Episode 242: Book Club
In which Stephanie learns to laugh
at herself . . .
again.
October 20, 2007
October 7, 2007
I Promised
I promised, myself mostly, that I would post this weekend. A bit of this and that:
I saw my onc on Tuesday, and once again, I am doing fine. I still have some pain, but he doesn't seem to think it is the cancer advancing. So, what am I dealing with? Could be adhesions, so I just keep on doing the best I can and try not to worry.
I've been busy at work, well, that sort of goes without saying, but I'm saying it anyway. Why? Well, I am supposed to be cutting back on my hours and now I have overtime. Oops! Next week, I'll take time off. One good thing, for those of you who are familiar, I have finally finished proofing the Guide. 'Nuff said!
Knitting: I should be posting some photos. So I will.
This is a pair of socks I knit for a friend of mine in Columbus. She also has pancreatic cancer and is still undergoing chemotherapy. She commented that the chemo makes her cold and that she wears her husband's wool socks to keep her feet warm. I thought she might like a pair of purrty socks of her own to keep her feet warm, so I knit them out of some lovely purple Trekking XXL. I like them so much that I am knitting a pair for myself. Slightly different yarn, but same pattern.
And this is my "knitting jewelery". Isn't it beautiful? Kristen made them for me. (For you non-knitters, they are place markers. You slip them on the needle to mark either the beginning, the middle or whatever you want to keep track of.) I just loved them against the really great yarn. They make me want to knit only in purple!
Books: Since my surgery gave me time to sit and read, well, I did. And now that I am back to work, I am still. Daddy goes to work at around 9:30 and I go to bed and read for about half an hour. (So don't call after 9:30. I'll be in bed and I don't want to get up.) Well, I'd like to tell you about some of the books I have read lately. I read The History of Love by Nichole Kraus. Very good, if a bit confusing at first. It was so good that I wanted to start back at the beginning, but I refrained because I wanted the book club to read it with me. We will be discussing it Oct 20th. Last month we read (at my suggestion) Three Bags Full - a murder mystery solved by sheep. Sound quirky? Yes, that is how I am coming to be known in the book club -- suggester of quirky books. And there is one more, The Face of a Naked Lady. Again, quirky. And very good. It is a family memoir, though very different from another one I also read - A Family Romance. Interesting, but not nearly as good a The Face of a Naked Lady. I also read Final Exam by Pauline Chen. Very interesting. (Jude, you must read this one!)
On to movies. Uncle Claude gave me a subscription to Netflix to recover with. I suppose I'm not fully recovered because I haven't given up my subscription. I have gotten hooked on quirky (yes, it rears it's ugly head again!) Australian movies. It started with The Dish, a story about the space race. Funny, touching and unexpected. Then I watched Muriel's Wedding. Okay, but it had gotten some aclaim in the US, so not such a discovery. Then Daddy and I watched Strictly Ballroom. Funny, touching and wonderful. Maybe I should find out who the directors are (or are they all by the same guy?) and see if I can find more.
Anyway, that is all for this week. I expect to be in Columbus next weekend visiting my little Li-Lu. Oh, and his parents. No, really, we are going to go visit the whole family. I've missed my little Liam the Lima bean! So if you don't hear from me for a week or two, that's okay.
A bientot.
September 22, 2007
Is Ceramic Archaic?
I don't think ceramic itself is archaic, but is the word "ceramic" archaic?
Here is why I ask. I have had this experience twice in two different years (2005 and 2007) in two different cities (Mentor and Cleveland Heights) in two different franchises (Panera and Starbucks). The one constant was that the servers were both young men, one black, one white.
I walked into the coffee shops in question and asked for a large ceramic cup in which to make a cup of tea. In both cases, the young man in question reached behind himself with a slightly puzzled look on his face and brought forward a Styrofoam cup. In both cases, I wasn't sure what was going on. (I'm a slow learner.) I am afraid to say, I took it a bit personally and was offended, maybe even a bit huffy. I am sorry for both times, really, I am. I promise that in the future, I will speak slowly and use smaller words.
I pointed out to both of the young men that what they had in their hands was not ceramic. They both shrugged and looked even more perplexed. I said, "That is Styrofoam; I would like ceramic." At this point, the light started to go on in the attic. The one young man admitted that he didn't know what ceramic meant, the second just got a different cup, since I didn't seem happy with what he was proffering.
In both cases, I did get my tea, in a ceramic cup, and I was happy. But I was perplexed as to whether the term "ceramic" was archaic, or if I was for using it.
ce·ram·ic (sÉ™-răm'Äk) pronunciation
n.
1. Any of various hard, brittle, heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials made by shaping and then firing a nonmetallic mineral, such as clay, at a high temperature.
2.
1. An object, such as earthenware, porcelain, or tile, made of ceramic.
2. ceramics (used with a sing. verb) The art or technique of making objects of ceramic, especially from fired clay.
[From Greek keramikos, of pottery, from keramos, potter's clay.]
ceramic ce·ram'ic adj.
(I don't see archaic in there anywhere.)
November 12, 2006
New York
Here we are, as promised. A short post on New York. With some photos.
Okay, okay, so it turned out to be a long post. Sorry.
August 24, 2006
Over The Hill
I declare myself officially Over The Hill as of today. How do I know this, you ask? I was in Wal-Mart this afternoon. No, that doesn't do it alone. It is what transpired there.
I picked up some school glue for a project we are doing with the women in the SMART program. You know me, I always have to have a messy art project in there somewhere. We are going to be making collages reflecting hopes, fears and what they bring to the program. I have been advised by "Those Who Know" (artist types) that glue sticks will only hold for about a week or two and that either Elmer's type or rubber cement are better choices. I want these on display, so Elmer's it had to be. Since everyone is gearing up for back to school, the glue was very cheap (9 cents!).
Then I got to thinking, it's messy! What is the best, easiest way to clean fingers after using this stuff? Baby wipes! Of course! But the diapers and such didn't seem to be in the Health and Beauty aisle. I saw a slightly scruffy looking stock boy, so I asked him, "Can you tell me where the diapers are?" He looked me over quickly and responded,
April 22, 2006
Chemo Brain
That is what my cancer support group calls it; Daddy calls it Gemzar Brain. Same thing and it has to do with brain fog.
February 26, 2006
And a good time was had by all
Last night was the annual Ayyam'i'Ha party at Aunt Cindy's. She claims that the reason she does this every year is so that her house gets at least one good cleaning, but don't let her fool you. She loves every minute of it -- and so do we. But seriously, we did have a good time. Here are a few more photos I won't make you work for.
January 24, 2006
Interesting things catch my eye
I find that things that I might not have thought of as meaningful strike me differently these days. I have been drinking giner tea that Rae brought me as it helps to settle my stomach in the morning. My faithful Red Rose doesn't sit as well. I am down to one cup of 'real' tea a day, usually in the afternoon. Anyway, the brand of the ginger tea is Yogi and they have little taglines similar to Salada. Today, my tag line was "It's not life that matters; it's the courage that we bring to it."
December 11, 2005
The downside of being upbeat
The downside of being upbeat is that people believe me!
They ask how I am doing, and I say fine, meaning pretty well, considering that the surgery I am recovering from is more difficult to recover from than open heart surgery, and they hear, "Fine!" as in, fine, totally fine and back to my normal self.
December 10, 2005
Confessions of a project slut
Okay, I admit it -- I am a project slut. How many projects do I have started that will never get finished? Well, that is part of the problem; I don't even know, nor do I really want to. Suffice it to say, too many!
November 6, 2005
Fraud! Fraud!
I feel like the biggest fraud going -- and pretty soon, the world will find out that I have been duping them.
September 24, 2005
Raspberries
For those of you who don't believe that there are such things as golden raspberries, here they are.View image
September 1, 2005
Congratulations to Sony!
They made a camera that survives being dropped in the toilet!
June 28, 2005
The Pleasant Things of Life
Mara got me thinking of. I have been known, once or twice, to dwell on the unpleasant things of life and after reading her blog, I decided to do an inventory of the joys I find.
I have added a few things at the bottom, so if you have read this already, you need to revisit.
May 24, 2005
Stuff & Clutter
We went to Rae's graduation this last weekend. Had a good time.
Nathan hasn't been around (on the blogs or Skype) because his computer was stolen. Polite thief. Even nodded to Nae on the way out the door. But this is his story; let him tell it. And if this isn't so, then let him deny it. (Nae, we miss you!)
May 14, 2005
I've Been Slimed!
I just deleted 106 blog comments from the likes of Texas Holdum and Baby Names or Bracelets, or whatever. Doesn't matter, but they are gone. I feel so disappointed when I see that there is an update and then I don't see anything. But all better now.
March 6, 2005
We're Back!
Well, I suppose this is a test to see if I can maneuver around the new interface or whatever Nathan has done to this site. I don't know about you guys, but everything is crowded into about one fifth of the screen on the left. I can fit about three to five words on a line, depending on the size of the words.
March 2, 2005
I have a book I want you to read
I am reading Expecting Adam by Martha Beck. We are reading it for bookclub. Now before you dismiss it out of hand for being a book club book, let me tell you a bit about it.
March 1, 2005
CLOSED!
Yes, it is official! The comments are closed due to spammers! Dirty, rotten scoundrels! I want my blogs back!
February 28, 2005
This is a test
Is this not the coolest thing? I just learned this! I can put color in things! Oh, folks, you have some fun posts to look forward to.
Though maybe difficult to read.
And somewhat time consuming to execute.
But fun anyway!
February 27, 2005
There is something funny going on
There is something funny going on with our blogs. First, I checked the index. I always do that so I can see where there are new comments or entries. No point in checking a blog if there has been no activity for 3 weeks.
February 16, 2005
Ohio Haiku
Rain. Snow melts today;
I find a wet newspaper.
Date? Jan 12, 05
Rain. Snow melts today;
I find a wet newspaper.
Date? 1/12/05
February 13, 2005
I am a Crone
I am learning to embrace my crone-ness. Here is how I came to realize I was becoming a crone. And it definitely is a process.
Well, first, people give me more respect than I have earned. Sort of that deference to old age.
Second, I have gone through menapause (and survived).
Third, I know more than younger people. Not all younger people and not on all subjects, but enough of both to qualify.
January 30, 2005
My favorite picture of Mara and Me
December 22, 2004
Pollyanna vs. Shaun of the Dead
Aunt Cindy invited me over for a bowl of soup and to watch her newest favorite movie, Pollyanna. It was a PBS Masterpiece Theater that she had tried to record, but got started too late, so bought the video. She was so excited about it. I got there, we had supper, Ev retired to the family room. Alana and I talked knitting, while Cindy cleaned up and puttered.
December 13, 2004
It’s Snowing
I know, I know. It’s December in Northeast Ohio, so of course it is snowing . . .
November 29, 2004
The House is Quiet
The house is quiet . . .
November 13, 2004
Let Them Eat Cake
Thank you, Mara.
October 13, 2004
The New Me!
Yes, there is a new me! Did I have an extreme make-over? No, something even more drastic . . .
October 6, 2004
Hi, my name is Stephanie. . .
and I am a fruitaholic.
October 3, 2004
I'm a Gramma!
Yes! It's true! For pictures, continue reading!