What person in their right mind with 6 kids would undergo fertilization treatment? Oh yeah, the dumb bitch that just had 8 more. All through in vitro. And without a partner.
Now, let's put aside her mental and financial condition for a minute. What doctor in his/her right mind would agree to this knowing her history? Or, what health plan would cover it?
This last point is important because as the government gets more and more involved in health care decisions (and with Obama as president and Daschle in his cabinet--if he pays his taxes it will), one thing they'll talk about is reigning in costs. The Prez talks about using technology to reduce costs, but at some point, someone's gonna have to talk about rationing care. Yup, doctors not treating everything.
Our country's attitude towards no limit health care does increase costs. We want every procedure, every new test (OK, that's also driven by avoiding malpractice suits), and every new drug. When Oregon tried to do this in the 90's, the health care reformers in the Clinton administration were less than happy. And it's the same folks running things now in that arena.
However, we cannot control health care costs without limits on care. Rationing care pits the interests of those who are sick with rare, but expensive to treat conditions against providing more basic care to the poor. With even more limited funds, a government funded system that is getting less revenue cannot do both. Policy decisions will have to be made as to where to draw the line.
Oregon ranked conditions and their treatments and every two years the legislature decides where to draw the line based on the state's budget. Forgetting about the scary part that politicians do this instead of doctors, someone (some group) will have to do this. And that's because we, the health care consumer, and doctors, who only get reimbursed for doing something, can't say no. But, if we want less expensive health care, we're going to have to. Even if that means not having more than 6 babies through in vitro fertilization.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Getting Together
Had a good time with my grad school buddy. We grabbed a few beers and beef/sausage sandwiches (ah, how I love the midwest) and talked about family, movies, cars, travel, sports, etc. It was great to get caught up with him.
There's a conference we both normally go to in New Orleans in April where I hope to catch up with him again. I don't know if I'll be able to make it given how close it is to a family trip to Gettysburg/New York for Spring Break. Hopefully I can make it work.
The wife and I were in NOLA with him and his ex several years ago. We had a great time. Watched Tennessee beat Auburn, ate some great seafood and drank way too much. We nursed our hangovers the next morning at a place with a wooden alligator in front and the most amazing bloody mary's.
To our next good time together (clink).
There's a conference we both normally go to in New Orleans in April where I hope to catch up with him again. I don't know if I'll be able to make it given how close it is to a family trip to Gettysburg/New York for Spring Break. Hopefully I can make it work.
The wife and I were in NOLA with him and his ex several years ago. We had a great time. Watched Tennessee beat Auburn, ate some great seafood and drank way too much. We nursed our hangovers the next morning at a place with a wooden alligator in front and the most amazing bloody mary's.
To our next good time together (clink).
City with Cold Broad Shoulders
Sorry for the posting delay. It's been a crazy week getting the NZS II setup at school, work and traveling. Bad Chat Wrecker!
Chicago's fine. Not too cold and the hotel is surprisingly quiet considering how close it is to Midway airport. I'm doing some work for the waste water treatment agency. In the irony department, they have a sign over the toilet reminding people to flush.
Tonight I'm getting together with a friend of mine from grad school for drinks and dinner. He pulled some minor strings to re-arrange a business trip for when I'm here. He lives about 2.5 hours away, so I'm glad he's making it up here. He grew up in the Chicago 'burbs and he always finds cool places for us to go when we meet up here. Funny, we almost never get together in a city where either of us currently lives.
Tomorrow's a short meeting day, but I'm not sure I'll be able to catch an earlier non-stop back home. It's OK. I've got plenty of work to do and with the HB having Friday afternoon play rehearsal getting home early doesn't buy me any extra family time (the NZS II has a soccer game that I won't be able to catch regardless of my flight schedule). Glad I have those extra Southwest drink coupouns.
Chicago's fine. Not too cold and the hotel is surprisingly quiet considering how close it is to Midway airport. I'm doing some work for the waste water treatment agency. In the irony department, they have a sign over the toilet reminding people to flush.
Tonight I'm getting together with a friend of mine from grad school for drinks and dinner. He pulled some minor strings to re-arrange a business trip for when I'm here. He lives about 2.5 hours away, so I'm glad he's making it up here. He grew up in the Chicago 'burbs and he always finds cool places for us to go when we meet up here. Funny, we almost never get together in a city where either of us currently lives.
Tomorrow's a short meeting day, but I'm not sure I'll be able to catch an earlier non-stop back home. It's OK. I've got plenty of work to do and with the HB having Friday afternoon play rehearsal getting home early doesn't buy me any extra family time (the NZS II has a soccer game that I won't be able to catch regardless of my flight schedule). Glad I have those extra Southwest drink coupouns.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Arrival of the NZS II
The NZS II came into LA with his compatriots on Wednesday. After a few days of fetes they scattered to the winds and he moved in with us. The HB was pretty excited, but having gone through it once it was not another out-of-the-skull experience.
I ran around yesterday with the NZS II getting him a SIM card for his phone, checking out laptops and the like. For dinner, we went to an LA institution, El Cholo, so he'd get some really good Mexican food. While we waited for our table (btw--their magaritas are the best), he went through a standard list of questions about living in our house. He assured him that we are not ogres looking to enslave an NZ high school student. He's fairly convinced at this point.
This will be his toughest week as he doesn't start school until a week from tomorrow and he doesn't know too many people yet (he might some local high school kids Friday night). I'll take him tomorrow to get enrolled in school and then take him to a soccer match. I've lined it up for him to meet some of the NZS I's friends there. Hopefully he'll hit it off with a few of them so he'll have someone to eat lunch with next week.
A bummer is that I need to travel on biz to Chicago later in the week (brrrrrrrrr), so he'll have even fewer amusements. I'm guessing that his Wii skills will improve imensley and that he'll be DYING to go to school by Monday.
Today's my nephew's 16th birthday. I'm looking forward to seeing him.
I ran around yesterday with the NZS II getting him a SIM card for his phone, checking out laptops and the like. For dinner, we went to an LA institution, El Cholo, so he'd get some really good Mexican food. While we waited for our table (btw--their magaritas are the best), he went through a standard list of questions about living in our house. He assured him that we are not ogres looking to enslave an NZ high school student. He's fairly convinced at this point.
This will be his toughest week as he doesn't start school until a week from tomorrow and he doesn't know too many people yet (he might some local high school kids Friday night). I'll take him tomorrow to get enrolled in school and then take him to a soccer match. I've lined it up for him to meet some of the NZS I's friends there. Hopefully he'll hit it off with a few of them so he'll have someone to eat lunch with next week.
A bummer is that I need to travel on biz to Chicago later in the week (brrrrrrrrr), so he'll have even fewer amusements. I'm guessing that his Wii skills will improve imensley and that he'll be DYING to go to school by Monday.
Today's my nephew's 16th birthday. I'm looking forward to seeing him.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Crying Over Your Own Spilled Milk
The outgoing administration and their apologists are obviously having a hard time letting go. I understand that power is intoxicating and that it's a bitter pill to swallow when the guy who just won the election did so by repudiating your policies. But, sheesh, what a bunch of crybabies.
To their credit, the Bushies played nice during the transition. However, I don't think being decent earns you a pat on the back. They seem to think that being nice trumps the reality of the people voting against them and wanting a new way of running the government.
The thing that gets me the most was that the problems and issues Obama mentioned in his inaugural speech were things of Bush's making, not any natural disaster. To listen to these whiners, nothing's there fault and/or everything they did was right. That makes you wonder how they got their asses handed to them in the election.
To their credit, the Bushies played nice during the transition. However, I don't think being decent earns you a pat on the back. They seem to think that being nice trumps the reality of the people voting against them and wanting a new way of running the government.
The thing that gets me the most was that the problems and issues Obama mentioned in his inaugural speech were things of Bush's making, not any natural disaster. To listen to these whiners, nothing's there fault and/or everything they did was right. That makes you wonder how they got their asses handed to them in the election.
Monday, January 19, 2009
MLK Day and the Inauguration
I had the HB yesterday morning and we drove around running some errands and talked about MLK Day and President Obama. He knew that Obama spoke from where King did on the Mall yesterday and has a reasonable idea (for a 9 year old) who King was and what he stood for.
It's going to be hard to gauge the meaning of today's inauguration. On one hand, having an African-American sworn in as president is something many people of my generation did not think we'd see. Considering that no other Western democracy has sworn in a racial or religious minority as president/prime minister, it shows our country's capacity to (somewhat) look past race. Yes, Hillz supporters, I know that many of them have elected a woman to the highest office in the land. Just try to imagine if a Jew or Muslim was elected prime minister in Europe. Or someone of African descent leading France. Fat fucking chance.
But, Obama's swearing in isn't going to cause rainbows to appear and unicorns to prance in Lafayette Park. Will it melt away some cynicism and partisianship in DC? One can only hope. Last November the electorate demanded something different in our politics, but more importantly, in our country's culture. Hell, if the Cardinals can make the Super Bowl, I guess anything is possible.
It's going to be hard to gauge the meaning of today's inauguration. On one hand, having an African-American sworn in as president is something many people of my generation did not think we'd see. Considering that no other Western democracy has sworn in a racial or religious minority as president/prime minister, it shows our country's capacity to (somewhat) look past race. Yes, Hillz supporters, I know that many of them have elected a woman to the highest office in the land. Just try to imagine if a Jew or Muslim was elected prime minister in Europe. Or someone of African descent leading France. Fat fucking chance.
But, Obama's swearing in isn't going to cause rainbows to appear and unicorns to prance in Lafayette Park. Will it melt away some cynicism and partisianship in DC? One can only hope. Last November the electorate demanded something different in our politics, but more importantly, in our country's culture. Hell, if the Cardinals can make the Super Bowl, I guess anything is possible.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
More Reading
I'm glad that Lola commented on yesterday's post because there was more I wanted to write on the topic. Specifically, the emphasis on what should be read versus what is read.
There's nothing magic in reading. The letters are arbitrary and the human brain can decode just about any set as long as they follow certain rules. It provides us with two things: An expedient way to communicate (you don't have to hear everything from a person's mouth) and the opportunity to be exposed to knowledge an ideas. If you could travel and hear great minds lecture you would have access to the same amount of information.
If you are reading ANYTHING you are being exposed to something, whether it's news, comics, literature, or porn. The NEA seems to think that some reading (e.g.,"literature") is better for you than other kinds. I think that's bullshit.
First, "literature" is arbitrary. The NEA includes poetry under this heading. So, that means a dirty limerick is the same as Angelou, right? Also, tastes and criticism change, so today's literature is tomorrow's racist drivel from old white dudes, and vice versa.
Second, to say that reading "literature" is better for you is crap. Where's the data that demonstrates that freely reading "literature" causes any positive outcome. The Bible is said to be great literature, but it's read by scoundrels and kings. It's an argument based on class: upper class people are exposed to this kind of writing, therefore it must be good for you.
As a society, we should want people to be exposed to ideas as this makes us better thinkers and decision makers. Whether that's done by the written word on a page (and I believe that will fade once someone gets the electronic book thing right) or watching writers on YouTube doesn't matter. It's the exposure that counts and when you read anything you are making your mind think.
The next go around, the NEA should keep their "eat your vegetables because they are good for you" approach to reading on the shelf. They should spend more time capturing how and how much we read than what we read. They can then sell the results to book companies and help the budget deficit.
There's nothing magic in reading. The letters are arbitrary and the human brain can decode just about any set as long as they follow certain rules. It provides us with two things: An expedient way to communicate (you don't have to hear everything from a person's mouth) and the opportunity to be exposed to knowledge an ideas. If you could travel and hear great minds lecture you would have access to the same amount of information.
If you are reading ANYTHING you are being exposed to something, whether it's news, comics, literature, or porn. The NEA seems to think that some reading (e.g.,"literature") is better for you than other kinds. I think that's bullshit.
First, "literature" is arbitrary. The NEA includes poetry under this heading. So, that means a dirty limerick is the same as Angelou, right? Also, tastes and criticism change, so today's literature is tomorrow's racist drivel from old white dudes, and vice versa.
Second, to say that reading "literature" is better for you is crap. Where's the data that demonstrates that freely reading "literature" causes any positive outcome. The Bible is said to be great literature, but it's read by scoundrels and kings. It's an argument based on class: upper class people are exposed to this kind of writing, therefore it must be good for you.
As a society, we should want people to be exposed to ideas as this makes us better thinkers and decision makers. Whether that's done by the written word on a page (and I believe that will fade once someone gets the electronic book thing right) or watching writers on YouTube doesn't matter. It's the exposure that counts and when you read anything you are making your mind think.
The next go around, the NEA should keep their "eat your vegetables because they are good for you" approach to reading on the shelf. They should spend more time capturing how and how much we read than what we read. They can then sell the results to book companies and help the budget deficit.
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Orwell on the Rise
As the seconds tick away on the Bush II presidency, it's good to know that his administration's Alice in Wonderland interpretation of facts hasn't given up the ghost. The latest example is the NEA's report Reading on the Rise.
The report trumpets the increases in number of people who read in the US (the First Lady wouldn't have it any other way). However, a closer look at the data makes me wonder.
For instance, they separate readers based on whether they read "literature" or not. Huh? Who gets to decide what's "literature"? And, what does it matter what people read (more about that in a minute). In fact, if you go to page 10 of the link above, you'll see that book readers (book reading defined in the survey as something not required by work or school) have actually declined since the last survey. Funny how that's not the headline of the report.
The report occasionally mentions online reading, but I doubt that they have the longitudinal data to draw any conclusions. Good luck to the researchers in classifying what people read online.
The snobbishness of the study kills me. Why differentiate between "literature" and book reading? Maybe the books being read today will be considered tomorrows literature? I think they found the one positive result (people are reading more fiction in school!) and cherry picked it to make themselves look good. Like all other Shrub departments, don't let the facts get in the way of your agenda.
The report trumpets the increases in number of people who read in the US (the First Lady wouldn't have it any other way). However, a closer look at the data makes me wonder.
For instance, they separate readers based on whether they read "literature" or not. Huh? Who gets to decide what's "literature"? And, what does it matter what people read (more about that in a minute). In fact, if you go to page 10 of the link above, you'll see that book readers (book reading defined in the survey as something not required by work or school) have actually declined since the last survey. Funny how that's not the headline of the report.
The report occasionally mentions online reading, but I doubt that they have the longitudinal data to draw any conclusions. Good luck to the researchers in classifying what people read online.
The snobbishness of the study kills me. Why differentiate between "literature" and book reading? Maybe the books being read today will be considered tomorrows literature? I think they found the one positive result (people are reading more fiction in school!) and cherry picked it to make themselves look good. Like all other Shrub departments, don't let the facts get in the way of your agenda.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Back At It
After last week's craziness, it was good to get back to work. I'm at a key point in a project with Hong Kong and I just got a new batch of data from a client today with more coming before the end of the week. OK, don't remind me, the HB's got a four-day weekend, but I'll get through it.
I booked my flight to Chicago for the end of the month. Now it looks like I'll be going to Michigan before the end of February. So much for enjoying LA's record high temps this week. The timing's not so good in that the NZS II will be moving in with us next weekend, but with the wife on pins-and-needles regarding her funding (we'll know more at the end of Feb), I'll take the good work when I can get it.
I booked my flight to Chicago for the end of the month. Now it looks like I'll be going to Michigan before the end of February. So much for enjoying LA's record high temps this week. The timing's not so good in that the NZS II will be moving in with us next weekend, but with the wife on pins-and-needles regarding her funding (we'll know more at the end of Feb), I'll take the good work when I can get it.
Monday, January 12, 2009
Walking In the Past
I mentioned in a previous post that my uncle (my father's younger brother) and his wife moved into the same apartment building in the city where my grandparents lived. Going there to meet up with them for dinner on Saturday was somewhat odd.
I should say that the neighborhood has changed quite a bit for the better since I had been there. It was a few blocks between the building and where I parked and I noticed many more restaurants and food stores than before as I hustled my ass through the cold wind.
The foyer of the building had been redone since I was there last, but it was still very recognizable. The color scheme around the elevators and in the hallways were the same. The building was financed by the local teachers union and setup as a co-op. As my grandmother was a teacher, she and my grandfather lived there for what seemed like next to nothing. So, of course, there were lots of retired teachers living there.
My uncle's place is on a different floor than my grandparents' was, but the place was unmistakable and brought back a lot of good memories. I remember watching fireworks from their roof (32 stories up) and swimming in the rooftop pool as a kid.
One good thing that I noticed was that it didn't smell like like a well-cleaned nursing home, nor did I hear TVs being blasted at full volume. Perhaps there are fewer old folks there than before?
Getting ready to leave my aunt and uncle's place yesterday, it occurred to me that I would never be in that house again. It was always the central spot for happenings on my mom's side of the family and it will be weird not going there after weddings, funerals, anniversaries, etc. Mentioning this to my cousin, we talked about the fun stuff we did as kids at the different aunt's and uncle's houses. One time we had so many people at my house, a bunch of us slept in a trailer my parents borrowed from a friend. I told her that if this summer we run into that problem for my parents 50th anniversary that her son and the HB could camp in the backyard. Good times, past and future.
I should say that the neighborhood has changed quite a bit for the better since I had been there. It was a few blocks between the building and where I parked and I noticed many more restaurants and food stores than before as I hustled my ass through the cold wind.
The foyer of the building had been redone since I was there last, but it was still very recognizable. The color scheme around the elevators and in the hallways were the same. The building was financed by the local teachers union and setup as a co-op. As my grandmother was a teacher, she and my grandfather lived there for what seemed like next to nothing. So, of course, there were lots of retired teachers living there.
My uncle's place is on a different floor than my grandparents' was, but the place was unmistakable and brought back a lot of good memories. I remember watching fireworks from their roof (32 stories up) and swimming in the rooftop pool as a kid.
One good thing that I noticed was that it didn't smell like like a well-cleaned nursing home, nor did I hear TVs being blasted at full volume. Perhaps there are fewer old folks there than before?
Getting ready to leave my aunt and uncle's place yesterday, it occurred to me that I would never be in that house again. It was always the central spot for happenings on my mom's side of the family and it will be weird not going there after weddings, funerals, anniversaries, etc. Mentioning this to my cousin, we talked about the fun stuff we did as kids at the different aunt's and uncle's houses. One time we had so many people at my house, a bunch of us slept in a trailer my parents borrowed from a friend. I told her that if this summer we run into that problem for my parents 50th anniversary that her son and the HB could camp in the backyard. Good times, past and future.
Saturday, January 10, 2009
Philly Art
I took my brother to the airport today and was then going to meet up with my aunt and uncle in their new apartment in Center City, which is in the same building where my grandparents lived (more about that in another post).
So, since I had some time to kill, I went to the Philadelphia Art Museum. It's like a mini-Met. Very encyclopedic and dismissive of most art created after the Impressionists.
It was the first time I had been there since they took down the Rocky statue from the top of the stairs. It wasn't quite like going to NYC since the twin towers came down, but it was still very weird.
But, there was a particular painting I did want to see that the museum recently acquired. It's The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins.
I wish Blogger would allow for a larger image, so be sure to click on the link above. It is such a cool painting. It was executed in 1875 when "real" medicine was still new and a source of wonder. Gross was, in a sense, the Michael DeBakey of his time in that he was a great surgeon, teacher, researcher and writer. Eakins not only romanticizes Gross, but also the new science. Powerful stuff and you can see why the paining hung at the Thomas Jefferson medical school for so long.
What I didn't expect to find was another Eakins painting, The Agnew Clinic (use the link for a larger image), on the same subject matter which was executed 14 years later.
Note that the focus is more on the surgical team than Agnew. More importantly, compare the men observing in the surgical theater. In the Gross painting, all of the students are paying rapt attention. In the Agnew painting, some are and some aren't. It was painted in 1889, what we now would consider still being the dark ages of medicine. Yet, it seems old hat to these medical students. Just as we consider some of our infant sciences (e.g., biotechnology) as state-of-the art, even though they are very young.
Some trips to the museum are more than worth the effort.
So, since I had some time to kill, I went to the Philadelphia Art Museum. It's like a mini-Met. Very encyclopedic and dismissive of most art created after the Impressionists.
It was the first time I had been there since they took down the Rocky statue from the top of the stairs. It wasn't quite like going to NYC since the twin towers came down, but it was still very weird.
But, there was a particular painting I did want to see that the museum recently acquired. It's The Gross Clinic by Thomas Eakins.
I wish Blogger would allow for a larger image, so be sure to click on the link above. It is such a cool painting. It was executed in 1875 when "real" medicine was still new and a source of wonder. Gross was, in a sense, the Michael DeBakey of his time in that he was a great surgeon, teacher, researcher and writer. Eakins not only romanticizes Gross, but also the new science. Powerful stuff and you can see why the paining hung at the Thomas Jefferson medical school for so long.
What I didn't expect to find was another Eakins painting, The Agnew Clinic (use the link for a larger image), on the same subject matter which was executed 14 years later.
Note that the focus is more on the surgical team than Agnew. More importantly, compare the men observing in the surgical theater. In the Gross painting, all of the students are paying rapt attention. In the Agnew painting, some are and some aren't. It was painted in 1889, what we now would consider still being the dark ages of medicine. Yet, it seems old hat to these medical students. Just as we consider some of our infant sciences (e.g., biotechnology) as state-of-the art, even though they are very young.
Some trips to the museum are more than worth the effort.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Hangin' with my Cousins
One of the benefits of coming to Philly is that I get to hang with my cousin. On my mom's side of the family there's 12 of us, including me and my brother. While only four still live in Philly, it is ground zero of our get togethers. So, while most of the mourners went their separate ways tonite, I got together with one of my cousins and her hubby as, by coincidence, they had a sitter already lined up for tonight.
We started at one of my fave cheesesteak places in Philly, Chubby's, then went to the Manyunk section of town for a couple of drinks. It was great getting caught up with them. My cousin used to have a decorative plate business, but gave it up to home school her son (who's the same age as the HB, pretty smart, but has some significant behavioral issues) and take care of her mom (my aunt) who is in a nursing home after suffering a signfiicant stroke 4 years ago. Her hubby, who's a great guy, is a computer programmer. The wife and I hang with them when we can. In fact, when another one of my cousins got married in Santa Barbara, the four of us went wine tasting and were totally smashed by the time we got to the rehearsal dinner.
So, we got caught up about the kids, work, etc and generally had a really good time. I wasn't surprised by it because the 12 of us have always had a pretty special bond. This was the big reason I came out here this weekend. I know they'll do the same for me and my brother when the time comes.
We started at one of my fave cheesesteak places in Philly, Chubby's, then went to the Manyunk section of town for a couple of drinks. It was great getting caught up with them. My cousin used to have a decorative plate business, but gave it up to home school her son (who's the same age as the HB, pretty smart, but has some significant behavioral issues) and take care of her mom (my aunt) who is in a nursing home after suffering a signfiicant stroke 4 years ago. Her hubby, who's a great guy, is a computer programmer. The wife and I hang with them when we can. In fact, when another one of my cousins got married in Santa Barbara, the four of us went wine tasting and were totally smashed by the time we got to the rehearsal dinner.
So, we got caught up about the kids, work, etc and generally had a really good time. I wasn't surprised by it because the 12 of us have always had a pretty special bond. This was the big reason I came out here this weekend. I know they'll do the same for me and my brother when the time comes.
Funeral Day
First off, it was fucking freezing today. I can't believe it made the 30s and it was windy. This made the time at the grave site very challenging. But, I'm ahead of myself.
Despite the cold, a lot of people came to the memorial service. Lots of old friends of the family and relatives and muckety-mucks from my uncle's company. My uncle had been very active in his synagogue for a while and he and the rabbi were close, so he gave a stirring and personal eulogy. The overall theme was not dark, rather more a celebration of his life. Of course there was sadness, but things were not morose.
For whatever reason, my aunt and uncle had bought funeral plots far away from their home and it seemed like it took forever to get there, even when running the red lights. I road out with my brother and uncle (on the other side of the family). At the grave site, the rabbi tried to make things short due to the cold. Everyone was pretty composed until the first dirt hit the plain pine coffin. There is no sound I know of that speaks to the finality of death.
We went back to my aunt and uncle's house. It seems weird that no one lives there anymore after the countless family events that took place there. My guess is that my cousins will sell it, although one made some noise about moving in.
Tonight some are going to religious services which I'm going to skip. I'm going to hook up with a cousin and her husband and grab a cheesesteak and a beer (or two).
Despite the cold, a lot of people came to the memorial service. Lots of old friends of the family and relatives and muckety-mucks from my uncle's company. My uncle had been very active in his synagogue for a while and he and the rabbi were close, so he gave a stirring and personal eulogy. The overall theme was not dark, rather more a celebration of his life. Of course there was sadness, but things were not morose.
For whatever reason, my aunt and uncle had bought funeral plots far away from their home and it seemed like it took forever to get there, even when running the red lights. I road out with my brother and uncle (on the other side of the family). At the grave site, the rabbi tried to make things short due to the cold. Everyone was pretty composed until the first dirt hit the plain pine coffin. There is no sound I know of that speaks to the finality of death.
We went back to my aunt and uncle's house. It seems weird that no one lives there anymore after the countless family events that took place there. My guess is that my cousins will sell it, although one made some noise about moving in.
Tonight some are going to religious services which I'm going to skip. I'm going to hook up with a cousin and her husband and grab a cheesesteak and a beer (or two).
Phreezing in Philly
OK, it's not that cold here (probably in the 20s now, getting into the 30s). My flight was early arriving last night, which was good as I got to see most of the second half of the BCS game. Here's what we learned from the college bowl games:
1) The Big-12 was WAY over-rated and they can't play defense. When those high scoring offenses played against good defenses they were very pedestrian.
2) The Big 10 gets worse and worse. You know things are bad when your best bowl game is a moral victory (OSU only losing by 3). At least the one Big 10 win was against Spurrier (heh).
3) 'SC's loss to Oregon St. wasn't so bad afterall.
4) Does Mack Brown thing Texas would have tied Florida?
5) Utah got screwed
I spoke to the wife last night and connected via Facebook with some of the NZS's friends. By all accounts yesterday's final goodbyes were heart-wrenching and full of tears. The HB kept things well in perspective: He was here and it was cool, and I'll see him again. The HB thought it was pretty cool that due to the length of the flight on the time change the NZS won't have a Friday. He plans on sending him an e-mail today to remind him.
I'll be heading off to the funeral in about an hour. I'm getting the sense that since my uncle chose his final path there isn't the same sadness as when his wife (my aunt by blood) died 18 months ago. Of course, that might all change once the proceedings start.
Turns out that I was in error booking my return flight as it's right in the middle of the Eagles game. I told my cousin's husband that I'd change my flight to a bit earlier so he won't have to miss the 1st quarter taking me to the airport.
I spoke to the wife last night and connected via Facebook with some of the NZS's friends. By all accounts yesterday's final goodbyes were heart-wrenching and full of tears. The HB kept things well in perspective: He was here and it was cool, and I'll see him again. The HB thought it was pretty cool that due to the length of the flight on the time change the NZS won't have a Friday. He plans on sending him an e-mail today to remind him.
I'll be heading off to the funeral in about an hour. I'm getting the sense that since my uncle chose his final path there isn't the same sadness as when his wife (my aunt by blood) died 18 months ago. Of course, that might all change once the proceedings start.
Turns out that I was in error booking my return flight as it's right in the middle of the Eagles game. I told my cousin's husband that I'd change my flight to a bit earlier so he won't have to miss the 1st quarter taking me to the airport.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
The Penultimate Day for the NZS
The NZS heads out tomorrow night. I booked my flight to Philly at around 1pm (which doesn't get me there until 10:30pm), so I won't be here to officially see him off. That sucks, but my hands were pretty much tied. A cousin-in-law will pick me up and seeing as he's a big college football fan, I'm sure he'll have the FL-OK game on the radio (or at least know a place where we can catch the 4th quarter).
The talk before the Rotary Club went well. The NZS had a pretty good outline and covered the high points. He was well received and several people came up and chatted with him afterwards. We then went to his high school and got him officially withdrawn from classes and he had a chance to hang with some buds for the last time (though a few will be at the airport tomorrow).
For his last dinner he wanted something American, so I made jambalaya. I made it as mild as I could, but he and the HB still thought it was too spicy...lol.
Having the NZS here has been a great experience for all of us. It has really opened the HB's eyes to the world and has really stoked his interest in travel. The wife was a bit skeptical at first, but she really warmed up to him. Most of all, the NZS made some great friends and had an experience he'll always remember. He met a lot of people and saw a lot of things (including our election) that he neve would have on his island. And I guess that's what going on the exchange is all about.
As with all big life things, him going home is bittersweet. It's been great having him, but it will be nice to let go of the resonsibility and have a bit more quiet and flexibility in the house. He misses home and his parents miss him. I wish him well and I'll miss him.
The talk before the Rotary Club went well. The NZS had a pretty good outline and covered the high points. He was well received and several people came up and chatted with him afterwards. We then went to his high school and got him officially withdrawn from classes and he had a chance to hang with some buds for the last time (though a few will be at the airport tomorrow).
For his last dinner he wanted something American, so I made jambalaya. I made it as mild as I could, but he and the HB still thought it was too spicy...lol.
Having the NZS here has been a great experience for all of us. It has really opened the HB's eyes to the world and has really stoked his interest in travel. The wife was a bit skeptical at first, but she really warmed up to him. Most of all, the NZS made some great friends and had an experience he'll always remember. He met a lot of people and saw a lot of things (including our election) that he neve would have on his island. And I guess that's what going on the exchange is all about.
As with all big life things, him going home is bittersweet. It's been great having him, but it will be nice to let go of the resonsibility and have a bit more quiet and flexibility in the house. He misses home and his parents miss him. I wish him well and I'll miss him.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Uncle Update, Finis
My mom called this afternoon. My uncle passed at about 4pm, his time. The funeral's going to be Friday morning in Philly (partly cloudy, mid-30s is the forecast). I'll figure out my travel plans later tonight, but my guess is that I'll catch an afternoon flight on Thursday and stay through Sunday. Ironically, I'll get to watch the Eagles playoff game in Philly with my cousins.
My uncle and my dad knew each other for 60+ years and were best men at each other's weddings. My family has a bad habit of introducing future couples at such events. I don't believe in heaven or hell, but I know that he's no longer in pain.
My uncle and my dad knew each other for 60+ years and were best men at each other's weddings. My family has a bad habit of introducing future couples at such events. I don't believe in heaven or hell, but I know that he's no longer in pain.
Uncle Update, #2--Drip, Drip, Drip
I just spoke with my mom. My uncle now doesn't know where he is and the nursing staff has been asked not to restart his pacemaker if it goes off.
My folks are planning on taking the red-eye tonight to Philly. I'm beginning to think that I won't be here when the NZS leaves.
My folks are planning on taking the red-eye tonight to Philly. I'm beginning to think that I won't be here when the NZS leaves.
Monday, January 5, 2009
Uncle Update, #1
I spoke to one of my cousins a little bit ago. My Uncle's (her father) been moved to a room in ICU. They have him on pure oxygen (doesn't that sound WAY better than it really is?) and a morphine drip for the pain. That tells me that the end is near. I don't think I'll get the phone call tonight, but I gotta believe it will come before the end of the week.
My Uncle is Dying
I just heard from my mom and my uncle (the husband of her sister who died about 18 mos ago) is on death's door. He's got a very bad case of emphysema (yes, he was a serious smoker) and has been in and out of the hospital a lot of late. Last night/this morning he went back in and has refused to be put on a ventilator. I don't blame him. Hopefully he can hang on until his youngest daughter can get there from 200 miles away (his other three kids live nearby) and then get a big ol' dose of sedatives so he doesn't know it when he suffocates.
He was one of the original executives with a cable company back in the 70s...back when only people who couldn't get TV reception had cable TV. This led him to live in some backwater places in the south (the first region in the country to get cable), but he eventually headed up his company's negotiations in England and Japan.
I remember as a kid (I must have been about 12) we had a family get together out here and someone decided that we should go deep water fishing. So, we packed up a ton of sandwiches and headed to the port to catch our boat. We got horribly lost in the port complex and my uncle's driving through ruts and over railroad tracks, etc. Someone expressed concern for the car's well being, to which my uncle replied, "Eh, screw it, it's a rental." I use that expression to this day.
I spoke with him last week after the Eagles made the playoffs (he almost bit my head off when I called the week before while the game was in the last few minutes against the Redskins). He could barely put two sentences together before being out of breath. I'm glad that we had a chance to talk then, especially since he was in a good mood. I'm afraid that will be the last time I'll have the opportunity.
He was one of the original executives with a cable company back in the 70s...back when only people who couldn't get TV reception had cable TV. This led him to live in some backwater places in the south (the first region in the country to get cable), but he eventually headed up his company's negotiations in England and Japan.
I remember as a kid (I must have been about 12) we had a family get together out here and someone decided that we should go deep water fishing. So, we packed up a ton of sandwiches and headed to the port to catch our boat. We got horribly lost in the port complex and my uncle's driving through ruts and over railroad tracks, etc. Someone expressed concern for the car's well being, to which my uncle replied, "Eh, screw it, it's a rental." I use that expression to this day.
I spoke with him last week after the Eagles made the playoffs (he almost bit my head off when I called the week before while the game was in the last few minutes against the Redskins). He could barely put two sentences together before being out of breath. I'm glad that we had a chance to talk then, especially since he was in a good mood. I'm afraid that will be the last time I'll have the opportunity.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Too Much Time in the Kitchen
I (finally) got around to listening to Guns 'n Roses' Chinese Democracy today. Not being one to worry about all of Axl Rose's moods and fits (I lived through enough of that going to GNR's shows) I was never concerned about whether the album got made or finished. My wife was at a guy's job talk, he made a joke about how long it took him to finish a particular research paper and called it his Chinese Democracy. She said she was the only other person in the room to get the joke.
Listening to the record it is clear that Rose viewed GNR as the band that made Use Your Illusion I & II, not Appetite for Destruction. Which is fine, the best artists grow and change. The problem is that at least 3 songs were very BIG (think November Rain on steroids) and sounded like the closing tune. And they sample from Cool Hand Luke, again.
The playing on the record is very good, but there's just too much of it. There are many places where some silence, or at least less than 3 guitars and an orchestra, would have been welcomed. With all the re-recording, overdubs, etc., the songs completely lack sponteneity and the electricity of great musicians playing off of each other. This tells me that all of the time it took for Rose to put this together did not lead to the best result.
On the good side, the songs are complex and play off of Rose's vocal strengths. The guitar playing is great. It's just a case where a LOT less would have been a lot more.
By coincidence, Death Magnetic comes right after Chinese Democracy on my mp3. The Metallica record sounds so much fresher and intense. And it didn't take 13 years to make.
Listening to the record it is clear that Rose viewed GNR as the band that made Use Your Illusion I & II, not Appetite for Destruction. Which is fine, the best artists grow and change. The problem is that at least 3 songs were very BIG (think November Rain on steroids) and sounded like the closing tune. And they sample from Cool Hand Luke, again.
The playing on the record is very good, but there's just too much of it. There are many places where some silence, or at least less than 3 guitars and an orchestra, would have been welcomed. With all the re-recording, overdubs, etc., the songs completely lack sponteneity and the electricity of great musicians playing off of each other. This tells me that all of the time it took for Rose to put this together did not lead to the best result.
On the good side, the songs are complex and play off of Rose's vocal strengths. The guitar playing is great. It's just a case where a LOT less would have been a lot more.
By coincidence, Death Magnetic comes right after Chinese Democracy on my mp3. The Metallica record sounds so much fresher and intense. And it didn't take 13 years to make.
Thursday, January 1, 2009
Rose Bowl
Beer's wet, the sun rises in the east and USC creamed another Big 10 team (Penn State) on New Year's Day. This was the 3rd year in a row in the Rose Bowl, and a couple of years before the streak started they hammered Iowa in the Orange Bowl. The final was 38-24 (giving some bettors a heart attack as PSU almost covered the spread in the last few minutes), but the game wasn't even that close. 'SC clobbered them. PSU tried to play the "no one respects us card," but they weren't respected in this game for good reason. These things go in cycles, but right now the best in the Pac-10 is just better than the best in the Big-10 (note that that Pac 10 won all 4 of their bowl games, the Big 10 has only won one with one remaining).
I watched the game (sorta) with my dad who is a Penn State grad. He excused himself pretty early on to go play solitaire on his computer or some such shit. I brought the NZS to my parents house so he could say goodbye to them, but it was pretty clear he didn't get much sleep last night and he snoozed through most of the game (he was rooting against USC). So, basically, I could have saved the gas and watched the game on a bigger, HDTV at home. Oh well.
In a big surprise, Lynn wrote on my facebook wall wishing USC well. Last week I got a holiday card from her and her bf. Weird.
Tomorrow will be a pseudo work day. I have one task to accomplish. Once I do that I'm going to return a back-up xmas gift I got for the NZS and use a giftcard to get Guitar Hero World Tour. That'll lead to a productive rest of the day;-)
I watched the game (sorta) with my dad who is a Penn State grad. He excused himself pretty early on to go play solitaire on his computer or some such shit. I brought the NZS to my parents house so he could say goodbye to them, but it was pretty clear he didn't get much sleep last night and he snoozed through most of the game (he was rooting against USC). So, basically, I could have saved the gas and watched the game on a bigger, HDTV at home. Oh well.
In a big surprise, Lynn wrote on my facebook wall wishing USC well. Last week I got a holiday card from her and her bf. Weird.
Tomorrow will be a pseudo work day. I have one task to accomplish. Once I do that I'm going to return a back-up xmas gift I got for the NZS and use a giftcard to get Guitar Hero World Tour. That'll lead to a productive rest of the day;-)
Hey 2009!
Happy New Year's Day! I hope that you had a great NYE.
We had a couple and their daughter over. We had also invited another family, but they bailed on us due to some husband/wife miscommunication. The made us a bit apprehensive because conversation with the first couple can be a bit one-dimensional. However, it turned out to be a fun night. Lot's of good food (by popular demand I made the xmas ziti), cards and laughs.
After our guests left at about 12:30, we cleaned up the kitchen, toasted 2009 and headed upstairs for a proper way to ring in the new year (heh).
When it come to holidays, New Year's is second behind Halloween in my book. Even though it's the middle of winter it always seems to be a nice day here (I think the Tournament of Roses committee has witches on its payroll to make it so) and there's TONS of football on. OK, this year the Rose Bowl (USC vs. Penn State) is the only intriguing game today, but still. It's a good excuse to get together with friends you didn't see the night before and hang out for the day. Funny, I seem to usually have a worse hangover on Jan 2nd than New Years day.
I still with the Vols were playing today, but that's life.
T minus 1 week for the NZS. The reality has definitely set in for him.
We had a couple and their daughter over. We had also invited another family, but they bailed on us due to some husband/wife miscommunication. The made us a bit apprehensive because conversation with the first couple can be a bit one-dimensional. However, it turned out to be a fun night. Lot's of good food (by popular demand I made the xmas ziti), cards and laughs.
After our guests left at about 12:30, we cleaned up the kitchen, toasted 2009 and headed upstairs for a proper way to ring in the new year (heh).
When it come to holidays, New Year's is second behind Halloween in my book. Even though it's the middle of winter it always seems to be a nice day here (I think the Tournament of Roses committee has witches on its payroll to make it so) and there's TONS of football on. OK, this year the Rose Bowl (USC vs. Penn State) is the only intriguing game today, but still. It's a good excuse to get together with friends you didn't see the night before and hang out for the day. Funny, I seem to usually have a worse hangover on Jan 2nd than New Years day.
I still with the Vols were playing today, but that's life.
T minus 1 week for the NZS. The reality has definitely set in for him.
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