Sunset on Friday, June 13, 2014

There is nothing is more musical than a sunset. He who feels what he sees will find no more beautiful example of development in all that book which, alas, musicians read but too little - the book of Nature. -- Claude Debussy

Loneliness adds beauty to life. It puts a special burn on sunsets and makes night air smell better. -- Henry Rollins

That Probably Doesn't Count

From Sunday Stealing

90 Questions, Part 3

61. Do you like current pop stars?

A. I am not sure who the current pop stars are, but there are probably a few out there I know and like.
 
62. What is your least favorite chore?

A. Cleaning the toilet.
 
63. Last place you drove your car?

A. To physical therapy.
 
64. Ever been out of the country?

A. Yes. I have been to Spain and France and I think there was a plane layover in England, but that probably doesn't count as a visit to a country. It was 35 years ago.
 
65. Where were you the last time you used a public bathroom?

A. At my favorite restaurant.
 
66. Could you handle being in the military?

A. Not at this age and with my health. Maybe when I was 18.
 
67. What is your average cell phone bill?

A. It's about $65. We don't text, we don't download, we use the things for talking on.
 
68. Who or what are you thinking about right now?

A. Right now I'm thinking about answering these questions.
 
69. When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard?

A. I laugh a lot and have a wicked sense of sarcastic humor that keeps my friends in stitches.
 
70. How many pairs of shoes do you own?

A. I have no clue. I have about 5 pair that I wear, the others are just sort of there. They probably need to be donated. I have problems with my feet and that requires replacing my shoes about every six months.
 
71. Are your toes always painted?

A. Never. I'm allergic to nail polish.
 
72. How many piercings do you have?

A. Just one in each ear.
 
73. What are you doing today?

My plan is to eat breakfast, read the Sunday paper, do a little sprucing up around the house, and then read an exciting book about how to eat properly following the FODMAP diet for IBS. Doesn't that sound interesting?
 
74. Have you ever been gambling?

A. Does playing the state lottery count? If yes, then I have. If you mean in a casino with slot machines, the answer is no. But I would like to.
 
75. When is the last time you updated your blog?

A. I blog every day.
 
76. Do you like roller coasters?

A. No.
 
77. Have you ever been to Disneyland or world?

A. I have been to Disney in Florida. I can never keep it straight whether that's a land or a world, but whichever it is, I was there in 1993.
 
78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?

A. Captain Planet and Bugs Bunny are tied.
 
79. Last thing you cooked?

A. Eggs.
 
80. How's the weather?

A. We have a lovely morning with azure blue skies and a few fluffy white clouds overhead. The mountains look green and strong, as well as clean from last night's rain shower. A thin veil of fog rises up in the valleys from the creeks, so be careful out there, all of you early-rising motorcycle riders.
 
81. Do you e-mail more than snail mail?

A. Yes. In this day and age, who doesn't?
 
82. What's the funniest picture you ever took with your cell phone?

A. The only pictures I have taken with my cell phone were of my old car before we traded it in. It was the only thing I had to take photos with and I wanted a picture before she was gone.
 
83. Last time you were sick?

A. Sick as in with a cold or flu or something? That would be back in late winter. Sick as in "ya gots sometin' wrong wit ya and the docs don't know what it be" - that's now.
 
84. What states have you lived in?

A. Just Virginia.
 
85. Do you wish you could move?

A. No. Though I would seriously like to declutter.
 
86. Do you take a lot of quizzes?

A. I go through spurts.
 
87. What is your dream car?

A. I am happy with the one I have now, thank you. My husband, however, would like a red Lamborghini.
 
88. Have you ever wanted someone you can't have?

A. I suppose we all think about things that might have been or could have been.
 
89. If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?

A. I'm fine right were I am.
 
90. Are you happy with your life?
A. I am not miserable. I wish my health were better but other than that, I'm content.

I Listen to the Radio

Saturday 9: Little Red Corvette
(recommended by Smellyann) 

No link this week. Prince apparently is very strict about copyright infringement.

1) The subject of this song is frankly sexual. Do you blush easily?

A. Not as easily as I used to. 

2) Prince is his real name (Prince Rogers, to be exact). Growing up, his relatives called him "Skipper." Do you have any nicknames within your family?

A. I do, but if I wrote them out, I'd have to kill all of my readers.

3) Prince says he's "obsessed" with Mozart and reads whatever he can find about the composer. What's the last book you read?

A. Heal Pelvic Pain, by Amy Stein. Not very thrilling, is it. I reviewed it here earlier this week.

4) Between Prince and The Beach Boys, the Corvette is a much sung-about car. Tell us about your vehicle.

 

A. Happy to. I have a brand new 2014 Toyota Camry SE that I purchased in April. It is white with a black and gray interior. It doesn't have quite as much upfront storage as my 2003 Camry but I am adjusting. It has a backup camera and lots of places for connecting computerized gadgets and smart phones. Which would be great except I don't have a smart phone. Maybe one day.

5) In the 1980s, when Prince was popular, MTV could turn a song into a hit. In 2014, how do you hear new music?

A. I listen to the radio. How's that for old fashioned?

6) In 1982, when "Little Red Corvette" ruled the airwaves, Braniff Airways shocked the travel industry and threw passengers into chaos by declaring bankruptcy. When did you last fly? Did your trip go smoothly?

 

A. I last flew in 1993. My father gave my husband and me a free plane trip to Florida to Disney World as a combined gift for my college graduation and 30th birthday. He gave us his frequent flyer miles. The trip was fine. Obviously I am not a frequent flyer. I doubt I ever get back on a plane. That's okay with me.

7) 1982 is also the year Disney opened Epcot. Have you ever been to a Disney park?

A. Yes, see above. In 1993. We were only there for four days which wasn't long enough, but we had a good time.

8) 1982 is the year Cheers premiered. The sitcom was set in a bar where "everybody knows your name." Tell us about your favorite local bar or restaurant.

A. My favorite local restaurant is Shakers, which is in Roanoke near the mall shopping area. They have great baked spaghetti, good sandwiches, and a nice dinner menu. They play 1970s and 1980s music and I feel very comfortable there. I also appreciate that it is not a major chain, so I feel like I'm helping out my community when I eat there.

9) The 1980s were considered a highpoint in professional tennis, with Jimmy Connors and John McEnroe dominating the sport. Do you play tennis?

A.  Only on the Wii.

Friday the 13th Honey Moon

This is actually the moon set on Saturday, June 14, but that doesn't sound as interesting as the title. I took these early as the moon was going down. Apparently it will be decades before there is another full moon on a Friday the 13th.

Thursday Thirteen

I am overweight. This is my own fault for not paying attention and for lacking the will power to say no to a chocolate bar. I am owning this. But getting the fat off is something else again. It's especially difficult now that I'm dealing with this weird abdominal issue. A 30-minute visit to Barnes & Noble does me in, so exercise, aside from the physical therapy I'm doing, is not feasible right now. Because I'm not well, I'm not getting out as much. So I'm alone a lot more than I used to be, and I think that makes the bad stuff look even more appealing.

Plus I have ulcers, and that means no 'maters or spicy foods. I've been looking at diets. Diets confuse me and always have. They are like some sort of math only written in alien language. I simply can't figure out why if I eat a pound of fudge I gain more than a pound. I mean, the fudge just weighs a pound, right?

My problem with weight loss books is they go into all of this detail about why their diet works better than others, blah blah. I don't care. I just want a month's worth of foods spelled out for me, breakfast, lunch, dinner, and two snacks, that I can live with, that are healthy and filling, that are fairly easy to fix, and don't cost a fortune. Apparently no one can offer that.

Anyway, here is a list of diets that I've tried or looked at or read books on. I hope I can come up with 13.

1. FODMAP diet. This is my latest one. My gastroenterologist handed me a piece of paper several weeks ago with this word on it, FODMAP, and a list of foods you could eat and a list you couldn't. Here, do this, he said, though you won't be able to stick to it. That was incredibly unhelpful. I've done a little looking online but still couldn't figure it out. I ordered a book. It just came yesterday. I will be reading it this weekend.

2. Atkins diet. My husband likes this one. He did it about 10 years ago now and lost a lot of weight, all of which he gained back once he stopped the diet. That's the trouble with diets. You gain it all back plus 10. I lost weight on Atkins, too, but also got very depressed. I need some carbs.

3. South Beach Diet. I tried this one some years ago, but it had too many foods on it that I couldn't eat. I have a lot of food sensitivities and I think this diet had most of them in it.

4. Weight Watchers. I have done Weight Watchers online a couple of times and in the first several months, I lose weight, but then Thanksgiving comes and that's the end of that. My issue with WW is that it doesn't teach you anything at all about healthy eating, really. I mean, if you want to eat 28 points in chocolate (which would be about 4.5 candy bars, btw) and call it a day, you can do that. And that's not healthy.

5. The Scarsdale Diet. This is an old one. My husband used it 35 years ago when he finished high school. He's always had a little trouble keeping his weight in check, and right before I met him, he went on this diet and he was fine looking, let me tell you. :-)It's a lot like Atkins. Eliminate the carbs.

6. Jorge Cruise. I had never heard of this guy until someone who had just started his diet recommended him. "Oh, I've lost 9 pounds in a week," said the skinny friend who probably didn't need to lose that much anyway. I found his book online for $1.99 so I downloaded it. It's low carb. But it's on my kindle and I have discovered I can't manipulate that like a book. Still might try this one if I can figure out how to get the diet onto a piece of paper. However, above-mentioned friend confided a few weeks later that she and her husband had found it impossible to stick to the plan.

7. The Schwarzbein Principle. This is one of the best diet books I've ever read, even if I couldn't stick to the program or figure it out. I did understand this one more than most. Maybe after I finish the FODMAP book I'll go back and reread this one.

8. The Dash Diet. The Dash Diet is supposed to help with high blood pressure. I don't know if it works because again, I couldn't really get my head around it. This is supposed to be one of the better diets.

9. The Sugar Addict's Total Recovery Program. I have already admitted I'm a sugar-holic, so this seemed like a good idea when I read the book. The most interesting premise was that you needed to eat a high carb like a potato before you went to bed. I actually tried that for a while. I had the craziest nightmares. You ain't had a nightmare until you've had a potato-driven one.

10. Eat Carbs, Lose Weight. This is diet book by Denise Austin. It seemed pretty good.

11. The Writing Diet, by Julia Cameron. Yes, really! A diet for writers. Good advice in here, but no menus. This is more about self-care and mindset, and I need to reread this but I see my copy has gotten musty. I should stick in the freezer a while, ha, to get the musty smell gone. The best thing I took from this book was her acronym of HALT: Don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired.

Hmm. I've run out of diet books. I only had 11. So here are two diets I've heard of but never tried:

12. Simply Weight Loss. I hear ads for this on my local radio station all the time, and have for years. It must work for somebody. It's herbs and supplements.

13. Jenny Craig, Nutrisystems. We've all seen the commercials. I've never tried either of these because they seem to rely too much on prepared foods, which have a lot of salt in them. My aunt has attempted Nutrisystems and I looked at the labels - way too much sodium for my high blood pressure. But anyway, there they are.

What diets have you tried? Any tips for the chocoholic who is trying to quit?



Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 349th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

Books: Heal Pelvic Pain

Heal Pelvic Pain
By Amy Stein
Kindle Edition
256 Pages
Copyright 2008

As regular readers know, I have been experiencing chronic abdominal pain since my gallbladder surgery a year ago. The local doctors so far haven't been much help, but it appears I have adhesions or scar tissue and it has affected the muscles in something called the pelvic floor. This is a group of muscles, fascia, and tissue in the area below the belly button ending at the legs. Problems down there are called pelvic floor dysfunction. Apparently about 10 million people have pelvic floor issues but they are often treated as other things. Misdiagnosis is common, from what I can gather.

This book was written by a physical therapist for pelvic floor dysfunction. It offers massage techniques, stretching and strengthening exercises, and general overall health advice for those who might benefit from some attention to that particular body area.

As I am already undergoing physical therapy for my abdominal pain and have been for about 8 weeks now, I was familiar with some of the techniques and was actually pleased (and relieved) to see that they were being used on me.

I wish I had not bought the Kindle version of this book but instead had gone for the hard copy. I have learned recently that nonfiction books are probably better for me than the tree-killing versions. I like to go back and reference and in this book in particular, I would have liked to photocopy a page or two of the exercises to take to my physical therapist. As it was, I tried to show her the exercises as they appeared on my Kindle but that didn't work so well. The Kindle also divides the pages funny and I have found that makes it difficult to consult while trying to do the exercises or massage.

The author emphasizes the need for stress relief and that is something my physical therapist has been emphasizing with me, as well. The author talks a little about diet but I felt that was lacking in detail. However, there are many other books about diet out there.

The exercises in this book would help anyone with just general health concerns, I think, but in particular women with bladder issues, bowel issues, or sexual dysfunction might be interested in taking a look. I think the massage techniques in particular could be helpful to the millions who suffer from Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

Additionally, Stein has just released a video demonstrating the massage techniques and exercises. The video is called Healing Pelvic and Abdominal Pain: The Ultimate Home Program for Patients and a Guide for Practitioners.

I bought the video and have watched some of it. So far I have found it helpful, but I think it might serve physical therapists as a guide more so than patients. However, that judgment might be premature as I haven't watched the entire thing. As an example, she uses some tools such as a massage stick and a massage ball. I use a tennis ball for a massage ball, but I had never even heard of a massage stick. So some kind of discussion about equipment might have been helpful. Also, I am hoping there is a routine in there somewhere that one can follow, like I would do with a Denise Austin video. We shall see. Please be aware I'm still watching the video so these comments could change.

I definitely recommend the book (do get the paperback) if you have any issues that seem related to pelvic floor or the abdomen. It is especially good if you are new to these concerns. Even if this is not what is causing my pain, I think the exercises are helpful.

Books: The Answers Are Within You

The Answers Are Within You
by Debbie Ford
Read by the author
Copyright 2003
Approximately 6 hours

In this book, Debbie Ford, whom I had never heard of before, writes about how we create our own story - the story of our life - which is not necessarily the reality of who we are.

As a writer, I found this idea very appealing, for it means I can change my tomorrows. Of course there are many random events that affect a person - nobody asks for a car crash or a major illness - but even so, our ideas of who we are can change and we can grow.

This audiobook offers up many meditations and questions that could help someone find triggering events that made them think certain things about themselves. For instance, some long-ago action by a parent or teacher might have given a person low self-esteem. Ford's theory is the self-esteem comes from the story you tell yourself and then believe: the teacher says I am bad, therefore I am bad, for example.

Rewriting your story takes work. She focuses on this rewriting by asking you what you gained from your story. Did thinking you were a bad person strengthen you in some way? Did it make you a better friend or coworker? Have you gone out of your way to be what you think is "good" and what kind of strengths has that brought to your life?

From there, she advocates seeking out your "secret" - the real you, the one hidden by the story we all create about ourselves. This would be the divine you, the one you really want to open up and share with the world.

I thought there were good ideas in this book. I was listening to it in the car so I wasn't able to stop and do the meditations or journaling aspects. I also listened to it over the course of many weeks and I suspect working on this daily would be beneficial.

Ford passed away in 2013, a fact I was not aware of until I began writing this blog post. I was looking to see what else she has written. Her website offers some free meditations and prayers, as well as online courses and training in various related things.

Definitely an interesting listen if you're interested in self-growth.

Why Isn't This Fraud?

Having a medical condition that has forced me to delve into the recesses of the health care system has left me perplexed.

I have to wonder why the insurance companies, hospitals, medical device providers, and pharmaceutical companies, aren't all being charged with massive fraud.

"Free market" I guess is the answer, but if so, it is a sucky one and one that I do not accept. Because what is going on in the system in this country is, to be perfectly frank, wrong.

I am going to give you two examples from my own recent history.

In September, I received a CT Scan at one of the local hospitals. My insurance was billed $10,582.80 by the hospital for the procedure (this did not include ER or other tests, this was the CT scan only). The insurance company "allowed" $3,472.13, and that is what they paid as I had already met my out-of-pocket deductibles. (For my readers outside of the US, that is a cap the insurance companies place on policies. Once you pay X amount out of your pocket, then the insurance pays 100 percent of its allowable costs. It's very confusing.)

In April I had another CT scan at an affiliated satellite location with the same hospital. The charge for that scan was $7,949.00. The insurance company "allowed" $2,276.48, and I had to pay 20 percent of that "allowable" cost because I had not yet met my out-of-pocket deductible for this year.

When I go to my insurance company's website and look at their "estimate the costs" link for procedures, the cost for a CT scan of the abdomen with and without contrast (which is what I had), is less than $1,000. Good thing I wasn't depending on that to be right, huh?

How is this possible, you ask? Here's my understanding of it. The hospital "contracts" with the insurance companies and they make agreements about what is acceptable. You and I have no say in this matter. Neither does the government, except with government-paid policies (Medicare/Medicaid).

Obviously the hospital can afford to do a CT Scan for $2,276, the lowest price my insurance company "allowed," and not $10,582, the highest price the health care facility billed.

Read the comments on this website about the costs of CT Scans. One commenter claims to have been charged $252,000 for a CT Scan! Public bilking, anyone?

Here's the second example:

My doctor prescribed a TENS unit to help me with pain and so that I am not taking so many pain killers. A TENS unit sends electrical shocks into your muscles to trick your brain into thinking the spasms and pain aren't there. It helps.

The bill for the TENS was $795.00. The insurance company "allowed" $185, and I will have to pay 20 percent of that amount. The rest of the cost vanishes into thin air.

Last week I received a notice from the TENS unit company that it was time to get new electrodes (little pads that attach to your skin so that the electric current can go into your body). My insurance supposedly will pay 80 percent of the "allowable cost" for these supplies. This is my first time ordering them.

However, because of the "contract" with the company, and what may or may not be allowed, no one can tell me what my cost will be. I will be paying 20 percent of whatever the insurance company allows, as I understand it.

So I could be paying $2 or $200.

The company that sells the electrodes told me over the phone that they could sell them to me at the "out of pocket" cost (i.e., the cost without going through insurance), for $21.60 a pack. A pack, by the way, should last me 10 days. That is a lot of money.

What do you bet they charge the insurance company about three times that amount? And then the insurance company "allows" so much - but will it be less than $21.60 or more? I don't know.

So I asked my physical therapist today if they sell the electrodes by the pack. Why sure they do! For $9 a pack.

Will my 20 percent share on my insurance be more or less than $9 a pack? I don't know.

How am I supposed to make any kind of an informed decision about purchasing these items? How do you work that kind of thing into your budget when you don't know the amounts?

Tell me, somebody please, how all of this - this making up amounts and back-door dealing - isn't one great big fraud being perpetuated upon the American public. We Americans think we have the greatest health care system in the world when it really ranks 38th, right under the health care of Costa Rica and just slightly better than that of Slovenia! Slovenia, for Christ's sake. We are not number one. That would be France. Yes, France.

Health care should be regulated. Free market my ass. F--k capitalism and the so-called Free Market. This is nothing but a rape of the sick, who generally are too ill to fight and advocate for themselves. The greedy shysters in the industry know they can easily take sick people's savings, cars, homes, and lives. What a distasteful and immoral system we have, one that allows such devils to prey upon the weak. Blood sucking leeches, every last one of them, and they all should be behind bars serving time in jail.

This is why we need real health care reform, one with regulations, checks and balances, and oversight that keeps people who are ill from having to grow even sicker trying to figure out how to keep food on the table and the lights on.

Unfortunately, fraud is legal in US health care, where only dollar bills count and people are just so much chum in the ocean filled with sharks.

Trapping Stink Bugs

Stink bugs, an invasive species, began showing up in our area a couple of years ago. They hid in the curtains, behind picture frames, and in places you'd never think to look. They don't like temperatures below 70 degrees.

 

They come out and crawl on the walls and fly around the lights. Sometimes you are in the middle of doing something and you look down and there's a stink bug. They seem to materialize out of thin air.

 

This is how I capture stink bugs.

 

 

You need a plastic bottle and a pair of scissors.

 

 

 

Cut the bottle several inches from the top; along the label line often works well. 

 

 

I use my handy kitchen scissors for this. I suppose you could also use a pocket knife or something. 

 

 

Once you have the bottle cut, you invert the top (take the lid off the bottle) and place it down in the bottle to create a funnel.

 

Then you go around the room and collect stink bugs. I usually tap them into the bottle with a pencil (using the eraser end so as not to damage the walls). They can't climb back out because the inverted funnel creates a barrier they can't cross when they climb up the sides of the bottle.

 

 

 

You can also stick a little water and Dawn in the bottom. That will kill the bugs. I'm told Pinesol also works well for this, and does a better job of covering up any stinky stink bug odor, too, but I haven't tried it.

 

 

 

Recently we discovered this stuff and sprayed it around all the doors and windows. I have seen fewer stink bugs indoors since we did that, so it seems to work to keep them at bay.

 

They aren't gone; I found a lot of them outside over the weekend. They were in my roses, my forsythia, and the garden. Stinky little beasts.

 

Anyway, if you haven't yet figured out how to deal with stink bugs in your house, maybe this will help.

*No one paid me to endorse a product or talk about stink bugs in this entry.*

The Made-Up Jobs

From Sunday Stealing

90, Part 2


30. Do you read your horoscope?

A. I do, but I don't live my life by it.

31. Where was the last place you bought something?

A. The supermarket. I bought groceries for dinner but since I have decided today to go on a cooking strike I guess that meat will simply sit there.

32. How do you feel about your hair right now?

A. I'm glad it's on my head.
 
33. Do you bite your nails?

A. Yes. I have since I was a very young child.

34. Do you have any expensive jewelry?

A. Honestly, yes or no questions are not good meme questions. They should be opened-ended, such as "What kind of expensive jewelry do you have, if any?" Not that I would answer that particular question. I don't want to be robbed.

35. Have you ever been told you speak fast?

A. I'm from the south. No one down here speaks fast unless they have come from somewhere else.
 
36. Is your laugh usually hearty?

A. It's a laugh. Ha ha. I have no idea if it's hearty or not.
 
37. How fast have you driven a car?

A. Well, don't tell anybody, but I once hit 120 on the back roads of Botetourt. It was a very long time ago, though, and now I am a good girl and (almost always) drive the speed limit.

38. Have you ever smoked?

A. I tried cigarettes in high school but could not tolerate them. I have asthma so that is probably a good thing.

39. What was your favorite subject in school?

A. English.

40. Do you have cell phone provider loyalty?

A. I suppose so, since I have been with my provider since about 2001. 

41. What type of boy or girl do you usually fall for?

A. Um. I've been married for 30 years. The guy I "fell for" is a ol' plow boy who works hard and doesn't see much beyond tomorrow. He's also very kind, big-hearted, and intelligent. I'm not sure what "type" that makes him.

42. Do you have any hidden talents?

A. If they're hidden, how would I know?
 
43. Favorite song?

A. Don't really have one. I like stuff from the 1970s, including the dreaded disco. I favor southern rock and I like the Eagles, Linda Ronstadt, Anne Murray, Melissa Etheridge, and early Sheryl Crow. I don't listen to country music, hip hop, heavy metal, punk, or alternative music. I like classical sometimes when I'm in the mood, and I like album soundtracks from movies like Lord of the Rings.
 
44. Do you like to sing at all?

A. I do like to sing, yes. Sometimes I belt it out until I am hoarse.
 
45. Dream job?

A. One that would give me enough money to live just a bit above "comfortable" and, since I am now having health issues, I would like to be able to afford someone to come in and clean occasionally.
 
46. Where does most of your family live?

A. Some live nearby,some are on the other side of the country.

47. Are you an only child or do you have siblings?

A. I have a brother. He is a brat still, even though we are both old people.
 
48. Would you consider yourself to be spoiled?

A. No, but I imagine some might.

49. What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?

A. That I would be alone again today.
 
50. Do you drink?

A. Water. You know if you don't, you dehydrate and die. So I think most everyone capable of answering this question would answer "yes" in some fashion.
 
51. Know any other languages?

A. Yo hablo muy poco espaniol.

52. Ever write a coded message?

A. I had a friend in high school who insisted on writing in code; it drove me crazy.
 
53. Have you ever been in someone else's wedding?

A. Yes.

54. Do you have any children?

A. No.
 
55. Did you take a nap today?

A. Not yet.

 56. Who has the same birthday as you?

A. I have an uncle who is a year younger than I who was born on my birthday. According to Biography.com, I share this date with Barbara Bush, Nancy Sinatra, Gabrielle Giffords, Frank Lloyd Wright, Joan Rivers, and a bunch of other people whose names I don't recognize.
 
57. Ever met anyone famous before?

A. Yes. I used to write for newspapers and I have met many so-called famous people, mostly politicians. I have met every Virginia governor since Doug Wilder up through Bob McDonnell. That includes both of our current senators (Mark Warner & Tim Kaine). I have not met the current governor, Terry McAuliffe. I also know several state delegates and senators and most of the local news media folk. Also, I met Dolly Parton a really long time ago.

58. Do you want to be famous one day?

A. I'm already about as famous as I want to be.
 
59. Any pet peeves?

A. People who talk on their cell phone instead of paying attention to the people who are right in front of them. Sales clerks who ignore the customers at the register in favor of those on the phone. Discourtesy in general.
 
60. Are you multitasking right now?

A. The washer and dryer are both working hard, and the radio is playing, so I suppose so.
 

I Am A Nerd

Saturday 9: Oh! My Papa (1954)

If you're not familiar with today's song, you can hear it here.

1) Eddie Fisher starred in a popular 1950s TV show, which was sponsored by Coca Cola. Do you have a favorite soft drink?

A. I drink A&W Root Beer from time to time, though last year's diagnosis of ulcers has kept me from having a taste in a long while. Mostly I drink water, though, and a cup of tea or two every day.

2) Fisher was notorious for leaving his famous first wife for his very famous second wife. Can you name either of the women involved in this Hollywood scandal?

A. Debbie Reynolds was the first wife, and Elizabeth Taylor the second, or maybe I have that backwards.Trivia: Debbie Reynolds eventually married Richard Hamlett, a real estate developer, and they lived in Roanoke, VA (which is the city closest to where I live) for a short time in the 1980s. My friend Lee delivered balloons and singing telegrams and she delivered one to Reynolds. You can see a picture of her with the movie star here if you scroll through her picture collage near the bottom of the page.
  

3) His oldest daughter, Carrie Fisher, is best known as Princess Leia from Star Wars. Are you a sci-fi fan?

A. I am a nerd. Of course I am a fantasy and a sci-fi fan. May the Force be with you, Schrodinger's Cat. I'm glad to be with you, Samwise Gamgee, here at the end of all things.

4) Since the father of the author of these questions (that would be Sam the Great Meme Writer) is particular about his footwear and likes "a good pair of Cole Haan loafers," her Father's Day present to him is a DSW gift card. If we were to give you a gift card to any store or restaurant, which would you choose?

 

A. Any book store will do.

5) Sam's father hates it when she swears. When is the last time your cursed?

 

A. Today. I curse a lot. My parents always did and I was raised with it. I can make a sailor blush, truly. I try not to use this colorful language but it slips on out.
  
6) Sam's father is a voracious reader. So much so that the local librarian knows him on sight and by name. How often do you visit your neighborhood library?

 

A. About once every two weeks, sometimes more often. I know the library number by heart and the local librarians all know me by name. I also used to serve on my local library board. Big fan of libraries here.

 

7) "A good used car is a better investment than a new car." That's what Sam's dad tells her when she's in the market for wheels. Share some other words of financial wisdom with us.

 

A. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
 
8) Every car her father has ever owned had a pro-union bumper sticker. Do you have any bumper stickers on your vehicle?

 

A. No, but I do have a college alumnae doohickey around the license plate. I am also pro-union, even though Virginia has been a "right to work" state for as long as I can remember, effectively neutering unions and being a part of the demise of our way of life as we know it.   (Virginia laws regarding unions started in 1947 and were revised in the 1970s.) "Right to work" is actually slang for "right to fire."

9) To celebrate Father's Day, Sam is giving away her father's favorite candy: LifeSavers. Would you prefer a roll of Wild Cherry, Butter Rum, Winter Green or Peppermint?

 

A. Wild cherry, which to be perfectly honest with you, I have been looking for but cannot find in the Roanoke area. Do they even make those any more?

 

 

The Fret Mill

The Fret Mill is a music store located in downtown Roanoke. It was the only reason a friend and I were in downtown a while back; we wanted to pick up guitar strings.

I hadn't been in the store in years (because I really don't like downtown Roanoke, not that I am repeating myself). But a very long time ago, like about 25 years or so, I took guitar lessons there. I went on my lunch hour when I worked at one of the area's biggest law firms.

The fellow who taught me guitar died young but he was a legend in the finger-picking circles during his time. He won all kinds of awards. His name was Buster Jones. I only took lessons from him for a single summer; he was an interesting guy. And he could make that guitar sing, let me tell you. But I don't think he really had the patience to teach.

The Fret Mill I went into recently was a shadow of its former self. The store was about half the size it once was, and it was carrying name-brand guitars that I did not recognize. I have a great little classical Takamine guitar that I bought there so long ago.

I suppose as computers take over, and kids think Guitar Hero is how one plays a guitar, the music stores will go the way of book stores eventually. You'll buy your instrument over the Internet and hope it sounds good when UPS drops it off. That is if anyone still plays at all.

You can't get the feel of an instrument until you hold it your hands. I would hate to see the stores go away.

The Fret Mill still offered a nice selection of books, strings, and other music essentials. It was nice to revisit the store, in spite of the changes.

Thursday Thirteen

Thirteen places I'd like to be . . .

1. Down by the river

2. In someone's heart

3. On a mountain top

4. By the ocean

5. In the forest

6. Driving fast in my new car

7. In the barnyard

8. Nowhere

9. On someone's mind

10. On another planet

11. High up in a tree house

12. Buried deep in a book

13. Inside a cave




Thursday Thirteen is played by lots of people; there is a list here. I've been playing for a while and this is my 348th time to do a list of 13 on a Thursday.

The Roanoke City Market Building

In late May, I went downtown for a brief visit. I don't like downtown Roanoke and go there infrequently. This was my first trip to the city's center in years.

My friend and I went to the City Market Building to eat lunch. The building was renovated in 2011 at a cost of $7.9 million.

Somebody needs to ask for their money back.

This exterior sidewalk art was the nicest and coolest thing about the redesign.

Inside, the open space was, well, big. It was also depressing, uninspiring, and dark. The City Market Building back in the late 1980s (and I suppose up until the renovation) was a strange-looking place, with lots of neon signs, but it at least had character and visual interest.

This has no character. This is like a big warehouse with eateries in it.

It is not a place I would want to spend much time. Actually, I doubt I ever go back in there again if I can help it.

What a shame the city spent so much money to accomplish so little. As I understand it, the firm that renovated the building was not from the area; I hope they aren't using this building as one of their prize projects in their portfolio.

The Roanoke City Market district area is the oldest continuous farmer's market in Virginia. It began in 1882 and this building played a big role in that history.

While I am glad they didn't tear down the historic structure, I think the city residents got a raw deal in this redesign. The whole thing was poorly done from the get-go, what with the building being closed for a long time so that the small restaurants that had been there for years had to close or relocate.

We were down there at mid-day and the place should have been so crowded you could hardly walk, but as the pictures show that was not the case.

Except for the interesting exterior sidewalk art, I give this project a big fail.

Dan Smith over on his blog posted about the Market Building's kiosk in May 2012, which was removed. He called the newly designed Market Building "a building without life" and I have to agree. Somebody please go in there and save this space!

 

Medicine Applicator For Your Back

Sometimes when you are alone, you need things done that require a second person. I have a husband but he's a busy guy and our schedules don't always work out so that he can help me.

Applying something like Ben Gay or a similar product to the muscles of your mid-back qualifies as one of those. The same goes with suntan lotion. How do you get it back there without contorting yourself up into a pretzel?

My solution to this issue was to purchase a hardy back scrubber and make it into something I could use as an applicator.

You will need a back cleaner brush, preferably one with stout bristles, some tape (I used some surgical tape I had here, but duct tape would do), a pair of scissors, and a covering. I am using a surgical wound pad here, but I have also used facial cleaner pads with good results.

Cover the bristles with your pad.

Tape all the way around so that the pad is firmly in place.

Apply the medication (or suntan lotion).

I usually rub the medication into the pad a little bit, and then reach the back scrubber over my shoulder and place the medication where I want.

Incidentally, I like BioFreeze, which is only sold at places like physical therapy and chiropractic businesses and not in general stores, but you could use this for any product you need to apply in a hard-to-reach area.

So there you have it. A self-applicator.



*No one paid me to mention any product. This is just a helpful hint.*