Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Surviving Cold And Flu Season







  • First off we need to establish a disclaimer: none of the following is meant to replace to advice of your physician. I may or may not actually know anything about colds and flu and in fact as far as you know- I may or may not even be a nurse. Regardless of the subject I tend to ramble on like I know what I'm talking about and in some circles I'm considered mentally ill or at least mildly retarded.



  • Always get your flu shot. If you have to pay for it the most you should have to pay is 10 dollars and there are still going to be places I'm sure who'll do a drive through service and you won't even have to get out of your car. You won't get the flu from it- it's impossible. Since I started taking the flu shot I've only gotten it once. This happened in the same year they missed the prevalent strain and a lot of other people got sick worldwide. Only 30% of the US population gets the vaccination which is a shame since it's statistically 100% effective and up to 65,000 people are know to die each year in the US from flu or the secondary infections it causes.




  • So, you got your shot but, are starting to feel bad anyway? Regardless, these tips may help for that errant flu or cold. Any of your own? Please mention in the comments.




  • The first thing if the flu is suspect is call your doc and get one of the flu treatment drugs. If cost is a factor ask for some of the older drugs instead of the newer, sexier ones- they are essentially just as effective, you may have to take two tabs a day instead of one, or take a little longer etc. but, they will be just as effective.




  • Nothing can replace rest, fluids and nutrition.




  • Don't wait until you nearly can't move and are ready to fall over dead to stop what you're doing and rest. Put in the first season of Arrested Development or whatever floats your boat and lie down as soon as you start feeling bad.




  • Have ice water handy and sip on it often to keep hydrated and the junk in your throat loosened up but, also drink OJ, Gatorade or whatever product you like that will have some minerals/ electrolytes. This will also keep you from getting bored with water and help you drink more fluids.




  • You're laying around more- this is how people get pneumonia and die. Before you lie down and as soon as you get up do at least four series of deep breathes in and cough them out as forcefully as possible.



  • Foods? Any comfort good will make you feel better and will be easier to get down. Chicken noodle soup is still good because it's packed with fluids, carbs, some protein and some electrolytes. Some people say really follow those cravings. I sometimes crave salads when I'm sick, plain lettuce and tomatoes with lots of sea salt- don't know why but, something about it makes me feel better.



  • Weird thing about that? I know I don't eat enough vegetables in my daily diet.



  • Hot baths are good for aches and your spirit.



  • Lay around on the couch or recliner- not your bed, leave it for actual bed time.



  • If you take a NyQuil type product read that warning label and don't take acetaminophen or Tylenol products with it- there is a already a full dose in every dosage cup.



  • Alternate acetaminophen and ibuprofen for fever.



  • I always get asked about vitamins. Most Americans don't get enough because they don't eat a balanced diet. Anything besides a multivitamin and maybe some extra c occasionally is a waste- literally as in you pee it out. The ones which aren't water soluble can cause health problems when you take too many.



  • Hope this helps someone. Did I forget anything?

Truer Words Were Never Spoken?



Monday, September 28, 2009

Monday's Missives





  • How poor was I you say? I was so poor that when I would buy the 2 for .99 hot dogs with ashtray and cushion change I would pile on ridiculous amounts of onion, saurkraut, mayo, picante sauce and mustard just to have that something extra to eat. And thank you for that opening by the way.



  • I gave my son a limited edition, autographed book that was printed with special inks on archival paper etc. for Christmas- he loved it.



  • I can get something right on occasion.



  • In the past I could keep two books going at once and never use a marker.



  • Now, I can forget I've even started a book in the first place.



  • Still puzzled by the fact I've never made a New Years resolution- in my entire life.

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Thursday's Thoughts


  • Lion and warthog video from the plains of Africa (not for the faint of heart) .
  • Mackenzie Phillips from both One Day At A Time and junkie hall of fame has come forward in a book and in interviews admitting a 10 year long consensual sexual relationship with her father who was the lead singer for The Mamas And The Papas.
  • I recently saw a guy in a Mexican food restaurant take an enormous bite of a burrito, set it down, then starting with his thumb of his left hand he stuck every finger in his mouth and licked it off, then while still chewing that bite took another huge bite and licked every finger of his right hand alternating hands this way until he was through with his whole plate of food.
  • Disgusting
  • Mesmerizing
  • The state is going to kill Kenneth Mosley Thursday September 24, 2009 for the 1997 murder of Garland police officer Michael Moore. I remember this case but, the most interesting fact that if I knew I totally forgot? "Mosley's lawyers claimed he was trying to surrender the weapon to Moore when it went off five times with four shots hitting Moore, one above his protective vest."NBCDFW.COM
  • I wonder what Mosley's middle name is? If he were white I'm sure it would be Wayne.
  • On a television show the other night a parent said to the teenage refrigerator gazer,"What's so interesting in there, are they show a movie or something?"
  • Can't wait to use that one.

Artwork By Zac- Genetics By Me



"Dragon" Framed, signed, limited edition prints available from the artist at 395.00 US through Paypal.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Don't All Girls Have Fond Memories Of A favorite Pet... Skunk?

I know I sure do.


Wednesday's Digressions



  • The shoe thrower has been released from prison in Iraq.

  • "Muntadhar al-Zeidi, whose stunning act of protest last December made him a hero around the Arab and Muslim worlds, said he now feared for his life and believed that U.S. intelligence agents would chase after him.
    "These fearful services, the U.S. intelligence services and its affiliated services, will spare no efforts to track me as an insurgent revolutionary ... in a bid to kill me," he told a news conference at the TV station where he works."

  • And,"And here I want to warn all my relatives and people close to me that these services will use all means to trap and try to kill and liquidate me either physically, socially or professionally," he said. " AP

  • A very good look into the middle eatern mind- that guy truly believes all that nonsense and everone in the region who reads or hears him talk about it will as well- without question and without exception. Every so often you'll from or about that guy- every time he loses a job- the CIA did it to destroy him. If a family member is killed in a car wreck- US Special Forces operatives did it attempting to kill him. The Iraqi puppet regime to teach him some sort of lesson will bar his children from attending some elite school or will insure his grandmother dies a suspicious death in a hospital (it won't matter she's 90 years old and had smoked for 80 of them). Blah blah blah yada yada etc.
  • You watch.

  • I know you've always wanted a 360 degree view of an Airbus A380 airliner cockpit.

  • I had the 1980s dating video scheduled for forever before everybody else picked up on it- I killed it and so I don't look like a copy-cat check out Bobby P. for more dating greatness!

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Hunter S. Thompson's Suicide Note Text


"No More Games. No More Bombs. No More Walking. No More Fun. No More Swimming. 67. That is 17 years past 50. 17 more than I needed or wanted. Boring. I am always bitchy. No Fun — for anybody. 67. You are getting Greedy. Act your old age. Relax — This won't hurt."
He died at at 5:42 p.m. on February 20, 2005, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.

Geared Up



Z Man when he was only 0ne but, totally got this game where gears are placed on pins surrounding a drive gear, you push a button and they spin around and music plays. He even experimented with different arrangements to see how they worked. Smart, interesting kid.

Monday, September 21, 2009

Monday's Missives



Dreams are the threads of happiness that keep us warm on cold nights

from Muse on Xanadu.


  • Don't know if that's an original thought to the writer I jacked it from or not but, I like it.
  • What are nightmares then?
  • Remember The Orb? They did a song titled Fluffy Clouds in the 90s. A very cool, spacey song that I can't get out of my mind when I think of it until I look it up on the youtubes or listen to it off my laptop.
  • A related flashback: in west Texas in the middle of nowhere on a farm to market road on a full moon night. I'm in the passenger seat of my buddies new, fast car. The aforementioned song is playing. The headlights are off and I watch the digital speedometer rolling up so fast I can't keep up. It was somewhere north of 100 mph. When I turned to the right to watch the surreal moonscape looking terrain flash by...
  • I stop dead in my tracks when I hear a black person speak in an English accent.
  • I have a bad habit of deleting information in my brain that falls into disuse.
  • 7. What about your current or most recent lover excites you? Can we just skip this one? I'll just say that my current/most recent lover no longer cares if he excites me and I really miss being excited! From one of those Name 10 things about yourself type things on another blog.
  • Made me kind of sad but, I wondered, Did they or had they ever told their partner or just related their feelings on a dumb Internet questionnaire?
  • Don't understand why people get so beat down after the end of a long relationship and say things like,"I just can't get into the whole dating scene." etc. or in general feel lonely and don't do anything about it- we have more avenues available than ever and there's probably only a gazillion people in the world just as lonely with a lot to offer. Maybe easy for me to say (well, really it's not) but, I don't understand.
  • Ended up with razors a while back- don't recall the brand though that their motto is something like,"Made for a woman's unique curves." I thought they would work to shave my head because well, my head is one big curve.
  • It looked like I had tried to chop my own head off for a Jihadi video after I got through. There was blood everywhere.

Friday, September 18, 2009

Fiday's Dispatch

Click to enlargenate and see if you're as brave as a two year old! Can you handle the walking stick of death? Muwahahaha

  • I don't like pickles but, will let them put a couple on a hamburger- then I pick them off, I like the way it makes them taste. I know a couple of people who are the same way. We get asked about it and people are totally good with the answer however, what if we put a couple of drops of vinegar from the jar on our burgers?

  • American Indians flavored their meats with drops of bile from the bison's gall bladder.

  • Slept like a baby in the tent last night and feel great. Something so simple...

  • Jay Leno doesn't interest me so much as a talk show host but, man as a car guy I could listen to him talk all day. I know he has a column in a magazine but, he needs a TV show or documentary even on his cars and their related history.

  • Tim Allen also has an epic car collection but, says his insurance prevents him from talking about most of them.

  • Found an awesome pair of Hi Tec hiking boots on sale from 80 bucks down to 30. Zac was through shopping so had to grab them without trying them on and sadly discovered last night they don't fit. So this is what it sounds like when the doves cry.

  • I mean I am totally bummed. They are so cool looking. If I had boots like that to wear- all the cool kids would want to hang out with me!

  • I asked Zac to throw away a disposable cup for me and he came back in a minute holding his hands up, shrugging his shoulders and saying,"It won't fit daddy. It no go in the trash dad!" Hmm thought- is trash can full? Let's go check. We went into the kitchen and he promptly opened the refrigerator, pulled the cup out and took it to the pantry and threw it in the trash.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Pesident Obama Will Award The Medal Of Honor For His First Time To SFC Jared Monti




Here is video John Krakauer shot of SFC Monti on patrol days before his death. The Wikipedia article has some good details other outlets haven't really covered.



"On 21 June 2006, SFC Monti, then a staff sergeant, was the assistant patrol leader for a 16-man patrol tasked to conduct surveillance in the Gowardesh region. The patrol was to provide up-to-date intelligence, interdict enemy movement and ensure early warning for the squadron's main effort as it inserted into the province. As nightfall approached, the patrol was attacked by a well organized enemy force of at least 60 personnel.
Outnumbered four-to-one, SFC Monti's patrol was in serious danger of being overrun. The enemy fighters had established two support-by-fire positions directly above the patrol in a densely wooded ridgeline. SFC Monti immediately returned fire and ordered the patrol to seek cover and return fire. He then reached for his radio headset and calmly initiated calls for indirect fire and close air support (CAS), both danger-close to the patrol's position. He did this while simultaneously directing the patrol's fires.
When SFC Monti realized that a member of the patrol, Private First Class (PFC) Brian J. Bradbury, was critically wounded and exposed 10 meters from cover, without regard for his personal safety, he advanced through enemy fire to within three feet of PFC Bradbury's position. But he was forced back by intense RPG fire.
He tried again to secure PFC Bradbury, but he was forced to stay in place again as the enemy intensified its fires. The remaining patrol members coordinated covering fires for SFC Monti, and he advanced a third time toward the wounded Soldier. But he only took a few steps this time before he was mortally wounded by an RPG.
About the same time, the indirect fires and CAS he called for began raining down on the enemy's position. The firepower broke the enemy attack, killing 22 enemy fighters. SFC Monti's actions prevented the patrol's position from being overrun, saved his team's lives and inspired his men to fight on against overwhelming odds." From blackfive.net

Where We



braved the elements last night. A boy and his father in a harsh and brutal wilderness fighting for survival...

Wednesday's Digressions

Goofy Sexist Sexy Funny Harmless Harmful Despicable Sick or Silly? Or ( I) All of the above?


  • "Wow in a world where so few find love, it is great that Hollywood decided to show tards finding love. "

  • From hulu customer movie review board regarding Benny and Joon.

  • Headline: "I will be vindicated Blagojevich says." ap

  • That'll do Rod, that'll do.

  • Thank God for the rain- whether you believe or not.

  • The baby burped real big the other day then belly laughed like it was the funniest thing in the world and said,"I farted!"

  • Another I heard him tell his sister recently," No touch. No touch it me now! I tell it to you!"

  • Hope to have a tent for us by the time this publishes. I love sleeping outdoors and will do so in the backyard even to get to do so- especially when it's cool. Doesn't even have to be the weekend or holiday I'll sleep out in a tent or in the open when it's nice and get up in the morning and get ready for work and send the children off to school or whatever.

  • No more sleeping on the ground for me though- I have a nice airbed that goes everywhere I go in the great outdoors.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

One Of Those

it doesn't matter if you're Democratic or Republican, liberal or conservative, rich or poor or whatever- if you're an informed, reasonable person you must see this is essentially what we're facing in this country.

From Next Blog Button

发表者 ye lei 位置在: 上午6:42 0 评论指向此文章的链接

时光
我喜欢时光,因为,它使我长大、成熟。我讨厌时光,因为,它使我长大、成熟。 总是在自我矛盾中长大,也许若干年后我才发现,我所需做的,是一个真正的自己。 也许更老的时
What, you can't read it? Oh come on! Well I'm swamped right now but, I'll translate it for you later. In the meantime at least try to become a little more worldly.

Monday, September 14, 2009

RIP Jim Carroll




all star basketball player in high school, author, playwright, autobiographer, punk musician, poet and heroin addict who died of a reported heart attack on September 11, 2009 at his desk writing. Here is some information about the man called,"The Bob Dylan of the 8os." which I found a bit odd- since Dylan was alive, recording and performing at the time. Find his obit here. You may not know him but, you know this song and if you don't then- you're no friend of mine.

Monday's Missives




  • One of my new favorite foods are Nissin Chow Mein noodles. They are good and cheap with spicy chicken being my favorite. I carry a couple in my backpack (they are very light) so I always have something.
  • Another new favorite: Arby's Chicken Salad Sandwich.
  • Arbys reminds me of a person who goes out and gets plastered on cheap fortified wines once a year- why do we do things like that to ourselves?
  • Chicken Express is supposed to have some pretty good catfish.
  • Is there anything better than Chicken Express tea?
  • Have there ever been Po Folks restaurants in Texas?
  • Another place with epic sweet tea.
  • I like having friends who don't care what they eat so we can sometimes glunk out on good (or bad) foods together.
  • There was a restaurant in Weatherford TX called Goodnight Cattle Company Steakhouse (I think that's right anyway) man, it was great. They served grilled asparagus that came out as 10-12 inch stalks.
  • The owner has been accused of burning one of his other stores for the insurance money.
  • I'm thinking he's wishing for a do over.
  • My last patient died with me holding her hand. Her husband had to leave the room when I told him she only had minutes left and pulled a chair up to her bedside for him to be with her as she died. He said,"I can't take it. I don't want to be here for that. I'll be on the porch."
  • I have no idea how many people have died with me holding their hand.

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Here He Is Ladies- In All His Glory! Chicka Bow Chicka Bow Wow

Feel free to click to enlargenate- if you can handle that much awesome!

Oh Baby! Or Maybe That Should Be Aye Carumba! Anyway, One For The Fellas...

Don't worry ladies- you haven't been forgotten. There's something on tap for you soon!

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Music Video Extra Vaganza- O Rama Ladies And Gentleman: White Trash Cowboys



From the comments on yoochoobe,"Horrid looking, horrid lyrics, horrid video, horrid dancing (or whatever it was that lead singer was trying to do)....and just abhorrently, annoying and atrocious all around. Truly detestable. Don't get no better than this! " Couldn't agree any more, I hope theses guys make a gazillion bucks. Ladies and gentleman: The White Trash Cowboys.

Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Wednesday's Digressions































  • Is there any chance Scare Tactics is a real- non scripted show? If you are not familiar, this show sets up scenarios with the help of the victims friend to scare them, film the results and boost ratings ostensibly on the shock value of terrifying another human being half to death who has shown up at the site believing they are getting work at a part time job. Part of me wants to believe but, I'm skeptical thinking they would not only be standing a good chance of getting sued occasionally as any business venture might but, they would be getting sued essentially every time they set someone up- or even be getting scammed themselves by people working together in the setup and then suing after the episode is filmed. Anyway, this one is greatness real or not and if it's not real- the guy deserves an Oscar for his face off with the Rat Monster!

  • A patient I had once entered hospice services 3 months after he was married.


  • Ever noticed how Alanis Morisettes song, Isn't It Ironic? contains no ironies- it's essentially just one bummer after another, some epic bummers even but, nothing ironic.



  • Interestingly, although I'm sure not an original thought- it is ironic, there's nothing ironic in that song.

  • The baby talks in his sleep and has since he could vocalize anything.
  • I'm learning: demand a lot of those you are responsible for and don't expect too much from others and you will get disappointed a whole lot less. Also, no one else is responsible for my happiness and I can't make anyone else happy.

  • I'm wanting to go back to Galveston- badly.






Monday, September 7, 2009

The Chosen One?


Ada b. December 21

Monday's Missives







  • A bias I have: all things being equal if a person is a smoker I automatically assume them to be weaker and less intelligent than I would have otherwise given them credit for- I've even tried to educate myself away from the idea but, it just seems to get more reinforced.



  • Maybe that's why it's a bias?



  • I love butter and sour cream on appropriate food but, find anything more than a speck of either by themselves nauseating.



  • The baby has started tattling on his older sibling and bossing them around.



  • He calls brother brother and sister sissy unless he's scolding them, then he uses their first and middle names.



  • My oldest named his show pig Pinky Tuscadaro.



  • I love the smell of the coconut oil in Hawaiian Tropic lotion.



  • Love it.



  • Almost through with Undaunted Courage by Ambrose about the Lewis and Clark expedition and that bums me.



  • Haven't been to a yard sale in years but, want to go soon to try and stock up on books- a very hit and miss prospect with my tastes but, I have hit big in the past.



  • All my books I collected over the years were lost in a house fire a few years ago and I'm just now willing to start over.



  • When clearing an Army installation the joke when asked for documentation or some piece of equipment you haven't seen in months is,"Oh, it was lost in the fire or it went down with that supply bird."



  • I was joking with a civilian I hit it off well with when clearing FT Hood and pulled one of them and she said,"Oh, I've heard about that- don't worry about it then."



  • I'm still signed for an M240B machine gun that for which I know I never got the hand receipt back and I don't know who may have (or may not!) turned it back in to supply. The last I heard it was loaned out to another platoon. Still waiting for a refund to be denied by the IRS with a letter stating- "Our records indicate there is the matter of a 14,000 dollar machinegun that must be resolved. Until then your paychecks will be garnished..."

Sunday, September 6, 2009

A Sign From God?

If it is, I hope it's something real good I'll be eligible for- if I'm going to have to wait that long! At least it comes before December 21, 2012 . Whew, that's a relief!

Saturday, September 5, 2009

When My Ship Comes In




you'll know when you see me rollin' on this bad boy- the Travertson V Rex comes with a V-Rod engine. But, that's OK, I can forgive a flaw in something otherwise so awesome. My Queen- I'll take you for the first ride. Wear leather. Carry a black dress small enough to fit in your pocket.



Friday, September 4, 2009

Friday's Dispatch


    Edit: almost forgot- really trying to always give credit for anything I use here. The above cartoon came from Mrs Obi another hot, smart and funny blogger I'm lucky enough to have occasionally post a comment here. She also is a politician and public servant of the highest order.

  • A 17 year old British boy has become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe beating the previous record holder (an American) by a few months.


  • How awesome- simply cannot imagine.


  • A Dutch girl of 13s circumnavigation has been put on hold by Dutch authorities.

  • The compass is among my favorite inventions. It amazes how old a development it is and how it has changed the world. Personally, it amazes to be able to look at a map, plot a course and day or night if you can keep a pace or have a distinctive landmark as a goal you can accurately arrive at any point.

  • My favorite compass flashback: on the way back from Iraq we could go in and out of the cockpit and the attendants area in the back of the aircraft. I think they hand picked those girls for looks and smelling good. Man, they smelled good , wait a second- I don't want to get sidetracked but, you know, think about it- after a year of smelling butt, feet, sweat, blood, death, filth, dirt- you get the idea. Man, they smelled good and the funny thing is you could smell all the good smells separately. Shampoo, cologne, makeup- lip gloss man, oh- man.

  • Anyway, for Christmas our First SGT gave us all compasses. I talked to this one girl off and on the whole flight. When I would go back to my seat she would come by and talk there- when I wasn't talking to her in the back. When were about to deplane I pressed that compass into her hand. She wasn't sure what it was at first but, saw quickly it could be opened so she did. I said,"For the rest of your life when you lose your way or feel like no one cares look at this, remember me and know somebody appreciates you." She started crying- I mean sobbing and wrapped her arms around me and wouldn't let go- the guys behind me had to wait. When I looked up most everybody around us was looking at the floor. I'll never forget that little moment in time.

  • I'm such a snot!

  • She had soft, curly hair and smelled pretty.

Thursday, September 3, 2009

Turd Bomb Temporarily Out Of Commission













Was up all night working on car. Took a break and experimented with vanity plates- can you guess the two less obvious translations? As you can see had a "good halper" when Zac awoke. Car status: still broke but, will submit to my will soon and be cruising the highways and byways.
My status: still broke, tired and delirious. Oh also, I busted my knuckles and my back hurts. Call a wahhmbulance.


Music Video Extra Vaganza O Rama Cultic Thursday Edition







If you're looking for an anthemic love song by a bunch of long haired dudes accompanied by some very pretty and good strings- have I got a deal for you! The Cult performing Edie. Here for an acoustic version (which I prefer) featuring photos of Edie Sedgwick- known as one of Andy Warhols muses and personally as,"The It Girl" which you may have heard or read in late 60s and early 70s media.
"When Post awoke the following morning, Edie Sedgwick was dead. The coroner ruled Sedgwick's death as "undetermined/accident/suicide." The time of death was estimated to be 9:20 A.M. The death certificate claims the immediate cause was "probable acute barbiturate intoxication" due to ethanol intoxication. Sedgwick's alcohol level was registered at 0.17% and her barbiturate level was 0.48 mg%. She was 28." wikipedia