Views and "Galveston, oh Galveston..."

I was inspired to begin writing this Blog after several years of reading Blogs written by friends, but also, and perhaps more, as an outlet for expressing myself in a "creative" way. Recently, after "signing in" to my blog account, I noticed that my little blog has received over 1100 views since I started writing about six months ago! REALLY??? I mean, that's a lot! For those of you who don't "Blog," This site, Blogger, or Blogspot, has a default setting that counts the number of views a blog receives as well as the "audience's" country. For example, when my sisters, or my mom or my friends in California or New York etc view my blog, they are recorded as "United States." When my niece viewed my blog while she was in her study-abroad program, it counted her as "United Kingdom." Recently, I reviewed some of my posts. I was brand new at this technology when I started and had no idea how to share my posts on my social networking sites so they have very few views. My friend, and fellow blogger, Sue shared how to link Facebook to my blog and since doing so, I have received many more visits. Interestingly, after reading a couple of earlier entries, I think they are possibly more entertaining than some of the later ones but since they were not shared via Facebook, they received fewer visits. While I am astounded by the number of views I have received, I am even more amazed at the number of countries my "audience" has grown to represent. Places like Russia, Burma, Germany, Malaysia and a few more are all included in my tally. REALLY??? WOW! (OK, yes, I know, I hear all of you buzz-kills...these "views" are probably either the result of some crazy "Google search" that sort of matched some word in the title of my posts, or some random computer looking for something that also "sorta matched" some word or phrase that I used, BUT, it's still cool.)

Recently, Haime and I visited Galveston. Both of us enjoy visiting the coasts and beaches of just about any place we can find them. We are amazed at the differences between the coastal water ways and beaches in the U.S. The Texas Gulf Coast is, of course, the easiest for us to visit and we both love it, but for different reasons. Haime actually likes to go to Corpus or to Port Aransas most so he can fish. I've tried telling him that the fish actually hang out around all areas of the gulf but those are his favorite spots. I actually like to go to Galveston more, I am a bit of a history nut, (yes, I know, I'm just a nut...WHATEVER), and Galveston just seems to ooze history.

Anyway, Haime and I attended a play in Galveston recently: Ed Asner as FDR. WOW! We have both enjoyed Mr. Asner's acting and were amazed at the incredible job he did in his portrayal. The play follows FDR's rise from a "Polio-inflicted-upside-down turtle" to a highly popular U.S. President. The play covered an incredible amount of information, including: FDR's "New Deal" policies; his presidential campaign strategies; his policies, both foreign and domestic;  the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor and our entry into the war and much more. In short, it is a combination of an entertaining portrayal of a famous President and a very interesting history lesson. The play lasted just under two hours and as Haime asked afterward, how the heck did he memorize all that stuff?

Elissa

While we were in Galveston, we took some time to check out the Elissa. I have always been fascinated by old sailing vessels and have marveled at the fact that more of them didn't sink. The Elissa is considered a "tall ship" and started life as a British merchant vessel in the late 1800's. Look at the picture at the left, if you compare her petite size with the enormous size of the floating city pictured behind her, I think you'll agree, it is amazing that she survived without sinking! There is just something that pulls me to these ancient vessels and makes me wonder about the captains and crews and their families and the cargoes and all of the stories this old girl could tell if she were able. WOW!

TTFN,

Lois

Learning New "Stuff"

Have you noticed that the older, (or more experienced with life) you get, the more you realize how much "stuff" you don't know? OK, maybe it really is just me. Anyway, everyday some new bit of information or some evidence of a non-existent skill, or some problem without obvious solution seems to find its way into my little world and these glimpses of reality just hint at the volumes of "stuff" I just don't know. For me, this missing information or missing skills etc makes me want to learn more. When it's information or facts or trends or...knowledge-based "stuff," I tend to turn to the Internet first. Have you ever really given any thought to the wonderful tool this marvel of (Al Gore's???..just kidding) technology the Internet really is? WOW! As Haime often asks...who puts all that "stuff" on there? (I just love Haime's naivete and his "no computer 'stuff' for me" mentality).

When it comes to skill-based "stuff" however, I have to say that my saving grace is that I am not afraid to fail. (In fact, I have failed at so many new skills that it has almost become habit to try and fail). The thing is, I've finally figured out that failure is not a bad thing. You see, another thing I've noticed about getting older is that in addition to allowing my curiosity to seek information and to continue to fill the voids in my knowledge banks, I have also learned that I have to give myself a break. I've learned that rather than feeling like I am the failure, it is actually that my first or second or third or tenth attempt at something is actually the failure. Even then, I've finally learned that as long as I keep those attempts coming and continually make adjustments, then the attempts are not failures either. True failure, I'm beginning to realize, is the "failure" to make attempts.

HOLY CRAP! am I a philosophical genius or what!!!

Recently, I looked over the list of things I wanted to do when I retired. Its amazing to me how many things I've added to the list compared with the numbers of things I've actually crossed off. The list is a pretty good mix of "chores" and "fun." Another thing I've realized as I've aged is that learning new things is not the chore it so often was in my youth; now, learning new ideas, concepts, and skills and debating theories and forming hypotheses is fun and exciting "stuff". For Haime, the best new learning "stuff" deals with astronomy and theories dealing with origins of the universe, planet formation, the existence of black holes etc...(serious yawn for me). The magic for us, though, is when we can combine his interests in "stuff" with something else that I am interested in and either combine our searches or find ways for us each to do our individual searches separately-together. (Would I make an awesome marriage counselor or what?!)


For my birthday this year, Chip and Mallory gave me a gift certificate to "Painting with a Twist." I first learned about this place when I was visiting my cousin Jill. She had gone to PWAT with some school friends (she's a teacher), and I was intrigued with the painting she had done. I told Mallory about it and commented that it sounded like fun. I learned later that Mallory had purchased my certificate just prior to my finding out about this place...cool! So, our schedules finally gelled and Chip, Mallory, Haime and I all went to PWAT. The photo below is of all of us with our masterpieces. You'll notice that we chose to paint "Starry Night over the Alamo." Clearly an example of combining Haime's interest in space-related "stuff" and one of the things from my "stuff to do when I retire" list--learn to paint.

 Can I find the long way around to make a comment/statement/tell a story or WHAT!

TTFN,

Lois

"Common" courtesy?

You know EXACTLY what I'm talking about...

Those of you reading this who were born in the decades before cell phones, Internet, video games (I don't think "Pong" really counts) etc, who are in the same generation as Haime and/or me, OR, if you were raised by someone in this or preceding generations, then you should be able to fill in the blanks below without any thought:

>Someone smiles at you and says hello, you automatically ______________________________.

>You accidentally bump into someone, you automatically say _____________________________.

>You walk between two people having a conversation with each other (you only walk between these two people if there is NO other possible way to get where you need to get), you automatically say ____________________.

>You receive an invitation to a social gathering and there is a notation RSVP with a phone number, you automatically _____________________________.

>Someone gets in line directly behind you at the check out counter, you have a basket that is brimming over and could easily use an additional basket to keep your stuff from falling out of said basket, the other person has only a tube of tooth paste and a box of Kleenex, you automatically _______________________________.

OK, you get my drift. each of the things above have happened to us gazillions of times, they are probably, nearly daily occurrences. Most of us were raised to smile and say hello; to say excuse me; to RSVP when asked and let others go ahead of us when appropriate. GOOD GRIEF, WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED!

In case you missed it in my opening reference, these traits should not be confined to an age, race, education level, economic level or an area of the known (or unknown) universe. These used to be universal manners that were taught to each of us either at home or certainly in elementary school. Each of us was taught to BE NICE. Is it me, or have you also noticed, that many of the people we encounter on a regular basis are just not nice?

Let me share some examples from my week:

>You might remember from an earlier post that I recognized some "signs" that I should find a more conveniently located G.P. for routine physicals etc. I really loved my previous Doc but her schedule and her location were becoming increasingly difficult to coordinate with times I needed. So, I went in search of an new Doc. My requirements are pretty simple, I was looking for a female, close to my age and within 20 miles of my house. I became pretty spoiled with my previous Doc but I thought I had reasonable expectations. I scheduled my first appointment with the "new" Doc, I stopped by the office a week and a half prior to my appointment so I could sign the "release for records", and collect the "new patient" paperwork to complete prior to my appointed time. On the day of the scheduled visit, I arrived 15 minutes early. I had purposely scheduled the first appointment immediately after lunch because I get very irritated when I have to wait for a ridiculous amounts of time when I have made an appointment for a specific date/hour/minute. I understand that emergencies come up and good Dr.s are called to hospitals or spend a few extra quality minutes with their patients. I get that. So, I've learned that if I ask specifically for the first appointment of the day or the first after lunch, I am usually less likely to have to wait over an hour past the time I had scheduled. (Can you tell I've hit a personal nerve here?)

As I mentioned, I arrived about 15 minutes early. The office was still locked up with no lights on...no problem, they were at lunch. At the appointed time, the lights came on and the door unlocked and I entered...along with two others. One of the others was there for a prescription refill and needed only to see the nurse and the other was there to see the Dr. I signed in, sat down and began reading a magazine. Soon, a  woman with three children came in, they needed flu vaccines and needed only to see the nurse. Both of the first two patients were called back and I read another article in the magazine. Then another patient came in to see the Dr.and a drug rep came in. I checked my watch...the family went back to get their shots. The drug rep left her card and departed. I read another article while the other patient was called back. 50 minutes after my scheduled appointment, I was finally called back. My blood pressure was checked, (only my good clean living and my close relationship with my maker kept the pressure in the cuff from causing said object from exploding in the face of the poor nurse); my height and weight recorded; and my medical history inquiry began. I have to say, the nurse was extremely nice and pleasant. Kudos to her.

Like most offices, the exam rooms in this office are not sound proof and the sounds of a conversation came easily into my room. I had met the receptionist (also very nice), and the nurse. The voice I heard did not belong to either of them. This "voice" was complaining about a phone conversation she had just had with someone. The specifics of the conversation were certainly not something that I needed to hear. However, in addition to that, it was the unprofessionalism so evident in the fact that this was taking place within hearing of other patients, including me. This "voice" was not being nice!

Then, yep, you guessed it, the "voice" walked into my room and introduced herself as the Doc...I'm still looking for a replacement.

>Perhaps the worst place for finding nice people though, is the grocery store. WTH! Am I the only one that gets weird looks when I say excuse me when I need to pass by someone who can't decide which brand of elbow macaroni they want to buy? Or when I have the audacity to apologize for inadvertently taking up too much of an aisle with my cart while I try and choose between the Atkins bar choices? I mean people are nearly weirded out!

So, since the only one we can control is the person that stares back at us from the mirror, Haime and I have agreed to be those people who go out of our way to "weird-people-out." We are gonna say "hi" and "howdy" to more people. We are gonna let people go ahead of us in the grocery store check out line when appropriate, we're gonna RSVP--TWICE to any social event to which we are invited. Mostly, we're not gonna "rag" on people (in public)...you'll have to come over for a glass of wine for that one. Speaking of wine, I think I'm gonna have to stock up, because all this "going-over-the-top-niceness" is probably going to drive me to drink. (Just kidding).


TTFN

Lois

Trading places...

Mom riding above the trees on Capri in Italy 2008

It's interesting how our lives are all about cycles. Day follows night which then follows day; seasons change in their order to keep us aware of Mother Nature's array; and then, the children become the parent. Mom is under the weather. Thankfully she only has a respiratory virus and will be fine in a few days, but she's feeling puny. My mom is one of those "super-moms" who has only ever taken care of everyone around her and has never really taken time to do things for herself.  For example, we've given her gift certificates for facials and massages and the only way we can get her to go for a "little pampering" is for us to go with her.

I knew she hadn't been feeling well, in fact, anyone who heard her talk could tell she wasn't in perfect health. However, she was not going to miss our Cotton Bowl trip to Arlington on Friday of last week. After the game, she started coughing as she was getting ready for bed and didn't sleep particularly well. On the drive home, she said she was feeling better. Then, Sunday morning (before 7:00 AM), she called and asked me to bring her some over-the-counter medication. This scared me pretty badly for several reasons: 1) mom is NOT an early riser; 2) she has never called and asked us to bring her meds; 3) you need to understand that mom is NOT an early riser; and 4) Haime had battled pneumonia a couple of months ago and on our way home from Arlington, we had all discussed how many flu and pneumonia cases there seemed to be this year.

Mom and me 2006

So, off I go to Walmart, the only place open that early that I was sure would have the meds, (this in itself is a tangible example of my love for my mom. I HATE going to Walmart and I didn't think twice about it on Sunday). I got her the meds and took them to her. Fortunately, she had no fever, just some congestion issues. It hit me, so now I'm the mom.

The good news is that she is better, (and she succumbed to pressure and sought a medical opinion to be sure). She's being smart about staying indoors, drinking fluids and mostly doing what she ought. Even better, she has taken back the "mom" role, one that I am happy to relinquish.

I love you mom.

TTFN

Lois

In earlier posts, I've mentioned my lists. Now, I'm not always a "list-maker" in the literal sense of the word. In fact, when I do actually commit my lists to paper (or computer, or spreadsheet etc), I often leave them where ever they were when I last added something to them. However, I do make notations on calendars, (when I remember to do so), and I keep appointment cards tucked under the garage remote in my car, and I have tons of lists in my head. Yes, I know what you are thinking...my memory is probably not as reliable as it once was and the items on these mental lists are just as likely to drop off because I don't remember them, as they to drop off because they have been accomplished. Well all I have to say to that is...you're right. However, I consider this my way of prioritizing these lists. You see, the things that are most important to me are never forgotten. I look forward to them with giddy excitement and anticipation. The ones that are dropped because they are not always remembered, obviously, they are not as important.

One of the things I did prior to retirement was to really put some thought into what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Honestly, I didn't think I'd last more than 6-9 months without re-entering the world of work. I was so concerned about being bored and running out of things to occupy my mind and my hands that I would have bet serious money that I'd be running back to the work world. However, in an attempt to convince myself that there was going to be more to the second half of my life than working, I compiled a list, (yes, mostly in my mind) of the things I wanted to do. One of the first things I thought I'd do, (and Haime said he'd think about doing...hoping it would be one of the things I'd forget), was to move to Alaska for a year. Haime and I have vacationed in Alaska, (OK, we took a cruise to Alaska, but that's sort of the same thing...right? OK, or not). Anyway, my plan was to move to some cruise ship port, get a job in a retail store or, better, a bar/pub/restaurant, and meet and visit with people from all over the world. Then, since I've spent most of my life in Texas with pretty comfortable winters, I thought it would be interesting to experience some serious cold. After all, isn't life all about the experiences we have and how we manage them?

I've changed my mind. Let me be clear...a year in Alaska is no longer on the list. It has not been forgotten, nor has it been accomplished. The last couple of weeks here in south-central Texas have been cold enough (too cold) for me. For those of you not lucky enough to live in our little neck of the world, let me tell you about winter in Texas. We often wear shorts at Christmas. We usually have about 5-10 nights with freezing temps but they are usually spread between January and February and they are very seldom on consecutive days. We are likely to have a couple of days each week with highs near 70 and even when we have several consecutive days of "cold" weather, they just don't usually last very long. Haime and I leave our heater at about 65-68 degrees (F) and are normally comfy. We might pull on a sweater or snuggle with a blanket but we don't normally feel uncomfortable. This year however, perhaps because of damp air accompanying the cold temps, we are both adding more layers and finding excuses to stay indoors. I'm not good at staying indoors, I get terrible bouts of "cabin fever." Television is generally not worth watching, in my humble opinion, and I can only sit and watch movies for limited amounts of time. While I have an extensive home library, I just can't make myself sit and read all the time. I've fallen off the diet wagon more than I want to and am determined to get back on, (which shouldn't be too hard right now because I've already devoured all of the non-diet food in the house!).


No, cold weather is NOT my friend so a year in Alaska is definitely off the list. When I announced this to Haime...he just smiled. I'm off to add a pair of sweats over my jeans.

TTFN

Lois