My Own Thoughts

I went with Stephanie and AK to the dr’s today with mother. This is the oncologist who will be doing Mom’s radiation. Stephanie had to leave before he really did anything. (He got Mom’s medical history.) He said there is a mass in her neck and asked if anyone talked to her about it. Then [...]

I finished the chapter for the Civil War book. I’m very glad it is finished. I sent it in today, a whole two days early!

Dad had an angiogram today. It was supposed to tell us that everything is fine and there is nothing to do. Instead, what it told us was that of the two stents they put into his head when he was in the hospital at the beginning of the year, only one works. Now my dad [...]

Decorating a basement with $10 worth of Sharpies… There’s even a video that goes all the way around the room.

Exactly what have I been doing to get my publications up, since I mentioned that I needed publications “desperately” in my last post? I wrote and had published an online review of a book of poetry from a small press. The review had two grammar errors in it. (Oops.) I wrote three articles on themes [...]

I have a chapter due next week and I am halfway done. I wish I were completely finished and just revising, but I am not. I am hoping to write some more tomorrow and this weekend. I’ll be at my folks’ house, though, and that generally keeps me busy. But I’m going to try to [...]

My mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer. She found a 2×2 lump in her breast. The good news is that it is early. The bad news that the cancer is invasive. It has already infected her lymph nodes. They are planning to do chemotherapy, a lumpectomy, and radiation, in that order. The doctors are [...]

My dad is getting better. He was able to walk the long walk from the curb into the house, and up the five steps by himself. He got himself into and out of bed and into and out of the bathroom. He is much better.

A man, who had garnered a lot of wealth in his life, wanted to take it with him. He talked to God about it and finally God told him, yes, he could bring whatever he wanted. The man decided that checks, cash, and savings bonds wouldn’t work, so he transferred most of his assets to [...]

Working on a chapter on the Civil War. I cried as I read about Father William Corby who prayed over the entire battalion and gave them absolution before the battle of Gettysburg. It is said that everyone, atheist and Catholic alike, fell to their knees as he made the sign of the cross. His is [...]

I have a job interview on Monday and I am nervous. One of my colleagues at a school I adjunct for said I am over qualified. I am. I actually didn’t think they would even interview me because of that. But they did. And I am thrilled. I have to teach a thirty minute lesson [...]

I don’t want one growing in my lungs, like this guy had. As Komsomolskaya Pravda newspaper found out, he often had chest pains, and was coughing up blood. An X-Ray showed a new growth in his lung, and doctors were certain it was a cancerous one. Fortunately, when they dissected Artyom’s chest, it was decided [...]

Last night when I got home from running errands and eating at James Coney with R, I had a phone message. CC3, with whom I had a phone interview a week ago this past Monday, had left a message saying that they wanted an interview. I am not sure it will really be an in-person [...]

You Tube video. It’s totally beautiful. Reminds me of Paul.

My poetry was accepted at a conference. I did a little jig when I heard.

Just found out my father (age 68 and previously very healthy) had another stroke, an infarction, within the last two weeks. It was a tiny stroke so the damage was small. However, there weren’t supposed to be any more strokes since they cleaned up the two arteries.

I’ve been in New Orleans for most of this week working. Friday R flew in and I took Saturday off. Friday night and Saturday we walked around the French Quarter. We learned the service is S-L-O-W at restaurants. I think it’s supposed to be that old world cache where everyone sits and talks around their [...]

One thing I am just beginning to realize is the limits of handicap access. The place that most caused me to sit up and take notice (after my parents’ two story home) was their church. Handicap access means more than a few parking spaces and cut-out curb, or at least it ought to mean more [...]

One of my all time favorite bloggers is retiring as a blogger. I can’t even comment on his last post to tell him I will miss his writing. Before it goes away, you have a chance to go read the amazing things Varifrank wrote. I’m going to be going through my blog and cutting and [...]