Messing with Nature

Tara makes jewelry and we are in high gear of jewelry making for an upcoming womyn's festival in Columbus OH. Consequently, we have lots of strings, leather cord, hemp cord, etc around.
Anything dangling is absolutely irresistible to Curious George and Charles Baron. My cat, Cali, could care less but the boys are addicted. After saying, "NO" for the 100th time I finally just cut a strip of leather cord and tossed it out for the boys to play with. George is now completely addicted to this 1 foot stretch of leather. If you pick it up and dangle it for a moment and then throw it he will tear after it.
I couldn't resist tossing the strip of leather and then calling George back. If he brought the leather cord with him I gave him lots of love attention and petting. Now George plays fetch.
I know, I know, it is against a cat's nature and I'm sure there are some blog kitties that would be upset to hear this but George and Charles both come when called and both now play fetch - Charles with the caps from plastic bottles and George with leather cord.
As far as the jewelry production goes, Tara will have a website on eBay up and running this weekend and I'll pass on the website and more info on the jewelry then. As far as the fetch thing goes....well, I'm an evil cat owner. I'm going to keep playing fetch and encouraging the practice. I just can't resist.

Expanding Possibilities

I had a job interview today for a position in Raleigh, NC. Tara and I have talked about moving there for awhile now since it is still east coast, four seasons, ocean, rivers, mountains but has a much shorter winter. I've had my resume out for a bit and this is the first big hit I've had and it is a job that sounds like something I would really, really enjoy.
I'll hear back next week and if all is well I'll move on to round two where they will fly me out to meet the management and do a face-to-face interview. I feel really good about this one. Send some positive thoughts my way!

Fun at the hospital

The roommate had reconstructive surgery on her left knee on Thursday to repair a torn ACL. The first doctor her company sent her to was one of the most rude, condescending individuals I have had the misfortune of meeting. He told her her ACL was torn but plenty of people get along fine without one and then proceeded to look her up and down and say, "Besides, you don't ski or play basketball." Apparently he only provides surgery to people who are the perfect weight and in their 20's. Thankfully, the roomie has a wonderful workman's comp nurse/case worker who immediately said, "You are out of here. You will never see this doctor again. I know a great doctor in Pittsburgh that one of my other clients went through and you are going there."
Enter Dr. Greer. This guy knows his stuff, has a great bedside manner and the right level of confidence to inspire a reluctant patient let alone someone like my roommate who wants to be up, back to life and work as soon as possible.
So Thursday morning we went to Allegheny General Suburban hospital and off she went to have her torn ACL replaced by a tissue graft. The staff in Ambulatory Surgery was fantastic and the surgery and recovery went fine. Everything was delayed slightly when the tissue graft was not at the hospital however, they were able to get a suitable graft from a hospital up the road and she is now on her way to being good as new.
We were the first people there along with our friend Jay and oddly, had a great time while waiting. I had the remote for the television in the waiting room and at 7 am I asked the room in general what channel NBC was. JK Rowling was going to be interviewed on the Today show and I was hoping to catch it. The Dad from a couple sitting across from us with their young daughter, also named Rachel (who was having surgery on a broken arm) replied, "Channel 12 but it's SpongeBob time." I said, "Oh," and looked at the young Rachel and asked, "Well, what channel is SpongeBob on?" They replied, "You don't have to put on SpongeBob." I said, "No problem. I like SpongeBob, especially the episode where he teaches Squidward to blow bubbles. 'Bring it aaaarrrooounnd town' (with hip and hand motions)"
I need to say I was running on 3 hours of sleep. We were up at 3 am out of the house by 330 and at the hospital at 545. It is 120 miles away. This is my only defense for actually doing the 'bring it around town" motion. It did break the ice though. Everyone in the waiting room began to chat and we chatted throughout the day as we ran into each other, checking up on how each family's patient was doing.
My loopy sense of humor, and Jay's, continued when the let us back to see our Rachel before her surgery. Since they had to wait for the tissue we hung out with her in pre-op for 2 hours cutting up, making jokes and laughing frequently. At one point the anesthesiologist nurse came by and said, "Hey, she shouldn't be this happy. I haven't given her the fun drugs yet!" The nurses joined in on the jokes and we generally raised every one's spirits.
Rachel is home now with a passive motion machine and one of the coolest ice packs I've ever seen. She's doing great overall and should move through all the healing pretty fast thanks to a good surgeon and hospital staff and a lot of laughter. Tara, my other half, came in from driving truck for the week on Friday evening and was able to help take care of Rachel but I told Rachel for all the care I've been taking of her and for getting me out of bed at 3 am, my birthday gift from her in September ought to be absolutely fantastic.

Breath Taking

The Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. We made it shortly before sunset after a whirlwind 230 mile drive from Mesa, AZ to the South Rim. The entrance fee was well worth it for the view and the sunset.


Mather's Point South Rim

Yavapai Observation Station, South Rim

Biblical Proportions

Tuesday was my first full day in Phoenix, AZ and the area gave me quite a greeting. We watched a larger, seething mass of black clouds build over the mountains while waiting for dinner and by the time we left dinner, the sandstorm was upon us. Thankfully the storm was dying by the time it reached us and it was followed by a fabulous lightning show and a short burst of rain.
This has to be one of the strangest things I've ever experienced - like something out of the bible or for a more recent reference, the sandstorm attack in the movie The Mummy. Pretty awesome display of natures raw power - sand, wind and lightning sheeting across the sky.

Stick a Fork in Me....

I'm done!
Flew from Erie, PA to Phoenix, AZ today. 57 degrees at 600am this morning in Erie, 97 in Phoenix at 1005am local time when I landed. By the time I left work this afternoon it was 110. I know, I know, everyone says it's a "dry heat." They forget that July is "monsoon" season which apparently the definition of monsoon here is there is a very slight chance of rain. Humidity is up to 33% so the heat is NOT dry.
How did I handle the heat? Air conditioning everywhere and a great hotel pool. I can stand to be in 110 degrees if I'm in a pool. I plan to get one hell of a tan this week while working my but off. Always take your fun where you can get it.
I was here months ago and had a weird experience at the hotel. Apparently they notated that on my account cause I am styling it on the concierge floor. I feel like such a yuppie: free munchies, drinks, breakfast, desserts....no complaints from me!
They just delivered milk and chocolate chip cookies to me...I'm going to be spoiled by the end of the week!
I didn't want to come but decided I would have a fantastic trip anyway...so far so great!

Messages from the Other Side

Tara and I along with the roommate took a drive to Lily Dale on Friday 7/6/07. This was there first trip there and my third. Lily Dale is a Spiritualist community that has existed for 128 years. The residence are all trained and sanctioned mediums. It is its own gated community where outsiders are welcomed however, you do pay a fee to get through the gates. The fee goes toward upkeep and equipment for their fire department so I can't really complain. You can actually make an appointment with a medium or just walk around the grounds and go to various Message Services to possibly hear from someone on the other side.
One thing I truly love about Lily Dale is how peaceful the area is. There is a Old World virgin forest surrounding it and some of the meeting areas are within the forest. the whole place seems to settle peace over you.
We went to various message services and throughout the day the roommate and I received 2 messages. Mine were very positive and bright and quite accurate. Hers had a lot of hope and the one medium really hit home on some issues for her. The most fun for me though was running into an old friend. Janice Dreshman. Janice was the crisis counselor at my high school and I haven't seen her in 13 years. I was involved in a lot of the programs she ran and she was one of those bright spots in a school faculty. Someone who really cared about the students.
When a message service is happening there is a person who facilitates and the facilitator calls on various mediums: student mediums, registered mediums and guest mediums, to come forward and bring a message to 2-4 different people. Each service lasts an hour. At the message service at the Forest Temple the hour was winding up, I had received a message and the facilitator called the last medium, Janice Dreshman. My head whipped around and sure enough, here comes my old high school's crisis councilor. She didn't pick any of us but after the service concluded I quickly caught up with her and said, "Janice!" she turned and looked and all I had to say was, "Hopewell" and the light bulb went off. I look very different from when I was in high school so give her credit. We spent a few minutes catching up and then she went back to her house and we went on to the next service. Janice is now a registered medium! Pretty wild.
At the end of the day we went to Bob Evans in Fredonia, NY. On our way out Tara and I talked about the fact that she didn't get picked in the services but she was pretty good with that. We sit down to eat and a husband, wife and 2 daughters were sitting across from us. They kept looking at Tara. Right after our food came the wife finally stands up comes over and says to Tara, "I don't normally do this and I'm very sorry to interrupt but I have a message for you." Tara's father was coming in loud and clear to the husband and wife who, it turns out, both live in Lily Dale and are mediums there. The comment from them was that he started bothering them from the time we sat down and while they normally make it a point not to give unsolicited messages, they just couldn't ignore him anymore.
Leave it to Tara to spend all day at a Spiritualist community and then get a message after we leave in a Bob Evans of all places.
It was overall an amazing day and a peaceful recuperative one.

4th of July

Happy Fourth of July everyone and Happy Birthday USA
Despite the small amount of rain today we are looking forward to a great fireworks show this evening. Hope you have a great one!

Personality goes a long way

I don't necessarily agree with the Old Geezer and cynical comments but, this is what I came out as...

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PERSONALITY
You are more emotional than logical, more concerned about others than concerned about self, more atheist than religious, more loner than dependent, more workaholic than lazy, more traditional than rebel, more engineering mind than artistic mind, more cynical than idealist, more leader than follower, and more introverted than extroverted.
As for specific personality traits, you are intellectual (74%), greedy (57%), adventurous (56%).

STEREOTYPES
Old Geezer (100%)
Punk Rock (73%)
White Trash (68%)


LIFE EXPERIENCE
Sex (38%)
Substances (22%)
Travel (35%)


POLITICS
Your political views would best be described as Liberal, whom
you agree with around 54% of the time.

SOCIOECONOMIC
Your attitude toward life best associates you with Upper Class.
You make more than 77% of those who have taken this test,
and 24% less than the U.S. average.

If your life was a movie, it would be rated PG-13.
By the way, your hottness rank is 55%, hotter than 29% of other test takers.

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