Apostrophe (a.PO.stra.fe):

I lived a bit of it.

Mon, 28 Dec 2009 07:36:08 GMT

Awake awake the day doth break. Green Man. Actor's camp. Mullah's. Mark Lewis. Good Company. It's a story someone should tell.

You gotta see this (again, if you have...)

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 01:55:16 GMT

Dia De Los...

Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:39:16 GMT

Familia.

We're in San Diego.

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:29:01 GMT

Krystal's adopted and beloved "step-mom" Ruth is in the hospital here. She fell and broke her hip. She's in her 80s - and a WW2 Teresenstadt survivor, so she's a tough bird - but she's grown tired of bad health, and we're scared...
Surgery is Tuesday morning at 7am pdt.
Please, anyone out there, pass along the word.
More when it comes..

EDIT/UPDATE:

She's out of surgery and the doc says he's happy with the results. Surgery was actually at 330pm due to low blood o2 level earlier and an unresolved xray question about that...

Now comes healing and rehab...

Thanks to all for prayers and good vibes. (Keep 'em coming, she may need them... she's a feisty little german lady and likely to try her rehab a bit fast..)

10-9-09

Sat, 10 Oct 2009 18:55:18 GMT

A month. Still can't write about it.
I have the words, and the will. But the time and the energy needed just haven't showed up together. Moment + momentum? Soon, I hope.
Gads, what a month.

Helen Costas. Rest in peace.

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 06:17:54 GMT

Apologies for not posting till now. Been thru a lot, y'know.
I'll tell you later about what happened at the hospital. But it was peaceful.

This is what I said about my mom at the service:

"I find myself at a loss trying to write words that adequately honor my mom.
I have some loved ones who couldn't be here, but they wrote to me and were marvelously eloquent. I can start by quoting them:

"My friend Lori said:
How is it possible to grieve for a person you scarcely knew? Okay, I knew her. But more than that, I knew -of- Helen.
I met Helen when I was 18-ish. I was, oddly, horribly shy. I remember her gaily waving at us when we left.
And therein began a long correspondence - via Richard. We never really talked to each -other-, but that didn't stop the correspondence, scattered at times, more prevalent at others, as I came in and out like a stray cat and as my life allowed.
It would be easy to think that, in a situation like this, one would not develop a closeness, a fondness. But it was hard -not- to like Helen. She was uniquely and genuinely one of the nicest people I have ever met, and it was obvious to all who came into contact with her. She was special. She loved you.
How often in this world do you find a person who would loan their -car- to a veritable stranger for an undefined, potentially-long period of time? Think about that for a moment.
And thus, you know Helen. The world is a sadder place for her absence today.

"And my stepdaughter wrote this:
Helen is my proof that God did, in fact, exist. And angels too. I admit that God and I are having a disagreement, but there is a God and that God listened to Helen Costas.
Just as she had hope, she instilled hope in others. Just as she believed in angels, she taught people how to be an angel in the lives of the people around them. God looked down, and saw it was good, and just kept on listening to Helen Costas. But she wasn't greedy, so she prayed for everyone. And so, everyone who ever knew her was blessed.
God didn't listen to her because she was just lucky. It wasn't just because she was a strong, feisty and lively woman, though she was. God listened to Helen Costas because she was good, through and through. She volunteered her time, gave generously, loved passionately and was a well of faith so strong that even those distant from faith could feel the light.

"And Father Austin once told her:
Helen, you are among the most loving and lovable people I have ever known. You feel awful about hurting other’s feelings. You are a real joy to all who know you. God bless you, and please call on me and count on me to be your friend.

"And just moments ago Sister Maggie's beautiful spanish eulogy mentioned how mom came to ask her to come to our parish. She praised mom for her spirituality and her enthusiasm and great faith, how she always asked "how can I help?" And she told the wonderful story of how mom ended up giving her a Christmas card, but apologized for having given the money away to a family with no food for their child. "Helen walked through life sowing seeds that will long continue to bear fruit". Thank you, sister.

"And what can I tell you after that?
Well, how many of you know my mom was a turtle?
She always described herself as 'Helen the Poky Turtle'. This started well before she slowed down for sake of her health and balance; even my dad couldn't make mom get going before she was ready. She was Helen the Turtle, and moved at her own pace.
Not that she was slow; no matter what she may have thought of herself, she was sharp as a tack, and that's why she always poked us... (a different kind of 'poky' turtle.)
Poking us, with words or examples, to better ourselves, take care, be mindful. She gave advice, reminders, concern and counsel... She taught everyone, and taught me so much... ...that the God who made all, loves each, from the greatest to the smallest thing, closer than our own soul, greater than we can imagine...
She quoted Helen Keller, teaching me 'The best and most beautiful things must be felt in the heart.'
She knew that not everyone could or should give counsel, and so she often held back her advice (yes, believe it or not, she did ...) but when she did give counsel, it was good counsel. But patience, forgiveness and prayer, she always could give.
And she gave. If she had two flowers she'd give them away before they faded. She told me 'Joy is not in things, it's in the soul.' She didn't hoard blessings, she scattered them like rain from heaven, and almost always, something grew because of it.
She wrote once: 'Wake up! Be alert! Lest you miss some of the most important things! Be aware, stop and realize the blessings that surround us!'
She saw miracles.
Not flashy hollywood ones, but the ones we don't see all around us. She was aware of everyday blessings, and her reverence only grew from this. She knew you have to pray to receive. She told me 'God wants us to ask him'. She prayed for everyone she knew, and, well...
...In her things I found this little book [I held it up to show] with a prayer '...for special needs...' and then, written on the pages, the names of those she prayed for... page after page, in the margins, on separate papers and cards, many duplicated as the lists were re-written in different inks all through year after year... name after name after name. All her family, her friends, loved ones... she prayed for them - and she left this book to me.
Someone wrote to me asking: who will pray for us now?
She will. (And I will, on her behalf.)
She hasn't changed. Her love and prayers still surround us.
In one of her books I read: When tragedy strikes us, some respond in anger and fear, some in hope and joy. Either way, we cast our lot on one side or the other.
I cast mine with joy. She taught me this, all my life.
They say, 'Light a fire worthy of God.' My mom, the poky turtle, did this, everywhere she went. She did the works of heaven.
Like a turtle dove, she belongs to heaven.
So who says turtles don't win the race?"

Love to all.

My mom...

Wed, 09 Sep 2009 07:06:59 GMT

At 5am, her brain started bleeding. She couldn't wake up at all since I got there this morning. The doctors said that her frailness, plus the magnitude of the bleeding, made surgery not really an option - she could come out as a vegetable. There was hope for a drug that would reduce the swelling, but it turned out to be a temporary measure and would leave her just as bad.

I was agonizing over the decision, and I think it got made for me.
We've opted to make her as comfortable as possible.

At about 1030 the doc said she is in 'poor but stable' condition. She has been fairly stable all day, no sign of improvement. He sent us home to try and sleep; we're going back tomorrow if they don't call us sooner.
I'd love a miracle, but don't expect one.
I'm letting go.
My love to all who knew us - and I'm sure her love too. ('Cos she's like that...)

Mom is..

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 01:17:21 GMT

My mom had some sort of stroke this afternoon, and fell as well - we're not sure in what order. No broken anything by xrays, but she's having trouble moving and talking. They got her to the hospital as soon as they found her, but they don't know how earlier she fell (It may have been half an hour....)
She's all there and definitely lucid, but beyond 'yes' or 'no', most words are dissolving off into S's. She's having some motor control issues with her right side of her body; hand moving not quite under control, and right leg too weak to do anything with but moving a bit.
She's been medicated, and doctors are saying she has a good chance for recovery. She will be in intensive care for a while, it seems to be a waiting game now.

Krystal and my thanks for everyone out there who responded with good thoughts, especially those who read it on other folks' journals. (Other folks, please xpost?)

EDIT: Mom is now at Sunset Kaiser hospital where their stroke experts are, room 7777b. She can say my name better and is moving her right side a bit more.
We now know she went to lunch and back, which means less than half an hour between fall and getting found in her room, possibly much less. The catscans couldn't see a clot - which they say may take hours to be visible - but it didn't see bleeding either, which they say would have been evident by now if it was really there. A rupured vessel would have needed surgery, but it looks like we got as lucky as we could expect.
Doctors say now we medicate and wait for developments...

Tomato-based cold fusion impact drive! (You'll get there...)

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:41:58 GMT

Confound it, Fuzzy, your curiosity done did it again...

Read it from the beginning and leave the real science to Gallagher!

...maah-Villa-ous

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:04:57 GMT

Went here sunday:
(click pix for big!)
The Getty Villa... (That's the front door.)
Here's a great backyard view...

Oh wait, that was the front yard. This is the back...

And this is the side yard...

And some treasures...

to amuse you.

You may now throw squirrels at yogurt!

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:36:34 GMT

(Or anything else you have a picture of...)
http://www.lutralutra.co.uk/squirrelizer/

So you didn't see the Perseids?

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:42:50 GMT

You can always Hear Them!

(Thanks to the Air Force Space Surveillance Radar in Texas...)

Writer's Block: Memo to Myself

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:40:29 GMT

If you could travel back in time, what advice would you give to your younger self?

View 561 Answers

Kiss her again, you fool - and let things happen.

So cool it's wet!

Sat, 08 Aug 2009 06:08:18 GMT

And dangit, now I want a koi pool so I can do this.

http://www.addasphere.com/

Could it be true?

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 07:46:25 GMT

http://www.myconfinedspace.com/?attachment_id=91466
Courtesy of my[confined]space...
(Whom are also responsible for this...)

http://www.myconfinedspace.com/?attachment_id=91444

Heartfelt meme

Sat, 20 Jun 2009 07:35:36 GMT

If there is one person or more on your friends list who makes your world a better place just because they exist and who you would not have met (in real life or not) without the internet, then post this same sentence in your journal.

It was purple!

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 06:25:23 GMT

The wedding was great! For one thing, they were invaded by these...

And I learned a new definition of the word "purple". (Use: "Careful, kids! No purple quite yet!")

On our way home tomorrow, Waaaay too early, so next post will be from home...

A right turn at Albuquerque

Sat, 13 Jun 2009 05:40:50 GMT

...will get you Here, one of the cooler museums in the world...
(My view of the Cold War will never be the same.)

Over halfway there...

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 06:14:10 GMT

i.e: New Mexico for Krystal's niece's wedding on Saturday...

Stopped in Winslow AZ, to Take It Easy...

(good night all...)

It started out as Hogwarts, now it's Lord of the Flies.

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 04:40:11 GMT

(I never understood this vid either...)

Coolage ganked from Violet_Tigress1...

Fri, 29 May 2009 01:29:10 GMT

Toe Kata and Fugue!

We did it...

Tue, 12 May 2009 06:19:14 GMT

We Boldly Went.

Review? As in, how was it?

It's a happy ship!

(I'd be happy too if I had Bettie Page on my side...)

Spot the incongruidae

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 01:17:09 GMT

A visitor to the rail yard I work by:

We have most of the heavy equipment we need...

...nevertheless, apparently we occasionally have to bring in a crane.

(Don't know if it's truly in the gruidae family, I egret to say...)

Lor' he'p me, I found another one...

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:04:15 GMT

Just when I don't need another WebDiction, along come these guys...

(Having no relation to this guy...)

We been playin' with fire... since time first began.

Sat, 28 Mar 2009 06:57:12 GMT

The odd part is I thought up something like this in the early seventies...
Fire in the Hand.

(Ayn Randian holder optional.)