Saturday night-- and I'm not focused.

Am finding it difficult to choose a persuasive topic for my next speech.

I've read the chapter.

I've picked everybody's brains for their choices of topics.

I still can't commit.

Key items in selecting a topic are: knowing your audience (three of us are 35 or older and female) and the rest are 19 or 20 and male. Quite a difference of demographics there. If there wasn't quite such a large discrepancy; it might be easier to choose.

Choose a subject you are passionate about. Argh....there are so very many topics of which I am passionate.

The institutes of God (the Trinity), marriage and family.

Responsible Parenting.

Christian and well-rounded (or classic type) academic educations. Mandatory latin courses!

Responsible pet-ownership.

Political and civil responsibility including (but not limited to) being informed of current events and the foundations that our rights are founded upon- the Constitution.

American patriotism.

Personal accountability.

Proactive stances in health-care (not a demand for socialized insurance programs) but that the patient is given more credibility and that doctors are less likely to assume symptoms and diagnosis rather than taking a few additional moments to interact with the patient and find out if there are underlying and/or simultaneous ailments occurring.

Exercising the right to vote.

Exerice... on a pole or on the way to the poll!

Allowing other's free speech even when it's disgusting and in poor taste- because FREE SPEECH really IS what it's all about!

Healthy well-balanced outlooks.

Looking for the objective viewpoint.

There is nothing better than a classic romantic comedy for any afternoon.

The house of blues really DOES rock!

Trying new tastes and views- like Italy! or Oregon! ;-)

Total honesty- of course, tempered with kindness if it's a hurtful one.

Cats ARE people, too!

Art is subjective-- enjoy the parts you like and don't knock the rest.

Chocolate... it should be a part of the food pyramid.

Recognizing a good thing before and during the event rather than only afterwards.

The need to set a goal, and keep after it 'til it's complete.

It should be mandatory for all homeowners to plant perennials. Okay- that's a little out there- but, a nice sentiment nonetheless! Reckon I'm getting tired?? Hee hee!

Argh. I'm not getting anything writ! But this BLOG!

What to do? What to do? Maybe tomorrow I'll figure it out. In the meantime- I have an excellent idea for another blog subject! Dirty secrets and the family skeletons... when to say "mum"? when to blab? or blog as the case may be?? Tune in next time.....

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy!

Today marks the 21st birthday of my beloved son!

This photo is from birthday "5"- one of those milestones that passed all too quickly.

Since he's not really one for the spotlight, there won't be any big family celebration. His diet-choices have even stymied his Dad's suggestion of his former "favorite" pizza- so knowing how to honor this new adult is difficult. His Grandmother is fixing his favorite beef roast- and as soon as I get back from class I'm going to whip up one of his old favorite desserts-- a peanut-butter Jello mix.

So-- what do you give to the young man that is contemplating entering the nation's military and serving his country? I still think in terms of Legos and clever Disney characters to purchase for him- and yes, he does appreciate them still and to this day! Though his preference runs toward the sci-fi the older he gets- so, I won't be buying Transformers like items unless he specifically requests it.

This date has additional special meaning for me. My sister-in-law, Anita, served as my birthing coach and was a major player throughout. G-mother got me to the hospital on time and Anita was there (even before us) for the big event! While Byron was there- his role was more in observance and to count fingers and toes! He actually had that accomplished before the pediatrician on hand! I couldn't have gotten through that day without them- thanks all!

Happy Birthday, my Baby-Boy. My now adult-son.

Love you-

Mom

Happy 98th Birthday to Mae!

Ida Mae- my dear grandmother (known to all of us simple as "Mae") is celebrating her 98th birthday today! She just beamed when we sang to her this morning- and she's looking forward to seeing all of her grandchildren this afternoon!

The official "party" will be tomorrow and some very dear cousins will join us.

I have made a double batch of chocolate/butterscotch cookies and Mom has prepared three cakes. Our friend, Mr Sandy- will be making her a very special coconut cake and she overheard us discussing it today while I was checking to see if he needed any additional supplies he responded that he had about 20 white cakes mixes on hand already! I repeated that and she misunderstood and her eyes got big-- I just looked at her and said very casually- "oh, he's going to make a 20 layer cake unless you'd rather have it 98?" when she finally broke into a grin!

I think she'd rather we not make such a big deal of it- but, how often does a girl get to this age? In my family- this is the longest anyone has managed! Granddaddy made it to 97 and was so trying to make it to 100.





This photo is from Mae in her college days.

Wasn't she a dish?

I know that my grandmother was a wonderful dancer! Though my grandfather was crippled- he didn't mind her "taking a spin" with any number of their friends. My mom saw her dance once- I belive. Mae has told us of the best dancer partner she ever had- a fellow teacher when she was Dean of Women and taught at the Women's College in Magnolia. She said he was so light on his feet- that she fairly flew!

Mae's style has always been impecable. She knows what is "fitting" and still admonishes both my mother and myself to adhere to it- fashion wise. Looking at her in these pictures makes me realize from what a wonderful woman I'm descended. Knowing her as well and as long as I have- allows me to appreciate certain aspects that I never grew to with my other grandmother, Nancy (also a fine example of womanhood). I can only hope that if I should live as long as Mae- that I will be able to deal with life in the gracious manner that she has.

A true Southern woman.

With a lovely Carolina accent to her speech.

Happy Birthday, Mae! and May you continue to have Blessings and Grace in abundance!

Quiet Reflections....

"We who live in quiet places have the opportunity to become acquainted with ourselves, to think our own thoughts, and live our own lives in a way that is not possible for those who are keeping up with the crowd."

- Laura Ingalls Wilder


I just LOVE Laura! She has such good insight!

While my life these days is anything BUT quiet... of late I have lived in solitary. So have certain others. It really has given the benefit (time and space) to recognize those things that are important.

If you've been acquainted with my personal life and have made certain prayers on our behalf- please be aware that those many prayers have been answered.

Without going into any detail- I want you to understand that what has transpired recently is remarkably like the Berlin Wall. It came down quickly and without a shot being fired. Though many rocks are still left to be picked up and removed from that rubble- there are at least two people working on the project now (and metaphorically speaking) perhaps a garden will be the end result.

I appreciate all the support and love that you have provided. I try (really hard!) not to preach from this forum as it was designed to be primarily lighthearted and informative- but, to be honest... God's Word has not come back void, the Promises He has made have been proven once again and I claim Romans 8:28 ..."al things work together for good..." Since my beliefs are so closely linked to my levels of creativity- it's necessary for me to share with you- this good news.

I sincerely believe that my life has been blessed. With parents & siblings, husband & child, inlaws and friends (that's in order of appearance- not necessarily order of importance!) because if you don't know already- I'm here to tell you... my God is a loving God and He has given grace in measure beyond belief. Grace that transcends physical and material objects.

In other words-- I'm good. LIfe's good. And, like Laura observes- being in a quiet place without distractions allows us to be honest with ourselves.

If you can take the time for your quiet place- do. If you have to- make the time. I'm looking forward to a not-so-quiet place but, I'm ready for it!

~S

"How do People Die?"

The following is the speech I presesnted this morning -Dr A said it was the "most well-written outline he'd ever EVER had!" Yippeee! Now, if I could only present as well as I write! Ugh. Totally went over the time limit and had a couple of visual aid malfunctions- only scored an 84% but, it's OVER! I do have to present it again (in a longer format) as a lecture for Life-Fitness Concepts later this week... at least it's DONE and needs nothing else to be done!

I'm exhausted and going to take a nap. If you read this whole thing- you'll be taking a snooze, too!

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
HENDERSON STATE UNIVERISTY
ORAL COMMUNICATIONS
SUMMER II- July 16, 2007

Title: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) OR "How Do People Die?"

GENERAL PURPOSE: To inform of the silent killer: DVT

SPECIFIC PURPOSE: To inform of the risk and management of DVT

CENTRAL IDEA: Causes of hyper coagulability leading to the risks of Deep-Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and/or Pulmonary Embolisms (PE) occurance, diagnosis and treatment, and to raise general public awareness.

SUPPORTING MATERIALS:
1. Factor V Leiden/thrombophilia Support Site: http://www.fvleiden.org/
2. DVT Prevention site: https://www.preventdvt.org/
3. Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec04/ch046/ch046a.html
4. Venous Thromboembolism: http://www.clevelandclinicmeded.com
5. National Library of Medicine and Health http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6. http://ask.yahoo.com/20051128.html, National Vital Statistics Report, 2006
7. http://www.genome.gov/15015167


I. INTRODUCTION

200,000 Americans will die throughout the year from deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) and/or pulmonary embolism (PE); more than from drunk drivers, AIDS, breast cancer or homicide.

DVTs are treated in 2 milllion Americans each year. Of those patients developing a first-time diagnosis of DVT- 75% were not aware of the risk- factors prior to the event and were unaware that there are preventative measures.

I have had multiple episodes of DVT since 1987 and suffer from resultant chronic post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS).

II. Risk Factors
A. Inherited or acquired predisposition to thrombophilia.

Thrombophilia is the tendency to clot or a blood-disorder. As a child I was fascinated with the Queen Victoria and her descendants- one in particular was Prince Alexei of Russia, a hemophiliac, whose mother's reliance on Rasputin to treat his bleeding helped bring about the end of Imperial Russia. Other than that- I had never heard of blood-disorders and to be honest- I found their murders much more fascinating.

1. it wasn’t until 1998 that there even existed a test to determine the most predominant clotting disorder, Factor V Leiden. Before that time, many folks died of clots not knowing why they had clotted.

I was diagnosed with Factor V Leiden heterozygous (one of two mutated genes) in Spring of 2007. The tests haven’t been performed yet to determine the presence of Proteins CNS and can only be drawn when I am off of blood-thinner, a risk in and of itself.

2. Five% of Caucasian Americans and 1% of African-Americans have FVL.

B. Cancer, Trauma, Advanced Age or Unhealthy Life Habits or Situations

Autoimmune disorders such as lupus, acute medical illness with restricted mobility, and certain heart or respiratory diseases can cause blood-clots or pulmonary embolism.

1. 60% of patients undergoing major surgery, such as hip replacement, who remain immobile in bed after operations without preventive treatment may develop clots

2. Age, smoking and obesity contribute greatly in the episodes of DVT.

3. Airline passengers on long-haul flights call it “economy class syndrome” and office workers that remain seated at their computers for extended periods of time without taking breaks (often called “desk jockeys”) account for 34% of DVT/PE.

C. Women’s Issues
Women are at a higher risk for DVT. Birth-control pills, Pregnancy and Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) are all contributing factors.

1. Healthy women taking oral contraceptives have a three- to fourfold increased risk of developing a DVT or PE compared with women who do not take birth control. Women with factor V Leiden who take OCPs have about a 35-fold increased risk of developing a DVT

2. PE is the leading cause of maternal death associated with childbirth. A woman’s risk of developing VTE is six times greater when she is pregnant.

My first known episode of DVT was at age 24 during childbirth, with repeating and devastating occurances in two additional pregnancies.

While doing family genealogy it was discovered that one great-grandmother died not long after pregnancy. If you are researching family medical history- In the “old days” it was often called “milk leg”.

III. Symptoms

Often called the “Silent Killer” because as many as half of all DVT episodes
produce minimal symptoms. A number of other conditions display similar symptoms and mask the true culprit until the misdiagnosis can be corrected or results in death.

1. Leg pain, swelling (called edema), tenderness, discoloration or redness of the affected area and skin that is warm to the touch are the most significant of DVT presentations.

2. PE events are characterized by chest pain, shortness of breath, heart
racing or pounding, passing out or sudden death. These episodes can be a result of a fragment of clot breaking loose from the vein wall and traveling to the lung or a clot forming directly in the lung.

3. Symptoms frequently misdiagnosed include: charley horse, muscle sprain, twisted ankle, sore or achy muscles.

4. PTS or post-thrombotic syndrome occurs in 20-50% of patients after a dvt-event and usually is established within the first 2 years after the acute thrombotic episode. It is a disabling chronic condition consisting of leg pain, swelling, hardening or calcification of veins and skin and ulcers.

IV. Diagnosis

While there is a blood-test to determine if the blood is too thick- only x-rays or ultrasound are thorough in their conclusion.

1. Venous ultrasound is the least invasive of the tests.

2. Contrast Venograms are x-rays that display the clots by injecting radiographic material into a superficial vein.

3. EKG, Chest x-rays, arterial blood-gas and lung scintigraphy for PE’s.


V. Treatment
Treatment for DVT, PE and PTS are limited - all medications increase the risk of bleeding, allowing for bruising and are one of the hardest drugs to manage with interactive medications.

A. For clots caught early in development- clot busters (tPA) may be administered.
B. Blood thinners take a while to regulate and require rigid prothrombin monitoring. Foods rich in vitamin K (leafy green vegetables), soybean, green tea and a a variety of herbal supplements are to be avoided.
1. Heparin injections may be given through IV or injections.
2. Lovenox injections must be given subcutaneously (in the belly).
3. Coumadin or the generic , warfarin is commonly called rat-poison.
C. Leg elevation with compressive therapy and/or extremity pump.
D. Compression stockings or TED hose are the mainstay of therapy- many times the extremity must be custom fit which takes additional time, is expensive, and not covered by many insurance's companies including the Medicare system.

VI. Famous celebrities having DVT or PE.

A. Survivors
1. Vice-President Dick Cheney
2. former Vice-President Dan Quayle
3. HIllary Clinton, former first-lady and NY senator
4. Lainie Kazan, actress “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”
5. Terry Francona, Manager Boston Red Sox
6. Victoria Principal, actress “Dallas”
7. Ian Anderson, lead singer & flutist for “Jethro Tull”
8. Bonnie Bernstein, sports-journalist ABC-Sports and ESPN

B. Deaths due to blood-clots or related events.

1. David Bloom, NBC journalist, FVL
2. Shawntinice Polk, University of Arizona basketball player
3. Tammy Wynette, Country singing star
4. Harry Agganis, aka “the Golden Greek” Boston Red Sox
5. Dan Blocker, actor of “Bonanza” fame
6. Cesar Romero, actor played the Joker in TV-series “Batman” aka “The Latin Lover” and “Cisco Kid”

CONCLUSION: Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) is a common but elusive illness that can result in suffering and death if not recognized and treated effectively. You can prevent DVT- Don’t smoke! Exercise regularly! Be aware of subtle symptoms if sitting for long periods of time.

Mush, mush and more mush!

This is pretty neat! It was on the soccer field next to my Life-Fit class this afternoon. I thought it was because it had been raining so much- and just had to shoot it. Came home and googled it- and this is what I found!

The name fairy ring comes from an old folk-tale. People once believed that mushrooms growing in a circle followed the path made by fairies dancing in a ring. Fairy rings are found in open grassy places and in forests.

The largest fairy ring in North America is recorded at Olympic National Park and spread over 600 feet in diameter, meaning those fungal systems are 500 to 700 years old. One ring formed in France by the fungus Clitocybe geotropa is almost a half mile (600 m) in diameter. This ring is thought to be 700 years old.

Can you imagine?

So... just what causes a fairy ring? Imagine my surprise to discover that all those 'shrooms are part of just one organism!

A huge threadlike, musty-smelling mass, called a mycelium, lies beneath the Fairy Ring. This fungus is the culprit. It starts small, maybe a spore or with fungus pieces. Growing outward in all directions, it secretes chemicals in the ground ahead to prepare the way. The chemicals break down living matter and release nutrients for the advancing fungus.

For a brief time, the grass ahead flourishes. Then the fungus reaches the lush area and feeds. Like an advancing horde, the fungus strips the land of food, moves on, and abandons the stripped turf. That's why it forms a widening ring-to gain new ground and food. That's why the grass behind dies-it starves. Mushrooms, the fruit of the fungus, spring up just behind the outer edge of the fungus.

Cool, huh?

~S

Speech! Speech!

first off- I'd like to thank my gardener, my cousin's therapist and the local EMT squad. If it hadn't been for all of them- I'd never have made it to see you here tonight on this occasion: the inaugural meeting of the Guild for Grammatolatry Obstreperous Tardis and Cat Lovers.

Oh! Wait!

Wrong speech. Cheezy grin!

Okay- I was yanking your chain! I'll admit it! You knew to expect it! Admit it- if you read my blog- you already KNOW me and how I love to say "gotcha!". But, the audience I presented the following speech to this morning doesn't have that type of rapport with me, nor have they had the opportunity to read y'stdays entry (some of which I used and will be repetitive to you) and it worked! You should have SEEN the expressions on the faces! Too bad the camera was trained on me! I'd have given anything for you to have seen Dr. A's face!

I made it through my first speaking assignment. And, it was fun...once I quit shaking!

To be honest- I was as nervous as a cat; and you could almost see me shedding. No- wait. I already had that on there, compliments of Samson! If there is someone to be acknowledged- it would be Sam. He sat with me through all the drafts. And, the practice speeches. He's a very good listener. If you want to practice your speech- come on over... he'll listen. Wrigley will, too- but, he won't sit through the whole thing without begging for a treat.

Anyway- I made an 94% for an autobiographical speech. Get this-- he counted off for (his quote) "you keep standing on one leg". DUH! Yeah? No kidding! HA! I wonder if I should tell him you can't count off for disability? I'm just not even going there! I'm happy enough with 94. If he gave me those points back then some of those freshmen would have to really work their fannies off. Nah. One of the young women is Pakistani (sp?) and she REALLY did a beautiful job on her speech- that's who those freshman really have to compete. She's a whippersnapper!

However, next week's speech is "informational" and I also have to have one for Life-Fit that is health-related but not a "worn-out" topic. One student is a ballerina and will discuss special diet for their skin needs and another is to present how to get the proper fit of shoes. This is a no-brainer for me. I'm going to speak on Factor-V and blood disorders. Kill two birds with one speech and let him "figure it out". I really do look forward to hearing those speeches in Life-Fit though! It's a kinda cool class... the focus is more on the training aspect than the nutritional and I'm being encouraged to join the Health club as there is a Zumba instructor in our midst and she's just SURE I'll love it and she's gonna work with me (no charge!) on other regimens. Woohoo! I'd better buy a new bra- ROFL!

Oh. Zumba. https://www.zumba.com/index.cfm

And.... now.... for the Speech! Forgive the outline form. It was required and I'm not gonna go reformat now- hey! I'm a college student! I need to be STUDYING not BLOGGING for pete's sake! But, this is where I get most of my thoughts released-- so.... without further ado.....

I. Introduction:

To describe my life thus far as typical- would be accurate. Except for the UFOs. LIke many of you, (students of traditional age), I never really figured out what I wanted to do with my life- a friend likens this familiar scenario to a “wireless router looking for an IP address”. As a 20-year old, the one thing I really knew- “for sure & for cert” was: that I wanted to be married and to be a mother. That’s when the UFOs began to appear. They’ve been showing up regularly ever since. I probably should explain. My term UFO describes an UnFinished Object- not an extraterrestrial.

My reason for taking this Oral Communications course is to begin attacking the UFO’s and this assignment offers a chance to reflect on what will be necessary to “making the connections.”

II. Defining me by my different names and how I got them is one way to figure out where I’ve been and identifies a UFO.

A. My legal name is Sarah S~~~ K~~~ D~~~~. I am named for one great-grandmother and another g-grandmother’s family.

B. Most of my friends and family call me Sally- a recognized nickname for Sarah- (like Jim for James). Some call me Sarah-Sally. When I was in the first-grade a student from the local Indian reservation transferred to our class and the only English word she knew was our name: Sarah. It was much easier for me to answer to the nickname and let her be called by the more formal name.

C. My son calls me “Mom”. I’ve had that name for almost 21 years.

D. My virtual persona is arkyartist. I create and write under that name. The prefix “arky” is because I was born in Fayetteville and called the Razorbacks even while growing up in Texas. The suffix “artist” is the title I’d like most to legitimize. It’s the name that I struggle with the most. It’s what I view as an UFO because I want it to be bona fide.

III. Defining me by the jobs and positions I’ve filled is yet another way to see the unfinished portions of “me” and just how I arrived here.

A. I have been a laborer and a storeroom-maintenance clerk in a sawmill. I know what a babbitted bearing is & how to grade logs.

B. I have been a cash-audit clerk for a major retailer, a secretary for this University and a self-taught advertising compositor for the local newspaper. I have freelanced sports-photography, designed advertisements for national publications, billboards and web-sites It fueled the desire to become a graphic-artist and people I’ve worked with have used that as my job-description even though I’ve never completed a design course.

C. I have been a Sunday school teacher, an AWANA Commander, a coach for a state-ranked Odyssey of the Mind team, served as a school board member for a Christian School and am Constitution chairman for the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

D. I am a caregiver for my 97-year old grandmother, my family & pets. I serve coffee and a smile!

IV. Reviewing my past educational experience illustrates how I set myself up for my UFO encounters and how I can better prepare to address them this time and identify more potentials.

A. I started college after having graduated high school and like so many other young people- didn't really have a clear goal of what I meant to do with that experience. Perhaps, it was because actually becoming an interior designer or architect seemed so unrealistic that the part of figuring out how to "get there" never even got to the drawing-board.

B. In 1980 I declared business as my major (thought secretarial science was being phased out by that time) and most of the classes I took were preparing me for an office-related vocation. From the looks of the transcript, I'm ill-suited for that area. Though I'd like to think that I've got a head for the classic term of "pencil-pushing", I'm not really good at doing anything more than organizing and filling in the blanks on forms. To be honest- I don't enjoy it much.

C. I am much more inclined for the abstracts like art or creative-writing and this time I'll pursue pushing a different type of pencil. In a bold move, I declared a double major of Art and English.

D. My plans may change again and I might only take a minor in English. I’m flexible, the important thing is it’s all working towards completion of a project.

Conclusion:

From a more mature perspective and having lived a little- this educational experience will be different and fulfilling. Identifying the lists of achievements, UFOs, and reviewing my transcript; better allows me to acknowledge my strengths & weaknesses, visualize new dreams and act upon them. If I can finish in three years- it will have taken me 30 years from start to finish and will banish at least one UFO.

T H E E N D

Now- I'm off to find some grub! and to work on tomorrow's assignments! Ciao!

Just how long will it take?? or how an UFO takes over!

Just how long will it take??

In the immortal words of my lil' brother... "that will take a l-o-n-g time!"

This was his response as a little boy when told he must clean his room before he was allowed to enjoy some outdoor activity.

It's been an oft quoted phrase in my family ever since that time. If any of us kids were facing a challenge and weren't making much movement towards the effort- our parents (or one of us) would recite it.

Well- after this week- I'm saying it to myself!

This week was the first week of the Summer II semester. And, just what does that have to do with UFO's? Well.. I may have bitten off more than I can chew and I just hope I don't live to regret it!

Let me explain. In an effort to tidy up- I began to make lists of things that were uncompleted. Craft and house projects mainly comprised the list. Can you believe it? I've got nearly 40 year old uncompleted textile projects that haven't been devoured by moths! There were a couple of items not exactly relating to those subjects that kept popping into my head and I couldn't put them under those categories. So... another list began. My official "Un-Finsihed Objects" or UFO list is wide-ranging and has some other really old items.

One of those UFOs is education. I started college right after graduating high school and like so many other young people- didn't really have a clear goal of what I meant to do with that degree. Perhaps, it was because actually BECOMING an interior designer or architect seemed so unrealistic that the part of figuring out how to "get there" never even got to the drawing-board stage. To be honest, I really think all I for sure knew I wanted to do was be a wife and a mother, which seemed much more likely- so I didn't put much into pursuing the pipe-dreams and it never got finished. That's not to say that I didn't accomplish something; I am a wife and a mother- not to any acclaim- but that's a whole 'nother anguish and part of an entirely different list.

Back to the topic- in 1980 I declared business as my major (because secretarial science was being phased out by that time) but most of the classes I took were preparing me for an office-related vocation. From the looks of the transcript, I'm ill-suited for that area. Though I'd like to think that I've got a head for the classic term of "pencil-pushing"- (I can type like the wind and organize!) I'm not really good at doing anything more than filling in the blanks on forms and filing alphabetically. And, to be honest- I don't enjoy it.

From my more mature perspective and having lived a little- I knew all the above without even looking at the lists, transcript or seeing the scores from the asset tests; but this time I'm able to acknowledge it and act upon it. And, have a much better idea of how to set a goal, form a plan (with backup alternatives) and the chutzpah to get there.

I am much more inclined for the abstracts like art or writing and this time I'll pursue pushing a different type of pencil. I declared a double major of English and Art. It's bold. It may be that I have to minor in one. If I can finish in three years- it will have taken me 30 years start to finish. GOSH! At least I've something to work towards and taking off the UFO list!

And, yes, dear brother-- it WILL take a VERY L-O-N-G time!

Sal- signing off.... who had best be finishing writing her speech rather than filling up idle words in cyberspace!

Oh, GRACIOUS! What have I done NOW???

note: this is the first installment of a saga.

It all started innocently enough.

I needed a particular image for a little craft project and I needed it hand-drawn. I gave it my best shot- and wasn't pleased. My goodness! If I took a drawing class I might could get it at least to look half way like what it represented!

Hmmm..... maybe I should just sign up for a class?!

Uh-oh!

Somebody should have STOPPED ME!

I'm going to live to regret this! I just KNOW IT!

Since there is no local hobby store, I took myself up to the local University. To take the drawing class, I had to enroll for the course. To get enrolled, I had to be readmitted. To be readmitted meant they had to dig out my old transcript. OUCH! No- no one was injured in the registrar's office! And, the file wasn't 6-feet under like it should have been! But, it's UGLY!

Suffice it to say.... all this just to draw an ELK is over-board as usual!

I am now taking not one but TWO classes for the Summer II semester and neither are drawing! It's only offered in the Fall. Duh.

But, the classes I'm taking are fun! Well, sort-of. They might be.

WHAT??? Why AM I doing this? Oh- yeah. I remember now. The elk.

I thought to self- "Self, might be a good idea to see if you can even endure sitting through class period FIRST!".... that's when I signed up for an advanced English course on American women authors. Turns out- that's only an option for grad- students AND as it's a TBA topic during the summer and the instructor decided on African-American lit instead. UGH. Well... not exactly what I had in mind.

Back to the "drawing board" (pun intended!). Okay... I'll take one of those Mickey Mouse courses (required) and therefore mundane in my thinking. Why, OH WHY do I keep doing that??? THINKING??? You can bet trouble is looming. After reviewing the schedule- I opted for Oral Communications (3 hours) and Life Fitness Concepts (1 hour credit) thinking "this'll be a piece of cake".

OH MY LORD! I think I'm going to be sick! 'er... no... I AM SICK! Sure enough. I got so intimidated after the first class and listening to all his expectations of what all we'd have to cram into four weeks, preparing and giving speechs and taking tests that I had to excuse myself. I had fully expected (and given him notice) that my leg would dictate just how long I could sit still and might have to be allowed to "walk it off"- who knew this other (IBS) would flare?

Classic.

The original project was insignificant.... the preparation time with hurdles to conquer before even beginning to see the results will take weeks if I can endure. I'm turning into my mother AND I'm going to have to take medicine just to get through it!

I only hope it's worth it! After the fourth day- I'm finally getting "in the groove" of being a student. Even took my first exam yesterday!

This could be fun... even if I'm little scared.

Fireworks.... ala Kim & Sally!

The colors of freedom!

Red, white & blue ('er... green if you believe the photo here, haha!)!

Hope you had a lovely 4th of July!

The photo is from the fireworks display over Lake DeGray. Enjoy!