Its 12:35 pm
I still see I have traffic here on this page and while that is so cool as people learned about Lori and our journey with her cancer,I want to let you all know I am still blogging over on Word Press.
This week I am featuring a guest writer who is expressing his take on the gay marriage ruling of the Supreme Court.
John is a good friend and while we met over college football,it seems we talk far more about social issues these days. When I saw the following blog that he wrote,I asked if I could feature him as a guest blogger and he said "Of course". You can read his entry by clicking the link below.
This is John's guest blog
As always,thank you for your support!!
Showing posts with label guest blogger. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest blogger. Show all posts
Monday, July 6, 2015
Monday, August 4, 2014
Guest blogger Susan Smiley - "The Death of Journalism"
It is 11:22 pm
I am glad to welcome back guest blogger Susan Smiley who has graced my blog with stories about running,owning the best dog ever and sharing her life with an amazing cat who brought our worlds together.
She is also the pro who guided me through my interview with Karen Dumas...
The Death of Journalism
I am glad to welcome back guest blogger Susan Smiley who has graced my blog with stories about running,owning the best dog ever and sharing her life with an amazing cat who brought our worlds together.
She is also the pro who guided me through my interview with Karen Dumas...
The Death of Journalism
I was one of those
kids who spent the summer between junior high and high school glued to the
television watching the Watergate hearings unfold. I read the related stories
every day in the newspaper and Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein became the
people I most wanted to emulate. It was that summer that I knew I wanted to be
a journalist.
I learned to read at
a very young age and always liked to write. I was constantly crawling into the
chair by my mom’s typewriter and penning stories about my cats, my pet ducks
and chickens and our family dog. Following the stories of Woodward and
Bernstein sparked my interest in a different kind of writing; journalism. I
could break important stories. I could investigate things and write about them
to increase public awareness about various situations. I could even write about
people and become a great interviewer who could unearth information that had
not yet been revealed to anyone else. I could help my readers feel as if they
really KNEW the subject of my profiles.
I did become a
journalist after earning my Bachelor’s Degree from Wayne State University. I
had internships at a now-defunct Detroit magazine and did a fair amount of
freelance writing for the Metro Times. I worked in radio – first in the
newsroom of a music station and then as a producer at a news radio station.
While at the music station I produced a public affairs program, covered Detroit
City Council when Coleman Young was the mayor of Detroit, and – because the
other two people in the newsroom had zero interest – covered all sports-related
stories. Although I had no experience in radio, I snared the internship because
the news director was looking for a writer.
“We can teach you
the technical stuff,” she said. “But we can’t teach the passion for writing.”
Many interns had
worked in that newsroom who really aspired to be on-air talent spinning tunes
and talking about music. I was the first whose number one interest was writing
and reporting.
My first print job was with C&G Publishing.
At the time the company had 13 weekly and bi-weekly newspapers in various
suburbs of Detroit. I started covering city council and schools as well as writingideas would be chosen and sent to the event with a photographer. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’m proud of the work I did as a journalist for that event.
After eight years, I
went to a small daily paper as a sports writer. While it wasn't like busting
open the Watergate affair, there were so many great stories to tell. For the
most part I covered prep sports and I became an expert in wrestling. I loved
what I did and felt like I was, in some cases, really impacting the lives of
the people I wrote about as well as my readers. Although sports writing tends
to be upbeat most of the time, there were also serious topics to tackle. One of
my state champion wrestlers died of a heroin overdose some 18 months after
graduation and I wrote a column about it. It won an award and the wrestler’s
parents told me they displayed the story at their son’s funeral because the
story gave them some sense of peace.
In 2000 I moved to
Boston and wrote for the Boston Globe for two years before getting laid off and
moving back to Detroit. Since them I have not been able to find a full-time job
as a journalist. Papers are cutting back and whey they DO hire people, they
prefer to hire younger writers who do not command such a high salary. I did a
good amount of freelance work for the Detroit Free Press for awhile until
budget cuts eliminated most freelancers from the Freep’s regular assignment
list. I did continue to string for my old paper, The Royal Oak Daily Tribune,
because after all this time I still loved to write and tell a good story.
What I didn't
understand until recently is that no one cares about good writing anymore.
That’s not what journalism is about these days. It’s about Twitter and Facebook
and how many clicks your story gets on the newspaper’s web site. Photos are
important. The photos do not necessarily have to be good photos, there just
have to be a lot of photos to entice readers to click through the entire slide
show.
Today’s “journalism”
is less concerned with accuracy and more focused on being first and being
sensational. Stories that even 10 years ago might not have been considered
newsworthy are now touted as “breaking news.” features.
After I had been there a couple of years, the sports editor approached me about coming to work in his department. He liked my writing and thought I could add something to the sports section that readers would like.
After I had been there a couple of years, the sports editor approached me about coming to work in his department. He liked my writing and thought I could add something to the sports section that readers would like.
Although small
papers like the Warren Weekly, the Troy Times, the Fraser-Clinton Chronicle and
all the rest of C&G’s papers don’t have the cache of The Washington Post,
this was a great atmosphere for a young journalist to blossom. I wrote a lot. I
learned how to ask the right questions, how to make interview subjects feel
comfortable, and how to write with an edge when the situation called for it.
I had the
opportunity to interview Jim Bouton, former pitcher for the New York Yankees
and the author of "Ball Four, the book that gave readers a glimpse into the
then-secret world of professional baseball. Bouton had just written his first
fictional book and was touring the country. We talked about baseball, of
course, but I also asked him about the differences between writing an
autobiographical piece of non-fiction and a novel. Bouton told me that he
battled writers block by going into his yard and building a stone wall. He
confessed that at the time he probably watched more hockey than baseball
because he felt like at the time, hockey was like baseball was when he played –
a lot of down-home players who were gritty and playing for the love of the game. I wrote the story
and was shocked when a couple of weeks later Bouton called my office at C&G
to tell me that mine was, he thought, the best interview he had done.
“You were the only
person who asked me about anything other than baseball,” Bouton said. “I loved that
you asked me about the craft of writing. And your story made me sound so
interesting!”
Also while at
C&G I was able to go to Washington D.C. to cover Bill Clinton’s first
inauguration ideas would be chosen and two writers were to be sent to the event with a photographer.
It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience and I’m proud of the work I did as a
journalist for that event.
After eight years, I went to a small daily paper
as a sports writer. While it wasn’t like busting open the Watergate affair,
there were so many great stories to tell. For the most part I covered prep
sports and then a couple of months
ago, freelancers at The Daily Tribune were informed that instead of being paid
$50 per story – which is very low by industry standards – we were going to be
paid $20 per story. If we wanted to make additional money for a story, we would
be required to take and submit photos – at least 50 of them. When I talked to
one of the editors about the new decree he said: “Honestly, the writing is just
not important.”
After agonizing for
several days, I made the decision to stop writing for the paper. Despite being
passionate about writing, I just felt that I had to put my foot down and say,
“My work is worth more than that.”
It disturbs me
greatly that people don’t read newspapers anymore. It also disturbs me that
important news stories are often ignored by editors and reporters in favor of
sensationalism. The latest antics of Ray Rice take precedent over
investigative pieces or even an in-depth profile of Rice that is more than a
couple of paragraphs that really say nothing. Print reporters are stretched
thin as papers cut budgets and demand more work from fewer employees. It is not
enough anymore to write a good story, cultivate reliable sources and localize
important national issues. Print reporters now must take video, take photos,
tweet and post to Facebook. While Twitter and Facebook can be great
communication tools, they don’t replace the bona fide newspaper story that
gives readers background information, input and response from various sources
and detailed information they otherwise might not know.
If Woodward and
Bernstein had been covering Watergate today, I wonder if they would have been
able to cover the story the way they did back in the 1970s or if they would be
required to also produce a slideshow and quiz: who is the hottest member of
Nixon’s staff – Vote here!
If you are Twitter,you can follow Susan @leglace19 and myself @Jinzo_2400
Thank for reading and feel free to drop a comment!
Thank for reading and feel free to drop a comment!
Monday, July 14, 2014
Guest blogger Alexandria Ingham "A Relaxing Holiday With the Family"
Its 3:10 pm
I have reached out across the pond again for a guest blogger. Alexandria is a hard working wife,mother and social media business whiz. I admire her writing so I asked her if she would write a guest entry.
The one question I get when I ask a person to do a entry is "What do you want in terms on content"?
I simply say my blog is a personal one and they can submit what they think would fit.
Alexandria said she would try and think of a subject after coming back from holiday and I wrote back and suggested "why not the holiday itself"?
We agreed on this....I have always found the term holiday charming so I asked Alexandria where it came up..she pointed me in the right direction and so after reading her entry,take a minute more and read how the term we here in the States call "vacation" became "holiday" in the United Kingdom.
The one question I get when I ask a person to do a entry is "What do you want in terms on content"?
I simply say my blog is a personal one and they can submit what they think would fit.
Alexandria said she would try and think of a subject after coming back from holiday and I wrote back and suggested "why not the holiday itself"?
We agreed on this....I have always found the term holiday charming so I asked Alexandria where it came up..she pointed me in the right direction and so after reading her entry,take a minute more and read how the term we here in the States call "vacation" became "holiday" in the United Kingdom.
A Relaxing Holiday With the Family
This time last
week I was on the road back home. We’d gotten up at 3 am to make the almost six
hour drive home in time for my husband to get into work to have paperwork
signed off before professional exams that he completed a
couple of days ago.
Where were we?
I hear you ask. We went on a family holiday to just outside Mablethorpe, near
Lincoln, UK. It was a trip organised by my parents, and my sister and her
fiance joined us so they all got the chance to see our daughter. With them
living so far away from us now (well, so far away in the UK—four hours is
probably nothing for those in the USA), they hardly get to see Little Monkey.
It was a great
break away. While I love my work and my life, sometimes I just need a break
from it all. I like to be able to switch off the social media and the emails,
and spend time doing things I wouldn’t usually.
The first day
we went to the Seal Sanctuary, where there was much more than seals around. It
was the birds that Little Monkey loved the most, and we were fortunate enough
to get a video of her running around in awe at them. The poor thing was tired
though after the late drive we did the night before. In fact, all three of us
were shattered and had to have a nap during the day!
Our Monday was
spent at a theme park that had a market. I think the market was the best part
of the whole theme park, but that’s likely because I’m so used to the big rides
at the bigger theme parks that these ones were a little disappointing. It was
free entry to the park though, and you just paid for the rides you went on. We
ended up going back a few days later but just for the market. I could see that
place being great for the kids and families in the area since they get a day
out without having to spend too much. The food was even reasonably priced, and
was not the usual fast food usually at theme parks. With it being by the
seaside, there were the traditional seafood stalls that we get over here. I
love crab sticks and packets of mussels and cockles from those stalls. It takes
me back to being a kid and going to Bridlington and Scarborough on holiday.
The highlight
of the holiday has to be the trip to the farm closer to the end of the week.
I’m really glad we decided on the one we did. It was just a 20 minute drive
away (compared to the hour drive to the other one we contemplated), and Little
Monkey loved the whole day. She got to run around without her reins, and was
able to stroke some of the animals. There was even the opportunity to feed the
animals, which we thought she’d freak at. Little Monkey loves animals but
does not really like their faces coming up to her, so we did not think she’d take
to the goats and sheep coming up to her hands. To our delight, once she saw me
feeding the goats she wanted to do it. It was another part of the day that I
was fortunate to get a video of.
(photo credit to the mighty David Gearing,Harrier ace)
(photo credit to the mighty David Gearing,Harrier ace)
Of course,
there were days at the beach. That’s got to happen when you go to a seaside
resort, right? Well, this time last year we went to the beach and Little Monkey
only wanted to sit on the sand and destroy sand castles that were built for
her. This year, she decided the water was fun to splash in, and enjoyed putting
on her Peppa Pig swimming costume to go for paddles. The attempt to dive into
the water after watching other little ones do it—and then realize that it meant
not being able to breathe!—did not put her off going paddling the next day.
It was a
holiday that I was really looking forward to, and it certainly didn’t
disappoint. My next trip away is in August for a week, but that is volunteering
for a church camp and not quite a holiday. In fact, it’s going to be one of the
most tiring but rewarding weeks of the year—like it has been for a while.
Before that though, we get a weekend at the Commonwealth Games since they’re in
Glasgow (just a 30 minute train journey from us). We also have some plans to
take day trips now that my husband’s professional exams are over and I finished
my university module in May and don’t start the next one until next year. Between
that it’s all work, but that’s okay since I love my job.
Next month is
also my daughter’s birthday, and I want to do a cake with the Minions from
Despicable Me. She loves that movie, and loves the little yellow creatures. I
thought I’d trial my attempts at doing the minion faces on something smaller
first, so made cupcakes while we were away. We did do an early birthday for her
since my parents and sister won’t be able to see her on her actual birthday as
they live so far away. The Minion cupcakes turned out really well, so now I’m
looking forward to trying a birthday cake.
What plans do
you have for the summer?
Michael here....
So in trying to find out why the English call going on vacation "holiday",this is what I found
Michael here....
So in trying to find out why the English call going on vacation "holiday",this is what I found
vacation
late 14c., "freedom or release" (from some activity or occupation), from O.Fr. vacation, from L.vacationem (nom. vacatio) "leisure, a being free from duty," from vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure" (see vain). Meaning "formal suspension of activity" (in ref. to schools, courts, etc.) is recorded from mid-15c. As the U.S. equivalent of what in Britain is called a holiday, it is attested from 1878.
late 14c., "freedom or release" (from some activity or occupation), from O.Fr. vacation, from L.vacationem (nom. vacatio) "leisure, a being free from duty," from vacare "be empty, free, or at leisure" (see vain). Meaning "formal suspension of activity" (in ref. to schools, courts, etc.) is recorded from mid-15c. As the U.S. equivalent of what in Britain is called a holiday, it is attested from 1878.
holiday
1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from O.E. haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16c. As a verb meaning "to pass the holidays" by 1869.
1500s, earlier haliday (c.1200), from O.E. haligdæg "holy day; Sabbath," from halig "holy" (see holy) + dæg "day" (see day); in 14c. meaning both "religious festival" and "day of recreation," but pronunciation and sense diverged 16c. As a verb meaning "to pass the holidays" by 1869.
Anyone here going on vacation or holiday (or in my case,a staycation) and if so,where are you going?
My thanks to Alexandria for sharing her holiday with us...to learn more about her and her writing,she has a Facebook page that you visit and "Like"
If you are on Twitter,feel free to follow me
@Jinzo_2400
Thursday, July 3, 2014
What if Jewel gave blood while eating a Subway sandwich while blogging about it?
Its 5:08 am
Running on fumes as I had a rugged day getting only 2 hours of sleep the past 24....and I am no Jack Bauer.
(Jim Davis)
Like to thank everyone who came and supported my first Blog Hop...so many kind comments,really warms my heart. I do think that some folks either couldn't grasp the reason behind my writing or they were on cruise control in dropping a comment...it left me a little flustered. But overall it,it was a positive experience and I hope Tiffany and Brad will follow through and do a blog hop as well. Lisa gets a pass because its rather hard trying to write during a chemotherapy cycle. I know which chemo she is on and its not a very pleasant ride..
Maybe with her permission,I can do a blog hop in her name and post it on here.
Its 11:42 pm
Still working on my newest "8 Questions with....." interview,its going to be slightly larger then the normal sized ones as this person has a lot to say and I want to provide the space for them. Its one of the advantages of doing interviews in a blog,one is having someone not only write their own answers but also being able to be flexible in the size of the interview.
This will be the biggest "name" interview I have done here on this blog so I am wanting to do everything correctly,it could lead to more heavyweights actually agreeing to talk with me on here and I would really like that to happen. With this interview,I am hoping it will open the doors to that.
While out promoting my blog,I have stumbled across a weird trend...people are now getting products from companies to push their goods. Bloggers are becoming paid hacks to tell us how awesome some companies new products are. They have disclaimers up stating they have been paid or been a product for free to write about it. Now I can understand doing this maybe on a 1-2 times a month but on a daily basis? That is not writing nor is it blogging. I am only mentioning this because on some blogging PR groups,we are encouraged to share our blog while visiting others and dropping a comment as well. It just seems all of a sudden I am reading more about how company's new diaper is catching 89% more poop then last year's diaper or how exciting that the new shoelaces they got from someone not only will help keep your shoes on but in a pinch,can be used to defuse a nuclear bomb.
(Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore")
I find myself trying to relate to this and coming up short,I am supposed to be supporting other writers/bloggers but feel like I am in a Adam Sandler movie (Adam's films are the king of product placement)
reading about stuff I will never try. I think there can be a happy balance between writing about products and writing about things that really matter to you,places you have been and how cute your kids,husband,wife,cat are in your daily life.
Am I being a bit too harsh or do I have a legitimate complaint? I welcome your feedback both pro and con.
Lately I have been on a serious Jewel kick,listening to her greatest hits album while I have been blogging as of late. I don't know how to explain this other then suddenly her voice speaks to me. This happens to me when I listen to a handful of artists like Barbara Manning,Sarah Brightman,Penelope Houston,Dave Alvin and as late,Paramore.
So it was pretty sad to sign on and see that she and Ty Murray are divorcing...quite shocking actually as many (including myself) thought that was a til death do us part type of marriage. Maybe she got tired of staying on the ranch,she still has a lot music in her and I just couldn't see her fade away to small concert tours and an a TV appearance here and there. Jewel just needs to go back to listening to her voice...it was maddening watching others trying to twist her into a sexy pop singer and then reshape her as a country singer
She needs to forget the imaging part and trust in her songwriting which as always been her strength as a artist,not her figure or trying to please everyone except herself.
I am sorry for both Ty and her because on paper,it really seemed quite a good match...
Today I had a appointment to give my 5th pint of blood. I drove to the Red Cross donation site and checked in. I had drank a ton of water as they always ask you to do so after I checked in,I had to use the restroom(because once you get hooked up,you are hooked up) and then get my blood tested.
Lo and behold,my hemoglobin was too low....I don't eat a lot of red meat but I do take a multi-vitamin every day so I was a little confused why it would be low....turns out when I switched from coffee to tea,that tea absorbs the iron and lowers your hemoglobin. Oh I still drink coffee but its more as a treat now then everyday. With my sleep already shot to ribbons,tea is a better way to go for me...unless I want to donate blood. The nurse suggested "no tea" for a week before donating,that seems logical and so the Red Cross calls me back,I will be ready.
I have a new Pink Hat mission for July. I am asking you all to collect any books/novels that you have read and calling a local hospital,senior center,hospice or VA center to donate them. I recently had a chance to donate a large bag of books that I got in turn from someone else. The books are going to a large church parking lot sale. I decided that would be a good idea for a mission and so July that is what I am doing and I am hoping some of you will join me on this.
To learn more about the Pink Hat,click the link here to see the history behind the missions.
Well that is it for me,sorry its a bit of a short entry....but I will try and do better next time...
Oh....before I go, it seems like a very sweet woman who has supported many people through her various acts of kindness,once again stepped into the breach when she saw a woman in distress. I first met Michelle Ball through our mutual friendship with the two Amys...journalist Amy Lange and Amy Neilson,who was fighting recurrent breast cancer.
When Lori got sick with her own uterine cancer,Michelle extended her kindness and friendship to me as well,talking with me and supporting my family at Lori's funeral.
I had a chance to return some of that kindness when Michelle's beloved dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge and we chatted on the phone.
So when I saw this story about Michelle, I wasn't surprised at all by it because it was so her. She is an amazing young lady who helped a lot women through the years.
Only kindness matters
If you are on Twitter,follow me sweater monkeys or perish at @Jinzo_2400
Next entry up will be guest blogger Alexandria Ingham.
Shout outs
Miguel Diaz - Thanks for the refreshing talk,we may not see eye to eye but at least we listened to each other.
Barb - thank you again!
Sue - and thank you as well. That was a nice treat tonight.
Cheryl - I was going to write about your friend but I am going to wait...hoping Jerry and you have a nice vacation!
USA Today - San Jose State at No.76? I think we can do better and outside Auburn,we can win every game.
Lisa Adams - Light and love to you.
Dominic - We need to kidnap Rome for a SyFy Creature movie marathon!
Dollar Tree - About time you had a DVD sale! I was running lowish on Dollar Tree Theater flicks
Angie H - Happy birthday again detective!
Tiffany and Brad - Hope you will do the blog hop!
Derek Jeter- All Star.....yep,that is about right!
Running on fumes as I had a rugged day getting only 2 hours of sleep the past 24....and I am no Jack Bauer.
(Jim Davis)
Like to thank everyone who came and supported my first Blog Hop...so many kind comments,really warms my heart. I do think that some folks either couldn't grasp the reason behind my writing or they were on cruise control in dropping a comment...it left me a little flustered. But overall it,it was a positive experience and I hope Tiffany and Brad will follow through and do a blog hop as well. Lisa gets a pass because its rather hard trying to write during a chemotherapy cycle. I know which chemo she is on and its not a very pleasant ride..
Maybe with her permission,I can do a blog hop in her name and post it on here.
Its 11:42 pm
Still working on my newest "8 Questions with....." interview,its going to be slightly larger then the normal sized ones as this person has a lot to say and I want to provide the space for them. Its one of the advantages of doing interviews in a blog,one is having someone not only write their own answers but also being able to be flexible in the size of the interview.
This will be the biggest "name" interview I have done here on this blog so I am wanting to do everything correctly,it could lead to more heavyweights actually agreeing to talk with me on here and I would really like that to happen. With this interview,I am hoping it will open the doors to that.
While out promoting my blog,I have stumbled across a weird trend...people are now getting products from companies to push their goods. Bloggers are becoming paid hacks to tell us how awesome some companies new products are. They have disclaimers up stating they have been paid or been a product for free to write about it. Now I can understand doing this maybe on a 1-2 times a month but on a daily basis? That is not writing nor is it blogging. I am only mentioning this because on some blogging PR groups,we are encouraged to share our blog while visiting others and dropping a comment as well. It just seems all of a sudden I am reading more about how company's new diaper is catching 89% more poop then last year's diaper or how exciting that the new shoelaces they got from someone not only will help keep your shoes on but in a pinch,can be used to defuse a nuclear bomb.
(Adam Sandler in "Happy Gilmore")
I find myself trying to relate to this and coming up short,I am supposed to be supporting other writers/bloggers but feel like I am in a Adam Sandler movie (Adam's films are the king of product placement)
reading about stuff I will never try. I think there can be a happy balance between writing about products and writing about things that really matter to you,places you have been and how cute your kids,husband,wife,cat are in your daily life.
Am I being a bit too harsh or do I have a legitimate complaint? I welcome your feedback both pro and con.
Lately I have been on a serious Jewel kick,listening to her greatest hits album while I have been blogging as of late. I don't know how to explain this other then suddenly her voice speaks to me. This happens to me when I listen to a handful of artists like Barbara Manning,Sarah Brightman,Penelope Houston,Dave Alvin and as late,Paramore.
So it was pretty sad to sign on and see that she and Ty Murray are divorcing...quite shocking actually as many (including myself) thought that was a til death do us part type of marriage. Maybe she got tired of staying on the ranch,she still has a lot music in her and I just couldn't see her fade away to small concert tours and an a TV appearance here and there. Jewel just needs to go back to listening to her voice...it was maddening watching others trying to twist her into a sexy pop singer and then reshape her as a country singer
She needs to forget the imaging part and trust in her songwriting which as always been her strength as a artist,not her figure or trying to please everyone except herself.
I am sorry for both Ty and her because on paper,it really seemed quite a good match...
Today I had a appointment to give my 5th pint of blood. I drove to the Red Cross donation site and checked in. I had drank a ton of water as they always ask you to do so after I checked in,I had to use the restroom(because once you get hooked up,you are hooked up) and then get my blood tested.
Lo and behold,my hemoglobin was too low....I don't eat a lot of red meat but I do take a multi-vitamin every day so I was a little confused why it would be low....turns out when I switched from coffee to tea,that tea absorbs the iron and lowers your hemoglobin. Oh I still drink coffee but its more as a treat now then everyday. With my sleep already shot to ribbons,tea is a better way to go for me...unless I want to donate blood. The nurse suggested "no tea" for a week before donating,that seems logical and so the Red Cross calls me back,I will be ready.
I have a new Pink Hat mission for July. I am asking you all to collect any books/novels that you have read and calling a local hospital,senior center,hospice or VA center to donate them. I recently had a chance to donate a large bag of books that I got in turn from someone else. The books are going to a large church parking lot sale. I decided that would be a good idea for a mission and so July that is what I am doing and I am hoping some of you will join me on this.
To learn more about the Pink Hat,click the link here to see the history behind the missions.
Well that is it for me,sorry its a bit of a short entry....but I will try and do better next time...
Oh....before I go, it seems like a very sweet woman who has supported many people through her various acts of kindness,once again stepped into the breach when she saw a woman in distress. I first met Michelle Ball through our mutual friendship with the two Amys...journalist Amy Lange and Amy Neilson,who was fighting recurrent breast cancer.
When Lori got sick with her own uterine cancer,Michelle extended her kindness and friendship to me as well,talking with me and supporting my family at Lori's funeral.
I had a chance to return some of that kindness when Michelle's beloved dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge and we chatted on the phone.
So when I saw this story about Michelle, I wasn't surprised at all by it because it was so her. She is an amazing young lady who helped a lot women through the years.
Only kindness matters
If you are on Twitter,follow me sweater monkeys or perish at @Jinzo_2400
Next entry up will be guest blogger Alexandria Ingham.
Shout outs
Miguel Diaz - Thanks for the refreshing talk,we may not see eye to eye but at least we listened to each other.
Barb - thank you again!
Sue - and thank you as well. That was a nice treat tonight.
Cheryl - I was going to write about your friend but I am going to wait...hoping Jerry and you have a nice vacation!
USA Today - San Jose State at No.76? I think we can do better and outside Auburn,we can win every game.
Lisa Adams - Light and love to you.
Dominic - We need to kidnap Rome for a SyFy Creature movie marathon!
Dollar Tree - About time you had a DVD sale! I was running lowish on Dollar Tree Theater flicks
Angie H - Happy birthday again detective!
Tiffany and Brad - Hope you will do the blog hop!
Derek Jeter- All Star.....yep,that is about right!
Saturday, May 24, 2014
Guest blogger Susan Smiley - Oliver the Ambassador (Oliver's Story,part 2)
It's 4:13 pm
I first posted Oliver's story where I started this blog,barely anyone saw it because well,I didn't tell that many people back then. When my computer recently needed to be updated,I couldn't post with it so I merely re-posted some older entries and Oliver's story was one of them.
Because now a few more folks read this blog,his story went from 12 views to well over 220 (and counting) . In fact,before reading this entry,you can read the first part of Oliver's remarkable journey here.
A lot of folks asked me whatever happened to Oliver and who better to answer then the kind woman who adopted him,our friend (and frequent guest blogger) Susan Smiley. So let me thank Susan for doing just that and sharing her side of Oliver's story.
If you haven’t read Michael’s post/repost about the big, gray cat named Oliver you might want to check it out because this is, as Paul Harvey used to say, the REST of the story. Or the rest of Oliver’s story anyway.
I first posted Oliver's story where I started this blog,barely anyone saw it because well,I didn't tell that many people back then. When my computer recently needed to be updated,I couldn't post with it so I merely re-posted some older entries and Oliver's story was one of them.
Because now a few more folks read this blog,his story went from 12 views to well over 220 (and counting) . In fact,before reading this entry,you can read the first part of Oliver's remarkable journey here.
A lot of folks asked me whatever happened to Oliver and who better to answer then the kind woman who adopted him,our friend (and frequent guest blogger) Susan Smiley. So let me thank Susan for doing just that and sharing her side of Oliver's story.
If you haven’t read Michael’s post/repost about the big, gray cat named Oliver you might want to check it out because this is, as Paul Harvey used to say, the REST of the story. Or the rest of Oliver’s story anyway.
I
had run up to the small, family owned pet store at the corner to pick up some
staple items – cat treats, cat toys, Milk Bones – when I saw a large, gray,
long-haired cat lounging in his cage. The pet store had adoption days twice a
month but also kept some of adoptable pets from the Animal Welfare Society at
the store all the time with the idea that more people might see the animals and
adopt. At the time I had a big, gray, plush, short-haired, Russian Blue type
cat named Jacques and his brother Travis, a long-haired orange kitty with a
most magnificent set of whiskers. I also had Rolo, my wild little white and
orange kitty I had adopted through the pet store and the Animal Welfare
Society. My roommate had Townes (named after the musician Townes Van Zandt)
also adopted from the pet store through the AWS.
My
neighbor worked at the pet store at the time and saw me looking at the handsome
gray cat lounging in his cage.
“Oh
my gosh!” I said. “This cat looks like he could be Jacques and Travis’ brother!
He is gray like Jacques and has long hair like Travis!”
My
neighbor told me that the big gray guy was the nicest cat they had ever had
there at the store but that they found people were apprehensive about adopting
him because he was so large – almost 20 pounds! The long hair made him look
even bigger than he actually was.
She took the kitty
out of the cage for me and I held him and he purred. And drooled. (I would find
that was Olivier’s signature move). I wanted to adopt him so much because I
could see he was very sweet. But I already had four cats and a huge dog named
Hercules at home!
Reluctantly,
I gave the cat back to my neighbor and told her I really hoped that he found a
good, good home.
Fast
forward to that evening and I was in my front yard trimming the bushes or some
such thing when my neighbor came walking across the street with the big, gray
kitty!
“Listen,”
she said. “We all talked at the store and you guys have adopted so many through
us and we all really want this cat to have a good home. So I brought him home
for you”
My
neighbor did not even have a carry crate because she did not have cats – only
dogs and birds – so Oliver came to me in a large bird cage initially. I took
him from the cage and was secretly so happy my neighbor had done this. With the
cat came a note from the folks who had brought him to the AWS in the first
place.
The
note said that the cat’s name was Oliver – which I loved. It explained that
this wonderful couple had found the cat, fed him, got him all fixed up at the
vet and wanted to keep him but their one senior kitty was not keen on the idea
so they had to help him find a good home. The note was signed by Lori and
Michael.
The
story about Oliver touched my heart and I saw there was some contact
information for them. I thought that if I were in this situation with an
animal, I would want to know that it had landed on its feet. So I jotted off a
little note letting them know that Oliver was going to be living with me and
that he would have lots of friends to play with including Hercules. I included
my phone number in the note and invited them to call for updates.
Within
the week a got a call and a very sweet voice asked “Would you think it was
weird if we wanted to come and visit Oliver?” I didn’t hesitate and invited
Lori and Michael to come and visit their orphan cat.
Later,
Lori confided that she had been worried when she read in my note that there was
a 120 pound dog in the mix of Oliver’s new friends. But once she met Hercules
and saw how gentle he was with Oliver and all of the cats, she knew the big
gray guy was in good hands. Oliver and Hercules really bonded and Lori always
referred to Hercules as a “world class dog” because he was so good with all of
the cats.
Oliver
was also special friends with Townes. Every night before dinner they would have
a little friendly wrestling match. Almost as if it were choreographed, Oliver
would walk up and touch Townes on the head; then Townes would touch Oliver’s
head; then Oliver would fall on his back and they would grapple playfully until
it was time to eat.
Most
mornings I was awakened by a loud purring and a little bit of drool falling
onto my cheek. And sometimes Oliver would get so excited that you were petting
him that he would reach up and lightly bite your nose. It was his way of
showing affection and trying to return the favor.
My
roommate and I dubbed Oliver the cat who loved everybody and I even considered
penning a series of children’s stories about him. He would make a great cartoon
kitty. I also thought that I could have carried him around in one of those papoose
contraptions that people use to carry babies on their chest. Oliver would have
loved that.
Sometimes
he would just go up to Hercules when he was laying on his bed and start rubbing
against him and purring and drooling. Herc took it all in stride and sometimes
would reach over and give Oliver a gentle nudge or lick the top of his big,
gray head.
I
also found that people who professed to “hate cats” always fell in love with
Oliver. I mean, how could you not?
As
always, I was very good about getting Oliver and all of the cats in for their
regular visits to the vet. On one such visit, the vet pointed out that Jacques,
Travis and Oliver were considered “geriatric” cats. I know now the vet was
trying to prepare me for the fact that the two brothers and their adopted
brother would not be around forever.
Travis
was the first to go. The silly, orange kitty that once hunkered down in a patch
of chives and then could not understand why the other cats avoided him when he
came into the house had a stroke. I couldn’t get him to eat and he wasn’t
getting better so I called the vet to come to the house to help him cross the
rainbow bridge. Lori and Michael knew I was distraught and came to be with me
for the ordeal. It is something for which I will be forever grateful.
Two
years later on Christmas Eve, I lost Jacques. He just went to sleep and didn’t
wake up. I knew he was slowing down, having some trouble getting around, but
I’m thankful he went peacefully.
Three
weeks into January, there was a night when Oliver didn’t eat – which was
unusual. Much like I imagine people are with their kids, I could tell that
something just was not “right”. I took him to the vet and found out that he had
cancer. The doctor sent him home with some meds that were supposed to make him
feel well enough to eat but the vet also told me that Oliver was not feeling
well at all and the thought of my big guy suffering was more than I could take.
He made it clear that the big fella was not going to get better. I took him home and made sure everyone had a
chance to say good-bye and two days later Oliver also crossed the rainbow
bridge.
As depressed as I was
about losing Jacques and Oliver within a month, poor Townes was absolutely
despondent. His wrestling partner was gone and he walked around the house in a
daze.
Although Rolo was there, he and Townes have never gotten along all that great.
Funny enough, Townes became closer to Hercules, who also missed his big, gray
buddy.
Fast
forward to the following November. Enough time had passed that I thought I
might be ready for another kitty. I saw a flyer in the locker room of my swim
class with a picture of a little tuxedo kitten that was looking for a home. I
called the number on the flyer and went to the home of the woman who was
fostering this kitten.
The
foster mom lived in the same apartment and condo complex where Michael and Lori
had lived when we first met. When I got to the condo, I found that the woman
was fostering some other kitties in addition to the little tuxedo and when I
sat on the couch, a chubby little tabby jumped into my lap and started purring.
Well,
I took it as a sign. That was the cat I was taking home.
I
named him Scotty and the very first night I noticed something strange. He and
Townes engaged in the same little wrestling match that Townes and Oliver used
to do every night. Scotty would touch Townes’ head; Townes would touch Scotty’s
head and so on. Then I was petting Scotty one day and he reached up and gently
nipped the end of my nose. And Scotty grew to be 18 pounds – a big guy like
Oliver. So much was Scotty’s personality like Oliver that my roommate
constantly called him Oliver!
One
day Scotty was lying on my bed and I was petting him and I said “Scotty, tell
me the truth; Are you really Oliver?” Do you know Scotty nodded his head and
winked! That was all I needed to be assured that Oliver had come back to me as
a big tabby!
I
called Michael and Lori to tell them. “I know you guys are going to think I’m
crazy but…” And good friends that they are, they did not think I was off my
rocker at all.
So
this is the story about how a stray cat was the catalyst for a friendship.
Wednesday, May 7, 2014
Guest blogger Sophie Bowns - "Teddy,Part 1"
Its 4:10 pm
Looking outside at a beautiful spring afternoon...the robins are chirping,the sound of lawnmowers is filling the air with low buzzing noise and kids are outside enjoying the open air.
I am really liking the idea of guest bloggers. To find someone whose writing you really like and respect is a good feeling. To have them accept a invite to submit a guest column is (to me anyways) is quite the honor. There are a lot of great voices out here in the blogsphere whose writing is just so good.....like today's guest blogger, novelist Sophie Bowns from the United Kingdom.
I ran across Sophie in a blogging group where she was promoting and sharing her new ebook, "Azure". I took a peek at her blog and was impressed with how dense her writing was despite at the same time,being sparse. Its a skill I wish more writers had,too many fall in love with the sound of their keyboards and don't know when enough is enough. The trick to me as a reader is to be entertained and left wanting more....I think Sophie does a excellent job of that and its one of the reasons I asked her if she like to contribute a guest blog. I am so glad she said "Yes". And I think after you read her entry,you will be glad as well!
Below is the first chapter of her new work, "Teddy".
Looking outside at a beautiful spring afternoon...the robins are chirping,the sound of lawnmowers is filling the air with low buzzing noise and kids are outside enjoying the open air.
I am really liking the idea of guest bloggers. To find someone whose writing you really like and respect is a good feeling. To have them accept a invite to submit a guest column is (to me anyways) is quite the honor. There are a lot of great voices out here in the blogsphere whose writing is just so good.....like today's guest blogger, novelist Sophie Bowns from the United Kingdom.
I ran across Sophie in a blogging group where she was promoting and sharing her new ebook, "Azure". I took a peek at her blog and was impressed with how dense her writing was despite at the same time,being sparse. Its a skill I wish more writers had,too many fall in love with the sound of their keyboards and don't know when enough is enough. The trick to me as a reader is to be entertained and left wanting more....I think Sophie does a excellent job of that and its one of the reasons I asked her if she like to contribute a guest blog. I am so glad she said "Yes". And I think after you read her entry,you will be glad as well!
Below is the first chapter of her new work, "Teddy".
“Now you shall go there, and you…”
Theodore noted the soft pitter -patter of footsteps and glanced up from the book collection he was arranging with pride, upon the hand carved bookshelf. He held a cluster of the leather-bound books under one arm as he stood on his tiptoes in attempt to reach a higher oak shelf. A gentle cough and a small knock followed the steps.
“Mr Howard, I am here.”
“Good afternoon. Might I speak with you, your Grace?”
Theodore’s solemn expression unnerved Mr Howard a little and he was immediately washed with a wave of guilt as he watched him push the final book into place. He glanced up at the slim man with salt and pepper hair.
“I am sorry to have to interrupt you, but..”
“Has my Mother sent you?”
“Yes, she has in fact.”
“Oh dear. What could I have possibly done now?”
“Well your Grace, it is only natural for Mother’s to worry and..”
Theodore noted the soft pitter -patter of footsteps and glanced up from the book collection he was arranging with pride, upon the hand carved bookshelf. He held a cluster of the leather-bound books under one arm as he stood on his tiptoes in attempt to reach a higher oak shelf. A gentle cough and a small knock followed the steps.
“Mr Howard, I am here.”
“Good afternoon. Might I speak with you, your Grace?”
Theodore’s solemn expression unnerved Mr Howard a little and he was immediately washed with a wave of guilt as he watched him push the final book into place. He glanced up at the slim man with salt and pepper hair.
“I am sorry to have to interrupt you, but..”
“Has my Mother sent you?”
“Yes, she has in fact.”
“Oh dear. What could I have possibly done now?”
“Well your Grace, it is only natural for Mother’s to worry and..”
Theodore shook his head, seating himself in one of the high-backed mahogany chairs by the window. He glanced at the chess board and selected a piece making his next move. He gave in and folded his arms, distracting his glance to the acres upon acres of palace gardens. The rays of sun highlighted the beads of water among the blades of grass and there, they shone like delicate little pearls.
“Queen Evangeline thinks you spend too much time reading.”
“Reading is an academic pastime is it not? One can learn a great deal from indulging in a little literature each day. I study as I read.”
“Oh why of course your Grace, but Queen Evangeline is..”
“She is impatient and scolding.”
“Forgive me your Grace; I was only suggesting that; your Mother is first and foremost the Queen.”
“Why state the obvious, Howard? Well, I am very sorry that I am a disappointment in her eyes.”
“I only suppose that she assumes that a young man of 14 should have his mind-set on other things of greater importance such as..”
“Here we are again, speaking on the subject of marriage. Time and time again Mother mentions Jane Mallis! She is apparently quite the mysterious beauty.”
“She has a title.”
“Mr Howard, we haven’t even been introduced.”
“But you will, in time. I hear that she is one of the most eligible women in the country.”
“Oh and pray tell me, why is that?”
“Because, your Grace she is a Lady; an only child like yourself whose family has an annual income of just over one thousand pounds a year.”
“One thousand?” Theodore whispered, initially struck by the news. He composed himself and shook his head. “I have promised that I would never let myself become overcome.”
“Overcome?”
“Yes; enraptured by a woman’s fortune and beauty. So much so, that I’d forget myself. If I had my way, I would-”
Theodore did not continue. Instead he rested his elbows on his thighs and placed his head into his hands.
“Everyone expects me to grow up so quickly, I am only 14 years old. Mr Howard, what were you doing at this age?”
Mr Howard thought for a moment. “Well your Grace, I was working on a farm.”
“Aha! Doing what exactly?”
“I was farming your Grace.”
Theodore’s mouth spread into a wide smile.
“Ha! Specifically Mr Howard, please.”
“Well now your Grace, let me see.”
“Please sit down for five minutes Mr Howard.”
“Why of course.”
“Queen Evangeline thinks you spend too much time reading.”
“Reading is an academic pastime is it not? One can learn a great deal from indulging in a little literature each day. I study as I read.”
“Oh why of course your Grace, but Queen Evangeline is..”
“She is impatient and scolding.”
“Forgive me your Grace; I was only suggesting that; your Mother is first and foremost the Queen.”
“Why state the obvious, Howard? Well, I am very sorry that I am a disappointment in her eyes.”
“I only suppose that she assumes that a young man of 14 should have his mind-set on other things of greater importance such as..”
“Here we are again, speaking on the subject of marriage. Time and time again Mother mentions Jane Mallis! She is apparently quite the mysterious beauty.”
“She has a title.”
“Mr Howard, we haven’t even been introduced.”
“But you will, in time. I hear that she is one of the most eligible women in the country.”
“Oh and pray tell me, why is that?”
“Because, your Grace she is a Lady; an only child like yourself whose family has an annual income of just over one thousand pounds a year.”
“One thousand?” Theodore whispered, initially struck by the news. He composed himself and shook his head. “I have promised that I would never let myself become overcome.”
“Overcome?”
“Yes; enraptured by a woman’s fortune and beauty. So much so, that I’d forget myself. If I had my way, I would-”
Theodore did not continue. Instead he rested his elbows on his thighs and placed his head into his hands.
“Everyone expects me to grow up so quickly, I am only 14 years old. Mr Howard, what were you doing at this age?”
Mr Howard thought for a moment. “Well your Grace, I was working on a farm.”
“Aha! Doing what exactly?”
“I was farming your Grace.”
Theodore’s mouth spread into a wide smile.
“Ha! Specifically Mr Howard, please.”
“Well now your Grace, let me see.”
“Please sit down for five minutes Mr Howard.”
“Why of course.”
Mr Howard smiled and obeyed, with great duty.
“We were always expected to rise early.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, every morning we would waken at 4 o’clock in the morning to organise things.”
“Gosh, it would have still been dark!”
“Yes, indeed your Grace. We would have to release the cows into the field and then milk them, feed the chickens and pigs all before half past 5.”
“Gosh. I wouldn’t have survived.”
“Why, your Grace?”
“Well, I suppose that I am not accustomed to such things. This is my life and it’s one that I have to follow.”
“You do not like it, your Grace?”
“I accept it.”
Mr Howard’s face fell, a little hurt by what Theodore had just said.
“You feel that you have to accept me?”
“Mr Howard, you are our most loyal servant and I trust you entirely. You are a credit to our family, I more than accept you. You’re a friend and you have my utmost respect. Please forgive me? I do fear that for a moment, I sounded like my Mother.”
“There is nothing to forgive.” Mr Howard smiled. He loved the wise young man in front of him, like a Father would love his son. Prince Theodore was kind, caring and wise beyond his years.
“I just wish that Mother would let me mix with other children.”
“The Baroness brought her son last week, did she not?”
“Yes, but Laurence has status and I found him quite..”
Mr Howard nodded in agreement. The child was a handful to say the very least.
“That boy is very wild, but I think you managed splendidly.”
“You think so?”
“Yes, anyone else who had just had a whole jug of milk spilt over them might have been furious. But on the contrary, you were gracious and composed.”
“Ah no, that was just an accident and he is only 8 years of age. It could have easily been the other way around. I do not feel that I shall ever be gracious.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, your Grace; I think that you’ll make a wonderful king.”
Theodore shuddered at the word. ‘King’ what on earth would that entail? He witnessed his Father’s anguish and he was away so often. ‘Will I ever be good enough?’ Theodore thought.
“Now then, I do believe that your Mother would like to see you in her parlour.”
“We were always expected to rise early.”
“Oh?”
“Yes, every morning we would waken at 4 o’clock in the morning to organise things.”
“Gosh, it would have still been dark!”
“Yes, indeed your Grace. We would have to release the cows into the field and then milk them, feed the chickens and pigs all before half past 5.”
“Gosh. I wouldn’t have survived.”
“Why, your Grace?”
“Well, I suppose that I am not accustomed to such things. This is my life and it’s one that I have to follow.”
“You do not like it, your Grace?”
“I accept it.”
Mr Howard’s face fell, a little hurt by what Theodore had just said.
“You feel that you have to accept me?”
“Mr Howard, you are our most loyal servant and I trust you entirely. You are a credit to our family, I more than accept you. You’re a friend and you have my utmost respect. Please forgive me? I do fear that for a moment, I sounded like my Mother.”
“There is nothing to forgive.” Mr Howard smiled. He loved the wise young man in front of him, like a Father would love his son. Prince Theodore was kind, caring and wise beyond his years.
“I just wish that Mother would let me mix with other children.”
“The Baroness brought her son last week, did she not?”
“Yes, but Laurence has status and I found him quite..”
Mr Howard nodded in agreement. The child was a handful to say the very least.
“That boy is very wild, but I think you managed splendidly.”
“You think so?”
“Yes, anyone else who had just had a whole jug of milk spilt over them might have been furious. But on the contrary, you were gracious and composed.”
“Ah no, that was just an accident and he is only 8 years of age. It could have easily been the other way around. I do not feel that I shall ever be gracious.”
“If you don’t mind me saying, your Grace; I think that you’ll make a wonderful king.”
Theodore shuddered at the word. ‘King’ what on earth would that entail? He witnessed his Father’s anguish and he was away so often. ‘Will I ever be good enough?’ Theodore thought.
“Now then, I do believe that your Mother would like to see you in her parlour.”
Queen Evangeline stirred her tea 6 times precisely, ensuring that the large lump of white sugar had dissolved into the hot liquid. She pursed her lips and stared at the clock. Where were they? Theodore knocked on the oak door, pressing his ear to it.
“You may come in now. Ah at long last! Theodore.”
“You wished to see me, Mother?”
“Did I?”
“Mr Howard said..”
“Must you question everything Theodore? You are quite out of line really. Children should be seen if they are good-looking, clean and well dressed. They should most certainly not be heard.”
“Yes Mother.”
“Pray tell me, what have you been doing today Theodore? Not filling your head with those foolish books again, I hope.”
“I find Grandfather’s first editions very comforting.”
“Comforting?” Queen Evangeline laughed. “How can you find peace in a book?”
“In lots of ways, like..”
“Hmm, what about the garden?”
“What about it, Mother?”
“Have you been outside today?”
“Yes Mother; I took it upon myself to study and paint the Red Admiral butterfly which had taken the liberty to perch itself on a poppy for me.”
“I don’t think butterflies could..”
“Forgive me Mother; I was simply making a little joke.”
“Please don’t interrupt Theodore.” Queen Evangeline sighed, shaking her head.
“I-I apologise.”
“Would you care to be seated? Now then Theodore, I wished to speak to you on the subject of Jane, or should I say; Lady Jane Mallis.”
“Mother!”
“Theodore, she is to be your betrothed. Do not say Mother in such a tone. You have a lot to learn my son. Why, when I was your age I was already engaged to your Father. We were promised to each other at the age of 8.”
“Oh heavens! You were just little children.”
“Yes Theodore. We were still babes in arms.”
“You may come in now. Ah at long last! Theodore.”
“You wished to see me, Mother?”
“Did I?”
“Mr Howard said..”
“Must you question everything Theodore? You are quite out of line really. Children should be seen if they are good-looking, clean and well dressed. They should most certainly not be heard.”
“Yes Mother.”
“Pray tell me, what have you been doing today Theodore? Not filling your head with those foolish books again, I hope.”
“I find Grandfather’s first editions very comforting.”
“Comforting?” Queen Evangeline laughed. “How can you find peace in a book?”
“In lots of ways, like..”
“Hmm, what about the garden?”
“What about it, Mother?”
“Have you been outside today?”
“Yes Mother; I took it upon myself to study and paint the Red Admiral butterfly which had taken the liberty to perch itself on a poppy for me.”
“I don’t think butterflies could..”
“Forgive me Mother; I was simply making a little joke.”
“Please don’t interrupt Theodore.” Queen Evangeline sighed, shaking her head.
“I-I apologise.”
“Would you care to be seated? Now then Theodore, I wished to speak to you on the subject of Jane, or should I say; Lady Jane Mallis.”
“Mother!”
“Theodore, she is to be your betrothed. Do not say Mother in such a tone. You have a lot to learn my son. Why, when I was your age I was already engaged to your Father. We were promised to each other at the age of 8.”
“Oh heavens! You were just little children.”
“Yes Theodore. We were still babes in arms.”
©Sophie Bowns 2011-2014
To learn more about Sophie Bowns,please check out her blog here.
I am working on my next "8 Questions with......" interview. I am going to change things up a little bit and I hope it pans out. I also have Susan Smiley coming back with the sequel to Oliver's story coming up.
So thankful for all the kind comments as of late....been making writing through this time a little easier.
If you are on Twitter,follow me @Jinzo_2400
Shout outs:
Christine C. - Inspiring? That is high praise indeed!
Mike White - Maybe we need to start a "horror community" *LOL*
Elissa - Sorry for the bad reminder last night,it really is a small world!
Richard Von B - Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions
Sophie - Thank you for "Teddy".
Sue E. - Coffee was excellent,see you Saturday.
Nancy G - finding my way,one step at a time
David Fales and Bene Benwikere - Good luck in the NFL Draft tomorrow! Spartan Strong!
To learn more about Sophie Bowns,please check out her blog here.
I am working on my next "8 Questions with......" interview. I am going to change things up a little bit and I hope it pans out. I also have Susan Smiley coming back with the sequel to Oliver's story coming up.
So thankful for all the kind comments as of late....been making writing through this time a little easier.
If you are on Twitter,follow me @Jinzo_2400
Shout outs:
Christine C. - Inspiring? That is high praise indeed!
Mike White - Maybe we need to start a "horror community" *LOL*
Elissa - Sorry for the bad reminder last night,it really is a small world!
Richard Von B - Thank you for taking the time to answer my questions
Sophie - Thank you for "Teddy".
Sue E. - Coffee was excellent,see you Saturday.
Nancy G - finding my way,one step at a time
David Fales and Bene Benwikere - Good luck in the NFL Draft tomorrow! Spartan Strong!
Monday, May 5, 2014
The Pink Hat: Mission 4 and a disturbing business
Its 10:35 pm
I am back....iced coffee at hand,a cool movie score ("The Deadly Spawn") on the old CD player and the cheetah is walking under my desk. Its raining outside again,we have not had a three day stretch of good warm weather as of yet here in SE Michigan. Not really complaining,not when huge EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes are ripping through the south.
We might not get a major warm-up anytime soon,the Great Lakes are still 26% frozen which the weather folks will affect our spring and summer,making them much cooler.
I had to break down and get a new computer,the old one was running Windows XP and when Microsoft quit supporting it,I tried to have it upgraded at Polygon Computer but to no avail...Mr. Li said I would need a new computer so taking a cue from my friend and duelist extraordinaire,Chris...I got a new Dell for a pretty good price. Mr. Li and I got uploaded and put in a new security suite and I was able to come home in a couple of hours and go online 10 minutes later.
The machine is very fast but I do not like the keyboard,it looks and feels cheap but I had no choice to use it as Dell won't let me use my old HP keyboard.
Its May...and I have been really struggling as of late. It will be one year on the 20th since my Lori left. My heart is very heavy as it has been for most of the past four years. I can't help but look back at where we were last year,I get very emotional thinking about this. Watching Lori fade a little more each day in body but her spirit was still very bright. I hold on to that very tightly...I am now ready to take my video camera in and have the two videos I have been saving downloaded and copied. I was watching a documentary on 9/11 about the folks who called home while being trapped. For too many of them,that call is the ONLY thing they have recorded with their voices,they have tons of pictures but no recorded videos. Those folks hold on to that because you will lose the memory of the voices. As much as I find it painful to see and hear Lori in her condition,it would be that much more painful NOT to have it.
The Pink Hat mission in April was a lot of fun...the theme was Bake For a Stranger and I baked three cakes for my co-workers and brought them on Easter Sunday. I think my co-workers were pretty amazed that I actually did this but that was the idea! To bake for a stranger,neighbor,co-worker,church group,etc.
I baked 2 chocolate and one white,what I forgot was maybe bringing along some ice cold milk as well.
While the turnout was very light in my group,the idea of doing a Pink Hat mission is getting a little better.
My good friend Monte in Arizona has reached out and bought lunch for three different strangers in the past month.
Lori's best friend Deb sent me the following:
I didn't bake but hopefully this counts for the mission. On Saturday, I visited my mom's neighbors bearing not baked goods, but an Easter Lily. Mr. G. is 103 years old and is lovingly cared for by his wife. They are so inspiring. Mr. G. is brilliant. He has a love for art (and is an artist, himself), music, sailing, nature, architecture, to name a few things. I love to listen to his stories about his life experiences. Mrs. G. is so loving and nuturing. She moved here from Poland and is doing so well with her English and adjusting to life in America. They were so thankful for my visit but I am the one who is truly blessed for knowing them.
Why of course it counts! Doing random acts of kindness is what its all about. It doesn't matter what act you do,just that you do something.
The last thing I expected from my mission was to be someone who benefitted from it myself! But that is what happened when our Alana decided to bake up 6 totally awesome carrot cake cupcakes and drop them off at my doorstep! As I have written before,Alana's mom baked our wedding cake and is a world class bakery chef (that is fact,not hyperbole). It seems like Alana has been passed down some of those genes because those cupcakes were just amazing!
May 6th will mark the second year since Amy Rauch Neilson left us as well. Last year was the first time I talked to her husband Don. My journalist friend Amy recommended that I do and so one night,we talked....for three hours. I told him that Lori was dying and he listened and talked about how lucky we were to have been blessed with such amazing women. We talked like old friends and finally we said good night and I went to check on Lori.
The following morning when I went on Facebook,I saw Don had left a note on his wall...it was the first year of Amy's passing and he had spent three hours with me,comforting me....in the darkest of days,he shone brightly and showed incredible compassion.
Funny thing about cancer or any other major illness...when people find out about it,many times they fall to wayside,they don't know how or what to say to the affected person or the family. They are paralyzed by indecision or doubt and sometimes just plain afraid.
Others are different,they rush into the breech and offer support and love in the ways they are able. Car rides,babysitting,food,chemo buddies,etc. They do this with a pure heart and with no strings attached.
But recently I stumbled through Twitter a woman who looks at this in a different light. She has decided to make a living off other's pain and heartbreak. Her name is Tambre and she has a business in where she will offer coaching and support tools,for a price. Being she is based in L.A.,I am sure its a nice hefty price at that.
As I walked through her mostly New Age website and all the things she can offer a caregiver for a price,the more angry I got. The sheer greed and evilness of actually charging people for coping,support and whatever else she is offering is just disgusting. Patients and their families are already by being overwhelmed by costs,different levels of suffering and pain. Caregivers are stressed enough already,many are the only ones helping their loved ones.
To charge what should be offered as a simple kindness....I have two therapists who help me,Becka from Arbor Hospice who has stayed with me in the first year. Generally that is the hospice offers before the person who has lost a loved one transitions to a group or another stage in the coping process. I,myself,will go see Debbie from our church. But Becka reached out and volunteered to stay with me from a few more months. Neither Arbor nor St. Thomas has ever sent me a bill,asked me for money. None of our friends has done that...when I shared this person and what she was doing with others who have lost a loved one to cancer,they too,were appalled. But you tell me,am I overreacting? Should anyone profit off someone's tragedy? Or is it capitalism at its finest?
5 May
4: 21 pm
Yep,this is going to be a "newsy" entry. I call these blogs rolling entries because I write them when I get the time to do so. Thanks for staying with me so far.
Okay,my next installment of "8 Questions with....." will be ready to run. I am interviewing film maker Tim Teets of o73 Films,a one man film studio. I ran across Tim's FB page and was struck by his DIY spirit and his dream of making movies. I really think you will be impressed as well...I will be working on cleaning this up tomorrow.
Also,I also have two guest blogs coming up....a very talented English writer Sophie Bowns will be sharing her creative mind with a chapter of a new story she is writing and Susan Smiley will be back yet again with the sequel to the story of Oliver,the cat who escaped death twice before finding a forever home.
I like to thank all the new readers and especially the comments,I am so tickled by that....it makes writing all that more enjoyable.
The Pink Hat Mission 5 has gotten off to a late start as far as pushing it goes. But if you like to help out,there are two ways to do so....
One is donate blood to the American Red Cross,I did this as my first mission but because its a gift that always is in need,I will be repeating it in May. Cancer patients go through a lot of transfusions so the blood is always welcomed.
I like to thank Kenny Sinatra for donating blood this month....it really is a great feeling!
Another way is to help my friend Gary Avila's daughter Isabella meet her goal for the Relay for Life event 31 May. Gary lost his wife to leukemia a few years back and this is his way of honoring her.
She is very close to her goal so if the idea of donating blood isn't your cup of tea,maybe a small donation to Isabella will be. Below is the link to her page.
Donate to Team Dragonfly here.
I am going to end this for now. Thank you for reading and I will be back later on this week.
If you are on Twitter,follow me @Jinzo_2400
Shout outs:
Gary - Where do I send my bill to?
Sydney- embrace your talent and run with it
Angie and Kim- keeping me grounded
Donald and Theo - I am with you tomorrow and everyday.
Charles Fox - I will see if I can maintain the insanity of your group.
Chris Alexander - Starlog is back??? You are the MAN!
Debbie Rochon - sorry I missed you.
Michelle (ND) - You can stop with the S word now,unless it starts with Su!
Thank you for all the comments and traffic!
I am back....iced coffee at hand,a cool movie score ("The Deadly Spawn") on the old CD player and the cheetah is walking under my desk. Its raining outside again,we have not had a three day stretch of good warm weather as of yet here in SE Michigan. Not really complaining,not when huge EF-4 and EF-5 tornadoes are ripping through the south.
We might not get a major warm-up anytime soon,the Great Lakes are still 26% frozen which the weather folks will affect our spring and summer,making them much cooler.
I had to break down and get a new computer,the old one was running Windows XP and when Microsoft quit supporting it,I tried to have it upgraded at Polygon Computer but to no avail...Mr. Li said I would need a new computer so taking a cue from my friend and duelist extraordinaire,Chris...I got a new Dell for a pretty good price. Mr. Li and I got uploaded and put in a new security suite and I was able to come home in a couple of hours and go online 10 minutes later.
The machine is very fast but I do not like the keyboard,it looks and feels cheap but I had no choice to use it as Dell won't let me use my old HP keyboard.
Its May...and I have been really struggling as of late. It will be one year on the 20th since my Lori left. My heart is very heavy as it has been for most of the past four years. I can't help but look back at where we were last year,I get very emotional thinking about this. Watching Lori fade a little more each day in body but her spirit was still very bright. I hold on to that very tightly...I am now ready to take my video camera in and have the two videos I have been saving downloaded and copied. I was watching a documentary on 9/11 about the folks who called home while being trapped. For too many of them,that call is the ONLY thing they have recorded with their voices,they have tons of pictures but no recorded videos. Those folks hold on to that because you will lose the memory of the voices. As much as I find it painful to see and hear Lori in her condition,it would be that much more painful NOT to have it.
The Pink Hat mission in April was a lot of fun...the theme was Bake For a Stranger and I baked three cakes for my co-workers and brought them on Easter Sunday. I think my co-workers were pretty amazed that I actually did this but that was the idea! To bake for a stranger,neighbor,co-worker,church group,etc.
I baked 2 chocolate and one white,what I forgot was maybe bringing along some ice cold milk as well.
While the turnout was very light in my group,the idea of doing a Pink Hat mission is getting a little better.
My good friend Monte in Arizona has reached out and bought lunch for three different strangers in the past month.
Lori's best friend Deb sent me the following:
I didn't bake but hopefully this counts for the mission. On Saturday, I visited my mom's neighbors bearing not baked goods, but an Easter Lily. Mr. G. is 103 years old and is lovingly cared for by his wife. They are so inspiring. Mr. G. is brilliant. He has a love for art (and is an artist, himself), music, sailing, nature, architecture, to name a few things. I love to listen to his stories about his life experiences. Mrs. G. is so loving and nuturing. She moved here from Poland and is doing so well with her English and adjusting to life in America. They were so thankful for my visit but I am the one who is truly blessed for knowing them.
Why of course it counts! Doing random acts of kindness is what its all about. It doesn't matter what act you do,just that you do something.
The last thing I expected from my mission was to be someone who benefitted from it myself! But that is what happened when our Alana decided to bake up 6 totally awesome carrot cake cupcakes and drop them off at my doorstep! As I have written before,Alana's mom baked our wedding cake and is a world class bakery chef (that is fact,not hyperbole). It seems like Alana has been passed down some of those genes because those cupcakes were just amazing!
May 6th will mark the second year since Amy Rauch Neilson left us as well. Last year was the first time I talked to her husband Don. My journalist friend Amy recommended that I do and so one night,we talked....for three hours. I told him that Lori was dying and he listened and talked about how lucky we were to have been blessed with such amazing women. We talked like old friends and finally we said good night and I went to check on Lori.
The following morning when I went on Facebook,I saw Don had left a note on his wall...it was the first year of Amy's passing and he had spent three hours with me,comforting me....in the darkest of days,he shone brightly and showed incredible compassion.
Funny thing about cancer or any other major illness...when people find out about it,many times they fall to wayside,they don't know how or what to say to the affected person or the family. They are paralyzed by indecision or doubt and sometimes just plain afraid.
Others are different,they rush into the breech and offer support and love in the ways they are able. Car rides,babysitting,food,chemo buddies,etc. They do this with a pure heart and with no strings attached.
But recently I stumbled through Twitter a woman who looks at this in a different light. She has decided to make a living off other's pain and heartbreak. Her name is Tambre and she has a business in where she will offer coaching and support tools,for a price. Being she is based in L.A.,I am sure its a nice hefty price at that.
As I walked through her mostly New Age website and all the things she can offer a caregiver for a price,the more angry I got. The sheer greed and evilness of actually charging people for coping,support and whatever else she is offering is just disgusting. Patients and their families are already by being overwhelmed by costs,different levels of suffering and pain. Caregivers are stressed enough already,many are the only ones helping their loved ones.
To charge what should be offered as a simple kindness....I have two therapists who help me,Becka from Arbor Hospice who has stayed with me in the first year. Generally that is the hospice offers before the person who has lost a loved one transitions to a group or another stage in the coping process. I,myself,will go see Debbie from our church. But Becka reached out and volunteered to stay with me from a few more months. Neither Arbor nor St. Thomas has ever sent me a bill,asked me for money. None of our friends has done that...when I shared this person and what she was doing with others who have lost a loved one to cancer,they too,were appalled. But you tell me,am I overreacting? Should anyone profit off someone's tragedy? Or is it capitalism at its finest?
5 May
4: 21 pm
Yep,this is going to be a "newsy" entry. I call these blogs rolling entries because I write them when I get the time to do so. Thanks for staying with me so far.
Okay,my next installment of "8 Questions with....." will be ready to run. I am interviewing film maker Tim Teets of o73 Films,a one man film studio. I ran across Tim's FB page and was struck by his DIY spirit and his dream of making movies. I really think you will be impressed as well...I will be working on cleaning this up tomorrow.
Also,I also have two guest blogs coming up....a very talented English writer Sophie Bowns will be sharing her creative mind with a chapter of a new story she is writing and Susan Smiley will be back yet again with the sequel to the story of Oliver,the cat who escaped death twice before finding a forever home.
I like to thank all the new readers and especially the comments,I am so tickled by that....it makes writing all that more enjoyable.
The Pink Hat Mission 5 has gotten off to a late start as far as pushing it goes. But if you like to help out,there are two ways to do so....
One is donate blood to the American Red Cross,I did this as my first mission but because its a gift that always is in need,I will be repeating it in May. Cancer patients go through a lot of transfusions so the blood is always welcomed.
I like to thank Kenny Sinatra for donating blood this month....it really is a great feeling!
Another way is to help my friend Gary Avila's daughter Isabella meet her goal for the Relay for Life event 31 May. Gary lost his wife to leukemia a few years back and this is his way of honoring her.
She is very close to her goal so if the idea of donating blood isn't your cup of tea,maybe a small donation to Isabella will be. Below is the link to her page.
Donate to Team Dragonfly here.
I am going to end this for now. Thank you for reading and I will be back later on this week.
If you are on Twitter,follow me @Jinzo_2400
Shout outs:
Gary - Where do I send my bill to?
Sydney- embrace your talent and run with it
Angie and Kim- keeping me grounded
Donald and Theo - I am with you tomorrow and everyday.
Charles Fox - I will see if I can maintain the insanity of your group.
Chris Alexander - Starlog is back??? You are the MAN!
Debbie Rochon - sorry I missed you.
Michelle (ND) - You can stop with the S word now,unless it starts with Su!
Thank you for all the comments and traffic!
Saturday, April 26, 2014
Clinical Trials Now Accessible to More Patients - guest blog by Heather Millar
It's 1:04 pm
Still no computer but in the meantime,I found this while surfing ,a blog written by Heather Millar about cancer patients being able to get into clinical trials much more quickly. The process is a slow one and it shouldn't be. Thanks to Dr. Stein,maybe this will start to change.
Written by Heather Millar.
For many cancer patients, maybe even the majority, clinical trials can seem completely out of reach. Unless you’re getting treatment in a big academic hospital, it can be hassle not only to find a clinical trial, but to get the “go ahead” to enroll in that trial. It can mean online research, forms, more tests, and travel to a research site. It can often take months to find a trial and get enrolled. And patients with disease that has spread—those for whom research most needs to be done—often don’t have that kind of energy or time.
Still no computer but in the meantime,I found this while surfing ,a blog written by Heather Millar about cancer patients being able to get into clinical trials much more quickly. The process is a slow one and it shouldn't be. Thanks to Dr. Stein,maybe this will start to change.
Written by Heather Millar.
For many cancer patients, maybe even the majority, clinical trials can seem completely out of reach. Unless you’re getting treatment in a big academic hospital, it can be hassle not only to find a clinical trial, but to get the “go ahead” to enroll in that trial. It can mean online research, forms, more tests, and travel to a research site. It can often take months to find a trial and get enrolled. And patients with disease that has spread—those for whom research most needs to be done—often don’t have that kind of energy or time.
But what if you could get in a clinical trial within just a couple of weeks – wherever you are in the country?
That’s the goal with a new research model being used by the Swiss pharmaceutical giant Novartis. The idea for a more patient-friendly approach came a couple years ago, when Novartis’ Steven Stein, MD, was talking with a fellow oncologist who practices in Florida. The friend was ranting about how difficult he found it to get his patients enrolled in clinical trials.
The conversation stuck with Stein, and he remembers thinking that there had to be a better way. The result, 2 years later, is the SIGNATURE trial, launched 10 months ago. Novartis is testing five potential drugs in this trial, and expects to increase that number to 10 by midsummer. About 100 patients all over the country have participated so far, and the company also expects those numbers to grow quickly.
Many companies, not just Novartis, are trying to figure out how to reach a broader range of patients. Patient recruitment has long been a bottleneck in medical research. Of the tens of thousands of trials being run in the United States each year, as many as 80 percent are delayed because scientists can’t find enough study subjects.
Many companies are experimenting with using social media to reach out to patients. For instance, the biotech giant Genentech recently announced a partnership with the patient information-sharing site Patients Like Me. Merck, and three other companies who prefer to remain anonymous, have partnered with the patient support group site Inspire.
Why? Because more data from more people is the only way their research will result in true “personalized medicine.” Expect to see more collaborations like this, and soon.
Drug companies are fairly secretive about new research models until they’re ready to announce them, so it’s impossible to know what other innovations may be in store. But Novartis may be the first company to try to bring the research “protocol” to patients directly wherever they are, and at the same time, to also target patients with specific genetic markers in their tumors.
Instead of requiring patients to travel to the study site, the Novartis trial brings the research to wherever the patients are, getting test results from approved local labs, then sending the experimental drugs to the place where the patient is being treated. Instead of focusing on cancers of a particular origin, the trial focuses on cancers of a specific set of particular genetic “signatures,” also called “mutations” or changes. These specific mutations have been found to drive the growth of many cancers, and Novartis has experimental drug agents that target them.
“We’re geography-agnostic, patients can call from anywhere,” Stein explains. “All you need is a potential genetic make-up, regardless of the kind of cancer you have.”
Interested? First you need to have your tumor genetically analyzed. (This is something that I think all cancer patients should do! That’s where the science is going, so ask your doctor about it.) You and your doctor can find more information at the SIGNATUREwebsite, where you can also find a number to call. If you qualify, Stein says, the time from first phone call to receiving the experimental drug is 2 weeks, sometimes 3.
SIGNATURE is one of dozens, even hundreds, of new research models being tried out by scientists around the world. You can find a good overview of what’s going on here. Experts say it’s likely that other companies will now follow Novartis’ lead, leading to a shift toward more patient-friendly processes in future research.
As we learn more and more about varied genetic profiles of cancer, researchers need more and more data. That data has to come from us, the patients, so get involved! You’ll probably help yourself, and who knows, you may also help the world.
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