Sunday, November 6, 2011

An Edible History of Humanity

I'm listening to An Edible History of Humanity by Ted Standage and it is fascinating. I think if I can remember one or two points of a book then it has been worth the time to read/listen to it.

1. Historic hunter-gatherers were healthier than farmers - more variety in their diet meant taller and longer-lived than farmers.

2. India hasn't had a famine since the British left.

3. The use of food as a weapon has been around since the beginning of time, and is the worst weapon there is.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Hotel review

We're at the Mariott Copley Place in Boston for the ABA. Nice room - not very big, but it's big enough. I asked specifically for a room with a bathtub, since the last two hotels booked us in rooms with only a shower. Don't most people like to loll in the tub and read?

We've got a room with a view of the Charles River and we're next door to a big Mall and near Filene's Basement - which I think is the original of that chain. The Boston Public Library is a block away. It's a big old building with a new squared-off addition. I visited the lovely courtyard on a beautiful day - and had a wonderful Chicken Ceasar Salad eaten outside. Very nice. The Library must be under some adjustment as the Fiction was in one room - then a whole lot of empty shelves - then the rest of the alphabet in another room. They are having a Vintage Postcard exhibit, but the signage was so lacking I couldn't find it.

The hotel doesn't have in room coffee, a makeup mirror, or bathrobes, but they asked about newspaper delivery (and not just USA Today). No Boston Herald except in the gift shop.

The Boston Marathon is on Monday (we'll be gone) and the Old South Church across from the Library has a sign "May you run and not grow weary, walk and not faint." The also have a "Blessing of the Athletes" at "the Church of the Finish Line."

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Americans for Disability Act

I've been sort of scornful of some of the uses the ADA has been put - like the stripper in the wheelchair who couldn't get work. However, since I've been the mainstay of my brother who is in a wheelchair I've had an awakening.

Really - don't park in those handicapped places. Even if it's "just for a minute while I run in", it's not cool to take one of those spots. This is especially important since I just got a Handicapped tag for my car.

Also, don't block the ramp which leads from the parking lot to the sidewalk. Recently I took him in for a manicure (I tried trimming his fingernails myself and almost amputated the end of his little finger - this was a job for a professional!) I pulled up to Jannie's and someone had parked in the ramp. Let me tell you that pushing the wheelchair (very light - an Excel Translator - more about that later) with 185 pounds of dead weight up the curb is no fun. Not impossible - there was a slight incline - but still!

Next, for goodness sake! When planning a medical facility in which sick people are waiting for radiation or a variety of scans, don't furnish the waiting room with benches with no backs! What kind of idiot does that? (This was in the Baylor Medical Pavillion, 3900 Junius, Dallas.) In other news, the young aide who took Bobby back to prep him for the CT scan (a) was chewing gum (why do I think this is so offensive?) (b) took him to a room which was not equipped with anything she needed to access a vein for the introduction of the contrast material for the scan - no alcohol swabs, no stretchy thingy to make a tourniquet, no gloves. She had to go get everything - one thing at a time, including another aide who finally did get the needle in the right spot. Also the chair he might have used if he was not in a wheelchair had an attached table that had old coffee rings on it. Ugh.

And finally, when we met his oncologist's nurse for the neulasta shot (to help boost his blood count), the office had moved into a new facility and Monday, when we were there, was their first day. So, OK - I can understand confusion during this transition time.
No less than eight people were standing in like to check in at any one time, and they subsequently lost his check in "ticket" to have his blood drawn, so we waited about 45 minutes before I caught on.

But the main sin is that they have a bank of seven elevators. Seven. And each of the elevators' up/down lights which let you know which elevator has appeared are recessed. Yes, recessed! Not in front where a person could see which door has opened, but hidden from view. There is not one spot on which a person can stand to see all the lights. So, when the elevator dings - you have to rush over to see which one might be available. Unbelievable! Doesn't anyone check this stuff out. This was the new Sammons Cancer Center at Baylor - 3410 Worth Street, Dallas.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Snow day

I can't remember another snow day when I actually haven't stepped outside. I did think about taking Lexie down the alley, but the side door steps are covered in about an inch of ice and I chickened out.

However, it's been a good day to clean out the bathroom drawers - I filled 5 or 6 plastic bags with half-used and disliked shampoo and lotion bottles, old medicines (thank goodness for expiration dates!) and junk I should have thrown away months (years) ago.

Having cleaned out the kitchen cabinets and the pantry last week when Byron was out of town, I'm feeling pretty virtuous.

Tomorrow, I may attack my closet.

Friday, December 31, 2010

Requiem in pacem

In no particular order

Lynn Bell
Ingrid Armstrong
Jon Mac Nobles
Ed Notestine
Gill Clements
Ed Miller

Thursday, December 30, 2010

New favorite thing!

Did you know you can take a package to Target (the SuperTarget on Abrams - maybe others) and mail a package? It's the NEW POST OFFICE!

Take your package, put in on the scale, tell the machine the size, put in the zip of the destination, swipe your credit card, print the postage and VOILA! No standing in line watching clerks chew gum!

What a concept!

I love it!

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Texas v. Nebraska

We went to the game expecting the worst.

After all, we'd suffered through Texas - OU.

But 1) Omaha is nice. We toured Boys Town (remember the Spencer Tracy/Andy Rooney flick? If not, watch it when you can) and the Durham Museum, which is in the old Union Pacific Train Station, when they knew how to build a train staion.

2) the fans before and after the game were unbelievably nice. "Welcome to Lincoln!" "I hope everyone is nice to you while you are here." "Great game!" "Was everyone nice?" "Glad you came"

3) We won!