Happy Thanksgiving!

To All My Family and Friends,

Wishing each and every one of you a very safe and relaxing Thanksgiving!

The Cutest Infestation

Matthew sent me this website about a week ago and I have gotten such laughs out of it, I thought I would share it with the rest of you.

http://cdn1.ustream.tv/swf/4/viewer.45.swf?cid=317016

And here is an article:

It takes a village of some 4 million to raise six cuddly pups, or at least to ogle them for hours on end.

What began as a way for a San Francisco couple to keep tabs on their pet Shiba Inu dog Kika’s litter while they were at work has become an unlikely Web sensation. Viewers flock to the Internet site Ustream.com to monitor the 5-week-old brood’s growth, watching the energetic pups paw and play with one another and have at it with their chew toys.

It's like having puppies in your own house without having to clean up the poop!

Enjoy!

Diverticulitis: Update

I had my last appointment, as least for the foreseeable future, with my gastroenterologist yesterday. Overall she says I am making good progress, the intense pressure in my abdomen has lessened and my bouts of pain are only about a couple times a week. For me, this is progress.

I have been on antibiotics for at least the last 12 weeks, trying to clear up the infection in my lower GI tract. That regimen will be done in about 2 more weeks. Her advice from now on is: eat better, get plenty of sleep, exercise, and drink lots of water. I can accomplish all of these on my own except for the eating better part. Where does one begin? So, now I am seeking a nutritionist, hopefully free through the university but if not, through my health insurance company...who can put me on the right track in terms of what I should be eating. Those with diverticulitis are not supposed to eat popcorn, nuts, or seeds of any kind. Other than that, that's all I know. Hopefully a nutritionist or dietitian can tell me how many veggies, fruits, dairy, and meats I should be eating eat day/week with the condition that I have.

The only other problem I foresee is the "plenty of sleep". I am going into finals in about a week or so and I doubt much sleeping will be going on...but I will try.

High School Moment #1

Yesterday I was walking to my bike, had my helmet on and was getting my iPod out for the ride home. From a short distance away I heard someone call my name and I looked. It was two of the girls from my Organic Chemistry lab. They smiled and waved, I smiled and waved in response. I suddenly realized that the "cool" kids just waved to me and I was wearing my grubby clothes, my hair was a mess, and had my pink bike helmet on...how stupid did I look? I felt a rush of embarrassment and awkwardness and couldn't wait to get out of there, afraid of what they might think or say.

Than, two seconds later I realized, I'm not 18 anymore -- I am almost thirty and no longer do I give a darn what the 18 year old "cool" kids think or say about me.

On the ride home, I laughed out-loud and thought -- Isn't it sad that even when we are older and more mature some of those old high school moments sneak up on us out of nowhere?

Post Election Day Response

I am only going to briefly comment on the Presidental race. My candidate didn't win and I am disappointed. I thought he brought a lot to the table and would have been a great and honorable president. I am getting used to the idea of having Obama as my President and truly hope he brings the change he promises to America.

Now onto the Arizona elections!

Let's be honest Arizonans, we aren't very happy with the government we have in place or many of the policies they support. Which is why the election results are so stiking. I did a completely non-mathmatical tabulation this morning of who won and who didn't. Would you be surprised to hear that out of the approximately 64 races that took place in Pima County alone, apporximately 49 of those resulted in the imcumbant(s) staying in office? Would you also be surprised to hear that a vast majority of those 15 races which resulted in a new candidate taking office, the incumbant wasn't running against them? Don't you also find it interesting that not a single judge was unseated?

This state needs help and it needs it desperately! Our school districts have no money, our prisons are overcrowded, illegal aliens are crossing the border into our state EVERYDAY, our streets and highways need improvement, crime is on the rise, the list goes on and on!

SO WHY DO WE INSIST ON KEEPING THE SAME MORONS IN OFFICE?

I urge all Arizonans, shoot I urge people from every state, at the next election take a good long look at our (your) city/state/country and if you don't like what you see, for heaven's sake get rid of the people running it.

The Circle of Life Displayed Right in Front of my House

A couple of days ago Matthew was playing video games and I was doing homework, when all of sudden we heard an odd sound outside. Upon our investigation (ie: opening the front door) we discovered a dead pigeon lying in our flower bed. Two or three feral kitties were anxiously licking their lips and cowering in the bushes at the side of the house. We thought, "well that's strange, if they killed that bird, why are they hiding?" We walked around to the front window which gives us a different vantage point of the front yard and lo and behold, sitting on the roof of our living room was the biggest hawk I have ever seen! It was red and white and so very magestic. A stare-off between the feral kitties and hawk followed for what seemed like an hour....and than the hawk flew away. Amazing! I am just glad that the feral kitties didn't get taken away by that ginormous bird!

This is reason number 227 why NOT having a digital camera sucks!

P.S. Keep an eye out in the next few days for my post-election day response.