Dolly Parton (my Fav) talks with CNN!

Dolly Parton is my all-time favorite singer, and has been an inspiration to me since I was a teenager on how to live my life- be ever the optimist, be outgoing, love everyone, and find the beauty in little things. That's what she taught me just by watching and listening to her. There was really no larger influence on my adult personality than Dolly. (I was a shy and quiet kid, believe it or not until I found Dolly on the radio and TV). Anyway, here's a new video interview: Dolly Parton talks with CNN.com's Reggie Aqui about the creation of her image, the secret to her long marriage and more. (Time: 11:47)

Most religious groups in U.S. lose ground

I found 2 articles in both USA Today and the Boston Globe interesting, that churches are losing people. I'm one of these people that left. After the way the Catholic Church (that I was devoted to for 44 years), and other religions from evangelical to Baptist to Mormon started pushing right-wing politics, and funding anti-gay marriage campaigns with HUNDREDS of THOUSANDS of dollars, its no surprise people are leaving. That's why I left. Taking my money to fund hatred and exclusion is so hypocritical and hateful.
I CERTAINLY do believe in God. I see him everywhere. However, the man-made religions that teach us to worship him are corrupt. (Why? They're man-made!). If God is love, then we should simply love and help and be thankful and welcoming to all. No exceptions. Unfortunately, religions don't teach that and I think that's why they're losing members. Serves them right.
The percentage of people who call themselves in some way Christian has dropped more than 11% in a generation, detailed in the new American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS) to be released today. The faithful have scattered out of their traditional bases: The Bible Belt is less Baptist. The Rust Belt is less Catholic. And everywhere, more people are exploring spiritual frontiers — or falling off the faith map completely. FULL STORY IN USA TODAY: http://www.usatoday.com/news/religion/2009-03-09-american-religion-ARIS_N.htm?csp=DailyBriefing
The Boston Globe states "The American Religious Identification Survey, a national study being released today by Trinity College in Hartford, finds that the Catholic population of New England fell by more than 1 million in the past two decades, even while the overall population of the region was growing."http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2009/03/09/number_of_ne_catholics_tumbles/?p1=Well_MostPop_Emailed2

An "ER" End to the Flu

It was another night of coughing every 20 minutes, and virtually no sleep. The upper respiratory infection that seemed to ease yesterday returned with a vengeance last night, and left me gasping and ridding myself of unwanted congestion, but it never stopped. So, after breakfast this morning, I called my health plan, and notified them I'm getting treatment. I insisted that Tom stay home with the 3 dogs, so he could get work done in the backyard. Glad I did, as I was in the Emergency Room for over 2 hours.
I went to Bowie's local "ER" off Route 197. I had never been before, but it's an odd-ER not joined with a hospital (if you can imagine). They took me in immediately. I described what's been happening, and they asked me about Asthma. I DO have it, but it's been diagnosed as "mild." Apparently, it has NOT been "mild" with this flu or Upper respiratory infection.
They took chest x-rays to confirm no pneumonia, thankfully. Then put me on an Albuterol-laced nebuilizer in the ER for 25 minutes, which opened my lungs. They confirmed that by listening before and after the treatment. Before, the doc said "there's a lot of wheezing in your lungs," and after she said, "sounds like new lungs." They gave me a super-antibiotic, robitussin with codeine, and an albuterol inhaler, in addition to the sudafed PE, mucinex, and ibuprofen I'm taking. Wow. In 5 days more (making 12 total), this should be over.

DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME STARTS TODAY!

AS OF TODAY MARCH 8, 2009 AT 2AM EST, WE'RE ON DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME.
Move your clocks forward one hour (or you should have at 2 a.m.)! The federal law that established "daylight time" in the United States does not require any area to observe daylight saving time (DST). But if a state chooses to observe DST, it must follow the starting and ending dates set by the law. Starting in 2007, it is observed from the second Sunday in March to the first Sunday in November, adding about a month to daylight saving time.
WHO DOESN'T DO DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME?
Arizona (with the exception of the Navajo Nation) and Hawaii and the territories of Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, and American Samoa. They stick with Standard Time.
WE'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTRY THAT USES IT:
More than one billion people in about 70 countries around the world observe DST in some form. Here are interesting facts about some of these countries: Most of Canada uses Daylight Saving Time. Some exceptions include the majority of Saskatchewan and parts of northeastern British Columbia. Mexico and the European Union also use daylight savings time.
SOME THAT DON'T - China. Some parts of Australia. In Japan, DST was implemented after World War II by the U.S. occupation. In 1952 it was abandoned because of strong opposition by Japanese farmers.

A 75 Degree Gift / Closer to Normal!

After a week of battling the flu and an upper respiratory infection today was a breakthrough day. Last night, I awoke 4 times and had to change my tee-shirt, which I sweated through (all 4 of them). That was my indication that my body was healing - and it was. By late morning, I had finally stopped coughing all the time, and had more energy than yesterday (I worked 7 hours from home yesterday). I'm still chock-full of penicillin, robitussin, sudafed PE and mucinex, but it's a vast improvement!
Today's Gift of 75 Degrees Fahrenheit helped a great deal, too. Even though I finally went out for the first time in a week (to Home Depot and CVS with Tom), I did need a nap. However, Tom took advantage of the weather, as he's been working on his outside "TO DO LIST" since November (when it turned cold). My contribution was laundry, making lunch and walking the dogs. Tom put edging on two garden beds, transplanted several plants, put down fertilizer and grass seed. I swear he loves mud. Here are some pictures from today.

The Kind of Flu That Knocks You Down

Several of you have been asking what my flu symptoms are, so you can see if you have the same flu. Like Tom's experience it starts with a tickle in the back of your throat, then headaches and body aches. Then your strength is sapped. I mean REALLY sapped. For the last 4 days while home sick, I had no interest in TV, Radio, or reading novels or comic books. That's serious.
Fortunately, Tom didn't develop an upper respiratory infection, which is why he went back to work on day #4. Unfortunately, I did. I've been trying to rid myself of "kryptonite" colored stuff from my chest for the last 4 days.
I'm working from home today, day #6, and chock full of penicillin, Robitussin, sudafed PE, Ibuprofen, and vitamins. I've likely brought the regional reservoir down by a foot with all the water I've drank.
I've not experienced anything like this in decades. I'm so grateful that Tom and I have each other during sickness and health and we have three doggies around us to hug when we're not feeling well. Oh, and ALL WEEK, all three dogs followed me everywhere and Dolly and Franklin cuddled with me on the bed. I didn't want to teach our foster-dog, Cooper any "bad habits" so he stayed on his bed beside ours.

High Pitch Feedback in Hearing Aid Causes Dog to get Defensive

My friend Chris is a hearing aid specialist in Orlando, Fla. He was interviewed about high pitches from the devices, because an 86 year old woman was attacked by the family's dachshund-(lab?) mix after the hearing aid fell to the ground and let out a sharp high-pitched tone earlier this week.
WHY WOULD THE DOG ATTACK THE SOURCE OF THE SOUND (i.e. the woman)? It's a natural reaction. People would do the same thing. What's worse for the canine is that a dog's hearing is MUCH more acute than in humans. So, if a high pitch irritates a human, it's magnified to a dog. Dogs are irritated by them, and some howl to cover it up, others try to stop it. I think this is the case with what happened with this little dog. The dog lunged at the source of the sound to get it to stop. Dogs only react to their environment. The dog is not responsible for naturally behaving in a manner to cease the piercing and painful noise. This is a good lesson for people with hearing aids to be aware of.
Here's the video: http://www.wftv.com/video/18847074/index.html

On Hold Due to the Flu

It's Wednesday, and day #3 of the flu for me, and it's a tough one. First the aches and pains and massive headaches. Then the tickle behind the throat that won't quit. Then the dry coughing. Then the congestion. Now an upper respiratory infection. It's not pleasant. Tom is still getting over it (day 6 for him now) and he's back at work. I need another day or two, but I wound up doing 2 hours of work on the home computer, so I thought I'd make a quick blog. Now it's time for more water, and back to bed.

Snow Pictures

While we stayed inside, both with the flu, we managed to get some pictures (with some assistance) of the snow and the dogs enjoying it.
RIGHT: From Left to Right, Cooper, Franklin and Dolly checking out the unplowed street in front of our house this morning.












RIGHT: Franklin, clad in a tee-shirt to keep him somewhat dry, decided to run up and down along the neighbor's fence, playing with their dog on the other side. He was soaking wet when he came inside anyway.















RIGHT: "Let Us In!!" - Cooper (Left) and Dolly (Right) didn't much care to be out in the snow. In fact, Cooper preferred to "hold it in" instead.








Here's what our house looks like covered with the snow from last night's and this morning's snow storm (thanks to a neighbor). We received about 5-6" of snow, with another 1-2" expected later. The winds will also be gusting to 35mph, so visibility will be poor (but "Fortunately?" we're both miserably sick with the flu. Timing is everything.)

Snow and the Flu

Overnight we received our first BIG snowstorm here in Maryland and it's still snowing at 9:30am. We have between 5-8" of snow on the ground.
Forecast Today: Occasional snow, mainly before 11am. High near 26. Blustery, with a north wind between 20 and 23 mph, with gusts as high as 36 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. Total daytime snow accumulation of around an inch possible. LIVE RADAR: http://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=LWX&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes The federal government is on a 2 hour delay, and my office doesn't open until noon... which is a GOOD THING. Here's why: I GOT TOM'S FLU LAST NIGHT. Yes, I had a rough night with little sleep, severe chest congestion and pain when coughing, headache and more. Tom's been sick for 4 days and is still getting over it. Now I've got it. Thaaaat's great. Not.

Conservatives in TN Now Trying to Limit Adoptions- SIGH

Well, conservatives in Tennessee (where I lived once) are now trying to limit adoptions to people who are only "Legally Married" and block gay couples from adopting. Stupid, stupid. Is it better that single mothers in poverty raise kids, or a financially well-off couple raise a child? Below is my email to 2 Tennessee legislators, followed by their email addresses if you want to email them.
Even with Obama in office, the religion-based hatred continues. These conservatives don't care about children, they care about their narrow-minded religions. Stupid.

Dear Senator Stanley and Rep. Deberry -
As a former resident of Nashville I keep up with state political news, and find your support of the bill to limit adoptions to "legally married couples" ridiculous!
RE: http://www.tennessean.com/article/20090302/NEWS0201/903020340/-1/NLETTER01?source=nletter-news
If you're trying to prevent gay couples from bringing up a child (it doesn't make them gay, unless you're so foolish to believe that), you're doing a great disservice to abandoned children. Gay couples in many states adopt and save these children from lives of solitude, rejection and feelings of abandonment. We're ALL people, and we need to take care of each other!
Any support for a bill like this is a bold statement proving yourselves as "un-Christian" as can be. Further, if you have two people in a financially secure relationship bringing up a child, isn't that a better environment for success of the child instead of one where a poverty-level single mother tries raising a child. When will our legislators think of the children instead of their own politically corrupted religious views? Think of what would benefit the children. That would be allowing gay couples to adopt.
If you don't support their ability to adopt, you are simply blinded by "religion" and truly do not have the interests of our children at heart. How sad that would be.
ADDRESSES:
1) Senator Paul Stanley / R-Memphis District 31 — Part of Shelby County
7511 Neshoba Road Memphis, TN 38138 EMAIL: sen.paul.stanley@capitol.tn.gov
2) Rep. John J. Deberry Jr. / D-Memphis District 90 — Part of Shelby County —
1207 Sledge Street Memphis, TN 38104 EMAIL: rep.john.deberry@capitol.tn.gov

A Great Idea at a "Green Expo"

I saw this product in a CNN story about flushable dog poo bags, being shown at a "Green Expo" in NYC this week. It would limit the amount of waste in landfills, that wind up seeping into groundwater anyway. Hmmm. For more info, go to:
http://www.flushpuppies.com/