Here is something true about me you may not know, or even realize.
Names confuse me.
I can sing songs from the 50s and 60s, but names of people I know today are often as far away as the moon.
I find it hard to find differences between similar items. Or people, similar or not.
So, when Joni and Cindy come into the Rotary meeting, sometimes Cindy is Cindy, but sometimes she is Joni.
When I see my twin nieces (who do not look alike to anyone else in the western hemisphere), sometimes Charlotte is Samantha and sometimes she isn't.
One time we had twins in fifth grade and the girls switched classrooms in the middle of the day. I did not notice. The class kept giggling whenever I called on Brittany, because they knew I had no clue.
They were not dressed the same, they were not wearing their hair the same....but I failed to pick up on that.
Someone who knows better told me: Just say hello. Don't use a name.
Which is advice hard to follow for an impulsive guy like me.
So when I see Donnie and his son in Headon's today, I say: Hello Andrew. You really are tall!
At home I remembered Andrew is another family. Robbie is Donnie's.
(OK, I actually didn't remember but was informed of my mistake by you know who.)
This is true. One time we were in Eagle Food Store (dates me) and I saw the mother of a boy in my class. I had given him An Important Note. We had checked out when I saw her, so I told Jack to wait a second. I went over to the mom and said: Please look in your son's book bag when you get home. He has an important note.
(Now it's an e-mail, tweet or text. Back then I used paper and pencil.)
The lady looked at me and said, " Ok, I will do that as soon as I get home."
You know where this is going.
Jackie asked me who she was, I told her, and she said the words I hear very often in life: That was not so and so....in other words, she was a stranger.
I can see her now, running home to find the note from the good looking, movie star bodied man who hit on her in Eagle.....or to see what pervert was putting notes in her child's book bag.
I went into Country School recently...twice actually. Called Kaitlin Ashley. I realized my mistake....or should I say it did not seem to be correct when I said it. Also have trouble with Haley and Kelsey...who also work at Country School. Solved that problem by calling Haley KAYLEY....which isn't even a name of someone I know! Let me stress...none of these people look like the other!!
Being a relative does not help. Ben is Michael, sometimes he is Ben. Gabe can be Wade and Wade can be Gabe.
I think it is a problem I have had all my life....which makes me uncomfortable. Do I really know all the names of people I know? How many Joes are really Gus? And is every Mary a Mary?
So when I see you, and I call you the wrong name, or no name, just tell me who you are. It will save me a lot of embarrassment.
And while I don't know a name, I know the person......I can remember their husband's name and all the important parts of their life.
OK, that is a lie. I met the husband of a former colleague at a party and said, "Geeze I know you work at that place, you are married to that woman, you live in that house....but I forgot your name."
It was Terry. Same as me. Which means, I can't even remember my own name!!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
The Annual Check Up
I don't think I am violating any Hippa (Hipa? Hippo?) laws, but we had a visit with the MS specialist at Rush this week.
I enjoy the leisurely paced drive into the heart of Illinois. Drivers are most courteous along the route and always drive the speed limit, by the way. And the 45 minutes it took us to get from Rush to Mannheim was time well spent in communing with nature.
Her appointment was at 2:30 and she went in at.....2:30.
Dr. B., and a doctor to be with one year left in her program, (Dr. young and pretty) sat and chatted with Jackie, asking questions, doing reflex tests, balance checks, and listening.
We talked about a new drug she has been on for a year, Amprya, a drug developed in part by her first MS specialist at Rush. Some people have been experimenting with the drug, taking two doses in the morning and one at night which seem to have a noticeable improvement over the generally prescribed one in the morning, one at night.
He told us that the disease usually, and usually is the operative word here, "burns itself out" somewhere in the mid 60s. What debilitation you have suffered at that point most likely will not be recovered, but can be improved.
We talked about her discontinuing her weekly injections. This is a drug that costs a lot of money and thankfully her insurance covers it. I honestly don't see how people can take this drug without an insurance plan. Actually, both drugs are in the $$$ range.
The majority of MS cases are reported in northern latitudes...it is almost unheard of in southern climates. The majority of victims are women.
Some studies have linked a lack of vitamin D in diets to the disease, and there may be a cause and effect relationship but it can't yet be proven. His advice: tell our daughters to take vitamin D daily....minimum 2,000 units. He recommended Jackie up her dose to 5,000 units. He also said this is a long term situation. Taking Vitamin D for a week or two isn't the key...but taking it for life is.
Jackie was also one of the lucky winners of the Who Gets Food Poisoning Contest at the recent retired teachers event....in which a rumored 75 of the 100 plus attendees came down with nausea, diarrhea and the ever lovely projectile vomiting. (Whereas I did not suffer any aftereffects. Sheri K. thinks it's because my world traveling and eat anything philosophy has created a tougher stomach.)
Dr. B reminded us that MS slows down the body's reaction to fighting illness. He said while others took a few days to recover from the luncheon, her body may need 2 weeks. And indeed, it has taken longer than we hoped but she has been fine for two days .... (that is the sound of me knocking on wood.)
If you live in Rochelle, chances are you know someone besides Jackie with MS. We seem to hear of new cases every week....friends of friends, sisters of friends, total strangers who now share a link that really nobody should have to share.
When she was diagnosed 15 years ago, we were told researchers were very close to finding a cure. Well, they still are looking.
In some ways we are lucky. Yes, she shuffles her left leg... but she is walking. Yes, she tires easy...but she is walking. Yes she wobbles like a Weeblo .... but she is walking.
And so am I. I am walking May 5 in St. Charles in an MS fundraiser. My goal is $500 and donations can be made by visiting the MS Chicago website, finding the fundraiser button, looking for the St. Charles walk and then entering my name and your donation.
This disease can be cured, it will be cured. Hopefully in our lifetime.
So take your vitamin D and take a moment to support me and the thousands of MS patients in Illinois with a donation.
We will all thank you for helping win the battle against MS.
I enjoy the leisurely paced drive into the heart of Illinois. Drivers are most courteous along the route and always drive the speed limit, by the way. And the 45 minutes it took us to get from Rush to Mannheim was time well spent in communing with nature.
Her appointment was at 2:30 and she went in at.....2:30.
Dr. B., and a doctor to be with one year left in her program, (Dr. young and pretty) sat and chatted with Jackie, asking questions, doing reflex tests, balance checks, and listening.
We talked about a new drug she has been on for a year, Amprya, a drug developed in part by her first MS specialist at Rush. Some people have been experimenting with the drug, taking two doses in the morning and one at night which seem to have a noticeable improvement over the generally prescribed one in the morning, one at night.
He told us that the disease usually, and usually is the operative word here, "burns itself out" somewhere in the mid 60s. What debilitation you have suffered at that point most likely will not be recovered, but can be improved.
We talked about her discontinuing her weekly injections. This is a drug that costs a lot of money and thankfully her insurance covers it. I honestly don't see how people can take this drug without an insurance plan. Actually, both drugs are in the $$$ range.
The majority of MS cases are reported in northern latitudes...it is almost unheard of in southern climates. The majority of victims are women.
Some studies have linked a lack of vitamin D in diets to the disease, and there may be a cause and effect relationship but it can't yet be proven. His advice: tell our daughters to take vitamin D daily....minimum 2,000 units. He recommended Jackie up her dose to 5,000 units. He also said this is a long term situation. Taking Vitamin D for a week or two isn't the key...but taking it for life is.
Jackie was also one of the lucky winners of the Who Gets Food Poisoning Contest at the recent retired teachers event....in which a rumored 75 of the 100 plus attendees came down with nausea, diarrhea and the ever lovely projectile vomiting. (Whereas I did not suffer any aftereffects. Sheri K. thinks it's because my world traveling and eat anything philosophy has created a tougher stomach.)
Dr. B reminded us that MS slows down the body's reaction to fighting illness. He said while others took a few days to recover from the luncheon, her body may need 2 weeks. And indeed, it has taken longer than we hoped but she has been fine for two days .... (that is the sound of me knocking on wood.)
If you live in Rochelle, chances are you know someone besides Jackie with MS. We seem to hear of new cases every week....friends of friends, sisters of friends, total strangers who now share a link that really nobody should have to share.
When she was diagnosed 15 years ago, we were told researchers were very close to finding a cure. Well, they still are looking.
In some ways we are lucky. Yes, she shuffles her left leg... but she is walking. Yes, she tires easy...but she is walking. Yes she wobbles like a Weeblo .... but she is walking.
And so am I. I am walking May 5 in St. Charles in an MS fundraiser. My goal is $500 and donations can be made by visiting the MS Chicago website, finding the fundraiser button, looking for the St. Charles walk and then entering my name and your donation.
This disease can be cured, it will be cured. Hopefully in our lifetime.
So take your vitamin D and take a moment to support me and the thousands of MS patients in Illinois with a donation.
We will all thank you for helping win the battle against MS.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Earth day is when?
Today, April 22, is officially Earth Day.
Not sure exactly what that means.
I look in my garage and realize, Earth Day is more than just today. I have a can for recycled plastics, one for paper, one for aluminum cans, one for items to go to the zoo. (BZ has needs of Altoid tins, stackable yogurt cups, plastic newspaper delivery bags and a whole bunch of other odds and end type stuff during the year.)
I also have a small container for dead batteries.
And a container for electronics waste
And a corner for hazardous waste.
And a box for the resale shop.
My garage is a mess!
I once did a presentation in a science class on a scientific concept. Other people did presentations on matter, energy, biodiversity. I did mine on the concept of away.
Which, strangely enough, is not a scientific concept. But it should be. What do you do with an unwanted Styrofoam cup? Throw it away.
But what is away? Where is away? That styro cup or plastic water bottle or plastic bag does not go away. It lingers in landfills, festers in fields, tangles in trees (in case you have not picked up, I am using alliteration to interest you). Newspaper decomposes, but those materials just merge into the soil.
I don't think anything ever goes away. It just takes a different form.
So when wifey says, "This doesn't work. Throw it away." I can't.
I have to check to see if it is recyclable plastic, or an electronic, or an item that can be reused. Only when I have exhausted all areas (and her patience) can I truly put it in the trash and hope the garbage men take it.
But I know it will never go away.
So Earth Day is a conflict for me. I try to be good to Mother Earth, but let's face it: We can't save the planet by ourselves. I think that whenever I drive to BZ, which is a 160 mile round trip, using about 3.5 gallons of gas. That is a waste of a natural resource, which is converted to energy and to carbon dioxide which seems to be harmful to the earth and all living creatures. As the gas guzzlers pass me on the tollway, I realize not only can I do better, but so can a lot of people.
So on this Earth Day I am going to wash windows. Instead of using paper towels, I'll use the old dish towels that are too full of holes for drying dishes. I'll use vinegar and water as a cleaning agent. Then I'll head off into the garage and try to arrange my mess.
By the way, my brilliant, innovative and highly entertaining presentation on the concept of away earned a D. Go figure.
Not sure exactly what that means.
I look in my garage and realize, Earth Day is more than just today. I have a can for recycled plastics, one for paper, one for aluminum cans, one for items to go to the zoo. (BZ has needs of Altoid tins, stackable yogurt cups, plastic newspaper delivery bags and a whole bunch of other odds and end type stuff during the year.)
I also have a small container for dead batteries.
And a container for electronics waste
And a corner for hazardous waste.
And a box for the resale shop.
My garage is a mess!
I once did a presentation in a science class on a scientific concept. Other people did presentations on matter, energy, biodiversity. I did mine on the concept of away.
Which, strangely enough, is not a scientific concept. But it should be. What do you do with an unwanted Styrofoam cup? Throw it away.
But what is away? Where is away? That styro cup or plastic water bottle or plastic bag does not go away. It lingers in landfills, festers in fields, tangles in trees (in case you have not picked up, I am using alliteration to interest you). Newspaper decomposes, but those materials just merge into the soil.
I don't think anything ever goes away. It just takes a different form.
So when wifey says, "This doesn't work. Throw it away." I can't.
I have to check to see if it is recyclable plastic, or an electronic, or an item that can be reused. Only when I have exhausted all areas (and her patience) can I truly put it in the trash and hope the garbage men take it.
But I know it will never go away.
So Earth Day is a conflict for me. I try to be good to Mother Earth, but let's face it: We can't save the planet by ourselves. I think that whenever I drive to BZ, which is a 160 mile round trip, using about 3.5 gallons of gas. That is a waste of a natural resource, which is converted to energy and to carbon dioxide which seems to be harmful to the earth and all living creatures. As the gas guzzlers pass me on the tollway, I realize not only can I do better, but so can a lot of people.
So on this Earth Day I am going to wash windows. Instead of using paper towels, I'll use the old dish towels that are too full of holes for drying dishes. I'll use vinegar and water as a cleaning agent. Then I'll head off into the garage and try to arrange my mess.
By the way, my brilliant, innovative and highly entertaining presentation on the concept of away earned a D. Go figure.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
just some weird thoughts
First off...I feel really young this afternoon. That's because I went to a meeting of the Ogle Lee Retired Teachers. Enough said.
The rain is really quite interesting. It was raining and blowing so hard this morning, it set off my outside motion detector lights. I have never seen them on before.
Those lights are my first line of defense. Some of you may know me as a carefree, happy, fun loving individual. But some of you also know me as a paranoid, hypochondriac, manic depressive who catches every disease mentioned on tv. I hated watching ER (for you young people, that was a tv show set in a Chicago hospital that featured a young George Clooney) because I would catch the disease of the day. In one episode a guy showed up in the ER with a hatchet in his head and I got a headache!! Seriously!
And paranoid....I have been known to put chairs in front of doors in hotel rooms and in my house. You never know when someone will break in and a chair will maybe slow them down.
Now someone as paranoid as me might buy a weapon...and I have. I have a can of wasp spray. It sprays for 20 feet and there is no chance Jackie will use it on me, or vice versa, just because we are having a disagreement. Well, almost no chance.
I am obsessive compulsive. I check the door three times at night. I check the door three times when we leave. If we are going on vacation I walk through the house at least twice to make sure faucets are off. When I was teaching, it was not unusual for me to pull out of the Tilton parking lot, then turn left and pull in to check the gym door. Then I would pull out and repeat the process, for fear I accidentally unlocked the door while checking it. My record was four trips. That is true.
I am convinced one day I will go out for milk and be found 12 hours later in Intercourse, PA, mumbling incoherently and looking for my car while eating a shoe fly pie with my fingers. I can see the police calling and telling Jack they found me in Intercourse......course I will be senile and won't remember any of it.
Every time I ride the L in Chicago I am convinced I will be A: mugged; B: fall onto the tracks; C: be on a train that derails; D: all of the above.
And for anyone who is still wondering what to do in life.....I have a dream/nightmare that because I don't really pay attention to what is around me, I missed the whole start of Second City in Chicago and because of that I am not famous and John Belushi is. Course, he is also dead. But you get my drift. I was taking guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music when I should have been taking comedy lessons up the street. I thought I would be a Bob Dylan, or a Bob Wagner. Or Joan Baez, after surgery.
Final thought..... In May I am starting a regular column for the Rochelle News Leader. It will be an opinion column on local happenings. I am filled with dread. It's only once a month.....but for some reason having to do something puts a pressure on me I don't usually have. That may be a good thing,
I hope.
Maybe I am still trying to figure out what I want to do in life.
The rain is really quite interesting. It was raining and blowing so hard this morning, it set off my outside motion detector lights. I have never seen them on before.
Those lights are my first line of defense. Some of you may know me as a carefree, happy, fun loving individual. But some of you also know me as a paranoid, hypochondriac, manic depressive who catches every disease mentioned on tv. I hated watching ER (for you young people, that was a tv show set in a Chicago hospital that featured a young George Clooney) because I would catch the disease of the day. In one episode a guy showed up in the ER with a hatchet in his head and I got a headache!! Seriously!
And paranoid....I have been known to put chairs in front of doors in hotel rooms and in my house. You never know when someone will break in and a chair will maybe slow them down.
Now someone as paranoid as me might buy a weapon...and I have. I have a can of wasp spray. It sprays for 20 feet and there is no chance Jackie will use it on me, or vice versa, just because we are having a disagreement. Well, almost no chance.
I am obsessive compulsive. I check the door three times at night. I check the door three times when we leave. If we are going on vacation I walk through the house at least twice to make sure faucets are off. When I was teaching, it was not unusual for me to pull out of the Tilton parking lot, then turn left and pull in to check the gym door. Then I would pull out and repeat the process, for fear I accidentally unlocked the door while checking it. My record was four trips. That is true.
I am convinced one day I will go out for milk and be found 12 hours later in Intercourse, PA, mumbling incoherently and looking for my car while eating a shoe fly pie with my fingers. I can see the police calling and telling Jack they found me in Intercourse......course I will be senile and won't remember any of it.
Every time I ride the L in Chicago I am convinced I will be A: mugged; B: fall onto the tracks; C: be on a train that derails; D: all of the above.
And for anyone who is still wondering what to do in life.....I have a dream/nightmare that because I don't really pay attention to what is around me, I missed the whole start of Second City in Chicago and because of that I am not famous and John Belushi is. Course, he is also dead. But you get my drift. I was taking guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk Music when I should have been taking comedy lessons up the street. I thought I would be a Bob Dylan, or a Bob Wagner. Or Joan Baez, after surgery.
Final thought..... In May I am starting a regular column for the Rochelle News Leader. It will be an opinion column on local happenings. I am filled with dread. It's only once a month.....but for some reason having to do something puts a pressure on me I don't usually have. That may be a good thing,
I hope.
Maybe I am still trying to figure out what I want to do in life.
Friday, April 5, 2013
Red means stop......what is so hard about that?
Red means stop. That has to be understood, or there will be no meaning coming from this tale.
Actually had a good/crappy day. I'll start with the good.
I went to the zoo.
I had a great cup of coffee.
It was sunny and fairly warm.
I went to the zoo. It is always fun being at the zoo. Today I played with paint. We had golf balls and trays of blue and yellow paint. You put a golf ball in a tray and rolled it. Then you put the ball in an oatmeal container that had paper in it. Then hop like a frog and shake it. (OK, I felt a little pervy when moms were jumping and I kept saying "That's right, shake it! Shake it good.") Then you take the ball out and the paper and you have a cool looking pictures. (My hands are blue. Evidently, the water soluble paints are not so water soluble when it comes to getting blue off your hands.)
On my way home I stop at a little coffee shop and hand a candy bar latte. It has caramel, hazelnut syrup, chocolate syrup, two shots of espresso and steamed milk......and a giant chocolate chip cookie. (Which was actually lunch, because I got out of my rut and went to a different restaurant only to learn they don't have soup. And I did not have enough time to walk across the park to the place that does.)
It was sunny and fairly warm. Enough said.
Now the crappy.
At the zoo animals in my area are labeled green, yellow, or red. Green means everyone can handle them...take them out, have kids pet them or just look at them. These are animals that have undergone a training regime to accustom them to people. Yellow means the animal is not quite there yet and can be handled only by keepers. Red means don't take them out. Period.
I took out the baby gecko and had him out for about 10 minutes and went to put him away and.....he's red! Just then a keeper came up and looked at me and said, "Terry!??" I explained I looked at the green species tag and missed the huge red tag, and the note that is on the list I am supposed to check that said "DO NOT HANDLE." And the big clue that no one else had taken him out today.
I felt so stupid.
On the plus side, I served as a reminder to all volunteers to always check labels and notes, not assume a color is what it has been in the past. And the keepers learned that even though the gecko wasn't used to humans, he did alright. I was apologizing so much, I think the keeper was taking pity on me.
Now I have to try to get the paint off my blue hands.....otherwise people will think I have an oxygen deprivation issue!
Actually had a good/crappy day. I'll start with the good.
I went to the zoo.
I had a great cup of coffee.
It was sunny and fairly warm.
I went to the zoo. It is always fun being at the zoo. Today I played with paint. We had golf balls and trays of blue and yellow paint. You put a golf ball in a tray and rolled it. Then you put the ball in an oatmeal container that had paper in it. Then hop like a frog and shake it. (OK, I felt a little pervy when moms were jumping and I kept saying "That's right, shake it! Shake it good.") Then you take the ball out and the paper and you have a cool looking pictures. (My hands are blue. Evidently, the water soluble paints are not so water soluble when it comes to getting blue off your hands.)
On my way home I stop at a little coffee shop and hand a candy bar latte. It has caramel, hazelnut syrup, chocolate syrup, two shots of espresso and steamed milk......and a giant chocolate chip cookie. (Which was actually lunch, because I got out of my rut and went to a different restaurant only to learn they don't have soup. And I did not have enough time to walk across the park to the place that does.)
It was sunny and fairly warm. Enough said.
Now the crappy.
At the zoo animals in my area are labeled green, yellow, or red. Green means everyone can handle them...take them out, have kids pet them or just look at them. These are animals that have undergone a training regime to accustom them to people. Yellow means the animal is not quite there yet and can be handled only by keepers. Red means don't take them out. Period.
I took out the baby gecko and had him out for about 10 minutes and went to put him away and.....he's red! Just then a keeper came up and looked at me and said, "Terry!??" I explained I looked at the green species tag and missed the huge red tag, and the note that is on the list I am supposed to check that said "DO NOT HANDLE." And the big clue that no one else had taken him out today.
I felt so stupid.
On the plus side, I served as a reminder to all volunteers to always check labels and notes, not assume a color is what it has been in the past. And the keepers learned that even though the gecko wasn't used to humans, he did alright. I was apologizing so much, I think the keeper was taking pity on me.
Now I have to try to get the paint off my blue hands.....otherwise people will think I have an oxygen deprivation issue!
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