Bif Barf is dead.

George Carlin was a funny guy.
He threw the world's problems in a blender and hit frappe`.
He said he wasn't a cynic "The real cynics are the ones who tell you that everything is going to be alright, I don't want it to."

Why wouldn't you want things to get better?

Carlin's attitude was "F**k hope". But you cannot constantly go through life being angry when you have no idea where the anger is stemming from.
I remember sitting in my brother's house listening to Carlin records and Cheech & Chong records. Being young, I didn't understand a bit of what was being said but I understood the tones. I liked C&C better.

Right now, Reddit is having a complete hard-on about the death of Carlin and while I think Carlin was funny he wasn't a true observer. He saw the negativity of the world and he never looked for or observed the positive.

A man who roots for the destruction of the species is part of the negativity. He was a "has been" of a generation that never was. The peace, love and grow your own dope generation has become "The Man", the government of wire taps, hidden cameras and personal liberties being ripped from us like tube tops at a Mardi Gras parade.

He may have been considered a cultural renegade but when you constantly rip on problems facing the planet you are not helping, you are hurting.
Being in front of the cameras or whatever the media and scream about the unfairness of war or what have you doesn't help rid of us the problem, if just gets
you in the spotlight.

The Hippy Dippy Weatherman and Biff Barf were funny characters, but as a cultural icon, I prefer someone more human.

Get those carpets really clean!

This is a little attachment I think all women will like.

If it works as well as the inventor says it does carpeting cleaning services will be a thing of the past!

The attachment is only available in the UK but don't worry, the company ships internationally!

The Vacuum Screamer Attachment.

You'll never moan over hoovering again!
(FYI, hoovering in the UK means vacuuming the carpets.)

I wonder how long it takes to get one, the attachment, I mean.

Jewelry bits and pieces

I have been building up my jewelry inventory for a party. The lady wants me to bring my jewelry to her home to show a group of her friends.
I am for that and all, but building up the inventory hasn't been easy.


My back hurts if I stay over the beading table too long and I have tried taking a project with me into the bedroom, the fact is I never know what I may need! I cannot keep calling Lee on the intercom and tell him, "Pumpkin, please bring me my tube of scrimp beads and the screwdriver that goes with it? Oh and bring my round nose pliers and my 4mm seamless SS round beads."
He would be frustrated in 2 minutes! I know where everything is in my beading stuff...well most of it, and to ask someone else to find something isn't fair.
Trust me it wouldn't be too long before Lee would have my whole inventory in the bedroom along with my tools!



I got lots of things done now. I need to make up a few simples. Like a dozen or so earrings and a half dozen bracelets with a few anklets tossed in as well. People at the party may not have $75 for a necklace set but they will have $15 for a pair of earrings or $20-25 for a bracelet.
I will take with me a few tools for some simple repairs and a few finding for those who may love those Ametrine (a gem stone that is a combination of Amethyst and Citrine) earrings, but does not like the fish hook or lever back finding. I can usually change something like that to a post earring in a few seconds.


I had a lady once tell me she loved a pair of Jade earrings I made but she would prefer them to be on an ear cuff or perhaps a ear threader. I asked her which one she preferred as I had brought both ear cuffs and a pair of ear threaders with me! She was so shocked she bought those and a few others I was happy to switch out for her!!
I will make and take a dozen necklace extenders in both silver and gold (colored metal). Those sell really fast once they know you have them. Earring supports and hypoallergenic backings will go as well.

I need to purchase a small salesperson book so I can keep track of what inventory I am selling and to have something they can have a receipt for.
Remember last week I was talking about some blue chips? I took the darker blue turquoise and made a braided collar, I finished the necklace with Bali silver cones and lobster clasp. I gave the closing end a 2" length of sterling silver chain (so the person who buys the collar/choker will fit it more comfortably) and I finished one end of it with a small dangle of the turquoise chips on a head pin!! It is a heavy piece but it could go with anything with a U neckline or an open neckline.

I finally found a good equation for getting a proper price for my jewelry.
I take the price I paid for all materials and multiply that by 3 (for design, materials and labor), then I add 30% for overhead (lights, use of kilns, etc.). It isn't a really high price unless there is a lot of expensive material going into the piece. I want my customers to feel they have a one-of-a-kind piece of artisan jewelry for a good price. I don't want them to feel they are being taken advantage of. Personally, I would love to buy lavishly at the downtown Farmer Market jewelry vendors, but I can't because I won't be taken for a rube. I know what the material costs for those pieces. They feel they can up the price because it is downtown Charleston and out of town guests, have a good bit of money.

I like what I do and I am not a greedy person, I know what the findings and beads cost so why gouge the price?

Friday the 13th!

Today is my big brother's 60th birthday! It took the calendar 60 years to have another Friday the 13th in June I guess because he was born on a Friday. That is what I was told all my life why discount it?
George and I were both born, believe it or not, in Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, 13 years apart. Coincidence? I doubt it as I do not believe in coincidence.

Happy birthday, big Bro, I would have never made it through most of my childhood without you!

As for th rest of the hooey on the 13th all I can say is plbbbbbbtttttt. Don't believe it. It is when you firmly believe in the fact that bad things happen on this day is when you will work to make them happen subconsciously.
So move through the day thinking it is the 15th if that will make you feel better.

I was reading a website THE APF's site.
It talked of the 3 'S's' of chronic pain, Sadness, Sleeplessness, Suffering.
They left one out and it is an important one. It one that a lot of pain doctors must face when dealing with pain patients.
The FOURTH 'S' should be Suicide.
Unless you have this pain and you get the feeling of complete despair because even you hair moving hurts, you wouldn't understand.
Fortunately, I got a stubborn streak in me and a very competitive one too. When I am sometimes at my lowest I scream out, "This is NOT going to beat me!" And I put another foot in front of the other.

Many do not have my stubbornness or my support staff! My sister who is probably making arrangement right now through Emory's Patient liaison, my hubby who will shield me from most of the logistics of this trip so I can worry about getting better and my brother who will kick my ass if I even think of checking out.

So thanks again Bro and HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

I got a date...I think!

Wednesday, July 9th at 10AM - I am to be there by 9am. No later! It takes that long to prep. Especially with my veins.
***edit***
WRONG!!!! Already got a new date and place of surgery!!!
New date is July 24th at 8AM, must be at hospital no later than 7AM!!!! Surgery is scheduled for Emory John's Creek Hospital in Duluth GA!! OMG the very idea of the new machinations to make this work tires me!

Aetna wants it done at Emory Hospital for an overnight stay.

The procedure may take a minimum of 4 hours, then there is the waking up part of the program. They won't let me leave until I can walk without help, hmmmmm. Hard to do with stitches in your GUT and SPINE! So overnight it is!! Actually, it is a 23 hour stay

Anyway, I am not sure how this will affect our return flight. I sure would like to schedule the return flight at the same time as we schedule the first one. I hope and I hope some more that we can pay for the tickets, in other words that the flights are available at a relatively low fare and that we can get a medical dispensation to load first onto the plane for the return flight.

I want flowers this time damn it!!!!!!! Joking, kind of. Every time I get surgery, it is done so quick or I didn't tell anyone, no one shows up with "Get Well!" flowers. I have always said give me my flowers while I can smell them not when they become part of the compost with me!!

I am going to get a new Synchromed 2 pump and my old Isomed 60 will be donated to the medical mistakes museum!

I spent last evening in bed and dearest Lee wrote a note for our front door, "Do Not Disturb" for me today. I get a lot of, let's say, traffic through here. From screaming babies and frantic mothers to dishwasher repairmen to toddlers knocking on my door for "pop-pops"(lollipops) that I cannot rest in this apartment at times. Hence the sign.
Today I was in bed too until the doctors office starts calling...and Oh did I mention that dishwasher repairmen are blind? Or perhaps they cannot read said sign?
I think it has finally been decided that the dishwasher needs replaced...well, no shit. I said that last month when it started leaking for the fifth time!

Anyway, back to a bigger sign and bed...I will take the phone WITH me this time!

This is a moody post

I am waiting for the phone call.

I am hurting up higher than normal, up where the tube goes into the spine. The muscles there are inflamed and hurting. I couldn’t sleep last night, Lee gave me a massage along with some Motrin and I finally relaxed enough to pass out around midnight.

Things should be going right for me or at least less stressful.
The baby shower was a complete success. I was the hit of the party...at least my cream filled cupcakes were. Lee was told to have more cream on the side for next time. That French vanilla cream went over big! I bought the sugared booties, onesies and baby blocks online but the frosting was my own recipe of butter cream that takes the food color paste easily...almost too easily. I thought the pink came out like Pepto-Bismal instead of cotton candy pink! They loved it though. The party favors matched the colors of the cupcakes. Purple, green, yellow and Pink.
Also that day, I sold some of my jewelry with orders for a few more. I sent a new one to work with Jeff yesterday and a woman snapped it up. She really loved the tessellated bracelet I made with pinks and beige, but I decided to do one with blues and greens with AB highlights, the real star of the show was a dolphin clasp. Really pretty and I didn't even have time to get it photographed!! More is coming. I got a show in July; I need to get some inventory. I will only take orders for certain pieces as I hate to recreate my work too many times. It becomes boring and you won't have an original then!!
Right now, I am finishing up a “liquid silver” with Red Sunstone dice necklace.

I got an envelope of blues in the mail on Saturday. I got three large strands of gem chips all in blues.
One strand is denim Lapis Lazuli. Let me give you a fast lesson on Lapis. There are grades in the Lapidary journal on Lapis Lazuli. The very best is grade A and it is a dark cobalt blue, some veins of green and flecks of pyrite (fool's gold) are allowed in this grade. It is expensive. Want an example? OK, I bought a 16” strand of 4mm round grade B Lapis Lazuli beads. The color leans toward Cyan blue. The price for this little strand of little beads was $14.53 at Fire Mtn. That grade is used only for small beads and chips. Don't be fooled by cobalt beads calling themselves Lapis. Lapis is a rock, not a mineral. The highest grade Lapis will have a lot of pyrite in it! It is beautiful, just like the dark blue sky at night with golden stars shining from it.
A lighter blue or downright pale with flecks of dark blue is NOT Lapis Lazuli at any grade. It could be Sodalite, a stone that is often times sold as Lapis or it could be a dyed Howlite. Always check the edges of your beads for dye coat leftovers or better yet, take a soft emory board, rub it along the bead, if the color comes off, it is a fake. Which are OK as long as they are not trying to sell the stone as genuine Lapis.
A milky blue with white and some brown is now known as Denim Lapis because the color looks like a beautiful pair of aged blue jeans...but it is synthetic not genuine.
Also just FYI, Lapis got its name from the Persian word “Lazhward” meaning blue stone! There is something for your Jeopardy game!

The other strands are a genuine green turquoise but it leans more to the blues. You can never be guaranteed that the turquoise you get will be blues or greens but this time I got lucky. The other strand is Sodalite and another is blue coral. I am dying to do something with them. I thought maybe I would restring them all with some crystals or silver beads and then braid the strings together…I also saw an idea that takes chips and weaves them individually into a 4 strand flattened collar. But I am still not sure what to do with them, but I will make something from the blues.

So here I am working and thinking I should be in a good mood! I was up early finished the laundry and the ironing. Took out what I needed for dinner. I made a cup of tea and sat with my feet up to watch some LOTR (The Extended Version) with Peter Jackson and his fellow directors talking over the voice track. I enjoy hearing the 3 of them talking about the exploits of making the movie.

But my pain started building and I got up to take my breakthrough pain medicine. I came into my office here to make my calls for the pump revision.

I couldn’t do it. I am so tired of fighting the pain and the insurance company. I need to get things pre-certified; I need to make arrangements for things before I can just go to the hospital. I just couldn’t get back on the blasted phone.

Another trip to Atlanta, don’t know if we got the strength or the capital.

I keep telling myself that I should be expecting a call this week from...somebody, telling me to report to Atlanta for testing and to talk over the latest models of pain pumps. Then of course is the surgery I swore I wouldn't have this year...which will be at least an overnight trip. Lee will have to put Summer in the kennel and that will just make her even more schitzo. My 85lb Lab mix is afraid of everything! Flies, balloons, kitchen timers, etc. Let's talk of separation anxiety! Whoa boy!! This dog needs Xanax!
There is a fly in the house right now; Summer has herself wedged under my chair! If I move an inch she scrambles out just to come back again. Problem is sometimes, I forget she is there and when she scrambles, I do the super-freak-out myself! (Forgive the lingo, I am listening to the 70's channel on my XM radio).

I got pain and nausea for the last 3 days. From what I have read it is a symptom of the leaking pump. Fun? No. I know when the pump “goes off” and it leaks because I get woozy and nauseated. Yesterday afternoon it had me talking to Ralph on the big white phone. So you can see why I want this fixed. My pain can be held back with the breakthrough medicine but only to a point.

We must prepare for at least an overnight stay. Lee wants to stay with me in the hospital room.
We have discussed whether we should fly down then rent a car for the trip back or if we should just fly both ways. I think we have decided on the latter. I will insist to the airline that I must be boarded first for the flight back and that we get business class. If I get boarded first I won't have anyone pushing me to move along. I will have stitches in my back and in my stomach. I will not want touched with the huge bags women stupidly bring with them to put in the overhead compartments (that barely fits!) I will have to be wheeled by a skycap in a wheelchair to the plane as well. Charleston flights always load at the last gates, no way I will be able to walk that. So we must prepare for tips and pillows for protection. The flight before last, I asked for a pillow for my back. The attendant said they had no pillow but she would give me a blanket and I appreciated it. But for the return flight, I will need a pillow for padding!

I am sick of it and the situation. No matter how much joy I get from my jewelry I cannot shake this mood. I hate the whole situation.

I better get back to my orders.

A very cool bookstore on a very hot day!

Dutch scholar, Desiderius Erasmus (1466-1536). He said, “When I get a little money, I buy books, and then if there is any left over, I buy food and clothing.”

Hubby took me out for my errands today while on his lunch. I went through my stocks for tomorrow's baking frenzy (I have a baby shower on Friday to cater) and realized I never keep 6lbs of powdered sugar in my larder and it was time to go to Publix.
After doing the marketing we decided to go to another store, a bookstore!
Now, my favorite store, Barnes and Noble on Sam Rittenburg was flooded out on Sunday night and half of the store is covered with plastic wrap! So we went to BAM a little further down the road.

So, first, let’s talk about how nice it is to walk into a store where you don’t have to try to decide what to buy for dinner or buy clothes that you really don't need. No thank you! For me, I’ll choose a quick pick-me-up at Barnes & Noble or Books A Million.

Next, have you ever truly smelled a bookstore? That mixture of crispy newness that wafts through the vents from those freshly printed books mingled with the flowery perfume lofting up from the magazine racks and just for kicks, throw in a good dose of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods and you have such a hypnotic concoction that I’d love to bottle it and take it home with me. I think they pipe it into the vent just like movie theaters do with popcorn.

Once I’ve had a nice lingering whiff, I open my eyes and stare openly at the possibilities! Where else can you walk into a store and feel instantly brighter, or uplifted, or smarter, or inspired? All around there are shelves and shelves of opportunities to heighten your knowledge, live happier, be more connected, become a better person, or just read a fantastically good story. And the moment you load up with anything from the shelves there’s that antsy anticipatory feeling about what you’ll learn, where you’ll go and whom you’ll visit.

I haven’t even mentioned yet the amazing fact that within those humbled walls are contained the greatest minds of all time! You’ve got Plato, Socrates and Homer. There’s Einstein, Edison and Curie. Over here we have Roosevelt (both Franklin and Eleanor) Lincoln and King next to Churchill, Gandhi and Lenin. Down by that last rack we’ve got Tolstoy, Salinger, Austin, and Vonnegut. And over there’s Tolkien, Rowling, Dickens and Seuss and the lists go on, and on, and on until you’re dizzy with the enormity of knowledge, talent and genius!

And I know that for any of you who have ever entertained the idea about where you would go if you knew that the world might end tomorrow, and most, I know, would head toward the nearest bomb shelter, basement or cave, but for me? Yeah, well I think I’ll head to the bookstore, if I am going to die then I am going to put my head on my husbands tummy while reading Zimmer-Bradley and go with a smile on my face!

For now, however, I’m content to enjoy and be inspired by Stephen Lawhead, James Patterson and Diane L. Paxton. But I want to encourage the rest of you to take a day soon to venture out into that world of possibilities and get lost in the endorphins at your local bookstore.

What a mess of a week!

Last week, we flew to Atlanta to get my pump refilled.
What a mess! It was my fault but hubby never blames me.

Let me first mention that my pump actually ran out earlier in the week. I went through a bad case of withdrawal. I never want to experience that again! Fever, chills, nausea, weakness. It sounds like the flu but just think of the last time you had flu then multiply that by 3. I had it for 2 days. I was still suffering the dregs of the thing for 3 more days. I didn't call the doctors office because there was nothing they could do. If I got sent to the ER, I would have to pay a $100 copay and they will tell me to go home and rest, perhaps give me a script for Phenergen and a shot of Demerol.
After getting over the withdrawal my pain went crazy. I got permission from my doctor in Atlanta to take my pain pills more often. Instead of every 6 hours I could take it every 4 hours.

We flew out in the late morning. We made the plane no problem, I even had a relatively easy time getting threw the security.
I got off the plane in Atlanta and I was sick! I was woozy and couldn't get my footing. Hubby gets me off and to a kiosk with food. I ate a fairly decent burger and a fruit punch. I went to the bathroom and checked my blood and it was way too low. I was sure the ride on MARTA to the docs office will give the food time to get in my blood.
The doctors office was packed! Lee and I was figuring the time to get back to the airport in time for our return flight. Usually my pump refill doesn't take long and the office has all of my scripts ready for me. The office was running late due to a procedure going south. It seems a patient didn't do well and had a heart attack, so this threw everyone late.
Before I could get into the room we knew we wouldn't make the next flight to Charleston.
This was my fault. I shouldn't have made the flights so close together.
While Lee was trying to talk to AirTran I went into my room.

My doctor started his probing for the pump's port. He gave up and moved me to the fluoroscope.
The pump has developed a tiny leak. Not life threatening, I am told. The pump needs replaced.
As I was being led back to my original room, my doctor introduces me to the head of surgery there at the Pain Center.
He gives me a hug and tells me, "Oh you poor thing! I cannot believe anyone would put an old IsoMed pump in you!" Then he goes on to tell me when he removes it he is going to add it to his museum of old medical artifacts!
The pump they want to put in and the one I originally wanted was a programmable pump not a mechanical one. Granted the pump inside me right now never needs a battery replacement, but I would prefer a small incision under a local to replace my battery than have a pump that is next to impossible to fill and is leaking.
While I was being hugged by the head of surgery, a commotion hits a door near where we are. The surgeon goes running to the door along with my doctors nurse. My doctor puts my head down and nearly runs me from the surgery area telling a nurse to call my husband back.
I ask him WTF and he says sometimes patients or their partners are upset about prescriptions or lack thereof and try to bully us or break into the clinic. Sometimes they have guns.
Lee walked into my room and told me about some guy who was out front and making threats and such, the security people walked him out but he didn't go far! He came around to the surgical entrance and tried to get in there! My scripts were increased until we get the revision done.

To top it all off, Lee couldn't get our ticket fixed unless we wanted to pay over $400 bucks. I went to the AirTran booth and told her our problem. She told us we could just be on stand by and not pay anything. She told us the last plane to go to Charleston was at 10:30PM and it was just now 6PM and that the plane was relatively empty! So she went ahead and assigned us seats. We were so lucky to get the same seats we came down on. Row 10, seats A and C. It is the seats just behind the business class...lots of leg room!!!
While we were in the airport we ate some dinner and sat to wait. We both had books and lots to look at!

The biggest problem was of course, Summer. If things would have worked out right, we would have been home in under 6 hours. But as it happened, she was alone for nearly 12 hours. But she was so good. Not one puddle or pile! She was taken out and given cuddles and we collapsed.

Whew!

I am not sure I am over that adventure yet!!
The pump is still not right as the meds aren't going into my spine correctly. I have made my calls to the docs office for the revision to be called in for approval and I have been fighting with the insurance company to approve the surgery and hospital stay.
This would be so much better or easier if a doctor in South Carolina had the balls to open a pain practice. Preferably a doctor that isn't one flight away from a malpractice suit...Like the doctor who gave me this pump!!!!

So this week, I forge ahead with the things I have in my appointment book. I have a catering job on Friday at Jeff's office. I have a friend who wants me to do a jewelry party in her home.
I brought my jewelry to her office and I made some sales and I will make a few more after I do some adjusting to a bracelet. People around here, including myself, have tiny wrists. Six inches for a bracelet is the norm now instead of seven inches.

It seems a few months ago, I made a bracelet. It is a pretty thing, I also remember that it was a pain in the ass to do, but once it was done it was pretty and I swore never to do another one...this bracelet is one of the adjustments. It means I need to rethread the whole thing!
OMG! I got the 3 strands through the end and weaved back through, then I realize I will NEVER do this one again!! 6 strands through one pearl is too much to ask for any bead or beader!

So my week ahead is busy and I get to bug an insurance company, Wheeeeeeeee!

I need some peace...tomorrow, the bookstore!

I must honor Memorial Day

I was just going to enjoy my day and play a little Guild Wars, tidy up my work area or perhaps find all of my decorating tips. I have a catering job on June 6th for a baby shower.

But I had my email box filled today with a bunch of spam emails about how I should not "break this email", or how I should "keep it going for all the world to see".

Yeah right.

Give me a break all of you Rah-Rah people.
Your forward these damned emails to all of your friends and family and feel you have done your patriotic duty to remember the troops. Wow, do I pity them. They haven't a clue of what Patriotism really is.

WHAT is patriotism?
Is it love of one's birthplace, the place of childhood's recollections and hopes, dreams and aspirations?
Is it the place where, in childlike naivety, we would watch the fleeting clouds, and wonder why we, too, could not run so swiftly? The place where we would count the millions of glittering stars, wondering if God truly lived up there and was looking down on us? Is it the place where we would listen to the music of the birds, and long to have wings to fly, even as they, to distant lands? Or the place where we would sit at a loved one's knee and hear wonderful stories of myth and magic? In short, is it love for the spot, every inch representing dear and precious recollections of a happy, joyous, and playful childhood?

If that were patriotism, few Americans today could be called upon to be patriotic, since the place of play has been turned into factory, mill, and mine, while deafening sounds of machinery have replaced the music of the birds. Nor can we longer hear the tales of great deeds, for the stories our loved ones tell today are those of sorrow, tears, and grief.

Is patriotism a belief in a nation or a nation of ideals.
Patriotism meant words like pride, honor and selflessness.
We were once a great country but arrogance, sloth and greed became our new words of patriotism.
Labor unions have made it so nothing is made in America anymore, at least nothing affordable! The unions have told the members do less and get paid more to the point we shipped all of our business into the East.

The very same people who push these damn emails across the country have no frikking idea that those "Made in China" Yellow Ribbon on the back of their gas guzzliing SUV's are causing more death in this war, not less.
You want to support the troops? Start educating yourself on just what is going on for the troops?
Since war began (03/19/03) to 05/26/08 the fatalities in Iraq is 4083 total, 3329 in combat.
Do they realize that while they are filling up at the gas tit?
Do they know that there are no plans in place to take care of the thousands of troops that will be coming home with PTSD? The ones with medical problems so bad that had to leave the military. The very same government who sent these brave men and women into danger and death will forget them as soon as their boots hit American soil.
My brother, who is a vet of Viet Nam, is still waiting for care for his PSTD and associated health problems.
It is not a day in the future for the troops, it is now. I have friends who served 2 or 3 tours and they are home now and suffering. Where is their help?

Hubby and I listen to "Old Time Radio" on XM-Radio and it is amazing how much our parents or grandparents suffered through WWII. Everything was on ration. Gas, sugar, meat, everything! Plus, you were asked to give back as well. You bought bacon? Give back the bacon grease for explosives. That sort of selfless behavior will never be repeated in this country. Oh, wait a minute, I forgot! President Bush has given up golf out of respect for the troops!

Patriotism in its most common usage is best defined as the last refuge of elected scoundrels, who label every infamy and abomination as patriotism. Let me list some of the things these above-mentioned scoundrels define as patriotism:
Fighting wars of aggression thousands of miles away.
Fighting wars of colonial oppression.
Ruthlessly destroying the forests.
Promoting racism as a means of winning elections.
Cutting away at civil rights.
Lying about every question of the public good.
Bleeding the people dry and destroying all that America stands for with an armaments industry large beyond reason or need.
Spending our wealth on armaments (2 billions dollars for a B2) while our cities crumble, our infrastructure disintegrates and our schools are left without teachers.

It is time to stop being Kool-Aid Quaffers!

According to the Wiki-Pedia, Patriotism relies heavily on symbolic acts, such as displaying the flag, singing the national anthem, participating in a mass rally, placing a patriotic bumper sticker on one's vehicle, or any other way of publicly proclaiming allegiance to the state. Symbolic patriotism in wartime is intended to raise morale, in turn contributing to the war effort. Peacetime patriotism can not be so easily linked to a measurable gain for the state, but the patriot does not see it as inferior.

Hmm, I guess if you have those stickers on your car that makes you a patriot after all, I hope you can live with yourself on what those ribbons are really representing.

But this is Memorial Day. A day to remember those who were lost to war and those still fighting.
Every Memorial Day in my hometown in Pennsylvania, three generations of names are called out to be remembered for their duty to their country. George Czapp Jr, my father, George T Czapp, my brother and Steven D. Czapp, my nephew. Add to those names my husband, my son and the women of my family who were never really recognized for their work and sacrifice for their country.

I do not have a placard, I have a handicap plate.

I knew this would happen. Now for the selfishness of those who think they are handicapped are going to make it very difficult for those of us who are truly handicapped.

I use a cane, always. I have a wheelchair that I must use on occasion when the pain of a disintegrating spine is too much. But I still need to be out.
If I were to stay inside and just be handicapped I wouldn't be alive long. Depression would be so overpowering that I would not want to live anymore.

Is that what the cheaters want? For all handicap people to suffer for their selfishness?

I read the story from last night about the vendor downtown who no longer has high blood pressure because she no longer needs to worry over a parking ticket because she has a placard!
Oh Brother!!!!!
If only everyone had that kind of out for their high blood pressure. I will tell you one thing, my blood pressure certainly raised over the article!!
Personally, I only want to park closer to my destination so I don't have far to walk. I have fed meters downtown for our car. I don't want free, I want a spot near tot he shops I love and the restaurants I wish to go to!

I realize the abuse starts with the doctors. Look around, how many actual handicap license plates do you see in the handicap parking spots???

When I read the part about the young girl coming out of Pivotal Fitness and jumped into her placarded vehicle I just shook my head, I have seen it personally for myself.

However, what gets me is I have seen people look at me when I pull into a parking spot that isn't handicapped. Hey, I try to park where I belong but, there they are all of those placards!!
Just yesterday at Publix, I was having a very bad day from the tests I had done yesterday. I barely got around Publix and I was missing an item that Lee said we would go to the mall for. At that point, Lee got my wheelchair out for that journey, there was NO WAY I would have made the walk through the mall.
But at the Publix, I saw 2 young girls park in the handicap spot next to us. They pulled in the wrong way and had to K turn a few times to get in, but there they were running into the store!!

RUNNING! I can't remember the last time I ran anywhere.
I know the placards are are issued to people not the vehicle. I had a placard at first. We do have 2 vehicles and I was hoping to get better so I wouldn't need a plate, but as the Fates would have it, I got the plate and the wheelchair.

I realize that the cheaters will not stop. One of the reasons is there just isn't anywhere to park downtown! We were at Ropers Hospital yesterday, we parked at the Doughty Street Garage and we marked down the plate number on the ticket they gave us and I signed it.
We got out without paying, however I wish I had a regular plate and no placard.

I would pay and be happy that I was a normal person again.

Is it genetic?

Is it genetics that will not permit a man to replace a toilet tissue roll?

I have lived with men in my house and I have been married twice! None of those men, including my own beloved Lee, can replace toilet paper!!!

I really get tired of doing the turtle to the bathroom closet to get a roll of paper!!!

So, is it genetic?!

If we hired like we vote