Quote Of The Month

I overheard this yesterday morning while in the waiting room at the surgery center.  It was priceless. And unfortunately the lady that spoke it didn't give many more details so I couldn't put together any background.  But it's quote-worthy nonetheless.

"He's driving that train, and he get off of it any time he wants."

Monday Updates

I took a week of vacation to help The Old Man with his caratact surgery.  The morning started bright and early, well, early enough at 7:45.  We were up and ready to head to the Snooty McSnoot East End of town where the surgery center was. We got there in plenty of time, and as others have told us, the majority of the experience was spent waiting.  The actual procedure only took about 45 minutes.  But The Patient did great, and had a great, pain-free afternoon. Of course, he has an excellent Caregiver (aka Me).  Thank goodness I have a very steady hand when it comes to giving him all of he prescribed eyedrops. 

When we got home, all three of us were strung out and wanted to take a nap but there was too much excitement going on around us to sleep.  First and foremost, they were putting on a new roof here at The Compound, and it sounded like the house was going to implode at any minute.  Add to that the tree men were next door at Nick's (formerly Rosie's House) and you had the chipper and chainsaws going on all afternoon.  In fact, they are still going on as I type this.  Then you can add in the other neighbor's grandson cutting grass and you had one busy loud afternoon at The Compound.  I'm pretty sure we will all sleep well tonight.

Link Of The Week

Spring is here and with it brings tornado and storm season.  But it seems anymore tornado season lasts all year long and not just in the spring or early summer.  A couple of weeks ago you should already downloaded the Red Cross' tornado app to your phone or iPads, and this week take a few minutes to look at this info about tornado safety from the Storm Prediction Center.  Take some time to figure out where you would go if there is a tornado -- whether at home, work, school, church or anywhere.  Visit http://www.spc.noaa.gov/faq/tornado/safety.html

Follow Through

This morning was another prime example of the need to follow through.  The Old Man is having cataract surgery on Monday, and he's supposed to start on eye drops tomorrow morning.  On three different occasions he was told that the eye drops prescriptions would be called in to the drugstore in our hood.  We stupidly assumed all would be taken care of.  Until noon today when we received no call from the drugstore saying the prescription was ready to be picked up.  That's when I sprang into action.  I made a call to his eye doctor's office, and of course got the answering service but she took down my info and she did FOLLOW THROUGH because five minutes later we got a call back from someone at the eye doctor's office.  And five minutes later we got another call from someone at the drugstore asking about the Old Man's insurance, and they told him he would get a call later when the drops were ready to be picked up.

I thought about what if's -- what if we hadn't thought to call when the Old Man hadn't gotten a call saying his eye drops were ready to be picked up?  There's a lot of seniors out there that don't have a "care giver" as we jokingly refer to me.  If we hadn't called today to check on the drops, we would have gotten to the surgery center on Monday morning only to be sent back home because he hadn't used the prescribed drops in preparation for the surgery.  Then we would have had to reschedule and then things would have totally been FUBAR.

So this is a big lesson on following through and on tenacity.  I give props to the answering service for getting the info to the doctor's office, and I give props to the drugstore for being on top of it and calling back about insurance info.  But this is a reminder to us all that you need to follow through.  As the saying goes, say what you do and more importantly, do what you say.

Farewell, George Jones

"Choices"


I've had choices since the day that I was born
There were voices that told me right from wrong
If I had listened, no I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying with the choices I've made

I was tempted, by an early age I found
I liked drinkin', oh, and I never turned it down
There were loved ones but I turned them all away
Now I'm living and dying with the choices I've made

I've had choices since the day that I was born
There were voices that told me right from wrong
If I had listened, no I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying with the choices I've made

I guess I'm payin' for the things that I have done
If I could go back, oh, Lord knows I'd run
But I'm still losin' this game of life I play
Losing and dying with the choices I've made

I've had choices since the day that I was born
There were voices that told me right from wrong
If I had listened, no I wouldn't be here today
Living and dying with the choices I've made

Living and dying with the choices I've made

Asia, You Rock!

Ringling Bros. & Barnum and Bailey Circus is in town, and today some of the elephants were in front of the KFC Yum! Center having brunch.  The star of the show was Asia, who was wearing a very stylish red Derby hat.  Asia, let me say that you are rocking the red hat, my friend. 

Is It Hot In Here Or Is It Me?

The weather has been a roller coaster ride for the past two weeks.  Never in my life have I experienced having the air conditioner on at The Compound one day, only to have to turn the furnace on the next day.  This has happened three times in the past three weeks.  It's driving me crazy.

Farmtown 2013

I am happy to report that Farmtown 2013 is under way.  The garden here at The Compound was tilled yesterday and again today with the smaller Mantis tiller, and the ground is ready for planting.  Rumor has it that corn and some tomatoes will be planted on Saturday.  As always, I'll keep you posted.

File Under: WTF?

Cinnamon Challenge: Doctors Issue Warning Against Dangerous Trend

Don't take the cinnamon challenge. That's the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.


The fad involves daring someone to swallow a spoonful of ground cinnamon in 60 seconds without water. But the spice is caustic, and trying to gulp it down can cause choking, throat irritation, breathing trouble and even collapsed lungs, the report said.

Published online Monday in Pediatrics, the report said at least 30 teens nationwide needed medical attention after taking the challenge last year.

The number of poison control center calls about teens doing the prank "has increased dramatically," from 51 in 2011 to 222 last year, according to the American Association of Poison Control Centers.

"People with asthma or other respiratory conditions are at greater risk of having this result in shortness of breath and trouble breathing," according to an alert posted on the association's website.

Thousands of YouTube videos depict kids attempting the challenge, resulting in an "orange burst of dragon breath" spewing out of their mouths and sometimes hysterical laughter from friends watching the stunt, said report co-author Dr. Steven E. Lipshultz, a pediatrics professor at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

Cinnamon is made from tree bark and contains cellulose fibers that don't easily break down. Animal research suggests that when cinnamon gets into the lungs, it can cause scarring, Lipshultz said.

Dr. Stephen Pont, a spokesman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and an Austin, Texas pediatrician, said the report is "a call to arms to parents and doctors to be aware of things like the cinnamon challenge" and to pay attention to what their kids are viewing online.

An Ypsilanti, Mich., teen who was hospitalized for a collapsed lung after trying the cinnamon challenge heartily supports the new advice and started her own website – _ telling teens to "just say no" to the fad. http://nocinnamonchallenge.com


Dejah Reed, 16, said she took the challenge four times – the final time was in February last year with a friend who didn't want to try it alone.


"I was laughing very hard and I coughed it out and I inhaled it into my lungs," she said. "I couldn't breathe."

Her father, Fred Reed, said he arrived home soon after to find Dejah "a pale bluish color. It was very terrifying. I threw her over my shoulder" and drove to a nearby emergency room.


Dejah was hospitalized for four days and went home with an inhaler and said she still has to use it when she gets short of breath from running or talking too fast. Her dad said she'd never had asthma or breathing problems before.

Dejah said she'd read about the challenge on Facebook and other social networking sites and "thought it would be cool" to try.

Now she knows "it's not cool and it's dangerous."


If only these kids knew that cinnamon is put to much, much better use in a cobbler or cake.

App Of The Week

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, this weekend marks the official kick-off to the Derby Festival.  Yep, it takes over two weeks worth of events to celebrate just a two minute race. But I digress.  If you'd like to keep up with all of the events going on during the next two weeks, you can download the official Kentucky Derby Festival app.  You can get it at iTunes or the Android Market. Happy Derby!

Off And Running!

Tonight was Thunder Over Louisville, the world's largest fireworks display and the start of the 2013 Kentucky Derby Festival.  We're off and running!

WTG Ann and Nancy

TWIT would like to congratulate Ann and Nancy Wilson on Heart's induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame today.  It was long overdue.

Keep on rocking, ladies. We will never know how many millions (yes, millions) of female guitarists and singers that you have influenced in your career.  I know for certain I am one of them. 

P.D.S.

The weatherazzi has everyone in an uproar again today about severe weather forecasted for later tonight -- damaging winds, large hail, possible tornados.  They have given this a new name "P.D.S." -- Potentially Dangerous Situation.  I like PDS and I think I'm going to start using it. I will probably be overused at work.

Spring Has Sprung

Spring is in full force here in the Ohio Valley, and so is the spring allergy season. The pollen count is so high, and people that normally don't sneeze are complaining. Thank goodness for Advil Congestion and Allergy.

Lost And Found

It's that time of the year again - the time when I've lost something an am turning the house upside down till I find it.  This time, it's a small object - my lime green small thumb drive.  I know for sure that I didn't drop it out in "public"; I'm positive it's somewhere here in the house; most likely, my bedroom.  Everything on the drive has been backed up on two different drives - one at home and one at work, so it's not like I can't recover any files.  It's just the principle that once again, I've lost something.  As always, I'll keep you posted.

Reaffirmation

Today's horrific bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon reaffirmed to me that I have made the right decision to start Good Shepherd Security Consulting.  I've been in a slump, with not having any customers, but today reaffirmed that I'm doing what I'm supposed to be doing.  For a couple of years now I've been preaching to everyone to get over the "it's not going to happen here" attitude. Today is proof positive that "it" CAN happen here - wherever you are. 

We've got some events in the next few weeks here in Louisville where hundreds of thousands of people will be crammed into small areas -- Thunder Over Louisville, the Mini Marathon, and the apex, the Kentucky Derby.  Something like the bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon could easily happen at any of these events.  The main things that their "security" people look for at these mentioned events are people trying to sneak in alcohol. 

I pray that not only Louisville but all cities will realize that something can happen to them, and take measures to prevent it from happening.

TWIT's prayers go out to those affected by today's bomb explosions at the Boston Marathon.

Link Of The Week

If you live in the Ohio Valley, then you already know that the pollen count has been sky high for the past week and a half.  People that normally aren't affected by the pollen are sneezing and complaining.  Visit http://www.weather.com/health/allergy/main and enter your zip code on the left-hand side of the page for the Pollen Count for your area.  Good luck and I hope you don't sneeze too much.

Security Tip Saturday

A week ago, I noticed a call coming in on my cell phone that I use solely for Good Shepherd Security Consulting. I got excited, thinking it might be a potential customer. I looked at the phone before answering and saw that the call was coming from Jamaica.  I wasn't about to answer it, for fear of getting socked with $$$ roaming charges.  They left a message and the voicemail told me that I had won the Publisher's Clearing House Sweepstakes, and left a number for me to call to get my winnings.  I knew immediately it was a scam.  I did  a quick Google search and found info about the scam.  Once they get you on the phone they will do their damnedest to get a bank account number or credit card number from you.

Please be aware and let others know about this fairly-new phone scam.

Stay safe.

Flashback Friday

Farewell, Jonathan Winters. 

Advice Of The Century

Take this advice from me -- it is way more important than "advice of the day" or even "advice of the year" --

QUIT PROCRASTINATING. 

Yep, that was in all caps.  I learned a lesson today to quit procrastinating.  Everything turned out even better in the end after said procrastination, but it was a lesson learned and something that I am going to try my damnedest to do. 

Thank the Lord and Trane

After some heavy frost early last week, the temps started to climb and Saturday we were in the mid 70's.  It was even warmer on Sunday and yesterday. For the past 4 nights I haven't slept well because I've had my window open to get a little air and as if the record-high pollen isn't bad enough, the birds have started chirping at 2:00 in the morning.  Yesterday it was 82 and humid and windy.  I had ran some errands for the 'Rents and even picked up supper and a bottle of wine (as requested) so Mom wouldn't have to cook, and when I got in the house I knew it was time.  I put down the bags and simply said "I'm hot and I'm going to turn on the air."  There was no resistance. Like one of them would get a gun and say "No you can't.".  But I digress.  The only comment was from Mom who said "I'm surprised you didn't do it yesterday."  Well, now that I think about it, I'm surprised I didn't do it, too.

I walked to the hallway where the thermostat is and saw it was almost 80 in the house, and as soon as I flipped the switch from heat to cool, the trusty old Trane a/c fired right up.  By bedtime the house was as comfortable as could be, and I enjoyed a great night's sleep.

Way To Go, Webster

TWIT would like to congratulate the chess team from my alma mater Webster University on winning the NCAA chess championship.  Granted, I'm probably one of the few people in Louisville that knew about it amid all of the basketball hoopla, but I think it's awesome. These college kids are every bit the champions that Peyton Siva and Russ Smith are.

Way to go Webster.

Good Luck, Cards

I know some friends will find this hard to believe but yes, I am publicly wishing the UofL Cardinals mens team good luck tonight in the NCAA championship game against Michigan.  Above else, I pray for a not-so-drama-filled night here in the 'Ville.  Win or lose, I'm expecting the partiers and thugs to tear up the city tonight. 

App Of The Week

You already know I love a good deal, and I normally do research before I buy something - re: where I can find it at the cheapest price. Thanks to smart phones, we can have that research with us all the time now.  "The Find" is a cool app that will give you where you find the product you're looking for and also the price.  You can search for the item by name or if you're comparison shopping, you can scan the barcode. "The Find" is available for Apple and Android products. Don't shop without it.

Good Luck, U of L

TWIT would like to wish the U of L Cardinals mens and womens basketball teams good luck as they play this weekend in the NCAA Final Four.

It's no secret that I am not a college sports fan, but I love my city and I support our teams. 

Go Cards!   

Go Bats!

I apologize for not posting yesterday.  It was the season opener for my beloved Louisville Bats, and when I got home from the game last night, I was as tired as if I'd played the ballgame, and went right to bed.

The Bats won their season opener against the Toledo Mud Hens 4-3. It was an awesome game, other than being a bit on the cold side.  But the forecast for tomorrow's game is low 70's and no rain; perfect weather for a ballgame in my book.

Post-Easter Observations

As is the tradition on Easter Sunday, it's my job to make the deviled eggs.  As you know, I don't cook, but the 'Rents and others say I make awesome deviled eggs.  That having been said, I started the halving-of-the-egg process, only to discover that the plastic deviled egg tray has 13 slots for eggs.  Yes, 13.  Why in heaven's name would a company make a deviled egg tray with an odd number of slots for deviled eggs? Are they just willing you to mess up on one half? It was just off-putting, to start out making deviled eggs knowing I would be one under or one over if I decided to fill up the tray.  I wish I could find the tray manufacturer and contact them.

April Fools Update

I'm happy to report that I was on my guard all day long yesterday and it was the first AprilnFools Day in ages that Mom did not catch me in any tricks.  It's not because she didn't try; I was just too smart for her,

April Fools

It's 6:02 p.m. and as of now, my Mom hasn't gotten me on one of her April Fools pranks. If you remember, this is one of Mom's favorite holidays, because she gets such a kick out of fooling me.  Her ploy has been the back-to-back prank; she will try to get me with something, but I'm on guard and catch her, only to let down my guard a second later, allowing her to get me with the back-to-back prank.   Believe me, she's tried.  Many times today, even. But I've been on my guard and have foiled her plots so far. But never fear; she always wins in the end, and I know she's got some big prank planned for later tonight.  As always, I'll keep you posted.