Daily Yap, Okay these days it's usually weekly yap!

2 weeks in Sid's post op.

2010-02-22T22:30:00.000-05:00

Today was Sid's 2 week follow up and the doc was not just pleased, but astounded by her progress.
He said that she is well beyond his expectations for any dog, let alone for her being 9 1/2 & that she's at a point more indicative of a dog that is closer to 4 or 5 weeks post-op.

So we are to continue with what we've been doing during the 1st 2 weeks and beginning week 4, start her rehab with 3-4 walks per day @ 10-15 minutes per walk.

How is she walking? Bruising? Pain? etc?
Sid is walking well and it's becoming harder and harder to tell that she even has an injury.
Bruising and discoloration is all gone, well until they removed the stitches today.
Pain, there must be a little since she still favors her leg when standing idle, but nothing like pre-op where she was constantly searching (a term used to describe an animal lifting a leg and trying to put it down, but kind of just hovers the foot instead).

1 Week in...

2010-02-15T14:48:00.002-05:00

So it appears that from day 5 on, Sid will pretty much remain the same. Of course we expect her to be healing more, but overall she has become very comfortable walking around to eat and go outside.

As I've said before, from this point forward I think it'll be more about us keeping in mind that she is healing and that we must continue to contain her for the next 7 weeks.

We have one week to go before we her 2 week checkup and from there we'll be able to see just how "restricted" she must be from weeks 2 - 8.

Day 6 of Sid's post surgery

2010-02-14T10:38:00.002-05:00

Today is day 6 for Sid's post surgery and we're very happy to say that she's doing really well.

She's been off of pain and tranqs for 2 days now and not showing any worst for wear. In fact, she's doing quite well on her leg.

She is showing signs of slight discomfort when initially standing up and when she stretches, but we're really trying to curtail her movement anyhow.

She has been almost 100% e-collarless for about 3 days, only making her where it when we are not around. When given the chance though, she seems to have little to no interest in her stitches.

As far as the incision area, the stitches have always been clean and free from oozing, etc. The area affected by the surgery has also been and remains pretty normal in appearance. I guess I was expecting more swelling, more soreness, and more redness, but the area seems to have transitioned very well. Bruising lasted about 1.5 days, and same for the swelling caused by the bodies reaction to the metal plate.

Our larger challenge with Sid is reminding ourselves that as she appears to be moving around more normal, that she is far from out of the woods it terms of recovery. We're only towards the end of week 1 of an minimum 8 week recovery.

Sid's Surgery, Day 4

2010-02-11T17:30:00.002-05:00

Sleep was little again, as Sid is using less meds she is becoming increasingly more aware of the crate and e-collar. Despite me sleeping on the floor w/her, she was upset and refused to sleep with the e-collar. She'd get quiet for a few minutes about every 30 min. or so throughout the night, but would not stay put and rest. At 3am, I simply couldn't take it anymore.

Since she's been very good about not licking, I finally removed the e-collar and she was curled up in a ball and asleep w/in a minute of removal.

This morning was a tough fight feeding Sid any of her pills, even the chewable that she normally takes w/o issue.
Even the peanut butter isn't working now...

Day 3 Post Surgery

2010-02-10T09:43:00.003-05:00

Well, Sid did well overnight recovery wise, but was not happy about the crate even w/Lisa sleeping in the room. Lisa said she finally went to sleep around 3am.

Day 3 morning Notes:
~ Sid is doing well enough that we're only giving her the anti-inflam. and antibiotics and will wait to the 12hr mark for her pain meds.
~ Sid is starting to show signs of bruising on the inner thigh, but her stitches are still looking fine and clean.
~ Sid actually used her leg to scratch her ear, albeit gingerly.

Afternoon: Sid's leg is looking good. Swelling is still much less than I was expecting, bruising is just starting to set in to the leg.
SId has been wanting to be active, but sitting with her seems to keep her happy enough to keep her still.

Evening: Sid is doing well and standing more than we want. I really want to keep her off tranqs as much as possible, but not at the risk of injuring her leg. If we can't get her to lay more, we'll have to use meds.

Sid really hates the taste of the pain killers and it's being more and more difficult to get her to take the pill.

Day 2 Post Surgery

2010-02-09T19:40:00.003-05:00

Day 2 started really early!!!

If you aren't comfy hearing you pup whimper in pain, this surgery is not for you! By 3am her pain must have been hateful and she was shaking and whimpering. Almost 5 hrs before she was able to take another pill. Not to mention her sedative had worn off too. This was when the night became tough.

We spent the next 4 hrs up and petting her to try to keep her calm. She would tire every now and again, finally falling to sleep for 15-20min before waking again.

Most of her medications are to be given every 12 or 24hrs, so we're trying to start her @ 7am. She was definitely awake and in pain, but still not 100% with it. We were able to get her to take 2 of the 4 meds before she decided to refuse. Sadly her refusal was against the pain killers and the sedative!

After several attempts to bribe her with peanut butter, apple slices, etc, I finally gave up and ground up the pills into a powder, put it in a syringe, added 3cc of water & a tad bit of apple juice. Let it dissolve and squirted it into her mouth slow enough for not to have it run all over the place.

She's definitely not happy about the e-collar either, but this is a must to keep her out of the stitches.

Once the meds kicked in, she was a little more manageable and I was able to catch 2hrs of sleep.

Around 11am I brought her outside and was able to get her to go #1!! I tried to get her to eat or take water, but she was having nothing of it. I decided to remove the E-collar and she immediately stood up and headed to the food/water bowls.

I was very excited to see her eating. Afterwards it was time for me to go get a crate, so I put her in the office. I used a 2' x 5' board to create a barrier. She seemed to be OK with it, she just layed down.

A few minutes later I heard her whining and some other racket. I went to check on her and what did I see?

How about a drugged (still not able to even put her hind leg to the ground) Sid still tried to climb over the gate. It's going to be long 8 weeks!

I took it down and simply locked her in the whole room. We put down carpet over the hardwoods to help her have more stability if she tries to stand.

3 hrs later when I returned, Sid was on the ready to go! I slowly opened the door and she was all about go. Being on the 2nd floor, I carry her up and down the steps. We went outside and she immediately went #1, so she's really returning to normal.

She was able to put a little weight on her leg by now too. Although more for stabilization than for walking. We're still committed to using our hands or a scarf to help her remain upright. Last thing I want is for her to tweak the other knee.

Once inside, she wanted more food and water. Even wearing the e-collar she just gobbled up the remaining food.

I gave her a pain med again around 4pm and then we headed to the couch. I know, this is a no-no. But it keeps her calm and she really won't move much as long as I'm around. So I removed the e-collar and she curled up next to me. I think she slept for the next 3hrs until we woke her to take her 7pm meds.

At 7pm: we did a whole round of going outside, eating, and meds and back to the couch. She's been really tired and hasn't paid her leg any attention in terms of trying to lick or clean the area.

10pm brings out a new story. By this time her "spotting" was almost nil since she has now been going out side on a regular basis and now she was becoming a little spry. A few times she'll pop up her head and turn her attention to her back leg. We never let her get that far as the vet strictly said ZERO licking!

We figure her spryness is being propelled by her pain killers are about 1 hr from a refresh.

Some concerns for us are keeping her on too many pain killers or tranqs. So we're using only 2/3's of the pain killers every 8hrs and will most likely do this through Day 3, then try to move to 2/3's every 12hrs for a 2 days, then 1x a day for 2 days.

Of course, this is a loosely planned based on her pain. Sid is not one to show much pain, but during this process she has been showing classic signs of pain. Lots of shaking and whimpering along with a very anxious state.

We got the crate and tonight Sid will spend her first night in a crate, ever! We tried once as a puppy and that lasted all of about 2hrs.

We encouraged her to lay in the crate while we were with her watching Tv. She went in, but was very upset by this whole notion. She laid whining (not whimpering).

11pm: We gave Sid her pain meds for the night, but again she refused them! She really dislikes these pills. So I had to resort to my earlier method of delivery by grinding it up, adding to a water/apple juice solution, letting it dilute and putting it on her tongue. She can't really spit out the little bit of liquid like she can a pill. Since she seems to be calm & happy to sleep on her own, we're not using tranqs this night.

Midnight: E-collar on, Sid is in the crate and ready to sleep.
Lisa decided to stay the night on the couch to keep an eye on Sid.

*NOTES:
~ Seemingly normal considering only 24hrs she was operated on, and under some heavy meds and tranqs.
~ Area of stitches seems to be very clean, no blood or oozing at all.
~ Area around stitches seems to be slightly swollen, but not as red or bad as we expected.
~ Swelling has begun to drop towards her foot, but very small & normal as this is the fluid ball that began to surround the plate in her leg as a response to protecting her body from it.
~ Sid has been laying on her both sides without issue, and stretches both legs out time to time, but not as much as normal.

Day 1 Post Surgery

2010-02-09T19:19:00.002-05:00

I arrived at VVSA around 4pm to see about 7 others also in line for their pups.

By 4:30 I was in the exam room being briefed on Sid's condition and being explained the laundry list of medicines, and must do / don't (s) for her care.

4 medicines were given: 1 for pain, 1 for swelling / antibiotic, 1 tranquilizer, and 1 non -steroidal. Soon afterward Sid was walked in the room. Poor pup, she was so out of it her hind leg just hung by her side as she tried to navigate the doorway with an E-Collar.

I ended up carrying her to the car and into the house. Within 1 minute of being in the car, she was out of it.

I was instructed to give her water around 7pm, but no sooner; followed by pain killers before bed and with food & other meds the following morning.

By 7pm, she was not ready to do anything, let alone drink water. We did get her to get up to go outside, but she needed help each time. The help came in the form of a scarf around her waist to help aid her in balance and holding up her wait.

Despite going out 3x, she was not able to muster up even a piddle, but be prepared to have her "spotting" as she sleeps.

On this night as she started to come around, she was growing very restless and if she couldn't see us, she whimpered and whined. As I mentioned above, we were unable to secure a crate by days end, so we will spent the night sleeping on the floor next to her. This was to keep an eye on her condition and to make sure she wasn't going to try to get up and walk around.

Sid's Surgery, Day 1

2010-02-08T15:03:00.000-05:00

On Feb. 8, 2010, Sid's day began with a trip to VVSA @ 8am.

Fasting food since 6pm & water from 12am prior to surgery.
Sid will be @ the vet most of the day, mean while I'll be trying to "dog-proof" the house. This surgery was not something Lisa or I will be taking lightly. This is a high effort on all fronts. After surgery, she must be kept contained and confined to limit any possible damage to the freshly set bone.

A minimum of 8 weeks of no play, running, and a constant calm state are needed! My god, that is a tall order for a 10 yr PitPull that thinks she's 1 & acts every bit the puppy she was the day we picked her up @ 12 weeks.

It's a nervous day for me, waiting to here of her progress and still wondering about the final surgery totals. The range for the day was $2990 - 3099.00, plus post op visits; not to mention the $500 spent on the initial vet, radials, and blood work. It's expensive, but she is family!

The phone rang around 1:30 to inform us she will be able to be picked up around 4pm and the surgery went well.

Despite my best attempts to find a used crate or even an old play pen, I came up empty handed.

Sid's TLPO Knee Surgery

2010-02-05T18:51:00.000-05:00

I'm starting up the blog again to be able to recount Sid's progress from her knee surgery.

Brief history that lead us to this point.
Back in Sept 09 while Sid was staying with some friends, it appears she tweaked her knee to the point where a week or two of rest would allow her to walk normal again, but once she were to play, her limp would return.

Fast forward to Jan. 2010. A few months of healing would not help, one day mid-Jan Lisa noticed Sid's leg would make a popping sound while she would walk. A trip to the vet confirmed internet research; she had a torn ACL. We scheduled an appointment with a well recommended surgeon. The appointment would take place two weeks later on Feb. 5th.

The surgeon concluded the same thing, a torn ACL is mostly likely the cause, as well as a meniscus issue. The clicking is created when the torn ACL allows the femur to slide over and down the front of the tibia.

Two surgeries where advised, one about $1700 for a more inactive dog, the other $3000- 3999. for a more active dog. The latter is very invasive and requires cutting and reshaping the tibia to allow for a missing ACL, called TLPO. We opted for the TLPO because this gives the best chance of a complete recovery in terms of normal usage. Usually 93-97% of normal!

Operation to take place on Monday, Feb. 8.

Death of the blog...

2009-10-07T08:57:00.002-04:00

While at 1st I was reluctant, even critical of facebook, as it turns out I like it.

It allows for immediate commentary and updates so that those around you can stay in touch despite any physical distance that separates us.

It's not so much about sharing every detail as it is about bridge a gap between friends and family. My privacy settings are set high, I think only "friends" can see my profile, not everyone, friends or friends, etc.

I've also be considering the ramifications of sharing too much on the internet. As it turns out, the very thing that used to allow for the greatest amount of anonymity now gives way to a single search which returns your whole life history.

As for now, the blog will remain in "limbo" more times than not with future considerations of a complete wipeout of all things past blogged...

BWWKC Day 2

2009-07-12T22:36:00.000-04:00

White Water Class Day 2,
We hit the James @ Pony Pasture and kayaked down to Reedy Creek.

This was a fun day for sure. The river was @ 4'2" and it was a little low. I think 4'6" to 5' would make for nice river travels.

We started off entering the lower Pony Pasture Rapids, then back to practicing edge turns to get in & out of Eddies, as well as T-rescues in current.

Once done we headed down river starting off playing a game. Kinda like "keep away" but you always had to throw the ball to someone down stream. It was a great way to further practice the paddling & T-rescues while removing the dullness that of a long flat water area.

Rapids: Pony Pasture (lower section) Powhite Rapids, Choo-Choo Rapids, Pipeline, a smaller Pipeline, Mitch's Gut, Mitch's Gut 2.

Check out photos on the left in rotation.
Camera used was the Olympus "Water resistant" (not waterproof) Stylus 700.

Happy Birthday

2009-07-12T08:41:00.002-04:00

Today I look to the past to offer up what would have been.
On this day my youngest brother would have been 33.

We miss you Jason.

BWWKC Day 1

2009-07-11T21:26:00.000-04:00

Beginner's White Water Kayak Class Day 1 was interesting and fun.

First, the instructors are very personable and approachable, so you immediately feel comfortable.
During day 1, we spent about 1.(including lunch) 5 hrs off the water and the rest of the time on water.

We learned:
~ wet exits
~ T-Rescues
~ Multiple Paddle strokes
~ Steering & control

The day was spent on the James @ Dutch Gap. Very open and flat, but just enough current for the kayaks to move around on their own nicely.

We also played some neat little games that would force us into compromising positions w/o us thinking about it. So you learned control, as well as learned to trust in your ability to maintain calm when you did roll and waited for the T-rescue.

Our Day 1 instructors were: Suzan, Thomas, & Daniel.

So excited...

2009-07-09T10:59:00.000-04:00

For m graduation gift I purchased a kayak for myself, but my lacking of training kept me from hitting the James with it.

As soon as my final class ended I attempted to sign up for a White Water Beginner Class, but they were booked solid! I left a message w/the instructor to notify me of any cancellations and with a few days to spare the phone call came.

So this weekend I will spend on the James learning basic how to's! wet water exits, eskimo rolls, & basic routes down the river.

I can't wait...

This also coincides w/the birthday of my youngest brother who while no longer w/us, always inspires me to try new things.

Keep on keeping on.

2009-06-26T11:32:00.002-04:00

So Wednesday I answered a friends "Call to Ride" by accepting an invite to go camping @ Sherando Park w/the idea that on Thursday we'd be putting in up to 40 mls on the trails.

It sounded good, right?! I mean come on, the promise of camping, friends, fire, beer, and bikes. Everything started out well enough, perfect weather, finding a camp site, late night of beer and chit-chat, even an easy early morning rise to follow. (I'm not a morning person, so waking at 7am w/out issue was amazing! Do you know there is sunlight at 7am!?!)

So by nine we're at the meet up and we even picked up a few other Richmonder's. All on the same page, to have a fun easy ride and actually everyone stuck to it. Normally I'd be in heaven @ this pace, but no, my body still has to revolt.

Somewhere about mile 4 of the 6 ml commute to the trail head, we hit a trifecta of hill, low energy, and humidity and I went from having fun to a sky rocketing heart rate. I slowed up, and found my pace to regain control. By ml 6 life was getting better as I was settling in, just in time for the 8ml climb.

On the climb many little issues would end up leading to an exhausting ride. I've done this climb many, many times before, but never suffered like this. Loose rock, sand, & an experimental handlebar (meaning new style handlebar for me) made didn't help.
The handlebars not only altered my seating to a too upright seating position which made the front end "float", it also forced a new seating position on my seat which had me in pain by mile 7. So now with I was constantly fighting to keep the front end straight, my the sun was roasting my head, and it was just humid enough so that I couldn't cool down, a migraine was beginning to set in.

Lucky for me, the rest of the group was having some issues of their own (bike related) which allowed me to keep my tortuous pace and still keep up. Although by the end of the climb, they still had a good 5 minutes or so on me.

I just kept telling myself, downhill, downhill soon, downhill = smiles! The days plan would have us making a figure 8, where the top of climb 1 would have us in the middle of the 8 ( Mills Creek).

As luck would have it, I had no such luck by the time we hit Torrey Ridge/Slacks, etc. My head was pounding so badly, I was having double vision. So I would find myself bailing out of the 1st downhill midway @ Slacks Overlook. The gang continued down to the campgrounds and would ride back up where we'd join again.

While I was waiting I took conversation up with someone from Pitts, Pa and he offered up some Advil. Perfect!
However 3 hrs later & no gang. I was torn as to what to do, but I stuck with the plan and headed up the mountain back to the middle of the figure 8 for the last downhill that would lead back to the cars.

The Advil worked, my migraine had been severely diminished to a mild headache. By the time I I reached Mills Creek, I was almost smiling! I was feeling good, really good. But by myself and at least 7 miles from anyone and without any cell reception I took caution on the initial downhill that would be the next mile. You drop about 1500' in 1 mile of switchbacks on very loose shale. At times (Ok, most of the time) I think it would've been better to just go full-bore as the braking just caused sliding.

At the bottom of the switchbacks was another 6mls of trail that looses about 1200' of evaluation as you roll through stream crossings and forest. What an amazing end to the day. With a clear head and a cool breeze I was able to just big ring it and fly! ( Maybe that bird feather I found earlier in the day gave me the wings I was looking for all day.)

When I got back to the cars, 1 was gone, 1 person was there, & two others where still on the trail. Apparently 1 of the 4 to go to the camp grounds was too beat to climb, so they bailed for a road ride back. Of the 3 remaining to climb to the meet up spot, 1 would end up cramping bad enough to turn back and head back to the cars via the road. The last 2 would end up giving chase to catch up to me, but would end up coming back to the cars 10-15 minutes behind me.

By days end, I bagged 28 mls, B1 about 25mls, B2 28, B3 & 4, 32 mls.

We ended the day with dinner @ Devils Backbone Brewery which was just what the Dr. ordered. I was so tired that 1 beer was all I could handle, but I enjoyed every drop of it!

With this glass I Toast...

2009-06-17T11:53:00.002-04:00

... For more years than I care to count my, life as a student continued.
Today my life as a student has come to an end leaving leaving me feeling more emotional than on the day that I walked in the graduation ceremony.

To this I raise my glass filled with Three Philosophers by OMMEGANG (fitting, correct?!) and say, "Oh that heavens," and... "A huge thanks to all the support from my family and friends who kept me encouraged in the rough times, keeping this dream alive."

I know many people head to school as an avenue to success, but I went for the reason of a personal goal. It's been a long, long journey filled with laughs, tears, love, and surprises, but in the end I am better for it all.

Most of all, I want to thank Lisa, she is the definition of pillar and her support never wavered!

Cheers all, cheers!!

Been busy.

2009-06-03T09:14:00.002-04:00

It's been a busy past few weeks with at least 2 more intense weeks of hard studying, papers, and exams.
It's all good though, I can see the light and it's beautiful!

I've also been able to get on the bike lately (5 rides in 9 days) and really enjoy the stress relief that comes with riding and getting fresh air. I flub up today by not heading out before the days heat sets in, so tomorrow might be my next chance to ride.

Now I have to get back to researching the external / internal forces for the Steel industry & Nucor. I think I'll get the history buttoned up also.

What-do-ya-know?!

2009-05-25T23:08:00.002-04:00

Only a few days after venting and I managed to get in 2 rides and fix / mod the bike. Tomorrow I'll need to buy some new parts for it.

Baby steps I guess.

Hopefully my current desire to bike will keep on keep'n on.

Have you seen my bike mojo?

2009-05-22T18:01:00.003-04:00

Seems that I have losing my bike mojo over the last few years and all attempts rekindle it have failed!

I know it's gone now, but as I just had $3k to spend wildly and not even .01 of it went to a bike related part. I never even had a thought of purchasing bike related parts or gear. In years past I definitely would've had some bike "thingy" that was shiny and new with this kind of loot to spend.

I'm not sure how I began to loose my interest, maybe it's that I'm not a racer and everyone else is. So I want to ride just to enjoy and challenge myself, while others want to ride to blister new times while running you (& others) off the trail.

Politics have also certainly played a large roll in the demise of my riding. If I could do it all over again I'd certainly think twice about my involvement with a club beyond helping to promote it. What starts out nobel quickly excellerates into too much info, too many headaches, too much time, and for too many years. Which in the end = a sour taste for the hobby.

Lastly, I know that not having time to exercise or at least having another form for exercise has dampened my mtb spirit.
I rode because I enjoyed riding and any health bene's were simply a plus. But as time wore on I relied on it to be my "needed" exercise too, which creates a whole new outlook for a hobby. It turned something fun in to a must! When I must do something I begin to view it with "distain" in which I end up doing anything and everything to avoid it.

I guess that is where I am today, avoiding it.

I'm a Trader Joe's Whore

2009-05-22T08:18:00.002-04:00

During the last year Richmond,Va became the lucky recipient of a Trader Joe's store. For years I've heard about them, but I've always used the "talk" about TJ's to just be a "yuppy" store. This theory was mostly based on the fact that just about everyone who buys from there talks about their great wine deals & all I could picture in my head was a bunch of blue shirts & khaki pants pushing & shoving their strollers past each other to fight for the last box-O-wine. As it turns out, they literally having bottles of wine for $3.00 and still being able to get volume discounts by purchasing by the case.

After being completely disappointed in the new Whole Foods in Richmond, (The store seems to be more about, "who's watching who pay stupidly inflated prices for the same foods they can buy across the street for 2/3's the price." Don't get me wrong, I was all about getting a Whole Foods in Ric, as Lisa and I would drive to Char'ville just to hit up that store. Somehow once introduced to the West End of Ric, it became a store more about posh than content (quality & more healthy foods).

So we finally broke down and headed to Trader Joe's & since that day we've been kicking ourselves for not getting there sooner!
For me though, most of the wine is irrelevant when you consider all the other goodies TJ's has to offer.

Their food selection and pricing is second to none!! Seriously, some of their pricing is on par with large volume box retail chains, and or store brand prices at places like Foodlion, but the quality is SO-O much better.

Just a few examples:
- Organic Breads on par or better than the quality of local bakeries and starting at $2.29.
- Organic Chocolate Syrup for $2.49
- Organic granola & fruit bars $1.49+
- Organic & Fair Trade Coffee $6.99 - 9.99 and usually 1lb too.
- Organic Peanut & various Nut Butters (Quiet!) $2.49 +
- Pasta's, Italian made & full pound servings only .99 w/whole wheat for $1.25.

And the list keeps going.

Perhaps the best part of the store is that they are doing what mainstream has said can not be done.
They are providing many products that are cheaper than name brands while using better ingredients and still having great taste. Most products that aren't Organic are most likely HighFructroseCornSyrup free!

That IMO is worth the drive any day of the week & while most stores will have you paying more for using sugar cane, TJ's is charging less.

Walk the walk

2009-05-17T23:59:00.002-04:00

Sometimes (& to a fault) I find myself too anti-establishment.

It makes me feel bored, constricted, even dirty. I've been this way from as far back as I can remember. It seems that even as a young child being read the rules to a board game, my first thoughts were always to question the exception or even the validity of a rule.

But this past weekend I took part in what many may consider everything I've questioned or stand against. I took part in my Graduation ceremony by walking; and it was one of the best days of my life!

As it turns out, if you argue with yourself long enough about something you realize that even the stance of "anti-establishment" is itself, an "establishment." And as such, I owe it to myself to truly way the Pro's and Con's of participating or not.

A few months back I realized that the day I was to walk & accept my diploma also turned out to me my birthday. Me being someone who tends to get caught up in the "things happen for a reason," looked at this as a huge signal that I need to give this some serious consideration.

In the end my decision was more about I owed it to me, myself, & I. I have spent many years fighting my way through school, on & off, full-time, part-time, working & not, and now everything is coming to a conclusion.

For me, walking gave me a sense of closure, an end point to a journey, my goal, to attend and finish college.

Oddly enough from the moment I arrived at the Siegal Center it hit me, this day was as important to all those who gave me the support that I needed to make this dream a reality! This day will help them to have closure too; witnessing this event is their return for for their unquestionable and unwaving love and support that they have always shown me.

So for those who find themselves pondering the same question I had, I say do it!

Very few moments in life can ever measure up to hearing thousands of people cheering & clapping as you enter the Graduation Ceremony. For those few moments, the magnitude of your accomplishment strikes. It touches you on a level that is difficult to put into words.

So to all my friends and family who put up with my stories & rants over the years, "Thank you." To all my friends and family who help me keep my spirits up when things looked grim,"Thank You." To all my friends and family who were simply there for me, "Thank you."

You have all taught me as much about giving, kindness, and caring as school has on the studied subjects.

One last thing, several friends just since yesterday has informed me of their regret to having not walked, but I have yet to meet someone who feels their time was wasted by attending.

In short, the underlying lesson goes beyond partaking in a graduation ceremony or not, but rather is a challenge to you, me, & everyone else to really gauge why we make the decisions we do and force us to reconsider any personal opinions that just may turn out too antiquated for today.

Cellphones Madness

2009-05-11T08:28:00.002-04:00

Does the cellphone give all of us the "plugged-in" companionship that so many of us really crave, or may worst, fulfill for that what we might not have had w/out one? A life...

Why does owning a cellphone automatically give us the right to carry it everywhere & anywhere we desire? I mean really, why does the waitstaff need to have a cell on their belt when their job is there to wait on visitors of their restaurant?

Why should students be allowed to carry them in class, only to disrupt everyone w/fancy beeps, sounds, games, etc?

In Boston this morning a report of a double trolly crash because 1 came up from behind (w/a 480' sight line) ended up crashing in to a second trolly, despite having warnings go from green to yellow to red plus 80'. Why the crash? F'ing conductor was texting his girlfriend and now 50+ people injured.

Boston's MTA took immediate action, absolutely NO CELL PHONES allowed on the job by any employees!! Go Boston!!
NJ MTA doesn't allow for even the use of cellphones by the passengers. At first I was like, "WTF?," but 10 minutes into the ride and you quickly realize that a bus of 50 people can actually be one of the most peaceful crowds to be. No one is forced to listen to yelling, arguing, STD results phone-calls, etc.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a cell phone toter myself & I often find myself "needing" to check the cell for a text or missed call after 10minutes goes by without a peep. "Is the volume set right? ", "Is vide mode set?", "Did I just miss beep?".
Usually the answer is nope.

I usually find this cell phone "twitch" to come only after the cycle has been started by a barrage of incoming communications or when I'm bored and the response is often we feeling compelled to send some sort of mindless thought to a close friend in a feeble attempt just to gain any social interaction.

So my question is, how do we become so celf-focused (celf = cell + self) that we will use our phones despite the danger that we pose to everyone around us?

How can we possibly justify the reply to "dinner @ 7" if it means that we might kill/injure/maim 1,10, 20, 50, more?

Nothing more needs to be said

2009-04-24T00:33:00.000-04:00

Bias vs Biased

2009-04-20T23:01:00.001-04:00

A person who is influenced by a bias is biased. The expression is not “they’re bias,” but “they’re biased.” Also, many people say someone is “biased toward” something or someone when they mean biased against. To have a bias toward something is to be biased in its favor.

All Washed Up

2009-04-05T01:20:00.004-04:00

You know you are getting old when you are excited about a new washer!

Lisa and I recently purchased our first household appliance after 19yrs of being together.

Out with the old as it moaned and groaned through every cycle with a shake and shimmy only second to my belly as I run up a flight of steps.

But the last straw was the the failure of it's pumping to drain out @ least the 1st time around (At least my pumping still work).
OLD:

Ah the goodness that is our new LG washer!
Smooth, quite, and refined! When comparing old to new, the comparison is like eating from a trough vs eating a at a white linen table.
New: