tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-186479482009-11-30T18:16:45.286-06:00The senses consume. The mind digests. The blog expels.<br><br> Certain individuals keep telling me that I should be a writer (Hi Mom). This is probably as close as I'll ever come to making that happen.Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.comBlogger360125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-58454442645956587002009-11-29T08:40:00.111-06:002009-11-29T11:14:20.576-06:00

A couple years ago, we residents of Allen started hearing about the two big malls planned for construction just up the road from our house. With the malls would come a shiny new event center, and with the event center a Central Hockey League (CHL) hockey franchise of our very own. I was pretty sure I'd never heard of the CHL, but a friend pointed out that our as-yet-unnamed hockey team would be

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-78824158217513618502009-10-15T08:09:00.000-05:002009-10-15T08:09:06.117-05:00

The moment we walked in the door, Turtle gave me a strange look and I knew we were thinking the same thing: cat pee. We checked the obvious things first. I scooped the litter box; Turtle tracked down each protesting cat and gave it a thorough sniffing. Finding that neither was the source of the problem, we spent the next half hour moving from room to room, scenting the air like lions on the

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-88750915084878074682009-10-04T13:41:00.006-05:002009-10-04T19:41:30.709-05:00

This weekend, I've attempted to make a dent in my home maintenance to-do list, which means I had to make a run to the home improvement emporium. I needed weed and crabgrass killer for the nutgrass and other weeds I discovered while mowing yesterday, and some bags of pre-emergent for the next crop, which typically emerges in January. I needed fluorescent tubes to replace the long-dead ones in my

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-1136771640033424482006-01-08T19:32:00.001-06:002009-09-06T09:35:22.815-05:00

While digging into the history of photography for the masses, it occurred to me that I hadn't seen that old folding camera of Grandpa's since moving into the new house. In a fit of obsessive compulsiveness, down came the ladder to the attic space above the garage and up I went. I didn't find it right away, of course. If I'd known which box it was in, I probably wouldn't have felt the need to

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-3208492962044056002009-06-22T07:03:00.005-05:002009-06-22T07:45:52.037-05:00

Most of you know, by now, that I've never reproduced. (Some – myself included – would say that this is a good thing, but that's a discussion for another day.) But don't let my lack of biological offspring deceive you into thinking that I spend Father's Day sitting alone and bitter, surrounded by power tools purchased to dull the pain. Oh no.For instance, this year the cats gave me a humorous

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-32603067244142954742008-12-06T12:41:00.010-06:002009-06-22T07:20:31.088-05:00

In 2001 BB ("Before Blogging"), I was diagnosed with a malignant but slow-growing variety of thyroid cancer. While going through some old directories on my computer, I stumbled on a web page diary I kept at the time to keep friends and family up to date. I figured I'd post those entries here because, in retrospect, the whole experience was sort of funny.25 April, 2001: Mysteries and MayhemA

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-70716421671204850282008-12-07T08:30:00.005-06:002009-06-22T07:19:52.120-05:00

22 May, 2001: Status UpdateI had my appointment with the endocrinologist and, although he shared with me that my situation doesn't fit any of the classic profiles for thyroid problems, he was able to tell me, with some certainty, the following: My pituitary is working fine and doesn't indicate any kind of tumor. Basically, the pituitary secretes a Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (or TSH), which

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-34121453116610299512008-12-08T13:00:00.005-06:002009-06-22T07:19:06.871-05:00

5 June, 2001: On Pins and NeedlesWell, needles, at least. I had my biopsy this morning and, while it falls way down my list of Bad Things™, it's not an activity in which I'd care to participate on a regular basis. True, the needles themselves weren't diameter of a coffee stirrer, as one of my 'friends' had claimed, but there's a bit of fishing around; by the 5th and 6th samples, I was pretty

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-87719902000884598482008-12-09T13:04:00.008-06:002009-06-22T07:18:27.309-05:00

25 June, 2001: Meeting the SurgeonI had my first appointment with the surgeon who will be removing my thyroid, and we spent about an hour getting acquainted and discussing the procedure. A trim, neat man in his late 40's, he spoke with a soft Texas drawl and drew diagrams of the throat and thyroid on a napkin (I wish I'd kept this to scan). He used this impromptu teaching aid to explain

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-18403590040038552292008-12-10T13:13:00.006-06:002009-06-22T07:17:45.234-05:00

3 July, 2001: The AftermathHere's what happened. I went in to the hospital this past Friday, June 29, and things got underway pretty much on schedule. My buddy Kyle took me there and hung around to keep me company, which I was glad for, because I'm a big crybaby and was feeling pretty nervous. Around 12:00, John, the day nurse, came in, gave me some pills to take, and warned me that I'd be

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-77302707726259267102008-12-11T12:00:00.008-06:002009-06-22T07:16:43.923-05:00

25 July, 2001Went to see the doctor (surgeon) today. More blood work to check my calcium and phosphorus levels. There's not really anything new to report about my condition, except that the doctor is happy with my healing and has set his assistants to working out the next steps with the endocrinologist. So far, I've had a call back saying that the endocrinologist's office is saying I'll probably

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-45411437521819252502008-12-12T13:17:00.007-06:002009-06-22T07:16:05.996-05:00

1 August, 2001I had my appointment with the endocrinologist this morning. No poking or prodding or bleeding, this time around, but I got some answers about where we go from here. He seems pleased with my recovery to date and confirms that I'll be off my hormone pills until August 13. At that time, I'll go to his office and take my "magic bullet", which is how he refers to the I 131 treatment. No

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-9199051885015403182008-12-13T13:20:00.006-06:002009-06-22T07:15:22.380-05:00

2 October, 2001Went back for another follow-up today, and the doctor says he thinks everything is right on track. I told him that I thought my dosage is still too low, and he said that we'd just have to wait for the blood tests to come back on that.(Note: A week and a half later, I got a copy of the test results in the mail, along with a new prescription for a higher dosage.)24 March, 2002I'm

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-52694060666614838382009-04-01T19:15:00.004-05:002009-04-01T19:21:03.155-05:00

[5:20am, scant seconds after silencing the clock radio with a slap across the top of its head] Turtle: I'm sorry. Foo: What? Turtle: The cupcakes. [dramatic pause. freshly-wakened neurons stretch, sputter half-heartedly, and ultimately shrug non-existent shoulders] Foo: What the hell? Turtle: 'Cause my leg kicked out. Foo: Honey, what are you talking about? Turtle: I don't know.

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-80673433905805121042009-03-14T08:27:00.023-05:002009-03-15T17:11:48.556-05:00

Most anyone who has read this blog for any period of time knows that I had a smallish run-in with thyroid cancer, back in 2001. Most cautiously agree that I'm cured – except the life insurance providers, of course – but ensuring that I stay that way demands a certain level of vigilance. What that means is that I must periodically submit myself to a week-long protocol of injections, followed by

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-8589067609860542562009-03-10T07:08:00.007-05:002009-03-10T07:29:26.615-05:00

Act I[6:30am CST]Co-worker: [from a cubicle in the next row] Who's that I hear rustling around? Who's crazy enough to be here at this time of the morning?Foo: It's just me.Co-worker: What are you doing here so early?Foo: I've been here this early for about 14 years.Co-worker: That's just crazy.Foo: Think about that, the next time you consider dragging me into a meeting at 4:00. It could be just

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-58187823808403047302009-03-04T07:33:00.000-06:002009-03-04T07:33:59.589-06:00

Every workday for the past seven years, I've gotten out of bed, showered (and sometimes shaved), and then packed myself a lunch. If I'm reasonably awake, I make a sandwich, select some sort of fruit cup and maybe a pudding, bag up some manner of Frito-Lay product, and pack it all neatly inside a purpose-made Cordura® nylon lunch bag. If I'm not so awake, I may grab a hot pocket or a Lean Cuisine

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-11462174126474237872009-02-25T20:02:00.001-06:002009-02-26T07:21:20.818-06:00

I suppose it was bound to happen, eventually. This past weekend, I was down at Geek Heaven MicroCenter picking up a new surge protector I needed after rearranging Turtle's office. After standing in the checkout line for… well, ever… I finally got my turn at the register. I swiped my credit card and prepared to snatch my receipt before sprinting to the door. “Sir,” the kid behind the register

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-82903523471251899522009-02-10T12:47:00.015-06:002009-02-10T12:55:51.888-06:00

You know the economy is in the toilet when… The boss calls your team in for an emergency meeting. He prefaces his remarks with something like, “Well, I have some Bad News. I know this is something you're not going to want to hear, but…” He then proceeds to announce that there will be no raises this year. You're not only not surprised, but you realize that, under the circumstances, it doesn't even

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-56534874302863672542009-02-05T18:06:00.059-06:002009-02-05T18:36:14.795-06:00

Wow. It's been a month to the day since my last post here. That and the fact that you haven't seen any comments from me in your blogs should give some idea how I've been spending my time. If you're not the clue getting sort, let's just say I've been working. A lot. Before you start to suspect this is the beginning of a whinge, let me assure you that it's not. In an economy as bad as ours is (and

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-40320296172857394012009-01-05T06:56:00.002-06:002009-01-05T07:15:54.122-06:00

In the earlier years of internet availability, it was pretty unusual for some new time sink web toy to come along without my noticing. These days, I seem to be the last to know. Maybe it's because I'm a lot busier than I used to be, or maybe I'm just getting old, but I arrived a little late to the blog party. I only got on Twitter a month or so ago, not because I could see the point (lacking, as

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-54625793904291570342009-01-05T06:05:00.002-06:002009-01-05T06:28:20.562-06:00

6:05am, and I'm in a little earlier than usual, thanks to a 4:57 wake-up call that came in the form of a cat throwing up a hairball all over the afghan under which Turtle was sleeping. It's probably just as well that I got an early start, though. By the time we went to bed last night, the local news outlets were already whipping themselves into a lather about the potential for rain – and not

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-55878256789122658382008-12-30T08:45:00.000-06:002008-12-30T08:53:41.838-06:00

I don't usually pay a lot of attention to music or video mashups, but there was one that came across Blip.fm recently that blew my mind. And so I'm sharing the love. Check out DJ Lobsterdust's “Epic Black Rock”, a slick Frankenstein's monster of a rock juggernaut made up from Faith No More's “Epic”, AC/DC's “Back In Black”, and Queen's “We Will Rock You”.

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-21782534509221249012008-12-30T06:46:00.003-06:002008-12-30T06:52:52.153-06:00

Thieves Target Salvation Army, Three Other Dallas Charities Police are looking for thieves who broke into several Dallas charities over the holiday weekend, including the state headquarters of the Salvation Army on Harry Hines. Detectives do not believe the burglaries were committed by the same people. Link Not committed by the same people? Oh, well… that's not so bad, then.

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18647948.post-64322432064033509942008-12-28T08:13:00.001-06:002008-12-28T08:17:38.306-06:00

Oh. That seems straightforward enough. (A tip of the propeller beanie to my lovely bride, who sent me the link to this video.)

Foohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15326549003460148154noreply@blogger.com0