Okay, it's not enough that I received the post card telling me that I would be receiving the US Census form and to fill it in or else. I then received another US Census form, and then a letter telling me that I would be receiving the US Census, and then a third packet for the US Census!! Every piece of correspondence warned me that I had to answer completely and honestly, and I did. Really.
Tonight, the phone rang. The caller: the US Census Bureau. I volunteered that I already completed my form, completely and honestly, signed and returned it, but the caller told me that, according to the law, the US Census Bureau has to contact each and every person who submitted a completed census to verify the information!! How anyone can verify information with a phone call I'll never know because a person who will lie on the form will lie more easily on the phone.
I then asked what kind of information needs to be verified? Basically ... the whole census form, including the list of did you give birth; has anyone moved in or out; was I confined to a shelter or facility; was I sheltering anyone in my home; have I been out of the country, serving in the military ... all the questions I have already answered. What the hell?
Sure, she's just doing what she's paid to do, but the purpose of redundancy is to provide depth, not just go over what's already been gone over. What a waste of my time, her time, and the taxpayer's dollars.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Flipped
My birthday gift this year is a small digital recorder so I can have movies of some of the totally cute things the dogs do, as well as the breeze blowing my plants during the spring, etc. Yesterday, I drove to Target, about 15 miles one way, as my on-line research actually showed that store had the best local prices. I knew I wanted a Flip camera as it is easy to operate and I can download videos directly to my hard drive without much thought. However, once I was at the camera department, the sale's rep did his job and nudged me into an upsale, from the Flip to a Sony with more specs and options. I went along, paid for the purchase, which now had to include a separate digital storage card, as well as a new card reader, and a camera bag. Instead of being in the ballpark of the Flip, I had now increased the sale just about one-third. But, I had a Sony, a name we all know and love.
Back at the ranch, I unboxed the camera and, following the directions, began the set-up phase of installation. That's where it began to unravel because the little toggle was so small and the button associated with it so tiny that I simply could NOT input the correct data, beginning with the date. I selected 2010, then got May on the screen, but when I tried to toggle to the specific date -- POOF! -- whatever was on the screen was now the date! I tried everything I could find to use to go back, but that, evidently, is not an option.
Plugged into the USB port of my laptop, I decided to figure out how to take a movie. First, I had to flip the lense to turn the camera on, a feature that seemed unusual. If I adjusted the lense to point toward my target, the camera turned off. That was strike two in my scoring column. Strike three came when I had to select the icon to either take a still photo or make a movie -- and the tiny button to do this was on the "wrong" side of the camera from the lense. Rather than throwing the darned camera against the wall, I carefully removed the battery and the storage card, reboxed the whole kit 'n kaboodle, and returned it to the bag, along with the receipt.
Determinedly I psyched myself up to return an item I simply did not want because I could not use it. I was not optimistic because even though I know people who buy clothes, wear them to an event, and then return them, my experience has been that I'm stuck with whatever it is regardless of why I don't want it. However, I have just returned from Target and I now have the Flip HD camera I was originally going to purchase. It has nice, big buttons and toggle feature, so I can see how to operate it. I installed the battery, turned the camera on, and made a quick movie of Mia eating kibble.
That's all the Flip does: it makes a movie of whatever it is pointed toward, complete with sound. Ta-da. Got what I wanted!! Next step: make a movie and post it on my blog!! Wish me luck as that truly sounds way above my pay grade.
Back at the ranch, I unboxed the camera and, following the directions, began the set-up phase of installation. That's where it began to unravel because the little toggle was so small and the button associated with it so tiny that I simply could NOT input the correct data, beginning with the date. I selected 2010, then got May on the screen, but when I tried to toggle to the specific date -- POOF! -- whatever was on the screen was now the date! I tried everything I could find to use to go back, but that, evidently, is not an option.
Plugged into the USB port of my laptop, I decided to figure out how to take a movie. First, I had to flip the lense to turn the camera on, a feature that seemed unusual. If I adjusted the lense to point toward my target, the camera turned off. That was strike two in my scoring column. Strike three came when I had to select the icon to either take a still photo or make a movie -- and the tiny button to do this was on the "wrong" side of the camera from the lense. Rather than throwing the darned camera against the wall, I carefully removed the battery and the storage card, reboxed the whole kit 'n kaboodle, and returned it to the bag, along with the receipt.
Determinedly I psyched myself up to return an item I simply did not want because I could not use it. I was not optimistic because even though I know people who buy clothes, wear them to an event, and then return them, my experience has been that I'm stuck with whatever it is regardless of why I don't want it. However, I have just returned from Target and I now have the Flip HD camera I was originally going to purchase. It has nice, big buttons and toggle feature, so I can see how to operate it. I installed the battery, turned the camera on, and made a quick movie of Mia eating kibble.
That's all the Flip does: it makes a movie of whatever it is pointed toward, complete with sound. Ta-da. Got what I wanted!! Next step: make a movie and post it on my blog!! Wish me luck as that truly sounds way above my pay grade.
Friday, May 7, 2010
Gratulerer med dagen
This is the significant birthday, not just a milestone, but a potential tombstone staring me in the face. I've been trying to acclimate myself to the "senior citizen" societal designation that is so much a part of my daily life, but that's hard to do as the person inside this aging body is much younger than the sum of its failing parts! Believe me, it's a shock to glance into a mirror and see that old lady looking back at me.
Yeah, I had an ah-ha moment when I somehow turned on the laptop camera without knowing either that I had done so -- or how to replicate that accomplishment. I was working on another assignment when the screen winked at me and then there was an old woman where the document I was reading had been. She looked confused and somehow familiar, but it took me a bit before I realized it was I staring back at me. I shut down the computer (I didn't have any idea how to turn off the camera), brewed a cuppa, then had the reality check: oh, my God, I'm ... old.
Ha-ha-ha! 40 is the new 30; 50 is the new 40; and 60 is still old, old, old! Do we look better at 60 than previous generations? Sure, for the most part. Are we more active, more engaged in life, more healthy than previous generations? Sure, for the most part. But 60 is still 60, and it's a reality check, whereas signing up for MediCare is the tombstone.
Because it's my birthday, I thought about having a party. The last really great birthday event I hosted was held at a school where I worked and I called it the Nifty 50 event. I was happy as a clam to bake lots of goodies, to help students make costumes, to find some music from the 50s, and celebrate with people I cared about. However, the after shocks always have to be accepted, including those people who said it would be fine before the event, but waited until after it to slam me face first into the wall for using their valuable classroom time with students for my "selfish" celebration. I NEVER did anything at that site, and I did a lot for the students, without FIRST asking for permission, but passive aggressive people want to set positive people up for public thrashing -- and I kept walking into it. Made me a bit gunshy, and I really haven't wanted to put myself out there since that birthday.
As I began making the list of things to do both inside and outside to prepare for a party at my home, I lost my enthusiasm because I haven't been out in the yard for a couple of months and it needs tending. Then, there are people to invite, which used to be governed by the "the more the merrier" rule of thumb, but not so much now. Of course, that thought was then tempered by the question who would want to come to MY birthday party? Then I realized that most people drink alcohol, which I don't, so would I want to provide booze and deal with drunk people? Then I thought about a menu that would appeal to me (remember: MY party), but would accommodate the vegetarians, the grillers, the diabetics, and the picky eaters. So, I turned my idea toward coffee, tea and desserts in a drop-in, until I realized that I'd have to lock the dogs out of the house for the duration, and still deal with both the hangers-on and the no-shows. And, I factored in the cost of any kind of event and realized that there are other places I can spend money that will do more for more people than a party at MY house to celebrate MY big birthday!
Exhausted, I gave up on the party idea as too much effort for marginal results.
Here's the current plan: I'm going to buy a leg o'lamb (my favorite) and make MY entire favorite dinner for me, myself and I. I'm also going to bake a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chopped nuts on top. I'm buying myself a small movie camera because I want to capture my dogs playing together, and that's the entire plan. I'm going to eat what I want, freeze what's left, take some movies of the dogs, and move on.
Yeah, I had an ah-ha moment when I somehow turned on the laptop camera without knowing either that I had done so -- or how to replicate that accomplishment. I was working on another assignment when the screen winked at me and then there was an old woman where the document I was reading had been. She looked confused and somehow familiar, but it took me a bit before I realized it was I staring back at me. I shut down the computer (I didn't have any idea how to turn off the camera), brewed a cuppa, then had the reality check: oh, my God, I'm ... old.
Ha-ha-ha! 40 is the new 30; 50 is the new 40; and 60 is still old, old, old! Do we look better at 60 than previous generations? Sure, for the most part. Are we more active, more engaged in life, more healthy than previous generations? Sure, for the most part. But 60 is still 60, and it's a reality check, whereas signing up for MediCare is the tombstone.
Because it's my birthday, I thought about having a party. The last really great birthday event I hosted was held at a school where I worked and I called it the Nifty 50 event. I was happy as a clam to bake lots of goodies, to help students make costumes, to find some music from the 50s, and celebrate with people I cared about. However, the after shocks always have to be accepted, including those people who said it would be fine before the event, but waited until after it to slam me face first into the wall for using their valuable classroom time with students for my "selfish" celebration. I NEVER did anything at that site, and I did a lot for the students, without FIRST asking for permission, but passive aggressive people want to set positive people up for public thrashing -- and I kept walking into it. Made me a bit gunshy, and I really haven't wanted to put myself out there since that birthday.
As I began making the list of things to do both inside and outside to prepare for a party at my home, I lost my enthusiasm because I haven't been out in the yard for a couple of months and it needs tending. Then, there are people to invite, which used to be governed by the "the more the merrier" rule of thumb, but not so much now. Of course, that thought was then tempered by the question who would want to come to MY birthday party? Then I realized that most people drink alcohol, which I don't, so would I want to provide booze and deal with drunk people? Then I thought about a menu that would appeal to me (remember: MY party), but would accommodate the vegetarians, the grillers, the diabetics, and the picky eaters. So, I turned my idea toward coffee, tea and desserts in a drop-in, until I realized that I'd have to lock the dogs out of the house for the duration, and still deal with both the hangers-on and the no-shows. And, I factored in the cost of any kind of event and realized that there are other places I can spend money that will do more for more people than a party at MY house to celebrate MY big birthday!
Exhausted, I gave up on the party idea as too much effort for marginal results.
Here's the current plan: I'm going to buy a leg o'lamb (my favorite) and make MY entire favorite dinner for me, myself and I. I'm also going to bake a chocolate cake with chocolate frosting and chopped nuts on top. I'm buying myself a small movie camera because I want to capture my dogs playing together, and that's the entire plan. I'm going to eat what I want, freeze what's left, take some movies of the dogs, and move on.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Standing on My Own Two Legs -- Again
The last 2 weeks have parts that are blurred and others that stand out loud and clear, such as all the time spent on the chaise with my leg elevated, heated/iced. Yesterday was the post-op check, and the doc was amazed at how easily I can now walk, go up/down stairs, and both straighten and bend my right leg. Seems those are the tests for a job well done, and he earned the top rating. No, I haven't forgotten the leg turning black and/or the extreme charley horse that occupied an entire weekend, but it's done. When he offered me 6 weeks of PT 3x a week, I demurred, assuring him that I will continue to be so darned busy that not only will there not be time for PT, but it'll get done the way God intended: working my bountiful butt off as the semester comes to a close.
There was a sobering moment coming home from work Monday, an accident with vehicles spread across 4 lanes of the major artery between home and work. One of the vehicles, a small compact car, was in bits and pieces, and I said a prayer as cars snaked by on the shoulder of the road. Come to find out, a drunk local woman driver blew a stop sign, barreled onto the highway, clipped a car with 2 teens in it, sending it into oncoming traffic lanes, where it went head-on into a local woman on her way back up the hill. All of this at 4:30 in the afternoon! Any research into Hwy 62, which used to be one lane in each direction but is now 4 plus the turning lane, reveals that it is a slaughter alley. Because traffic can enter/turn off the highway all the way along its length, there is no way to install a center safety barrier -- so the death toll is going to continue to mount.
When I arrived home, Daisy had such a special treat waiting for me: she had killed another bird, brought it into the house while I was at work, and literally jumped with joy to share her treasure. I planted tons of native vegetation not just to lower the maintenance costs, but to entice the birds, butterflies and the bees into the yard as I love sharing the early mornings outside with nature. Daisy, however, may be single-handedly thinning out the local bird population! Guess she's a natural at birding, perhaps part of her terrier DNA??
I think I finally am caught up on all the little things I let slide as I sent out bills and cards yesterday, as well as a package to dotter for Mother's Day: a summery patio dress and the latest in the Bride series from Nora Roberts. She'll have to find her own bottle o'wine to complete the gift. My son/dotter-in-law sent me the funniest card I've had in years, which made my day because it harkened back to licking the beaters, a treat my children enjoyed as I've always loved both cooking and baking, but especially anything that required lots of sugar and a licking bowl.
Weather is gorgeous, in the 80s and clear and crisp, so life is good again in the neighborhood.
There was a sobering moment coming home from work Monday, an accident with vehicles spread across 4 lanes of the major artery between home and work. One of the vehicles, a small compact car, was in bits and pieces, and I said a prayer as cars snaked by on the shoulder of the road. Come to find out, a drunk local woman driver blew a stop sign, barreled onto the highway, clipped a car with 2 teens in it, sending it into oncoming traffic lanes, where it went head-on into a local woman on her way back up the hill. All of this at 4:30 in the afternoon! Any research into Hwy 62, which used to be one lane in each direction but is now 4 plus the turning lane, reveals that it is a slaughter alley. Because traffic can enter/turn off the highway all the way along its length, there is no way to install a center safety barrier -- so the death toll is going to continue to mount.
When I arrived home, Daisy had such a special treat waiting for me: she had killed another bird, brought it into the house while I was at work, and literally jumped with joy to share her treasure. I planted tons of native vegetation not just to lower the maintenance costs, but to entice the birds, butterflies and the bees into the yard as I love sharing the early mornings outside with nature. Daisy, however, may be single-handedly thinning out the local bird population! Guess she's a natural at birding, perhaps part of her terrier DNA??
I think I finally am caught up on all the little things I let slide as I sent out bills and cards yesterday, as well as a package to dotter for Mother's Day: a summery patio dress and the latest in the Bride series from Nora Roberts. She'll have to find her own bottle o'wine to complete the gift. My son/dotter-in-law sent me the funniest card I've had in years, which made my day because it harkened back to licking the beaters, a treat my children enjoyed as I've always loved both cooking and baking, but especially anything that required lots of sugar and a licking bowl.
Weather is gorgeous, in the 80s and clear and crisp, so life is good again in the neighborhood.
Saturday, May 1, 2010
I've Seen That Face ... Somewhere
Since January, I've been watching far too much TV as I sit with my right leg propped on a pillow. Daytime TV is the worst, unless, of course, you are into bitchy women dissing each other on talk shows, bitchy women dissing each other on daytime soaps, endless reruns of 20-year old crime show series, or made-for-TV movies running in a continuous looping format. I DVR night shows as I either fall asleep with the sunset or stay up into the wee hours, when I then have to deal with nighttime TV talk shows with bitchy male hosts dissing women.
I was watching a movie with the actress Something Masterson, who receives flowers from a really young Christian Slater. Masterson is a newly-promoted VP at a financial corp selling an investment package to an elderly gentleman with a British accent. I looked at him, looked again, and thought, hmmmm, I've seen that face ... somewhere, but it looks like the father of the face hidden in the back of my mind.
Then I watched another movie, this time entitled My Baby is Missing, and an elderly, kindly doctor with a slight British accent is trying to calm a patient. I looked again. Yep, I've seen that face ... somewhere, but it looked ... younger.
Last night, I DVR'd a new favorite series, Miami Medical, and had a "NO WAY" moment as I saw the face again, a much younger, much more handsome face, on a much younger man with considerably more hair on the top of the head, dark hair, not aging bald hair. Bingo! I binged the TV show and there he is:
(downloaded from the TV show web site with guest star Mike Farrell behind him). It's challenging to believe that this virile young male actor is the same ancient old men I had watched in the other 2 movies, but it is he, complete with the subtle British accent.
Jeremy Northam was born in 1961 and is a classically trained British actor, a much more age appropriate actor in Miami Medical than the other 2 movie roles I remembered. He certainly fooled me in the ancient men make-up. His accent is totally charming, which strikes me funny because I absolutely cannot tolerate an English accent and would never watch House were Hugh Laurie to use his normal speaking voice: nails on a chalkboard!! Northam has an extensive filmography, but not for as many starring roles as he has played the supporting roles.
Miami Medical is a great new TV series, especially last night's episode wherein Dr. Proctor (Northam's role) addresses a room filled with financial donors to convince them to open their wallets. He is uncomfortable until he pulls a domino out of his pocket and uses it as a prop to connect his day before with the need for continued financial support. He speaks about the randomness of so many traumatic events, events that don't just connect victims, but medical providers. He sets the scene for the donors, then asks them one question: which one of the victim dies?
I won't spoil the episode, which you can watch on your computer or catch in an alternate showing, but it is totally engaging, both for the donors sitting on hard chairs and eating dry chicken and the post-surgery knee patient sitting on her chaise with her knee propped on a pillow.
I was watching a movie with the actress Something Masterson, who receives flowers from a really young Christian Slater. Masterson is a newly-promoted VP at a financial corp selling an investment package to an elderly gentleman with a British accent. I looked at him, looked again, and thought, hmmmm, I've seen that face ... somewhere, but it looks like the father of the face hidden in the back of my mind.
Then I watched another movie, this time entitled My Baby is Missing, and an elderly, kindly doctor with a slight British accent is trying to calm a patient. I looked again. Yep, I've seen that face ... somewhere, but it looked ... younger.
Last night, I DVR'd a new favorite series, Miami Medical, and had a "NO WAY" moment as I saw the face again, a much younger, much more handsome face, on a much younger man with considerably more hair on the top of the head, dark hair, not aging bald hair. Bingo! I binged the TV show and there he is:
(downloaded from the TV show web site with guest star Mike Farrell behind him). It's challenging to believe that this virile young male actor is the same ancient old men I had watched in the other 2 movies, but it is he, complete with the subtle British accent.Jeremy Northam was born in 1961 and is a classically trained British actor, a much more age appropriate actor in Miami Medical than the other 2 movie roles I remembered. He certainly fooled me in the ancient men make-up. His accent is totally charming, which strikes me funny because I absolutely cannot tolerate an English accent and would never watch House were Hugh Laurie to use his normal speaking voice: nails on a chalkboard!! Northam has an extensive filmography, but not for as many starring roles as he has played the supporting roles.
Miami Medical is a great new TV series, especially last night's episode wherein Dr. Proctor (Northam's role) addresses a room filled with financial donors to convince them to open their wallets. He is uncomfortable until he pulls a domino out of his pocket and uses it as a prop to connect his day before with the need for continued financial support. He speaks about the randomness of so many traumatic events, events that don't just connect victims, but medical providers. He sets the scene for the donors, then asks them one question: which one of the victim dies?
I won't spoil the episode, which you can watch on your computer or catch in an alternate showing, but it is totally engaging, both for the donors sitting on hard chairs and eating dry chicken and the post-surgery knee patient sitting on her chaise with her knee propped on a pillow.
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