tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59049502010-05-01T07:10:04.230-05:00Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.comBlogger364125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-71993681986429372562010-04-29T21:48:00.000-05:002010-04-29T21:48:22.103-05:00<p> I was reading <a href="http://www.crazyauntpurl.com/archives/2010/04/wednesday_1.php">this</a> this morning (Crazy Aunt Purl), about how she loves to re-read books and watch movies over and over, and some of her commenters said they don't do that. I do have favorite movies that I can watch many times, but I almost never re-read a book. I think it seems like wasted time to me. But it got me thinking, because I do have a <i>few</i> books that I have read more than once. So I made a list. I could only come up with five. </p> <p> <b><strike>Ten</strike> Five Favorite Books</b> </p> <ul> <li>Ladder of Years - Anne Tyler <li>Miracle and Other Christmas Stories - Connie Willis <li>Timeline - Michael Crichton <li>Under the Dome - Stephen King <li>American Gods - Neil Gaiman </ul> <p> It was easier to come up with ten movies. <p> <b><strike>Ten</strike> Fifteen Favorite Movies</b> </p> <ul> <li>Beverly Hills Chihuahua <li>Bolt <li>The Phantom Menace <li>The Money Pit <li>Grosse Pointe Blank <li>Christmas With the Kranks <li>Love Actually <li>School of Rock <li>The Bourne Identity <li>The Terminal <li>Home Alone <li>The Commitments <li>Robots <li>Under the Tuscan Sun <li>The Incredibles </ul> <p> I've been working my way through the free Kindle books that I've downloaded from Amazon over the last year or so. I don't download every free one that is offered, but if I think there's a possibility that I might enjoy it, I do. Sometimes I'll read a few pages and decide I don't like it, and will delete it, but there have been some that I've really enjoyed, and have gone on to buy other books from the same author, so it seems that, at least from my perspective, the strategy works. </p> <p> The latest series that I've been reading is Elizabeth Moons "Vatta's War" series. I would never have purchased the first book, "Trading in Danger," at the bookstore--it looks very military, very much a "space opera." But I tried it, and I <i>loved</i> it. So much so that I'm reading the rest of the books in the series. I'm currently reading the third one, "Engaging the Enemy," and finished the second, "Marque and Reprisal" over the weekend. There are two more. </P> <p> The series is about a young woman who is something of a black sheep in her very business-minded family, a family who owns a very successful shipping company. The woman, Kylara, declines to join the family business, and instead decides to go into the military, and enrolls in military school. Through what was basically a misunderstanding, she's thrown out of the school, and comes home in disgrace. </p> <p> In order to get her out of town until the scandal blows over, her father asks her to take command of an old spaceship that needs to be take to the scrapyard. He assigns her a basic crew, and sends her off. All hell breaks loose after that. I'm really enjoying reading about Ky and her adventures. </p> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/ranting-about-ebooks.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="#">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7199368198642937256?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jhDe19pPA9GXQ2LeyH0zLapabwk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jhDe19pPA9GXQ2LeyH0zLapabwk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jhDe19pPA9GXQ2LeyH0zLapabwk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/jhDe19pPA9GXQ2LeyH0zLapabwk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/V_uREm54BmA" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/lists-and-adventures.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-29611517505226911272010-04-07T22:13:00.001-05:002010-04-29T21:49:14.373-05:00<p> I have read all the books in Kim Harrison's "The Hollows" series, and was looking forward to the latest, "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061138037/Willasjournal">Black Magic Sanction</a>," which was released in February. I don't buy hardback books anymore (except for Jim Butcher's "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/045146317X/Willasjournal">Dresden Files</a>" books that I buy for Bob); I either put the book on hold at the library and wait, wait for the paperback, or, increasingly, wait for the ebook version. </P> <P> Publishers are now tending to hold the ebook version for a period of time after the hardback comes out; this seems to have started with Stephen King's "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1439148503/Willasjournal">Under the Dome</a>" (which I ended up buying in both hardcover, audio, <I>and</I> ebook versions). Before that, it seems that the ebook versions were released at the same time as the hardback. But I can understand the motivation--it appears that the publishers believe that if the ebook version isn't available, people will just go ahead and pay for the hardback version, although I don't think that's true. </P> <P> In any event, it isn't true for me. I'll wait. I was looking forward to Ms. Harrison's latest book, and the release date for the ebook version was April 6. I could have pre-ordered it a month or so ago at $8.65, but since most Kindle books at Amazon are $9.99, I figured that wasn't a huge savings, and I might as well just wait and pay the money when it comes out. But April 6 came and went, and now Amazon is showing the ebook version of Black Magic Sanction as "no longer available." I also noticed that the Kindle version of Charlaine Harris' "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441018645/Willasjournal">Dead in the Family</a>," her newest, due to publish in May, also appears as "no longer available," and the Kindle version of "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/045146317X/Willasjournal">Changes</a>" has disappeared also, although I see that the <I>hardcover</I> version is listed at $9.99. I ordered it for $12.99 at WalMart, plus a couple of dollars shipping; with all the book pricing volatility it's just impossible to know if you're getting the best deal or not. </P> <P> When Black Magic Sanction was theoretically available to purchase in ebook form, the latest price at Amazon was something like $12.65, and another book that I'm interested in reading, Jennifer Crusie's "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003AYZBES/Willasjournal">Wild Ride</a>," is $12.99. When I saw those prices, I thought, well, I'll wait and they'll come down, like the hardcover prices tend to do. Ebook version of most backlist books are available at Amazon for around $6.50. But after reading <a href= "http://www.booksonboard.com/m/index.php?F=ebooks-agencypricing">this</a>, I suppose they won't, or maybe they won't for a year or more. I just have no idea. </P> <P> I guess one thing I don't understand is, if Amazon and other online retailers are discounting the hardcover versions so steeply, what difference does it make if you pay $9.99 for a hardback or $9.99 for the ebook version? I don't pretend to understand or know anything about the publishing business, but it would seem to me that publishing a hardback book would cost quite a bit more than producing an ebook version. I'm not going to get into that argument, because I know you're not paying for the paper itself, but for the work that went into writing and producing it, but an ebook, being only bits, <I>obviously</I> contains less physical production cost, so if they're being sold for the same price, why not release them at the same time? </P> <P> There's <a href="http://kimharrison.wordpress.com/a-page-to-vent-about-e-book-delayed-release/">a page at Kim Harrison's blog</a> where she has opened up comments for people to rant about their dissatisfaction with ebook pricing, ebook delayed releases, etc. Either of things are certainly not the author's fault, and I hate to see people direct their comments at her, or at any author. They're as much a victim here as anyone. </P> <P> I just wrote an extensive review of iPhone ereader apps over at my <a href="http://beautifuliphoneapps.wordpress.com/2010/04/06/iphone-ereader-apps/">iPhone blog</a> yesterday. As I said, I love books, and I love ebooks. I love the convenience of reading books on apps on my iPhone. I'm very conscious of price, though, and will very seldom pay what has, up 'til now, been the "normal" ebook price, that is, $9.99. Still, there are a few books that I <I>will</I> pay that price for. I bought Patricia Briggs' "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030AOBS4/Willasjournal">Silver Borne</a>" last week, and I see that it's still listed at $9.99 for the Kindle version at Amazon. "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B0030CVRDE/Willasjournal">A Local Habitation</a>" by Seanan McGuire is $6.39, but there was no hardcover version, it was released in mass market paperback. </P> <P> While I was reading Kim Harrison's blog yesterday, I discovered that I could buy the "enhanced" combination ebook/audiobook version of Black Magic Sanction for $16.99 in the <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/black-magic-sanction-by-kim/id364873381?mt=8">iTunes store</a>. I do have about $6.50 worth of credit in my iTunes account, so that would make it cost about $10, but I was going to buy <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/swankolab/id363274584?mt=8">Swankolab</a> . . . And the thing is, I <i>hate</i> the idea of buying a dedicated app for one book. I don't have that much real estate space on my iPhone, I definitely don't want to start loading it up with an app for every book that I want to read. I guess I could read them, then delete them, but I kind of like hanging on to the ones I like. </P> <P> I don't know. I guess it will be an interesting issue to follow. I hope they figure it out soon. </P> <P> <B>Update:</b> "Black Magic Sanction" came out in Kindle on April 7, just one day late. I still haven't bought it, though. I think I may wait to get it from the library. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/weekend-off.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/lists-and-adventures.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-2961151750522691127?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PR808XbLQgY3IKAIm1888-MYVhU/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PR808XbLQgY3IKAIm1888-MYVhU/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PR808XbLQgY3IKAIm1888-MYVhU/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/PR808XbLQgY3IKAIm1888-MYVhU/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/Zybhl4axY8Q" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com2http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/ranting-about-ebooks.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-32722876349150885332010-04-04T21:18:00.002-05:002010-04-09T10:16:22.959-05:00<P> Sadly, the high winds that we had here on Thursday knocked the wreath off the nail that it was hanging on, and broke the eggs that were in the nest. When I came home Thursday evening I saw the wreath lying on the front porch, and asked Bob to go out and look. I don't think he was going to tell me that there had been eggs in it, but I had to ask. I know it's stupid, but it made me cry. </P> <P> The day had just been awful. I've got a former client threatening to sue me, and saying terrible things about me, and I've been worried about the medical bills that are piling up. Coming home to find the little nest on the ground was kind of the last straw, I guess. I cried a little bit, then shook it off and changed my clothes, and we went out and ordered a pizza, then drove around a little before coming back to pick it up. It turned out to be a nice night anyway. </P> <P> After the stress of last week, I ended up really taking the weekend off. I got the oil changed in the car on Saturday, did some grocery shopping, went out and saw my folks today, cooked chicken and rice for dinner, and read three Kindle books on the iPhone. </P> <P> I've been having trouble sleeping; it seems that no matter when I go to bed, I wake up at 4:00 or 4:30 and can't go back to sleep. It happened Saturday morning, so rather than lie there sleepless, or get up, I got my iPhone and read. I read Patricia Briggs' "<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/044101819X/Willasjournal">Silver Borne</a>," which was great. Briggs is one of my favorite authors. Silver Borne is the latest in her "Mercy Thompson" series about a shapeshifter--Mercy shifts into coyote form--who was raised with werewolves. The series is really well written. She's started another spin-off series called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441016154/Willasjournal">Alpha and Omega</a> which is wonderful, too. </P> <P> Then I read a couple of books that I had gotten for free. Publishers have started offering Kindle books for free to introduce their authors and hopefully generate some interest in their other books. I don't download all of the free ones, but if I see one that looks like it might be interesting, I do. I read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0441016154/Willasjournal">You Can't Stop Me</a>, by Max Allan Collins and Matthew Clemens (although I see that it's no longer free), and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003B02OLE/Willasjournal">The Dark Tide</a>, by Andrew Gross (which is still free). </P> <P> I enjoyed both of them, and ended up buying a second book by Gross, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B001NLKUJG/Willasjournal">Don't Look Twice</a>, which I'm reading now. I really like reading on the iPhone. If I'm in bed, and I don't want to turn on the light and wake Bob up, I switch the font to white type on a black background, and increase the type size a little. I like that I can hold it in one hand and touch the screen to flip the pages. It's getting so I don't really want to hold a big book, I'm so used to reading on the phone. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/easter_eggs.jpg"> </P> <P> After I came out of surgery, I really felt pretty good. I actually thought that once I was home I could start working and expected to get a lot done the week I was home. Ha. That turned out to be VERY far from what actually happened. </P> <P> The surgery was on Sunday, and I got to go home on Monday. The way they do laparoscopic surgery, they blow your abdominal cavity up like a balloon with gas, then make several incisions through which they insert the surgical instruments, fiber optic lights, and something that feeds images to a television monitor. Or something like that. Anyway, they fill you up with carbon dioxide gas, and it takes awhile to dissipate. </P> <P> It feels like really awful heartburn, and you just have to wait it out. We filled my pain medication prescription, but taking them made the heartburn worse, so after the first day, I didn't take them. Everything tasted awful to me. Bob had gone out and bought pudding cups and jello, and the first night I was home he made me a grilled cheese sandwich and cream of mushroom soup, but I couldn't eat anything. The only thing that sounded--and tasted--good to me was fruit, so he got me some canned peaches and pineapple and grapefruit, and I ventured out one day and bought some ready-made smoothies, and that's what I lived on for most of the week. </P> <P> I couldn't get up enough energy to do anything at all, so I spent most of the week on the couch watching television. I watched a lot of television, mostly old sitcoms--The Golden Girls, The Cosby Show, like that. One day I ran across "Early Edition" on the SyFy Network, the show about the guy who gets tomorrow's newspaper each morning, and then goes out and tries to stop all the bad things that are going to happen. I must have watched five or six episodes in a row. </P> <P> I had a hard time sleeping, and spent a couple of nights in the recliner in Bob's office, reading. One night I didn't sleep at all, I read Barbara Bretton's <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B002GOP9KO/Willasjournal">Laced With Magic</a>, which she had sent me and which I had been saving. One day I stayed in bed all day and read <a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553803190/Willasjournal">Blackout</a>, by Connie Willis, which I had gotten from the library. </P> <P> I spent the whole week like that--watching television, resting, reading--and made a couple of short trips out to the grocery store for fruit and milk and cereal--Rice Krispies was the one other thing that sounded good to me, with bananas. An hour out was about all I could do before I started really fading, but Bob said it was good for me to get out a little and try to build my strength back up. I went back to work the next week, and except for getting tired easily, didn't have any ill effects. </P> <P> I'm feeling fine now, and seem to be able to eat anything I want. I assume that the reason food was tasting so weird to me was the anesthetic still working its way out of my system; everything tastes fine now. I lost about 15 pounds while I was in the hospital, and have put 4 or 5 back on, but that's fine. I'm just glad to be able to eat again! </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/procrastination.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/ranting-about-ebooks.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-3272287634915088533?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/16R2hEk2ZYDP0rcifbxeD4HnTwE/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/16R2hEk2ZYDP0rcifbxeD4HnTwE/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/16R2hEk2ZYDP0rcifbxeD4HnTwE/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/16R2hEk2ZYDP0rcifbxeD4HnTwE/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/Olx9sdQCloU" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com2http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/weekend-off.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-69567293174647640802010-03-29T16:48:00.001-05:002010-04-04T21:21:18.080-05:00<p> There are two things in play here: </P> <ol> <li>We never use the front door, we always come in through the garage. <li>I'm a terrible procrastinator. </ol> <P> Like I said, we never use the front door, but I do occasionally check to be sure that there aren't things stuck to the door, or that no one has left a package on the front porch. I checked this morning, and when I opened the door, a bird flew out of the Christmas wreath (see No. 2). </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/wreath1.jpg" width="400" height="533" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> Yes, the Christmas wreath is still up. And now it's going to be up until summer, because a bird has built a nest in it. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/wreath2.jpg" width="400" height="533" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt=""> </P> <P> When I drove myself to the emergency room, all I took were the clothes on my back and my purse. Unlike the last time I had surgery, I didn't have time to think about it, worry about it, or plan anything. I don't know what day it was that Bob asked me if I wanted him to bring me anything, maybe it was Friday. I asked him to bring me a couple of pairs of underwear, a pair of pajama pants and a t-shirt so I would have something clean to go home in when the time came. </P> <P> He asked if I wanted any books or anything, and I told him that there were some library books near my chair, and I asked him to bring me a notebook that I had left in my car. He went down immediately (my car was still in the emergency room parking lot) and got the notebook, and moved my car to the regular parking lot -- I was a little worried that they would ticket me if I left it right outside the emergency room for more than a couple of days. </P> <P> He brought me the library books and a bag of clothes. He was so sweet, he said "I tried to color-coordinate" -- he had brought a pair of flannel pajama pants that are kind of a faded red and black plaid, a rose-colored t-shirt and a white one, and a couple of pairs of underwear. I pulled out a pair of underwear, and said, "Is this the only underwear you brought?" He pulled out another pair, and I told him that unfortunately the first pair was definitely too small, and the second pair probably was, too. </P> <P> He said something like, why did I have underwear that was too small? I said well, I don't know, but in any event, I'm going to have abdominal surgery, I don't want to have to squeeze into my underwear to go home. So he said he would go home and lay out all my underwear and pick out the biggest ones, and he teased me about that the rest of the week, that he had to go home and get "big butt" underwear. Oh well. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/week-in-hospital.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/04/weekend-off.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-6956729317464764080?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4jf7oxBpfTYlr7heEMdAcf3a8lY/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4jf7oxBpfTYlr7heEMdAcf3a8lY/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4jf7oxBpfTYlr7heEMdAcf3a8lY/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/4jf7oxBpfTYlr7heEMdAcf3a8lY/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/Oik31cjIu7k" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/procrastination.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-80185119743578180152010-03-28T13:04:00.005-05:002010-03-29T16:49:46.696-05:00I meant to come back and write the whole saga of the hospital stay, but the days kind of got away from me. The time in the ER was awful because I was so sick; the ultrasound made me even sicker because I had to lie on my side. I just wanted the pain and nausea to stop. Everyone was doing everything they could, but I'm very susceptible to nausea and it's difficult to get it under control. They eventually were giving me two different medications, alternating them, and it finally helped, although it never completely went away until after the surgery. </P> <P> It turned out that I had pancreatitis. One of the doctors--there were so many!--told me that, and told me that I was "very sick." I didn't really realize how sick until it was all over and I looked it up. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/IMG_0712.JPG" width="450" height="450" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> They were giving me the anti-nausea medication through IV, and pain medication, but weren't giving me anything to eat. I didn't <i>want</i> anything to eat, of course, but I was kind of worried about my blood sugar. I tend to have problems if I don't eat regularly, and I was worried that maybe some of the nausea was from not eating. But I realize now that they were letting my pancreas rest. After a couple of days they started giving me glucose in the IV, and then they started giving me insulin. </P> <P> I didn't really understand that, either, I thought it was in reaction to the glucose, but I guess it was because of the pancreatitis. It was all sort of a blur, really. I just did whatever they told me to do. Once I stopped throwing up, it wasn't horrible. Bob was there every day, as much as he could, my parents came a couple of times, Bob's parents came, and my sister Lynn, and Anna from work and my friend Patti. I got flowers, and Bob brought my library books, although I couldn't concentrate enough to read. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/IMG_0708.JPG" width="450" height="450" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> I didn't even watch television except the last day when I caught a Pink Panther marathon, which was kind of fun. Mostly I tried to sleep, but of course, I only got to sleep about a half hour at a time before someone came in and woke me up to check my temperature or stick me with something. They were constantly sticking the ends of my fingers and checking my blood sugar; by the time I left most of my fingertips were bruised. The IV machine would start beeping if it was empty, or if I turned over and the IV in my arm moved, but as far as I could tell, the beeping was confined to my room, and it didn't turn on any alarms anywhere else. So it would wake me up, and I'd lie there for awhile, then call the nurse and tell them "the IV is beeping," and someone would come and fix it. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/IMG_0709.JPG" width="450" height="450" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> On Thursday they scoped me; the ultrasound had showed that there was a gallstone blocking the pancreatic duct, which I guess was what was causing all the problems. But the doctor said that there wasn't anything there; I guess it had passed by itself. On Friday the surgeon came by and said that my liver and pancreatic enzyme levels were better, but my white count was still high, and he wasn't sure why, and didn't know if they were going to be able to get it down. He said he might have to go ahead and operate over the weekend. </P> <P> The ended up doing the surgery on Sunday, and only after thinking about it afterwards did I realize that I wasn't scared at all. It didn't even occur to me. I just wanted it to be over. </P> <P> <div align="center"> <a href="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/wow.shtml">previous</a> | <a href="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/procrastination.shtml">next</a> </div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-8018511974357818015?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rHpHDj5LIGXOgFrFZCk6pNaoW1Y/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rHpHDj5LIGXOgFrFZCk6pNaoW1Y/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rHpHDj5LIGXOgFrFZCk6pNaoW1Y/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/rHpHDj5LIGXOgFrFZCk6pNaoW1Y/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/V6ftxTxoAco" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com4http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/week-in-hospital.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-70760853406200883382010-03-19T22:20:00.004-05:002010-03-28T19:10:23.609-05:00<p> Wow. Talk about your lost weekends. Although in this case, it was more like a lost fortnight. Apologies for the complete drop-off-the-face-of-the-earth for the past two weeks. It was completely unplanned. </P> <P> I know I've mentioned that I think I have been having gallbladder issues for a year or two. The attacks hadn't been frequent enough for me to feel like it was imperative I do anything about it--it would happen every three or four months, last 8-10 hours, then would be okay until the next time. I figured I'd just keep trying to manage it with diet the best I could, and put it off as long as possible. I had an attack on Sunday, two weeks ago, that went away like they all had so far, so I thought I'd dodged the bullet again. </P> <P> Then on Wednesday morning, the 3rd, I woke up feeling kind of bad. I had a meeting that morning, so I went ahead and got ready and went to that, then afterwards I called in to work and said I wasn't feeling well and was going to go home. That was about 11:00, I think. I went home, and the gallbladder pain started up again. Since I hadn't eaten anything that I felt would have caused it -- since I didn't feel well that morning, but knew I should eat <i>something</i>, I had had a piece of dry toast -- that was kind of scary. </P> <P> The pain just kept on and kept on, and I tried to figure out what to do. Normally I try to sleep, but that wasn't happening. I looked back in my notes to see if anything had helped in times past; one time Pepto Bismol had seemed to help, so I took some, and I can tell you that me taking Pepto Bismol by choice is one of those things that means I'm <I>really</I> sick. It didn't help. Nothing was helping. I had talked to several people over the past year or so who had had the same issues; I think it was <a href="http://stefanitadio.com/">Stefani</A> who said that one time, the pain just didn't stop, which is what sent her to the doctor, so I thought, well, I think I'm at that point. </P> <P> It was so bad, though, that I knew I couldn't wait to try to get an appointment with someone. I threw on some sweatpants and flipflops--at this point, I was hurting so bad I just wanted it to stop, I didn't care what I looked like--and tried to figure out where to go. I know some of the guys at work don't have regular doctors, and go to urgent care offices, so I thought about that, then thought, screw it, and drove the mile or so to the emergency room at the nearest hospital. I wasn't sure what to expect, never having been to the emergency room before. I talked to (someone who I think was) a volunteer, who asked me what was wrong. I'm always hesitant to self-diagnosis, because I know that can be irritating to people who are, you know, actually <I>doctors</I>, but I said that I thought it was probably gallbladder pain. </P> <P> The man, an elderly gentleman, said he had had that before, too, and said, "that's really bad, isn't it?" I nodded, and he called someone, and I was immediately whisked off to an examination room. I don't really know how long it took, but I saw a doctor pretty quickly. He was the doctor on call, an internist, and he examined me, ordered an ultrasound, and admitted me. I was kind of surprised at that, but glad, because I definitely didn't feel like going anywhere. </P> <P> Once I knew what was going on, I called Bob's cell phone and left a message about what was happening and where I was, and called my parents. It was all kind of a blur from that point--I think I saw three or four different doctors, had the ultrasound, had IVs put in, got pain and anti-nausea medication, etc., and was in a room within a matter of a couple of hours. As soon as Bob got my message, he left work and came to the hospital, and I opened my eyes, and there he was. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/bob.jpg" width="320" height="320" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/sewing.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/week-in-hospital.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7076085340620088338?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/94dzQxQO92Hs4Xl225a9mFqqmGM/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/94dzQxQO92Hs4Xl225a9mFqqmGM/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/94dzQxQO92Hs4Xl225a9mFqqmGM/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/94dzQxQO92Hs4Xl225a9mFqqmGM/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/rRgy9MRW7LI" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com10http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/wow.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-52800502002129536222010-02-28T00:23:00.001-06:002010-03-19T22:23:19.326-05:00<P> I was at Target today buying groceries and saw a mother and a couple of teenage girls shopping; one of the girls could have been me oh, about 40 years ago, I guess. She was tall and slim, had short reddish hair, was wearing a miniskirt, lace stockings and little boots, and was carrying a big fabric bag. She actually looked a little bit like me, but it was the outfit that caught my attention. </P> <P> I don't do a lot of shopping for clothes, but I'm in Target a lot and I've noticed that much of the new stuff looks like the 70's--ethnic prints, gypsy dresses, floral prints, tie-dye, smocking, gauze. When I was in my last year of highschool I made a huge piece of patchwork by sewing together hundreds of small squares of fabric, then I laid a tissue pattern on it and made a maxi-dress with ruffle at the bottom, an empire waist, and little cap sleeves. Around that time my high school banned long dresses, but I would wear it when I went out on dates. Why would they have banned long dresses? I don't remember, if I ever knew. </P> <P> It's just funny how clothing styles go in and out of fashion. And it wasn't at all unusual to make our own clothes. I don't know if anyone does that at all anymore. We were sitting at lunch at work one day last week, and one of the guys--who is involved in theater--said he wasn't able to wrap his brain around being able to take a flat piece of fabric and turn it into a piece of clothing. </P> <P> It was a way to have new clothes that cost less than buying them ready-made, and I remember spending hours at the fabric store looking through pattern books and deciding what fabrics would work. I also spent hours at the remnant tables in the fabric stores, and a lot of my clothes were made of fabrics I found there, some were made from drapery fabrics and things like that. Both unusual, and less expensive, two qualities that I looked for. </P> <P> I took home ec in high school, and I remember making a little suit out of a heavy purple and cream-colored fabric; I remember sewing corduroy, and the fuzz that would result when cutting it. I remember making maxi-dresses--that patchwork one in particular--I remember making something in an evening that I would wear the next day. I don't have the time or the patience anymore to do that, but it's nice to know I could, in a pinch. </P> <P> Oh, and the girl that I saw today was wearing some kind of headband that had a long chain hanging down on one side with a charm--a leaf, I think. Something that would have fit perfectly in 1972. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/obsession.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/03/wow.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-5280050200212953622?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xgMe0ESjPsLmSCj8QnxzY7FWa98/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xgMe0ESjPsLmSCj8QnxzY7FWa98/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xgMe0ESjPsLmSCj8QnxzY7FWa98/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/xgMe0ESjPsLmSCj8QnxzY7FWa98/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/r338Hs2LOf4" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com4http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/sewing.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-68074144223185974532010-02-07T10:17:00.001-06:002010-02-28T00:37:08.407-06:00<P> I ran across <a href="http://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/productivity-pr0n-5-unusually-useful-notepads.html/comment-page-1#comment-346778">this post</a> this morning, which reminded me that I've been meaning to write about my latest notebook obsession: <a href="http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/NAVIGATION/Products.asp?Params=category=326|level=2|pageid=1749">Levenger Circa</a>. </P> <P> Like the writer above, I have an unhealthy obsession with office supplies. It matters to me that the pen I choose be the right pen for the paper I'm writing on. Some paper needs a liquid ink or gel pen, some paper needs a ballpoint. And not just <i>any</i> ballpoint. If I go upstairs at work to a meeting a pick up my notebook, but not my pen, I'll go back down to get the pen, the <i>right</i> pen. I go through cycles with that, of course, finding new ones, and discovering that some of the ones I've loved have been discontinued. </P> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/circa.jpg" alt=""> </P> <P> Which is part of my problem at the moment. Levenger has discontinued the "Compact" Circa, so I'm currently having this internal dialog with myself regarding whether or not I have enough refill sheets. I have all three sizes of notebooks. Letter (8-1/2x11) size is for client meetings. It fits into my computer bag and has plenty of room for taking notes without having to turn pages. The "Junior" size is 5-1/2x8-1/2, and I use that one for notetaking at internal meetings and brainstorming. The Compact size (3-3/4x6-3/4) is the one I keep in my purse for notes, lists, etc., and that's the one that's been discontinued. I wish I had realized earlier they were going to discontinue it, because if I had, I would have ordered some pocket dividers. </P> <P> I lucked into a special deal a couple of weeks ago where they offered the supplies to make five compact notebooks for a special price, $19.95, I think. I got five sets of covers and rings, two sets of tabbed dividers, business card holders, and refill paper--one package each of lined and grid. But no pocket dividers, and now they're out of stock. I checked the Levenger Outlet on Ebay, but they're out, too. Oh well. I just went and looked at Ebay again, and no luck on dividers, but there are several punches on there. I'd love to have one, but just can't justify the expense. Maybe some day. </P> <p> Right now Levenger has a great deal on a <a href="http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=326-751|Level=2-3|pageid=7036">letter size notebook with multicolor pages</a>, so I ordered one, plus another package of compact refill paper . . . I had a coupon for 20% off, so that covered shipping. You can sometimes find coupons online (like <a href="http://www.retailmenot.com/view/levenger.com#">this one</a>), which makes it more affordable. I actually prefer the white paper to the multicolored, but I like the <a href="http://www.levenger.com/PAGETEMPLATES/PRODUCT/Product.asp?Params=Category=326-715|Level=2-3|pageid=2806">annotation style paper</a>, and at that price I can make do with colored paper. </P> <P> I got into this style (the <a href="http://www.montgomerycollege.edu/Departments/enreadtp/Cornell.html">Cornell method</a> because it was created by a professor at Cornell University) of notetaking years ago, but I don't remember who made the notebooks I was using then. The lined portion is for notes, then (the way I use them) you can go back later and add notes about the notes in the blank sidebar. It seems pretty effective, and it keeps the notes more organized rather than having a lot of extraneous notes within the page. </P> <P> Oh, and my current favorite pen is the "Be Green" Black XFine Precise V5 Rollerball. It writes beautifully on the smooth Circa paper. </P> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt=""> </P> <P> I use my iPhone and iCal for keeping track of appointments, but I also have a datebook that I've been leaving at the office, open on my desk so I have a visual reminder of meetings and deadlines. It's a <a href="http://wemoon.ws/wemoon2010datebook.aspx">We'Moon Astrological Datebook</a>, which makes me very happy. I used to buy them, but kind of got away from using them, i.e., I'd buy one, use it for a couple of weeks or so, then stop. So I stopped buying them, but decided to get one this year, and, like I said, it makes me very happy, and so far I've kept using it. </P> <P> Aaron was in my office talking about something one day last week, and saw it lying on my desk, and looked at it, and then he said, "I still don't understand what this is." I said, it's my datebook, and then said something like, it's a new-agey, hippy dippy thing, earth religion, etc. He said, "It's got a blue girl in a ring of fire," and then we spoke-sang "Ring of Fire" in alternate verses. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/stuff.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/sewing.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-6807414422318597453?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gjA1bkNouEGgjO-CymUXe8awME8/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gjA1bkNouEGgjO-CymUXe8awME8/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gjA1bkNouEGgjO-CymUXe8awME8/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/gjA1bkNouEGgjO-CymUXe8awME8/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/Z9eZ2DLtKX0" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com7http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/obsession.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-71444373559233630752010-02-01T08:30:00.001-06:002010-02-07T10:17:33.722-06:00<p> I've been trying to be better lately about not buying things that aren't really necessary. I hardly ever buy magazines anymore, and seldom buy physical books. I do buy a few ebooks, but they don't take up much space. ;) </P> <P> I've also been trying to get rid of stuff that I don't need, and never look at. Last year I sold a bunch of yarn from my considerable stash, and lately I've slowly been selling my old knitting magazines on eBay, Etsy, and Amazon, and books on Half.com and Amazon. It's terribly satisfying to list a 10 year old magazine that I paid $5.99 for, and sell it for $19.95. Last weekend I was down in the basement looking for something, and found a deck of miniature animal totem "medicine cards" that looked like they'd never been used. Just on a whim I looked them up on Amazon. They're out of print and, amazingly, there were people who had them listed for sale for over $150! Of course, that doesn't mean that they're actually selling them for that. </P> <P> The cheapest one on offer was listed at $75.00. I decided not to be greedy, and listed mine for $45, and they sold tonight. I've been going to the post office every night this week with a couple of packages. It gives me some extra spending money, and clears stuff out of the house, neither of which is a bad thing. </P> <P> I've yet to find anything of <I>immense</I> value, but you never know. And selling an old magazine for 3 or 4 times what I paid for it isn't bad. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt=""> </P> <P> </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/list-about-books.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/obsession.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7144437355923363075?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ulrnXfeCmeczfB6I0w0w6qUoZ_M/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ulrnXfeCmeczfB6I0w0w6qUoZ_M/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ulrnXfeCmeczfB6I0w0w6qUoZ_M/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/ulrnXfeCmeczfB6I0w0w6qUoZ_M/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/-9WibKWCtAE" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/stuff.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-36192453072975603672010-01-24T11:34:00.001-06:002010-02-07T08:32:20.380-06:00<p> Wow, I have a lot of rules. </P> <ul> <li>If I'm reading a book and I think a main character or pet may die, I peek at the back of the book and look for dialog just to be sure they're still around. <li>If someone recommends a book in which a pet dies, no matter how good it is, I probably won't read it. Yes, I know that we all die sometime, but really, why put myself through that? <li>I hate it when an author kills off a main character in a series, especially when I don't know it's coming. <li>I love the idea of short story anthologies around a theme, but for the most part, short stories make me nervous. I feel like I'm always hurrying to get to the end, but I don't know why. <li>I love long books, the longer the better. I like to get absorbed into the fictional world and live with it for awhile. <li>I never read anything but fiction. I know that's dumb, but somehow I feel that life is just too short. <li>I love reading series mystery fiction even though the stories are sometimes indistinguishable from each other. <li>There are two or three books that I have (and do) re-read, but if I pick up a book that I think I haven't read, and realize that I have, I won't read it even if I don't remember it. <li>If I find a new series that I haven't read, I'll usually read the most recent one just to see if I like it, then go back and start at the beginning and read them in sequence. <li>I won't read a book that's written in dialect. It takes too much work. The <I>occasional</I> accent is fine, but if it's every time a character speaks, I'll put the book back, no matter how interesting it looks. <li>Same thing with science fiction or fantasy books in which the character names are too long or contrived. If I can't pronounce it, forget it. <li>I don't read historical fiction. I used to--in high school I read a lot of literary historical fiction and gothic romance--but I don't have the patience for it anymore. I only read books set in present day and the future. <li>I don't read biographies. I sometimes read memoir, but not often. <li>I find that reading on the small screen of the iPhone, either with the Kindle iPhone app or on eReader, makes me pay more attention. I'm more <I>present</I> or something. I find it almost impossible to skim, or read quickly, and I like that. <li>When reading a physical book, I tend to skim long descriptive passages; I prefer reading dialog to description. <li>If I come to a section in a book that has a long discourse on something technical, or a fight, I'll speed-read through it, or sometimes skip it altogether, although I <i>hate</i> to do that. <li>If I start a book and it doesn't grab me within a chapter or so, I'll stop reading it. This is why I get most of the books I read from the library--there's no guilt (or very little) involved if it turns out I don't want to finish something that I've started. <li>If I pick up a book and it looks interesting, but I think it may be "inspirational fiction," I'll check the publisher's imprint, and if it's obviously a Christian publisher, I'll put it back. It's not that I'm not Christian, or religious, because I am, but in general I find those books to be a little overbearing, which is probably not fair of me, but there it is. <li>I read urban fantasy, but not sword-and-sorcery type fantasy. <li>I read science fiction, but not space opera or "hard" science fiction. <li>I like magical realism--I like books that take a present day setting and introduce fantastic or paranormal elements. <li>I find it really hard to read most vampire/werewolf/demon-type novels unless they're written with some humor and don't take themselves too seriously. <li>I have an admittedly unfair bias against most romance books <li>I do, however, love "women's fiction" or contemporary books that aren't exclusively marketed as romance <li>And I do quite often enjoy paranormal romance--I think it just has to be a little bit different for me to get interested <li>I like books set in a specific industry like the music business, or a ballet corps, or something like that. <li>I <i>love</i> books set in a "closed" world like a big hotel, an airport, a theme park, a resort. <li>I love books set in warm climates, especially Florida. </ul> <p> So I'm thinking my ideal book would be a paranormal futuristic mystery set in a Florida theme park. Hm. Maybe I need to write one. </p> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt="" border="0"> </P> <P> I took Dinah to the vet yesterday for a follow-up visit. The vet looked at her eyes, checked her hydration, her temperature, and weighed her. She had gained about 3/4 of a pound since Monday, and everything was fine. He said "she's got her sparkle back!" and she does. He was impressed with the weight gain, and said that she had been very sick, that an infection like that can act very fast. He said it might not ever happen again, but if it does, it's good to know that she responds so well to the treatment. </P> <P> She seems to be back to her old self. We've been feeding her a lot, fattening her up, and while she still seems a <I>little</I> bony, she's definitely gaining weight. And rather than wanting to go sleep in the basement or up in the bedroom, she's hanging out with me again, on my lap constantly which, while it can be a little annoying when I'm trying to work, I'm very glad of. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah-part-2.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/02/stuff.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-3619245307297560367?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wj_IE8dQclwddpWGV95_80ZP9MI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wj_IE8dQclwddpWGV95_80ZP9MI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wj_IE8dQclwddpWGV95_80ZP9MI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Wj_IE8dQclwddpWGV95_80ZP9MI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/OpfnWmR52Os" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com2http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/list-about-books.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-30082227960342208772010-01-21T16:20:00.001-06:002010-01-24T11:35:35.736-06:00<P> I called the veterinary office on Monday morning and talked to the doctor, and he said Dinah's problem could be several things, it could be thyroid, or kidneys, or liver. He said he'd like to do bloodwork and a urinalysis, and I should just drop her off, so I got dressed, shoved her into the carrier, and took her over and left her there. </P> <P> She was a poor pitiful little thing, making little mewing noises instead of her usual lusty cries. I didn't hear, and I didn't hear, and I was getting worried that I wouldn't hear anything in time to go pick her up before they closed, so I called at about 4:00. He said he didn't know anything yet, that they hadn't been able to do a urinalysis because she wasn't producing any urine. He said that if I wanted to pick her up, I could, but that if I left her overnight he would give her subcutaneous fluids and be able to do the urinalysis either later that night or the next morning, so I told him I'd just leave her there. </P> <P> When I left her that morning, he told me to bring some of her food so that she had something familiar, but he said that she hadn't eaten anything at all. I asked him if she was okay, like, I don't know, is she at death's door, or lying there whimpering or something, and he said she was okay, she was sleeping. </P> <P> He called the next morning and said that some of the bloodwork had come back, and she had an infection that he compared to irritable bowel disease or Crohn's Disease in a person. He had given her a 2 week antibiotic injection and a steroid injection, and he said, "she's a whole different cat." I went to pick her up, and I could tell she was feeling better immediately, by the sound of her voice when they brought her out. </P> <P> As soon as we got home and I opened up the carrier, she dashed out and ran to her food bowl, yowling for breakfast, and she's been eating well ever since. Over the weekend she only wanted to sleep, either in the basement or in the chair in the bedroom, she really didn't want to have anything to do with us, and she wasn't eating at all. Now she seems pretty much back to her old self, although she's still skinny. </P> <P> She weighed less than 8 pounds when I picked her up, and that was with the extra fluids that they gave her. We're just working now on fattening her up. I'm supposed to take her in on Saturday for a follow-up, but it looks like the medication is doing the trick, and she feels 100% better. As do we. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/cafe-press.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/list-about-books.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-3008222796034220877?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/s6Q2oc_cfe0iqe6R_9iTvMU8kUI/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/s6Q2oc_cfe0iqe6R_9iTvMU8kUI/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/s6Q2oc_cfe0iqe6R_9iTvMU8kUI/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/s6Q2oc_cfe0iqe6R_9iTvMU8kUI/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/xf5rXHBHW5Q" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com12http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah-part-2.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-40867798416681206612010-01-17T18:31:00.003-06:002010-01-21T16:21:39.513-06:00<P> While I was down in the basement tonight keeping Dinah company, I was rummaging around and found two brand new Cafepress tote bags that I had purchased as samples. They've never been used, so I thought I'd offer them for sale if anyone is interested. The Cafepress price is $14.99, but I'll sell them for $12.99, and I'll pay the postage. I only have one of each, so it's first come, first served. Just <a href="mailto:willa@willa.com">send me an email</a> if you're interested, let me know which one you want, and if you're the first one to ask for either of them, I'll send you a Paypal invoice. </P> <table border="0"> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/knittingzen.43145424" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/zen_bag.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/willa.3227746" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/journal_bag.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <P> Cafepress has added a lot of fun things to their inventory, like water bottles, pet bowls, and these beach bags, that would make great knitting tote bags, I think: </P> <table border="0"> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/knittingzen.422963233" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/zen_beach.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/willa.422963804" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/journal_beach.jpg" alt="" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <P> The storefront addresses are: <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/willa">Willa's Stuff</a> (Willa's Journal branded items), and <a href="http://www.cafepress.com/knittingzen">Knitting Zen</a> (Knitting Zen branded items). </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah-part-2.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-4086779841668120661?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hoZk9prz9qceQjFles8E1Z5RkQc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hoZk9prz9qceQjFles8E1Z5RkQc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hoZk9prz9qceQjFles8E1Z5RkQc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/hoZk9prz9qceQjFles8E1Z5RkQc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/F8IgfeRBrC8" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com0http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/cafe-press.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-29750318133849014592010-01-17T13:25:00.001-06:002010-01-17T18:35:17.477-06:00<P> There's something wrong with Dinah. On Thursday morning she didn't come downstairs with me when I got up, which I thought was strange, but didn't really think anything about it. I went ahead and put food down for her, but when Bob got home in the afternoon, he said it was still there. She didn't eat anything that evening, either, or Friday, and we started to get worried. She's started lying in the chair in the bedroom, which she doesn't normally do, rather than sleeping in bed with us, or she sleeps in the basement. </P> <P> Yesterday, Saturday, when I got up I carried her downstairs, but she wouldn't eat, although she drank some water. She's lost weight, and she's unsteady on her feet. I had to go out yesterday to get my hair cut, and while I was out I bought some little cans of special, "gourmet" cat food to try to tempt her with (this is all sounding horribly familiar). </P> <P> I got her to eat a little cream cheese off my finger last night, and Bob suggested we get some lunchmeat-type meat and see if that sounded good to her, so we went to the grocery store at 9:00 last night and bought sliced turkey. She wouldn't eat it, but she ate a little more cream cheese, and then she went down to the basement. I didn't sleep very well, I was worried about her. This morning I woke up and she was standing in the bedroom, heading for the bathroom to get a drink of water, I think. </P> <P> I went in there with her, and waited while she drank, then carried her downstairs and gave her some catfood. It was a minced chicken and tuna dish with quite a bit of liquid, and she licked off all the juice, drank some water, and headed back for the basement. I went down and slept with her for a couple of hours until Bob got up to go to work. He got her to eat a little more, then when she headed for the basement again, I picked her up and sat her on my lap and petted her until she laid down, then sat there with her for about two hours until I had to get up to go to the bathroom. I tried to get her to stay in the chair while I went to the bathroom, put some laundry in, and got something to eat, but she wouldn't. She went upstairs to the chair in the bedroom. </P> <P> The blanket from the bed in the basement had gotten wet--we had water in the basement this week, which is another story--and I had washed and dried it. I took it out of the dryer and rushed upstairs and put it on the bed, then picked her up and put her on it, thinking she would enjoy the warmth. She didn't seem to care much one way or the other, but she finally laid down. She's normally a talker, but she'll hardly say anything now, except a little pitiful cry when I talk to her. </P> <P> I'll call the vet in the morning and see if I can bring her in. I suppose it could be something fixable, but we just can't spend a fortune on her like we did with Pyewacket, nor do we want to. Bob has said all along that we let Pyewacket linger too long, and he doesn't want to do that with Dinah. Not that I'm sure she's dying, but man, like I said, this all seems so familiar. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt=""> </P> <P> <B>Project 365:</b> </P> <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4274768522/" title="365:14 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-14_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4276838570/" title="365:15 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-15_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4279998724/" title="365:16 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-16_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4282553218/" title="365:17 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-17_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/project-365.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/cafe-press.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-2975031813384901459?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SaqgVJDyy1s2QAafxbABYvkQn8Y/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SaqgVJDyy1s2QAafxbABYvkQn8Y/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SaqgVJDyy1s2QAafxbABYvkQn8Y/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/SaqgVJDyy1s2QAafxbABYvkQn8Y/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/JsRAqOzEu8U" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com9http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-18571268977938479062010-01-14T10:58:00.011-06:002010-01-17T13:25:56.568-06:00<P> One of my resolutions for 2010 was to take a photograph every day. I joined an <a href="http://www.flickr.com/groups/iphone365/pool/">iPhone 365 group</a> on Flickr, I installed an iPhone app called <a href=" http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/project-365/id321175920?mt=8">Project 365</a>, I set up a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/sets/72157623117703470/">Flickr set</a>, and I've been posting the photos on my <a href="http://beautifuliphoneapps.com">iPhone blog</a>--all actions intended to keep me interested and involved, and to help me keep my resolution. So far, so good. </P> <P> Here are the first 13 photos (click each thumbnail for fullsize version): </P> <table border="0" align="center"> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4236044178/" title="365:1 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-1_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4236474721/" title="365:2 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-2_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4241377698/" title="365:3 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-3_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4244874571/" title="365:4 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-4_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4248428359/" title="365:5 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-5_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4250757221/" title="365:6 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-6_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4255026380/" title="365:7 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-7_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4257170983/" title="365:8 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-8_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4260373610/" title="365:9 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-9_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4263552207/" title="365:10 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-10_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4267522450/" title="365:11 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-11_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4268770245/" title="375:12 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-12_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> <tr> <td> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4271602365/" title="365:13 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/365-13_thmb.jpg" border="0"></a> </td> </tr> </table> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/quiet-evening.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/dinah.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-1857126897793847906?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3nw_lg_ZTmRdMeDEG4i5RTYdK7U/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3nw_lg_ZTmRdMeDEG4i5RTYdK7U/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3nw_lg_ZTmRdMeDEG4i5RTYdK7U/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/3nw_lg_ZTmRdMeDEG4i5RTYdK7U/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/kJZa5EGLXnc" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/project-365.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-78127326873710867092010-01-10T22:11:00.003-06:002010-01-14T11:27:13.199-06:00<P> I went out to see my parents today, and my sister came by for a little while, so that was nice. I had lunch with them, then I came home and made sour cream chicken and carrot salad for dinner. Now I've got laundry going, Bob's upstairs watching television in his office, and Dinah is snoozing in the chair in the corner of the bedroom. A nice, quiet evening. </P> <P> As soon as I finish writing here, I'm going to go upstairs and hole up in the bedroom and read <I>Under the Dome</I> on my iPhone. I'm about halfway through it, and really enjoying it. </P> <P> It's apparently supposed to warm up some this week, so the several foot high piles of snow may melt sooner than we thought. I just hope that it doesn't get bitterly cold again before it dries up, or we'll have ice instead of snow, which I <I>really</I> don't like. I can deal with the snow, it's ice that scares me. </P> <P align="center"> <IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/star_divider.gif" alt=""> </P> <P> My picture-a-day <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/sets/72157623117703470/">Flickr set</A> is growing. I've been playing around with quite a few iPhone photography apps. The two that I'm especially enjoying are <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/best-camera/id329800600?mt=8">Best Camera</a> and <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/hipstamatic/id342115564?mt=8">Hipstamatic</a>. This is a photo of my parents' house taken with Hipstamatic. Isn't it dramatic? </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4263552207/" title="365:10 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4046/4263552207_f39ca32ec6.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="365:10" border="0" /></a> </P> <P> Next week I'm going to do a post on my <a href="http://beautifuliphoneapps.com">iPhone blog</a> about all of the various iPhone camera apps. The difference in the two I just mentioned is that with Best Camera, you take a picture like normal, then apply various filters to it. With Hipstamatic, you're taking the picture through the app, using different virtual lenses and films. I like them both, but I kind of like the randomness and unpredictability of the Hipstamatic pictures. My obsessive-compulsive self, though, is thinking about making a cheat sheet so I can remember exactly what effects each filter, lens, film, etc., produces. </P> <P> Here's a portrait of Jojo that I made using Best Camera filters: </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4248428359/" title="365:5 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2778/4248428359_d29474b3db.jpg" width="500" height="500" alt="365:5" border="0" /></a> </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/resolutions.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/project-365.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7812732687371086709?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UqeYF9z3pCiyBPHb-e-tenKhZs/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UqeYF9z3pCiyBPHb-e-tenKhZs/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UqeYF9z3pCiyBPHb-e-tenKhZs/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/0UqeYF9z3pCiyBPHb-e-tenKhZs/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/SZsgKumPDdQ" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/quiet-evening.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-15413829813747966252010-01-05T21:59:00.005-06:002010-01-10T22:12:25.006-06:00<P> I've always made New Year's resolutions, but seldom kept them. It was an exercise that was doomed to failure. This year, instead of resolving to do things that I'm pretty sure I won't actually do--eat healthier, lose weight, clean the house more (not that I ever resolved to do that), etc., I decided to resolve to do things that I would <I>enjoy</I> doing, along with a couple of things that I <I>should</I> do, but that aren't that egregious. My list, so far: </P> <UL> <LI>Use reusable bags more <LI>Eat more cookies <LI>Watch more movies <LI>Read more books <LI>Write more <LI>Burn more candles <LI>Send more birthday cards <LI>Get more sleep <LI>Drink more water <LI>Take more pictures </UL> <P> <b>Use more reusable bags:</b> I resolve to use them for every grocery store trip. I bought four big canvas bags at Target a few months ago, and I've gotten pretty good at remembering to get them out of the trunk and take them in with me. I've also got a few nylon bags that can be folded up pretty small, and I always have one in my purse, as well as a couple in the car. </P> <P> <b>Eat more cookies:</b> That one just means, don't worry about what I'm eating, don't be too serious. Have more fun. </P> <P> <b>Watch more movies/Read more books:</b> A reminder to relax more--to get off the computer once in awhile and read a book, to relax, put a movie in the DVD player, and not work all the time. </P> <P> <b>Write more:</b> I just submitted my journal to Amazon to be published in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032UY1HI">Kindle format</a>, so if I expect people to pay $1.99/month for it, I'd better write a little more often. That's one motivation. </P> <P> <b>Burn more candles:</b> This is sort of a "use the good china every day" resolution. I enjoy candles, but sometimes it seems like kind of a waste. I resolve to stop thinking like that, and do things that I enjoy, like burning candles, without worrying about the relatively small expense. </P> <P> <b>Send more birthday cards:</b> I used to be very good at sending birthday cards and gifts to all the nieces and nephews, but in the last couple of years, I stopped. Part of it was because I almost never got a thank you card, or even a mention of it at all. But that shouldn't be a reason not to do it. So all of the nieces and nephews will get a card with a five dollar bill (or a Target gift card) in it this year. I already sent three! </P> <P> <b>Get more sleep:</b> I tend to stay up <I>way</I> too late. Sometimes it's with intent--if Bob has to get up at dawn to go to work, I usually stay up until I'm sure he's asleep so I don't wake him up. But sometimes that's just an excuse. I resolve to get up and go to bed when I get sleepy, not to fall asleep in my chair or on the couch. Maybe that will make it easier to get up in the morning. It could happen. </P> <P> <b>Drink more water:</b> This is the one that's health-based. I don't drink enough water, and I know that if I did, my skin wouldn't be so dry, and of course there are other health benefits as well, so I'm going to give it a good shot. I just have to be aware of it. I drink quite a bit of iced green tea at home in the evenings, but I don't always think about it at work. </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/4236474721/" title="2:365 by willac, on Flickr" class="img"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2502/4236474721_15e04dc011_o.jpg" width="450" height="450" alt="2:365" /></a> </p> <P> <b>Take more pictures:</b> The iPhone has a pretty good camera, and I love taking photos with it. Lately I've gotten interested in photography apps that modify the photos in interesting ways; the most interesting, to me, are the ones that mimic vintage or toy cameras. I'll do a post with examples soon. I've committed to taking a photo a day, and created a <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/willac/sets/72157623117703470/">Flickr</a> set for them. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/snow-snow-snow.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/quiet-evening.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-1541382981374796625?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/UqvIFTCTIBiR7Y1ayxnhwag6-2M/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/UqvIFTCTIBiR7Y1ayxnhwag6-2M/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/UqvIFTCTIBiR7Y1ayxnhwag6-2M/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/UqvIFTCTIBiR7Y1ayxnhwag6-2M/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/TCOHK8Fi2Zo" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com6http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/resolutions.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-46977601886998311792009-12-28T10:21:00.001-06:002010-01-05T23:16:07.722-06:00<P> I worked until around noon on Christmas Eve; it had started to snow very lightly. I left the office and ran a few errands--picked up some prescriptions at Target, got a coffee shop gift card for my father-in-law, bought some gift bags at the drugstore. By the time I got home at around 3:00, it had started snowing harder. </P> <P> I mixed up a couple of batches of Chex party mix and got those in the oven, then started putting together some spinach dip, which is what I always take to holidays at Bob's parents' house. We had put up the Christmas tree the night before, and I had made about 8 dozen miniature cupcakes; I had left them out to cool, so I started frosting them while the party mix cooked. </P> <P> Once the cupcakes were frosted, the party mix was out of the oven and cooling, and the spinach dip was in the refrigerator, I started wrapping presents. Bob was working until 7:00, so I figured I needed to get in the shower by about 6:00 to be ready to leave when he got home. By 6:00 I was hearing reports of dangerous driving conditions, but since Bob folks live extremely close to us, I wasn't worried about getting over there. </P> <P> But my sister called and wondered if we were going to be able to get out to <I>my</I> family's Christmas on Christmas day. We were going to my brother's house, which is quite a ways away, and we needed to swing by and pick up my sister on the day, since she was having car trouble. My parents had already said that they didn't want to get out, even if someone came and picked them up. They were concerned about walking on the ice and snow, and I didn't blame them a bit. But it wouldn't really be Christmas if everyone except them was at my brother's. </P> <P> We decided we'd talk on Christmas morning and figure out what to do. Then my mother-in-law called and asked when we were going to be there. I told her Bob was working (his dad knew that but hadn't told her), so we wouldn't be there until at least 7:30. She wasn't sure when everyone else would be there, but she said she'd just see us when we got there. When Bob called to say he was on his way home, I told him he might call her; he called me back and said that his dad had cancelled Christmas -- he didn't want everyone out on the roads. </P> <P> It made sense, and I wasn't exactly surprised, but I had all that food . . . And I had all of my mother-in-law's gifts. I had done the shopping for his dad, wrapped everything, and was going to deliver them that night. When Bob got home, I said I didn't mind going out, but his mother wasn't going to have any gifts on Christmas Day. He said, well, he would just go over there and take them, so I threw a pair of sweatpants on under my robe (I'd taken a bath while I was waiting to see what was going to happen) and put together a bag of food--a plastic bag of crackers, a container of spinach dip, a pie plate full of little cupcakes, and the traditional Christmas Eve boiled shrimp that Bob had fixed the night before. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow2.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> We drove over -- they live only a couple of miles away from us -- delivered the gifts and snacks, and came home to have our own Christmas. On Christmas morning I got up and called my sister before I started cooking. It looked like we had gotten about a foot of snow, and we agreed that it didn't make sense for everyone to get out on the road and risk having an accident, that we could always get together later. So I called my sister-in-law and asked her if she was okay with that, and she said that was fine, that maybe we could get together later in the weekend. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow4.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> So we just had a quiet, low-key day at home, watching Christmas movies and snacking. In the middle of the afternoon our neighbor called and said that she had tried to leave, and had gotten her car stuck behind Bob's in the driveway (we share a driveway). So we put our coats on and went out and helped her dig her car out, and got it back in her garage, and Bob decided to go check out the road conditions, and go by Quick Trip for some soda. </P> <P> About a half hour later instead of showing up at the back door, he rang the doorbell at the front of the house. He said that when he got home, there was a <I>different</I> car parked in the driveway, and he couldn't get to the garage. He said he didn't want to park on the street in case the snowplows came through, and guessed he'd go park in a church parking lot a mile or so away, and walk back. I said hang on, I'll get my coat and follow you over and drive you back, and then realized if he couldn't get <I>in</I> the driveway, I couldn't get <I>out</I>. </P> <P> While he was gone, I got a call from the other neighbor saying that she had come home and hadn't been able to get up the driveway to her garage. I told her not to worry about it, that surely the lawn care people would show up and clean the driveways the next day. Bob had to be at work at 6:00 the next morning, so he had to get up early and walk to his car before he could drive to work. He was aggravated, but what could he do? </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow3.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> I kept checking throughout the day, but the car stayed there in the driveway. There are four households that share the double driveway, so none of us could get out. There wasn't anywhere I needed to be today, but I didn't want it to go on any longer. When Bob got home and the car was still there, and the snow plows hadn't been through, he said he guessed he was going to have to shovel the drive and get her out. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow1.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> I came out, too, and we had maybe a third of the long driveway shoveled when the snowplows showed up. When they reached our driveway I ran in the house and called our neighbor and said she needed to get out there and move her car, that we had shoveled a path around it and the snowplows needed to get in and finish the drive. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow5.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P> I'm still not sure what we're going to do about Christmas, but at least I can get out of the driveway now. </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/snow6.jpg" width="450" height="338" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <P align="center"> <IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt=""> </P> <P> The sentiment on the Christmas card yesterday, "Happy Merry Christmas," comes from something my nephew, who has Downs Syndrome, used to say. I think it was the Christmas version of "Happy Birhday." </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/happy-merry-christmas.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2010/01/resolutions.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-4697760188699831179?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/5o3o9_51L4eRQJs4odTtURgAyL0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/5o3o9_51L4eRQJs4odTtURgAyL0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/5o3o9_51L4eRQJs4odTtURgAyL0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/5o3o9_51L4eRQJs4odTtURgAyL0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/WxMvYzF3nOE" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com4http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/snow-snow-snow.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-73966691643457523392009-12-23T11:37:00.002-06:002009-12-28T10:23:16.830-06:00<P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/happy_merry_2009.jpg"> </p> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/christmas-iphone-apps.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/snow-snow-snow.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7396669164345752339?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Go_KoLxjdK3VezZDt22VXZzx0aA/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Go_KoLxjdK3VezZDt22VXZzx0aA/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Go_KoLxjdK3VezZDt22VXZzx0aA/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Go_KoLxjdK3VezZDt22VXZzx0aA/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/3GefC0XSt0o" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com2http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/happy-merry-christmas.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-50073213511033519582009-12-15T15:16:00.004-06:002009-12-23T11:38:07.587-06:00<P> I'm a sucker for all kinds of Christmas-themed items. I always buy Christmas print paper towels and paper napkins, and I love putting up Christmas dishtowels in the kitchen and Christmas soap in the bathrooms. So it isn't a surprise that I love Christmas iPhone apps. </P> <P align="center"><img title="Christmas iPhone Apps" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/photo-744723.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="480" /> </P> <P> I downloaded a lot of free apps that I ended up deleting; these are the best of the ones that I've found. <a href="mailto:willa@willa.com">Email me</a> if you've found any other good ones. </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>SnowBalls</strong> </P> <P> In this beautiful free arcade-style game, you lob snowballs at various targets that pop up in the landscape such as snowmen and candy canes. By <a href="http://federicomusante.com/">Federico Musante</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="snowballs1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/snowballs1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="snowballs2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/snowballs2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/snowballs/id341699493?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Winter Snow Globe</strong> </P> <P> Pretty simple. Shake your iphone and snow falls onto the snowman, just like a real snow globe. Music plays, too, with no way to turn it off, so if you don't want the music, be sure to mute your iPhone first. Developed by <a href="http://photar.net/iphone/snowglobe/app/SnowGlobe.html">YetToBeNamed Enterprises</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="snowglobe" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/snowglobe.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/winter-snow-globe/id293303969?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Grinchmas</strong> </P> <P> In the game Grinchmas, you get to choose whether you're an evil Grinch or a merry Grinch, which determines what kind of ammunition you have. If you choose Evil Grinch, you're throwing snowballs at the little houses, if you're the Merry Grinch, you're throwing gifts. Each time you make a hit, you get a point. From<a href="http://www.oceanhousemedia.com"> Oceanhouse Media</a>, this game is currently on sale for $.99. </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/grinchmas.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-536" title="grinchmas" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/grinchmas.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /></a> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grinchmas/id340999016?mt=8">iTunes link</a> ($.99) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Dr. Seuss Camera, the Grinch Edition </strong> </P> <P> I wrote about Dr. Seuss Cam the other day. Basically, you choose from a variety of Dr. Seuss-inspired Christmas themes, then take a picture of someone, fitting their face inside the frame. Right now you can only take a photo, you can't use a photo from your library, but they are adding that in a future release. From <a href="http://www.oceanhousemedia.com/products/">Oceanhouse Media</a>. <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr-seuss-camera-the-grinch-edition/id340675683?mt=8"></a> </P> <P align="center"> <img title="ginched1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/ginched1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="grinched2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/grinched2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/dr-seuss-camera-the-grinch-edition/id340675683?mt=8">iTunes link</a> ($2.99) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Elf Command</strong> </P> <P> In Elf Command (free), the little robotic elves (they resemble Lego characters) are working on an assembly line. They have to grab the gifts, Christmas trees and candies that come rolling down the line and throw them into the proper boxes. Developed by<a href="http://retrodreamer.com/"> RetroDreamer</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="elfcommand1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/elfcommand1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="elfcommand2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/elfcommand2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/elf-command/id342316565?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Elf Jumpers</strong> </P> <P> In this free game, Santa's sleigh flies overhead and you are tasked with guiding the elves into the chimneys of the houses below by swiping to make the wind blow, and avoiding obstacles such as thunder clouds and birds. Developed by <a href="http://playscreen.com/iphone/elf/game.html">Playscreen.com</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="elfjumper1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/elfjumper1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="elfjumper2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/elfjumper2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/elf-jumpers/id342790774?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Gaia Xmas</strong> </P> <P> There is a "regular" version of Gaia also, this is the Christmas version. Various Christmas-themed "blocks" fall from the top of the screen to form groups. The larger the group, the more points you get. There is some strategy involved to build large blocks -- you can turn the phone so that the blocks fall in a certain way. One of the interesting things about Gaia is that there is no language involved at all, there are only universally-understood graphics, which is kind of cool. From <a href="http://quicksandinteractive.com/Gaia/Gaia_Info.html">Quicksand Interactive</a>. Regular Gaia is $2.99 and there is a free lite version. The Christmas version is $1.99 at the app store. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="gaia1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/gaia1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="gaia2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/gaia2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/gaia-christmas-edition/id300063568?mt=8">iTunes link</a> ($1.99) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Slacker Holiday Radio</strong> </P> <P> This is the free Christmas version of Slacker Radio from <a href="http://www.slacker.com/">Slacker.com</a>. There are 11 different Christmas stations, including Country, Contemporary, R&amp;B, etc. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/slacker1.jpg" alt="" title="slacker1" width="200" height="300">&nbsp; &nbsp;<img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/slacker2.jpg" alt="" title="slacker2" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/slacker-holiday-radio/id342596540?mt=8">iTunes link</a> </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Implode!</strong> </P> <P> Implode is a game where you place dynamite and other various types of explosives, and see how well you can destroy a structure. This is the Christmas edition, and there are supposed to be some Christmas items to blow up, but I haven't reached that level yet, apparently. From <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/implode/id337180220?mt=8">IUGO Mobile Entertainment</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="implode" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/implode.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/implode/id337180220?mt=8">iTunes link</a> ($.99) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>iRelax Melodies - Christmas Edition</strong> </P> <P> This $.99 app is the Christmas version of iRelax Melodies by <a href="http://www.ilbsoft.com/irelaxmelodies/">ILBSoft</a>. You choose from 22 Christmas sounds such as snow falling, children playing, fire crackling, etc., and create your own soundscapes, which you can save to play later. You can also shake the iPhone for a random selection. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="irelax1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/irelax1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="irelax2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/irelax2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/irelax-melodies-christmas-edition/id336503024?mt=8">iTunes link</a> </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Season's Greetings Cards</strong> </P> <P> This $.99 app from Japanese developer <a href="http://appliya-inc.com/en/">Appliya</a>, creates holiday cards from your photos, utilizing various holiday frames and resizable stamps. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="seasons1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/seasons1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="267" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="seasons2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/seasons2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="267" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/seasons-greetings-cards-resubmitted/id322088919?mt=8">iTunes link</a> ($.99) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>ChristmasRadio</strong> </P> <P> Christmas Radio is a free app from <a href="http://www.pepper.pk/">Pepper.pk</a>, with several all-Christmas stations to choose from. </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/christmas-radio-an-online-streaming/id341034044?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Christmas Radio</strong> </P> <P> This is another Christmas radio app, this one from <a href="http://www.blumedialab.com/x-masradio/">BlueMedia Lab</a>. As you can tell, I can't get enough of holiday music! </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/christmas-radio/id296382774?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Christmas Lifecards</strong> </P> <P> For $.99, Christmas Lifecards from <a href="http://www.mexircus.com/Christmas_Lifecards/index.html">Vivid Apps</a> gives you a large variety of Christmas card templates to choose from. Once you've chosen one and added your own photo, you can further customize your card by adding text, and even applying effects such as grayscale and sepia, and filters such as sharpening, to the photo, then save and email the card to your friends. You can also save a card for editing later if you need to stop. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/lifecard.jpg" alt="" title="lifecard" width="200" height="278" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/christmas-lifecards/id341812575?mt=8">iTunes link</a> </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>Christmas Snowman</strong> </P> <P> Christmas Snowman, from , <a href="http://www.ensenasoft.com/ProductChristmasSnowman.aspx">EnsenaSoft</a>, is a game similar to hangman, but with a variety of snowmen. The words are all peripherally relevant to Christmas or winter; each time a wrong letter is selected, the snowman loses a body part. </P> <P align="center"> <img title="snowman1" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/snowman1.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" />&nbsp; &nbsp;<img title="snowman2" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/snowman2.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="300" /> </P> <P> <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/christmas-snowman/id331815484?mt=8">iTunes link</a> (Free) </P> <hr /> <P> <strong>The Christmas Tarot</strong> </P> <P> This one isn't really an app, it's a web URL that I created a desktop icon for. I've looked for a Christmas tarot deck for a long time, and someone finally made one, although it's only the Major Arcana. The link goes to <a href="http://www.christmastarot.com/">a site</a> where you can purchase digital high resolution cards and a PDF guidebook, created by <a href="http://corrinekenner.com/">Corrine Kenner</a>, a noted tarot reader and author. </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://propaganda3.wordpress.com/files/2009/12/tarot.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-553" title="tarot" src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/tarot.jpg" alt="" width="250" height="375" /></a> </P> <P> <a href="http://www.christmastarot.com/">Link</a> ($2.09) </P> <P> [cross-posted at willa.com, beautifuliphoneapps.com and propaganda3.wordpress.com] </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/holiday-links.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/happy-merry-christmas.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-5007321351103351958?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/MH_VCsrxDwFqH8fmys_bdmvICM0/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/MH_VCsrxDwFqH8fmys_bdmvICM0/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/MH_VCsrxDwFqH8fmys_bdmvICM0/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/MH_VCsrxDwFqH8fmys_bdmvICM0/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/0uZhndCg78Y" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/christmas-iphone-apps.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-45235028431430539862009-12-11T07:59:00.005-06:002009-12-15T15:20:08.038-06:00<P align="center"> <a href="http://www.gingerizeyourself.com/" class="img"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/gingerize.jpg" alt="" border="0" class="img"></a> </P> <P> Here are some fun holiday links: </P> <UL> <LI><a href="http://www.gingerizeyourself.com/">Gingerize Yourself!</a> Create a cookie in your likeness and send to a friend or post on Facebook or Twitter <LI>Free iTunes <a href="http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/itunes-holiday-sampler/id344104720">21 song holiday sampler</a> <LI>A free holiday MP3 every day at <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=dm_gw_castingcrowns2?ie=UTF8&docId=1000453281&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_s=left-1&pf_rd_r=1JBVAEGCFM36V3Q4TJWE&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=493312831&pf_rd_i=678551011">Amazon.com</a> <LI>Every day a free iPhone game: <A HREF="http://www.appventcalendar.com">Appvent Calendar</A> <LI>Buy a pair of <a href="http://www.nike.com/nikefootball/red/home?locale=en_US">red shoelaces at Nike</a>, and help in the fight against AIDS in Africa. <LI>Free Christmas wallpapers and printable calenders from <A HREF="http://www.vladstudio.com/home_christmas/">Vlad Studio</a> <LI>Red and white Christmas <A HREF="http://shawnblanc.net/2007/11/iphone-christmas-wallpapers/">iPhone wallpapers</A> <LI>Big selection of nice <a href="http://www.aimersoft-mac.com/news/ipod-iphone-christmas-wallpaper.html">Christmas iPhone background images</a> </UL> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/suck-it-up.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/christmas-iphone-apps.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-4523502843143053986?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kB3zNVpL4hyXpUtQvzIkUO4Lfhc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kB3zNVpL4hyXpUtQvzIkUO4Lfhc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kB3zNVpL4hyXpUtQvzIkUO4Lfhc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kB3zNVpL4hyXpUtQvzIkUO4Lfhc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/rgZk-HNtRMs" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com2http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/holiday-links.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-23248694795738003602009-12-11T07:53:00.003-06:002009-12-11T08:17:52.353-06:00<P> I had an appointment to get my hair cut and colored on Saturday at noon. Normally my appointment is at 11:00, but they're busier during the holidays and I can't always get the time I want. I knew it would take an hour and a half, and I figured I'd be starving by the time I got out of there, so I drove through McDonald's and got Chicken McNuggets and fries, and a Diet Coke, and ate in the parking lot. </P> <P> I got my hair done, went to the library and picked up some books, went to the office supply store and bought printer paper, and did a few other errands, and by about 4:00, felt like I needed to go home and take a nap. So I went home, and it turned out that it wasn't really a nap I needed, I was having (I guess) a gall bladder attack. </P> <P> We had planned on having a little Thanksgiving dinner of our own Saturday evening; Bob was off, so he cooked a turkey while I was out. I thought maybe if I slept a couple of hours I would feel better, but I didn't. I ended up spending all evening in bed, alternately trying to sleep and reading "Grave Secrets" (Charlaine Harris) on my iPhone. I'd read until I got sleepy, then lay down and try to sleep for a little while, but didn't have much luck. </P> <P> Bob went ahead and carved up the turkey and made some mashed potatoes for his dinner, but I couldn't eat anything. He called a friend of his who's an internist, and he suggested giving me some Pepto Bismol. I couldn't see how that would help, but I was wiling to try, so I took some, and slept for another couple of hours, and when I woke up I felt a lot better. Maybe it helped, I don't know. </P> <P> In any event, I felt like I lost a whole day, and I <I>really</I> need to figure it out. The problem is that it isn't consistent, but I guess that doesn't matter since I can't control whether something bothers me or not. I just need to suck it up and stop eating anything fried, for one thing. I've read that carbonated beverages are bad, and I've cut down a lot--I don't have them at work any more at all--but I do occasionally have a soda when I'm out. I need to stop that, too, I guess. </P> <P> It's just hard, and I guess I have a short memory. I was talking to Barb about it over email, and I said I supposed that the first time I end up in the emergency room will make my decision for me! </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/quiet-night.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/holiday-links.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-2324869479573800360?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nx5kJUhuLlGG9-sLUb2TrX-b0tc/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nx5kJUhuLlGG9-sLUb2TrX-b0tc/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nx5kJUhuLlGG9-sLUb2TrX-b0tc/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/nx5kJUhuLlGG9-sLUb2TrX-b0tc/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/0-AKzDhD5qM" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/suck-it-up.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-14668900225565493412009-12-03T22:21:00.006-06:002009-12-15T01:39:12.326-06:00<P> I've been downloading desktop wallpapers from <a href="http://www.vladstudio.com">Vlad Studios</A> for several years, and he always has beautiful ones, but this I think this is the most beautiful thing I've seen in a long time: <a href="http://www.vladstudio.com/wallpaper/?quiet_night">Quiet Night</a>. It's my current desktop, and probably will be for some time. </P> <P align="center"> <a href="http://www.willa.com/journal/desktops/desktop_1209.jpg"><img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/desktops/desktop_1209-small.jpg" border="0" alt=""></a> </P> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt=""> </P> <P> I was happy to see that Netflix had the first three seasons of <I>Nash Bridges</I> available. It was one of my favorite shows. I watched the last DVD of the second season tonight, and when I mail it back, Netflix will send me the first DVD of the third season. I originally had the 2-DVD out at a time plan, but this month I scaled back to the one where you only have one at a time. They get them out so quickly that it doesn't really matter, and honestly, the best thing about Netflix is the free movies-on-demand. I can almost always find something worth watching. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/mysteries.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/suck-it-up.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-1466890022556549341?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Zt6_07THlGJQjoLIo7598cD0aQ4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Zt6_07THlGJQjoLIo7598cD0aQ4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Zt6_07THlGJQjoLIo7598cD0aQ4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/Zt6_07THlGJQjoLIo7598cD0aQ4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/z54m8Q6v-ds" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com4http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/quiet-night.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-28601639698215568122009-12-02T20:29:00.004-06:002009-12-03T23:51:03.057-06:00<P> Olive. Isn't she just almost <I>too</I> cute? </P> <DIV class="img-shadow"><IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/olive.jpg" width="300" height="400" border="0"></DIV> <BR clear="all"> <p> She spends the entire day sleeping in her bed, but we've discovered that when everyone is gone, like during lunch time, she gets up and runs around. I've come back to my office a couple of times when she didn't expect to see anyone, and she starts, looks guilty, and hightails it back to her bed like she knows she's not supposed to be out of it. It's pretty adorable. </P> <P> Today Dave came back to his office and said she was out of her bed hanging out with Connor, Dave's big German Shepherd. The minute she saw Dave, though, she scrambled back to her bed and jumped in. So I guess it's not Connor she's intimidated by, but Dave. </P> <P align="center"> <IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </p> <p> Bob's schedule is all over the place. One day he'll go in at 6:30 a.m. and work 'til 3:00, the next day he'll go in at 2:00 p.m. and work until 10:30. Sometimes he goes in at 8:30. And it's never the same from one week to the next. He's had to get up before dawn a few days in a row, and lately it's been hard for me to go back to sleep after he gets up. Plus I've been trying to go to bed earlier, too, so I'm sure that contributes to it. </P> <P> This morning he got up at 4:30, I think, and I tried to go back to sleep, but just couldn't. I keep my iPhone plugged in on my night table over night, so I grabbed that, laid back in bed, and checked email, Facebook and Twitter, then played a couple of games of Solitaire and read another story in <I>Miracle</I> ("The Inn"). By that time he'd showered and dressed and was ready to leave, so I kissed him goodbye and turned off the light, and was almost immediately asleep. </P> <P> I guess it was probably only another half hour or so before my alarm went off. I always think it's strange how I can wake up in the middle of the night and have a terrible time getting to sleep, but can fall almost instantly back asleep after hitting the snooze button on my alarm clock. Just one of those mysteries of nature. </P> <P align="center"> <IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </p> <p> I'm sending out Christmas cards again this year, and anyone who wants one, just <a href="mailto:willa@willa.com?subject=Christmas Card">send me an email</a>. If you've sent me your address before, you're probably already on my list, but it wouldn't hurt to send it to me again just to be sure I have it right. </P> <P align="center"> <IMG SRC="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </p> There's a new iPhone app review up at <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/iphone/2009/12/awesome-note.html">my iPhone site</a>. </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/miracle.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/quiet-night.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-2860163969821556812?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bIIpOe9SzToJfXU1FgyGNYjz8-4/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bIIpOe9SzToJfXU1FgyGNYjz8-4/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bIIpOe9SzToJfXU1FgyGNYjz8-4/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/bIIpOe9SzToJfXU1FgyGNYjz8-4/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/7X6r0eauzOQ" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com1http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/mysteries.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-90572383574546536642009-12-01T13:54:00.008-06:002009-12-02T20:44:29.197-06:00<P> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/miracle.gif" alt="" border="0" align="left" hspace="10">I know I mention this book every year around this time, but I love it: Connie Willis' <A HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0553580485/Willasjournal">Miracle and Other Christmas Stories</A>. It's a big part of my Christmas season, and actually I could read it any time of year. </P> <p> The title story, "Miracle," is one of Willis' trademark screwball comedies. Lauren, an office worker, is overwhelmed with Christmas tasks--finding a new dress for the Christmas party, mailing her Christmas cards, thinking of what gifts to get her family, and, in addition, has been roped into doing the corporate gift shopping for the office by a co-worker who she has fallen for. She thinks he's her heart's desire, but the Spirit of Christmas Present (as in "gift") decides it's his mission to convince her otherwise, and in the meantime, teach her the true meaning of Christmas. His tactics include turning her black sequined off the shoulder dress into a fetching concoction of bark and leaves, and decorating her Christmas tree with handmade brown objects made by rainforest indians. </P> <P> Another favorite story is "Inn," which is set in a suburban church during a choir rehearsal. A young homeless couple turns up at the church, barefoot and dressed in completely inappropriate clothing for a December evening. The outcome is somewhat predictable, but it's a lovely story. </P> <P> From the introduction: </P> <P class="quote"> I love Christmas. All of it--decorating the tree and singing in the choir and baking cookies and wrapping presents. I even like the parts most people hate--shopping in crowded malls and reading Christmas newsletters and seeing relatives and standing in baggage check-in lines at the airport. <br><br> Okay, I lied. Nobody likes standing in baggage check-in lines. I love seeing people get off the plane, though, and holly and candles and eggnog and carols. <br><br> But most of all, I love Christmas stories and movies. Okay, I lied again. I don't love all Christmas stories and movies. It's a Wonderful Life,for instance. And Hans Christian Andersen's "The Fir Tree." <br><br> But I love Miracle on 34th Street and Christopher Morley's "The Christmas Tree That Didn't Get Trimmed" and Christina Rosetti's poem "Midwinter." My family watches The Sure Thing and A Christmas Story each year, and we read George V. Higgins's "The Snowsuit of Christmas Past" out loud every Christmas Eve, and eagerly look for new classics to add to our traditions. <br><br> There aren't a lot. This is because Christmas stories are much harder to write than they look, partly because the subject matter is fairly limited, and people have been writing them for nearly two thousand years, so they've just about rung all the changes possible on snowmen, Santas, and shepherds. <br><br> Stories have been told from the point of view of the fourth wise man (who got waylaid on the way to Bethlehem), the innkeeper, the innkeeper's wife, the donkey, and the star. There've been stories about department-store Santas, phony Santas, burned-out Santas, substitute Santas, reluctant Santas, and dieting Santas, to say nothing of Santa's wife, his elves, his reindeer, and Rudolph. We've had births at Christmas (natch!), deaths, partings, meetings, mayhem, attempted suicides, and sanity hearings. And Christmas in Hawaii, in China, in the past, the future, and outer space. We've heard from the littlest shepherd, the littlest wise man, the littlest angel, and the mouse who wasn't stirring. There's not a lot out there that hasn't already been done. <br><br> In addition, the Christmas-story writer has to walk a narrow tightrope between sentiment and skepticism, and most writers end up falling off into either cynicism or mawkish sappiness. </p> <p> Last night I went up to bed and thought of the book, but hadn't brought it upstairs with me. Out of curiosity, I checked Amazon to see if it had been made available for the Kindle yet, and it had, just last month. So I purchased it ($6.39), and was able to read it immediately, at least until I got sleepy. </P> <p align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </p> <p> <img src="http://www.willa.com/iphone/images/screenshot_thmb.jpg" align="left" hspace="10">I'm going to <i>try</i> to post every day in December, either here, on my <a href="http://www.beautifuliphoneapps.com">iPhone site</a>, on the <a href="http://propaganda3.wordpress.com">P3 site</a>, or on all of them. It will be a miracle if I accomplish it, though . . . </P> <p> To that end, there's new post at <a href="http://www.beautifuliphoneapps.com">Beautiful iPhone Apps</a>: <a href="http://www.willa.com/iphone/2009/12/home-screen-120109.html">Homescreen, 12/01/09</a>. </p> <br clear="all"> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/11/black-friday.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/mysteries.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-9057238357454653664?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/cd3vBOn1IV71Dy3s8mff5LfH0es/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/cd3vBOn1IV71Dy3s8mff5LfH0es/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/cd3vBOn1IV71Dy3s8mff5LfH0es/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/cd3vBOn1IV71Dy3s8mff5LfH0es/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/PLFtDk_Kt1A" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com0http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/miracle.shtmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5904950.post-74106525305876923262009-11-27T21:17:00.008-06:002009-12-01T17:39:30.821-06:00<P> I stayed at home for most of the day, reading Alex Kava's "Black Friday." It's about a terrorist plot that takes place at the Mall of America on the day after Thanksgiving. Last night I watched "Paul Blart, Mall Cop," which I had never seen; it's set at a mall (obviously) during a takeover attempt by some skateboarding criminals during the Christmas season. I had never seen it before, and I really enjoyed it. </P> <P> I was thinking about the kinds of books and movies I like, and what kind of themes run through them. Lately I've mostly been reading thrillers and paranormal mysteries, with a little "women's fiction" thrown in. I read almost exclusively fiction, almost never non-fiction. I'll read a memoir occasionally, and sometimes short stories. I have kind of a problem with short stories, though. I love the idea of them, I love an anthology of stories all in a theme, for instance, but short stories kind of make me nervous, for some reason. I can't relax and enjoy them, I always seem to hurry through them. I don't really understand that. It's as if, if I know the story is going to end in a few pages, I need to rush to get through it rather than relaxing into a longer book. </P> <P> My favorite fiction is urban fantasy, or magical realism (although that term seems to be applied mostly to Latin American writers)--normal, or realistic, life with elements of magic or paranormal aspects. The "Twilight" series, for instance, the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris, or the "Demon Hunting Soccer Mom" books by Julie Kenner. Normal appearing/seeming characters who happen to be vampires or demon hunters or something else fantastic. The idea of getting a glimpse into a hidden world that just might be there all the time. </P> <P> I'm intrigued, in general, by stories set in contained "societies", i.e., airports, hotels, malls, theme parks. I'm not sure why. I don't shop at malls anymore, I can't remember the last time I went to one. But I enjoy the <I>idea</I> of them. One of my favorite fantasies as a child was thinking about what it would be like to live in the mall--sleeping in the furniture store, eating at the food court (although that was before food courts; the big department stores had restaurants of their own), etc. </P> <p> I do love airports, the big ones, like Orlando International Airport, with stores, restaurants, hotels -- like in the Tom Hanks movie, "Terminal," I can imagine living in an airport indefinitely. Last night I also watched a Jennifer Aniston movie, "Management," in which her character, a traveling saleswoman, has a fling with a motel night manager who lives at the motel; that's kind of intriguing, too -- not the fling, but living at the motel. </P> <P> Stuart M. Kaminsky has written a series of books set in Sarasota, Florida, the latest of which is "Bright Futures," featuring a down-on-his-luck character named Lew Fonseca. Fonseca's wife was killed by a drunk driver, in Chicago, I believe, and in his despair, he takes off driving south. His car breaks down in Sarasota, so he stays there and becomes a process server, lives in a run-down motel, and eats his meals at the Dairy Queen across the street. </P> <P class="quote"> We can see this mixing of the familiar and the unexpected in the way some works of post-apocalyptic fiction take images of enclosed malls, office parks, singles complexes, and theme parks, and use them as the raw material for depictions of walled-in high-tech cities full of inhabitants who have retreated from nature and the larger world. The contemporary mall, as an island of safety and comfort amid a desert of blacktop and crime, is transformed into a future city in a post-apocalyptic wasteland full of mutants and bandits. Mall security, watching the video screens from the central office, gets turned into a depiction of future armies and police monitoring distant events from their high-tech headquarters. <BR><BR> <a href="http://www.transparencynow.com/apocintro1.htm">Post-Apocalyptic Fiction in Movies and Television</a> </P> <P> Earlier this week I read "Murderland" by Thomas B. Cavanagh, a murder mystery set in a thinly-disguised version of Walt Disney World called Empire Realms. There's also a wonderful science fiction novel by Cory Doctorow called "Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom." I guess I need to make a definitive list . . . </P> <P> I don't know why this kind of fiction appeals to me. It may be something about a somewhat closed society feeling safe. I love, for instance, the idea of Celebration, the Disney "company town" in Florida. But it's like a Stepford town, and I'm pretty sure that the rules and regulations would drive me crazy. So I doubt I would like it in practice, but in theory, it intrigues me. It's one of those dichotomies that make us human, I guess. We can be fascinated by things that we would never actually do in real life. </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </P> <p> This treatise got away from me! What I started out to write about was that I stayed at home most of the day, then went out around 3:00. I deposited a check in the bank, then went to Panera Bread for an early dinner, then went by Half Price Books. I seem to have lost my copy of Ladder of Years, or at least haven't been able to find it, so thought I'd look there for another copy. They had a couple, but they were pretty used looking, so I'm going to wait until I get a good Borders coupon, and buy a new copy. That was all I really needed to do today. </P> <P> Bob had to work today, and won't be home until around 10:30 or later. I wasn't really ready to come home yet, so I stopped at Kohl's to browse. I ended up buying some Christmas cards there, then went to Target and cruised through the Christmas aisles. I kind of wanted to get out there and get into the Christmas spirit a little. It kind of worked. Tomorrow I'll put up the wreath on the front door and maybe do some other little things around the house. </P> <P> Nothing seemed to be very busy, although it may have been late enough when I went out that if there was a rush, it was over. I'll have to ask Bob tonight if his store was busy. It was kind of nice that there weren't any crowds, but I actually would have felt better about it if there <I>were</I>. It would have been an indication to me that maybe the economy is improving. But either way, the Christmas season is upon us, time for me to watch "Christmas With the Kranks," much of which is set at the mall . . . </P> <P align="center"> <img src="http://www.willa.com/journal/images/bulbs.jpg" alt="" border="0"> </P> <P> <B>Links</B>: </P> <P> Interesting link with a list of books set in malls: <a href="http://nutmeg.easternct.edu/~pocock/Malls.htm">Shopping Mall Studies</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.librarything.com/subject/Shopping+malls%09Fiction">Library Thing / Shopping Malls / Fiction</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Books-fiction-novels-Disney-Theme/lm/1SEJSH1Y3JK36">Books set at Disney Theme Parks</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.overbooked.org/booklists/subjects/themes/amusement_parks.html">Overbooked: Books set in or featuring amusement parks or theme parks</a> <br><br> <a href="http://www.cityofsound.com/blog/2009/10/a-week-at-the-airport-by-alain-de-botton.html">city of sound: A review of "A Week at the Airport" by Alain de Botton</a> </P> <P align="center"> <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/11/thankful.shtml">previous</A> | <A HREF="http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/12/miracle.shtml">next</A> </P><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/5904950-7410652530587692326?l=www.willa.com%2Fjournal%2Flatest.shtml' alt='' /></div> <p><a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kOeCyJb-6d5IEQEdRvYbOjRwfMk/0/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kOeCyJb-6d5IEQEdRvYbOjRwfMk/0/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a><br/> <a href="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kOeCyJb-6d5IEQEdRvYbOjRwfMk/1/da"><img src="http://feedads.g.doubleclick.net/~a/kOeCyJb-6d5IEQEdRvYbOjRwfMk/1/di" border="0" ismap="true"></img></a></p><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/willa/DRhP/~4/Y8DTrmosy9A" height="1" width="1"/>Willahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04816425431273554588willa.cline@gmail.com0http://www.willa.com/journal/2009/11/black-friday.shtml