The Rabid Librarian's Ravings in the Wind

Eating the best darn homemade vegetable stew I've ever had--and no it's not mine

2012-01-27T18:25:00.000-05:00

I can't cook, remember? No, we had a potluck on Thursday and one of my co-workers made the stew (she calls it soup, but it's thick and hearty, so I'll say stew) and she kept some apart before putting meat in it, so I could have some. Turns out there was enough to take home some. [Another co-worker made chili, and did the same thing, so I have that for tomorrow.] So I've just eaten some tuna salad and vegetable stew and I'm considering my next move. The rain has stopped, so it would be a good time to clean up those papers that are still all over the living and dining area. But I don't want to do it just now. I downloaded Turn Coat today from the library, so I could read. But I think I'll listen to some music for awhile and just sort of relax.

I did decide the doctor was right about the neuropathy as a source of my foot pain, as I took my shoes (and socks) off at work because they were really bothering me, and with the exception of where my feet touched the floor, the pain stopped. That might explain why I have more foot pain when it's no longer sandal weather, I suppose. Everywhere my shoes touch hurt, and they're not pinching or anything. I'm barefoot in the house now (which is rather a no-no, in terms of diabetes, but I'm not up and walking), and they hurt in a dull way, but nothing like earlier. Walking makes it much worse. Fortunately I'll get my medication this weekend and it will hopefully help.

Okay, I'm going to go relax, maybe take a short nap--really--and then get up and take care of this stuff I pulled out of all those boxes. Hope you had a happy Friday.

I've been intrigued by the Roanoke colony from the time I first heard about it as a child

2012-01-27T18:02:00.001-05:00

Now people are taking an interesting approach to disappearance of the 'Lost Colony' by trying to prove they were assimilated into the native peoples of the area through genotyping.

Lost Colony DNA

Genotyping could answer a centuries-old mystery about a vanished group of British settlers.

Archaeological digs, weather records, historical writings, genealogy—none have fully answered the question of what happened during White’s absence. But Roberta Estes, who owns DNAeXplain, a company that interprets the results of genetic heritage tests, is looking to DNA for help. Her hypothesis is that the Lost Colonists survived, and that evidence of their salvation is tucked away in the mitochondrial or Y chromosomal DNA of living descendents.

“They were stranded,” Estes says of the settlers. “They knew they couldn’t survive there on the island.” The colonists’ solution, in her estimation, was to go native.

I don't know if it will bear fruit, but it's an interesting angle.

I have never resorted to 'Cliff Notes' of a book

2012-01-27T08:16:00.002-05:00

especially for a piece of fiction that I've been reading for pleasure. But I give up. I have been checking out Jim Butcher's Small Favor for a year or so, only getting through about half the book. If I can get through the story, I can read the others on my Kindle, and therefore have it close at hand and read in those moments I'm out and about (I hate to say it, but I don't have a really good setup at home to read. I just fall asleep in the bedroom and it needs more light. The living room is okay, but not really the best.)

Anyway, I did the unthinkable, as the book is due back to the library today. I went to Wikipedia and read the plot line, which is fairly detailed, taking in the spoilers and filing them away so I can try Turn Coat and see if the block lifts. I've never really heard of reader's block, and I've read other books while trying to get through this. It's not bad. It holds my attention. I just don't do so well at sitting down and reading it for any length of time. I have had similar issues with Charlaine Harris' Grave Secret.

Oh, well. I'll take the book back, download Turn Coat (assuming it's available), and go from there. But I can't count this book as read.

I should be clearing up all the papers I went through last night

2012-01-26T21:03:00.000-05:00

and taking the majority out, along with the two hampers full of recyclables I have. However, it is pouring down rain, so that will have to wait. Ah, de-hoarding is a wonderful thing, although best done on a clear night. :) Oh, well, I can at least collect it all together, I suppose, and hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Nice

2012-01-26T21:00:00.000-05:00

The Church dulcimer is larger and has more strings than a standard mountain dulcimer, so this has a different sound to it. I subscribe to the channel run by the musician, Dave Holeton, and this popped up. I rather liked it, and thought I'd include it here.

I have one shiny fingernail

2012-01-26T20:11:00.000-05:00

After work a co-worker who was giving me a ride tonight was going to stop by the mall and asked if I wanted anything from there. I've been wanting some of that Bath and Body Works orange ginger lotion, so I tagged along. On the way back from the store, the nice Israeli man at the Seacret kiosk lured first my co-worker (and then, since she was captured, me), whereupon he exuded his plentiful charms and buffed our fingernails with a buffer from their nail care kit that basically brings out the natural oils (I think it 'exfoliates' the outer edge of the nail, revealing the shiny nail below). It was very impressive, and he dropped the price from $59 to $29, but we did resist. Still, I must say I was intrigued. :) It really does look like I have clear nail polish on that nail, and since I can't stand the smell of nail polish, it would be a nice alternative. I'll consider it for the future.

As you can see, I'm back

2012-01-25T18:19:00.002-05:00

I got my Internet back on, thankfully. And there was water on when I got home, too (I don't pay for my water separately, but there was work being done at my complex today, tomorrow, and Friday, that necessitated turning the water off sometime between 8 am and 5 pm. Needless to say, I got up early so I could take a shower.)

It was a good day. I'm not on the new medication yet, but my feet are feeling a little better. I've been much better on my eating, and we celebrated two birthdays today and I passed on both coconut cream pie (something I really like) and a chocolate cake. I did taste the barest bit of coconut--minus the cream, but that was it. I have an application on my phone that tracks things, and although I normally weigh myself on a weekly basis, I thought I'd try daily just to see how it went up and down. From Monday to Tuesday I gained 1 pound. From Tuesday to Wednesday I lost three. This is what I do, see-saw within about ten pounds easily, due to water weight, I'm sure, at least in part. When people say, 'oh, I lost five pounds', I have to remember that not everyone loses weight the same. I consider it a success if I lose 10-15 lbs. But I think I'll continue tracking it daily for awhile.

Okay, I'm awake, and I really need to straighten things up around here. I'll try to blog later, but otherwise have a good night.

I don't really go gaga over babies, although I am not totally immune to their cuteness

2012-01-25T18:09:00.002-05:00

But this video from a Boyle county dad showing his daughter's reaction to a sound is rather fun, and it has garnered over a million hits in just a few days.

I'm in the Eagle Creek library

2012-01-23T18:22:00.002-05:00

picking up some books and logging in for a little blogging.

So, last night my best friend and I had a conversation about my health, how I'm the only one who can do anything about it, and how I haven't taken it truly seriously, so he was just prepared to enjoy my company for however long he had it and otherwise not interfere.

He's right. I chose the path to overweight and all the things that entails. Mind you, I have a strong genetic predisposition for diabetes, but my weight and diet have made things worse. But that doesn't mean it has to continue that way.

Fast forward to this morning, at the new podiatrist. He thinks that the pain I'm having is actually neuropathy. Plantar fasciitis tends to get better after you first get up. I may have some of that, too, but the point is my pain worsens over the course of the day, and actually keeps me awake at night at times.

So, he did all the subjective tests for neuropathy, to see if I'm sensing where he's touching, or the length of a vibration, or whether my toe is going up or down, and I passed that. But he did an objective test as well--he took a small biopsy of my skin on the outside of each ankle to test it for number of nerves per millimeter. [I have a band of that bandaging material (I think it's called Coban) that they use when you give blood around each ankle. Coincidentally, they match my outfit today. :)] In that way they can judge nerve health and make a more definitive diagnosis.

Since the ibuprofen isn't really cutting it, he's putting me on a non-narcotic medicine specifically for nerve pain. If the biopsies come back indicating neuropathy, he'll add a prescription medicine that is in essence a vitamin B complex, that is supposed to promote nerve health. Then we'll go from there. The idea is that if the pain can be controlled, I can be more active, losing weight, which will in turn help my blood sugar. Plus, of course, I've got to try to get a better handle on my blood sugar.

My blood sugar was actually better today, and I noticed the pain was not as bad, although I don't know if that's a direct result.

So, the plan is to do better. I'm checking out two books from the library on diabetes, The Uncomplicated Guide to Diabetes Complications by Levin and Pfeifer, and the American Diabetes Association's Complete Guide to Diabetes. I've had the latter out before and would highly recommend it. I should get a copy of my own.

Okay, I think I should go home and actually try to get some things done since I won't have the Internet to play with. And I still have A Beautiful Mind out from Netflix. Really.

So I thought I heard a scream

2012-01-23T02:43:00.000-05:00

which is significant, as that's my best friend's ringtone (hey, he chose it, not me), but it turned out to just be the white noise generated by my fan and CPAP machine. Hurting, I got up and took some ibuprofen. I checked the Internet and it is dead, meaning it was probably switched off about midnight. Yes, I can blog by phone, but it's a little clunky on the small screen. But I'll plug away anyhow.

I went to bed all emotional and tired. I feel better now, and I'm okay. I'll try to write a little tomorrow from the public library about that. So goodnight for now.

Hmm...still up, both in terms of wakefulness and connexion

2012-01-22T00:06:00.000-05:00

even though it's after midnight. That may be a good thing for tomorrow. But it's definitely time to sleep. Good night, and I hope you're having a nice weekend so far.

One more thing

2012-01-21T23:26:00.000-05:00

It's always good when a species thought long-dead shows back up (well, except perhaps velociraptors and their cousins. Those may not be great have on, say, New York streets. But maybe I'm just biased because monkeys are, well, cousins.)

Scientists find monkey long believed extinct in Indonesian jungles

Scientists working in the dense jungles of Indonesia have “rediscovered” a large, gray monkey so rare it was believed by many to be extinct.

They were all the more baffled to find the Miller’s Grizzled Langur — its black face framed by a fluffy, Dracula-esque white collar — in an area well outside its previously recorded home range.

They actually had to compare the monkeys with drawings in museum's to verify the species. Of course, there's no idea just yet as to how many there are. Thousands of photos were taken using camera traps, but they could just be a family or two coming to the water regularly.

I may lose my connexion soon

2012-01-21T23:12:00.002-05:00

for just a few days, but I can blog (albeit somewhat clumsily) on my phone if all else fails. Ironically, next week I get paid and should be getting that tax refund, but that isn't going to help just now. Just wanted to give you a head's up. :) Who knows, it may actually inspire me to do the housework I keep talking about. I keep doing all but. I have a good reason to get it all in order, moreso than the norm, anyway, that I'll talk about should it come to fruition. But in the meantime, I'm going to take my Lantus and head on to bed, as I need to get up very early tomorrow. Good night.

Yay, the notes are finished

2012-01-21T16:47:00.000-05:00

I have the snacks for tomorrow, I have the notes, I'm generally ready for the Call of Cthulhu game. I can hopefully get some rest tonight, too. That's unusual. Last week we played rather late because of doing the big grocery run, and I was draggy both Monday and into Tuesday as a result.

So now I'm going to go do some reading and then get up and work on this house. I also need to phone some friends a little later and see what they're up to. I'm sure at least two of my friends are very happy that the University of Kentucky won their basketball game. I don't understand sports fanaticism, but I'm surrounded by it here in Lexington.

Crazy weather

2012-01-21T15:54:00.000-05:00

Have you seen stories about the Pacific Northwest storms? Flooding, snow, ice...lots of stuff in an area more used to plain old rain.

Here in Lexington, which is prone to ice storms, we are at 29 degrees but tomorrow is forecast to be 57. It's been alternating warm-cold-warm for the whole month. The other day we had storm warnings, thunder and lightning. there were even tornadoes in the area. Everyone keeps holding their breath for winter to come, and they're afraid it'll come with a vengeance.

Not bad

2012-01-21T15:36:00.001-05:00

Maybe we should make all the candidates sing, like some sort of 'American Idol' contest, and they get points for that...

..oh, wait, someone might take me up on that.

Bring it and they will fill

2012-01-21T12:47:00.002-05:00

I really must remember to bring two reusable bags next time I make a run to Kroger. I have a very large tote bag that in this case held everything but the bread and bagels. The problem is carrying it afterwards. I'm not just moving it from a car inside. Yet you don't want a lot of small bags on the bus, either. So usually I let them fill what they can into the big tote and then struggle to get it home from the bus stop to my apartment, which is a fair distance.

I have noticed if I take a normal reusable grocery bag and that one, they try to pack the larger one lighter. So that's the way to go. I just lugged two 2-litres, cheese of various varieties, hummus, tortillas, flatbread, bread, bagels, bananas, chili, tuna, and yoghurt home, almost all of which was in that big bag. (I know, I'm missing a major food group--vegetables. I got some of those when we did the big grocery run last week, and needed to get some more, but didn't think I could get it all home, and besides, the money I put in the bank won't go through till Monday night, so I didn't want to overspend.) I did splurge on some canned air for my keyboard and a friend's. They desperately need it,and it's easier to get there then try to take the bus somewhere else.

I must admit, I am seriously considering a nap, even though I merely did some errands about a block or two away from home. It took almost 2 hours, only about half of an hour was actually spent in the bank or shopping. Whew!

Yay!

2012-01-21T10:11:00.000-05:00

Okay, it only took a WEEK bouncing around in pending, but I got the money back from the pizza order. Now I'm off to the bank and to get more groceries than I thought I would be able to. :)

Found a super way to avoid sweets today;

2012-01-21T01:10:00.001-05:00

Force myself to take my blood sugar first.

I'd eaten well today, but yet again forgot to take my Lantus last night (I just took it, though, in case you're interested). So my blood sugar was running high, I knew. I had two separate people point out that McGee's bakery had brought cake into the hospital, and I should go get some if I wanted it. Instead of going and scarfing down cake from one of the best bakeries in the area with buttercream frosting to die for, I decided to check my blood sugar.

368

Way high. Normal is about 60-120. Now granted, I didn't feel horrible--I'm used to being high. I actually felt shaky at about 189 the other day, even though that's not low.

Needless to say, I passed on the cake. I even went for a walk around the hospital to try to clear my head a little.

I love my doctor, and of course when I eat things I should and not things I shouldn't, it's a little better, but I'm beginning to think that I should actually go to an endocrinologist. I'll see if my A1c has improved at all next time. If not, I've already downloaded the names of the doctors in my network. I really think I would benefit from a little metformin added back into the mix. When I was on oral meds and insulin, my levels were actually normal, and I felt, well, so different.

I did make a couple of appointments today...one for a new podiatrist that was recommended by a co-worker, and another for a gynaecologist, as I need a routine pap smear. It's almost time for my mammogramme, too. Ah, the beginning of the year, when the flexible spending account is flush and the urge is to get healthy.

Another thing I learned from reading the book was just how fortunate it is that I have routine, preventative, and acute care through my health and dental insurance. It is the thing I fear losing most in terms of the job situation.

I learned a new yet horrific word today

2012-01-21T00:37:00.006-05:00

Courtesy of Rebecca Skloot, in her book The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks: pneumoencephalography

“I later learned that while Elsie was at Crownsville, scientists often conducted research on patients there without consent, including one study titled "Pneumoencephalographic and skull X-ray studies in 100 epileptics." Pneumoencephalography was a technique developed in 1919 for taking images of the brain, which floats in a sea of liquid. That fluid protects the brain from damage, but makes it very difficult to X-ray, since images taken through fluid are cloudy. Pneumoencephalography involved drilling holes into the skulls of research subjects, draining the fluid surrounding their brains, and pumping air or helium into the skull in place of the fluid to allow crisp X-rays of the brain through the skull. the side effects--crippling headaches, dizziness, seizures, vomiting--lasted until the body naturally refilled the skull with spinal fluid, which usually took two to three months. Because pneumoencephalography could cause permanent brain damage and paralysis, it was abandoned in the 1970s.

"There is no evidence that the scientists who did research on patients at Crownsville got consent from either the patients or their parents. Bases on the number of patients listed in the pneumoencephalography studyand the years it was conducted, Lurz told me later, it most likely involved every epileptic child in the hospital including Elsie. The same is likely true of at least one other study called "The Use of Deep Temporal Leads in the Study of Psychomotor Epilepsy," which involved inserting metal probes into patients' brains.”

[Thanks to the folks at Goodreads for putting up the quote. I'd already returned my copy of the book to the library and needed the passage, although I had to correct some typos.]

Elsie Lacks, the oldest daughter of Henrietta and David Lacks, died at age 15 in 1955 at the Crownsville, originally known as the 'Hospital for the Negro Insane'. Elsie was diagnosed with mental retardation, epilepsy, and cerebral palsy, although she may have inherited the family trait for deafness. It's hard to tell what her exact diagnosis should have been. Children at the time were often misdiagnosed and locked away in institutions rather than receiving help. Skloot's description of conditions at Crownsville are chilling, and a photograph provides a window into how Elsie was treated, although there is a lot of room left to the imagination of the reader for just how bad it was.

How a book's wording can change lives--for better, or worse

2012-01-20T19:39:00.001-05:00

New Definition of Autism Will Exclude Many, Study Suggests

Proposed changes in the definition of autism would sharply reduce the skyrocketing rate at which the disorder is diagnosed and might make it harder for many people who would no longer meet the criteria to get health, educational and social services, a new analysis suggests.

The definition is now being reassessed by an expert panel appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, which is completing work on the fifth edition of its Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the first major revision in 17 years. The D.S.M., as the manual is known, is the standard reference for mental disorders, driving research, treatment and insurance decisions. Most experts expect that the new manual will narrow the criteria for autism; the question is how sharply.

Psychiatry is not an exact science, and has in the past been (and surely will, in the future, be) subject to fad diagnoses of one sort or another. But just because a diagnosis becomes popular does not mean that it isn't devastating on a personal level. I hope a compromise can be found in terms of making the diagnostic criteria meaningful and still helping those who need assistance.

Somewhat on topic, I saw this: A French Film Takes Issue With the Psychoanalytic Approach to Autism

The documentary, the first film by Sophie Robert, follows two autistic boys: Guillaume, who has been treated with the behavioral, or “American,” approach; and Julien, who has been kept in an asylum for six years and treated with psychoanalysis. Guillaume, though challenged, is functioning at a high level in school. Julien is essentially silent, locked out of society.

Since Sept. 8, when the film first became available on the Web, it and Ms. Robert, 44, have been the targets of criticism from both the analysts who appear in the film and from within the country’s psychoanalytic establishment. Three of the psychoanalysts whom Ms. Robert interviewed for the film have sued her, claiming she misrepresented them in the 52-minute documentary, which has not yet been screened in cinemas or on television.

On Jan. 26, a court in the northern city of Lille will decide whether Ms. Robert must remove their interviews from the documentary if she wishes to keep screening it. The plaintiffs are also seeking damages of €300,000, or $384,000. The lawsuit might be futile, since the film is widely available on the Web (with English subtitles), having been viewed on YouTube more than 16,000 times. (Ms. Robert argues that the plaintiffs, all of whom appear in the film, signed detailed releases.)

The article takes an interesting look at how some disorders (say, ADHD) or treatments (like behavioural therapy or mediciations) have a stigma of being thought too 'American'. It's worth a look. The film, Le Mur (The Wall), is viewable on YouTube with English subtitles.

Well, book #2 for the year is finished

2012-01-20T19:13:00.001-05:00

That, of course, is Rebecca Skloot's Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, which was excellent. I liked it so much I'm considering buying it in physical format. I also went ahead and downloaded two more library books: Civilization: the West and the Rest by Niall Ferguson (a history book) and Small Persons with Wings by Ellen Booraem (juvenile fiction). I have them for two weeks.

I got a very nice and prompt reply from the store manager regarding my complaint this morning. Theoretically it should have fallen off of pending and not into posted by Monday, returning the $24.96 to my account. If not, we'll see what can be done about it then. I hope it does before then, as I'm getting a little low on funds. I've got two cheques to put in the bank, which I will do tomorrow, but they won't post until Monday night, since Saturday's not a business day. I've seen estimates for my tax refund anywhere from January 25th through the 31st, so I'm not sure when that will happen. Still, that's pretty speedy, especially as they only started processing filed forms on Tuesday. I just hope that mine doesn't get held up for any reason. According to the IRS, they owe me from the payments I made on my back taxes, but I don't really trust this process completely. We'll see.

I don't have any other plans for tomorrow. Usually when I try to make plans for Saturday they fall through, so I think it's better to play it by ear. I would like to do some honest-to-goodness housework, though. I got a couple of loads of laundry in this morning, but still have a lot of stuff to do around the house.

Okay, that's enough for now. I'm going to check the news. I did see earlier that Etta James died this morning. So here's a little music to remember her by...

An enormous shelf cloud is moving

2012-01-20T08:09:00.001-05:00

from east to west, revealing not only the sun, but the smallest sliver of a crescent moon rising in the east, which reminded me that it's almost lunar new year/Chinese new year, the year of the Male Black Dragon or Water Dragon.

Incidentally, I don't know much about Chinese astrology, but I am a Red Fire Sheep (or sometimes it's Goat), which is interesting because I am also an Aries, which is the sign of the ram in Western astrology. So I guess I'm a double sheep. Although they have some of the same correspondences (colour, ruling planet, etc., at least when the Fire part is factored in), the description of the Sheep is different for each system. Here is one of the Chinese Sheep horoscope, whereas Aries is described here. Maybe I'm a blend.:)

Not to be ignored

2012-01-20T07:49:00.000-05:00

1 In 5 Americans With Mental Illness, National Survey (that's just adults)

Also from the article:

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in developed countries mental illness accounts for more disability than any other group of illnesses, including heart disease and cancer.

Keeping up with demand can be tricky

2012-01-20T07:46:00.000-05:00

E-book library borrowing hits record pace: New tablet owners find a long waiting list for popular titles

Holiday sales of new tablets and e-readers have catapulted e-book borrowing at many of the nation's libraries, raising the question of how libraries can keep up with demand -- especially when some publishers still balk at e-book lending.

The demand for e-books at some major public libraries more than doubled so far in December and January compared to a year ago, causing frustrations for e-book users and librarians alike.