Three

THREE NAMES I GO BY
1. Robert
2. Bobby
3. Daddy

THREE JOBS I HAVE HAD IN MY LIFE
1. Forest Service Fire Fighter
2. Waiting tables.
3. Pharmacy Tech

THREE PLACES I HAVE LIVED
1. San Diego, CA
2. Farmington, NM
3. Arlington, TX

THREE TV SHOWS THAT I WATCH
1. The Philanthropist
2. Royal Pains
3. Burn Notice

THREE PLACES I HAVE BEEN
1. San Francisco
2. New York City
3. Vancouver BC

THREE PLACES I WANT TO GO
1. Scotland
2. Austria
3. Japan

THREE OF MY FAVORITE FOODS
1. Scallops
2. Venison
3. Field greens

THINGS I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO
1. Camping trip
2. Graduation
3. Moving from Texas

THREE PETS THAT YOU HAVE OWNED
1. Dusty the cat.
2. Bo the dog.
3. Goldie the cat. (RIP)

THREE FAVORITE BANDS/SINGERS
1. Coldplay
2. U2
3. Augustana

THREE FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH
1. Volleyball
2. Football
3. Tennis

THREE FAVORITE DRINKS
Alcoholic:
1. Single malt scotch whiskey
2. Microbrewed beer
3. Wine

Non-alcoholic:
1. water
2. Starbucks Green Tea Frappe
3. water

THREE ACTIVITIES YOU ENJOY DOING
1. Photography
2. Shooting
3. Writing

THREE ATTRIBUTES MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU IN A FRIEND
1. Loyalty
2. Kindness
3. Sense of humor

MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE
1. Family
2. Peace
3. Love

Faux Pox

So it turns out the chicken pox were actually ant bites. From the ants that were infesting her bed...for a week...

Waterfall

In La Plata Canyon, CO.

Shicken Spotty

My younger daughter is terribly reactive to bug bites--she gets huge whelps that take a couple of days to go down from mosquito bites--so we weren't surprised when she came in from outside with a couple red spots around her eyes last week. A couple hours later when they had blossomed across her face, shoulders, and back, we knew that something else was up. When the spots came to a head, it was pretty much confirmed: She has the chicken pox.

It is a fairly light case I think. She hasn't slowed down at all--no fever, no malaise, and honestly very little itching. A little calamine lotion and she's been fine. It's a beautiful thing to watch an unaltered immune system working just like it should. We've laid low from most of our group activities this week to minimize the spread of this dreaded varicella virus, and just as much to keep from answering quite so many questions about vaccinations. At this point I'm happy to educate anybody who truly wants to understand our decision not to vaccinate, but at the same time I'm done with all the drama that seems to be inherent with the ensuing conversation. I've been asked a couple of times if she had the varicella vaccine, and I've simply replied, "No." When pressed for more, "Because we chose not to.", and done.

One of the 2 y/o's aunts is a stablehand at a horse barn, and ever since the 2 y/o found out, we've been incessantly hounded to "Go see the horses?" Yesterday the boy nursed really well in the morning, so the wife planned to sleep through the rest of the day before she got up to go to work, meaning we were relatively mobile. After hearing the horse request for the hundredth time in an hour, I finally just packed them into the car for the 95 mile drive to grandma's house. It was more than a visit to see the horses--there were cousins in town and a birthday cake to be eaten. It turned out to be a good visit, even braving the in-laws solo with the kiddos.

The visit to the horse barn was the stuff from which memories are made. The 2 y/o was in heaven. She helped brush and curry the horses, fed them sugar cube treats out of her own hand; she even got to sit up on the back of a horse to finish grooming the mane. But she didn't quit there. She helped Aunty Em feed every one of the horses, lugging the heavy feed scoop down to each stall and emptying them into the feed buckets. Then she helped haul hay flakes, and finished up by helping push the broom to clean up. She worked hard and focused for about 90 minutes and she had a great time. As soon as she hit her carseat for the drive home she sacked out.

And yes, totally forgot my camera to get any pictures of this. No worries though, she woke up this morning asking to "Go see the horses?"

1888 Premium Olive Press

Do you like martinis? Do you like them just a little bit dirty?

If so, friends of mine have just started production on a mixer that may turn your head. 1888 Premium Olive Press is 100% pressed olives, and as far as we know, the only one on the market.

This stuff is great, and just a little bit dirty... ;)

Check out their site!

The Philanthropist

So, I happened to be watching America's Got Talent the other evening, and by chance the show called The Philanthropist was coming on next. I vaguely remember seeing a trailer or two for the show, but the truth is I rarely watch network TV anymore, what with the satellite. I set the DVR just to check it out and wow, am I glad I did. This show was the best TV I've watched in very long time.

I'm not sure what it was about the story, but something struck a chord with me. And I have a feeling there are many more out there thinking the same things. As we marinate in the muck of our greed and excess putrefying around us in this economic reality, I find it hard to believe that there aren't some of us who resonate with the idea that maybe we all could do just a little more to help each other out.

To be sure, Teddy Rist (James Purefoy) has his own demons to battle--he is damaged goods. But that doesn't change the fact that he is a narcissistic billionaire with little regard for the world beyond what he can see with his own eyes. He IS corporate greed. And when a small shred of humanity in him begins to awaken, coaxed awake into a flickering flame while being tossed about and windswept in an African natural disaster, the effect is startling. I found myself cheering for him.

Maybe in some small way I seek to salve my own soul in his character's growth. I'm not sure if that's right, or even justifiable, (this is after all a lowly network television show), but his soul searching turns my eyes inward. And to me, that can only be a good thing.

Jesse L. Martin, Neve Campbell, and Lindy Booth all play their supporting roles well. But James Purefoy plays his character very well. This show was a pleasure to watch, and I can hardly wait until next Wednesday to watch the next episode.

You should check it out...

HawthoRNe

**Spoiler Alert** This post reveals information about the first episode of HawethoRNe, please don't read it if you've yet to watch.

Having been out of town last week, I set the DVR to record this new medical-drama on TNT, told from the nurses point of view. My wife and I finally got to sit down and watch the pilot last night.

For the most part the show was enjoyable. Jada Pinkett-Smith is a talented actress, and the supporting cast is equally up to the task. The story lines felt a little forced at times, but maybe the writing will settle in instead of trying to flex all its muscles at once trying to impress viewers enough to come back for episode 2.

There were the inevitable medical TV show flub-ups--several of them just in this episode alone. For example, when CNO Christina Hawthorne jumped in to save the day and inserted an IV on a newborn, she put the catheter in backwards--completely counter flow! And the "large vessel" she found in the baby's scalp to catheterize, well she used a butterfly... That same poor baby was on an adult gurney--good thing they put the side rails up to transport--with holes big enough for the baby to completely slide out.

Or how about the patient that went from a blood glucose level of 225 to a diabetic coma within minutes of receiving a grand total of 6 units of insulin...

I think my biggest gripe with the show had to with the sole male nurse character. It's unfortunate the show's writers saw fit to portray Ray (played by David Julian Hirsh) as a medical school reject. The reason Ray didn't get into medical school? He tanked on his MCAT. I really hate the message this sends about nurses--Ray wasn't smart enough to be a doctor, so he became a nurse. Ugh.

The really annoying thing about it is that the story line called for Ray to be smart enough to recognize a doctor had a made a mistake. Clearly we need for Ray to be ALMOST smart enough to get into medical school to make such a leap, right? Wrong. The story line wouldn't have suffered at all if Ray had just been, say, an intelligent nurse (like hundreds of thousands of nurses in practice today), in fact it would only served to empower nurses.

Some of the characters were over the top, but not unpleasantly so. The newbie nurse who has a colossally bad "first" day was a bit funny. The character of Dr. Marshall was waaaay over the top. I only hope a doctor never speaks to me in the manner she did...that will be quite a day.

Overall, I give the show an A for effort. I'll be back to watch episode 2. It was perfect, and it wasn't the best show I've ever watched, but it worked.

Portrait Self

Yes or No

Kissed any one of your Facebook friends? Yes
Been arrested? No
Kissed someone you didn't like? Yes
Slept in until 5 PM? No
Fallen asleep at work/school? Yes
Held a snake? Yes
Ran a red light? Yes
Been suspended from school? Yes
Experienced love at first sight? No
Totaled your car in an accident? Yes
Been fired from a job? Yes
Fired somebody? No
Sang karaoke? No
Pointed a gun at someone? No
Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? Yes
Laughed until something you were drinking came out your nose? Yes
Caught a snowflake on your tongue? Yes
Kissed in the rain? Yes
Had a close brush with death of your own? Yes
Seen someone die? Yes
Played spin-the-bottle? No
Sang in the shower? Yes
Smoked a cigar? Yes
Sat on a rooftop? Yes
Smuggled something into another country? No
Been pushed into a pool with all your clothes? Yes
Broken a bone? Yes
Skipped school? Yes
Eaten a bug? No
Sleepwalked? No
Walked a moonlit beach? Yes
Rode a motorcycle? Yes
Dumped someone? Yes
Forgotten your anniversary? No
Lied to avoid a ticket? No
Ridden on a helicopter? No
Shaved your head? Yes
Blacked out from drinking? No
Played a prank on someone? Yes
Hit a home run? No
Felt like killing someone? Yes
Cross-dressed? Yes
Been falling-down drunk? Yes
Made your girlfriend/boyfriend cry? Yes
Eaten snake? No
Marched/Protested? No
Had Mexican jumping beans for pets? No
Puked on amusement ride? No
Seriously & intentionally boycotted something? Yes
Been in a band? Yes
Knitted? No
Been on TV? No
Skinny-dipped? No
Eaten a whole habanero pepper? Yes
Ridden a surfboard? No
Drank straight from a liquor bottle? Yes
Had surgery? No
Had stitches? Yes
Streaked? No
Taken by ambulance to hospital? No
Passed out when not drinking? No
Peed outside? Yes
Donated Blood? Yes
Grabbed electric fence? No
Eaten alligator meat? No
Eaten cheesecake? Yes
Eaten kids' Halloween candy? Yes
Killed an animal when not hunting? Yes
Peed your pants in public? No
Snuck into a movie without paying? No
Written graffiti? No
Still love someone you shouldn't? No
Think about the future? Yes
Been in handcuffs? No
Believe in love? Yes
Ever been in another country? Yes
Ever ridden a horse? Yes
Believe in God? Yes
Have kids or plan to have kids? Yes
Been on a plane? Yes
Seen the ocean? Yes
Win an award? Yes
Hang up on someone? Yes
Snowboarded? No
Played on a sports team? Yes
Have you ever cheated on an exam? Yes
Have you ever called a significant other by the wrong name? Yes
Have you ever laughed until you cried? Yes
Have you ever received a love letter? Yes

Strawberry Patch