Happy New Year!

Visiting Lincoln

Every time I come "back home" to Lincoln it is, of course, to visit family, friends and loved ones. But in addition to that I always have an agenda of things I like to do while here that I can't do anywhere else. And you'll probably notice that most of these things involve food. *blush*



First off I gotta get me a Runza. When you grow up with a delicious resource like this at your disposal, you never learn to truly appreciate it... Until you move away and can't have it any time the craving strikes you. Runza's aren't merely a food unique to Nebraska, they are a cultural phenomenon. I remember while in school our lunches would frequently include "Bunza's", a clever take off on the name "Runza" which is copyrighted so the schools couldn't actually SAY they were serving Runzas since they weren't purchased at the restaurant. To know a Runza is to love one. But what if you're not from Nebraska? Well this is a description of a Runza directly from their website... "Homemade dough made from scratch everyday — stuffed full of Choice ground beef, onions, cabbage, and secret spices—and then baked fresh and served hot." Now don't tell me that doesn't sound delicious!



Speaking of cultural phenomenons, I absolutely can NOT make a visit to Lincoln without getting myself a Cheese Frenchee. This delicious sandwich has stood the test of more than time, it's still around despite the restaurant that created it actually having gone out of business! That restaurant, my friends, was called Kings Food Host. In researching information for this blog post, I discovered that although Kings Food Host was founded in Lincoln it was not actually limited to Lincoln in location. Kings Food Host spread nationally to 17 states and at least one Canadian Province. Cool! So what, you ask, is a Cheese Frenchee? There are many recipes for them but basically it is a grilled cheese coated in a delicious crispy coating and deep fried. Sounds more like State Fair food if you think about it, all it needs is a stick! Well it's delicious enough to be Fair food, too. Although Kings Food Host no longer exists and hasn't for many, many years, I always make sure to visit Amigos/Kings Classic restaurants to satisfy my craving for my all-time favorite comfort food, the Cheese Frenchee.



What trip down food memory lane in Lincoln Nebraska would be complete with out mentioning Valentinos? Quite possibly the most widely known still operating Lincoln restaurant, Valentinos ships it's pizza's all over the United States. And they have locations in 6 states. As many of you may realize, I currently live in Minnesota and if you followed my Valentinos link, you have discovered that they do actually have Valentinos restaurants in Minnesota. But the closest one to me is three hours away. Not exactly a distance one would typically cover for a dinner reservation. So although I usually do visit Valentinos restaurants when I visit Lincoln, we go one step further and order half baked frozen Valentinos Lasagna and Pizza's to take home with us! Yum, yum! :-D



Growing up, my parents and I ate out-a LOT. One of the nicest restaurants I had the good fortune to dine at was Misty's Steakhouse and Lounge. Originally opened as "Club 63" in 1963, the Misty's name came about some years later when a small grill was replaced with a larger one and finally with the addition of a rotisserie the era of Misty's Restaurant was born, named for the owner's favorite song, "Misty". Today, Misty's is known for its exceptionally delicious Prime Rib steaks and support of Nebraska Cornhusker's football. Every Friday night during football season, it is known as The Home of The Friday Night Big Red Pep Rally. You haven't really had a good Prime Rib until you've tasted Misty's, trust me.

There are too many other good restaurants I enjoy visiting while I'm in Lincoln to give you a review of them all but I'll list some of them here:

Village Inn
Spaghetti Works
The Steak House
Lee's
Tastee In and Out

and a couple that have not survived the test of time but deserve being mentioned are:

Alice's Restaurant (they used to serve the most delicious homemade bread)
Eddy's (located on the corner of 48th and "O" streets when I was very, very young)
Tony & Luigis (never actually visited this restaurant but it was VERY popular)

Thanks for following me down memory lane, I'm hungry!

Have added Kemagazine to my favorite blogs

Kemagazine is a smart and Savy source for Photoshop supplies and inspiration! Check out the newest addition to my blogs to watch list. --->

Creating a Realistic Wood Texture Using Photoshop

Found this wonderful tutorial through Twitter. Who says you can't be productive and have fun at the same time? Click the post title to get to the tutorial!

Now Watching Nebraska Sports Journal

I've added another blog to my watch list. Mosey on over to the right and check out The Nebraska Sports Journal. If you're a Nebraska fan, I think you'll enjoy his blog too!

Loving Tattoos & Grafitti as Art

I enjoy Art. Not the visit a museum kind of art but the see it every day kind of art. The watch it pass by on the side of a train kind of art. And the admire it on someone's arm in the summer kind of art. I'm not certain what the proper term for this type of art is but I refer to it as "Urban Art".

To me Urban Art is the result of immense creativity in an environment of limited supplies and resources. It can be commissioned or freestyle. The fact that it is considered graffiti, destructive and is mostly unappreciated does not take away from the fact that, in my opinion, it is beautiful. As well as having some of their artwork featured in galleries, some urban artists are finally being recognized for the immense talents that they are and are now being invited and even paid to produce their artwork.




On the tattoo side, it's becoming more popular and even fashionable to show your "ink". Hollywood actors and now even actresses are proudly displaying tattoos, although I can't say if they are permanent or of the more temporary variety.




And speaking of temporary, you can't attend a summer festival anymore without seeing the popular Henna tattoo booths. Even simple designs done in the single color of Henna are beautiful in my eyes.




Because of their popularity, I'm surprised that online taggers haven't yet picked up on this trend and started incorporating some of this more urban artwork into the tags they are making. I'm certain it's only a matter of time. Remember you heard it here first, folks!




Got any amazing urban style artwork you've found? Got a source for some license free urban style artwork? Email me and if I post it on my blog I'll be sure and give you credit!

Update: http://albotas.com/2009/12/daily-graffiti-huge-mural-features-mega-man-big-daddy-metroids-sonic-mario-and-more/ http://albotas.com/2009/12/daily-graffiti-insane-metroid-graffiti/

A Story of Christmas Past

When I was a child I had more than a healthy belief in Santa Claus. This belief was tempered with a bit of childish cynicism as it is with most children but my belief was basically strong because of a few events that happened to me when I was growing up.

I was born the oldest of three children, two girls and a boy. My family wasn't always together but I believe my mother sincerely tried to give us as much as she could to make up for what we were lacking. We would take drives to admire Christmas lights and she always made sure we visited Santa Claus. Now like most children I was aware that not every street corner Santa Claus could be the real Santa so this was justified in my mind with the belief that each of them were Adults helping Santa out by appearing in public while he went about the business of fulfilling children's dreams.

One December my mother took my siblings and I to visit a Santa Clause who had set up a tiny hut behind a small bank. I remember waiting in line while other children went in before us. For this Santa, the parents stayed outside the hut while the children went inside to speak with Santa. Yea I know, it was a different time back then. Anyway, when it was our turn to go in, we did so and mom waited outside. I sat on Santa's lap first and he began by asking if I remembered a toy that I had lost a few years earlier. This toy had been left outside and forgotten where it permanently disappeared. I replied that I remembered it and he told me that he saw the toy had been left carelessly outside and alone so he had come by and collected the toy. He said he cleaned it up and gave it to a child that would not treat it so carelessly and would love it. I thought, if he's not the REAL Santa, how could he possibly know about this toy?! That caused me wonder for many, many years afterward.

During this time it was our family's tradition that on Christmas Eve we would have dinner and then gather in our family room to open presents. My Father would always take home movies of this event. We would set up a child's chalkboard, record the current year on the board and he would film this scene and then record all of us opening up our gifts. Sometime during the night, while all this was going on, there was always a knock on the front door of the house. We children allways eagerly awaited this knock because we knew when the door was opened it was always Santa Claus! Every Christmas Eve he would take time to personally deliver small plastic net stockings full of toys to us. Now I figured this had to be a Santa's helper because, after all, the real Santa would have been somewhere in the air at that time delivering presents but, still, I didn't recognize the person behind the beard so I thought he must be someone pretty "official". After all, he knew we didn't have a chimney and used the door!

Now this tradition went on for as many years as I can remember when I was growing up. After Christmas when I would see my neighborhood friends we would always trade stories of the gifts we had received and one year I mentioned the stockings that Santa had delivered and I related that he had done this for as long as I could remember. My neighbor friends responded with disbelief because they said that he had never visited their house, yet they lived right next door. I replied that perhaps he had to wait until they had gone to bed because they actually had a chimney and he couldn't likely go down the chimney while it was actually lit! Yet they insisted he had never left them anything similar to what my family had received from him and so he couldn't be a REAL Santa. This made me very determined and I decided to confront Santa the next Christmas Eve he visited my house. Well Santa ended up visiting my neighbor friends house that year. And he gave each of those children the same plastic net stockings he gave my siblings and me, I know because I watched him go over there with a feeling of satisfaction. And I watched with a smile as those children stared at him in wonderment and surprise as he handed out those stockings.

We all grow up and of course we realize that Santa needs help because in reality he's a spirit. The embodiment of Christmas in human form. So one year I finally asked my mother about that Santa and that year. She told me, after that trip "Santa" had to make an emergency trip to the store to replenish his supply of plastic net stockings because he ended up being short after that unexpected trip to the neighbor's house. You see that Santa was actually my Grandmother's boyfriend visiting all of her Grandchildren and delivering those stockings on her behalf. So when I asked him to visit my neighbors, that was unexpected and naturally he didn't have enough stockings left for the grandchildren he had not visited yet. Of course I now regret making Santa run short of stockings for that year but the memory of the look on those children's faces is still bright in my mind. And it still brings a smile to my face.

These are some of my favorite childhood memories and as I am now a parent, it has made me ever more determined to keep that same magic and wonderment alive in my own child's heart. I think I've succeeded. He is now 13 years old and has told me he will testify to any one of his friends at school that Santa really does exist. I believe him because I've heard it for myself. He is very convincing, too!

The magic of Christmas in a child's heart is more valuable than any possession they will ever receive under the tree and it is the most precious gift I can give.

Merry Christmas everyone!

X

Now Following CoffeeBreakDMV

I've added another Blog to watch and I hope you'll enjoy reading it as much as I do! CoffeeBreakDMV is a twitter friend and she writes delightful Blog posts. Please check her Blog out on the right sidebar! --->

OMG Johnny Depp is back!

How wonderfully scary can Johnny Depp be? Do you remember him as Edward Sissorhands? There's your answer. Edward Sissorhands was the first Johnny Depp movie I remember seeing, though this was not his first movie appearance. As a matter of fact he didn't start out to be a movie actor at all!

He started out as a front for a few garage bands, one being named The Kids which actually opened for Iggy Pop. According to IMDb it was his first wife, Lori Ann Depp, who sparked his interest in acting when she introduced him to actor Nicholas Cage. Depp's first movie appearance was Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), but his star didn't skyrocket until his role on "21 Jump Street", a popular TV-series in the mid 1980's. It could be argued that the 1990's belonged to Johnny Depp when he landed the title role of Edward Sissorhands, a brilliant collaboration with director Tim Burton.

Fast forward to today and his current Tim Burton collaboration, Alice in Wonderland. The story is a continuation of Walt Disney's original childhood story. Alice, now 19 years old, returns to the magic world in which she adventured as a child where she reunites with her friends and learns of her true destiny. You can read the whole synopsis here but continue with caution as it does contain spoilers. ;-)

If you want to watch the official trailer, click on the link to this post. It'll take you directly to IMDb and a gallery of 9 trailers to whet your appetite until the movie is released in March of 2010. I, for one, can't wait! Can you?

Thank you to my major source of information for this article, IMDb and my inspiration, Diana Adams and her delightfully inspiring article Alice Returns to Wonderland with Johnny Depp.

Nebraska's Ben Nelson pimps his vote, feels backlash

I posted a few days ago and openly asked Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska if he could separate himself from his history with the Insurance industry, he answered by pimping his Health Care vote to his fellow Democrats in return for the federal government paying 100 percent of Nebraska's Medicaid tab indefinitely. He might call it a brilliant move of compromise getting the most possible for his state but others call it bribery. “Is it appropriate for the federal government to do a special deal for one state to get that senator’s vote and every other state will incur financial liability?” Senator Lindsey Graham, Republican of South Carolina asked. Still others might call Senator Graham and other Senator's negative reactions "Sour Grapes". Perhaps they are regretting blindly opposing the bill instead of playing it "smart" as Senator Nelson seems to have done. History will be the ultimate judge in this ongoing saga but for now we'll have to wait and see. Never before do I remember so much wrangling and cajoling to get a bill passed that will ultimately do the country's citizenry good. Perhaps that's because the last time historic legislation such as this passed, I was not yet born.

References: NYT Prescriptions and CNN Politics

Update: NYT Prescriptions Blog is now reporting "10 Red states Now Questioning Nelson Deal.

Now Following The Political Carnival...

I have met a lot of nice people on Twitter and learned a lot of good information. One of my favorites have been GottaLaff and her blog "The Political Carnival", in fact I've added a feed to her latest posts on the right side of my blog page ---> over there.

This warm and funny Blogger & Twitterer shares intelligent and timely information that just must be read. Please surf on over to her site and browse through some of her posts. I'm certain you will agree and come to enjoy her posts as much as I have.

Have a great day!

X

Graphic Christmas Goodies

You find a lot of interesting and valuable information on Twitter and Twitter lead me to a gold mine of Free Photoshop textures so I'm going back to my roots with this post.

Being an aspiring graphics designer I know you can never have too many textures at your disposal and when the price is "Free" how can you not indulge yourself? Head on over to WebDesignLedger to grab these yummy free textures! Treat yourself to a little graphic Christmas Candy, click below!

The Best Free Texture Packs of 2009

Thank you to @cheth for leading me to this treasure.

Can Nebraska's Senator Nelson separate himself from Insurance?

Click the post title to be taken to the original article inspiring this post.

"Mr. Nelson, a former state insurance commissioner and insurance company executive, said he would not support a provision ending the industry’s limited exemption from antitrust laws...". He has stated that he is aware his constituents in Nebraska are struggling with the current state of health insurance but one wonders if Mr Nelson can seperate himself from his Insurance ties of past in order to help the people he represents. Well Mr Nelson?

A Frustrated Geek no more.

This is actually a re-print of my comment to an excellent blog post by Liam Cassidy. You can view his original article by clicking on the Title to this post.

I agree with what you are saying except for the "Normals" perspective.

Not long ago I was a Geek in Normals clothing because I hadn't made the jump to smart phones yet. I had been eagerly waiting for the iPhone to come out but when it did and it was only offered on AT&Ts service I was extremely disappointed. After all, I live in a rural small town community and am at the mercy of the coverage maps. To add to that, I had convinced my family to dump our land line phones many years earlier. As you can see, coverage is essential to us. As the years went by coverage increased as providers merged until finally Alltel was purchased by Verizon. Now the infamous "There's a map for that" campaign was in full swing and, although it did frustrate me at first, it actually spurred me toward AT&T. After I had thoroughly researched both companies I came to see that the lack of 3G coverage doesn't effect my ability to make or receive my precious phone calls. I will still be able to connect with my friends, family and business associates. So I made the leap and finally have myself an iPhone. I'm loving every minute of it too I might add. And so this has been my story. So you see, there are still some frustrated Geeks in "Normal" clothing out there they just need the right opportunity to change their clothes. ;-)

Inspiration & a Second Chance found on Twitter!

I've met a lot of nice as well as interesting people on Twitter. Of course there are those annoying people who are constantly trying to sell you something, but just like in Real Life, you learn to sort through them. Today though I came across a story that is truly inspiring and uplifting so I'd like to share it with you. Here's a small preview and please click on the excerpt title or my title to be taken to the whole story...

A Year Ago.

...Right as the holiday season hit in 2008, I learned I would be laid off after New Year’s. As a result, I don’t recall much of last year’s holidays. My family was around me, but I was absent and overwhelmed. Every day was spent looking for work, but not in the usual way. Instead, I used the time to develop and share some ideas; including formalizing this blog, taking it from a blog I called DrFuzzy to a something more business-like...

Twitter Quotes

People use Social Media for many different reasons. Personally I use Twitter because I enjoy reading what different people have to say on current events and trending topics. The following are some recent posts by Tweeple I follow:

"People judge you by your actions, not your intentions. You may have a heart of Gold, but so does a hard boiled egg." - @angels510

"The only lightless dark is the night of ignorance and insensibility" - Helen Keller - posted by @calbidrez

“While they were saying among themselves it cannot be done, it was done.” --Helen Keller - posted by @alibrownLA

"McCain: "I know how to catch Bin Laden." What are you gonna do? Crash your plane into him?" - @OTOOLEFAN

"Hey, why don't we put Emancipation up to a vote & let states decide on that, too?" - @OTOOLEFAN

"When ppl throw stones @ U, U can do 1 of 2 things..Throw stones back @ them OR U can p/u the stones & build Urself a castle -TerranceHoward" - posted by @michaelstrahan

In the times of text messages and social media, there are a lot of seemingly nonsensical conversations that take place. Words are shortened to save on characters and it can be difficult to understand what the poster is attempting to communicate. I don't think that has to be the case. The above posts were made with a limit of 140 characters and each of them are well thought out, perfectly understandable and beautiful in their own way. To those who say social media is the downfall of the English language, I submit that social media encourages rather than discourages creative use and a greater understanding of the English language.

Just my 2¢

Happy Thanksgiving!

Not everyone in the world celebrates Thanksgiving and those that do may celebrate it at different times than we Americans do. I found out today that Canadians have their Thanksgiving celebration in October. I enjoy learning how other people and cultures celebrate their holidays and welcome being educated. So no matter if or when you celebrate Thanksgiving where you live, please accept my heartfelt and sincere wishes for a life full of things to be thankful for and the wisdom to recognize them.

Blessings to everyone.

iPhone vs Droid

I've wanted an iPhone since it was just a rumor. IMO Apple's decision to go with AT&T was disappointing. People in my area do have iPhones but I've heard mixed reviews about the service they get. AT&T claims my area has "Best" coverage but a friend who has an iPhone says they only get 1 bar in this area.

As I said, AT&T coverage map shows we have "Best" coverage, however NO 3G coverage. My plan is up and I have been comparing the iPhone to the Droid. IMO the iPhone is a far superior product, but this does me no good if I don't have 3G coverage so I can actually USE the features I like in the iPhone. Bottom line, AT&T needs to greatly increase their 3G coverage area or Apple needs to go elsewhere with the iPhone modifying the iPhone to work on other networks if necessary. Something has to give or I'll be forced to decide on an inferior phone based solely on the availability of network coverage.

Are you listening AT&T?

New Favorite Quote

"People who want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans." John Stewart, The Daily Show aired 11/18/09

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

Will Lieberman listen to constituents?

Sentor Joe Lieberman has made it perfectly clear he does not support Health Care Reform. He was recently quoted as saying, "If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote." Connecticut residents have heard and responded in numbers greater than 400.

An evening prayer vigil that began at Senator Joe Lieberman's Alma Mater, Stamford High School, transformed into a candlelight march to the senator's condo building. While marching participants sang "This Little Light of Mine." Upon arriving at Sen. Lieberman's buildng, demonstrators were met by police who blocked access to the building. Building resident Shirley Binin, who had walked with the crowd, stepped up and received a communal letter calling for Lieberman to support health care reform and walked into the building while vigil participants chanted, "We will be back."

Sen. Lieberman has not made himself available to Health Care Reform proponents. Huffington Post reports, "For a man who loves the spotlight, he manages to hide from the glare of his constituents. While he preens, people die, and will continue to die because of senators like Lieberman, who have determined that their convictions are more important than their constituents lives."

Read the letter that was delivered to Sen. Lieberman at Huffington Post

The question remains, if he won't entertain his constituents, will he read their letter? Does he even care about what the people who he represents want? Well Sen. Lieberman, do you?

--Source Huffington Post

Contact Sen. Joe Lieberman and tell him to vote for Health Care Reform.
Washington, D.C. Website:
http://lieberman.senate.gov/index.cfm

Washington, D.C. Address
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041
Fax: 202-224-9750

District Address
One Constitution Plaza
7th Floor
Hartford, CT 06103
Phone: 860-549-8463
Phone: 800-225-5605

Key Staff Addresses
Clarine Riddle
Chief of Staff
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

Rayanne Bostick
Scheduler
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

Rob Sawicki
Media Director
706 Hart Office Building
Washington, DC 20510
Phone: 202-224-4041

MN Senator Amy Klobuchar wants to see improved preparedness

As we all know there is a shortage of both the seasonal flu and the H1N1 (swine) flu vaccines. We've all heard the reason for this has been blamed on the way the vaccines are made, in chicken's eggs. Apparently the virus' did not grow well this year and therefore caused fewer vaccines to be developed in a timely manner. This has caused many to ask the question, why do we still grow these viruses in chicken's eggs? The obvious answer is "that's how we've always done it" but why do we still do it? Surely in this day and age of advanced medicine we have better ways to grow these viruses and develop them into vaccines. These are the questions our Minnesota Senator, Amy Klobuchar, hopes to get answered. Ms Klobuchar is holding discussions with public health experts to try to find answers to these questions. She's also believes there must be better ways for the state of Minnesota to distribute the vaccines and prepare for health emergencies in the future. I say bravo, Ms Klobuchar! Please contact Ms Klobuchar's office to voice your support for her efforts.

Thank you!

Just signed the Eric's Law Petition

Please join me and thousands of others in supporting the Eric's Law petition. In honor of Veronica De La Cruz's brother, Eric, the Eric's Law petition supports Health Care Reform with a public option and prohibits discrimination based on pre-existing conditions. Veronica's brother Eric passed away in July 2009 while waiting for a heart transplant delayed for years because he had been denied insurance. Don't let this happen to someone you love! Sign the petition today!!!

New Widgets added

I've added a couple new widgets to my blog. If you'll scroll to the bottom of the page, you'll see a map of the United States. This map, called FluView, shows the current flu activity in each of the states including the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam and Puerto Rico.

Further down you will find a widget that provides H1N1 tips, Facts and News. Click on the desired "tab" to read the updated text for each option.

Want one of these widgets for your site? CDC Widgets has these and many more!

Just have to comment on this...

I don't usually post comments more than once a day but when I read about the reactions the GOP lawmaker, Cao, is having to deal with I had to post another comment.

MSNBC is reporting Cao, the only Repulican to vote in favor of the Health Care Reform bill, "has had two fundraisers canceled since Saturday's vote and some campaign contributors have asked for their money back."

I find it disgraceful that this lawmaker who clearly stated he voted the way his constituents wanted him to vote has to be treated so badly by his party and their followers. To me this is just more proof that the Republicans who voted against the Health Care bill voted their pride instead of their conscience. I'm just glad he has the self-confidence to stand up for what he believes in and stand behind his vote. If there were more like him, Health Care Reform would be a non-issue.

Google has done it again!

Leave it to Google to come up with a Seasonal/H1N1 Flu vaccine finder. Of course there still aren't any H1N1 vaccines available to my son or I but this is a victory for everyone else in the country who is looking for both of the vaccines.

I wish I woulda bought stock in Google a long time ago. Oh well, hindsight is 20/20.

Asthma & the Swine Flu threat...

Compared with the general population who do not have Asthma, people with Asthma who contract the H1N1 (aka Swine Flu) virus are more likely to develop serious illnesses such as pneumonia and could even die as a result. People who have risk factors, such as Asthma, are encouraged to get both the seasonal flu vaccine and the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine to reduce their risks for complications.

If you or someone you love develops flu symptoms, contact your doctor right away. Antiviral medications, such as Tamiflu, work best when begun within 48 hours of the first onset of symptoms. Monitor your breathing closely. If you have a peak flow meter, use it frequently and chart your "peak expiratory flow," or "PEF" numbers. This information could be helpful in treating your symptoms if they should worsen. See WebMD for information on using Peak Flow Meters. They should be available at your local pharmacy.

Over the counter medications such as Mucinex, in addition to Tamiflu, can help your body fight the effects of the flu. Mucinex works by loosening mucus in your body and allowing it to be removed more easily through coughing or blowing your nose. Coughing is a good thing when you have the flu. It's your body's way of getting the virus, and the mucus your body produces to fight the virus, out so you can recover more quickly. Anti-coughing remedies should not be used during the day because a productive cough is exactly what the body needs. Follow manufacturer dosing instructions.

Protect yourself and others by taking these steps if you become ill:

• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.


• Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub*.


• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread that way.


• Stay home if you get sick. CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.

References for the above information were obtained from the CDCs Asthma and 2009 H1N1 Flu page as well as from my own experience.

Historic Vote by House of Reps

With a vote of 220 to 215 the House of Representatives approved Health Care Reform. The vote included one courageous Republican, Joseph Cao (R-La). When asked by CNN why, Cao replied "he cast his vote in favor of reform only after an amendment greatly restricting the coverage of abortions was allowed to come to a vote. Once that hurdle was clear, Cao said, "I called the White House and said I could possibly support the bill." "I had to make a decision of conscience based on the needs of the people in my district."

--Source Huffington Post

Unfortunately there are still obstacles to overcome in the Senate. Speaking from the Rose Garden about 14 hours after the late Saturday vote, Obama urged senators to be like runners on a relay team and "take the baton and bring this effort to the finish line on behalf of the American people." However, a key Democrat had this to say... If a government plan is part of the deal, "as a matter of conscience, I will not allow this bill to come to a final vote," said Sen. Joe Lieberman, the Connecticut independent whose vote Democrats need to overcome GOP filibusters.

Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe of Maine, who voted for a version of the Senate bill in committee, has proposed to allow a government plan as a last resort, if after a few years premiums keep escalating and local health insurance markets remain in the grip of a few big companies. This is the "trigger" option.

That approach appeals to moderates such as Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La. "If the private market fails to reform, there would be a fallback position," Landrieu said last week. "It should be triggered by choice and affordability, not by political whim."

-- Source Yahoo News

How much more do premiums have to escalate before Health Care Reform is no longer a "whim"? How many more American people have to be without health care? How many Americans have to be denied health care? How many American people who faithfully paid their premiums have to be dropped by their Insurance companies before this is seen as important? The fact is it would only take one if that American was a friend or relative of a US Senator, only then would this cease being referred to as a "whim" and begin to be seen as the National crises that it is for most Americans.

Please continue to contact your Senators and tell them this is important to you, your family and your friends. Health Care Reform can not wait until it effects the elite and rich in our society, it must be passed NOW.

Socialized Health Care... Dangerous?

"In Britain, there are no long lines of people seeking swine flu vaccine. Doctor's offices aren't swamped with desperate calls. And there are no cries of injustice that the vaccine is going to wealthy corporations or healthy people who don't really need it." ...

"When Britain unrolled its pandemic vaccination program last month, it designed its campaign to ensure that priority groups — including pregnant women, health workers and those with chronic health problems like diabetes, cancer and AIDS — get the shots first." ...

"Field said Britain's socialized health care system allows the country to target people who need to be vaccinated quickly: "It's not like the U.S., where it's the survival of the fittest and the richest."

Source Associated Press via MSNBC

Orderly administration of health care to those most in need when it is needed most. Wow, now there's something to fear.

A breakthrough in H1N1 vaccine distribution

I'm SO excited to report that the local clinic who denied my son the H1N1 vaccine has decided to share it with area clinics. See the story below:

Area health care providers to share H1N1 vaccine

Submitted by Jorge Sosa on November 3, 2009 - 3:24pm.

Hutchinson Medical Center, selected by the Minnesota Department of Health to receive the H1N1 flu vaccine, will share its supply with area health care providers.

According to a news release from McLeod County Public Health, the goal is to ensure area high-risk patients have access to the vaccine.

“Health care organizations in McLeod County have been working collaboratively on flu planning and pandemic preparedness for many years,” County Public Health Director Kathy Nowak noted in the release. “Ensuring access to high-quality patient care has always been our top priority. Now more than ever we have a responsibility to provide a public service in as safe and effective a manner as possible.”

“Due to limited supplies of the H1N1 vaccine,” Nowak added, “it’s important we work together in a transparent and responsible manner to make use of what we have.”

The Flu has arrived at our door

As I previously told you, my son has Asthma and I've been unsuccessful at getting the H1N1 vaccine for him. Monday DS stayed home from school with a sore throat and overnight he developed a fever. The highest the fever reached at this point is 101+˚ but I was able to get a prescription of Tamiflu from our family doctor and we started dosing him with that right away. He's still run down and occasionally has a fever but once we started the Tamiflu the symptoms seem milder. Most importantly his breathing tests has been steady and have stopped declining. Hopefully we got to it in time to keep the flu from advancing beyond what his body can handle.

Remember, if you contract the flu, Tamiflu should be taken within 2 days of the onset of symptoms to be most effective.

Keep us in your thoughts! I'll update you on his condition in a few days.

Thanks for following.

Thoughts on H1N1

Long time no posts, sorry bout that. We've all been a bit overwhelmed this summer and now there's H1N1.

Who isn't worried about this? President Obama has named it a National Health Emergency. It effects those in the population who are most at risk, children and those with underlying medical conditions. We are all looking for the vaccine, especially those of us with children who have these underlying medical conditions. My son has Asthma. After weekly attempts to get the vaccine through my own medical clinic with no luck, I found out another local clinic has received doses of this elusive and high demand vaccine. I think "*whew*" finally I can get my son vaccinated and some of my worrying can be alleviated. So I call the local clinic, ask them if they still have the H1N1 vaccine available, "Yes" the employee says. "Good!" I reply, "I'd like to make an appointment for my high risk child. "Is he a patient with our clinic?" she asks. "No." I reply. "Sorry we can't help you, you must be a patient with our clinic to receive a vaccine here." What!?! No, "You must provide us with proof of his condition to qualify" or any other hoops to jump through, just a plain and simple "No".

What kind of health system is this when high risk patients in a Nationally declared Health Emergency are turned away? I contacted the CDC, yes I was upset and decided to go straight to the top. They were sympathetic but said they could not help me and advised me to contact the Minnesota Department of Health Services, which I did. They were sympathetic and gave me the phone number to the commissioner, unfortunately it was after his office hours so I was unable to get help from him. Still frustrated and angry I decided to contact the television media for help. Finally, someone who will listen to me! Of course they didn't show the whole interview but they did show part of it. You can watch it below.



It's important to realize this is not an isolated incident. I also know of a woman with a child who has a heart condition who was turned down by this same clinic for the same reason. Honestly I don't think this should be allowed to happen. Those who are most at risk should not have to bear the burden of waiting if there is vaccine available in their community. Seriously. Please contact someone who you feel can make a difference about this. Your Legislator or The Department of Health & Human Services. Children should not be allowed to remain at risk like this.

Thank you for "listening"

New Template!

Look out I'm on a roll! LOL! I was contemplating a tag and ended up with a template so here it is.



You can get it here. Download

PsychoJimi Has Signed with Mistaken Art

According to his DeviantART page, PsychoJimi has gone to PTU and has signed with Mistaken Art. I had a tube here on my blog by PsychoJimi that I now must ask that you refrain from using because of this change in his TOUs. I have removed the download link and will refer you to Mistaken Art to purchase a license.

New Deviations Uploaded!

I've uploaded a fresh batch of Stock photos to my DeviantART account! Please browse on over there and leave me a comment on them!

Twilight by Request

A sweet new friend (you know who you are) asked if I'd create a Twilight template, so here it is! Remember the actual template is much larger than this preview. ;-)



You can download the file by clicking here.

Can't wait to see what you create with this! Have fun!

Take me out to the ballgame!

I have another free Template for you! I've been watching the ballgame today so I made a Baseball template. Template not shown actual size.



Download Here

Leave me a little love, please!

New Template Feebie!

I was thinking about a friend who likes Nascar today and created this template with her in mind. Template not shown actual size.



Click on the image to download the template or you can click HERE. And please leave me a comment, I love to hear from you!

P.S. Don't forget to take my poll over ---------> there! ;-)

New Template

This is my first template so your any constructive criticism is appreciated. Please follow my TOUs, listed at the bottom of my blog and if you download it, please leave a little love!



Download

Gadgets

I would love to figure out how to feature a new fave artist from DeviantART (my all time fave graphic site) but I haven't figured that out yet. Anyone with a suggestion? Link?

I'm still here! I've been making a few new templates and will get those posted as soon as I have a few more to post for you.

Last night DH started on third shift. It was weird him not being here overnight but went better than I expected. He got home just as DS and I were getting up for the day then he went to bed for about 6 hours. When he got up we sat on the patio and enjoyed the sun for a bit until it was time for dinner. Now he has time to watch the Twins game with me until he has to leave for work again. Maybe this schedule won't be too bad.

X

Welcome to my blog!

I'm just getting started here so please be patient while I figure things out and get some things uploaded for you! Please take the poll on the right side of your page. I'd love to know what you'd like to see!