Flying Oyster

Caz's MLK Speech

2007-01-18T22:02:00.000-05:00

Album Cover Animation

2006-10-12T12:06:00.000-04:00

This is funny!

You put the "ICK!" in Rick

2006-09-19T13:21:00.000-04:00

Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is running behind in the polls to Bob Casey, Jr. He has supported W 98% of the time. Unfortunately, Casey's presence and voice is like ether. He should be a cure for insomnia.

Despite that, in their first debate, Casey managed to get a few good lines in. Santorum actually claims we found the weapons of mass destruction (I guess the Bush administration is just really bad and getting their message out - HA!). Of course, even Bush and his cronies have publicly admitted there were no weapons. Casey's line was something to the effect of: "We've finally discovered the 2% where Santorum DISAGREES with Bush - he actually BELIEVES WE FOUND THE WMDs!"

The other line came in response to Santorum (doing what he was told by the Republican Party bosses) referring to "Islamic Fascists" instead of "terrorists". Casey said that we should worry about finding and killing Osama bin Laden (the person actually RESPONSIBLE FOR 9/11!) and THEN Santorum can decide whether he's a "dead terrorist" or a "dead Islamic Fascist" - good stuff!

Anti-Flag on Jimmy Kimmel

2006-08-30T16:34:00.000-04:00

Justin's the one in black in the middle.

Justin Sane - a good UU kid

2006-08-29T23:51:00.000-04:00

After shopping at the East End Food Co-op, I had to pick up some things at Whole Foods for Claymama and was so glad I did. I actually bumped into political punk band Anti-Flag's lead singer, Justin Sane. He was incredibly nice (just like when a friend and I chatted him up after a show at Club Laga years ago). We talked about their performance of "This Is The End For You My Friend" on Jimmy Kimmel last week and the little change they made in the lyrics at the end of the song to dis the "Pontiac Summer Stage Concert Series" thing. He said the folks on the show got really pissed at the band later (after they realized what had happened).

We talked about the new album, For Blood And Empire (it's AMAZING - go BUY IT NOW!!!), which is their first for a major label and all the craziness/judgment that has accompanied that. We also talked about our experiences with the Unitiarian Universalist church. He told me he used to go to Summer Institute (my family goes now) and he would love to go again but is too busy in the summer touring. He attended the UU sexuality class for children and youth, Our Whole Lives (I'm an OWL instructor - coincidentally I taught it with the mother of Anti-Flag's first guitarist, Andy). I confessed when I am a teacher at church of a disgruntled looking punk teenager, I have often pointed out that Justin and Pat Thetic (Anti-Flag's drummer) are/were UU's. That is like credibility in a can to those kids and often makes the fact that their parents dragged them to "some lame church" WAY more palatable. He laughed and gave his blessing to continue using that. He said that UU Youth Conventions probably saved his life and that his best friends are ones he made at those gatherings.

It was actually a rather brief (less than 5 minute) conversation, but I'm really glad I saw him. A good UU kid who is living out the 7 Principles - and pissing off corporate america as he does it. Go Justin!

World Party

2006-08-29T23:45:00.000-04:00

Brian & Vivian had gone to see World Party Fri night in Cleveland and told me it was a great show. I went Sun. Night here in Pgh by myself. It was kind of weird to see Karl Wallinger playing to such a small crowd (under 200). It was a great show, lots of new songs (only two from the first record). I had been warned that Karl was looking a little chubby. The guy had a freakin' aneurysm a few years ago and had to go through rehab & such. I couldn't help but think about the first time I saw them. It was probably 87 at the Phantasy Theater in Cleveland (Lakewood, actually). It was in support of the first album. I think Trent Reznor's awful Exotic Birds band opened (I could be wrong on that one).

When I tried to evaluate how Karl looked compared to the last time I saw him I couldn't help but think - "If he remembered how I looked 19 years ago he'd probably think I wasn't looking too good now either - and I didn't have a brain aneurysm".

Akron

2006-08-29T23:35:00.000-04:00

So with claymama working overtime all weekend I took Caz1996 and Ruby2001 to my dad's in Ohio. We got to have a cookout with our friends Brian & Viv (w/Andrew & Brandon) and Bruce & Kathy (w/Calvin & Eden). It was just so great getting to visit with them. Brian started his own design business a few months ago and things are going better than expected there. Farmer Bruce is finishing his apprenticeship, got an education job in Medina and Kathy is writing pretty much every article in the West Side Leader.

We got to visit with Bruce & Kathy (and our old friend Sue) at Crown Point Farm and got the tour. What a very cool place!

I had promised claymama that I would get her Luigi's Pizza since it is SO much better than any pizza in Pittsburgh. After everyone left Sat. night, I called for takeout and took Caz1996 with me. He didn't remember going previously and was very impressed. It was actually pretty dead (11:00 or so on a Sat night!?!) We ended up sitting down and having a couple of pieces while listening to our songs on the jukebox (Beatles, Stevie Wonder).

I think Caz1996 came away with a better opinion of Akron and even said he DEFINITELY wants to go to the Lebron James Bike-A-Thon thing next June. At some point he'll admit he likes Lebron James. Right now I think he's still too stubborn.

The Gimme Curse

2006-08-29T23:27:00.000-04:00

So Me First & The Gimme Gimmes (the greatest cover band in the world) somehow got a gig for three nights playing during fireworks at PNC Park (the greatest baseball stadium in the world) after games by Houston Astros versus the host Pittsburgh Pirates (the worst baseball team in the league).

Apparently the first night (Thursday) didn't work out so well as they got booed off the stage during their opening number "Stairway to Heaven". They should have opened with "Rocket Man" or "Me and Julio Down By The Schoolyard" (way better songs - originals AND Gimme Gimme versions).

The Pirates PR folks asked them to cancel the next two scheduled nights and what happened? - The Pirates lost the rest of the THREE games to Houston Astros.

Betty Blue 1992-2006

2006-07-28T09:56:00.000-04:00

Our beloved dog was put to sleep last evening after months of declining health and apparent kidney failure. She was clearly uncomfortable yesterday but was particularly affectionate yesterday afternoon as we brought her home from the vet to spend time with the family prior to returning for the procedure.

14 years ago, Kim and I were in a new city and working opposite shifts so we had much time alone in a small apartment. We didn't really have friends near us and we both wanted companionship when the other was gone. We found her at the Animal Rescue League. She picked us, we did not pick her (I'll tell you that story if you've never heard it). She taught us responsibility before we had children and was a wonderful companion.

I enjoyed her playfulness with other dogs probably more than anything else. When she was young, she would just not leave other dogs alone (even younger ones), trying to play with them almost constantly. In her later years, you could see that playful puppy inside of her, but she would only be able to pester other dogs for a few moments before resting. Her gentleness was another trait we will never forget. I don't think she never tried to harm another being (except for those pesky bugs that she might snap at occasionally). She shunned pepperoni and ate vegetables. Due to an allergy, she was a vegan before I was.

The picture above was taken just over a month ago at Piedmont Lake. As much as she did not really enjoy swimming, she had a fascination with the water and seemed to really enjoy her visits there.

She will be greatly missed.

Farmer Bruce

2006-04-28T07:42:00.000-04:00

So my friend Bruce has left a job with a charter school company and wants to be a farmer! I wish him luck and hope he really enjoys it (the most important thing) and can make enough money at it to support his family (a close second!)

Read about it his new blog: http://farmerbruce.blogspot.com

Vegas

2006-03-22T22:31:00.000-05:00

We're going to Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Check out our vacation website at web.mac.com/flyingoyster

Ban GOP Adoptions!

2006-02-26T18:22:00.000-05:00

Robert Hagan, Democrat state senator from Ohio is my new hero. He proposed legislation to ban adoptions from households in which one or both parents are Republicans. Read the whole story here at PlanetOut.com.

Jeux Sans Frontieres

2006-02-24T21:22:00.000-05:00

So I am typing at the post office tonight and listening to my iPod on my headphones. I'm listening to Peter Gabriel's 3rd album (a.k.a. "Melt") for the first time in probably a decade and "Games Without Frontiers" comes on. It gets to the part with the whistles (you know the part). I almost started whistling out loud (cuz I always do in the car) and realized that it might be a little disruptive to my co-workers. MAN! that song is great!

It's Millionaire-Hunting Season

2006-02-13T22:06:00.000-05:00

And our VP has already bagged one! Woo Hoo!!!

Super Stillers

2006-02-08T07:45:00.000-05:00

So the Stillers won Super Bowl Extra Large and Caz1996 got to go to the parade to celebrate with 250,000 of his closest friends. I grew up in Cleveland rooting for The Browns/Cavs/Indians and have never really had a team I rooted for win a championship. I wanted him to experience as much of it as he could. He got to high-five Antwaan Randle-El and Hines Ward (the passer and receiver on the trick play that sealed the victory). He also got a good picture of his favorite player, Troy Polamalu (above).

Later Polamalu, Ricardo Coclough and James Harrison crowd surfed. I watched the video. Harrison and Coclough went in face down and certainly kicked a few folks in the face (by accident). Polamalu might have experience stage diving cuz he went on his back (you don't kick people as easily). In my younger, punk-rock/stage-diving days, that was the form I used. Stage-diving and slam-dancing was never about hurting someone else.

Ping Pong

2006-02-03T07:23:00.000-05:00

Do you want to see a picture of your favorite celebrity playing ping pong?

Me neither.

Revenge

2006-02-01T07:31:00.000-05:00

Who do WE (us NON-Right-Wing-Kool-Aid-Drinkers) blame for inflicting Bush on us for 8 years (or less if our dream of impeachment comes true)?

I read this article at alternet.org (reprinted from the American Prospect). It seems to me that the Right Wing machine had lots and lots more money due to to various Native American tribes (with casino ties) increasing their donations to Republicans after hiring Jack Abramoff as their chief lobbyist.

Maybe this is our payback for the whole genocide thing?

Dark as a Dungeon

2006-01-05T06:33:00.000-05:00

So the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette was one of the few papers to get out many editions of yesterday's paper with the correct headline about the coal miners tragedy in West Virginia.

Mackenzie Carpenter (Mary Chapin's sis, by the way) wrote a story today about how the P-G pulled it off. So did the New York Times. David Shribman (P-G editor) is quoted in both. In the Times' article he even mentioned "his decision" to "stop the presses".

Of course, that decision was made after he was called at home by the folks who were actually WORKING ON THE PAPER AT THE TIME. Word is that one guy even was on his way home from the P-G after finishing the "Miners are alive" version of the front page when he heard the change in the story on the radio and drove back to the P-G to help with the remaking of the front page. None of those people have been publicly acknowledged or thanked by the P-G editors. Only people who were asleep as this stuff was happening have gotten any kudos.

"Sorry I haven't posted in a while"

2005-12-28T07:25:00.000-05:00

I've noticed that lots of people tend to post "sorry I haven't posted in a while" on their blogs like there are thousands of people desperately waiting for another post. I did a Google blog search for that phrase and came up with 1,347 hits!! Humans amuse me.

The Weavers Are "No Earthly Good"

2005-12-14T22:25:00.000-05:00

So now I'm gonna do something I never thought I'd do on this blog. Comment on a reality TV show...

Claymama and I watch "Amazing Race" with Caz1996 because it is usually fun to see the different parts of the world that the teams travel to and I'm a sucker for game shows (which is, essentially what this show is).

The most recent incarnation was the "Family Edition" where groups of FOUR relatives raced (rather than the standard TWO). There is typically a favorite or two. Teams who just are likable and you find yourself rooting for them. Occasionally there are teams you root against. This edition's villains were the Weaver family. It's a widow and her 3 teen-ish age kids (1 boy, 2 girls). The problem with this family is that they proved themselves to be mean-spirited, heartless, self-righteous people - all while claiming to be the only family who is trying to "lead a Christian life."

The evidence? Here's only a few examples. They...:

* tried to direct the drivers of other teams' vehicles to go slow (more than once)
* made fun of a member of another team because he is a garbage man
* had judgmental nicknames for every other team (while most teams came up with nicknames for other teams, they were not mean-spirited)
* said "I hate her" after one of the "Desperate Housewives" tried to show one of the girls some empathy while they were at a race track (the Weavers' father was killed on a race track recently)
* and in one inexplicably rude moment, the youngest (the boy, Rollie) yelled (unprovoked) at a bicyclist they passed "You WISH you were Lance Armstrong!!"

The weird thing is that they kept praying to God to help them in the race!! I'm thinking God might have a few more important things to worry about. Now I'm all for people being free to express their religion, but the mom prayed to God to help them through these goofy little obstacles and races so many times that it became almost funny.

I think it's important to note that I'm suspicious of editing on these "reality" shows to make things look like a "good guy/bad guy" situation all the time, but in this case these people SAID THIS STUFF! It wasn't like the editing made them mock a garbage man.

I do feel a little bad about the the Weavers in that I would hate to be filmed 24 hours/day for 30 days and then the footage aired on national TV. I'm sure I would be proven to be the hypocrite/jackass/pervert/dork that only I know I am. I think it's a good lesson to think about what you claim to be to others. Many people claim to be "good" (fill-in-the-blank - citizens, Christians, Jews, Buddhists, Carpenters, workers, friends, etc) but really aren't. This family just didn't get away with it.

Another lesson from this show is that the team that won was the team that really enjoyed themselves (whether in first or last place in a race) and didn't fight with each other (some teams seemed to ONLY fight with each other). In life: get along with each other and have fun. I believe in that and this dumb TV show reinforced that belief.

I kept coming back to one of my favorite Johnny Cash songs when watching the Weavers. It's called "No Earthly Good".

Johnny described his motivation for the song. "That's a song I wrote for phony pious Christians." He said people like that "...give Christianity a bad name. And it should have a good name, because it's a wonderful thing. Wonderful. And I don't like it, it makes me very angry, when charlatans abuse and misuse the Gospel of Jesus Christ..." Amen Johnny.

War on Christmas

2005-12-01T07:29:00.000-05:00

So occasionally I have to be in a room where Fox News (including O'Reilly) is on the tv, REALLY LOUDLY!!

Every night they've been bitching about the War on Christmas and they cite stores who tell their employees to say "happy holidays" instead of "Merry Christmas" and encourage boycotting them.

I listened to the podcast of last night's Majority Report and Sam pointed out that the Fox News web store is guilty of replacing "Christmas" with "Holiday", including "holiday ornaments". I check out the web site. Sure enough there's a huge banner that says something about "holiday" gift ideas. The "holiday ornaments" have since been changed to "Christmas Ornaments"

Here's my take on the "war on christmas". Why would you wish someone a happy something-they-don't(or MAY NOT)-celebrate? On October 25, 2005, nobody wished me a Merry Sh'mini Atzaret. It's equivalent to walking up to everybody on YOUR birthday and saying "Happy Birthday!". You might run into someone who has the same birthday as you, but for you to ASSUME everybody celebrates because YOU do is incredibly narrow-minded, immature and self-centered.

Granted, Christians are the majority in this country, so you're more likely to run into a Christian. But that's the point - CHRISTIANS ARE THE MAJORITY!!! People are not PERSECUTED for being Christian in the U.S. Christians in the U.S. complaining about being oppressed sounds to me like rich, white guys complaining about Affirmative Action. Trying to be more inclusive of people who are not in the majority, is not an attack. It's about trying to look at the world from other's perspectives.

Dork

2005-12-01T01:10:00.000-05:00

So here was my evening tonight (11/30/05)
6:22pm - Decide to finally clean out my car trunk. While getting gas near South Park (about 10 miles from my house), stop at one of those do it yourself car wash places.

6:26pm - As I drive away, I realize I may have accidentally thrown away the cord for my camcorder adaptor. The adaptor (the big square thing) is in the trunk, but I don't recall seeing the cord from the wall to the adaptor. Check the trunk, but it's a little too dark in the parking lot to determine if it's there. I must have put it in my camera bag. I'll check later.

9:33pm - I get home from work, check my camera bag, no cord. I look through a cabinet that has more of my camera stuff, no cord.

9:36pm - I quickly check B&H Photo Video to see how much it's going to cost to order a new one. $120!!!

9:38pm - Take Caz1996 to bed, read him a story.

9:59pm - Tell Claymama what an idiot I am and ask if our flashlight is working - Ruby2001 often plays with it and the batteries were dead last I checked. She confirms the flashlight batteries are dead.

10:01pm - Drive to grocery store along the way.

10:22pm - 2 packages of 4 D batteries on sale for $9.29 - wow, my lucky night!!

10:23pm - line I'm in is taking too long, notice the "express" lane has no customers and 3 cashiers - go there. They're chatting with each other. The young female cashier slowly turns toward me (then needs some sort of code to be punched in by the middle-aged cashier). She rings me up - "$18.54"!! I tell the cashier what the tag on the display said. She said she'll have to "get a manager". I tell her "forget it, I can't wait"

10:26pm - after replacing batteries and re-tightening the light bulb in the flashlight, realize that the flashlight is broken. I go back into the grocery store - right next door to a Wal-mart - to buy a flashlight.

10:29pm - pick up TWO flashlights (I've got plenty of batteries for them in the car). Next to the flashlights, I notice that the "sale" tag said it was "through 11/30/05". I was right, they changed it in the computer too soon. Again, the line I'm in is taking too long, I cautiously go to the "express" lane with the middle aged cashier mentioned earlier. She is refunding money to some woman standing behind her. Apparently it's because of a return of a half-gallon of milk. Then the cashier debates with her about the status of the milk carton, very carefully trying to figure out what is wrong with the milk - IN THE EXPRESS LANE!!! The guy standing in front of her, waiting to be checked out looks at me in disbelief. I give him a confirming astonished shake of my head. Eventually, get through the line and head towards the trash can.

10:41pm - begin digging through the trash can - realize that NOW there are huge streetlights on - didn't need the flashlight after all.

10:44pm - after digging through the entire can (including a surprising number of CD jewel cases -without the CDs- for a "Greatest Power Ballads" CD and EVERY CD by the band LIVE, for some reason), I do NOT find my cord.

10:58pm - dejected and frustrated at how forgetful and stupid I can be (why would the cord to my camera be anywhere but WHERE THE CAMERA IS KEPT?) and disgusted with the garbage-y liquid that is on my hands, "Riot Nrrd" by 2 Skinnee J's comes on my iPod and I rock out on the way home. Life's not so bad.

11:23pm - after scrubbing my hands with soap and hot water, start searching on the internet for a replacement cord.

11:55pm - after some research, I find a charger (3rd party brand - not "Canon" - but from a reputable company) for my camera batteries. It's thinner (not as bulky) as the one that came with my camera. Not only does it include a cord from the adaptor to the wall, it also includes a car adaptor AND a European plug, all for $20 + $5 shipping.

By the end of the night, I spent more on batteries and flashlights than I did on this charger that I thought was going to cost me over $100.

The moral of the story? I'm a dork.

Retire #21

2005-11-29T23:38:00.000-05:00

I'm in a fantasy NBA league and I named my team "The World B. Freeze".

World B. Free was the ONLY reason to see a Cleveland Cavaliers basketball game for a few years in the early 80's. Oh yeah, and he single-handedly saved pro basketball in Cleveland. If it weren't for Lloyd "World" B. Free, Lebron would not have a hometown team to even be lucky enough to get the chance to play for. He was about as cocky as they come and never met a jump shot he didn't like. He played sort of like my late uncle Jackie "Radar" Tidrick. When playing "Barn Ball" (I'll explain that some other time) Uncle Jackie used to yell "pass it to me, I MIGHT pass it back". He never passed it back. Anyway, the Cavs are going to honor him (World B. Free, not my uncle) before the game against the Clippers tomorrow night. Terry Pluto of the Akron Beacon Journal believes they should retire #21. I agree.

I'm a Liberal - well, duh!!!

2005-11-22T23:11:00.000-05:00

If you're confused, take this short quiz to determine your political leanings.
Please reply to this post with your results. I got a 90/20 (personal/economical)

I didn't like the last question. Wish there was a "no" to tax cuts and "CHANGE" government spending but...

Suck Fony

2005-11-15T21:33:00.000-05:00

Wheatus is one of my favorite bands. Unfortunately, I apparently am their only fan, though. Their last couple of CDs are nearly IMPOSSIBLE to find in stores around here in Pittsburgh. I have had to purchase the last two from iTunes because I am convinced they DON'T PHYSICALLY EXIST ANYWHERE! They released a "CD" called "Suck Fony" after many problems with Sony Music International.

Now I bought two CDs lately (Neil Diamond's "12 Songs" and Cyndi Lauper's "The Body Acoustic"). They are both great CDs (on Columbia - a Sony subsidiary) but they have this copy protection stuff on them that is PURE EVIL!!! I imported them on my iMac without a problem and have been listening to them on my iPod. However, when I tried to listen to them on my computer at work (Windows, of course), I could not because I had to install a program and I don't have administrator priveleges. Since I could not play them for my co-worker I let him borrow them to listen to at home. He tried to play them on his computer (also Windows) and he agreed to install the program. Now his CD burner doesn't work!! I researched it and sure enough, the program he had to install on his computer has disabled his CD burner.

I have felt for a while that the internet is going to make record companies irrelevant. With situations like this, Sony is just hurrying up their own demise. The moral of the story is to BUY these CDs on iTunes (or some similar service). Eventually the norm will be that artists (especially established artists like Neil Diamond & Cyndi Lauper) will distribute these directly to their fans, cut out the middle men like Sony and the music world will be a better place.

Kids at Play

2005-11-14T23:46:00.000-05:00

The last two weekends we got to do fun stuff w/the kids. First we got to visit with my friend Stephanie (who once said "everyone has a 'weird aunt' I want to be your kids' 'weird aunt" - now my kids refer to her as "Weird Aunt Stephanie" much to her pleasure). We ate GREAT Pizza at Luigi's (in Akron, OH-we didn't see Chrissie Hynde this time, though - DRATS!!) and the kids played in the leaves at my dad's...

then this past weekend we went to the Pittsburgh Children's Museum... with our good friends Brian and Viv & their kids...

One of the great things about Brian & Viv is that they always seem to be in such a good mood. They also have great stories when talking about their relationship (their fights & such). They are so open about their idiosyncrosies and laugh about them with others. It's infectious (in a good way!). They remind me of a favorite quote: "Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused." Not sure of the author.

Republicans Love Rosa Parks

2005-11-01T01:06:00.000-05:00

I am amused and infuriated at the same time when I read all of these Republicans praising Rosa Parks.

Any thinking person knows that if Rosa was to commit her defiant act TODAY, she would be criticized by all conservatives as being anti-American. I read a funny post from August on Huffington post about how Fox News would have treated Ms. Parks. Good stuff

Ooh Mah Nee is Closing

2005-10-14T06:54:00.000-04:00

I just heard that Ooh Mah Nee Farm sanctuary in Hunker, Pa is closing.

What a bummer! I'll post more on this later.

Fuzzy Math

2005-10-12T22:57:00.000-04:00

Pres. Chimpy McFlightSuit once accused Al Gore of "fuzzy math" without providing any examples. I'll be specific.

Reagan once showed a chart on "the economy" while addressing the country with the line on an angle up. The problem is it didn't have any descriptions on the x or y axis. What an ASSHOLE he was!

I HATE it when people use out-of-context numbers to prove something. Other examples:

* I once asked a woman what gas kind of gas mileage she gets from her Honda CRV. Her response was "It's horrible, I have to fill up my tank at least once a week." She didn't include such vital information as HOW BIG IS HER GAS TANK? or HOW MANY MILES DOES SHE DRIVE PER WEEK?

* I once called a pizza place and asked how big their medium pizza was, the response was "10 SLICES". I said "I don't care how many times you cut it! You could cut an 18" pizza into TWO slices or you could cut an 8" pizza into 24 slices!"

* Advertisements which mention the "our staff total 84 years of experience selling shoes". Um, that's impressive if you only have something like 10 staff. If you have 86 staff, that sucks! How about giving me an average?

R.I.P.

2005-10-11T23:45:00.000-04:00

It’s been one week since Claymama’s dad passed away. He died in his sleep (isn’t that how we all want to go?)

When Ruby2001 came downstairs, I approached her to tell her. Before I could say it she whispered “I already know”. At first her eyes darted around everywhere in the living room BUT at her dead granddad. Eventually she did look at him and she seemed to relax.

I told her Grandad is no longer in pain. She replied “Yay! The pain medication worked!” She knew he was on numerous pain medications by the end. Caz1996 seemed VERY comfortable with the situation.

I’m glad my kids saw his transition. While waiting for the hospice nurse to come and flush the narcotics and make the official declaration & such, the kids were sitting in their recently deceased grandad’s recliner watching cartoons about 5 feet from his dead body. Out of context it would seem really weird and creepy. But it was a very natural step.

The other thought I had is that how much each of the next stages were actually easier (or even welcome, considering the circumstances) than the previous one. When Claymama and the kids moved in with Grandad for the rest of the summer, an hour away from home, it was not good, but better than Grandad being by himself and Claymama trying to coordinate doctor visits & such from OUR home. When Grandad moved in with us for daily care, it wasn’t great, but it was better than 3/4ths of our family living in his house or him being in a hospital/nursing home. And when he died, it was not a good day, but it was better than him suffering any longer, being confused, knowing that the end was near.

Pat Tillman

2005-09-29T08:13:00.000-04:00

I have tried to reserve judgment on Pat Tillman. He was the football player who gave up millions of $$ to go fight in Afghanistan. He has been hailed as an unselfish hero and his death was initially described by the Bush PR machine as a patriotic tale of dying for your country. He believed in this war and died fighting for a cause that was important to him.

I've always felt that it was just another sad case of someone who believes what they're told with no critical thinking and actually votes against their self-interest (like poor folks who vote for Republicans).

His family has recently come out saying that the circumstances surrounding his death that were initially reported were flat-out lies. The family later learned that he was killed by "friendly fire" and they're pretty pissed about it. The family's attitude now has been widely reported.

Two Political Junkies now report that he wasn't a Bush supporter at all. He didn't believe in the war. He wanted to meet Naom Chomsky!! Please read the details. Very interesting.

While you're there read the post about that woman in Atlanta who was a hero for converting that serial murderer to Christianity. It ends up (according to HER in HER NEW BOOK) that it wasn't quite such a great example of "witnessing" for Christ.

Set Aside Some Time

2005-09-29T08:10:00.000-04:00

Please checkout this website WARNING: it's mesmerizing!!

Limbo

2005-09-22T21:52:00.000-04:00

Claymama mentioned in her blog that her dad is starting to see things which aren't there. Sometimes it's funny, sometimes it's frustrating. It's always kind of sad but I try to take a lighthearted look at it. I came walking through the living room a couple of days ago and he yells "look out!". I stop in my tracks. He tells me that he didn't want me to run into that bar that he's holding up between him and the TV. He wasn't even holding his hand up as though he was holding an imaginary bar. I told him not to worry that I would just limbo under it. So I limboed (sp?) under the "bar" and continued on my way.

k.d. lang

2005-09-16T07:33:00.000-04:00

Wow! k.d. lang has really let herself go lately...wait...what's that? Antony Hegarty? Some singer? Antony and the Johnsons? Never heard of her... Antony's a guy?

Some funny pics I've seen lately

2005-09-14T08:18:00.000-04:00

Car Wash

2005-09-14T06:58:00.000-04:00

I pull into a do-it-yourself car wash place. As I'm getting out of my car I see this guy walking toward me. His hair is dirty and disheveled. He has an unkempt beard and dirty clothes. I think he's going to ask me for money. I'm preparing my answer but the guy walks into the bay to my right (where there is a car) and starts putting money in the coin slot.

I take my dollars to the coin changer and pass the bay to my left. There's a guy (maybe about 55 years old) standing there and he's telling two women how to wash his car. One woman is about his age and has the sprayer, the other looks like it could be his/her/their daughter and has the brush. He's not being terribly rude, but constantly telling them where to wash and how to wash. I kind of assume he's a John and they are prostitutes/escorts of some type. Either way, I kind of hope they were getting paid for this service.

I get my change and go back to my car. I'm washing my car and eventually I hear a guy saying "oh yeah! Wash that baby! That's how to do it!" I figure I was right about the prostitute thing and am a little surprised that they're doing it in such a public place. I stop my sprayer and realize it's the guy BY HIMSELF making these comments. I guess he took the DO IT YOURSELF concept to heart!

Vegan Tuna

2005-09-13T21:42:00.000-04:00

So I miss Tuna Noodle Casserole. I can easily find vegan creamy portobello soup. Peas and noodles are a no-brainer. Of course the Tuna is a problem. Then I got excited when I heard of vegan tuna

However, after reading some of the reviews, I decided to take the suggestion of one of the reviewers and simply use some frozen-then-thawed-and-shredded-extra-firm-tofu with some mashed chickpeas.

I tried this over the weekend and (other than it not being salty enough) it worked well. I was told recently (by a carnivore) that if I'm a vegetarian eating "meat-like" meals, then I'm still lusting after animal flesh and that's a sin.

My response is "If eating Tofurky is wrong, then I don't want to be right!!"

Birthday

2005-09-08T07:34:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was my father-in-law's 63rd and final birthday. He is eating very little, but is not in as much pain as when he first moved in with us. They have upped his Oxycontin so that he requires less pain meds for the spikes in pain he feels.

Clay Mama gets to add more to her plate next week when she returns to paralegal school. The feeling of being chained to the home is frustrating, but one that is certainly temporary. There is little I can do to relieve her of the stress since I work 2 part-time jobs in addtion to the full-time one.

Everytime I see someone smoking cigarettes, I wish they could come to our house and spend an hour visiting with my father-in-law. Peeing in a bottle, pooping in a bucket in your daughter's living room, with oxygen running 24/7 and coughing constantly when you're 60 certainly isn't as "cool" as pretending to be rebellious with a cigarette hanging out of your mouth as a 20-something.

No More Treatment

2005-09-01T22:26:00.000-04:00

My father-in-law was discharged from the hospital to our house Wednesday evening. The collapsed lung was inoperable. The pain seems to have subsided (probably due to an increase in painkillers). He has decided to forgo any more radiation treatments on his lungs and instead have hospice care. He'll be eligible for more nursing visits, home health aides, etc. He admitted it was difficult to make a decision that nothing else can be done to save his life but he seems more comfortable.

Sound familiar?

2005-08-29T16:34:00.000-04:00

Here's a quote for you...

“All you have to do is tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same way in any country." Herman Goering (at the Nuremburg trials)

For those of you NOT in the know, Herman Goering was a bad guy. He was just describing how easy it was to push fascism onto the German people in Nazi Germany.

Have you seen the kind of things the people who are "Anti-Cindy Sheehan" are saying about her? "She is not patriotic." "She is aiding our enemies."

Hospital

2005-08-29T07:42:00.000-04:00

My father-in-law is in Shadyside Hospital now due to some severe pain in his left side (apparently the result of a collapsed lung). When I called 9-1-1 I told him what my father-in-law was experiencing, he asked me if this is normal for him. I felt like saying "actually it IS pretty normal now that you asked, but I was hoping to make a new phone friend to chat with"). The guy asked me what medications he has taken in the past 12 hours. I asked the guy if he had a comfortable chair and snack cuz it was going to take a while.

P.S. The Shadyside staff have been great. Especially the intake nurse who was flirting with my father-in-law about how she likes to perform the initial "skin integrity" check so that she can look at guys' naked butts.

Father-in-law update

2005-08-25T16:36:00.000-04:00

He moved in on Tuesday and we're glad to have him here. It's got to be hard to lose your independence as he is slowly doing. Especially for someone who has always been so private. Here's this man who had a very stylish sense of fashion, did not share his feeling with others very often and liked to do his own thing. Now he's in a bed in his daughter's living room, mostly wears pajamas, uses a toilet chair and has his waste emptied by family members.

Yesterday he was transported (by ambulance with a $50 round-trip co-pay) for his radiation treatment. He ended up not getting the treatment because the "radiation machine broke". He had to wait for over 45 minutes to find this out.

He got a call from his mother last night. She's too fragile to leave her home 50 miles away and he is not leaving our home. They have seen each other for the last time. I don't know if they both have admitted that - especially to each other. He was pretty upset by the end of the phone call.

It ultimately was a pretty crappy day for him.

Soy milk at EatnPark

2005-08-25T15:32:00.000-04:00

I wanted to give a public THANK YOU to Eat n Park restaurants (a family-style chain of restaurants in Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas) for recently including Soy milk on their menu. It may not seem like a big deal and I may be the only person requesting it but for those of us who are trying to eat an animal product-free diet, it's really nice.

At the same time, I wanted to let any Pittsburgh vegans out there know that I have been in touch with the head of menu development (or some such title) for Eat n Park and he has been very helpful in identifying vegan foods at Eat n Park.

The only vegan soup is a mushroom & rice soup (offered on Mondays). French fries, and the spaghetti w/marinara are also vegan. Unfortunately, the veggie burger and onion rings are NOT. I haven't gotten info on the various salad dressings yet but I will post when I find that out. Anyway, consider this a start.

Train - Get Away From Me

2005-08-24T14:51:00.000-04:00

So I'm stuck listening to a local top 40 station at work for the next
week and a half until my office-mate/radio nazi leaves for a better
job (congratulations!). I heard this song in which the guy sings
about riding on the back of a butterfly. It seems hardly believable
that there is a song written in the past, um... 30 YEARS that would
include such drivol (not including something written for
pre-schoolers).

It ends up it's the bland San-Fran band TRAIN. Turn the cheese factor up to 11!

"...Maybe you could pollinate over the
Golden Gate
Take a left hand turn at the corner
Of Haight..."

"...Go on hitch a ride on the back
of a butterfly
There's no better way to fly
To get to me"

Why Hospice?

2005-08-23T07:37:00.000-04:00

So my father-in-law has lung cancer which has spread to his brain, thigh bones, spleen, liver and lymph nodes, yet he and my wife have repeatedly gotten questioned by doctors why they want him to come to our house with hospice care.

Medical professionals need to get over their hang-up with thinking death of a patient means the professionals failed. EVERYONE DIES!!! Many of us don't know when it will happen. Anyone with a sense of reality knows approximately when my father-in-law will die. Just accept it and make it as painless and peaceful as possible.

He ended up being admitted to a local hospital last night because, while waiting for a PALLIATIVE radiation treatment on his lung tumors, the nurses decided it would be best for him to be in the hospital because he has having "difficulty breathing". Yeah, it's surprising that HUGE CANCEROUS TUMORS ON YOUR LUNGS will cause one "difficulty breathing."

He SHOULD be coming to our home today.

Who Would Jesus Assassinate?

2005-08-23T07:33:00.000-04:00

Pat Robertson is such a good Christian. He recently stated the US should assassinate Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. USA Today:

"We have the ability to take him out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability," Robertson said Monday on the Christian Broadcast Network's The 700 Club....We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator," he continued. "It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job and then get it over with."

Chavez has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of President Bush, accusing the United States of conspiring to topple his government and possibly backing plots to assassinate him. U.S. officials have called the accusations ridiculous.

"You know, I don't know about this doctrine of assassination, but if he thinks we're trying to assassinate him, I think that we really ought to go ahead and do it," Robertson said. "It's a whole lot cheaper than starting a war ... and I don't think any oil shipments will stop."

I think I can count the minutes until he backpedals and tries to "clarify" his position. He will say he never said the US should assassinate Chavez but will refuse to apologize. Any bets?

Vegan Virgin - Too Much Information

2005-08-22T07:30:00.000-04:00

So I've been doing the Vegan thing for about the past month and a half now. I ate pretty healthy - lots of fruit and veggies, even grainy sort of bland tasting cereal with my vanilla soy milk. I quickly lost nearly 10 lbs as soon as I cut out cheese, butter and milk. I hadn't eaten meat in several years anyway so it wasn't that hard. Then I go to the PETA2 website and look up "everyday" foods that are Vegan and I realize that alot of my favorite junk foods are still okay. So I've been eating Cracker Jacks, Twizzlers, Dum-Dums, Froot Loops, Corn Pops, Apple Jacks, etc. I'd never even eaten one of those Apple Turnovers at Arby's before. I didn't think ANYthing at Arby's was vegan. I love them now. What a dork! I've put most of the 10 lbs back on.

I heard a famous vegan doctor say that going vegan is not necessarily healthy www.veganmd.com He pointed out that french fries and beer are technically vegan but those "college vegans" do not have a healthy diet.

Home to Die

2005-08-21T22:46:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow, we begin hosting my father-in-law for his final days. We'll be having hospice folks entering our home to assist with his transition to the next part of his journey (or the end, depending on your beliefs).

Some people seem to think it's a difficult thing for our kids (ages 4 & 9) to go through. I tend to believe seeing him go through the death process, is good for them. My son was 5 when we did this with my mother-in-law. He wanted to come home from school if she died while he was at school. She did and so we brought him home. He wanted to see her in her bed and even watched when the funeral home came to put her body into the bag. That seems like too much for a 5 year old to handle to some. We have switched bedrooms in recent years and he now sleeps in nearly the exact spot he saw his dead 'Nana'. I will say, he has never mentioned any fears or shown any signs of trauma about it.

We (as people) need total care at the beginning and end of our lives. In the middle we're the care GIVER. My father-in-law is giving us the chance to teach our kids that lesson.

my 'punkrockgirl'

2005-08-18T23:05:00.000-04:00

It's 11pm. My 4 year old daughter and I are driving back home after a LONG day that included art camp, 2.5 hours of driving, hanging with her mother before and after foot surgery, visiting her grandfather in the hospital. I assume she's asleep. My iPod plays "Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkmen and when the song ends I hear my girl's voice say (rather softly) "play that song again". I smile.

"...if you ain't got Mojo Nixon then your store could use some fixin'!..."

Mariachi band in Beechview

2005-08-18T13:46:00.000-04:00

Eating authentic Mexican food with 19 of my closest friends and a Mariachi band playing, kids dancing, everyone smiling...and we WALKED to the restaurant.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05202/541221.stm

Is There a Surgeon in the...CITY?

2005-08-18T13:23:00.000-04:00

So Clay Mama is stuck in Uniontown, Pa trying to make arrangements for her cancer-riddled dad to move in with us in Pittsburgh for his final days/months/years. She steps on a sewing needle and it breaks off inside her foot! She can't get it out and neither can the emergency room workers in THE hospital in Uniontown. They tell her she'll need surgery the next day. When she calls the surgeon's office in the morning, she finds out he's in Monessen (about 30 miles away) today.

Downtown Pittsburgh Flooded

2005-08-18T13:12:00.000-04:00

Yesterday there was a watermain break in downtown Pittsburgh and the "golden triangle" was flooded. The news reports told people to avoid the downtown area. After 5pm, Pittsburghers do that anyway.

Offspring

2005-08-18T01:56:00.000-04:00

Cow-less Beef?

2005-08-18T01:31:00.000-04:00

"...bread wine and cheese are products of biotechnology..." so why not "cultured meat"

http://www.thestandard.com.hk/stdn/std/World/GH13Wd09.html

Professionals vs. Families

2005-08-17T02:30:00.000-04:00

I hate it when "professionals" (doctors, casemanagers, social workers, etc) think they're more important than families when dealing with certain difficult life situations. As a professional who has dealt with families with certain difficult situations I often reminded people that all of us "paid" friends are temporary and the family is permanent so their opinion is most important.

Lately, I've been the family and I'm sticking to my guns. We've been dealing with some insensitive doctors and other medical professionals in relation to my father-in-law's battle with stage IV cancer. After my father-in-law dies or somehow is no longer a patient of these folks, they will move on to their next patient. My wife (Clay Mama)is going to have to live with herself and the way she dealt with her father in his final days/months/years for the rest of her life.

Toe in

2005-08-17T01:57:00.000-04:00

I'm putting my toe in the blogosphere. I've read some and enjoy them more when I already know the person sitting in front of the keyboard.