two there and living above it. We also looked at several of the old homes that were for sale. They have some incredible real estate available. There are still homes here that we are interested in. We look every time we visit. We took the long and scenic route down yesterday. (And yes, it was longer than we planned because neither of us has any sense of direction any more - I believe a GPS is on order for us this holiday season and it has become extremely necessary!)And now? I'm off for my turn at preparations for the day because we want to get to the cafe for breakfast! I'm not sure if we'll dine at the Red Rooster Cafe today or the Shake Rag Cafe. Either would be fine for an old fashioned greasy cafe brekkie. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=983294 Sat, 27 Oct 2007 13:20:00 +0100 983294 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/grant.html Darling little Grant stopped his suffering last night at 9:40. Thank you to all of you who were praying for him and for those who visited his site to answer his questions and give encouragement. He was the embodiment of courage and strength to many in how he lived with this disease. Please continue your prayers of strength and love for his family. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=976423 Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:50:00 +0100 976423 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/librarything-meme.html I try not to do meme's very often. The ones about books and reading suck me in, though. Mostly because I am curious about what they will look like when I'm done with them and then I've spent so much time formatting them I figure I may as well post them. This one is apparently the list of LibraryThing's top 106 titles tagged unread. I've been jumping around out at LibraryThing for half an hour at least trying to find that particular area to see how old this list is and if there is a more updated one, because I would think it would change every time people put their list out there, but I cannot figure out how to build the list. I suppose in the search engine. But I'm not sure what criteria was used to create it in the first place... unread fiction of any age? Perhaps. The older titles wouldn't change that much (older meaning those at the top of the list for my purposes). But it was taking forever to try and run the search with that criteria. So I gave up and used the same list that was circulating. The instructions read: Bold the titles you’ve read. Italicize the titles you have on your bookshelf but haven’t read. And now having done the actual formatting, I know that there are some that I need to head over to my own LibraryThing site and add to my bookshelf. That's always fun. :)Jonathan Strange & Mr NorrellAnna Karenina Crime and Punishment Catch-22One Hundred Years of SolitudeWuthering HeightsThe SilmarillionLife of PiThe Name of the Rose Don QuixoteMoby DickUlysses The OdysseyPride and PrejudiceJane EyreThe Brothers Karamazov Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human SocietiesWar and Peace Vanity FairThe Time Traveler’s WifeThe Iliad EmmaThe Blind AssassinThe Kite RunnerMrs. DallowayGreat ExpectationsAmerican Gods Atlas ShruggedReading Lolita in Tehran : A Memoir in Books Memoirs of a GeishaMiddlesexQuicksilver Wicked : The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the WestThe Canterbury TalesThe HistorianA Portrait of the Artist as a Young ManLove in the Time of Cholera (on my list for 2008)Brave New WorldThe FountainheadFoucault’s PendulumMiddlemarchFrankensteinThe Count of Monte CristoDraculaA Clockwork OrangeAnansi BoysThe Once and Future KingThe Grapes of WrathThe Poisonwood Bible1984Angels & DemonsThe InfernoThe Satanic VersesSense and SensibilityThe Picture of Dorian GrayMansfield ParkOne Flew Over the Cuckoo’s NestTo the LighthouseTess of the D’UrbervillesOliver TwistGulliver’s TravelsLes MisérablesThe CorrectionsThe Amazing adventures of Kavalier and ClayThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-timeDuneThe PrinceThe Sound and the FuryAngela’s AshesThe God of Small Things A People’s History of the United States : 1492-PresentCryptonomiconNeverwhereA Confederacy of DuncesA Short History of Nearly EverythingDublinersThe Unbearable Lightness of BeingBelovedSlaughterhouse-FiveThe Scarlet LetterEats, Shoots & LeavesThe Mists of AvalonOryx and CrakeCollapse : How Societies Choose to Fail or SucceedCloud AtlasThe ConfusionLolitaPersuasionNorthanger AbbeyThe Catcher in the RyeOn the RoadThe Hunchback of Notre DameFreakonomics : a Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of EverythingZen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance : an Inquiry into ValuesThe AeneidWatership DownGravity’s RainbowThe HobbitWhite TeethTreasure IslandDavid CopperfieldThe Three MusketeersThere are so many italicized because Keith has so many of the books from his college days and I believe they are still sitting in boxes in storage from our move. I know that if Keli and Keith did the same, their list would look much different than mine. Keli took some kick-butt lit classes in high school and really read some great stuff and had a terrific teacher. Keith had a wonderful experience at the small liberal arts college he attended in the corn field in Iowa, and also in his richy-rich high school. The boy had a great edumacation, is all I'm saying. I was not required to do a lot of reading of the greats. So they sit there on the shelves and I do not tend to challenge myself all that much. I read a lot, but it tends to be of the more contemporary bent. How does your list look? (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=972795 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 14:06:00 +0100 972795 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/girl.html Keli is making hats now. Teach her a trick and she is a whirling dervish. She does not use a pattern. Like the headbands, she was winging it and made it up. Oh but that I were so clever. I love them. She has people asking for them. I told her she should set up an Etsy store as suggested by a friend. She doesn't plan on it at this point. She can crank one out in a day. *sigh* Oh the cleverness of she. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=971475 Tue, 23 Oct 2007 05:03:00 +0100 971475 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/updates.html Two of my inspirations have updated their Caring Bridge pages. Connor was an honorary chair at the Relay For Life last June with HalfBrainBoy. His story was quite amazing and gets more amazing with each passing day as he thrives. You can see his latest update here and see a beautiful new photo of him. Meeting his family at the Relay and hearing his story, the universal story of survivors, fighters, well it makes me proud to do what I have been doing for the past five years as we've come together as a team since Keith's brain tumor. Grant lit the torch for our 2006 Relay. Find his latest update here and feel free to go to his guestbook and answer his latest question. His family prints off the pages of responses that he receives and reads them to him. They are a highlight of his day. And please include these beautiful children in your prayers. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=970131 Mon, 22 Oct 2007 23:00:00 +0100 970131 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/blog-action-day.html When I signed up for this, I was swept away in the heat of the moment. Emotions were high upon seeing the thing, watching the video, reading the excitement and thinking, "Hell yes! What if every blog posted about the same issue on the same day?!" That would be really something! I was caught up in the spirit of the event. It sounded like a good idea at the time, even knowing that I really had no in depth knowledge of the environment or ideas of what to write about today. Back when I put that little button on my blog I thought, "I'll have plenty of time to do some research around the web using their resources and come up with something." HA. Queen of Procrastination that I am (another nickname for me, CursingMama...), I postponed the research part, and every time that I came here to this little blog and saw that little button, it nagged at me a wee bit. I should have put the date on that button so that I would be reminded of just how quickly it was coming up because here it is! And I'm no better prepared than I was when I signed up. But today it is and I'm committed. So here goes... The application of poisonous chemicals to lawns and farms for pest and weed control nearly cost me my husband. Oh, I know that's a pretty big statement and I really have no proof. But I'll stand by it. He had a brain tumor removed (as any long-time reader knows) in 2001. We were told the tumor had been there, growing slowly, for many years. When he was a young man of 16 or 17, he lied about his age to get a job working for a chemical company. (He was supposed to be 18.)His job was to drive around to the stores and go to the garden centers where he would remove the old stock (you know, the old containers that back in the 80's were more lethal and toxic than they'd get away with now and ate through the containers faster than they do now... heh) and clean up the messes. If those stores needed any restocking he would also bring that product along with him in his VW bug. HalfBrainBoy says: Much of the stuff was powder. So, opening a case of it often unleashed a small cloud of powder left over from packing. Sometimes some of the big glass gallon jugs of pesticides would have leaked in the crate. I'd wipe off the jugs and put them out. That kind of stuff. So, contact with the chemical wasn't specifically part of the job. Maybe that was worse. Because it wasn't part of the job, I would be cleaning up weed killer dust and pesticides with paper towels and my bare hands. Maybe if I was SUPPOSED to be in contact, I would have been given masks and gloves and such. Maybe.I know it got to me at least. After a day's work, I would feel like the inside of my sinuses were "sunburnt". That's how I remember describing it. But, as you know, at that time, we all really needed the money. It was good money. My oldest brother was doing the same job, so he got me in there. (Kinnicchick interjects: Oldest Brother died last year at age 42 of a heart attack.) It felt better than flipping burgers. At the time. And, who knows? That was a long time ago. But, it seems possible. Or, maybe it was that history combined with the atrazine in our well that was right up against the safe limit set by the government.Yeah, who knows? The atrazine that caused those frogs to be deformed in the experiments done at UC Berkeley. But you know, there are many scientists who are quick to point out that frogs are not people... so you shouldn't assume that just because atrazine is bad for frogs... Whatever. There is a reason that chemicals are only handled by their makers with hazard suits and gloves. And then they put those same chemicals into products that we use every day. Like nail polish remover and hair dye. On our scalp... where it leaches into our heads and bloodstream. Tell me that doesn't have an effect on our health. So I'm going there. I'm making that connection. I believe his brain tumor is connected to that job working for the chemical company as a teenager breathing those harsh chemicals daily and cleaning them up without protection.I'm grateful every single day that I didn't lose my husband to that brain tumor. And every single year that has passed since with clean MRI rides. And downsizing to this town home and away from the well with the atrazine that was just below dangerous and into the 'safe enough' limit set by the government; the move that had nothing to do with our health or trying to move to town so we could walk more and save the environment in that way, but hey, now that I think about it, every little bit helps so yeah... I'm grateful for that too. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=952174 Mon, 15 Oct 2007 18:20:00 +0100 952174 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/right-to-privacy-ranting-by.html Warning: The following contains a little bit of venting and a whole lot of soapbox.I just need to say a few things. As many times before, I have something to say about walking. First, let me give a little background. I walk because I don’t drive. I don’t drive because brain tumors and driving often don’t mix. I’ve been told once to get comfortable with the idea that I probably never will drive again. So, I walk. Usually, I like to walk. I’ve gotten used to it. I like the pace of doing errands at a walking pace. I even don’t mind the snow and rain. It makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something when I get things done in nasty weather. Usually, I have the choice of getting a ride with my wife. But, I also like the side benefits of walking. It is healthy to walk. It is a cost-savings to walk. It is environmentally sound to walk. It also can calm me to walk. So, this is not a complaint about walking in general. No. Surprisingly, this is a diatribe about the right to privacy. There are things about always walking that I never thought of. For example, did you know that the canvas tote bags with 3 arm straps instead of just 2 are WAY better? Did you know that a typical canvas tote can hold more weight that I can carry?Also, I did not know that walking in the big, ritzy suburbs of Minneapolis makes a person a mark for any insults teenagers choose to hurl from their passing cars. I’ve heard all sorts of comments about my mental stability, lineage and orientation while walking down busy suburban roads. Also, when I approach crowded parking lots by way of the sidewalk, I get many wary and suspicious looks. I must admit, years back, I probably would have had the same reaction. Now, I’m on the different side of the equation. So, I walk. I carry bags when I walk. I have found that it is easiest to combine many errands into one trip. So, I carry some bags to carry what I need. Does this make me look like a homeless bag-person? Sometimes. Okay, maybe often. I find it kind of funny. I make a better than average living. I could sit down and have a coherent argument on Existentialism or Differential equations with the best of them. I wear decent clothes. BUT, I walk! Even when it isn’t a nice day to walk! Usually, I laugh off the misperceptions as harmless. I even find it teaches me a thing or two about knee-jerk judgments I make on a daily basis. But, another thing I’ve learned about doing several errands at once, is how convenient it is to have a portable storage locker to take from errand to errand. (Read: the automobile.) Think about it. You go someplace. You get stuff. You put it in the car and go other places and then only unload it all when you get home. Hmmm. No car. But, I still want to do more errands than just one since I’ve walked a mile to get to the shopping area. What to do… Good thing I have a good backpack. Or is it?Today, I was just out walking on a drizzly day getting a couple of things done. I visited my daughter and her friends. I did a little work on my laptop. Then, as long as I was here, I went to a big-box, chain hardware store nearby. I needed a hinge stop for the door and a dustpan. Not critical, but again, I kind of like to walk. So, I figured I would extend my walk and get something accomplished at the same time. I go in and I spend maybe 2 minutes in the store. I know where everything is. I get what I need and proceed to the check-out aisle. I’ve checked out and I’m bagging my hinge stop and dustpan. I am just about to turn to go and I hear, “excuse me, sir, may I look in your backpack?”I kind of froze. Yes, I totally understand. Shop-lifting is a major problem in these places. I’m not naïve at all. I fully support a store doing what it needs to keep all their profits from going out their door unpaid. Really, I do….. To an extent. I know how bad it is to walk into a store carrying a backpack. I know it is suspicious. So, I always keep the backpack securely on my back. I don’t take anything out or put anything in until I’m paid up and out the door. I don’t crouch in corners or look around suspiciously when shopping. I am an honest person with nothing to hide and I want them to know it. Still, I had figured someday, someone would want to see what I had in my bag. I’ve even pictured this moment dozens of times. I pictured this. Knowing I had nothing to hide, I would jump up on the nearest checkout counter. I’d do my best impression of Patrick Henry. I’d yell, “Give me privacy or give me…” Either that, or a Norma Rae, but I’d hold up a sign saying “Right to Privacy”. I mean. Just as I explained. I am super careful to look completely on the up and up. I understand what the store is up against and I don’t want to make things hard on them. But, I also don’t have a choice about the backpack. Does that mean I shouldn’t be allowed to shop? Or, rather, shop without expecting to be frisked at the end. Okay, you might think this a hyperbole. And, you’d kind of be right. But, with my background, this seemed very important. I was in the USSR once. I saw what total lack of privacy is like, and what it does to people. I was raised very liberal. I went to a very liberal school and I stood in peaceful protests and waved signs for liberal causes. And, I don’t feel I should be put upon even more because of issues arising from brain damage from a tumor. Many would say, “what’s the big deal, there is nothing to hide. It’s a condition of entering the store.”I would say, “Yes, but I should have a right to shop without little kids rummaging through my bags and finding embarrassing things, like my complete collection of Mystery Science Theater 3000 DVDs.” Stuff like that. It’s never clear cut. But, allowing it to stay so vague allows for a lot of slipping of the line. So, I’ve been ready. I’ve had my speeches ready for when someone asks to look through my things or check out my person. I was ready to make a little stink. I was ready to win one for the right to privacy. I’m so disappointed. And, maybe, relieved. So, here was this, maybe, 17-year-old kid. He was just doing what he was told to do to make his hourly wage. And, here was I knowing I had nothing to hide, tired and just wanting to head towards home. My reaction? After all these daydreams of taking a stand on the right to privacy?“Sure, no problem. Here, let me take it off so it will be easier.” ..easier to blur that bill of rights thing. He told me it was no problem to keep it on. So, we stood in the doorway as other shoppers walked by un-frisked. He opened the many compartments and rummaged through my stuff. I stood still with my head down feeling something similar to having a doctor exam in the middle of a busy store. Quicker than it felt, he was done. As I left, he said, “Thank you.” I actually thanked him back. He added, “Next time, it might be good to leave your bag in the car or at the service desk.” Deep breath. “Thank you.” I thought, “Oh, yeah, the CAR! Why didn’t I think of THAT??” And, “Never in a million years am I going to leave my bag at the service desk to be tended by a bunch of distracted teens.” As often, I was carrying a client’s very expensive computer, and some important medications. I had the computer so I could do a little work before walking to the store. Don’t worry. I understand the overreaction going on here. And, again, it may sound otherwise, but I really do like being forced to do walking I wouldn’t do otherwise. Really. Maybe this situation just hit a raw nerve that started with all the suspicious glances towards the suburban bag-guy. Or, maybe the nerve that was rubbed more when almost hit by drivers only looking for cars in the crosswalks. Or, maybe, I’m kind of afraid of what happens when we start to think too many little things aren’t important. But, now I’ve gotten it all out. Thank you. I really feel much better now. Now, I think I’m going to go for a walk. This time it will be along the pathway that leads through the forest and next to a pond – a place where cars and store security guards aren’t allowed. Aren’t allowed even in my thoughts. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=949944 Sun, 14 Oct 2007 20:47:00 +0100 949944 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/liseys-story-review.html A quick review for the RIP Challenge...I didn't want the department of complaints write up I did here to be the one and only thing I wrote about this book and therefore the only thing I could link for Carl's review site, so I thought I would write up a quick little review.I had some difficulty getting involved in Stephen King's novel, Lisey's Story. But I don't believe that was anything inherently wrong with the book itself. To be quite honest, I think the problem was more me wanting to get back to the Twilight series. I made the mistake of reading Twilight first and having three completely different books for the remaining challenge books when what I really wanted to read instead was New Moon and then Eclipse. I didn't want to have anything to do with another author or set of characters. My head was still wrapped up in Edward and Bella. I had chuckled my way through a completely off the wall book with Coyote Blue, but now King was expecting me to look at relationships and love and death and something more real life...Once I took a look at the calendar and saw that I had started book three of the challenge on the fourth of September, however, I took a breath and gave myself permission to relax about it and promised myself that if I would just settle in and read it and give it a chance, I could take some time away from the challenge to finish the Twilight series before going on to book four. (I knew that would take about three or four days out of my time, so what was the big deal? And realistically, they were part of the genre and would count toward the challenge if I needed to swap them in for part of it anyway...)So I settled in to Lisey's Story. The tale starts two years after the death of Lisey's husband, a novelist of some regard. (A stretch here for a King story, eh? ;) A writer character!) She is beginning to reach a place where she can start to face saying goodbye by closing up his writing study, part with some of his things and face his darkness.As I looked into selecting a new novel from his works and read some reviews on this piece before making my purchase, I noticed that others said this was a personal book for him that had a lot to do with his relationship with his wife and things he has been through or emotions he has been through since his accident. I don't know about that, but I do see this as a very different kind of novel from others he has written. There isn't a physical thing that is bad, like so many of his earlier works (I'm thinking here of Cujo and Christine, The Firestarter, etc.). This has more of the inner demon theme going. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=945418 Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:49:00 +0100 945418 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/latte-jig-by-halfbrainboy.html How do you do the Latte Jig?This is my version, tonight:Put a venti Pumpkin latte in my right hand. Put a double espresso, brownie and napkins in my left hand. Walking back to work from Starbucks, a driver stops for me at a stop sign because I'm in the crosswalk. To acknowledge such a rare and noble act, I raise my right hand in a sign of thanks. This ejects pumpkin foam on to the left leg of my black pants. Quickly, to avoid it soaking in, I use the napkins in my left hand to brush off the foam. This pours half the espresso down my right leg. All this while convulsing across the street in front of the stopped car. I think this driver is very happy she stopped. I think I may have made her evening. Next time, I think it would just be easier to flip her off. :) (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=938798 Tue, 09 Oct 2007 21:58:00 +0100 938798 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/weekend-halfbrainboy.html It's Sunday night already. How did that happen? Okay, how many times do you hear people say, "Hooray, it's Sunday night, I've had too much weekend"?I'm going to test my memory and see how this weekend was. Left work early. That's always a plus. Keri and Keli picked me up early so we could get a good start on our weekend. Have I ever mentioned how I love the flexibility of my current job? And, have I ever mentioned how I like being an hour car ride away from home instead of... a 2 hour car ride, a 3 hour flight, AND a 45 minute car ride...away from home? When I travelled for work, I would have to leave work on Friday morning at 10am to make it in the door at home by 7pm. So, I might still be gone from home all week, but things are better. That's just getting home. Then, there was settling in to home, making sure we got our dose of chuckles with an episode from the first season of SNL. Saturday, we started out with coffee at the new coffee shop the daughter wields caffeine. The coffee was good. It was very good. It was so good, daughter suggested I lay off the coffee for a little while lest my head start to spin. So, I did. I waited 15 minutes before my next cup. That evening, we had our own version of iron chef at home. Daughter and her boyfriend made a kale, potatoe, celery soup. My wife and I made gazpacho. (My wife would rather distance herself from the results, so I'll clarify that I did most of the gazpacho.)We sat. We ate. Good laughs. Good company. Good food. Well, some good food. Some good food. Some interesting food. Maybe we aren't gazpacho people. Maybe my version of gazpacho is ahead of its time. Maybe I'd better not enter the restaurant industry any time soon. But, it was much fun. And, it would be nice to repeat the experience. Next time, I'll make spaghetti-o's. After dinner, we watched another SNL episode. Then, Keri read a horror story to me. Today, I spent part of the day testing my caffeine endurance back at Keli's coffee place. It was nice to spend quiet time talking. But, now, a horde of customers would be nice, too. Keri and I took to the kitchen again, today. This time, we took on something bold. We took on baked potatoes. No accidents. No fires. They tasted as they should. We laughed. We were full. All in all a success. After dinner, there was even table-side entertainment. Keri continued reading a book to me. A good book. A book with laughs. Uhhh. She'll have to tell you the name. I forget.Keri's reading to me is a tradition started back during my brain surgery recovery. I couldn't read much then. Movies mostly made me dizzy. But, there was lots of time to pass. So, she started to read to me. She read and read. Out on the screen porch she read to me. In the car waiting for appointments, she read to me. As I tell people this, I realize how cool this is. I mean, when was the last time you were read to since become an adult? But, wasn't it fun as a kid? And, wasn't it fun to have someone want to share a book? And, doesn't it sound great spending hours sharing the same story and same laughs? Yeah. It's like that. It's as good as you'd imagine. Maybe a bit better. Have I mentioned lately how lucky I am?Then, we got back into reality. I'm back at the apartment preparing for work tomorrow. Keri is home getting ready for her busy week with truffles and all. I know it's a long post. But, I'm just trying to eke out a little bit more weekend before I head towards bed. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=934051 Mon, 08 Oct 2007 02:42:00 +0100 934051 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/delurked.html You may have noticed the button up there on the right with yesterday's date on it. I mentioned it in yesterday's fine print. I was truffling yesterday from 2 in the afternoon until 7:30 last night at which point I drove to Chan to pick up HalfBrainBoy and then began the drive back to our place, stopping off at a grocery store to get the pieces of our dinner. When we got home, we assembled that dinner and finished it around 10. By the time I got back to the blogroll it was around 10:30 and HBB was having some connectivity issues and was trying to do some work so I was trying to see if I could figure out that little problem and didn't get much further than I had been.Therefore, I'm going to continue on visiting all of you on my blogroll and commenting everywhere. Because as noted elsewhere, now that I'm reading from a feed reader most often, I sometimes don't always make the extra few clicks to go to your site and comment if I don't have something important to contribute. (And let's face it, this is blogging so how often does that happen?) I want you to know that I'm still reading, even if I'm not often commenting. Because you are important to me. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=928829 Fri, 05 Oct 2007 01:39:00 +0100 928829 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/candy-man.html There just aren't enough photos of rats on the internet.I know, right? (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=921798 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 19:35:00 +0100 921798 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/happiness-points.html Gratitude? Happiness Points?Sure. Why not?They finally have some Traveling Wilburys out on iTunes. This makes me happy. I woke up during the night (okay, technically it was some time this morning since I didn't get to sleep until well past 2) with an idea for NaNoWriMo. I actually had the presence of mind to write it down in the notebook I had beside my bed. (No, I will not tell, so do not ask... I am superstitious enough to believe this will jinx me...) I typically do not go into November with an idea that sticks. The idea I end up with at the end of 50k is something that comes about three or four false-starts into the month sometime a week or so in. This makes me wonder if I should save this one until I've made a few different attempts. I did not make it through the Lovecraft book over the weekend as planned. I'm on page 41. And I'm beginning to think that the stories get progressively creepy/gross. This one is terrific for that. Happiness is the new scone at Dunn. White and dark chocolate chips. And the previous new scone, raspberry white chocolate. Wasn't I the one who once (okay many times) said "White chocolate is a sin against nature!" in my best mommy voice?And now I'm thinking if I shouldn't be saving this material for CursingMama's Smiles on Wednesday... (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=921799 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 15:03:00 +0100 921799 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/10/six-degrees-in-coffee-world.html I went to bed half an hour ago with the best intentions of getting more sleep tonight than I did last night (when I ended up watching the first episode of the new season of Grey's Anatomy online - don't get me started about that...) and here I am online... Might have something to do with the coffee I mainlined (kidding) today bouncing between The Mighty Dunn and The Green Tree, the all organic fair-trade, shade-grown coffee shop where my daughter is now employed. (I just learned that October is not only Breast Cancer Awareness month, but also Fair Trade month!)It suddenly popped into my head as I was lying here thinking about coffee and various people that I have met in my travels far and wide to various coffee shops that while I am spending most of my free time and some work time too, if that work requires long uninterrupted spans of computer or writing time these days hanging out at the Mighty Dunn, my daughter will now be spending many of her hours kitty-corner across the street at her new coffee bar. And I find it funny (maybe it is the lateness of the hour) that she is dating Michael, who is the brother of Justin, who is dating Leah... who works right across the street at yet another coffee bar 3Hats. (Which coincidentally, was my former haunt prior to TMD coming along and where I happened to meet my good buddies, Michele and Wes, who now work at... The Mighty Dunn!) Okay. It isn't Kevin Bacon or anything... But I think it's pretty crazy. And as I told Keli in an email before I wrote this, I'll probably delete it later today when I wake and remember writing it. (If I remember writing it.) (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=918958 Tue, 02 Oct 2007 05:37:00 +0100 918958 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/seven-ways-to-commit-blog-suicide.html I've been tagged by my friend, KathyC for a little assignment. I won't be able to complete it in nearly as clever a way as she did, but I'll give it a shot... because goodness knows I've done my fair shot at this particular topic.Jump around and have multiple blogs so that people are having to follow you from site to site at any given moment. Luckily, I've managed to stay with this little blogspot site since November of 2003 and for the most part, the three or four readers who have been with me since that start haven't had to do much jumping around. Prior to that, however, I had sites at Diaryland, a different site here, another spot that I can't remember which was similar to Diaryland, there have been a couple of joint efforts here within blogspot in the meantime which didn't last, and one or two other efforts on my own, as well. But at least there has been SOME consistency here. The title at the top has done some changing, but the address has stayed the same.Change commenting hosts so that comments get dropped completely and lost in the ether or even shut off and it appears you have nobody visiting your site. Well, yes. Comments from haloscan didn't get hooked up to the site again after the latest site refurbishment, but I know where they are. The problem is that I now have comments in blogger and comments in haloscan and never the twixt shall meet. *sigh*Speaking of changing the look of the site, make changes frequently and make them really major so that when people who don't visit often show up, they don't recognize that they've been to the blog before and always feel they are newbies and don't form a bond. Totally me. However, I think I've gotten much better about this of late, too. I suppose it has to do with having a new house and making changes in the home decorating arena instead. I have a new area to unleash my need for updates and modifications and Make! Pretty! Colors!When people do read and make comments, be sure and avoid commenting at their blogs if and when you stop by their place. Don't email them in return or even bother to reply to their comment on your own site. Okay, I will admit to being very haphazard in this department. I've jumped all over the place on this. When I learned that a popular blogger that I visit frequently always emails everyone who comments on his site, even if it is just a couple of words in return, I was determined that I would do the same. I started out doing this. That lasted a week. My heart was in the right place. I could probably get back to that because my inbox is now completely clear. After years of hundreds of messages in my stupid inbox I finally cleaned it out completely. What a breath of fresh air THAT was. And seriously? I get so few comments, how hard can it be to email everyone. Then I went through a spate of always commenting in my own comments. But who comes back and reads those? So that's just kind of silly. I visit everyone who is a regular (yes, all three) and MANY more through a feed reader (with over a hundred blogs) but only when they have updated.*Be very irregular about writing. Make sure nobody knows when you are going to update. Skip days and sometimes weeks at a time. Heck, take three months off! And then suddenly go through a spurt of extreme verbosity! Yep. I do this all of the time! There was a time when I actually had a lot of people stopping in to read. Then I just really needed a break and stopped writing and they fell away. So now I'm back to just three.Don't have a theme/topic that your blog is based on so you can draw a particular audience. I did have a theme at one time. I still do at some points in time. But for the most part? No. Not really. I just talk about a lot of different stuff. Which is why there are fifty different labels/tags and why I've never drawn a specific group of people.Post photos that only you would want to view. Oh sure. I know all about this one. Remember the cup of blackened noodles from the mac and cheese I tried to make in the microwave? Who else would want to look at that? *sigh* It's a good thing I'm not paying to keep this blog on the web. Or that it doesn't have to keep an audience to survive. It's just barely hanging on because I have a loyal three people who drop in from time to time.I'm not tagging anyone, but if the three of you want to take this on, feel free and leave a comment so I can edit to add your link. Smooches!*Some of you do not show up on my feed reader and it makes me very blue. Any suggestions of what I am supposed to do about you? *coughMichelecough* I have no idea when you have updated. :( (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=908657 Thu, 27 Sep 2007 17:36:00 +0100 908657 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/rip-2007.html And now, because of the latest update over at Carl's place (he's having a contest which is sending participants of the RIP Autumn reading challenge off to everyone's sites) I thought I should do an update on how I'm doing toward the challenge. I've had my first drive-by visitor earlier today and they had to go back a month to see my last update on the challenge. So I signed up for Peril the First and the following four books:The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics) by H. P. Lovecraft and others (because of the movie my family members are involved with)Twilight by Stephenie Meyer (because Jen told me I should)Lisey's Story by Stephen King (because I've never been able to resist his work for long)Coyote Blue by Christopher MooreAs it stands now, I've finished all of them but the first one. And I'm slowly plugging my way through that one. In addition I also read New Moon and Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer and will be waiting for book four with Keli, probably sitting in line at the damn bookstore the day it comes out. For the first time ever. Because we are hooked. Or I am, at least. Over a ridiculous YA relationship/series.I mention about number one that I chose it because of a movie my family is involved with. I actually ended up buying the wrong book. As a result I've ordered another book which has the write story in it, but it was out of print and will not arrive for potentially a couple more weeks. In the meantime I've decided to read The Call of Cthulhu and Other Weird Stories in addition to the other one. I'm not even certain the one on order will arrive in time to read it before I was rather hesitant to dig into the Lovecraft because I've never been that into science fiction, which is what I understood his genre to be for the most part. Since beginning the book and working my way through the first few stories, I'm realizing that it's far more than a bit of science fiction. So I'm enjoying this challenge and am very glad that I've joined on. I've discovered a new/old writer, a new/new writer, and managed to get back to doing some serious reading over the past month. Now, as Mystical says, I just need to kick it into high gear on my writing, and seeing as how NaNoWriMo is opening up the gates of their website next week, I'm sure that is going to take off soon, too. Who's up for writing a novella in the month of November? huh? (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=903431 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 20:51:00 +0100 903431 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/happy.html I've been following along this week with LifeTwo's week long series on "How to be Happier" which focuses on the work of Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar and his book "Happier."Today has brought forth all sorts of interesting reads... First we learn the four archetypes of happiness and their descriptions. These days I'm afraid I fall more into the Hedonist type than any of the others, while HalfBrainBoy spends more time following the Rat Racer type (except on the weekends...;)) And of course, the Happiness archetype is the preferred type to be following. I could go into the descriptions and explanations, but why bother when you can head on over to the link and read all about it yourself? Besides, there are several posts which come prior to today's that you should read first if you are interested in this. Also, if you are a younger reader, don't let the location of the information scare you away. It's not just for us old folks. Happiness is attainable for all ages! :)There are exercises included in the posts and links and insightful comments from others. I wanted to include info here for others who may not already know about it.Posted today in other areas of their site, they discussed today that becoming more organized can make a person happier because the more organized you are and more simplified your life is, the more time you have to do the things you really want to do. Well, being the little type-A organizational freak that I am, I was all over that one. When blogger Greg asks the question, Can You Organize Your Way to Happiness? I answer a hearty YES! And he provides fabulous links to sites that make me happy just knowing they exist. *sigh* (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=903432 Tue, 25 Sep 2007 17:54:00 +0100 903432 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/random-bullets-of-my-evening.html It would appear that 5:54 is walking through the neighborhood of kinnicchick and halfbrainboy time. At least on Monday afternoons!I have an appointment to get our biga$$car tuned up tomorrow morning at the crack of morning. The big 120,000 mile appointment. Do not ask me why I scheduled it so early in the morning. I guess I thought it would be a good call. You know, get it in early and they'll have it done so much more quickly. This means I'll be dealing with the rush hour traffic of people going to work in the cities. It will be great. And pricey. I ran the car through the car wash last week. Ever since then it has sounded like it hasn't had grease anywhere. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeel. People look for us blocks away when we are coming down the street. I'm guessing they think there must be a runaway train cruising through town without benefit of tracks or something. I'm tired of the ridiculously overblown Croc/escalator hype. Please. Escalators can catch shoes no matter what you are wearing. Flip-flops, sandals, etc. It has just come back into the media again because of the tot's incident. I'm always waiting to have my shoelaces caught in the escalator. Why do you think I wear Keen sandals? Why do you think I stay out of malls? Take the steps. They're safer. And you get exercise. It is raining. Again. A really good storm. Hoping my daughter's roof doesn't leak. Again. Had a great visit with KathyHowe, CindiRella, and CursingMama on Friday Night when we gathered for another Girls' Night Out at the Howe House. We even got to try out Cindi's hoop!I removed the link to our local Relay For Life fundraiser because the site has been turned off. When the new site is activated and our team is registered, I'll get it linked up once again. In the meantime, I'd be happy to see you donate to the American Cancer Society here. For more personal giving, I happen to know several people who are currently battling cancer or have recently been fighting and could use your financial contributions. Email me and I will point you in their direction so your dollar can be used in the most direct and helpful way possible. Smooches to all of you.I have acquired another chicken/rooster. Do ya'll think this may be turning into an obsession? This isn't just a chicken, however. This is a bobble chicken. I found it rather difficult to take a photo of the bird for it didn't want to stand still! (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=896208 Mon, 24 Sep 2007 22:59:00 +0100 896208 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/childhood-cancer-awareness-month.html News from the battle lines.Sahara had surgery this week. That nasty inoperable gbm with which she was first diagnosed, was a misdiagnosis. There is fabulous news in their world. You can visit her blog and learn more about it there. But things are looking much brighter than they did the last time I wrote about her here.Grant is still lighting his family's world with his lovely life. He brings them joy and shows determination with every passing day. He asks questions which he loves to have answered in the guestbook of his CaringBridge site, if you care to answer. His parents read the answers to him, which he enjoys.Connor and his family received wonderful news this week. No more brain tumor! Do you remember Connor's story? He was dianosed with Congenital Glioblastoma multiforme stage 4. His family was given no hope when this was found. Always search for hope. Always. Never give up.Do you notice what these stories have in common? These inspirations are young people. They are not the only inspirations I've had on my list who have been young. No, not at all. I'm sure you could add many more to the list, too. I'm writing of them tonight because I received a strong reminder when I went blog-walking today and visited another inspiration of mine, Deb. I'm sure if you've been reading here for any length of time, you will remember her. She's been walking her own journey for a while now. Well today she had a post that put all of these young people racing into my mind and all of the others who are fighting and have fought. She reminded me of why we are doing this. Yes, I got involved because of HalfBrainBoy's journey. But I stay involved for all of them. Thank you for your continued involvement, Deb. And thank you again for the reminder... Because sometimes I need a kick in the ass. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=880254 Tue, 18 Sep 2007 04:43:00 +0100 880254 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/what-book.html Stolen from CursingMama Knit Motorcycle.What book is KinnicChick?:You're Cat's Cradle!by Kurt VonnegutYou believe quite firmly that free will deserted you long ago and faraway. As a result, it's hard to take responsibility for anything. Even though you showgreat potential as a leader of a small 3rd world country, the choices are all made aheadof time. You're rather fond of games involving string. Your fear of nuclear weaponry istrumped only by your fear of ice.Take the Book Quizat the Blue Pyramid.Works for me... and now, what book will HalfBrainBoy turn out to be???You're The Guns of August!by Barbara TuchmanThough you're interested in war, what you really want to know is whatcauses war. You're out to expose imperialism, militarism, and nationalism for what theyreally are. Nevertheless, you're always living in the past and have a hard time dealingwith what's going on today. You're also far more focused on Europe than anywhere else inthe world. A fitting motto for you might be "Guns do kill, but so candiplomats. "Take the Book Quizat the Blue Pyramid.Works for him too... (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=873767 Sat, 15 Sep 2007 01:30:00 +0100 873767 http://500miles2nowhere.blogspot.com/2007/09/original-divas.html Because Katie is in Turkey and is not allowed to see things on wordpress, I presentOriginal Divas...Back in the late 90’s I got my first computer at home. Because of my work as a quality control analyst who tested software in the world of Information Technology I had to be able to provide support at times and whined and whimpered when my rotation for on call would come about. I found it difficult to wake up in the middle of the night to those phone calls when I would have to figure out what the problem was based on a description over the phone by a voice of a (typically) crabby night operator who didn’t know some of the software systems any better than I did. Getting a computer at home allowed me to be able to hook up to the computers downtown and do some actual research and visually see what was going on. This made life so. much. easier. It also opened up my life to the world wide web. Internet for the masses. Magazines online. Research of any subject that I fancied on a whim. And I was off and running. How amazing was that? Shortly after that, I found a website that was discussing Oprah and her weight loss and fitness guru at the time, Bob Greene. His book Make the Connection was the latest and greatest thing. A discussion group formed from that site, rather like a bulletin board or perhaps that is exactly what the first group was. I really can’t remember anymore. I bet my friends, do. It was on one of the women’s magazine sites. Well, there was a lot of discussion going on there, and a lot of support and caring and friendships forming. And one day, the web had a hiccup and the site went down. And that one day stretched into two and three… I had an email address or two for some of them and we began to send emails in the background: “What’s going on? Have you heard from anyone else?” And it began to dawn on us that we needed a backup plan and contingencies. So many more email addresses were exchanged when the site came back up (I think quite honestly they couldn’t handle the volume of interest and discussion that was going on in their little site!) and different ideas were discussed (like yahoo groups, for example). These people were becoming important to each other and didn’t want to lose contact again! In the year 2000, one little gathering of those brought together through the power of the internet took place in the city of Chicago, Illinois. They are pictured here. The anniversary of that event was just over a week ago. Happy Anniversary of our Chicago Diva Fest, ladies. I’m so very proud of us for maintaining our connection for such a long time. I love you like my sisters and hope we are able to come together again very soon. (Source: Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason!) Keri - Still Running/Walking for a Reason! blogs http://www.medworm.com/rss/comments.php?id=872198 Fri, 14 Sep 2007 18:32:00 +0100 872198