It’s Hot. Meh.

It was 88 degrees today, so I did the only thing I could to remain sane: I lay on the sofa in the basement and read.

And by “read” I mean “slept”. Hard. Until late. Very late. Almost after dark late (and dark this time of year is quite late).

No wonder I’m tired during the week …

I Freakin’ LOVE Alan Tudyk

Or “My (Imaginary) Love Poppet”. Actually, I love his work ... he may be the biggest tool in the chest (doubt it!), but I don't care, because the man is awesome (read it in a sing-songy voice to get the full affect). Some of my all-time favorite performances are his. I am way partial to Firefly’s “Hoban Wash” … to the extent that I (before I came up for air and remembered it’s a movie for-crying-out-load, and Alan is fine) was pissed at the end of Serenity.

And he’s responsible for some of my absolute favorite characters in some of my favorite shows and movies (and even some I’m not so in love with, but love his character anyway):

• “Wash” on both Firefly and Serenity, easily my favorite Tudyk-provided friend-on-film.
• “Wat” in A Knight’s Tale, who had me in stitches the entire time, but still has me wondering what the hell “I will fong you!” really means.
• “Gerhardt” in 28 Days, of “OMG! Look at my package!” fame, who managed to kill his plant upon release from rehab (of course).
• The voice of “Sonny” in I Robot, easily my very favorite character of this guilty pleasure I can never leave when flipping through the channels, regardless of how much longer is left to play, or what other plans I had before I got to that channel ...
• “Steve the Pirate” of Dodgeball, who spent (almost) all his time not impersonating a pirate, but rather being a pirate (very fine distinction there).
• “Alpha” on Dollhouse, where he totally got his crazy on while having a sweet, innocent side.
• Pedophile “Carl Fisher” on CSI, where he was not guilty of that, but only 'cuz his plans went awry ... and he was way creepy.
• “Doc Potter” of 3:10 to Yuma, where he died rescuing the bad guy.
• “Cholly” the bear-horse-looking dude of both Ice Age movies, who farted with complete abandon but little accountability (he was also one of the “bad” saber-tooths, but I can’t recall which).
• “Nathan Wheeler” of Into the West, who annoyed me greatly by not being in more of the mini-series.

He's even doing some voice work in the Halo 3 game, but I'm not much into games (although will no doubt see the movie, if they make it, and he's in it).

And now I find out he’s got a part in the pilot of the remake of one of my all-time guilty pleasures from, like, my senior year of high school, “V”! SCORE!!!!!

I’ve (once again) come to the realization that I watch too much television, see too many movies, and read too many entertainment magazines … but with folk like Mr. Tudyk providing the fodder, I ain’t stopping soon so don't even ask!

Wicked Awesome Poem Wednesday

If You Were Coming In The Fall

If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.

If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.

If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.

If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.

But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.

- Emily Dickinson

Oooh, I'm in the Dog House

My girls are so not happy with me tonight. I left them outside all day (as usual this time of year) because, although the weatherman said 40% rain, what does he know?

Heh-heh ... apparently he knows a lot. DOH!

Although they were dry by the time I got home, they were incredibly fluffy in that "I've been soaked to the skin all day long, do not go NEAR that camera, this is in no way CUTE!" way. So now neither Boogie nor Kaia will even look at me, plus ... my poor little Kaidi's coughing up a storm. Sounds almost as bad as when they both had kennel cough last year. (You remember that, don't you? Yeah, that was fun ... boarded them, fully vaccinated, whole nine yards, they cAme home diseased anyway ... prednisone works wonders for the coughs, but turns their little bladders into leaky faucets and the both of them unknowingly piddled their way through the next ten days ... sheesh.)

Well, they're still not speaking to me and are back outside (rain has stuttered to an end) giving me the evil eye every time I try to tempt them back inside. I am persona non grata in my own home. Mer.

And I learned something new today, but it kind of made me sad. Ever heard of a Silver Alert? Well, I hadn't, until the freeway signage touted one this afternoon, with a descrIption of a vehicle and its plates. Just like an Amber Alert, but "silver". Which made me laugh as I thought "what, is it for when a q-tip has wandered away from home?" all snarky and smart-assy in my head.

Then I went home and Googled the term and yes ... it is an Amber-type Alert for the elderly. Now I'm just that assbucket who made a stupid joke in her head that came full circle and smacked her upside her wiseacre head. I hope the lost elder is found, safe and sound.

Thank You

After the Battle

Night closed around the conqueror's way,

And lightnings show'd the distant hill,

Where those who lost that dreadful day

Stood few and faint, but fearless still.

The soldier's hope, the patriot's zeal,

For ever dimm'd, for ever crost --

Oh! who shall say what heroes feel,

When all but life and honour's lost?

The last sad hour of freedom's dream,

And valour's task, moved slowly by,

While mute they watch'd, till morning's beam

Should rise and give them light to die.

There's yet a world, where souls are free,

Where tyrants taint not nature's bliss; --

If death that world's bright opening be,

Oh! who would live a slave in this?

- Thomas Moore

What’s so Funny ‘Bout Peace, Love, and Understanding?

Tomorrow is Memorial Day, which, to be fair, is one of the most important holidays the United States has as a whole … this is when we as a nation have set aside an entire long weekend to truly appreciate the sacrifices of our soldiers and their loved ones in maintaining the freedoms and standards we of this country enjoy.

By having a cookout … and maybe a parade.

Those lucky, lucky soldiers, to be appreciated so.

Right now, in current military engagements, between March 19, 2003 and May 21, 2009:

• In Iraq 4,299 of our neighbors have died, while 31,285 have been wounded.
• In Afghanistan 682 of our neighbors have died while 2,843 have been wounded.

And we don’t even take care of our wounded 100% … we prioritize not only their injuries and treatments (admittedly a good thing, seeing as a brain injury requires far more aid and attention than a broken leg), but also their out-of-pocket expenses. See here: http://www.va.gov/healtheligibility/Library/pubs/VAIncomeThresholds/VAIncomeThresholds.pdf

Yes, we make some of them pay dearly for their treatment. Doesn’t it then follow that if a wounded soldier does not qualify for full (or even affordable) health coverage, s/he will likely not receive said treatment? Really? Really.

How the hell do we get these kids to sign up? No wonder we bury our heads in the sand and have family bar-b-q’s where we drink too much and fight in the front yard while complaining about hugs from smelly old uncle Walter and kisses from big-bosomed, hairy-moled Auntie Bernice.

Military medically discharged soldiers (this is important, because until recently the various military branches and the VA … where discharged soldiers end up … were using different scoring systems – yes, the military was scoring soldiers as more healthy, or less disabled, than the VA) are eligible for different levels of medical insurance for themselves and their immediate families:

• Those with a less than 10% military disability rating got no insurance
• Those with a 10% - 20% rating got 6 months, sometimes 9, maybe even 12
• Those with a 30%+ (medical retirement) got full coverage for life

So, not only do we treat our medically discharged soldiers poorly (while having our lovely parades) during active wartime we treat them more poorly than we do prisoners (you know, murderers, rapists, embezzlers and the like) by raising the bar on what qualifies as a medical disability. How else can we account for the marked decrease (decrease?!?) in the number and percentage of medical discharges during war? What? Yup … more wounded, less qualifying for disability, more significant brain injuries than in any military previous military action, ever.

But things are beginning to look up at least in the traumatic brain injury (TBI) department. Since March of last year all branches of the military have been actively screening for TBI in wounded soldiers. Turns out brain damage affects around 15% of the wounded.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I’m thinking that any soldier, regardless of injury, deserves full medical coverage of said injury at least until it is completely healed. And, since part of the whole soldier thing is limited pay (yes, I know housing is cheaper and the PX, too … but these guys are getting shot at and blown up, you tool), they deserve basic medical coverage for their loved ones as well. In fact, the medical coverage for their children should extend until the child is 18 in the event of the soldier’s death or medical discharge.

Is that really too much to ask for?

From Bud to Blossom

This is the difference exactly twelve days of Spring make: the top picture was taken May 12th, and the bottom picture was taken this morning (May 24th). So pretty. :)

STOP That!

Don't my roses look terrific? And here are some of my birdies that came out to play today. Cute, huh? Love 'em!

Okay, it being the first holiday of the summer, there were many cookouts today, and my neighbors to the back (the ones with the pool) had a big ole party with plenty of kids and adults.

And I'm not happy with them, because it was a stagnant 88 degrees and they harassed my dogs. Yep, it's the hottest day of the year so far, and Boogie and Kaia are going crazy (this was later in the afternoon when I could finally let them back out ... since the house faces West, and the dog run is in the backyard, they were inside for most of the day until the sun went over the house and provided some shade out back).

The girls were creating an unholy ruckus that showed no indication of stopping, but it was really taking it out of them, based on how hoarse their barking got. But every time I checked on them there was nothing going on.

Until I saw it: big fuckers at the cookout were letting the little fuckers run across their backyard and into mine, up to the dog run, where they slapped the fence and ran back. Thus proving their bravery in the face of such danger as a dog. Locked behind a fence. Unable to get them!

Driving the girls crazy.

Assbuckets.

I mean really ... so I've decided to drop the dog poop cleaning contract and let them fuckheads suffer the rest of the Summer with the stunning dogshit vapor my yard shall produce under the hot Midwestern sun. I'm even thinking of changing the girls' diets weekly to ensure maximum stinkage. HAH! Piss me off no more, cretins.

Not really; I'm still going to have the yard cleaned (and I'd never torture the girls with dietary changes just to make some callous jerks pay for their callous jerkery) ... but that was a really lousy thing to do, and they are total assbuckets until I say otherwise. Shame on them.

Sitting Pretty

I love this time of year in MO. I’m generally a big fan of Spring and Fall anyway, but in MO Spring has every other season beat, hands down.

Having grown up on a New England island in the days before almost every house was built with central air, we had the windows open three out of four seasons and I really miss that out here in the Midwest, but it’s simply too hot in the Summer not to run the A/C. And since I’ve been reminded about the attic fan (which is on now, and has this place rocking like a house party), I’ll be able to keep an open house an extra couple weeks.

So Spring, here. Open windows, birds up at 5:05am, singing in the new dawn. Dogs want out right then to observe and comment (I’m sure my neighbors just loooove that). Cats want feeding so they can then stake out the window from which they’ll watch the bird feeders. I may as well get up and greet the day. It’s truly the only time of year that it’s easy for me to get to work in time for the 8am morning meetings (not that I’m so very lazy … I do have an hour commute, so have to leave home by 6:45am, which gives precious little time to get ready for the day, seeing as I am the least morning person you will probably ever meet, and certainly the least morning person of anyone in the family).

Which is kind of funny, seeing as Dad is the epitome of morning person, and so it must be lurking somewhere in my DNA, right? Not so much; very dormant trait in me. Then again, I don’t think Mom’s much of a morning person either; I think Dad just hasn’t been able to force himself to let her sleep-in the past 48 years! He’s become the consummate professional accidental-waker-upper “who, me? no; i was just making coffee, was that too loud, did i wake you? well, since you’re up anyway …”

Besides, he sends the grandkids in to do his dirty work when they’re visiting (thought Mom didn’t know, huh Dad? FAIL!).

So, not a morning person, me. But this time of year? Easy-peasey getting up. I started writing this at 5:40am this morning, after feeding the cats and playing with the girls on the deck for a couple minutes (tried to get pictures, but the girls are not in the mood this morning … I think the flash bothers them ... see?).

Kaia

(Full Tilt) Boogie

Maddie

Joey

I’m pretty psyched with the house right now: I’ve got Turf Tek caring for the yard (they started for me last summer when I realized they were only $10 more expensive per mowing than my neighborhood kid, and they actually do the trimming around the entire house, not just the parts they think I’ll see), so it looks lovely. And I started with Orkin because I am done with these frigging ants. Orkin’s been out twice (it’s a year-long service) and I haven’t seen an ant since … plus, they’re killing the spiders!

Both Orkin guys couldn’t help but comment when they got downstairs in the garage and basement … neither had ever seen the amount of spiders I have “in a house like this” … which I have decided meant in a house someone is living in, non-condemned, that isn’t a pigsty.

And, I just started with Scoopy the Poo (awesome name!) to clean up after the girls weekly. What I’m doing here, you see, is supporting my local industry during this economic downturn … besides, I have a real live medical excuse to stay out of the sun called methotrexate. SCORE!

About the dog poop … I feel kind of guilty. I never really use the deck at all in the summer. Even after dark it’s just not fun for me to sit outside in humid, no breeze, 95+ degree weather (it’s the no breeze part … gak, too hot and sticky). So I stay inside, in my 80 degree A/C house. Yep, that’s how effing hot it gets here, that setting the A/C at 80 is significantly cooler than outside!

So, the girls are six now, and I’ve never (well, maybe twice) cleaned up after them. Never thought about it at all … until last Summer. I kind of noticed, in the back of my head, how bad it smelled sometimes when I let them out. In Summer they go out after dark and come back inside next morning, because to leave them out during the day is just plain wrong. Anyway, I’m almost ashamed to admit it took ruminating over the Winter for me to realize it was my yard that stunk so bad, and it was because of the dog pooh. Sheesh!

So, on a visit to the vet for Joey’s special not-gonna-get-kidney-disease-eating-this food, I picked up a brochure for a local cleanup company (to remain nameless); made the appointment for their first visit; arranged my schedule to leave work early … and they never showed! They never even called! I wasn’t so very upset because that was also the day of the first Orkin visit, so it wasn’t like I wasted the energy or anything. But, then I tried to reschedule and the jackasses never even called me back!

So, I’m thinking I have to do something. Now that I know this is a bad smelly scene I can not subject my neighbors to it any longer. I mean, they have kids on either side, and the folk behind me have a pool! How awful for them! What to do? Because I think you know I’m not doing it (oh, I could have the best of intentions to get out there and do it, but if it’s something I’d really rather not do, I’ll find a reason not to … witness: I’ve cleaned the yard maybe twice in six years to date).

So (I say “so” a lot, don’t I?), I’m driving home from work one day last week, and a couple cars ahead of me is an SUV, tooling along at 70+, passing the cars in the right lane, doing just exactly what he’s supposed to be doing … but the guy behind him? Wants to go faster, and wants SUV out of the way, now. And he’s zipping into the right lane to inside pass (which I’ve done often enough, but not when it just won’t work!), getting stuck behind the slow vehicle there, and zipping back behind the SUV. And because he’s doing this repeatedly, I’m staying about four car lengths back, where I can see that there is a company logo on the SUV, but the font isn’t big enough for me to read.

We’re all tooling along, still at 70+ mph, still passing all the cars in the right lane, and I’m having this internal dialogue with myself about how very much I want to read that signage and why is the font so effing small and maybe I can get a little closer to read it and shit! That assbucket just zipped back between us without even looking for me!

Realizing I had drifted closer, I backed off again. A bit further down the road split, and zippy the pinhead finally got out in front of that SUV, which was going to the right, and since I was going to the left I got up close enough to read the signage and it was Scoopy the Poo! Awesome! But we were traveling too fast for me to read the number, so I looked it up on-line when I got home and contacted them and they are FANTASTIC!! See how that happened? Isn’t that something like serendipity? They’ve been out for the first run where they do the initial cleanup, and have the key to the gate to get in for future sessions. The girls have met them and been fed cookies (they still hugely distrust these strange people, but will let them in the yard, and prolly bark quite loudly the entire time). I told Scoopy’s to let me know if they’d rather the girls stay inside on cleaning days – kind of a moot point, seeing as in a few weeks it’ll be too hot for them to be outside during the day anyway.

But, I’m pretty sure the neighbors will be quite pleased with this turn of events. I even talked to Turf Tek and they’re going to start beautifying the dog run as well, now that there won’t be poop-mines for them to navigate. Which means no more 8-foot weeds (yep, happens), or oak trees under the deck (from bird migrations, I guess). Instead of seasonal cleanup, they’ll keep it looking beauteous on a regular basis.

Sigh. I'm so happy right now.

Weekly Idol: Finale

Wow ... I thought they were both terrific (but I'm hoping Kris wins)! For a couple reasons: 1) I ranked his overall season higher than Adam's (because I liked more of Kris' individual performances throughout), and 2) Adam needs to not go the AI route in his career.

Adam needs to front a bitchin' band post-haste and pronto ... which appears to so not be the AI thing (yes, I know my love DC has a band, but not really ... at least not yet ... and prolly not 'til his AI contract is met).

Kris needs to go solo, which is the perfect sort of career AI offers and at which the AI producers excel.

I just really like the way Kris sings (and Matt, and Danny), he's not a hit-or-miss guy for me like Adam is. On those occasions that I don't much care for what Adam does, I really don't care for it ... like I said last week: fingernails on a chalkboard. Eeek.

Plus, I'm just that much pissy with all the judges, and their various commentaries this evening, where they pretty much publicly and officially wrote Kris off and congratulated Adam on the win, a la, "just being here is like, totally awesome, and you should be so proud of yoursel blah, blah, blah, effing blah!"

That? Aggravates me. Shut up and critique the performance he just did, not his "season" ... and for crying out LOUD don't ding him for song selection when he didn't get to pick the song! Sheesh!

So ... loooooooooved the performances by the guys tonight; really did not love the judges. Again. Biased [expletive deleteds].

In all honesty I don't care who wins since Matt got voted off. I absolutely believe both will go on to sweet careers, along with Danny, and Matt, and Anoop, and Lil, and even Scott and Allison (and I hope Michael).

I am the worst for these competitions! I want everyone to win something! I'd prolly end up being that mom who wants her kids to play t-ball because no one ever loses. Tcha!

BOOGEDY!! BOOGEDY!! BOOGEDY!! TOLD YOU!!! KRIS WINS!

I totally admit the grand finale was much more entertaining than I expected it to be, but I laugh at the producers for so blatantly gearing it toward Adam's stylings and getting SPANKED by the voters!

And how cool was Adam at the end there? Preeeeeetty classy, Adam. And how shocked was Kris? Whoa, huh, mumble mumble shocked ... finally kind of started to come out of it when he was hugging his wife. So cute. And how pissed did Simon look? Very! Ah, bliss.

Wicked Funny Poem Monday

I like Mike Huckabee ... he's not a big-mouth know-it-all ... that's prolly why I got such a kick out of this "poem":

Fancy Nancy

Here's a story about a lady named Nancy
A ruthless politician, but dressed very fancy
Very ambitious, she got herself elected Speaker
But as for keeping secrets, she proved quite a "leaker."

She flies on government planes coast to coast
And doesn't mind that our economy is toast
She makes the Air Force squire her in their military jets
There's room for her family, her staff, and even her pets.

Until now, she annoyed us, but her gaffes were mostly funny;
Even though it was painful to watch her waste our tax money.
But now her wacky comments are no laughing matter;
She's either unwilling to tell the truth, or she's mad as a hatter!

She sat in briefings and knew about enhanced interrogation;
But claims she wasn't there, and can't give an explanation.
She disparages the CIA and says they are a bunch of liars;
Even the press aren't buying it and they're stoking their fires.

I think Speaker Pelosi has done too much speaking;
And instead of her trashing our intelligence officials, it's her nose that needs tweaking.

If forced to believe whether the CIA and her colleagues in Congress are lying;
Or it's Speaker Pelosi whose credibility and career is dying.
I believe in the integrity of the men and women who sacrifice to keep us safe;
Not the woman who has been caught flat-footed, lying to our face.

I say it here and I say it rather clear-
It's time for Nancy Pelosi to resign and get out of here.

- Mike Huckabee

Some More Birdie Pics

Blogger was not image-loading friendly today, but finally got on-board.

Here's a Red-Winged Blackbird and a Grackle, and there is my little Cardinal friend.
And here is eldercat #2, otherwise known as "Maddie", surveying her fiefdom.

And here's one of the Mourning Doves (nowhere near as fat and happy as Dad's are!).

And all pictures were taken from the living room, through the screen ... of course, there were an additional trillion that just didn't work out. I've discovered my camera takes fuh-hor-ever to snap when I've zoomed in ... the beasties have usually flown off by the time the picture takes.

Great Bird Day!

Today my bird feeders were wildly popular, but none of my pictures came out because the flash just bounced back from the screen (I was inside, birdies were outside) to make it look like it was night out. I filled all five "regular" feeders last night, and by noon today four were half empty.

By the way, this most awesome picture was painted by Jessie when she was in the First Grade. First Grade. Now, I may be a tad biased here, but that picture? Is incredible. I have it framed in my living room.

First Grade. Tcha!

In any case, here are the little greedy guts who came to visit today:

• Male Cardinal ... very, very bright red/orange, so young.
• Female Cardinals ... there were two, I'm thinking from last year's laying.
• Blue Jay ... must be a youngling, because he wasn't all that big.
• Robin Red Breast ... not eating from the feeder, but rather hopping around the yard.
• House Sparrows ... seemed like there were a couple dozen everyhere!
• Mourning Doves ... five of them! All around the base of the big feeder. I love the sound they make when they take flight.
• Grackles ... these guys come by every day. They're pretty big, and certainly are no songbirds, but they're still fun to watch, because it's hard for them to stick to the feeders so they're forever falling off. You'd think they'd just stick to the ground ... there's plenty of seed down there!

I'll have to head outside tomorrow afternoon to lay in wait for some "real" pictures ... maybe I'll hide in the rose bushes!

Seriously?!?! You Suh-Huck!

Okay, so today I am greatly miffed at Big Business, specifically the Big Businesses that see a marketing opportunity and ride that sucker straight into hell all for the sake of the almighty dollar. I realize businesses are in the business of making money, but do they have to be sooooooo effing obvious and (****expletive deleted****) about it?

We used to buy almost all our sanitation and safety supplies from a local small business distributor, who's middle name is practically "Customer Service", or maybe "I'll Bend Over Backwards For You", or perhaps "Whatever You Want I Will Get For You", and "I Can Have it There in an Hour".

You know, the kind of distributor you just have to leave [read sarcasm here] ... if you're effing stupid (which some of my HQ folk are, indeed). So they moved us over to a much larger distributor, who promised the world, and even delivered said world, even if it was just for a minute.

After a few months with this "new deal" we have discovered regular billing discrepancies that get corrected but are extremely time-consuming.

The latest annoyance was an order for food-grade foaming soap, which cost $56.83 in January, but cost $96.78 for the exact same amount today.

Yep, $96.78 ... that is not a typo. For real. A markup of about 40%.

Wanna know why? You know why! SWINE FLU PANDEMIC, that's why!

So I called our old distributor to see what he could do, and lo and behold he can only go down to $85.00 ... which tells me it's not really the distributor who is marking it up, but rather the manufacturer!!!

So, manufacturer?

YOU SUH-HUCK!!!

Did You Hear?

A new bill introduced in the U.S. Senate May 6th will strengthen efforts to prevent, control and cure arthritis – the nation’s most common cause of disability. Introduced by U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (CA), Kit Bond (MO), and Ted Kennedy (MA), the legislation will address this disease that impacts more than 46 million adults and nearly 300,000 children.


The Arthritis Prevention, Control and Cure Act looks to:

• Enhance CDC public health activities related to RA
• Expand NIH programs relating to Juvenile RA
• Establish JRA population database
• Enhance support for training programs
• Establish a loan repayment program for pediatric rheumatologists to address the severe shortage of such health care providers

The Arthritis Foundation urges Americans, both young and old, to show support for this bill by contacting their members of Congress. Visit the Arthritis Foundation Web site at www.arthritis.org/advocacy.php to become an advocate.

This is a debilitating disease that costs the U.S. economy $128 billion annually in medical costs, accounting for 44 million outpatient visits, 992,100 hospitalizations and 9,367 deaths each year.

A little about that Bastard Ray: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that is mainly characterized by inflammation of the lining, or synovium, of the joints. It can lead to long-term joint damage, resulting in chronic pain, loss of function, and disability. Although joint problems are the main symptom of RA, it can also have serious impact on the eyes, heart, lungs, and skin. RA can affect males and females of all ages with various degrees of pain and damage.

Many medical treatments for RA have been modified from their original use.

Some patients are able to manage pain with over-the-counter Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflamatory Drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen (e.g., Advil), while others require prescription NSAID intervention, such as celecoxib (e.g., the COX-2 inhibitor Celebrex) … “COX” stands for cyclooxygenase, which is an enzyme that causes pain and inflamation in the human body; for this reason, NSAIDs are generally the first line of defense for RA sufferers.

Although NSAIDs can do a great job alleviating pain for awhile, they cannot control the course of this disease, for which there is no cure. Treatment for symptom control begins in the form of chemical Disease-Modifying Anti-Rheumatic Drugs (DMARDs), such as low doses of the immunosuppressant methotrexate (which in very high doses is a form of chemotherapy), or cyclosporine, which is more commonly used to keep patients from rejecting donated organs. These drugs serve to slow the progression of the disease and to reduce indications.

The most recent DMARDs to hit the scene are called "biologics", because they have been genetically engineered from human and/or mouse antibodies and act as Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) inhibitors. TNF are like the traffic police of the bloodstream, directing the flow of protein vehicles that, left uncontrolled, can cause various immune system accidents; in the case of RA, such accidents lead to inflammation. The biologic DMARDs, such as adalimumab (e.g., Humira) keep the TNF "police" from opening the bloodstream "freeway" to high volumes of inflammation-causing protein "vehicles". This latest group of DMARDs have brought the possibility of complete remission of both symptoms and disease progression to patients.

A healthy diet is also an important factor in controlling RA, but no standard has yet been developed, although general ground rules include:

1. Fruits and green vegetables are highly recommended, as is a minimum of 40 ounces of water daily
2. Patients should strictly limit the amounts of root vegetables (e.g., potatoes) grains, dairy, rice, and processed foods eaten
3. Patients should eliminate red meat, corn, corn by-products, and nightshades (e.g., mushrooms and eggplant), from their diets

Also, there are food requirements based on which medications the patient is using; for instance, someone taking methotrexate must also take prescription amounts of folic acid, and is warned to severely curtail alcohol consumption, as methotrexate can cause liver damage. This is especially stressed as patients have been known to use excessive amounts of alcohol to dull the pains caused by RA.

Getting plenty of sleep is vital; one of the symptoms of RA is chronic fatigue. Those with RA are unable to skip sleep and make it up throughout the week, as a healthy person may. In general, while a healthy person needs an average of six to eight hours sleep a night, one with RA may need ten to twelve hours in every 24 hour period. In addition, most sufferers experience a period of stiffness upon waking every morning due to the lack of movement during sleep; stiffness can last anywhere from a few minutes to more than three hours.

Many RA sufferers learn the benefits of taking naps and slowing down (e.g., giving themselves more time to accomplish goals, whether they’re career-oriented, or simple house cleaning); RA requires those diagnosed to come up with a “new normal”.

Giving the body with RA time to rest and relax without doing a great deal of high-impact or joint-stressing moving around helps. It is also extremely uncomfortable for those with RA to sit or stand for long periods of time. Low-impact mobility exercise is essential; the body must be kept flexible with a regular regimen or general stiffness can result in permanent lack of mobility.

Because RA is an autoimmune disease, those who have been diagnosed need to stay as healthy as possible, which means staying away from “sick” people (i.e., a friend with a cold, the flu, or some other viruses), and should get a flu shot annually. The medicines discussed earlier are immunosuppressants, which cause a marked decrease in the effectiveness of the patient’s immune system. Someone with a non-compromised immune system may have a common cold for four days, whereas one with RA may be ill for three weeks. The RA sufferer cannot quickly bounce back from minor illness, but can rapidly succumb to major illness. Something that can take multiple treatments and many months to cure in a “normal” person can actually be fatal for one with a compromised immune system.

At this time there is no definitive “why” that causes RA, although there is a high incidence of auto-immune disease in family histories, and some studies have linked severe infection or such activities as smoking to disease onset. There is no typical geographic set, although women are far more likely to be diagnosed with the disease than men. There is even a version that attacks children, called either Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (JRA) or Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JAI).

Wicked Awesome Poem Wednesday

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high o'er vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host of golden daffodils;

Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
and twinkle on the Milky Way,

They stretched in never-ending line
along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced; but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:
A poet could not but be gay,
in such a jocund company:
I gazed - and gazed - but little thought
what wealth the show to me had brought:

For oft, when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude;
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the daffodils.

- William Wordsworth

Oh Yeah, And ...

I’ve taken some more pictures for your entertainment: here are the two new bird feeders (just ignore the ooh-gobs of spiderwebs festooning the house behind the new feeders!).

This is the shepherds crook hanger I’ve had in the basement for 6 years and finally pulled out last weekend for some bird lovage. You can see in the background that I've even ropedthe neighbors into feeding the birds (prolly a case of if-you-can't-beat-'em, join-'em, seeing as they've had about a trillion birds hanging out year-round since they moved in).

The birds! The BIRDS!



And here’s Joey (on the right) lounging in the window watching the birdies chow down on the old feeder that's out between the purple plum trees; you can just make out three little birdies. And see how well Joey's ignoring housebrat ... er ... houseguest Briggs? Yep, he just pretended Briggs & Stratton weren't even here, looked right throught them the entire time, it was too funny.

Also, just so you know, I want to go see the new Star Trek movie so badly, I've got the dt's. I need to go like right now. You hear me? Right now. As it is I’ve been hitting up my friends via e-mail to plan an outing this weekend. I neeeed!

All right, I think I'm done for tonight ...

Dig My Rose Bushes

These are my two climbing rose bushes I thought were going to die over the Winter because I kept neglecting to cut them down last Fall (they say, "Foolish human, we're stronger than that!"

They've even started to bloom! Yay! There are two flowers and a bud about to blossom (lovely purply-red).

And there are a ton more buds on the way; click on it to enlarge the picture and count ‘em. Go on! Count ‘em! You know you want to. That’s right, there’s a bajillion! And they’re all mine!

And this is the thorn that ate Pittsburgh ... er ... beats hell out of the Durango every day when I back out of the garage. It's a careater!

Weekly Idol: Top 2, Songs They & the Judges Choose

This is a fun week … we get to see where the judges think the talents lie, and we get to see where the remaining idolettes see their talents. It’s going to be interesting to see what happens. Will Adam be bumped because voters assume he’ll get more than enough votes? Will Danny beat out Kris? Will Kris beat Danny? Will there be a three-way tie (and what happens then?)?

I’m pretty sure it’s no surprise that I want Kris and Danny to be in the finale, but since Matt’s been gone I really don’t care who wins, although I’m likewise absolutely sure all three of these guys are going on to pretty significant, if not amazing, careers in the industry.

I’ve said often enough that I want to see Adam front a kick-ass band like Aerosmith or Queen; well, I’d like to see Kris and Danny in solo careers … Kris along the lines of pop musicians like (Sweet Baby) James Taylor, and Danny (as well as my Matty) along the lines of bluesy soul musicians like Otis Redding. It will be fun to see in which directions they go.

So, tonight … quite a mixed bag on song choices: Kris and Danny chose far better for themselves than the judges did … Simon chose better for Adam than he did for himself. Here’s how they shook out for me:

Danny Gokey (You Are So Beautiful) – 11 out of 10. Perfection. One of my all-time favorite songs, and Danny was absolute perfection. I’ll buy it off iTunes.

Kris Allen (Heartless) – 10 out of 10. Never heard the song before, but really like that Kris did it acoustically … fantastic. I’ll buy it off iTunes.

Adam Lambert (One) – 10 out of 10. You know, I’ve heard about this song, but never actually heard it … LIE! It’s just too bad the song is simply overpowering to Adam’s limited skill set … NOT! Very pretty and restrained, then ratcheted up to shidamn, that kid can sing! Made me want to hear Adam’s full-length version. I’ll buy it off iTunes.

Danny Gokey (Dance Little Sister) – 9 out of 10. Good song for Danny’s vocals. I love that he threw the sax in, and Danny’s vocals, as usual, like buttah. Nice to see him move away from the ballads a bit and have some fun, and I’m all for Danny’s awkward dancing! I’ll buy it off iTunes.

Kris Allen (Too Late to Apologize) – 9 out of 10. Love, love, love this song ever since OneRepublic performed it on AI last season. Kris totally has the range for this puppy, and did what I love most about him … he put that Allen stamp on it. Yay! Nice job, and when his voice cracked just that little bit, it fit right into the lyrics. Sweet vocals. I’ll buy it off iTunes.

Adam Lambert (Crying) – 7 out of 10. Nope, didn’t do it for me. Steven Tyler is so iconic that Adam would have had to make major changes to the arrangement and vocals to have gotten Aerosmith out of my mind. As it was, it seemed like a screeching, yowling hot mess of a train wreck. Poor Adam – there’s something about his voice or vocal range that can get to me like fingernails on a chalkboard … to such an extent that when I don’t like what he does, I really don’t like it. This one felt particularly overwrought. Then the judges all jump onboard the Adam train and I wonder what the hell I missed? Sheesh.

Okay, so I want all three to keep going on, but since I have to pick two, I choose Danny and Kris to move forward. It’s not that I’m voting Adam off the island, I’m just voting Danny and Kris on.

Tomorrow is going to be so exciting! This is even better than last year (when my music love David Cook was on), but that’s because I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt David was going to win it all … this year I just don’t know. Although I’d be right on the Matt bandwagon if he were still in it.

Sigh. I miss Matt Giroud.

Sigh. Sigh. I hope Matt has an amazing career, too.

Totally Bitchin' "Doan Luv Yu No Mo" Anthem

This song makes me want to date a he-bitch just to break up so I can sling this at him (with slight revisions to make it a girl-anthem of course) … plus, it’s totally bitchin’ to listen to! I’ma make it my ringtone (already bought it off iTunes, and I must have blasted it 38 times in a row in my office this morning, it's just that fun!

All American Rejects “Gives You Hell”

(link from blog title)

I wake up every evening
With a big smile on my face,
And it never feels out of place,
And you're still probably working

at a 9 to 5 pace.
I wonder how bad that tastes?

When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

Now where's your picket fence, love?
And where's that shiny car?
And did it ever get you far?
You've never seemed so tense love.
I've never seen you fall so hard.
Do you know where you are?

And truth be told I miss you …

And truth be told I'm lying (Best. Line. Ever!)

When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

If you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well

Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell.

I hope it gives you hell!

Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself

Yeah, where did it all go wrong?
But, the list goes on and on

But truth be told I miss you …

And truth be told I'm lying

When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

When you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well

Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell.

Now you'll never see

what you've done to me
You can take back your memories,

they're no good to me

And here's all your lies,

you can look me in the eyes
With that sad, sad look

that you wear so well

(Woo Hoo!)

(When you see my face!)
(Hope it gives you hell! Hope it gives you hell!)
(When you walk my way!)
(Hope it gives you hell! Hope it gives you hell!)

(When you find a man that's worth a damn and treats you well!)
(Then he's a fool, you're just as well, hope it gives you hell!)

(Hope it gives you hell!)

When you see my face

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

(Hope it gives you hell!)

When you walk my way

Hope it gives you hell, Hope it gives you hell.

(Hope it gives you hell!)

When you hear this song and you sing along, well you'll never tell

(You'll never tell!)

Then you're the fool, I'm just as well, hope it gives you hell

(Hope it gives you hell!)

When you hear this song I hope that it will give you hell

(Hope it gives you hell!)

You can sing along, I hope that it puts you through

hell