Night Blind by Jan Worth

Looking for something interesting and unusual to read? I recommend Night Blind by Jan Worth. It's the story of a Peace Corps murder in the Kingdom of Tonga in the 1970s (based on a real murder in Tonga when Jan was a Peace Corps volunteer). It's not a typical who-done-it murder mystery but it is an intriguing look at how this horrible crime affected other young Peace Corps volunteers. I especially like the setting. I knew nothing about Tonga before reading it and felt like I went on a little vacation in this beautiful, tropical setting.

Jan is a dear colleague of mine and I'm so proud of her success! She self-published her novel through iUniverse and is doing well. She recently attended Book Expo America in New York where she recorded a podcast (also available in iTunes) for Book Expo's Author's Studio. You can read more by and about Jan on her blog.

The End of Battlestar Galactica

If you haven't seen the new Battlestar Galactica on SCI-FI, you are missing one of the best shows on television. It's nothing like the 1978 series of the same name. It's edgy and well-written, with believable, three-dimensional characters in an impossibly stressful situation. The episodes are so well-written with ever-building tension that it's hard to go to bed right after watching it. If I do, I sometimes dream about it because I can't stop thinking about it. Now that's good writing!

If you've watched either series, skip this paragraph. If you've never seen the old or new series, here's the setup: the 12 colonies of man have been destroyed by Cylons, the cyborg/robots created to serve man but turned against him. A handful of survivors escape to space in anything that will fly, protected by the last Battlestar, Galactica. In hopes of starting over, Galactica is searching for the lost 13th colony, Earth. Like all good Sci-Fi the stories are about humans and how they react to the situation they are in. The current series deals with things barely touched on in the original series: grief, survival, racial discrimination, love, religion, etc.

(Speaking of religion, in the new series the Cylons are monotheists, and some are quite fanatical about it, while the humans are polytheists. For three seasons I've been wondering what the heck this means!)

The new series has some wonderful twists: some of the characters who were originally male are now female (Starbuck and Boomer, for instance), which makes for a better balance of male and female characters, and adds a whole new dimension to Starbuck's relationships with Apollo, Adama and Zak.

Another amazing twist is that Cylons can now appear to be human. There are 12 models of Cylons, at least 7 of which appear to be human -- and no one can tell at glance who is human and who is a Cylon. At least one major character on Galactica is a Cylon, so viewers are constantly asking themselves, "Oh my God, is that character a Cylon?". There are multiple copies of each human model, so killing a "skin job" doesn't result in death; the Cylon's consciousness and memories merely download into another identical body. Imagine the complications for the poor humans fighting them, and the discrimination against the few "skin jobs" who are sympathetic to the humans.

It's wonderfully complex and interesting, which is why I am so disappointed to hear that the producers recently announced that the next season will be the last. The writers/producers have an actual ending planned, and since the end of the series is not unexpected I'm sure it will be stunning. Since the new series has lasted 4 seasons (3 seasons longer than the original) and the writing has been outstanding since the beginning, I guess we really can't complain that they have announced the end.

How do I think it will end?

*** SPOILER ALERT *** I'm going to mention the Season 3 finale. If you haven't seen it yet, stop reading now!

Season 3 ended with Starbuck apparently returning from the dead, saying she'd been to Earth, and she would lead the fleet there. I'm sure she will. I'm also sure they will not arrive in 2007/8. It will either be in our distant past (and they will end up being our ancestors) or the far future (and they will end up re-populating Earth after the Cylons destroy us). What makes me think so? A couple of things.

First, the "history repeats itself" theme of the new series. We are told repeatedly that everything that is happening now has happened before and will happen again in the future. This is often mentioned in prophecies about Earth and Starbuck's "special destiny" (foretold by a seer in season 1 or 2 and a prominent storyline in season 3).

Second, the opening and closing monologues from the 1978 series:

[opening] There are those who believe that life here began out there, far across the universe, with tribes of humans who may have been the forefathers of the Egyptians, or the Toltecs, or the Mayans. They may have been the architects of the great pyramids, or the lost civilizations of Lemuria or Atlantis. Some believe that there may yet be brothers of man who even now fight to survive somewhere beyond the heavens...

[closing] Fleeing From The Cylon Tyranny the last Battlestar, Galactica, leads a rag tag fugitive fleet on a lonely quest for a shining blue planet known as Earth.

This afternoon I saw two episodes of the 1978 series on the Ion (Independent Television) channel. It confirmed two things: the current series is much better and my ideas about the end of the series.

One of the 1978 episodes, "The Hand of God," was about Galactica nearly finding Earth. They picked up a transmission from unknown source, possibly hundreds of years old but clearly from a NASA lunar mission. Of course it appeared to come from the Cylon basestar that suddenly appeared from behind a planet and this led to a spectacular battle in which the basestar was destroyed, thanks to Apollo and Starbuck using intelligence from Baltar. At the end of the episode Apollo and Starbuck just miss another transmission from Earth: "The Eagle has landed."

See how it supports my theory? The message from Earth may be hundreds of years old, the Cylons got there first, etc. I'm sure the current writers will make it edge-of-your-seat tense and unforgettable, with unexpected twists, but I still don't want it to end. Thank God for DVDs!

6 Reasons to Buy a Mac

In case this ad is too small to read, the reasons in the ad are:

• Run Office and Windows
• Equipped with iLife
• Four-way video chatting
• Supports iTunes U
• Unbelievably secure
• Built-in wireless
  

PCs don't have built-in wireless?! Now I understand why everyone I know who is switching from a PC to a Mac has asked me "You have wireless? Really? You can use your laptop anywhere?"

Hard to believe, isn't it?

For more reasons, read Why You'll Love a Mac (Apple even offers educational discounts) and watch the "I'm a Mac, I'm a PC" commercials.

All Aboard the Hogwarts Express!

June 1 on CNN: Potter buffs may soon be able to visit Hogwarts. I only have one question: do I get to take the Hogwarts Express?

I am OK

Thank you to everyone who e-mailed to see if I'm OK! I am fine, just too busy teaching spring semester to blog. Spring and summer semesters here are accelerated, so we do 14 weeks' work in just 7 weeks. Talk about hectic!

For those who've asked, this entry is an update on me and my cats.

Me and My Tendinitis

My arm still hurts but I have hope for improvement. I had a busy day with it yesterday: I had physical therapy in the morning and saw the sports doctors in the afternoon.

Right now I do physical therapy twice a week and see the sports doc every 4-6 weeks. Apparently I have an usually bad case of chronic tendinitis. It’s nice to have my perception confirmed by professionals, but I’m also getting tired of hearing things like “Wow, I’ve never seen a case this bad!”.

My sports doc (Dr. Ross) and his colleagues at MSU Sports Medicine (whom I am seeing while Dr. Ross is on medical leave) are very encouraging. They tell me this is a problem with young, active people (i.e., it’s not age-related) and that it can get better with therapy. They say I am doing all the right things and so is my physical therapist and they think I can probably avoid surgery.

If it does come to surgery, the most recent studies indicate that cutting and splicing the tendon really doesn’t help, but removing the inflammation and scar tissue does. That means a less invasive surgery and quicker recovery. I hope to avoid it but if that’s the only way to fix it for good, I’ll do it. We’re switching to Blue Cross in Oct. so I can have Dr. Ross do the surgery, if it comes to that.

My insurance coverage for PT runs out at the end of July and my new coverage (Blue Cross) doesn’t start until Jan. 08. I was concerned about what to do if the pain gets worse between July and January, but the docs assured me that they won’t let it get severe again. The physical therapist will give me a home exercise plan (but I’m not that far along yet) and they can always give me anti-inflammatories again if necessary. Whew! Knowing I have a plan makes me feel better!

When he was examining my arm yesterday, the MSU doc said the radial something or other was out of alignment. (I will have to ask the physical therapist what this is called. *) He held my hand like we were shaking hands, we both pushed gently as he twisted my arm, and I felt something pop back into place! He said this was part of what was causing pain to shoot up my arm and showed me how to check for it and explained how I can pop it back by myself. Wow, if only the tendon damage and inflammation could be fixed so easily!

I iced it good last night and today it’s hardly swollen at all! That plus the encouraging visit to the sports doc yesterday gives me hope.

My Cats

Saffron is doing well. She hasn't had any digestive problems for over a week now. She's eating well and looks like she feels good most of the time. She's occasionally unsteady on her feet but even then she's bright-eyed. She looks very relaxed and happy (stretched out more than ever when she sleeps on the bed) and purry. The vets x-rayed her in early May after a bad bought of vomiting and diarrhea and they found no sign of cancer: no tumors or swollen organs. Everything looked for an 11-year-old kitty. This is unexpectedly good news and it gives me hope. I'm still hoping it's liver disease, not cancer, and that she'll be one of the lucky kitties who recover.

Sophie, who is now 10, is still very playful. They changed her arthritis medicine (Cosequin is now called Daysoquin and the ingredients are slightly different) and the first day I put it on her canned food she hesitated. Maybe it tastes different! She did eat it and I hope it works just as well so that she stays happy and playful for a long time! She's frustrated because Saffron doesn't feel like playing with her, so we try to play with her a lot. Her favorites are headwrestling ("I'm gonna get the kitty!") and chasing the laserpointer.

So things are hectic here but improving. I'm looking forward to taking summer semester off so I can work on my needlework, research, and writing. I'm also looking forward to staying home as much as I want to!

Thanks again to everyone who expressed concern at my lack of blogging since April!



* The physical therapist says my radius (bone on the thumb side of the forearm) was probably out of alignment due to the tendon inflammation and related muscle weakness. It's called radial head subluxation (aka, Nursemaid's elbow) and, according to WebMD, is unusual in adults but very common in kids who have been picked up and swung around by their hands. The description on WebMD of how it's fixed is exactly what the sports doc did to me!

UPDATE July 9: One of the docs at MSU said this is called radial head somatic dysfunction. It's not quite the same as Nursemaid's elbow but is treated the same way (i.e., popping the radius back into place). It's caused by muscle weakness, which is of course caused by the inflamed tendon and favoring that arm for two years. The exercises to re-strengthen those muscles will help prevent it from happening again.

What the Cats Do While I'm at Work

Physical Therapy Phase 2

Today the physical therapist, Carrie, started myofascial release in addition to the my other treatment. This is a special kind of massage that helps improve flexibility and reduce pain by directly massaging the tendon. I though it would hurt more than it actually does. She starts by massaging tendon with ice, which numbs it, then massages the tendon. It hurts a little but it really helps! After the ice and massage I get the medicine via the ionizer (which I think is called a Tens Unit). She said she's is doing the latter for longer than the doc prescribed because the inflammation was so bad at first that I couldn't stand to be touched. It sure has made a difference!

My arm still hurts, some days more than others, but it has improved significantly since I started PT and the pain no longer wakes me up at night. I'm very pleased with both the therapists (Patty and Carrie) and with my progress! I'm still hoping to avoid surgery if I can. I'll probably learn more when I see Dr. Ross (the sports doc) again on the 24th.

Saffron's Good News

Saffron had a rough day Monday (more vomiting and diarrhea but not as bad as Feb. 20). Instead of just getting her weekly B12 shot, we saw Dr. Joe for a check-up. He gave her something for her tummy, fluids under the skin (to prevent dehydration), and her B12 shot. We also decided to do a detailed blood test to compare to the tests from January. The results, which we got today, were very good. Her liver enzymes are almost identical to January (abnormal but not too bad) and everything else is good. She's perky, bright-eyed, and hungry all the time (even when she was having digestive problems Monday).

Dr. Joe was surprised and pleased that Saffron is doing so well overall. Two months ago the specialists who did the ultrasound told she was probably dying from cancer, but since then she has improved steadily (except for two days of apparently unrelated digestive problems on Feb. 20 and Apr. 2). I'm still hoping it is liver disease instead of cancer and she will be one of the lucky kitties who recover. For now she is happy, comfortable, and hungy and those are all good signs.

My Sweet Lord

Mar. 30 on CNN: Controversial chocolate Jesus exhibit canceled. No wonder! Talk about abysmally poor taste. It does support my Da Vinci theory: want to cause an uproar? Include a controversial Jesus theory. Only in this case it's a chocolate, naked Jesus.

Physical Therapy Day 2

I had my second physical therapy session yesterday. The first thing I did was ask why my arm hurt so much after the first visit! The therapist assured it was probably from the tests (measuring my grip, etc.), not from the treatment. To make sure it was more comfortable this time she put the patch next to the tendon instead of right in top. She also set the machine to an even lower setting. It took more than half an hour, but my iPod and I were ready.

It didn't hurt at all yesterday and didn't wake me up last night. Woo hoo! Progress at last! Today I am finally caught up on my grading after spending 2.5 weeks grading the same batch of papers. I've never taken so long to return papers and my students have been very understanding, but it's a huge relief to not have them hanging over me! I'll post them to Blackboard tomorrow and have a few non-grading days before my 112 students turn in their research papers next Fri.

After my bad experience with the doctor at Genesys, it's simultaneously a relief and a distress to have a good sports doctor and two physical therapists say, "Wow, you've had a really rough time." It's nice to have them confirm that this is an unusually bad case of tendonitis, but I'm ready for to be over. I'm glad I'm on the right track now.

Grade-free and pain-free is wonderful feeling. :)

Death of the Canopies

I am angry beyond words after reading yesterday's Davison Index: DDA reversal orders all canopies down. Instead of a pilot project in which part of the canopies would be removed, the Downtown Development Authority is removing them all, without consent of the business owners or the public (who want to keep the canopies).

The first section of canopies was removed Mar. 18; the rest of that block's canopies were removed Mar. 24. Every time I've driven down Main Street since Mar. 18 all I could think of was how awful it looked, especially the Davison Hotel. I was glad the pilot project was a compromise because, surely, everyone in favor of removing the canopies could now see how much work (and money) would be involved in restoring the building facades.

Instead, the ^#$%^& DDA is ripping down all the canopies thanks to Mayor Fred Rappuhn and every DDA member who voted for it: Eric Reichle, Melanie Helms, Marcia Johnson, Sue Fisher, and Authority Chairperson Barbara Jean Peckins-Muszynski.

Mr. Mayor, I will never vote for you, or anyone who supports you, ever again. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for destroying the public's trust as well the canopies. As The Index's Editor points out, Anyone want to trust these people now?

Hooray for Sean O’Bryan, Dave Larson, and George Kiess who voted against the mayor and the rest of the DDA!

One of the big questions is cost. Those who wanted to remove the canopies kept saying they were structurally unsound (without providing supporting evidence). They are the ones who decided to remove the rest of the canopies "after hearing the cost to refurbish the remaining canopies in the southeast block would be more than $35,000." Notice what they don't tell us? How much would it cost to leave them alone? (Nothing!) How much will is cost to fix the facades of all the buildings on Main Street? Uknown. The old street lights were -- guess where? -- on the canopies, so now there are no street lights. How much will it cost to install new lights? Unknown. AND they want to build a new city hall/library/museum. At least the public gets to vote on that. After the blatant lies and public betrayal about the canopy "pilot project" I know exactly how I will vote -- and I'm sure I won't be alone.

The Winner: Dan Brown

Today on FoxNews: 'Da Vinci Code' Author Dan Brown Wins Copyright Infringement Case.

I figured the judge would rule this was not plagiarism, especially since Brown refers to Holy Blood and the Holy Grail in the text and names a character (Leigh Teabing) after the authors. Teabing refers to The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail as "perhaps the best-known tome" on the subject.

I'm just sorry to hear that authors Michael Baigent and Richard Leigh now have now have about $6 million in legal bills. Instead of suing when there is no clear case of plagiarism, they could have made money by promoting The Da Vinci Code, which in turn promotes their book. Unfortunately, it looks any money they've made in sales due The Da Vinci Code will be needed to pay legal bills. I'm always flattered when someone cites one of my articles; too bad Baigent and Leigh didn't feel the same.

Harry Potter #7 Cover Released

Today on CNN: Cover for final 'Potter' revealed.

It's certainly brighter than the last few covers. I'm taking it as a sign there will be a bright, happy ending.

My predictions for book 7:

• Harry will kill Voldemort
• Harry will not die
  
• Despite his attempts to face Voldemort alone, Harry will be assisted by Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and the rest of Dumbledore's Army, the Order of the Phoenix, etc.
  
• Neville will turn out to be a really powerful and competent wizard, much to everyone's surprise. Likewise for Luna.
• Everyone will be surprised when Snape turns out to be a good guy after all and helps Harry defeat Voldemort
• Snape will die and we'll all feel bad because he will have proven he really was loyal to Dumbledore all along. (He killed Dumbledore on Dumbledore's orders, to convince Voldemort and the Deatheaters of his loyalty to Voldemort, you know!)
• Jo Rowling has said there will be two deaths. As I've predicted above, I say Voldemort and Snape, but I wouldn't be surprised if Harry lost another parental-figure, I just hope it's not one of the Weasleys!

Only 114 days until we find out how it all ends!

Update Mar. 31, 2007

Ideas I've Heard From Others:

• RAB = Sirius Black's brother, Regulus and the locket is in #12 Grimauld Place (Harry and the Weasleys found it when cleaning but didn't realize it was a horcrux).
• Is Harry a horcrux?
  

Having trouble keeping everything and everyone one in the HP series straight? Check out the Harry Potter Wiki. For discussion and news try The Leaky Cauldron, MuggleNet, and, of course Jo Rowling's web site. For movie news go to The Official Harry Potter Web Site.

Physical Therapy Day 1

I started physical therapy today and it was not what I expected! The therapist reviewed my history, examined my arm, and measured everything (muscles, grip, etc.). For treatment she put medicine on a patch, put it on the sore spot, and hooked it up to an ionizer. Basically, electric pulses ionize the medicine into the tissue. For now our goal is rest, healing, and pain reduction. When those improve we move on to a different kind of massage and, eventually, exercise. It hurt a little at first but then she adjusted the level of stimulation. It took about half an hour so I was glad I had my iPod with me! I had to leave the patch on for two additional hours after the treatment. For now I’ll be getting PT three days a week and the therapist said I should notice improvement after a couple of sessions.

It hurt again when I got home so I ended up resting and sleeping instead of grading (as I had hoped). I’m simultaneously relieved (that I’ve started therapy and it should help soon) and frustrated (because I’m still so far behind on my grading). Thank goodness my students are so patient!

Sophie the Drama Queen

Not to be outdone by all the attention her sister has been getting lately, Sophie decided to scare the crap out of us today. She let out a low-pitched warbling yowl like she was dying; the sound alone was so unexpected and scary that she nearly gave me a heart attack! We both ran to find her hunched in the hallway looking miserable. Then she started throwing up.

The yowling scared me so much that I called the vet. By the time Dr. Joe called back Sophie had calmed down, stopped barfing, and had a drink of water and a little food. Whew! Dr. Joe says she's probably fine, especially since she's eating and drinking again, but to keep an eye on her just in case. Apparently some cats with intestinal obstruction do the same thing. I did ask if this could be a Siamese thing, but said it's more of an individual personality thing. Apparently our Sophie is just a highly vocal girl who wants to tell us when she doesn't feel good. Given that, and the panic attack during her last visit to our old vet, I just pray she lives a long, healthy life!

Was Houdini Murdered?

Today in the news: Was Houdini murdered? Exhumation may bring answer.

To quote the CNN article:

The likeliest murder suspects were a group known as the Spiritualists, which became Houdini's nemesis in his final years. The magician devoted large portions of his stage show to exposing what he said were fraudulent seances by the group. The movement's devotees included Sherlock Holmes author Arthur Conan Doyle.

An unlikely conspiracy theory!

Houdini's nephew and Anna Thurlow (a descendant of one of the Spiritualists) are all for it. I'm just waiting for Doyle's heirs to weigh in...

New Sports Doc and New Hope

Today I went to Lansing to see Dr. Herb Ross about my tendonitis. He is the sports doctor who fixed my knee 15 years ago when we lived in Lansing. After seeing the jerk at Genesys in Flint, I wanted a second opinion and I knew I exactly who I wanted to see. I'm so glad I did!

Dr. Ross was appalled that the jerk in Flint was so rude and unhelpful. In a very polite and professional way he told the exact opposite: it's not age related, it's not blood-supply related, there are non-surgical things we can try, surgery does not involve cutting the tendon and permanently weakening it, and there are pain medications other than morphine that will help! Oh, and I'm not imagining it: sudden barometric changes do make it hurt. Finally, if I do eventually need surgery, it just means removing scar tissue, not cutting the tendon. Wow, just hearing all that made me feel better!

When he examined my arm he could see the damage and atrophy. I'm not sure how much is from the original injury. He did say I only really need the forearm brace for physical therapy and to stop the muscle-building exercises. Some of them are doing more damage than good.

I started my treatment today, too. Instead of another shot in the tendon, which I was glad to avoid, he gave me prescriptions for two anti-inflammatories (for about 10 days). They are the same meds that I have injected in the past, but he says the pills actually work better. I also have a prescription for physical therapy and I see Dr. Ross again in about 6 weeks.

Between the drive to Lansing and back, two hours at Dr. Ross’s office, and a long wait at the pharmacy, I needed a nap when I got home! I'm tired and my arm still hurts, but now I have hope that it will improve soon, that it can heal, and I can't begin to tell you what a huge difference that makes.

Saffron Update

Saffron spent the day with the vet today. She was fine when we were there yesterday for her weekly B12 shot but this morning she had so much sudden vomiting and diarrhea that I was afraid to leave her. We both needed to go to work, so I called the vet in a panic.

Dr. Amy saw Saffron immediately. She looked good and was no longer having digestive problems when we got there. Dr. Amy assured me it was probably just a bug (bacterial), maybe from something she ate, and not her disease. We don't use any of the tainted pet foods that were just in the news, so thank goodness we didn't have to worry about that!

Saffron stayed with Dr. Amy while I went to work. She got some fluid under the skin to prevent dehydration and an antibiotic shot. Instead of putting her in the boarding kennel, they kept her in the work room where they could keep a close eye on her. She got good care and expanded the size of her Briarwood fan club at the same time!

When I called between my classes to check on her, she was doing fine but wouldn't eat for them. She was very glad to see me when I picked her up after work, rubbing her little face all over my hands. She was very glad to get home where she ran right to her food and water for a snack!

She looks great, has no more digestive problems, and acts like she feels good. She seems to have more energy than usual. I don't know if it's the fluid, the antibiotics, or if she's just happy to be home; I'm just relieved to see her acting so well!

Thank you to everyone who has been asking about her and who warned us about the tainted pet foods!

More on Cozies

I've been thinking about my previous post on cozies and I realized I didn't mention the main reason I like cozies! Cozies are comforting.

This weekend when I was looking for something to read, I realized how important the comfort element is to me. My tendonitis has been hurting a lot, I feel overwhelmed with grading (I'm behind because of the tendonitis), and I'm worried about Saffron. I wasn't in the mood for a medical thriller (too graphic), a psychological thriller (too scary and/or unrealistic), or a police procedural (too graphic). I realized I needed a cozy! In cozies the violence usually take place off stage and the focus is on how the crime effects the characters' lives. There are lots of descriptions of food, settings, and wonderful characters. When you need a comforting visit with old friends, a cozy series is even better. The fact that the murderer is always brought to justice at the end of the book is also comforting.

Thinking about this made me remember that reading a cozy (a book in Dorothy Cannell's series) help me cope with 9/11. When I couldn't take any more unthinkable tragedy, I curled with one of her books and I was transported to a little village in England where I didn't have to think about anything else. When I saw Dorothy at Magna cum Murder that October, I told her why I now considered her books comfort reading and we both cried. She has new book this year and I can hardly wait to read it!

Need comfort? Read a cozy.

Nigerian Scam Revenge

I just heard this on the latest NPR Technology podcast: "Scam-Baiters" Turn Tables on Would-Be Cons. The best part is "One scam-baiter convinced his correspondent to film a reenactment of the "Dead Parrot" sketch from Monty Python" and humiliated him by posting it on YouTube. As you can guess, it's wildly popular.

Follow the link to read all about it on Xeni Jardin's blog, including links to the Nigerian Dead Parrot sketch on YouTube and the e-mail behind the video.

I'm so glad to see someone fighting back against the Nigerian scammers. I wish I'd thought of it but I lack the technical saavy for dealing with scammers.

Lake Wobegon Podcast

At long last I can listen to Garrison Keillor's weekly News from Lake Wobegon (NLW) on my iPod, free! To subscribe go to the Prairie Home Companion's about the podcast page or subscribe through iTunes.

While you are at it, you might also want to subscribe to GK's Writer's Almanac. It's a daily 5- minute podcast with almanac info and a poem. (I like pithy podcasts, in case you hadn't noticed.)

I got hooked on NLW when we lived in Lansing. One of my co-workers, Helen, had been recording it for years. She kindly loaned me a box of cassettes filled with nothing but NLW and I was hooked. Sometimes it made me sad. I was living away from my hometown and my mom and the dog I grew up with had recently died, so sometimes NLW made me so homesick I could hardly stand it. Most of the time, though, it made me laugh because I knew just what it was like to grow up in a small town, albeit not quite as quaint as Lake Wobegon.

Helen, in case I never told you, thanks. I think of you every time I listen to A Prairie Home Companion or NLW. I wish I knew where you are now so I could thank you in person.

I"m off to listen to the latest News from Lake Wobegon, where the women are strong, the men are good looking, and all the children are above average.

Star Trek XI & New Voyages

Today StarTrek.com confirmed rumors that the next film (ST XI) will be about young Kirk and Spock. No news on who the actors are yet, but the film will be directed by J. J. Abrams (who created Alias and Lost, two of my favorite modern TV shows), and will be released on Christmas day 2008.

Can't wait until 2008 for more the original Star Trek? Check out Star Trek: New Voyages (ST: NV). These are Internet-only free new episodes created by folks who loved the original series and are producing a 4th season as if the original series was never cancelled. You won't recognize the actors playing Kirk, Spock, McCoy, etc. but you might be surprised by some of the guest stars: William Windon (Commodore Matt Decker), Walter Koenig, and (coming in Spring 2007) George Takai.

The first episode I watched was "In Harm's Way" (season 4 episode 2). It's time travel story involving The Guardian of Forever, The Doomsday Machine, and Christopher Pike. The writing and production values are amazingly good. They've captured Trek right down to the music and the NBC peacock. It's a hoot seeing how close they come to the original (and best) series. In case you are wondering why it's not a copyright problem, Eugene Roddenberry, Jr. is one of the producers.

The cast and crew are devoted to the original series and want to continue it without parodying it, so the actors are good but are not imitating the original stars. They are excellent, especially when you consider no one is getting paid for this. They have a sense of humor, too. It you watch "In Harm's Way," be sure to watch through the credits for a clip of Jeff Quinn (Spock) singing a line from "Bilbo Baggins" (but he's a much better singer than Leonard Nimoy).

Watch a review on CNET.com.

The only problem I'm having with ST: NV is downloading episodes! Most episodes are posted on mirror sites, with 4 or 5 parts per episode. Windows Media Player seems to be the standard format (and that works fine on my Mac PowerBook G4) but not all mirror sites use the same format. If you dowload WMP format, be patient; it will take a while. If you download .avi files they may not work with QuickTime 7; you may need to download VCL Media Player or something like it. Some files are zipped, so Mac users will need something other than StuffIt to open the files.

Despite my download problems, I've now watched everything available (three episodes and one vignette) and I can hardly wait for the next new episode! That should tell you how impressed I am. Actually, I'm more than impressed, I wish I were involved.

May ST: NV live long and prosper.

What is a Cozy?

I love mysteries and want to start blogging about the books I'm reading. Before I do I think I need to define the term "cozy" for those who are not familiar with mystery fiction. Here's a quick definition from the Cluelass web site:

A "traditional" mystery whose best-known practitioner is Agatha Christie. Common elements include: a domestic setting such as a country house or quiet neighborhood; a limited roster of suspects, all part of the victim's social circle; little or no description of violence or sex; a mildly romantic subplot; and an amateur sleuth or eccentric professional.

There is also often a cat. Contrary to popular opinion, a cozy does not mean the kind of story where the cat solves the crime. That is one kind of cozy and, yes, I have been known to buy mysteries because they have a cat on the cover! I read many different kinds of mysteries but am especially fond of cozies.

The wonderful things about cozies is that there are so many to choose from. Whatever you are interested in, there's a mysteries series for you. There are too many sub-genres to list here but some popular ones are culinary (with recipes), cats, dogs, horses, historical, supernatural, coffee shops, inns, etc. I'm sure you get the idea. The tone of cozies varies as well, so you can always find something to suit your mood (light and funny, serious, scary, etc.).

Where can you find out if you like cozies? I recommend Detecting Women 2: Reader's Guide and Checklist for Mystery Series Written by Women by Willetta Heising. The checklist (by author) are helpful but so is the huge cross-reference section where you can look up series/authors by the sub-genre (culinary, supernatural, historical, etc.). This books is limited to female authors but Heising also has a Detecting Men checklist for male authors (all genres, not just cozies). Unfortunately, Detecting Men does not include a cross-reference section and is limited to authors who write series (so don't look here for authors like Dick Francis).

My favorite bookstore, Aunt Agatha's in Ann Arbor, is a great place to find any kind of mystery. They even have cross reference notes on the shelves ("If you like Anne Perry you might also like Elizabeth Peters, Robin Paige, etc.").

I did a quick Internet search and found Cozy Mystery List with lots of info on cozies and two humorous definitions of cozies: Cozies I Have Known by Polly Whitney and What Makes a Cozy Just That?

What I like about cozies: interesting characters, settings (including places and historical settings like Anne Perry's Victorian England), and plots. I also love the variety of sub-genres. I will read a series just for characters I like, even if it's not "perfect." For example, one of my friends says that Ellis Peters' Brother Cadfael series is nothing like a real 12th century Bendictine monestary, but I don't care. I love the characters so much I can suspend my disblief.

The suspension of disbelief is required to some degree to read any mystery novel with an amateur sleuth but when a story becomes so implausible it destroys that suspension, I won't read or watch it. Some examples: most Agatha Christie but especially And Then There Were None (aka Ten Little Indians) and Jessic Fletcher. Call me a heretic, but I don't like Agatha Christie. I can tolerate Miss Marple on TV but Hercule Poirot needs his fussy little face slapped. I just don't understand why so many people like these characters. And don't get me started on Jessica Fletcher! Most serious mystery fans are sure Jessica is really a serial killer. What else could explain the fact that she stumbles over dead bodies everywhere she goes?

Sure, it's easy to make fun of a badly written traditional mystery (like Jessica Fletcher) but nothing beats a well-written cozy. Be sure to read it on a rainy night while you are snuggling with favorite cat or dog and sipping your favorite beverage. It's a mini-vacation of literary bliss!

Here Lies My Youth

I saw the sports doctor today about my tendinitis. I was in pain from the end of Sept. until almost the end of Feb. After the first visit (Jan. 15) he wanted me to tough it out so that today he could tell me:

1. Tendinitis is caused by age. I'm over 40 so I should get used to it. Good cholesterol, etc., doesn't prevent aging/clogging in the capillaries (which is what's causing this problem). It's unavoidable and the simple movements of daily life are what trigger the pain.

2. Surgery won't help and he will only do it if I insist. Surgery would mean removing any dead parts of the tendon, reconnecting the tendon to the bone, and there is only a 50% chance it will make things better. He really does not recommend it but I'm welcome to get a second opinion.

3. My perception is correct: no pain medicines help. The only kind that might is morphine (and I don't want that!).

4. There is still a chance it will improve on its own even after two years (which I find hard to believe). The only thing he can suggest is continue to wear my brace and do my PT exercises.

I'm very disappointed and frustrated. I've had severe pain off and on for two years and all he can tell is that it might get well on its own?! Why should I believe that? If normal life triggers the pain does that mean I'll never be able to do any kind of sports again (archery, going to the gym, etc.)? I've heard the expression "after 40 it's just patch, patch, patch" but I was expecting little aches and pains that build up over time, not sudden, disabling pain.

I am so angry and disappointed with this news and the doctor's brusque bedside manner that I can't think straight. I think I want a second opinion but I wonder if it's worth the trouble. I just wasted three months (from the time I asked my doctor to send me to a sports medicine/orthopedic surgeon to today), most of it in pain. How long would it take to get another opinion, and is it likely to be more of the same unhelpful info?

Saffron Update

On a more positive note, Saffron is very perky, chirpy, purry and acts like she feels well. It's such a joy to see her acting happy and normal. I'm so glad this week is spring break so I can spend more time at home with my kitties.

Introducing the Book

This is one of the funniest things I have ever seen:



As one of my colleagues put it: now we know how we appear to the computer support folks.

Webshots, Swaptop, and OS X (oh my!)

I love Webshots, a web site that provides beautiful, free, photos for desktop wallpaper. I have used this site for years, even though they do not have software for Mac OS X. I've written them a couple of times asking when that might happen. I told them I love their photos so much I'd subscribe to their premium service if they ever develop Mac software -- and I will!

(Yes, I know they have a couple of programs that will work through iPhoto, etc., but they only work with photos that you download after installing the software; they ignore all the photos I've downloaded in the past.)

I thought I had found a solution with shareware called Swaptop, which allows you to use Webshots photos as your wallpaper. You must use something since Mac's OS software doesn't recognize the Webshots file format (.wbz). After a year of happily using Swaptop, I was notified that my software -- which I purchased -- was about to expire. In order to keep using the software, I would need to re-register it, and that would cost the same amount I spent when I purchased it! Be warned: Do NOT purchase software from Zonic. They do not tell you that your purchase is only good for one year and that you will need to purchase the software again when it "expires" -- and they don't answer e-mail when you write to ask them about it. Tell all your friends: do not purchase any software from Zonic.

Now I'm back where I started, using shareware (but not by Zonic!) while I wait for Webshots to get around to making Mac compatible software. I wonder if the Webshots folks know they are losing paid subscribers by ignoring Mac users? Maybe they are so big they don't care but I plan to keep e-mailing them until they do.

Happy Valentine's Day

Despite the weather forecast I didn't get a snow day today (darn!). I did, however, enjoy this funny article on FoxNews.com this morning:

The 10 Most Spectacularly Awful Gifts You Can Give Your Girlfriend for Valentine's Day.

Avoiding these gifts will ensure that you have a romantic day!

Grammar Girl Podcast

My new favorite podcast is Mignon Fogarty's Grammar Girl. Each week she answers questions about grammar and punctuation in a witty, entertaining, and pithy podcast. I don't think I'd be good at podcasting, but I wish I'd thought of this!

CNN Story 'Grammar Girl' a quick and dirty success
Grammar Girl Blog (includes links to subscribe to via iTunes)
Download iTunes (for Windows or Mac)
QD Now (Quick and Dirty Tips 4 Doing Things Better)

QD Now include 5 podcasts:

• Grammar Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing
• Mr. Manners' Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Polite Life
• Money Girl's Quick and Dirty Tips for a Richer Life
• The Traveling Avatar's Tips for a Better Second Life
• Legal Lad's Quick and Dirty Tips for a More Lawful Life

The only QD podcast I've tried so far is Grammar Girl, but if the others are half as good they will be worth subscribing to.

What the heck are you waiting for?! Go subscribe!

Early Spring?

Today on CNN: Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow today, which means an early spring. Ironically, we are expecting bitter cold temps this weekend. I hope Phil has nice, warm burrow to hide in!

Mur!

Saffron says "Mur!" to everyone who has been asking about her. (I'm pretty sure it means "Thank you.") She is still on antibiotics but is acting pretty much normal now, chirping at me, playing a little, etc.

Instead of posting daily updates on her condition, I've been adding updates to my Jan. 12 entry about her. I've also added her picture to that entry.

Thank you to everyone who is asking about her, praying for her, etc. We appreciate the moral support!

Damn Tennis Elbow!

Today I saw a sports doctor about my tennis elbow pain. He says I have tendonitis (not a tumor, arthritis, etc.) but it's so bad I am a candidate for surgery, which is rare. I don't have to decide right now and am going to try to tough it out for another six months.

He gave me a shot with cortisone and some other anti-inflammatory medicine. I see him again in 6 weeks. In the meantime I am supposed to wear my brace all the time and use the sling if that makes me more comfortable. I can't do any of the PT exercises until it improves 50%; if I do it when it's really bad (as it is right now) it just does more damage. Figures.

I hope the shot helps. Right now my arm hurts even more and I can hardly move it. They have to get the shot in the right spot, right where it hurts, and he did. He also said he could hear my dry, brittle tendon crackle when he inserted the needle. It's clearly no longer soft and supple like it's supposed to be. Oh -- AND it's age related; the little capillaries are not working as well as they used to, which is apparently what caused the damage (not a catastrophic injury).

This must be one of those "middle age sucks" things that no one warns you about. (Is 43 middle age?!)

Between this and the news about Saffron's abnormal liver enzymes (refer to the "update" section of the previous post), I've had a really crappy day.

Poor Little Saffron!

I recently noticed that Saffron, our little 7-pound orange kitty, looked thinner and was less playful than usual. Over the holidays she was much more aggressive about wanting human food. She was still eating a lot but looked thinner, so today we went to the vet for a check-up.

She's OK but has lost 1.5 lbs. (20% of her tiny body weight!) due to gingivitis. She's now on antibiotics and I'm feeding her whatever she will eat, which is pretty much anything humans or cats eat. My poor girl, her mouth must hurt so much! I feel horrible for not figuring it out sooner, or getting her to the vet sooner. Knowing it's the most common dental problem among cats and often overlooked does not make me feel any better. At least her teeth are still OK. Some cats go undiagnosed until they start losing their teeth or need to have them removed. The vet is also doing an extensive blood test to make sure the infection hasn't caused other problems and to make sure her organs are all OK. We'll get the results Monday.

Sophie was also traumatized by Saffron's visit to the vet. She looked very worried when Saffron and I left. When we got home, Sophie got one whiff of the hospital smell on Saffron, hissed, ran away at top speed, and hid under the sofa. This should give you an idea of how terrified poor Sophie is of the vet. I fear she will literally die of terror/shock if I ever need to take her there again so I am looking for a vet who makes house calls and/or specializes in panicky Siamese cats.

To make Sophie feel better I wiped Saffron down with dry shampoo. Fortunately, dry shampoo now comes in the form of a moist baby-wipe type wipes with “calming lavender scent.” LOL. Saffron sure smells good — and Sophie is much calmer now and no longer hissing and running away from Saffron.

I'm just glad Saffron's overall health is good and we seem to have caught the Gingivitis at a fairly early stage. I just hope the meds work quickly so she feel playful again soon!

UPDATE: Mon., Jan. 15. The Results.

We got the results of the blood test and Saffron's liver enzymes are abnormal. The vet can not tell if it is due to her weight loss, genetics, or a disease. He can give her medicine and a diet to preserve liver function but he can not predict how fast it might progress, or whether it will improve, so I have no idea if my little purry girl is going to get better or not. He said the only way to know for sure is a liver biopsy. Since she's almost 11, I don't want to put her through surgery that is only diagnostic, so that's not an option.

We have decided to get a second blood test from another vet; we have an appointment for Fri. In the meantime, I think the antibiotics are helping with the gingivitis but am terrified she will die suddenly of liver failure. I pray it's just the result of her weight loss and that things will be better on the next test (now that she's eating well).

UPDATE: Fri., Jan. 19. The Second Opinion

Saffron and I went to another vet today for a second opinion. We saw Dr. Amy at Briarwood in Grand Blanc. She used to work for our vet in Davison (before he retired) and we love her because she tried so hard to save our Sable-kitty when Sable was dying from kidney failure. Briarwood has a lab on site so we were able to get the test results immediately.

The bad news is that the results are almost the same as the first test. Saffron's live enzymes are still abnormal.

The good news is:
1. The abnormal levels are not far from normal
2. If it is a liver problem, we have caught it early and it's worth treating aggressively. She now has two meds for maintaining liver function.
2. Her gums look much better and she may have gained half a pound!
3. Diagnostic options (other than biopsy surgery) are available: a special blood test and ultrasound

The next step is the special blood test. It will tell us if her liver is malfunctioning. If it's not, then the abnormal enzyme levels are due to her weight loss. If it is, then we get an ultra sound. We have an appointment to do this test next Fri. (Jan. 26).

In the meantime, I'm focusing on getting the antibiotics in her every day (so she will feel better) and encouraging her to eat (so she will gain weight).

UPDATE: Mon., Jan. 22. You Can Lead a Cat to Tuna...

Saffron is acting much more chipper. She's more talkative and playful but I think she has figured out there's medicine in the yummy canned food she's getting every day. I was starting to panic because I have three medicines for her (one antibiotic and two liver-maintaining medicines) but it's all I can do to get the antibiotic into her! I talked to Dr. Amy this morning and assured me Saffron will be OK if I don't get a whole dose of antibiotic into her every day. She's had it for ten days; more is better though, so I will keep trying. I feel horrible that I haven't been able to get any of the liver-maintaining medicine into her, but Dr. Amy said not to panic, that we can worry about that after her liver test on Fri.

Sophie isn't making this any easier. To get Saffron to eat the medicated canned food, I have to take away both cats' crunchy food. Then I have to make sure Saffron eats the food with the medication. She wants Sophie's unmedicated food, of course, and Sophie will eat any canned food in her vicinity even if it contains medicine or is a flavor she doesn't like. Making sure the right cat gets the right food is becoming a full-time job!

UPDATE: Jan. 29, 2007. Mixed News

Our vet's lab equipment was acting up so we didn't get Saffron's test results until today. There is definitely something going on with her liver, so the next step is an ultrasound to find out exactly what the problem is so we can figure out how to treat it. We have an appointment for Wed. afternoon in Oakland county.

I'm trying not to worry too much. The fact that she has perked up is good so there is still hope that she will be happy and healthy for a long time. On the other hand if she has liver cancer, she probably has only months left. I'm trying to focus on the positive, but not knowing is such an awful feeling. Knowing we'll have a definite answer Wed. helps a little.

UPDATE: Jan. 31, 2007. Uncertain News

Saffron had an ultrasound today and we got uncertain news. Right now I am just numb and can't really think straight but this is what I think the specialist told us today. Saffron doesn't have any masses or tumors and overall her health is good, but she is probably older than we think (maybe 13 instead of 10 or 11). Her liver does show a "general diffusion" or inflammation. The most likely causes of this in an older kitty are feline inflammatory liver disease and cancer.

To clearly determine the cause, a biopsy is required. The minimally invasive kind is only 50% likely to give an answer. The more invasive kind involves surgery but would give us a definitive answer.

Treatment for liver disease includes vitamin B12 and prednisone (a steroid). B12 can be given as injections; prednisone is in pill form.

Treatment for cancer includes vitamin B12, prednisone, and chemo. Chemo is palliative, not aggressive (like it is for humans), and some cats respond well with fewer side effects than humans. They can't estimate how long it might give her, maybe a few months or a year, depending on the kind of cancer.

We aren't making any decisions until we talk it over with our vets but Roger and I agree that we don't want to put her through surgery or chemo. Why torture her?

I'm not sure if the current liver medication we have will help; I need to ask our vet. I'm concerned about even more pills (like prednisone) because Saffron is a world-class pill-spitter. We have been so focused on getting the antibiotics for gingivitis in her that we haven't been able to get any of the liver medication in her. The antibiotics have clearly helped. Saffron is perky and acting normal. If it weren't for all these tests, we wouldn't have a clue anything was wrong.

Tonight Saffron is glad to be home, eating everything in sight after her 12-hour fast, and grooming a lot. They shaved her tummy and smeared it with gel for the ultrasound. She only let me wipe part of it off so she had a lot of grooming to do. The vet suggested a baby t-shirt to keep her tummy warm until her fur starts to grow back. I've never tried to put clothes on her, but we'll try tomorrow after she settles back into her normal routine.

I am exhausted and numb, but numb is good. After losing both my parents to cancer, I can't yet handle the possibility of losing Saffron to it, too (if it is cancer).

Thank you again to everyone who has been asking about my sweet little kitty. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

UPDATE: Feb. 1, 2007. Still Hoping for the Best

I just got off the phone with Dr. Joe at Briarwood. He has the report from the ultrasound and he says:

1. The report says everything we remembered from yesterday, but that doc thinks it's most likely cancer.

2. Joe says if it is cancer, she has less than year to live (a lot less). Chemo in cats with lymphoma doesn't work and he does not recommend it.

3. He thinks the best treatment is B12 shots and prednisone pills. The other liver medications would be nice but pred would give her the best quality of life. He said the prescription food (high quality protein) can also help.

He says cancer would be bad, but if it's inflammatory liver disease there is still hope. Liver disease is very unpredictable; some cats heal completely and others die quickly.

I'm going to take Saffron to Briarwood Sat. morning. We'll see both Dr. Joe and Dr. Amy, they'll give her a B12 shot, show us how to pill her, and we can talk about her condition, ask any questions, etc.

I haven't give up hope yet. I want to give her the pred and keep her happy and comfortable for as long as possible. Maybe we'll be lucky and she will be one of the cats with liver disease who recover.

UPDATE: Feb. 3, 2007. Hoping for the Best, Preparing for the Worst

Today we went to the vet. Dr. Joe was swamped so we saw Dr. Amy. She talked about Saffron’s condition and answered all the questions we had.

For now, Saffron is OK. She definitely has either liver disease or cancer, but in a way we are fortunate: we learned about it early. The only way to know for certain which disease is to do a biopsy and we don't want to put her through surgery. Chemo doesn't work for lymphoma in cats so the treatment is the same for both conditions: Vitamin B12 and prednisone.

For now her treatment will be weekly B12 shots. The shots will make her feel better and the vet can help us keep an eye on her. When she starts to show symptoms of her disease (lack of appetite, frequent vomiting, diarrhea, etc.) then we’ll start the prednisone pills to keep her comfortable.

They can’t predict how fast her disease will progress, when she might start to show symptoms, or how long she will live. That's the hard part: not knowing, so we are learning to hope for the best and enjoy every day that she is well. (This part is really hard for me! I feel so unprepared emotionally, even after going through this with both my parents. At least they could talk about it. Unfortunately, kitties can't offer their humans that sort of therapy.) There is still a chance she'll be one of the lucky kitties who recovers from liver disease. That's what I'm praying for.

So, for now, she’s all right. She’s still a little thin from her gingivitis-induced weight loss, but she acts like she feels good and that is a good sign. We have finished the antibiotics for gingivitis so all we have to do now is give her lots of love and food. Love and food: I can do that!

I won't post any more updates until there is a change for the worse. I hope that won't be for a very long time.

Thank you all for the moral support! Roger, Saffron, and I really appreciate it. Sophie is just confused. :)

Merry Christmas!

May you and your family have a peaceful, joyous Christmas.

Christmas at Crossroads

Tonight I went to Christmas at Crossroads with some close friends and their three kids. We had a blast! If you've never been there, Crossroads Village is a mini-Greenfield Village with 34 historical buildings from all over Michigan assembled into and 1800s farming community, including a carousel, a railroad, and a paddlewheel boat on Mott Lake. For Christmas everything is covered in lights, there are crafts, a music show, and other activities. The only thing missing this year was snow.

We enjoyed walking around the village, admiring the lights, riding the carousel, talking to the Blacksmith, and riding the train. The train ride is about 45 minutes, with lighted decorations to see along the way. The conductor narrates the tour and we sang along with the Christmas carols during the turn-arounds.

We ended the evening by attending a concert in the Opera House. To my delight, the musicians were The Collecting Consort (Anne & Gary Wakenhut). I love hammered dulcimer and Irish harp music, so I bought one of their Christmas albums last year in Traverse City on a whim. I love it so much it's on my iPod, my laptop, and in my living room stereo. What a nice surprise that we got see their last show of the season at Crossroads! It was a half-hour show that included music and storytelling. HK and I really enjoyed it and even talked to Anne afterwards to thank her.

Every year I say I'm going to get to Crossroads and this year I finally did. It was a fun, Christmassy evening and I'm so glad I went! If you would like to go, it's not too late. Normally you have to walk around the village but on Monday nights and Christmas Eve (5-9 p.m.) you can drive through to see the beautiful lights. After that the village will be open to pedestrians Dec. 27-30 (4-9 p.m.).

Saffron the Cookie Thief

My little orange cat, Saffron, loves people food. She will eat just about anything we eat and begs any time we are in the kitchen. Her favorites are chicken, turkey, steak, pork, cheese, and potatoes of any kind, especially Arby's homestyle fries. What I didn't know until recently is that she will do anything for sugar cookies!

A couple of weeks ago, I made Michigan-shaped cookies for Roger's Michigan History class. I have lower- and upper-peninsula-shaped cookie cutters and between those and Pillsbury, I had cookies in no time. I put the first batch on wax paper on the kitchen table to cool. When I went to take the second batch out of the oven I heard a "Mur" (Saffron's most frequent vocalization) and looked over to see her standing on a chair, her front paws on the kitchen table, licking a cookie! I was stunned. She's never done that before! I nearly burned the second batch chasing her away from the first one. Needless to say, the cookie she licked was then hers alone. (Yes, I know I reinforced bad behavior.) I probably haven't made cookies since last Christmas, so decided that maybe they were just a novelty that she found interesting.

Today I made my grandma's date-filled sugar cookies. The dough is less sweet than regular sugar cookies but apparently Saffron's attraction to sugar cookies is not NOT a novelty. This time, while the cookies were cooling on wax paper, I sat between them and the buffet behind the kitchen table (where Saffron likes to perch). Poor Saffron paced up and down the buffet, begging for cookies and pawing me like a dog, but I was strong and didn't give her any cookies. Imagine my surprise when she leaped over me, over my laptop, and landed amist the cookies without touching anything in the process! I quickly scooped her off the table and put the cookies in a Rubbermaid container. She's not dumb; every time we open that container she appears, begging for sugar cookies. She wins. Like everything else I eat, I give her a tiny bit. I just wonder how a cat who eats so much never gains weight. Must be nice!

My friend's cat, Mia, loves Twinkies (the cake, not the creamy filling), but I had no idea sugar cookies were so appealing to cats!

Winter Solstice

Today is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year. It may be the first day of winter, but it doesn't feel like it! Despite the warm weather, I'm still hoping for a white Christmas.

Welcome to winter in Michigan! If you don't like weather, just wait a few minutes, it will change.

Beautiful Manistee

After leaving Chicago, we went to Manistee, MI. For those who are not familiar with our state, Manistee is a Victorian port city on Lake Michigan, between Ludington and Traverse City. According to the Cities Unlimited web site the population of Manistee is similar to Davison, but Manistee is bigger, older, and tourist-oriented. We drove through on our way home from Traverse City in early Oct. and wanted to go back and explore this pretty little town.

We enjoyed the downtown stores and I was especially delighted with the Manistee County Historical Museum. It's in an old store front and is remniscient of an old-fashioned general store, only better! Here's a map, and picture of the building, and a link to their impressive genealogy collection.

The entrance fee is only $2 and you can wander around by yourself, or a volunteer will show you the exhibits. A nice man showed us around and I was glad because he told us a lot about the special Christmas exhibits. The Christmas exhibits are so popular that the museum's busiest months are July, August, and December.

The main room, which looks like a general store, featured a Victorian Christmas tree. The oil lights had been converted to electric but there were still some (unlit) clip-on candles to convey the sense of what the original tree looked like. In keeping with the German tradition, the full-sized tree was sitting on table:


Under the tree is the "putz" or Christmas Garden which features the Nativity:


In America we changed the tradition: we put the tree on the floor and updated the village to reflect a Victorian or modern look, often with trains:

I never knew that this German tradition was the origin of our ceramic Christmas village!

After visiting the museum we had a delicious Italian lunch at the Tuscan Grille, then visited one of the downtown antique stores before driving home. It was a nice getaway but we were tired and glad to get home, where our cats were very glad to see us (despite good care from their human grandparents).

King Tut

Today we visited the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit at The Field Museum. Although it did not include the famous gold mask, sarcophagus, etc., it was still well worthwhile.

The exhibit started with a short video and the first few rooms explained Egypt in Tut's time. These rooms features artifacts of Tut's parents and grandparents. For those who know little about Egyptology it might be overwhelming, but people were taking their time, reading everything, and pouring over the artifacts. It was elbow-to-elbow standing room only, sometimes several people deep. The man who sold us our tickets said 10,000 people had been there ahead of us, so apparently this exhibit is always crowded!

I like seeing Tut's family's stuff, but Tut's treasuers were the best. I can't remember everything we saw but we liked the pectoral amulets, dagger, diadem, walking sticks, gold box with engraved scenes of Tut and Ankhsenamen, the cosmetic box with a lion on the lid, box with carrying sticks, the golden coffinette (which once contained Tut's liver), Akhenaten's head from his collosus at Karnak, and the forsenic analyses. The latter included Tut's facial reconstruction based on CT scans of his skull. It also included the latest theory about his cause of death (a broken bone and subsequent infection), so the info was very current!

As an amateur Egyptologist, words escape me when I try to tell you how much I enjoyed this exhibit. I've seen much of Tut's stuff in books and on TV but actually seeing it is a completely different experience, even if you can't touch anything. When you think about how old it all is, it's amazing that it looks brand-new and you can't help but wonder how they could make such exquisite things with what we consider primative tools. Then, when you realize Tut died unexpectedly at a very young age, you wonder how they got so much done in time for his burial, and what must the tomb of an old King, with many years to prepare his tomb goods, have looked like? It's just mind-boggling.

The Field Museum has a nice exhibit web site, but I don't know how long it will remain active. National Geography has permanent Tut exhibit site, which isn't surprising since we noticed they produced the exhibit catalog/book and DVD. After the 70s they said Tut's stuff would never leave Egypt again, so if you get a chance to see this exhibit, be sure to do so!

The Field Museum itself it worth the trip to Chicago. This was my second visit and I still haven't seen it all. I like the Egpytian exhibit, the dinosaurs, and the labs where you can watch scientists at work (it is a working musuem). We are planning another trip so we can spend a couple of days enjoying The Field Museum and The Museum of Science and Industry.

A Night in Chicago

We are in Chicago to see the King Tut exhibit at the Field Museum (more about that tomorrow). Tonight we are staying at the Hotel Blake in downtown Chicago. It a great location! It's in Printer's Row, minutes from the Loop, the Magnificent Mile, museums, and more. We can see the beautiful Chicago Public Library from the hotel. It's hard to miss:

The Hotel Blake is three-and-a-half star hotel in what used to be the Morton Salt building. According to the Hotel-Rates web site, it's done in modern decor remniscient of Frank Lloyd Wright's Prairie School. I don't like modern, but this is classy and attractive.

Our room is not the $500 a night kind but it is nice. It has a full-sized desk, an armchair with a footstool, a very comfy bed with a down comforter and bench at the foot, a plasma TV, a cordless phone, another phone in the marble bathroom, and an iHome clock radio with an iPod dock! I've always wanted to stay in the kind of hotel that includes bathrobes, but when I saw the iPod dock, I forgot all about the bathrobes! Needless to say, the first thing I did was see it my Nano worked with it -- and it did. :)

After we got settled in our room, we decided to walk around the neighborhood before dinner. We headed up State St. to the Loop where there are lots of stores. I was impressed with the Macy's. It reminds me of the actual department stores I vaguely remember in downtown Flint before everything moved to the mall, but it was even better, and huge! Not only is it multi-floored and beautifully decorated for Christmas inside and out, it connects to an underground pedestrian walkway, similar to the underground mall in Toronto. Speaking of Christmas decorations, downtown Chicago is stunning at this time of year. Even the subway entrances are decorated! I took this picture from our car, so it's a bit blurry, but you get the idea:

We ate dinner at Custom House, Hotel Blake's restaurant. It's a gourmet restaurant "showcasing a delightful fusion of contemporary American cuisine and Mediterranean influences," according to their web site. It was expensive but definitely worth it! For our appetizer we had steak tartar which I've always been curious about but never tried. It came with poached eggs the size of Robin's eggs and a basil sauce; it was incredibly delicious! For our entrees, Roger had roasted lamb and potato fingers with Black Truffle essence; I got the New York strip steak with sun-roasted tomatoes and Pommes Anna (thinly sliced potatoes with bacon). All were outrageously good and far more than we could eat. Their breakfast menu looks equally delicious and equally expensive, so I think we'll have breakfast elsewhere tomorrow.

Update Dec. 22: I added a picture of the choo-choo decorating a subway entrance. I also realize I forgot to mention that when we were walking aroud in the Loop we passed the Palmer House Hilton where I attended an academic conference a few years ago. I didn't know it then, but it's where my Uncle Jim stayed for Army basic training during WWII; they did their calisthenics in the nearby park.

Christmas Celebrations Everywhere

Yesterday was a day of full of Christmas celebrations.

In the morning I attended the Christmas program (a contada) at my friend's church. It was a beautiful program that included adults and children and I really enjoyed it.

Last night I went to St. John's to see the living nativity. Kids dressed as Mary, Joseph, an Angel, Wise Men, and Shepherds -- and the shepherds had a real live donkey and several sheep! It was warm enough that they didn't have to wear coats or snowmobile suits under their costumes so it looked really great.

Inside the church there was a display of nativity sets from around the world. Some families brought very old and cherished sets to display. There were crowns for kids who wanted them, so the living nativity had many more than three Wise Men, but who cares? It was lots of fun.

I ended the day thinking what nice celebrations these were. Today I read an article published a few days ago in USA today, Gift of wreaths touches nation, about an even more touching celebration. I wish I were in Washington, D.C. so I could see it in person. The photos in the article are wonderful, but I'm sure they are a pale reflection of the real thing.

If you haven't thanked a soldier lately, you can do so on-line at Let's Say Thanks. It's too late to send Christmas cards to our servicemen and -women, but it's not to late to keep them in your prayers this Christmas season. Remember that while we celebrate a season of peace, love, and light, they remain on duty, protecting our freedom to do so.

Holiday Eating Tips

Yesterday I finished my Fall semester grading, turned in my grades, and returned all my students' papers. At first I was too tired and in too much pain from my #$%^& tennis elbow to feel relieved. Today it's slowing dawning on me that I'm FREE! I don't have the weight of a bzillion ungraded papers hanging over my head. Let the holidays begin!

To celebrate the holidays here's a cute e-mail I got from my niece:

Holiday Eating Tips

1. Avoid carrot sticks. Anyone who puts carrots on a holiday buffet table knows nothing of the Christmas spirit. In fact, if you see carrots, leave immediately. Go next door, where they're serving rum balls.

2. Drink as much eggnog as you can. And quickly. Like fine single-malt scotch, it's rare. In fact, it's even rarer than single-malt scotch. You can't find it any other time of year but now. So drink up! Who cares that it has 10,000 calories in every sip? It's not as if you're going to turn into an eggnog-alcoholic or something. It's a treat. Enjoy it. Have one for me. Have two. It's later than you think. It's Christmas!

3. If something comes with gravy, use it. That's the whole point of gravy. Gravy does not stand alone. Pour it on. Make a volcano out of your mashed potatoes. Fill it with gravy . Eat the volcano. Repeat.

4. As for mashed potatoes, always ask if they're made with skim milk or whole milk. If it's skim, pass. Why bother? It's like buying a sports car with an automatic transmission.

5. Do not have a snack before going to a party in an effort to control your eating. The whole point of going to a Christmas party is to eat other people's food for free. Lots of it. Hellllo?

6. Under no circumstances should you exercise between now and New Year's. You can do that in January when you have nothing else to do. This is the time for long naps, which you'll need after circling the buffet table while carrying a 10-pound plate of food and that vat of eggnog.

7. If you come across something really good at a buffet table, like frosted Christmas cookies in the shape and size of Santa, position yourself near them and don't budge. Have as many as you can before becoming the center of attention. They're like a beautiful pair of shoes. If you leave them behind, you're never going to see them again.

8. Same for pies. Apple. Pumpkin. Mincemeat. Have a slice of each. Or if you don't like mincemeat, have two apples and one pumpkin. Always have three. When else do you get to have more than one dessert? Labor Day?

9. Did someone mention fruitcake? Granted, it's loaded with the mandatory celebratory calories, but avoid it at all cost. I mean, have some standards.

10. One final tip: If you don't feel terrible when you leave the party or get up from the table, you haven't been paying attention. Re-read tips; start over, but hurry, January is just around the corner.

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I don't know who wrote it, but the advice is right on. Don't ruin your holidays trying to diet, just relax and enjoy yourself: you deserve it! Happy Holidays!

A Tragic Accident

After a three-year investigation, Scotland Yard concluded that Princess Diana's death was a tragic accident, not murder. You can download the full report in pdf format.

My heart goes out to Diana's sons who lost their mother far too soon, thanks to a mix of the French paparazzi, a drunk driver, and unused seatbelts.

I also feel sorry for Mohamed al Fayed who still believes Diana and his son, Dodi, were murdered. Maybe it's easier for him to believe than the awful truth: they might have survived if they had been wearing seatbelts; the crash probably would have not happened had the driver been sober; the chase wouldn't have occurred if not for the paparazzi.

Personally, I blame everyone involved. It was senseless of human life, one that will haunt Diana's sons for the rest of their lives. What a sad reminder of common sense: don't drink and drive and always wear a seatbelt.

Christmas at the White House

Some year I want to go to Washington, D.C. to see the White House all decorated for Christmas. In the meantime, every year I enjoy pictures and any TV coverage of the holiday preparations. The gingerbread White House is always impressive! To see the decorations and for a quick link to Barney's Holiday Extravaganza (2006), visit Holidays at the White House.

For more on Barney and Miss Beazley, the Bushes' Scottish Terriers, visit Barney's page (and all the First Family's pets) in the Kids' section of the White House web site.

Barney Cam is a yearly holiday movie featuring Barney, Miss Beazley, Willie (aka Kitty), the President and Mrs. Bush, and members of their staff. Seeing the White House and its Christmas decorations from a Scottish Terrier's point of view is a hoot! This year's movie even has a transcript. Past Christmas videos and monthly photos are available on Barney's page.

Can you believe someone has a job taking pictures and making Christmas videos of the First Pets -- and it's not me?! I'd do it for free just to get to see the White House and play with the dogs!

Helping Hands

Yesterday I met a capuchin monkey named Gregory. He came to visit a linguistics class taught by one of my colleagues. Gregory has been to Monkey College and is trained to assist a disabled person but is retired due to health problems. In college he learned to cook food in the microwave, serve it, wash a human's face, brush a human's hair, and fetch and carry objects. He has a 500 word vocabulary and can provide love and companionship for 20-30 years.

I had never heard of this wonderful program, but if you would like to learn more visit Helping Hands: Monkey Helpers for the Disabled. There is also a nice article in in Greater Boston: Monkeys Assist Disabled.

If you are looking for a charity to donate to this Christmas, this is a worthy cause!

Damn Weather!

I hate our weather. It's been warm, rainy, and dreary. The National Weather Service got my hopes up with a winter storm warning. Cold and snow at last! Except they were wrong (again). Instead of 5-9" we got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING!

Yes, it got cold enough to freeze all the rain, so the ground is now frozen and ready for snow, but the stupid snow went around us (again). I was disappointed to get a big snow on a weekend (thus missing a chance for a snow day), but no snow at all is even worse. I just want some pretty, Christmassy snow to cover up everything and look cheerful.

At least sun is shining today. It's much better than the weather had for November. Faced with another week of grading, followed by exam week (and even more grading), I need all the cheer I can get. I want some snow!