Tuesday, December 13, 2011
60 Days and Counting!
Today marks the 60-day point on my countdown = just two months till I go to Peru for my Scientific Expedition.
Can you tell I’m excited?
My tasks for this month are as follows:
First – I have to gather all my gear together and make sure I have everything I need. I actually did that last night and am good to go. Surprisingly enough, it’s really not that much stuff. I will be taking a carry-on and a small day pack with me, and will actually have room left over. I figured that doing the carry-on thing instead of the luggage thing would be best. That way I don’t have to wait for my luggage, or worry about losing it or anything getting stolen out of it.
Second – I have to get all my prescriptions filled. I won’t have that much with me this time; just the anti-malaria pills and some anti-diarrhea pills incase I eat something that doesn’t agree with me. I’ll be taking care of that this weekend, I think.
Everything else is pretty much taken care of. February can’t get here soon enough...
Sunday, December 11, 2011
An Eventful Night
It all started out with a very uneventful day, and I was
feeling very “unloved” and needy so was looking forward to spending an evening
with just him and a movie. I had even picked up two cinamon rolls from the Great Harvest Bread Company for our dessert.
He had other plans, apparently. He came in from spending the day with his buddy, hopped in the shower to clean off, and then left again.
Once again, it was just me. I had watched enough TV, had read two books, and the girls had actually been snuggled enough so they had taken themselves off to the electric blanket for the night. I took their advice and went to bed early myself.
Only to be awoken a couple hours later by my house alarm! Let me tell you, when that thing goes off, it really goes off. It sounds like a 747 landing right there in your living room.
I thought at first it was it was him, coming home finally, but it just kept on going. So I went to investigate, and found the front door wide open. I very quickly shut the door and turned off the alarm, then set about trying to figure out how the door got open.
No worries - there was no intruder.
What I think happened is the wind blew it open. That is rather disturbing on several levels. First: the wind was really blowing! We’ve been having some freaky weather lately, with gusts of over 118 recorded – and last night was right on par. Second: apparently the locks on my door don’t work. Not sure what to do with that little tidbit of information.
I finally got everything straightened away enough to notice that he was still not home. I shot off a quick text asking if he was alright, then went back to bed.
Only to be awoken again several hours later – this time by 4 guys out in the road in front of my house. They were yelling and carrying on loud enough to wake the dead. At first, I was frightened, and almost called the police. They sounded very angry and were yelling things like “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” but then I realized they were just drunks. I even got to watch one of them run over to the neighbor’s house and pee all over their garage door.
Lucky me.
The funny thing about all this commotion is that Thing managed to sleep right thru it all. She was snoring, even.
He had other plans, apparently. He came in from spending the day with his buddy, hopped in the shower to clean off, and then left again.
Once again, it was just me. I had watched enough TV, had read two books, and the girls had actually been snuggled enough so they had taken themselves off to the electric blanket for the night. I took their advice and went to bed early myself.
Only to be awoken a couple hours later by my house alarm! Let me tell you, when that thing goes off, it really goes off. It sounds like a 747 landing right there in your living room.
I thought at first it was it was him, coming home finally, but it just kept on going. So I went to investigate, and found the front door wide open. I very quickly shut the door and turned off the alarm, then set about trying to figure out how the door got open.
No worries - there was no intruder.
What I think happened is the wind blew it open. That is rather disturbing on several levels. First: the wind was really blowing! We’ve been having some freaky weather lately, with gusts of over 118 recorded – and last night was right on par. Second: apparently the locks on my door don’t work. Not sure what to do with that little tidbit of information.
I finally got everything straightened away enough to notice that he was still not home. I shot off a quick text asking if he was alright, then went back to bed.
Only to be awoken again several hours later – this time by 4 guys out in the road in front of my house. They were yelling and carrying on loud enough to wake the dead. At first, I was frightened, and almost called the police. They sounded very angry and were yelling things like “I’ll kill you! I’ll kill you!” but then I realized they were just drunks. I even got to watch one of them run over to the neighbor’s house and pee all over their garage door.
Lucky me.
The funny thing about all this commotion is that Thing managed to sleep right thru it all. She was snoring, even.
Tuesday, December 06, 2011
401k Fund Eligibility
Yesterday marked my 6-month anniversary here at GDM Architects.
Yay for employment!!!
I am now eligible for the company’s 401k plan, so have been filling out paperwork this morning. It’s not the best plan I’ve ever participated in, but it’s so much better than nothing.
I have elected to divert 3% of my paycheck into the fund at this time. It’s not much – just around $50 a paycheck – but again, it’s better than nothing. When (or if) I get a raise, I can up that accordingly.
One thing that’s very odd about this plan is that there is no computer access to the account – it’s all done via the phones. Surely they have a website I can log onto, somewhere. I just need to track that down. I am not a phone person.
Write for Rights
Each year, Amnesty International hosts a Global Write-a-thon to fight Human Rights Abuse all over the world. They provide you with everything you need: information on the cases highlighted that year, addresses to send them to, and sample letters to follow in case you get writers block.
Since I am such a letter-writer, I have always tried to join in. This week I will be busy writing for the following:
AZERBAIJAN - Youth activist detained after using Facebook
Hours after posting a Facebook message calling for protests against the government, Jabbar Savalan told his family that he was being followed. The next evening, police brought him to a police station, where they "discovered" marijuana in his outer coat pocket. Questioning him without a lawyer for two days, police reportedly hit and intimidated him to make him sign a confession. Jabbar Savalan maintained that he does not use drugs and that the marijuana was planted on him. Authorities in Azerbaijan have a history of using trumped-up drug charges to jail those seen as critical of the government. Amnesty International believes the charges against Jabbar were fabricated, and considers him a prisoner of conscience.
IRAN - Youth leaders imprisoned for speaking out
Behareh Hedayat and Majid Tavakkoli are serving long prison sentences for seeking greater freedom in Iran. Majid was arrested and reportedly beaten by authorities in December 2009, after addressing a university rally in Tehran. Behareh was arrested later that month and charged with several offenses, including "insulting the leader" and "insulting the president." The two student leaders last year issued a joint statement from prison, encouraging others to continue to push for change in Iran. In response, authorities extended each of their prison sentences by another six months.
CHINA - Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned
Liu Xiaobo, recipient of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, remains imprisoned for seeking for political and legal reforms in China. Charged with "inciting subversion of state power," the prominent scholar and human rights defender was sentenced in December 2009 based on articles he'd written that criticized corruption, censorship and one-party rule. In the articles, he advocated developing a democratic multi-party political system. The court considered this to be "rumor mongering, slander and smear" that exceeded the limits of freedom of expression. The court also cited Charter 08, a proposal Liu co-founded that called for protection of universal human rights and democratic reform in China, as "slanderous" and an attempt to incite the subversion of the current regime. While in prison, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless, non-violent struggle for human rights in China. Amnesty International considers Liu Xiaobo to be a prisoner of conscience.
BAHRAIN - Teachers detained for supporting pro-reform efforts
Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, former vice-president and president of the Bahrain Teachers' Association, were detained in March after their association reportedly supported a teachers' strike amid widescale pro-reform protests in Bahrain. Jalila (photo left) was reportedly held in solitary confinement and subjected to beatings for several days. She was released on bail in August, but Mahdi Abu Dheeb remains detained. Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi Abu Dheeb were sentenced by a military court in September 2011 to prison terms of 3 years and 10 years, respectively. They had been charged with a variety of offenses, including "inciting hatred towards the regime," "calling to overthrow and change the regime by force," "calling on parents not to send their children to school," and "calling on teachers to stop working and participate in strikes and demonstrations." Amnesty International believes they may have been arrested solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression and association.
INDONESIA - Jailed for raising a flag
Filep Karma is serving 15 years in prison for raising a flag. A prominent advocate for the rights of Indonesia's Papuan population, Filep Karma was arrested for taking part in a peaceful ceremony that included the raising of the Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan independence. Filep Karma has experienced serious health problems in prison and has been beaten by guards. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and calls on the Indonesian government to free Filep Karma and all other prisoners of conscience.
MEXICO - Indigenous women raped by soldiers
For more than nine years, two women in Mexico have taken on military and government authorities to demand justice after they were raped by soldiers in 2002. Inés Fernández and Valentina Rosendo are Indigenous Me'phaa (Tlapaneca) women. Indigenous women in Mexico who are raped rarely file a complaint due to cultural, economic and social barriers. Inés Fernández and Valentina Rosendo have shown courage in reporting their ordeals and have followed up their cases in national and international courts. The women and their families have faced threats as their battle for justice continues.
CAMEROON - Imprisoned on charges of "homosexuality"
Jean-Claude Roger Mbede is serving three years in prison on charges of "homosexuality," which is a criminal offense in the central African nation of Cameroon. Arrested in March 2011, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede is currently serving his sentence at Kondengui central prison in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, where he is at risk of physical attack and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Amnesty International considers Jean-Claude Roger Mbede to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely because of his perceived sexual orientation. Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is endemic in Cameroon. Arrests, prosecutions and trials of LGBT people, or those perceived as such, occur on a regular basis.
ZIMBABWE - Human rights activists at risk
The activists of the human rights organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) know the price of freedom. For organizing peaceful demonstrations to protest the worsening social, economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, WOZA members have been repeatedly harassed, intimidated, beaten and jailed by authorities. For years, government officials have misused the law to arbitrarily arrest and detain human rights activists and perceived critics of the President's political party. WOZA activists have been arrested multiple times, forced into Zimbabwe's notoriously filthy, over-crowded, and disease-ridden jails. Yet, they remain undaunted in their pursuit of dignity and justice.
NORTH KOREA - Families imprisoned for life
Shin Sook-ja and her daughters are among the estimated 50,000 men, women and children currently held in Yodok political prison camp. Yodok is one of six known camps in North Korea in which some 200,000 political prisoners and their families are imprisoned. Inmates, including children, are tortured and forced to work in dangerous conditions. Many prisoners either die in detention or shortly after being released. Authorities sent Shin Sook-ja and her daughters to Yodok in 1987 after her husband requested political asylum in Denmark. It has been over 20 years since the husband received any information about his imprisoned family.
USA (Guantánamo) - Indefinite detention
Shaker Aamer has been held without charge by US authorities for more than 8 years. A former UK resident, he was originally detained in Afghanistan in 2001, then transferred in 2002 to the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, where he remains. At Guantánamo he has protested against conditions at the camp, including by participating in hunger strikes. He has spent much of his time there in solitary confinement. Shaker Aamer has alleged that he was tortured in detention in Afghanistan and at Guantánamo. He has never been charged, tried or convicted of any criminal offense by US authorities. His wife and children live in South London, and the British government has asked for Shaker Aamer's return from Guantánamo.
USA - Facing execution in Missouri
No physical evidence, alleged police coercion, prosecutorial misconduct, a ‘stacked’ jury. Reggie Clemons was sentenced to death in St. Louis as an accomplice in the 1991 murder of two young white women. Clemons has consistently maintained his innocence. His case illustrates many of the flaws in the U.S. death penalty system.
SRI LANKA - Student killed by security forces
Ragihar Manoharan was one of five Tamil students killed by security forces in January 2006 in the city of Trincomalee. Authorities have failed to prosecute anyone for their murder. His case is emblematic of the thousands of people subjected to human rights violations and war crimes in Sri Lanka by government forces or their paramilitary agents. Ragihar's father, Dr. Manoharan, has campaigned for justice for his son, accompanying Amnesty International in pressing the United Nations to establish an international war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka.
USA - Juvenile life imprisonment without parole
At age 16, Christi Cheramie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She has now spent more than half of her life in a Louisiana prison. It is a violation of international law to sentence anyone to life in prison without parole who was under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Sentenced on charges of second-degree murder, Cheramie has been described by a prison warden as "a model inmate... worthy of a second chance in society." The US is the only country apart from Somalia to not ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the sentencing of juvenile offenders to life imprisonment without the possibility of release.
YEMEN - Death penalty following an unfair trial
Fatima Hussein Badi is facing execution following an unfair trial. Fatima and her brother Abdullah were arrested in July 2000 for the murder of Fatima's husband. Police reportedly questioned Fatima for more than five hours without a lawyer present. When she refused to confess, Abdullah was brought to her with his face covered in blood. She was allegedly threatened with rape in the presence of Abdullah, who apparently confessed to the murder in order to save her from being raped. Fatima and Abdullah had no legal representation in trial hearings and were prevented from speaking in court. Abdullah was executed in 2005. Fatima remains at imminent risk of execution.
NIGERIA - Forced evictions of communities
More than 200,000 people are at risk of forced eviction in Port Harcourt if Nigeria's authorities proceed with planned demolitions of all waterfront settlements without first implementing human rights safeguards. On 28 August 2009, the demolition of Njemanze informal waterfront settlement in Port Harcourt left thousands of men, women and children homeless. No prior, genuine consultation was carried out with residents. They received no adequate notice, compensation, alternative accommodation or legal remedies, although these are required by international human rights standards. Njemanze is one of more than 40 waterfront settlements in Port Harcourt slated for demolition, which state authorities claim is necessary for urban renewal. Residents of the affected communities were not consulted on the plans for redevelopment.
Since I am such a letter-writer, I have always tried to join in. This week I will be busy writing for the following:
AZERBAIJAN - Youth activist detained after using Facebook
Hours after posting a Facebook message calling for protests against the government, Jabbar Savalan told his family that he was being followed. The next evening, police brought him to a police station, where they "discovered" marijuana in his outer coat pocket. Questioning him without a lawyer for two days, police reportedly hit and intimidated him to make him sign a confession. Jabbar Savalan maintained that he does not use drugs and that the marijuana was planted on him. Authorities in Azerbaijan have a history of using trumped-up drug charges to jail those seen as critical of the government. Amnesty International believes the charges against Jabbar were fabricated, and considers him a prisoner of conscience.
IRAN - Youth leaders imprisoned for speaking out
Behareh Hedayat and Majid Tavakkoli are serving long prison sentences for seeking greater freedom in Iran. Majid was arrested and reportedly beaten by authorities in December 2009, after addressing a university rally in Tehran. Behareh was arrested later that month and charged with several offenses, including "insulting the leader" and "insulting the president." The two student leaders last year issued a joint statement from prison, encouraging others to continue to push for change in Iran. In response, authorities extended each of their prison sentences by another six months.
CHINA - Nobel Peace Prize laureate imprisoned
Liu Xiaobo, recipient of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, remains imprisoned for seeking for political and legal reforms in China. Charged with "inciting subversion of state power," the prominent scholar and human rights defender was sentenced in December 2009 based on articles he'd written that criticized corruption, censorship and one-party rule. In the articles, he advocated developing a democratic multi-party political system. The court considered this to be "rumor mongering, slander and smear" that exceeded the limits of freedom of expression. The court also cited Charter 08, a proposal Liu co-founded that called for protection of universal human rights and democratic reform in China, as "slanderous" and an attempt to incite the subversion of the current regime. While in prison, Liu Xiaobo was awarded the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless, non-violent struggle for human rights in China. Amnesty International considers Liu Xiaobo to be a prisoner of conscience.
BAHRAIN - Teachers detained for supporting pro-reform efforts
Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi ‘Issa Mahdi Abu Dheeb, former vice-president and president of the Bahrain Teachers' Association, were detained in March after their association reportedly supported a teachers' strike amid widescale pro-reform protests in Bahrain. Jalila (photo left) was reportedly held in solitary confinement and subjected to beatings for several days. She was released on bail in August, but Mahdi Abu Dheeb remains detained. Jalila al-Salman and Mahdi Abu Dheeb were sentenced by a military court in September 2011 to prison terms of 3 years and 10 years, respectively. They had been charged with a variety of offenses, including "inciting hatred towards the regime," "calling to overthrow and change the regime by force," "calling on parents not to send their children to school," and "calling on teachers to stop working and participate in strikes and demonstrations." Amnesty International believes they may have been arrested solely for exercising their right to freedom of expression and association.
INDONESIA - Jailed for raising a flag
Filep Karma is serving 15 years in prison for raising a flag. A prominent advocate for the rights of Indonesia's Papuan population, Filep Karma was arrested for taking part in a peaceful ceremony that included the raising of the Morning Star flag, a symbol of Papuan independence. Filep Karma has experienced serious health problems in prison and has been beaten by guards. Amnesty International considers him a prisoner of conscience and calls on the Indonesian government to free Filep Karma and all other prisoners of conscience.
MEXICO - Indigenous women raped by soldiers
For more than nine years, two women in Mexico have taken on military and government authorities to demand justice after they were raped by soldiers in 2002. Inés Fernández and Valentina Rosendo are Indigenous Me'phaa (Tlapaneca) women. Indigenous women in Mexico who are raped rarely file a complaint due to cultural, economic and social barriers. Inés Fernández and Valentina Rosendo have shown courage in reporting their ordeals and have followed up their cases in national and international courts. The women and their families have faced threats as their battle for justice continues.
CAMEROON - Imprisoned on charges of "homosexuality"
Jean-Claude Roger Mbede is serving three years in prison on charges of "homosexuality," which is a criminal offense in the central African nation of Cameroon. Arrested in March 2011, Jean-Claude Roger Mbede is currently serving his sentence at Kondengui central prison in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, where he is at risk of physical attack and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment. Amnesty International considers Jean-Claude Roger Mbede to be a prisoner of conscience, imprisoned solely because of his perceived sexual orientation. Discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is endemic in Cameroon. Arrests, prosecutions and trials of LGBT people, or those perceived as such, occur on a regular basis.
ZIMBABWE - Human rights activists at risk
The activists of the human rights organization Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) know the price of freedom. For organizing peaceful demonstrations to protest the worsening social, economic and political situation in Zimbabwe, WOZA members have been repeatedly harassed, intimidated, beaten and jailed by authorities. For years, government officials have misused the law to arbitrarily arrest and detain human rights activists and perceived critics of the President's political party. WOZA activists have been arrested multiple times, forced into Zimbabwe's notoriously filthy, over-crowded, and disease-ridden jails. Yet, they remain undaunted in their pursuit of dignity and justice.
NORTH KOREA - Families imprisoned for life
Shin Sook-ja and her daughters are among the estimated 50,000 men, women and children currently held in Yodok political prison camp. Yodok is one of six known camps in North Korea in which some 200,000 political prisoners and their families are imprisoned. Inmates, including children, are tortured and forced to work in dangerous conditions. Many prisoners either die in detention or shortly after being released. Authorities sent Shin Sook-ja and her daughters to Yodok in 1987 after her husband requested political asylum in Denmark. It has been over 20 years since the husband received any information about his imprisoned family.
USA (Guantánamo) - Indefinite detention
Shaker Aamer has been held without charge by US authorities for more than 8 years. A former UK resident, he was originally detained in Afghanistan in 2001, then transferred in 2002 to the detention facility at Guantánamo Bay, where he remains. At Guantánamo he has protested against conditions at the camp, including by participating in hunger strikes. He has spent much of his time there in solitary confinement. Shaker Aamer has alleged that he was tortured in detention in Afghanistan and at Guantánamo. He has never been charged, tried or convicted of any criminal offense by US authorities. His wife and children live in South London, and the British government has asked for Shaker Aamer's return from Guantánamo.
USA - Facing execution in Missouri
No physical evidence, alleged police coercion, prosecutorial misconduct, a ‘stacked’ jury. Reggie Clemons was sentenced to death in St. Louis as an accomplice in the 1991 murder of two young white women. Clemons has consistently maintained his innocence. His case illustrates many of the flaws in the U.S. death penalty system.
SRI LANKA - Student killed by security forces
Ragihar Manoharan was one of five Tamil students killed by security forces in January 2006 in the city of Trincomalee. Authorities have failed to prosecute anyone for their murder. His case is emblematic of the thousands of people subjected to human rights violations and war crimes in Sri Lanka by government forces or their paramilitary agents. Ragihar's father, Dr. Manoharan, has campaigned for justice for his son, accompanying Amnesty International in pressing the United Nations to establish an international war crimes investigation in Sri Lanka.
USA - Juvenile life imprisonment without parole
At age 16, Christi Cheramie was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. She has now spent more than half of her life in a Louisiana prison. It is a violation of international law to sentence anyone to life in prison without parole who was under the age of 18 at the time of the crime. Sentenced on charges of second-degree murder, Cheramie has been described by a prison warden as "a model inmate... worthy of a second chance in society." The US is the only country apart from Somalia to not ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, which prohibits the sentencing of juvenile offenders to life imprisonment without the possibility of release.
YEMEN - Death penalty following an unfair trial
Fatima Hussein Badi is facing execution following an unfair trial. Fatima and her brother Abdullah were arrested in July 2000 for the murder of Fatima's husband. Police reportedly questioned Fatima for more than five hours without a lawyer present. When she refused to confess, Abdullah was brought to her with his face covered in blood. She was allegedly threatened with rape in the presence of Abdullah, who apparently confessed to the murder in order to save her from being raped. Fatima and Abdullah had no legal representation in trial hearings and were prevented from speaking in court. Abdullah was executed in 2005. Fatima remains at imminent risk of execution.
NIGERIA - Forced evictions of communities
More than 200,000 people are at risk of forced eviction in Port Harcourt if Nigeria's authorities proceed with planned demolitions of all waterfront settlements without first implementing human rights safeguards. On 28 August 2009, the demolition of Njemanze informal waterfront settlement in Port Harcourt left thousands of men, women and children homeless. No prior, genuine consultation was carried out with residents. They received no adequate notice, compensation, alternative accommodation or legal remedies, although these are required by international human rights standards. Njemanze is one of more than 40 waterfront settlements in Port Harcourt slated for demolition, which state authorities claim is necessary for urban renewal. Residents of the affected communities were not consulted on the plans for redevelopment.
Temporary Insanity
I know, I know. I swore I would never have another roommate, ever again!
So what do I do? I agree to let him crash on my couch for a few weeks while he closes on his house.
The problem is “a few weeks” has somehow managed to turn in to “a couple of months” because of course closing on a house never goes as smoothly as one hopes.
It’s actually not too bad. He’s set up in the library on my futon, and has all his stuff packed into half of the garage.
But still… it’s somebody living in my house with me.
And then he goes and makes it that much worse. You’ll never in a million years guess what he did.
He got a dog.
He knew I didn’t want dogs in my house. We had talked about it earlier, and he agreed he should wait till he was into his own place.
That lasted barely a week.
She is a puppy, actually. A 9-week old silver Labrador named Daisy. She’s not potty trained or leash trained. She cries a lot and even howls when left alone. And she chews on everything.
Actually, it’s not all bad. She is adorable, and he keeps her in her kennel most of the time. He’s working on potty training her, and we’re both working on teacher her what she can chew on and what she can’t.
Update on Djuna
My little June Bug had a vet’s appointment Saturday. Since it is quite chilly outside, I fixed up her travel carrier with a hot water bottle that has a sheepskin cover on it. She loved that: it’s nice and warm AND fuzzy all at the same time. Almost makes up for having to go to the vet.
Almost.
She is such a good little girl and has everybody over at The Pet Stop completely wrapped around her little fingers. They all love her, and keep commenting on how tiny she is. They can’t believe she’s not only all grown up (as in not a kitten) but is actually a grandmother!
The exam went well enough, with both good news and bad news as a result of it all.
The bad news:
Her kidneys are not getting any better.
The good news:
She’s not getting any worse, either.
The bad news:
She has another infection. They had to keep her all day in order to get a urine sample, but I’m glad they did. I had no idea she was not feeling well again (and boy do I feel guilty about that) but now she’s back on antibiotics to fight it so all will be well again.
The good news:
She’s gained weight! When she first came to live with me she weighed 5lbs 4oz. Now, almost 2.5 years later, she weighs 6lbs 3oz. That’s really good, and the vet was very happy about it.
So I guess our plan of attack is to continue with the weekly IV treatments, keep her eating wet foods and drinking as much water as possible, and take her in every 4 months to check her blood levels and urine.
My Second Cup of Tea
I received my second shipment from the Tea of the Month Club last night:
4oz of Ceylon Balangoda Tea FP
The description on the package reads:
The Balangoda estate is in one of the more beautiful corners of the planet. It is situated in the low-grown Ruhunu district and shares geography with the breathtaking Yala National Park. The park is comprised of wild brush, ocean beaches, jungles, rocky terrain, and numerous lakes and rivers. Because of the wide variety terrain, the park is home to animal life of all description, from leopards to Asian elephants, wild boar, crocodiles, painted storks, and of course the Sri Lanka Junglefowl. Although the Ruhunu district is perhaps better known for its parkland than tea acreage, the region produces some fabulous teas every bit as colorful and full of life as its wild inhabitants!
This bold Ceylon Balangoda FP (Flowery Pekoe) Tea offers strength without bitterness, and a fine rich flavor. Strong enough for breakfast and takes milk and sugar well. Also a fine afternoon tea served plain. Use one teaspoon per cup and steep about 3 minutes in freshly boiled water.
I of course brewed myself a cup as soon as I got in the house and was very pleased with it. My niece came over to visit so I made her a cup, too.
So far I’m thinking my little indulgence here is a wonderful thing!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Numbers and Patterns
If you’re even half as fascinated with numbers and patterns as I am, I’m sure you noticed the passing of this momentous date: 11-11-11
But did you notice this one? 11-02-2011
Or how about this one? 11-22-11
Yes, November has truly been an interesting month…
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
My Craft Room Just Keeps Getting Better!
Have you tried out that new Groupon thing? Each day they send out an email highlighting that day’s special deal: anything from 75% off dinner at the Taproot to a two-for-one deal on carpet cleaning for your home. You can really get some good deals and not only are they easy to purchase, they’re even easier to use.
A while ago they had one for 50% off a Wall Mural from LTL Prints. I’m assuming that LTL stands for “Larger than Life” because their smallest mural was 4’ long by 9” wide. The photos to choose from were anything from cityscapes (New York, London, Paris, even Anchorage) to Landscapes (beach scenes, desert scenes, jungle scenes, tundra scenes) to just about anything you could think of.
Since I have been looking for something to decorate the wall in my Craft Room anyway, I went ahead and got one. It took a while to choose the perfect scene, but I finally did. I ended up with a picture of Denali and the surrounding area – and it looks just PERFECT up there on my wall!
A big thanks to Lorna and Rob for helping me install it. Even though it was easy enough, it was still a 5-foot long by 18-inches wide photo that required numerous attempts at getting it level.
Then, not two days later, Rob put together the last two cubbies to complete the storage line-up under the window! I now have 12 of them, each one a different arrangement of drawers, shelves, or slots. I must say, it looks so good now.
As an added bonus, I now have so much room to store supplies I just might have to go shopping for more!
Thursday, November 17, 2011
One Really Pissed Off Clown
It’s hard to believe that my niece is 23 years old. Of course, I still think of her as a little girl – but that’s what Aunties are for.
I remember one time I went out to Palmer. I was with my sister-by-choice, Lisa, and we were on our way up to the Matanuska River to do a float trip (quasi white water rafting). We stopped off at Noel’s house to visit and found little Katy, age 6, all dressed up in a clown outfit, of all things.
Talk about cute! Her mother had made the costume for her, all billowing legs & arms with bright colors and big buttons. She looked absolutely adorable, and was really enjoying being the center of attention.
Soon enough Lisa and I had to be off to start our adventure on time, so climbed back in to the truck and headed off down the road.
Apparently, Katy did not want us to leave just yet. In fact, she was downright MAD at us. She ran out to the front yard and started screaming bloody murder, jumping up and down and throwing her arms all over the place.
It was honestly the funniest thing I’d ever seen – and yet, at the same time, it was extremely disturbing.
There she was, on the side of the road where EVERYBODY in Palmer could see her – dressed up in a clown outfit – throwing one of her best-ever biggest temper tantrums.
Oh how I wish I’d had a video camera!
Wednesday, November 09, 2011
Expedition Update
First: I now have confirmation that my insurance will be reimbursing me at 100% for my inoculations. This is really good news as they are quite expensive and the doctor’s office required payment up-front. I’ll need to find out whom to expect a refund from: will it come from the doctor’s office or from my insurance? Not that it matters, really. It’s all money in the bank! But, I should like to know who to expect it from.
Second: I just made my final payment towards the expedition this morning. The Expedition Fund I set up was a huge success (thank you to all who donated) and helped defray almost half the cost. The rest of it came from my savings account which unfortunately has left me quite drained of emergency funds. But it’s totally worth it!
My next milestone will be at 60 days prior to leaving, which comes up in about a month. At that time, I will review all my gear to make sure I have everything I need and figure out how to pack it all. I will also get the prescription medication needed for the trip: the malaria pills, some antibiotics (in case I get a terrible case of traveler’s diarrhea) and some Xanex (to help me relax in the airplane).
Now that they have final payment from everybody planning to go on the expedition, I expect I’ll be getting a list of all my fellow volunteers soon. I can’t wait to see whose going! Typically I send a brief introductory email, just to say hello. Sometimes, I even get responses back.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Who Doesn't Love Bugs?
Once again I find myself reading such a good book that just I have to tell everybody, in hopes that at least one of you out there will be "infected" by my enthusiasm enough to actually read it too.
This one is called Insectopedia by Hugh Raffles.
“As inventive and wide ranging and full of astonishing surprises as the vast insect world itself. Raffles takes us on a delirious journey” –the New York Times.
Here’s a quote:
They estimated that at any given time on any given day throughout the year, the air column rising from 50 to 14,000 feet above one square mile of Louisiana countryside contained an average of 25 million insects and perhaps as many as 36 million.
They found ladybugs at 6,000 feet during the daytime, striped cucumber beetles at 3,000 feet during the night. They collected three scorpion flies at 5,000 feet, thirty-one fruit flies between 200 and 3,000 feet, a fungus gnat at 7,000 and another at 10,000. They caught wingless worker ants as high as 4,000 feet and sixteen species of parasitic ichneumon wasps at altitudes up to 5,000 feet.
At 15,000 feet, “probably the highest elevation at which any specimen has ever been taken above the surface of the earth,” they trapped a ballooning spider, a feat that reminded Glick of spiders thought to have circumnavigated the globe on the trade winds and let him to write that “the young of most spiders are more or less addicted to this mode of transportation.” an image of excited little animals packing their luggage that opened a small rupture in the consensus around the passivity of all this airborne movement and let to Glick’s subsequent observation that ballooning spiders not only climb up to an exposed dist (a twig or a flower, for instance), stand on tiptoe, raise their abdomen, test the atmosphere, throw out silk filaments, and launch themselves into the blue, all free legs spread-eagled, but that they also use their bodies and their silk to control their descent and the location of their landing.
Thirty-six million little animals flying unseen above one square mile of countryside? The heavens opened. The air column was “a vault of insect-laden air” from which fell “a continuous rain.”
This one is called Insectopedia by Hugh Raffles.
“As inventive and wide ranging and full of astonishing surprises as the vast insect world itself. Raffles takes us on a delirious journey” –the New York Times.
Here’s a quote:
They estimated that at any given time on any given day throughout the year, the air column rising from 50 to 14,000 feet above one square mile of Louisiana countryside contained an average of 25 million insects and perhaps as many as 36 million.
They found ladybugs at 6,000 feet during the daytime, striped cucumber beetles at 3,000 feet during the night. They collected three scorpion flies at 5,000 feet, thirty-one fruit flies between 200 and 3,000 feet, a fungus gnat at 7,000 and another at 10,000. They caught wingless worker ants as high as 4,000 feet and sixteen species of parasitic ichneumon wasps at altitudes up to 5,000 feet.
At 15,000 feet, “probably the highest elevation at which any specimen has ever been taken above the surface of the earth,” they trapped a ballooning spider, a feat that reminded Glick of spiders thought to have circumnavigated the globe on the trade winds and let him to write that “the young of most spiders are more or less addicted to this mode of transportation.” an image of excited little animals packing their luggage that opened a small rupture in the consensus around the passivity of all this airborne movement and let to Glick’s subsequent observation that ballooning spiders not only climb up to an exposed dist (a twig or a flower, for instance), stand on tiptoe, raise their abdomen, test the atmosphere, throw out silk filaments, and launch themselves into the blue, all free legs spread-eagled, but that they also use their bodies and their silk to control their descent and the location of their landing.
Thirty-six million little animals flying unseen above one square mile of countryside? The heavens opened. The air column was “a vault of insect-laden air” from which fell “a continuous rain.”
First Snowfall of the Season
Well, the first at my house at least – it has apparently been on the ground elsewhere for a while now. I got almost two whole inches in my yard, with more coming down as we speak.
As always, the first snowfall of the season makes for some exciting driving out on the roads! People tend to forget how to handle icy roads after the summer months; I can’t find anything in the papers about it this morning, but I’m sure the local police had a busy day yesterday. Just standing out on my driveway and watching the cars attempt to drive by I saw pretty much every other car slide out of control at one point or another.
Wouldn’t you know it; I had not switched my tires over yet. I ended up dropping my car off at the garage at 11:00 on my way to lunch, figuring I could just hang out till it was done and head on back home. Unfortunately every other person in the city had that same idea, so the wait-time was over 5 hours! It had to be done, though, so I called my niece to see if she could come pick me up (YAY for Katy being back home now!) after I ate. She said she could.
As it turned out, Rob ended up being the one to pick me up (I didn’t want to interrupt Katy’s study group) on his way to dropping off a load of stuff to store in my garage. He is moving in to his new home soon, but needs a place in the interim for all his gear and whatnot. In fact, he needs a place for himself too, so will be crashing on my futon in the library. But that’s a whole other story…
While he was at my house, I grabbed the snow shovel and attacked the driveway thinking he would insist on taking over, but it was actually my neighbor’s kid who ended up taking over. He was very excited about the snow – and not just because he loves to go sledding: he was getting a real kick over watching all the cars spin out of control!
As always, the first snowfall of the season makes for some exciting driving out on the roads! People tend to forget how to handle icy roads after the summer months; I can’t find anything in the papers about it this morning, but I’m sure the local police had a busy day yesterday. Just standing out on my driveway and watching the cars attempt to drive by I saw pretty much every other car slide out of control at one point or another.
Wouldn’t you know it; I had not switched my tires over yet. I ended up dropping my car off at the garage at 11:00 on my way to lunch, figuring I could just hang out till it was done and head on back home. Unfortunately every other person in the city had that same idea, so the wait-time was over 5 hours! It had to be done, though, so I called my niece to see if she could come pick me up (YAY for Katy being back home now!) after I ate. She said she could.
As it turned out, Rob ended up being the one to pick me up (I didn’t want to interrupt Katy’s study group) on his way to dropping off a load of stuff to store in my garage. He is moving in to his new home soon, but needs a place in the interim for all his gear and whatnot. In fact, he needs a place for himself too, so will be crashing on my futon in the library. But that’s a whole other story…
While he was at my house, I grabbed the snow shovel and attacked the driveway thinking he would insist on taking over, but it was actually my neighbor’s kid who ended up taking over. He was very excited about the snow – and not just because he loves to go sledding: he was getting a real kick over watching all the cars spin out of control!
Hiking with Guns
Rob and I went hiking with guns again this weekend, this time going up Buffalo Mine Road to the creek out there. Our intention was to get some grouse, but honestly just being there was good enough for me. We ended up not seeing any, so the point is rather moot.
It was a beautiful day. The snow on the ground gave a nice crispy chill to the air and turned the entire area into a Black & White Photograph. I had my camera with me, but forgot to actually carry it when we started out so missed some of the best shots. We doubled back after a bit so I was able to retrieve it from the back seat of the car and ended up getting a few good ones regardless.
As for the guns, Rob sighted his in and got to fire a few rounds – but mostly he just carried it. I had my rifle with me but had inadvertently brought the wrong ammo, so was not able to shoot at all. Not that I minded; as mentioned earlier, just being there was enough for me.
Both of us had been super busy all week, with work and chores and whatnot – a day outside in the woods was exactly what we needed!
I’ve Been Shot!
It happened Friday on my way home from work. I got shot three times, even: twice in the left arm and once in the right arm. And yes, it hurt.
Of course, I’m talking about inoculations. My doctor’s appointment was on Friday. Hillside Family Medicine is just down the street from my house and are a very friendly office, with mostly women (I think there might be two men) employed there.
When I made the appointment I asked for a worst-case idea on the total cost since they require payment up-front (they bill insurance and refund any overlap). She told me that the tetanus, typhoid and yellow fever shots would each be $130, and the rabies was a series of three shots each one costing $200. Added to that would be the office visit plus the prescriptions for the malaria pills and the antibiotics needed for emergencies – and I was planning on paying roughly $1,100.
Ouch!
Thankfully, it didn’t hurt my pocket book nearly as much as expected. Turns out my tetanus and yellow fever shots were up-to-date (heck, I didn’t even know I’d had the yellow fever inoculation) and they let me prorate the rabies, paying only as I get them (the second one is 7 days after the initial shot and the third one is 21 days after that). The prescriptions I won’t have to pay for until I get them filled, and they went ahead and billed the insurance directly for the office visit.
All together, I only paid $430.00
According to the booklet my employer gave me when I got hired, my insurance covers “preventative maintenance” issues at 100%. I called them to make sure it meant what I thought it meant, and the girl on the other end of the phone said that as far as she could tell, it did indeed mean just that. I just may get that money refunded!
Wouldn’t that be nice?
Monday, October 24, 2011
Immunizations & Inoculations
Now that I have my travel plans taken care of, the next item on my ToDo list is making sure all my shots are up-to-date.
According to the paperwork sent to me by Earthwatch, I need to make sure my routine immunizations are current: DPT (Diphtheria, Pertussis, Tetanus), Polio, MMR (Measles, Mumps, rubella) and Varicella. As far as I can tell, the only thing I need to do is make sure my tetanus shot is current. I seem to recall this particular one causes a rather painful lump on the arm for a few days. Oh joy.
Carrs Grocery Store is offering Flu shots this year: I should probably get one of those, too. I’ll ask my doctor to make sure it won’t interfere or react adversely with any shots I have to get. As an added bonus, the advertisement for Carrs says they’ll give me a 10% off my grocery bill that day! I should stock up.
The more exotic inoculations required include Typhoid, Hepatitis A & B, and Rabies. I believe I am up-to-date on all of those, but might have to have a booster for Typhoid. The paperwork also said I should get checked for antibody levels in my blood; a booster shot for Rabies may be required. Rabies is a fatal disease, but it is totally preventable.
Yellow Fever is a concern. Some countries require a Certificate of Vaccination for re-entry if you have traveled to an area where yellow fever is endemic. I’m not entirely sure, but I believe that the US does not. I’ll just have to confirm that.
Last, but certainly not least, there’s Malaria to be worried about. Chloroquine-resistant malaria is endemic to the Peruvian Amazon. More than likely I will have to begin taking anti-malaria pills a week prior to leaving, and then continue taking them for up to a month after I return.
Just to add some fun to my trip, they tell me I have to be concerned with Dengue Fever! Globally there has been a 30-fold increase in the number of reported cases of dengue. Dengue fever is a flu-like virus spread primarily by mosquitoes, characterized by fever, headache, rash, vomiting and severe muscle pains. There is no vaccine, and mosquito bites should be avoided whenever possible. Insect repellent and long sleeves and pants are highly recommended.
Which reminds me… I should get a couple long-sleeved shirts for the trip.
Slight Change of Plans
Hello Ruth,
Although Vizcaya Museum & Gardens are lovely and worth the trip, it is about a 20 minute ride from Miami Beach and thus would probably be too hectic a day to do the walking tour and head to Vizcaya for another tour.
There is plenty to do culturally here on the beach and the Welcome Center where you would be taking the Art Deco Historic Walking Tour from has plenty of information on local museum and activities you can pick and choose from that would not require you to travel much.
Richard
Although Vizcaya Museum & Gardens are lovely and worth the trip, it is about a 20 minute ride from Miami Beach and thus would probably be too hectic a day to do the walking tour and head to Vizcaya for another tour.
There is plenty to do culturally here on the beach and the Welcome Center where you would be taking the Art Deco Historic Walking Tour from has plenty of information on local museum and activities you can pick and choose from that would not require you to travel much.
Richard
Thursday, October 20, 2011
11 Hour Layover in Miami
Whatever shall I do with my time there? Here’s what I have planned so far.
My plane gets in at 7:09 am. I will first locate my departure gate, to make sure I know where that is. Then I will find some lockers to stow my carry-on for the day. After that, I’m thinking I should exchange some currency for Peru – although on second thought maybe I should wait till I’m actually in Peru. What do you think?
I had thought to visit the zoo in Miami, but emailing back and forth with their volunteer coordinator I realized that they were too far away, what with rush-hour traffic and all. Added to which they don't offer any type of shuttle bus service and a taxi would cost way too much. I'm bummed, but realistically I just can't do it.
So, instead, I contacted the local AIA group (American Institute of Architects) and discovered that they offer a guided tour of the Art Deco Historic District. It starts at 10:30, lasts 90 minutes and costs only $20.00. Here’s what their website says:
Forget the sand: take a stroll around the art deco buildings on South Beach to catch its golden era of architecture. Here you'll find a glamorous array of hotels, which grew up when a theatrical style swept the design world in the 20s. Crowded along Ocean Drive are the best of these giddy individuals. Park Central Hotel and the Imperial, designed by New Yorkers Henry Hohauser and L Murray Dixon, feature bold bands of colour and window 'eyebrows', characteristic of this flamboyant style. This is the ideal place to start off exploring the Art Deco District, which contains over 800 buildings from the 1930s and '40s.
Once that is done, I think I’ll head on over to the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens. Their admissions price is $15, with a $5 fee for the self-guided audio tour and $3 for the guide book. Here’s what their website says:
The sight of the Italian Renaissance-style Vizcaya Museum & Gardens on the Biscayne Bay is straight out a fairytale book. It's bizarre to discover a European-style palace in this beach lovers' paradise, but visiting it is like entering a wonderland. Built for Chicagoan industrialist and Europhile James Deering in the 20th-century, the extravagant architecture conceals an opulent interior. Full of European antiques and decorative works from the 16th to 19th centuries, and complete with original fittings, it will whisk you away to a golden age.
I should have plenty of time to see the place and even sit down for a bite to eat at their café, and still make it back to the airport by 4:00 in time to catch my flight to Peru at 6:05.
All of this is, of course, contingent upon me NOT being a complete zombie by the time I get there. I do not sleep on an airplane – but maybe if I take some sleeping pills ahead of time…
It's Worse Than Pulling Teeth!
Finally!
At long last, after much struggle and anguish, I finally have my ticket to Peru! I just can’t believe how difficult it was to get. Honestly, does everybody have this many problems?
First, I went to the internet – one of those Priceline.com type sites. I typed in where I was flying from, where I was flying to, and when I needed to go. They came back with a long list of flights going to Peru to choose from, so I picked the best one. Then they came back with a long list of flights coming back, so I again picked the best one.
I got the following message: “I’m sorry, that flight is not available. Please choose another one.” I went thru the whole process again, only to have that same message sent back to me. I actually went thru the entire list, one at a time, and got no where. Tell me, why the heck did they list all those flights if they aren’t available? I hadn’t even gotten to the point where I mentioned that I wanted to use my frequent flyer miles yet!
Grrrr…
My next plan of attack was to go to the airport and speak to an actual person. I took time off work one day and headed down to the Alaska Airlines Ticket Counter and waited in line for half an hour, only to be told that I’d have to go to the American Airlines Ticket Counter, since Alaska Air doesn’t fly to Peru. I searched the entire airport trying to find the American Airline Ticket Counter (it’s tucked back behind the baggage check-in kiosks, of all places) only to find that they were closed. A random uniform walking by was able to tell me that they don’t open till 4:00, so I should come back then.
I went back a few days later and stood in line for another half an hour – and never once saw anybody at the counter. Apparently, no body told THEM they were open at 4:00! I gave up in disgust and went home.
My third plan of attack was to call the airlines and speak to somebody over the phone. I must admit that by that time I was quite frustrated to begin with, but I called the Alaska Airlines Travel Agent and told her my story. She said that I’d have to call American Airlines (I knew that, but wanted to be sure) and gave me their number. I dialed it and spoke to the person on the other end of the phone, again telling my story. She said, and I quote, “You’ll have to call Alaskan Airlines, since it’s their miles you want to use.”
“I just spoke to them, and they told me to call you!” I cried.
This was getting my no where, obviously. As I mentioned earlier, I was frustrated to begin with so had absolutely no patience for being bounced back and forth between people who didn’t know how to do their job.
I threw in the towel at this point, and called US Travel. The lady was very sympathetic and said she’d get right on it. A week later, I called to check on her progress and found that SHE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME!
Seriously?!
I took a deep breath, gave her all my information again, and said I’d be checking back with her in a couple days. When I did, I discovered that she was in a week-long training course!
Again, seriously?!
The person who told me that promised they would get her a message from me and that she would contact me on one of her breaks. She never did. So I called back and tried to get somebody ELSE to deal with me, but they just kept on giving me back to her.
When I told Rob what was going on, he got all upset (for me, not at me) and said he’d take care of it. He called American Airlines right then, and got found that they could get me to Los Angeles but no farther, so he called Lan Chile Airlines (they recommended them to him) and actually got a flight for me. The lady working on the itinerary for him got it all arranged and said she’d call back the next day to finalize it. She never called. So, I went on line to their website to make the arrangements myself – only to discover that Lan Chile does not fly out of Los Angeles!!! What the F@#*!!! Why would that lady SAY she could get me from Los Angeles to Peru if they don’t even fly out of Los Angeles? It just boggles the mind…
Which leaves me STILL trying to deal with US Travel.
Eventually, after trying numerous times to get something – anything! – out of them, I finally gave up and called a completely different company and spoke to a completely different travel agent. Not that it has any relevance: but it was a man this time. He was, again, very sympathetic to my plight and said he’d get right on it. (he actually did, by the way)
And not two minutes after I hung up the phone, I get a call from US Travel – wouldn’t you know it! I should have tried that trick a lot earlier, if that’s what it takes to get them to do their job.
Anyway, the good news is – I HAVE A TICKET TO PERU! The bad news is that I couldn’t use mileage for the entire trip. I used it to get me to Miami, but then had to actually purchase the ticket to Peru and back.
At this point, I’m just happy to have the ticket.
At long last, after much struggle and anguish, I finally have my ticket to Peru! I just can’t believe how difficult it was to get. Honestly, does everybody have this many problems?
First, I went to the internet – one of those Priceline.com type sites. I typed in where I was flying from, where I was flying to, and when I needed to go. They came back with a long list of flights going to Peru to choose from, so I picked the best one. Then they came back with a long list of flights coming back, so I again picked the best one.
I got the following message: “I’m sorry, that flight is not available. Please choose another one.” I went thru the whole process again, only to have that same message sent back to me. I actually went thru the entire list, one at a time, and got no where. Tell me, why the heck did they list all those flights if they aren’t available? I hadn’t even gotten to the point where I mentioned that I wanted to use my frequent flyer miles yet!
Grrrr…
My next plan of attack was to go to the airport and speak to an actual person. I took time off work one day and headed down to the Alaska Airlines Ticket Counter and waited in line for half an hour, only to be told that I’d have to go to the American Airlines Ticket Counter, since Alaska Air doesn’t fly to Peru. I searched the entire airport trying to find the American Airline Ticket Counter (it’s tucked back behind the baggage check-in kiosks, of all places) only to find that they were closed. A random uniform walking by was able to tell me that they don’t open till 4:00, so I should come back then.
I went back a few days later and stood in line for another half an hour – and never once saw anybody at the counter. Apparently, no body told THEM they were open at 4:00! I gave up in disgust and went home.
My third plan of attack was to call the airlines and speak to somebody over the phone. I must admit that by that time I was quite frustrated to begin with, but I called the Alaska Airlines Travel Agent and told her my story. She said that I’d have to call American Airlines (I knew that, but wanted to be sure) and gave me their number. I dialed it and spoke to the person on the other end of the phone, again telling my story. She said, and I quote, “You’ll have to call Alaskan Airlines, since it’s their miles you want to use.”
“I just spoke to them, and they told me to call you!” I cried.
This was getting my no where, obviously. As I mentioned earlier, I was frustrated to begin with so had absolutely no patience for being bounced back and forth between people who didn’t know how to do their job.
I threw in the towel at this point, and called US Travel. The lady was very sympathetic and said she’d get right on it. A week later, I called to check on her progress and found that SHE HAD FORGOTTEN ABOUT ME!
Seriously?!
I took a deep breath, gave her all my information again, and said I’d be checking back with her in a couple days. When I did, I discovered that she was in a week-long training course!
Again, seriously?!
The person who told me that promised they would get her a message from me and that she would contact me on one of her breaks. She never did. So I called back and tried to get somebody ELSE to deal with me, but they just kept on giving me back to her.
When I told Rob what was going on, he got all upset (for me, not at me) and said he’d take care of it. He called American Airlines right then, and got found that they could get me to Los Angeles but no farther, so he called Lan Chile Airlines (they recommended them to him) and actually got a flight for me. The lady working on the itinerary for him got it all arranged and said she’d call back the next day to finalize it. She never called. So, I went on line to their website to make the arrangements myself – only to discover that Lan Chile does not fly out of Los Angeles!!! What the F@#*!!! Why would that lady SAY she could get me from Los Angeles to Peru if they don’t even fly out of Los Angeles? It just boggles the mind…
Which leaves me STILL trying to deal with US Travel.
Eventually, after trying numerous times to get something – anything! – out of them, I finally gave up and called a completely different company and spoke to a completely different travel agent. Not that it has any relevance: but it was a man this time. He was, again, very sympathetic to my plight and said he’d get right on it. (he actually did, by the way)
And not two minutes after I hung up the phone, I get a call from US Travel – wouldn’t you know it! I should have tried that trick a lot earlier, if that’s what it takes to get them to do their job.
Anyway, the good news is – I HAVE A TICKET TO PERU! The bad news is that I couldn’t use mileage for the entire trip. I used it to get me to Miami, but then had to actually purchase the ticket to Peru and back.
At this point, I’m just happy to have the ticket.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
My First Cup of Tea
My first installment of tea arrived in the mail last night:
4oz of Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea
The description on the package reads:
If you're looking for an English Breakfast, try Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea. It has a lovely burgundy depth with light hints of an oak cask; a tea to savor during hectic or quiet times. A great value, and farmed without pesticides!
I made my first cup to relax with as I watched some TV (the last disc of Criminal Minds season 6, thank you very much Lauren!) and found it to be quite good.
In that same shipment, I got 2oz of another tea which I had ordered because it was on sale. This one is their Ceylon Lumbini OP1 which I found to be a beautiful tea to look at, but perhaps not quite as good as the Natural Panda Tea as far as taste goes.
It’s description reads:
The Lumbini estate is considered one of the areas finest. Teas from this region tend to be full bodied and thick with a robust feel, and the Ceylon Lumbini OP1 (Orange Pekoe 1) Tea is a stunning example of this regional character. This less expensive cousin of our Lumbini Special is another award winning Ceylon. It produces a smooth, almost red liquor and this tea is far more flavorful than your average Ceylon. Enjoy any time of day!
4oz of Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea
The description on the package reads:
If you're looking for an English Breakfast, try Natural Panda 1 Keemun Tea. It has a lovely burgundy depth with light hints of an oak cask; a tea to savor during hectic or quiet times. A great value, and farmed without pesticides!
I made my first cup to relax with as I watched some TV (the last disc of Criminal Minds season 6, thank you very much Lauren!) and found it to be quite good.
In that same shipment, I got 2oz of another tea which I had ordered because it was on sale. This one is their Ceylon Lumbini OP1 which I found to be a beautiful tea to look at, but perhaps not quite as good as the Natural Panda Tea as far as taste goes.
It’s description reads:
The Lumbini estate is considered one of the areas finest. Teas from this region tend to be full bodied and thick with a robust feel, and the Ceylon Lumbini OP1 (Orange Pekoe 1) Tea is a stunning example of this regional character. This less expensive cousin of our Lumbini Special is another award winning Ceylon. It produces a smooth, almost red liquor and this tea is far more flavorful than your average Ceylon. Enjoy any time of day!
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