Snow Play

Nothing like being a kid in the snow.

 

 

 

More (or less) Snow

The long awaited snow has arrived.  Here is the deck at 3pm, the snow falling from the snow-colored sky (good luck with that one), and me and where is the snow?

Too much flash, too little snow.  (Waiting for the bus.)

Tiny Bits of Snow

Guess there is nothing worth while in the news because for the past few days - if not a week - the weather man has been prediciting snow.  And boy were they hyping it.  Not that we would get tons and tons - just that we would get it.  After this winter (I am not complaining) any snow is reportable.  Short of breaking news, it snowed.  Guess it is a good thing we are going skiing Sunday.

Utterly unimpressive, right?  It didn't even cancel school, or cause an early release.  Not sure it counts as snow until something is cancelled..

The Migraine Discovery

My mother must talk to nearly everybody about the debilitating migraines I suffer because she is always feeding me migraine tips, most of which I have already heard - until recently. 

This someone shared something from her neurologist - of which I had not yet heard.  And I do a LOT of migraine research. I know about the trigeminal nerve and can feel it pulsing above my ear as a migraine spills into my face.  It's been explained to me, I've read about it, and had pictures drawn illustrating it.  The Botox migraine treatment is targeting just this.  I have not yet qualified for the Botox treatment, so in the meantime I seek other solutions.

Below is an illustration of the trigeminal nerve. 
Courtesy of Mayo Clinic

The discovery?  Capzasin No-Mess Applicator directly (and liberally) applied to carotid artery on the left side of neck. 

Below is an illustration of the internal and external carotid arteries.
Courtesy of Patrick J. Lynch, medical illustrator: Licenses.

The claim - by applying Capzasin to the carotid artery you are essentially stopping the migraine.

My findings - inconclusive.  I have attempted this three times.  The first time it was too late.  I already had the beginning signs - and more - of a migraine when she told me about the treatment.  She ran to the nearest CVS, got the stuff, and I soon applied it to my neck - LIBERALLY.  Maybe too liberally because from my ear lobe to my chest my skin glowed red.  Ultimately, attempt one failed and ended in a dose of Relpax.

On my second attempt, with the first attempt in mind, I sparingly applied the liquid, which did not work either.

And my third attempt - once again liberally - and perhaps applied too late also ended in a dose of Relpax.

Does this work?  I am not sure.  And I am not sure I am going to give it a fourth attempt.  But I thought I would share...in the interest of, well, sharing.

Copy Edit and the Glamour of Grammar

For my class I have been reading a book called, "The Glamour of Grammar," which seems to make people laugh (or at least snicker).  It is by Roy Peter Clark of the Poynter Institute in good old St. Pete, FL.  His references to places I know dearly makes me miss my town.

We head back in April - just for a week - but both of us are SOOO looking forward to HOME.  Hmmm.

The copy editing course I am taking is great.  I absolutely love the professor.  Over the past few days I have been transferring my hand written notes into word documents on my desktop.  It is my way of remembering what she has taught us so far.  Next week is midterm.  The following week - break.  Unfortunately I will have to miss a week to go to Tampa, but I will see if I can get the lecture notes.

Not much interesting to say today... Heading to the allergist for my initial consultation.  Just another avenue I am attempting in my desire to kill the migraine.  Had to fight my PCP to get the referral.  Why is it so hard to understand that a healthy person costs less than a sick one.  I am certain that ONCE we hit on the CAUSE, my migraines will decrease...and my life will get better.  Until then, I am going to fight for referrals because I matter and the way that I feel counts.

Living in a Snow Globe

Today is Charlie's show - the Musical Theater Dance Workshop at Cotuit Center for the Arts.  All week they have been practicing and today is the performance - Living in a Snow Globe. 

Yesterday the weather was almost 60 and today - SNOW!  Helped to get him in the mood...

Here are some pictures from around Falmouth - in the snow.

Not a bunch of it - but still, it's snow.

Celebration of Life

One of the artsy ways I like to express myself is to make journals where I collage words and images.  Here is one I made in the form of a poster as an example for my students.  Just thought I'd share.  Try it - makes you smile.

Best Picture Winners - Academy Awards (www.oscars.org)

Revised on 2-27-12 (The day after the Oscars)  Personally I was rooting for Hugo, loved the book years ago, and loved the movie - BUT - have not seen "The Artist" so I have added it to my list.

Saw "Casablanca" for the first time tonight.  This has me thinking, "What other great movies have I failed to see?"  Quite a few I am ashamed to say.  I colored the ones I have seen.  Think I need to do better.  Library Reservation System (On The Cape it is CLAMS,) here I come.

Best Picture Winners - Academy Awards

2011 - "The Artist"
2010 - "The King's Speech"
2009 - "The Hurt Locker"
2008 - "Slumdog Millionaire"
2007 - "No Country for Old Men"
2006 - "The Departed"
2005 - "Crash"
2004 - "Million Dollar Baby"
2003 - "The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King"
2002 - "Chicago"
2001 - "A Beautiful Mind"
2000 - "Gladiator"
1999 - "American Beauty"
1998 - "Shakespeare in Love"
1997 - "Titanic"
1996 - "The English Patient"
1995 - "Braveheart"
1994 - "Forrest Gump"
1993 - "Schindler’s List"
1992 - "Unforgiven"
1991 - "The Silence of the Lambs"
1990 - "Dances With Wolves"
1989 - "Driving Miss Daisy"
1988 - "Rain Man"
1987 - "The Last Emperor"
1986 - "Platoon"
1985 - "Out of Africa"
1984 - "Amadeus"
1983 - "Terms of Endearment"
1982 - "Gandhi"
1981 - "Chariots of Fire"
1980 - "Ordinary People"
1979 - "Kramer vs. Kramer"
1978 - "The Deer Hunter"
1977 - "Annie Hall"
1976 - "Rocky"
1975 - "One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest"
1974 - "The Godfather Part II"
1973 - "The Sting"
1972 - "The Godfather"
1971 - "The French Connection"
1970 - "Patton"
1969 - "Midnight Cowboy"
1968 - "Oliver!"
1967 - "In the Heat of the Night"
1966 - "A Man for All Seasons"
1965 - "The Sound of Music"
1964 - "My Fair Lady"
1963 - "Tom Jones"
1962 - "Lawrence of Arabia"
1961 - "West Side Story"
1960 - "The Apartment"
1959 - "Ben-Hur"
1958 - "Gigi"
1957 - "The Bridge on the River Kwai"
1956 - "Around the World in 80 Days"
1955 - "Marty"
1954 - "On the Waterfront"
1953 - "From Here to Eternity"
1952 - "The Greatest Show on Earth"
1951 - "An American in Paris"
1950 - "All About Eve"
1949 - "All the Kings Men"
1948 - "Hamlet"
1947 - "Gentleman's Agreement"
1946 - "The Best Years of Our Lives"
1945 - "The Lost Weekend"
1944 - "Going My Way"
1943 - "Casablanca"
1942 - "Mrs. Miniver"
1941 - "How Green Was My Valley"
1940 - "Rebecca"
1939 - "Gone with the Wind"
1938 - "You Can't Take It with You"
1937 - "The Life of Emile Zola"
1936 - "The Great Ziegfeld"
1935 - "Mutiny on the Bounty"
1934 - "It Happened One Night"
1932/1933 - "Cavalcade"
1931/1932 - "Grand Hotel"
1930/1931 - "Cimarron"
1929/1930 - "All Quiet on the Western Front"
1928/1929 - "The Broadway Melody"
1927/1928 - "Wings"

So Blue (and tan.)

Today the rays were reaching down to warm the sand.

Vitamin D - check.

Seagull Stand

These guys found a good place to hang out.

Big Fat Liar

A Story By Chaz

Today Charlie got in trouble.  Again.  We talked about it, he commandeered my notebook and this is what he wrote. But first this is what he said,  "I'm writing a story.  Big Fat Liar, that's what it's called.  It's about a kid named Charlie, not me but another kid named Charlie."

So here's how it goes,

Big Fat Liar

Once upon a time
there was a kid named Charlie
and he lied to his mom
and when he did he felt bad
he wanted to stop
so he did.

And that is where he stopped to show me.  I told him how wonderful it was, that it had a beginning, middle, and end.  But he said he wasn't done.  He would write it his whole life.

But now as I look to type this in, he has written even more of the story already,

But there was another problem
Charlie didn't get his work done in school.

And there you have it - a story by Chaz.

Hidden Treasure

On mornings that the weather and my head permits, Rudy and I make for the beach in search of hidden treasure.  Let's just call it broken glass with soulful sea chi.  The art is in the finding...mindful meditation.  Soothing.  And rewarding.

So these days, I fill my plate with treasures from the sea. 

Waiting for Baby

A photograph with old friends.  It sure is fun to go home.