Wednesday, April 30, 2008

tonight,we had the last scholarship meeting before the awards in june.
i'm very proud of the owl's scholarships. i've written of them before. now that the ladies auxiliary has joined in we have been able to give even more.

the program started in 2001 and as of this june we will have awarded
36 scholarships totaling $18,750!

i think that all of the members of the club and all of the people that have donated their time and their money and their support of our fundraisers and the other committee members and the ladies auxiliary are just terrific.











may 1st is tomorrow




MAY IS NF AWARENESS MONTH

i could post some scary pictures of surgeries, deformities
but truth is, most people look a lot like me. besides
we don't need to guilt or shock anyone into looking into donating or what ever.

i just want people to learn and understand and help if they want.
there are a few orgs. out there. check them out.




What are the neurofibromatoses?



The neurofibromatoses are a group of three genetically distinct but related disorders of the nervous system that cause tumors to grow around the nerves. Tumors begin in the cells that make up the myelin sheath, a thin membrane that envelops and protects nerve fibers, and often spread into adjacent areas. The type of tumor that develops depends on its location in the body and the kind of cells involved. The most common tumors are neurofibromas, which develop in the tissue surrounding peripheral nerves. Most tumors are non-cancerous, although occasionally they become cancerous over time.

Why these tumors occur still isn’t completely known, but it appears to be mainly related to mutations in genes that play key roles in suppressing tumor growth in the nervous system. These mutations keep the genes – identified as NF1 and NF2 – from making specific proteins that control cell production. Without these proteins, cells multiply out of control and form tumors.

An estimated 100,000 Americans have a neurofibromatosis (the singular form of neurofibromatoses) disorder, which occurs in both sexes and in all races and ethnic groups. Scientists have classified the disorders as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), and a type that was once considered to be a variation of NF2 but is now called schwannomatosis.





What is NF1?



NF1 is the most common neurofibromatosis, occurring in 1 in 3,000 to 4,000 individuals in the United States . Although many affected people inherit the disorder, between 30 to 50 percent of new cases occur because of a spontaneous genetic mutation from unknown causes. Once this mutation has taken place, the mutant gene can be passed on to succeeding generations.






What are the signs and symptoms of NF1?



To diagnose NF1, a doctor looks for two or more of the following:

six or more light brown spots on the skin (often called “cafe-au-lait” spots), measuring more than 5 millimeters in diameter in children, or more than 15 millimeters across in adolescents and adults;
two or more neurofibromas, or one plexiform neurofibroma (a neurofibroma that involves many nerves);
freckling in the area of the armpit or the groin;
two or more growths on the iris of the eye (known as Lisch nodules or iris hamartomas);
a tumor on the optic nerve (optic glioma);
abnormal development of the spine (scoliosis), the temple (sphenoid) bone of the skull, or the tibia (one of the long bones of the shin);
a first degree relative (parent, sibling, or child) with NF1.





What other symptoms or conditions are associated with NF1?



Many children with NF1 have larger than normal head circumference and are shorter than average. Hydrocephalus, the abnormal buildup of fluid in the brain, is a possible complication of the disorder. Headache and epilepsy are also more likely in individuals with NF1 than in the normal population. Cardiovascular complications are associated with NF1, including congenital heart defects, high blood pressure (hypertension), and constricted, blocked, or damaged blood vessels (vasculopathy). Children with NF1 may have poor linguistic and visual-spatial skills, and perform less well on academic achievement tests, including those that measure reading, spelling, and math skills. Learning disabilities, such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), are common in children with NF1.





When do symptoms appear?



Symptoms, particularly the most common skin abnormalities -- café-au-lait spots, neurofibromas, Lisch nodules, and freckling in the armpit and groin -- are often evident at birth or shortly afterwards, and almost always by the time a child is 10 years old. Because many features of these disorders are age dependent, a definitive diagnosis may take several years.






What is the prognosis for someone with NF1?



NF1 is a progressive disorder, which means most symptoms will worsen over time, although a small number of people may have symptoms that stay the same and never get any worse. It isn’t possible to predict the course of any individual’s disorder. In general, most people with NF1 will develop mild to moderate symptoms, and if complications arise they will not be life-threatening. Most people with NF1 have a normal life expectancy.





How is NF1 treated?



Since doctors don’t know how to prevent or stop neurofibromas from growing, surgery is often recommended to remove them. Several surgical options exist, but there is no general agreement among doctors about when surgery should be performed or which surgical option is best. Individuals considering surgery should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of all their options to determine which surgical treatment is right for them. There are also surgical and chemical techniques that can reduce the size of eye tumors (optic gliomas) when vision is threatened. In addition, some bone malformations, such as scoliosis, can be surgically corrected. In the rare instances when tumors become malignant (3 to 5 percent of all cases), treatment may include surgery, radiation, or chemotherapy.

Treatments for other conditions associated with NF1 are aimed at controlling or relieving symptoms. Headache and epileptic seizures are treated with medications. Since there is a higher than average risk for learning disabilities, children with NF1 should undergo a detailed neurological exam before they enter school. Once these children enter school, if teachers or parents suspect there is evidence of a learning disability (or disabilities), they should request an evaluation that includes an IQ test and the standard range of tests to evaluate verbal and spatial skills. Children with learning disabilities are eligible for special education services under the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).






What is NF2?



This rare disorder affects about 1 in 40,000 people. NF2 is characterized by slow-growing tumors on the eighth cranial nerve. This nerve has two branches: the acoustic branch helps people hear by transmitting sound sensations to the brain; the vestibular branch helps people maintain their balance. The tumors of NF2, called vestibular schwannomas because of their location and the types of cells that compose them (Schwann cells, which form the myelin sheath around nerves), press against and sometimes even damage the nerves they surround. In some cases they will also damage nearby vital structures such as other cranial nerves and the brainstem, leading to a potentially life-threatening situation.

Individuals with NF2 are at risk for developing other types of nervous system tumors such as spinal schwannomas, which grow within the spinal cord and between the vertebrae, and meningiomas, which are tumors that grow along the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord.





What are the signs and symptoms of NF2?



To diagnose NF2, a doctor looks for the following:

bilateral vestibular schwannomas, or
a family history of NF2 (parent, sibling, or child) plus a unilateral vestibular schwannoma before age 30
or any two of the following:

glioma,
meningioma,
schwannoma,
juvenile posterior subcapsular lenticular opacity (juvenile cortical cataract).





When do symptoms appear?



Signs of NF2 may be present in childhood but are so subtle that they can be overlooked, especially in children who don’t have a family history of the disorder. Typically, symptoms of NF2 are noticed between 18 and 22 years of age. The most frequent first symptom is hearing loss or ringing in the ears (tinnitus). Less often, the first visit to a doctor will be because of disturbances in balance, vision impairment (such as vision loss from cataracts), weakness in an arm or leg, seizures, or skin tumors.





What is the prognosis for someone with NF2?



Because NF2 is so rare, few studies have been done to look at the natural progression of the disorder. The course of NF2 varies greatly among individuals, although inherited NF2 appears to run a similar course among affected family members. Generally, vestibular schwannomas grow slowly, and balance and hearing deteriorate over a period of years. A recent study suggests that an earlier age of onset is associated with faster tumor growth and a greater mortality risk.






How is NF2 treated?



NF2 is best managed at a specialty clinic with an initial screening and annual follow-up evaluations. Improved diagnostic technologies, such as MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), can reveal tumors as small as a few millimeters in diameter, which allows for early treatment. Vestibular schwannomas grow slowly, but they can grow large enough to completely engulf the eighth cranial nerve. Early surgery, to completely remove the tumor while it’s still small, might be advisable to preserve hearing and balance. There are several surgical options, depending on tumor size and the extent of hearing loss. Some techniques preserve the auditory nerve and enable individuals to retain some hearing; other techniques may involve removing the nerve and replacing it with an electronic auditory implant in the brainstem to restore hearing.
Surgery is available to correct cataracts and retinal abnormalities. A strategy of watchful waiting might be more appropriate for slowly growing brain and spinal tumors, which have higher risks of surgical complications.





What is schwannomatosis?



Schwannomatosis is a newly recognized neurofibromatosis that is genetically and clinically distinct from NF1 and NF2. Like NF2 it occurs rarely. Inherited forms of the disorder account for only 15 percent of all cases. Researchers still don’t fully understand what causes the tumors and the intense pain that are characteristics of the disorder.




What are the signs and symptoms of schwannomatosis?



The distinguishing feature of schwannomatosis is the development of multiple schwannomas everywhere in the body except on the vestibular nerve. The dominant symptom is excruciatingly intense pain, which develops when a schwannoma enlarges, compresses nerves, or presses on adjacent tissue. Some people experience additional neurological symptoms, such as numbness, tingling, or weakness in the fingers and toes. Patients with schwannomatosis never have neurofibromas.

About one-third of those with schwannomatosis have tumors limited to a single part of the body, such as an arm, a leg, or a segment of the spine. Some people develop many schwannomas; others develop only a few.





What is the prognosis for someone with schwannomatosis?



Anyone with schwannomatosis experiences some degree of pain, but the intensity varies. A small number of people have such mild pain that they are never diagnosed with the disorder. Most people have significant pain, which can be managed with medications or surgery. In some extreme cases, pain will be so severe and disabling it will keep people from working or leaving the house.





How is schwannomatosis treated?



There is no currently accepted medical treatment or drug for schwannomatosis, but surgical management is often effective. When tumors are completely removed pain usually subsides, although it may recur if new tumors form. When surgery isn’t possible, ongoing monitoring and management of pain in a multidisciplinary pain clinic is advisable.




Are there prenatal tests for the neurofibromatoses?



Clinical genetic testing can confirm the presence of a mutation in the NF1 gene with an accuracy of 95 percent. Some families and doctors may choose to use a genetic test to confirm an uncertain diagnosis when there is no family history of the disorder and when waiting for additional symptoms to appear would put an unnecessary emotional burden on the family. Prenatal testing for the NF1 mutation is also possible using amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling procedures. Genetic testing for the NF2 mutation is sometimes available but is accurate in only 65 percent of those tested. Genetic counselors can provide information about these procedures and help families cope with the results.






What research is being done on the neurofibromatoses?



The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), one of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is the leader in federal funding of research studying neurological diseases. The Institute sponsors basic studies aimed at understanding normal and abnormal development of the brain and nervous system, as well as clinical trials to improve the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders. In conjunction with the NIH's National Cancer Institute (NCI), the NINDS supports research focused on finding better ways to prevent, treat, and ultimately cure the neurofibromatosis disorders.

In the mid-1990s, research teams supported by the NINDS located the exact position of the NF1 gene on chromosome 17. The gene has been cloned and its structure continues to be analyzed. The NF1 gene makes a large and complex protein called neurofibromin, which is primarily active in nervous system cells as a regulator of cell division, functioning as a kind of molecular brake to keep cells from over-multiplying. In addition to work on NF1, intensive efforts have led to the identification of the NF2 gene on chromosome 22. As in NF1, the NF2 gene product is a tumor-suppressor protein (termed merlin or schwannomin).

Ongoing NINDS-sponsored research continues to discover additional genes that appear to play a role in tumor suppression or growth. Continuing research on these genes and their proteins is beginning to reveal how this novel family of growth regulators controls how and where tumors form and grow. Understanding the molecular pathways and mechanisms that govern these key proteins and their activities will offer scientists exciting opportunities to design drugs that could replace the missing proteins in people who have the neurofibromatoses and return their cell production to normal.

The NINDS currently supports basic and clinical research to understand how the genetic mutations that cause the benign tumors of NF1 can also cause abnormal development of neurons and neural networks during fetal development. This abnormal development can lead to the learning disabilities and cognitive deficits of children with the disorder.

The NINDS also encourages research aimed at developing improved methods of diagnosing the neurofibromatoses and at identifying factors that contribute to the wide variations of symptoms and severity of the disorders.

Just as important, the NINDS is supporting ongoing research with a large group of children with NF1 to help doctors answer the question that most parents ask when their child is diagnosed with the disorder: “What can we expect when our child goes to school?” Using MRI, which shows brain structure, functional MRI, which shows areas of the brain at work, and neuropsychological tests that measure specific cognitive skills, researchers are looking for associations between brain abnormalities and specific cognitive disabilities. Finding these links would give doctors an indication of the kinds of learning disabilities parents and their children could anticipate in the future and help them develop early intervention programs.
the birds are singing very loud.
poor things, so cold the last few days.
i have tons of song birds here. i put extra seed out
on days like today.
cold with little damn snow fluzzies floating around.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008






cold, frost tonight so a hot, hot bubble bath was a welcomed thing.
now, waiting for countdown. it's the one show i hate to miss!
haluski for dinner!!!









i decided to check my junk mail folder in case anything was in there by mistake.
i get a kick out of reading the subjects and names.

this was a great one. the name?

IGNORAMUS MCQUEEN!


thought i'd share! ; )
going down to freezing tonight!
i have a turtleneck on it's so chilly right now. phooey!

Monday, April 28, 2008

i've recorded myself reading this poem using different
inflections and such. the thing is, i like my poems to have the reader bring their thoughts and interpretations to my poems. i've i read them TO people i give a push in one direction or another that may clarify but also very well might take away from the piece. making it far less personal to each. it's something for me to think about.
hey! i figured out how to post audio of my poetry.

now you'll hear why i am having such difficulty
reading my own works. my voice is odd.

BUT, i will continue to practise, if only because i must
for myself if no one else.

now i will post before i chicken out!
wow, the leaves have really popped out since last night's rain.
wet and chilly today but the birds are full of songs.

not much but monday things going on.

Sunday, April 27, 2008

this is my latest poem. it was well received by the PK list
and so i'm posting it here. i may change it later. but for now, it's done.



i stay sober for a lot of reasons


some unknown even to me
even tho i know

myself quite well
well enough to think about
staying sober

well, sober enough.

a two drink maximum
on a friday night

weddings and funerals
it's three. you see

i stay sober for a lot of reasons
mostly tho

so i keep my mouth closed
against all that i know.
i've gotten some really nice feedback from the pk group
about my latest effort at poetry. i think i might post it here tomorrow and see what you all think. i'd love your comments.

Saturday, April 26, 2008


saturday night. staying in. don't feel like doing much and tomorrow will be avery busy day.

not sure what i feel like doing.
not much to do, not really.

oh well.
oh my, stopped to bring some lunch to my mom. she likes french fries and she has turned into a very picky eater of late so we went and got her a burger and fries.

later i went to bruster's and got some chocolate raspberry truffle ice cream for MY lunch! oh that is some GOOD stuff!
warm and rain coming.
i submitted another poem for c&c.

so far, so good!

Friday, April 25, 2008














Enjoy Family Day with the Washington Mystics
Saturday May 31, 2008 at 3:30 pm
The Verizon Center
601 F Street, NW
Washington, DC




Join Neurofibromatosis, Inc.-Mid-Atlantic for an afternoon of socializing
AND great WNBA basketball!

Tremendous lower level seats are available for only $18 each.
($6 of every ticket purchased will benefit NF, Inc.-Mid-Atlantic Programs)

Participate in the "Fan Tunnel"
(Give the players "high-fives" as they come on the court to start the 2nd half of the game)

To Purchase Tickets
www.mysticstix.com/midatlantic.html
got this in an e-mail from my uncle:

went to a gas station today and asked for 5 dollars worth of gas.

the guy farted and gave me a receipt!
i wanna be like her when i grow up!!!!!





one of my favorite poets:


Dream Variations
by Langston Hughes


To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening
Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me--
That is my dream!

To fling my arms wide
In the face of the sun,
Dance! Whirl! Whirl!
Till the quick day is done.
Rest at pale evening . . .
A tall, slim tree . . .
Night coming tenderly
Black like me.
support out troops? then spend a minute or two
watching this and call the v.a.










i love northern sun. they are on-line now as well as having a catalogue.

www.northernsun.com


i have bought neat things from them before.
in fact, when i had my old little sort of beat up but beloved car "boom boom"

(named after the boxer, boom boom mancini) i made him into a (slow moving)
political statement using bumper stickers i bought from northern sun, that i would change every now and then
i watched
no country for old men, last night. terrific acting, truly.
after it was over i sat and thought about the theme of it.
much more there, much more.

then i thought about the villain. tho he did a wonderful job i doubt he would have been half as effective without that strange hair cut. that hair cut was a master's touch to the character.

the real villain in that movie, to me at least, wasn't greed or cold blooded killers or the men that ordered it all. i won't even go into the attitudes about the few ladies in the film. no the villain was age. even the crazy killer let his guard down
at the end.

we all slip now and then as time goes on. the thing is, we know that we are that half a beat off and it isn't coming back.

friday's joke:


what's black and white and red all over?

nope, not a newspaper.
it's a nun with a sunburn!


that's an old joke from my catholic grade school days.
we had the nuns with the full black and white habits!

Thursday, April 24, 2008

my voice, my VOICE! i just can't get used to

my voice.
As Once The Winged Energy Of Delight

by Rainer Maria Rilke


As once the winged energy of delight
carried you over childhood's dark abysses,
now beyond your own life build the great
arch of unimagined bridges.

Wonders happen if we can succeed
in passing through the harshest danger;
but only in a bright and purely granted
achievement can we realize the wonder.

To work with Things in the indescribable
relationship is not too hard for us;
the pattern grows more intricate and subtle,
and being swept along is not enough.

Take your practiced powers and stretch them out
until they span the chasm between two
contradictions...For the god
wants to know himself in you.



You're an Passionate Kisser



For you, kissing is about all about following your urges

If someone's hot, you'll go in for the kiss - end of story

You can keep any relationship hot with your steamy kisses

A total spark plug - your kisses are bound to get you in trouble






hey, something i'm good at!!! hooray!!!!
i think this would be a cool place to visit:








http://artyoucangetinto.blogspot.com/
something was outside last night. about 3 this morning layla
was at the living room window ready to fight. wow, what a fierce little one eyed warrior she is! she's still looking out of the windows and doors and standing on
her back legs sniffing at the air.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008


storm blowing in. it was a near perfect day. i went outside and moved some more rocks to the front. did some laundry. that's my favorite chore. cooking isn't a chore, it's a pleasure.

thunder coming in and the geese are flying overhead and making quite a noise.

i can hear my wind chimes ringing.

the sounds outside are the only sounds except for the gentle snores of layla who has decide she's the computer guardian today.

rain beginning to patter down.

it's heaven after the winter weather only a few short weeks ago.








got this pic over at shakesville and after reading some of the comments:

yes a "new camelot"














yo naka wa jigoku no ue no hanami kana

in this world
we walk on the roof of hell
gazing at flowers

Issa




o.k. now what?
the trolls are dancing with glee singing limbaugh's praises.nahnahnahna boo- booing
on liberal blog comments.


well, we'll just see.

tho i'm glad i let my hair go grey before it falls out from too much toxic BS!

i know i've gotten at least 4 or 5 new wrinkles from 6 weeks ago!

i think i'll go read some poetry.

beautiful day.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

EARTH DAY 08!







BUKOWSKI




Hooray Say The Roses


hooray say the roses, today is blamesday
and we are red as blood.

hooray say the roses, today is Wednesday
and we bloom wher soldiers fell
and lovers too,
and the snake at the word.

hooray say the roses, darkness comes
all at once, like lights gone out,
the sun leaves dark continents
and rows of stone.

hooray say the roses, cannons and spires,
birds, bees, bombers, today is Friday
the hand holding a medal out the window,
a moth going by, half a mile an hour,
hooray hooray
hooray say the roses
we have empires on our stems,
the sun moves the mouth:
hooray hooray hooray
and that is why you like us


Charles Bukowski
just got back from voting.
i vote in a HEAVILY republican district.
a lot of the time the few of us democrats look
lonely as we cast our votes.

today tho, so far there were about 90 some democrats that
voted versus about 20 some republicans.

at least we are turning out in droves here!

Monday, April 21, 2008

just got this in an e-mail.


OBAMA!
oh on a small entirely different topic.
the handmade goat's milk honey/oatmeal soap...
heaven!!!!

i wouldn't have spent that much on myself. my daughter bought it for me while we were there. it's wonderful.






no matter your choice tomorrow


please, VOTE!
i've been tagged by the pagan sphinx


www.thepagansphinx.blogspot.com



6 random things about me, hummmm:



i am right handed but type using only the middle finger of
my left hand.

i suck at math but was a very good student other that that.
wish way back then they had know of learning disabilities
i wouldn't have banged my head against the wall internally.

i love opening up a fresh bar of soap.

i can't carry a tune. in fact i yawn when i even attempt to sing.

i've done stranger things than most that know/knew me might imagine.

i think i might be stronger than i think, but am afraid to find out.
up and bright!

Sunday, April 20, 2008

well, i'm back. the meatloaf dinner went pretty well.
i had fun. i was in charge of the fruit cups and wrapping up the plastic silverware in a paper napkin and general handi-person. the food was good and the people had a nice time. a friend of mine was there with his wife and daughter-in-law and her beautiful little girl who is soon to turn two. i had a lot of fun with her AND i got to say hello to her dad who called from afghanistan while i was there!

rain, but it's spring rain.
i listened to it on the roof most of the night.
the sound is lovely.

fundraiser later for the scholarships.
i hope it does well. june is just around the corner.

Saturday, April 19, 2008

GRAND OPENING!!!!!


i always try to share good things.

there's a new store, actually 2 stores in one at:

4361 WILLIAM FLYNN HWY.
ALLISON PARK, PA. 15101

412-213-3900


SPRING TIDES AND

ORION GENERATIONS


spring tides has the most wonderful selections of stones and incense
candles and oils, handmade soaps etc. in the pgh. area

and orion offers holistic and ancient ways to enhance personal wellness:

accupunture accupressure
qi gong
reflexology
reiki
hypnotherapy
message therapy
aroma therapy
kundalini yoga
and more...



i just came back from there. got a bag full o goodies!
stones and incense, a few candles some of the most awesome
arabian sandalwood oil(light and exotic, not overpowering)
and a bar of goatmilk hand crafted soap with oatmeal and honey
that just begs to be used!!!!


this place is really really nice.
wow, what a perfect morning!

it was so nice yesterday that i could leave the windows open all night.
this morning i lay in bed and listened as the birds awoke and started singing and cawing( i have a family of crows that look for me each morning )and my turkeys are back!
the males started gobbling at first light. that went on for about an hour.

got up. got coffee and fed the birds and squirrels and chipmunks.

haven't seen my ground hog yet. i hope she's o.k.

Friday, April 18, 2008

LOOK OUT BELOW!!!


yes, me, fooling with my web cam thingy.

i told you i sort of look like a little ghostie
with this camera.thankfully i don't look this ghost-like in real life!


p.s. surprise to my uncle gabe and aunt betty
they haven't seen me since last summer before i grew my hair out to it's natural color!







got this over at the pgh women's blogging society.
from agent ska and run baby run. wonderful find/ great post

a read that we all need!!!!







Read, in it's entirety...ironic outcome.



1961, a young African-American man, after hearing President John F. Kennedy's challenge to, "Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country," gave up his student deferment, left college in Virginia and voluntarily joined the Marines.
In 1963, this man, having completed his two years of service in the Marines, volunteered again to become a Navy corpsman. (They provide medical assistance to the Marines as well as to Navy personnel.)
The man did so well in corpsman school that he was the valedictorian and became a cardiopulmonary technician. Not surprisingly, he was assigned to the Navy's premier medical facility, Bethesda NavalHospital, as a member of the commander in chief's medical team, and helped care for President Lyndon B. Johnson after his 1966 surgery.
For his service on the team, which he left in 1967, the White House awarded him three letters of commendation.
What is even more remarkable is that this man entered the Marines and Navy not many years after the two branches began to become integrated.
While this young man was serving six years on active duty, Vice President Dick Cheney, who was born the same year as the Marine/ sailor, received five deferments, four for being an undergraduate and graduate student and one for being a prospective father.
Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, both five years younger than the African-American youth, used their student deferments to stay in college until 1968. Both then avoided going on active duty through family connections.
Who is the real patriot? The young man who interrupted his studies to serve his country for six years or our three political leaders who beat the system? Are the patriots the people who actually sacrifice something or those who merely talk about their love of the country?
After leaving the service of his country, the young African-American finished his final year of college, entered the seminary, was ordained as a minister, and eventually became pastor of a large church in one ofAmerica's biggest cities.
This man is Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the retiring pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ. The controversial pastor who the Clintons hoped would ruin Obama's chances of winning the Democratic Nomination for the Presidency.
yes, i do know that i probably used that joke before, but it has piggys in it and i like little piggys.

i got video camera for my computer! eric hooked it up last night.
i can practice reading my poetry with it.

i look like a small ghostie on it. i'm really pale now with the grey and silver hair.
before with the dark hair and pale skin i looked a little vampiric. geez!

i have to figure out how to use it and not scare myself... BOO!
friday, JOKE DAY!





The three little pigs went out for dinner one night. The waiter came and took their drink orders. "I want a Sprite," said the first little piggie. "I would like to have a Coke," said the second little piggie. "I want a beer and lots of beer!" replied the third little piggie!

The drinks were brought and the waiter took their dinner orders. "I want a big, thick steak," said the first little piggie. "I want the salad plate," said the second little piggie. "I want a beer and lots of beer!" said the third little piggie!

The meals were brought out and a little while later the waiter approached the table and asked if the piggies would like any dessert. "I would like a banana split," said the first little piggie. "I want cheesecake," said the second little piggie. "I want a beer and lots of beer!" exclaimed the third little piggie!

"Pardon me for asking," said the waiter to the third little piggie, but why have you only ordered beer all evening?"

The third piggie says...

*
*
*

"Well somebody has to wee, wee, wee all the way home!"

Thursday, April 17, 2008













o.k. cr. here's the poem. still no title
and it may be changed depending on the input from others.
so far, all the responses have been positive.
it's a small poem, but it's a break through for me.
writer's block is painful.



i crave the peach
remembered from last summer's heat
the taste of juice licked

from the first bite of my teeth.
shades of august
in soft sueded skin

a scent that makes me swallow hard.
i crave a peach remembered
tremble in the waiting time
from april thru july.








an interesting story of druids and peace.







http://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/Druid-hands-over-sword-in.3980531.jp

so far, so good! my poetry work group enjoyed my poem. no crits so far.

that's one of the BEST ways to start a morning (other than...)

Wednesday, April 16, 2008


well wadda ya know?



i wrote a poem this morning.
probably sucks mightily, but it's
the 1st damn thing i've written
in months and months
outside of a few words or
sentences here and there.


i sent it to my work group for c&c.
before i lost my nerve.

god it felt good to write it.
up, coffee, bran muffin, fed the birds and squirrels, washed my hair.
checked my mail and the poetry kit list e-mails. busy, busy

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

it's been a bright and blue skied day!
my very favorite song by sting, all for you:






Clemente's Images
by Robert Creeley


1)

Sleeping birds, lead me,
soft birds, be me

inside this black room,
back of the white moon.

In the dark night
sight frightens me.


2)

Who is it nuzzles there
with furred, round headed stare?

Who, perched on the skin,
body's float, is holding on?

What other one stares still,
plays still, on and on?


3)

Stand upright, prehensile,
squat, determined,

small guardians of the painful
outside coming in --

in stuck in vials with needles,
bleeding life in, particular, heedless.


4)

Matrix of world
upon a turtle's broad back,

carried on like that,
eggs as pearls,

flesh and blood and bone
all borne along.


5)

I'll tell you what you want,
to say a word,

to know the letters in yourself,
a skin falls off,

a big eared head appears,
an eye and mouth.


6)

Under watery here,
under breath, under duress,

understand a pain
has threaded a needle with a little man --

gone fishing.
And fish appear.


7)

If small were big,
if then were now,

if here were there,
if find were found,

if mind were all there was,
would the animals still save us?


8)

A head was put
upon the shelf got took


by animal's hand and stuck
upon a vacant corpse

who, blurred, could nonetheless
not ever be the quietly standing bird it watched.


9)

Not lost,
not better or worse,

much must of necessity depend on resources,
the pipes and bags brought with us

inside, all the sacks
and how and to what they are or were attached.


10)

Everybody's child
walks the same winding road,

laughs and cries, dies.
That's "everybody's child,"

the one who's in between
the others who have come and gone.


11)

Turn as one will, the sky will always be
far up above the place he thinks to dream as earth.

There float the heavenly
archaic persons of primordial birth,

held in the scan of ancient serpent's tooth,
locked in the mind as when it first began.


12)

Inside I am the other of a self,
who feels a presence always close at hand,

one side or the other, knows another one
unlocks the door and quickly enters in.

Either as or, we live a common person.
Two is still one. It cannot live apart.


13)

Oh, weep for me --
all from whom life has stolen

hopes of a happiness stored
in gold's ubiquitous pattern,

in tinkle of commodious, enduring money,
else the bee's industry in hives of golden honey.


14)

He is safely put
in a container, head to foot,

and there, on his upper part, wears still
remnants of a life he lived at will --

but, lower down, he probes at that doubled sack
holds all his random virtues in a mindless fact.


15)

The forms wait, swan,
elephant, crab, rabbit, horse, monkey, cow,

squirrel and crocodile. From the one
sits in empty consciousness, all seemingly has come

and now it goes, to regather,
to tell another story to its patient mother.


16)

Reflection reforms, each man's a life,
makes its stumbling way from mother to wife --

cast as a gesture from ignorant flesh,
here writes in fumbling words to touch,

say, how can I be,
when she is all that was ever me?


17)

Around and in --
And up and down again,

and far and near --
and here and there,

in the middle is
a great round nothingness.


18)

Not metaphoric,
flesh is literal earth.

turns to dust
as all the body must,

becomes the ground
wherein the seed's passed on.


19)

Entries, each foot feels its own way,
echoes passage in persons,

holds the body upright,
the secret of thresholds, lintels,

opening body above it,
looks up, looks down, moves forward.


20)

Necessity, the mother of invention,
father of intention,

sister to brother to sister, to innumerable others,
all one as the time comes,

death's appointment,
in the echoing head, in the breaking heart.


21)

In self one's place defined,
in heart the other find.

In mind discover I,
in body find the sky.

Sleep in the dream as one,
wake to the others there found.


22)

Emptying out
each complicating part,

each little twist of mind inside,
each clenched fist,

each locked, particularizing thought,
forgotten, emptying out.


23)

What did it feel like
to be one at a time --

to be caught in a mind
in the body you'd found

in yourself alone --
in each other one?


24)

Broken hearts, a curious round of echoes --
and there behind them the old garden

with its faded, familiar flowers,
where all was seemingly laced together --

a trueness of true,
a blueness of blue.


25)

The truth is in a container
of no size or situation.

It has nothing
inside.

Worship --
Warship. Sail away.









i can not wait til the political people and
everyone that covers them leave!!!!

who cares that someone had a shot and a beer or bowls badly?

ack!

Monday, April 14, 2008

i was a little, little kid but i remember watching these with my grandparents.

enjoy.







pretty pretty PRETTY!!!!

been up since 6, watched the birds start showing up for their seed.

just a pretty day.

Sunday, April 13, 2008

STUCK INSIDE OF MOBILE WITH THE MEMPHIS BLUES AGAIN

(Words and Music by Bob Dylan)
1966, 1976 Dwarf Music




Oh, the ragman draws circles
Up and down the block.
I'd ask him what the matter was
But I know that he don't talk.
And the ladies treat me kindly
And furnish me with tape,
But deep inside my heart
I know I can't escape.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Well, Shakespeare, he's in the alley
With his pointed shoes and his bells,
Speaking to some French girl,
Who says she knows me well.
And I would send a message
To find out if she's talked,
But the post office has been stolen
And the mailbox is locked.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Mona tried to tell me
To stay away from the train line.
She said that all the railroad men
Just drink up your blood like wine.
An' I said, "Oh, I didn't know that,
But then again, there's only one I've met
An' he just smoked my eyelids
An' punched my cigarette."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Grandpa died last week
And now he's buried in the rocks,
But everybody still talks about
How badly they were shocked.
But me, I expected it to happen,
I knew he'd lost control
When he built a fire on Main Street
And shot it full of holes.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Now the senator came down here
Showing ev'ryone his gun,
Handing out free tickets
To the wedding of his son.
An' me, I nearly got busted
An' wouldn't it be my luck
To get caught without a ticket
And be discovered beneath a truck.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Now the preacher looked so baffled
When I asked him why he dressed
With twenty pounds of headlines
Stapled to his chest.
But he cursed me when I proved it to him,
Then I whispered, "Not even you can hide.
You see, you're just like me,
I hope you're satisfied."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Now the rainman gave me two cures,
Then he said, "Jump right in."
The one was Texas medicine,
The other was just railroad gin.
An' like a fool I mixed them
An' it strangled up my mind,
An' now people just get uglier
An' I have no sense of time.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

When Ruthie says come see her
In her honky-tonk lagoon,
Where I can watch her waltz for free
'Neath her Panamanian moon.
An' I say, "Aw come on now,
You must know about my debutante."
An' she says, "Your debutante just knows what you need
But I know what you want."
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

Now the bricks lay on Grand Street
Where the neon madmen climb.
They all fall there so perfectly,
It all seems so well timed.
An' here I sit so patiently
Waiting to find out what price
You have to pay to get out of
Going through all these things twice.
Oh, Mama, can this really be the end,
To be stuck inside of Mobile
With the Memphis blues again.

sunday.

got laundry going. my little sweetie had animal face pancakes and bacon for breakfast. she brushed her teeth and is playing right now.

last night we had dumplings and rice. we are both dumpling fans!

Saturday, April 12, 2008

blogthingy below,


because my little sweetie is enthralled with

spongebob right now!



Your Quirk Factor: 52%



You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it.

Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

Where the Sidewalk Ends

by Shel Silverstein


There is a place where the sidewalk ends
And before the street begins,
And there the grass grows soft and white,
And there the sun burns crimson bright,
And there the moon-bird rests from his flight
To cool in the peppermint wind.

Let us leave this place where the smoke blows black
And the dark street winds and bends.
Past the pits where the asphalt flowers grow
We shall walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And watch where the chalk-white arrows go
To the place where the sidewalk ends.

Yes we'll walk with a walk that is measured and slow,
And we'll go where the chalk-white arrows go,
For the children, they mark, and the children, they know
The place where the sidewalk ends.

Friday, April 11, 2008

hey it's FRIDAY!

turn it UP


LOUD LOUD LOUD!!!






tomorrow is my daughter's THIRTY FIFTH birthday!










i'm really glad i had her when i was young!

anyway, happy birthday deana!
PEACE NOT PERMANENT

by Robert Herrick



Great cities seldom rest; if there be none
T' invade from far, they'll find worse foes at home.

sunday-remember DARFUR!


thanks



http://www.amnestyusa.org/Darfur/Global-Day-for-Darfur/page.do?id=1351049&n1=3&n2=52&n3=1554

found this thru jim!




hey boag, this one's for you...









Legendary singer becomes first artist to receive honour

Apr 8, 2008

Bob Dylan news, reviews, video and tour dates
Add Bob Dylan to MyNME
Bob Dylan has been awarded an honorary Pulitzer Prize at this year's New York ceremony.

The legendary performer has become the first rock artist to receive such an accolade after he was cited for his "profound impact on popular music and American culture, marked by lyrical compositions of extraordinary poetic power".

The singer was awarded a Special Citation In Music for his work by the Pulitzer Prize board.

Tom Petty, who worked with Dylan in the Traveling Wilbury band told Hollywood Today: "To even begin to name the songs in Bob Dylan’s amazing catalogue would take too long and would be like reading from the encyclopedia."

The Pulitzer Prize is regarded in America as the highest national honour in print journalism, literary acheievements and musical composition.

Previous recipients of the special musical Pulitzer include jazz icon John Coltrane, composer George Gershwin and science-fiction author Ray Bradbury.
friday, joke day. one for all the golfers i know!







my wife, the caddy...



The room was full of pregnant women and their partners, and the Lamaze class was in full swing. The instructor was teaching the women how to breathe properly, along with informing the men how to give the necessary assurances at this stage of the plan.

The teacher then announced, “Ladies, exercise is good for you. Walking is especially beneficial. And, gentlemen, it wouldn’t hurt you to take the time to go walking with your partner!”

The room really got quiet. Finally, a man in the middle of the group raised his hand.

“Yes?” replied the teacher.

“Is it ok if she carries a golf bag while we walk?”





me-hey, i know some guys like that!

Thursday, April 10, 2008

a sweet treat:








hooray!!!!!!

my new computer!


yep, i'm typing on it now!
i've been meaning to post about national poetry month
but haven't been able to spend any real time here.

mb has a beautiful poem up at his place:




http://mistrelboy.blogspot.com/
well the pens won last night. i was down at the club so i saw the game cause it was on every television there.

eric is going to try to make it after work to hook up my new computer!

it is sitting in 2 big boxes and i can't wait to see it(and use it)
but i don't even want to open the boxes til he gets here.

not opening boxes is hard for me as i go crazy with unopened gifts or mail or whatever.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

another great morning, then it is supposed to rain for the next four days!

got my hair cut yesterday! my cousin is down with a bug( get better soon) so i went and got my hair cut where i used to. i looked like a sheepdog before.


i'm really pleased. it's short, short and most of the blonde is gone.
the silver with a bit of grey is pretty cool. i like it. i had some really nice comments about it yesterday. 1 negative. she liked my dark better. i liked it too but hey, it's a pain to keep up with so i bow to mother nature. it looks good.


my jaw is still a little swollen but as long as the temp medicated filling holds and i don't have to have a root canal done i will be thrilled! a lot of the meds i had been on affect bone and teeth. my teeth are nice but they f'ed up the bone a bit before i stopped taking them. i'm not complaining ( much ) had to try them.

eric called this morning. my computer is in ohio on it's way here so hopefully it will be here today or tomorrow. then he has to set it up for me. (bless him)

then i can get into my files( i hope) AND be able to sit here longer than 5 or 6 minutes at a time without getting a headache.

i miss my pk group and i miss my blogs that i read and my bloging friends!!!!

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

god today was gorgeous! still is.
even having dental work done and looking like i took a slight punch to the jaw hasn't dampened the beauty of this day!
wonderful morning. just beautiful!

Monday, April 07, 2008

hi all.

went with my mother this morning to resubmit all her paperwork for the housing authority. they are really nice but god, anything to do with any government agency is just a ton o' paperwork! hopefully most of it is done now.

it's so beautiful out today, i can't stand not being outside.
i've wandered out to peek at the woods a few times already!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

back!

i just figured out what this computer sounds like!

it sounds like a guy pissing on a tin roof while a microwave hums in the distance!


damn, you'd think i could make a poem out of that image!
i think i'm going nuts without my computer!

i'm grateful to be able to use this one but damn, the screen sort of rolls and it hums and clicks and is slower that slow!

it gives me eye aches and head aches so i limit my time here.

i've been looking for other things to do outside of my regular routine.
went out and cleaned two HUGE garbage cans full of dead oak leaves from my front garden. i hate it at first, when i get down into the wet and dirt but soon the scent of the earth and the feel of it begins to make me happy and the sweat and dirt seems o.k.

a hot shower after and i was good to go!

found a lot of small plants up about 4 or 5 inches.

i can't wait to get some flowers and plant them in my pots.

Saturday, April 05, 2008

just finished watching "eating raoul"
i haven't seen it since it was first out.
thought it might be interesting to rent it and see how i liked it
now versus way back when.

it was a completely different feel from years ago
tho it's still funny in an odd way.
i laughed much more when i was young.

the clothes just cracked me up tho!
a grey sat. morning BUT the weather high priest here says warm today!
yippee!

Friday, April 04, 2008

my computer is dead, deceased... just like the python parrot!
thankfully my mom (bless her)gave me and my sister some money recently.
so i'm going to buy a new one!

i can not maintain what little sanity i have without my computer and the people and places and all that jazz!

but, i'm not sure if the little save thingy that eric had given me has saved my pictures and addresses etc. should be interesting.

but my computer usage will be limited until i get my new one tho i think i can post here every day.

wish me luck. i miss checking in with you guys as much as i used to.

i also can not access my saved pk mail etc. that really sucks but i can still read the poems and such.
have to go. hope to be back on my computer tonight.
but, knowing how nasty my computer gremlins can be, i doubt it! : (
we took mom to the bank, the stores, the post office and back home.
i enjoy talking to the old ones. there is always at least 1 usually 3 or 4 in the lobby.
in warmer weather they sit outside and enjoy the fresh air.
REMEMBER

MLK!
friday- joke day!

don't have much time.
so here's one from when my kid was little:


what is green and lives under the sea??

moby the pickle!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

i wish i were better with freaking computers!

i found mb's blog by searching, couldn't find kona's. got shakesville...

i don't have access to my fav's addys.

gotta go.
hope to be back again tomorrow.
i made it!

geez i miss my computer. i swear if eric can fix it
i'm giving it a name and buying it gifts!


eric says he can try to get here tomorrow night.
i am grateful to him. he works a lot. he says he's my computer
whore that my daughter pimps out! they make me laugh!

nothing much going on.

i can still check my pk list mail but not my blog mail. i can't get hotmail to work from here. don't know what i'm doing wrong but i don't want to fuck this computer up so...

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

back, still have to go and borrow computer usage.
i dislike this, intensely!

i have aol. he has msn. nothing flows right.
plus i don't want to do anything to screw up his computer accidentally.

so, i can get to blogger and i can get to my aol mail but for some reason, i haven't figured out how to get to my blog mail because i just keep running into his and i don't want to do that!

i also don't have my bookmark addresses!!! that sucks!

this is like trying to cook a meal in someone else's kitchen.

my son-in-law is supposed to come tomorrow if he can. he works late tonight.

ya know. today would have been my father's birthday.
i have a feeling he is laughing. he always did have a strange sense of humor.
massive computer mess up!!!!

phooey!

i had to borrow a computer to post this.
my freaking computer just sort of seized up on me and i can't do anything.

i hate this!

back when i can.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008







i've never been a big fan of april fool's day
SO

here's my idea of fool. yum!