Jackson Pollock Tanning

One more thought before bed...

I probably have so many freckles because I've been using the Jackson Pollock sprayer at the tanning salon...

Thoughts like this come readily to the sleep deprived.

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Letterman just said: "There were so many witnesses in the Anna Nicole Smith hearings that Jerry Springer couldn't find guests for his show."

Ouch!

Update on the week of typing

As for the stuff I'm supposed to get done this week:

• 75 minute presentation on Disease Reporting (due to print shop 2/20) -- DONE
• 60 minute presentation on Interviewing Skills for Public Health Investigators (due to print shop 2/20) --NOT EVEN BEGUN -- we'll be making copies sometime next week....
• 50 minute presentation on multidisciplinary response to outbreaks of diarrheal illness in long-term care facilities (due to print shop 2/20) -- DONE
• Tweaking last year's presentation for nurse training on mass casualty incident response (due to USC 2/24) --extended to next Monday
• More edits on school and childcare exclusion lists (due for posting on website by 2/28) --We had a three hour meeting where people argued about the societal consequences, yes, societal consequences, of each change. On track.
• Completing application for nursing continuing education credits for upcoming conference, including hounding other presenters who haven't turned in their sections (must be completed by 2/25) --Many, many hours on this, at work until 9:30 tonight, which meant missing most of 1st half of Duke game. On track. I've received all the bios (yay!)
• Creating kid-friendly brochure re: body piercing and rumors (needed in school ASAP, promised for 2/20) --DONE
• Unexpected additions, or things I forgot to mention last Friday:

Peanut butter outbreak calls, many, many calls.--Expanding--

Working statewide with many, many GI illness outbreaks -- Unending

Two on-call days, plus night call.--Continuing

Meetings, drives, etc. -- Unending

The Bulletin--Done

Blogging? A few moments stolen during the "suck-nd half" of the Duke Clempson game. We let a 20 point lead go down to 6! Now 5!

OK, looking better. 5 point lead with 6.5 seconds to go.

Izzy's not a bad commentator. So long as they keep broadcasting games without Dickie V, I'm glad to have Izzy offering opinions.

Final: 71-66. It's 11:20 -- time to head off to sleep to get ready for another day of not getting everything done.

Maybe I'll give up stressing for Lent. (How to do without giving up employment...?)

When we finally got to the movies-Jonestown

Well, we didn't get to the movies last Friday.

We went Sunday evening and saw Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple. Not the feel-good-movie-of-the-year...I was especially struck with the need for accountability of leaders. There was just no one in a place to tell Jim Jones he'd left the bounds of sanity and orthodoxy and decency.

Watching the events unfold in this documentary, which showed a lot more of the back story of the group that I'd previously seen, still didn't lessen the impact of hearing: "Mother mother, mother, mother, don't be this way..." as you knew that infants were being wrenched from their mothers to be poisoned. I felt with/for those mothers, who were so distraught that they accepted "the Koolaid" rather than live without their children.

Powerful stuff. I'll likely not again refer to the events of November 18, 1978 as a mass suicide--watch to see why...

Check it out sometime when the video comes out, and make yourself watch it all the way through without interruptions. Read the sign in the Pavilion: Those who forget the past are condemned to repeat it." Shudder once or twice and pray for the souls of those 909 poor people.

Double Blog Sandwich

I fully expect to get home from the movies later and discover two sets of blogs for today, one above and one below this post.

Not sure where the ones I launched into the ether via blog-by-email went. I'm sure they'll show up eventually. Maybe several copies...

If only getting the rest of the weekend's typing done were that easy.

If I'm always typing, why can't I find time to blog?

This past week's typing:

• Major edits and re-do's on the school and childcare exclusion lists
• Laborious re-write of on-call policy
• Several meetings on and a full-day exercise of the plan for closing schools in the event of an influenza pandemic, with multiple re-writes of the standard operating procedures for same
• Body piercing and rumor control
• Preparing for and giving keynote address on disaster preparedness competencies to student nurses
• Preparing for an delivering a classroom lecture on epidemiology to student nurses
• Drafts 3 through 6 of brochure for nurse training on mass casualty incident response
• Policies, always the policies
• The Bulletin
• Blogging? Not so much.

This weekend's typing

• 75 minute presentation on Disease Reporting (due to printshop 2/20)
• 60 minute presentation on Interviewing Skills for Public Health Investigators (due to printshop 2/20)
• 50 minute presentation on multidisciplinary response to outbreaks of diarrheal illness in long-term care facilities (due to printshop 2/20)
• Tweaking last year's presentation for nurse training on mass casualty incident response (due to USC 2/24)
• More edits on school and childcare exclusion lists (due for posting on website by 2/28)
• Completing application for nursing continuing education credits for upcoming conference, including hounding other presenters who haven't turned in their sections (must be completed by 2/25)
• Creating kid-friendly brochure re: body piercing and rumors (see above) from content approved today (needed in school ASAP, promised for 2/20)
• Blogging (well--maybe not.)

Things I really shouldn't know

School nurses should not accept responsibility for holding on to chastity belt keys, even when requested by parents.

Don't you wish you had my job?

Losses, But a Good Day

Last Sunday, I watched two basketball games. In each, the team for which I was rooting lost -- but I'll remember the day fondly.

After church, my Mom brought over three of my nieces (ages 8, 8 & 10) for brunch and b-ball. They knew waffles were on the menu, and when they arrived, one immediately asked: "where are the waffles?" I pointed out the table full of ingredients, and they got very excited. "We love coming to Aunt Lizzie's house -- she lets us cook!"



Of course, I completely forgot to take any pics of them carefully measuring flour, sugar, baking soda, etc, pouring milk, beating eggs, etc. They took their jobs very seriously, but had loads of fun wearing Aunt Lizzie's apron collection and occasionally allowing Grandma to help out with stirring or cracking eggs.



They set the table with the china and pretty linens. We ate and told stupid jokes and talked about their Sunday School lessons (admitting when you've done wrong.) They made up a nickname for their Grandma and pretended all sorts of scenarios. Just exactly what preteens should do.



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We got everything cleaned up so Uncle Izzy wouldn't have to, and headed out to see the Carolina Women's game. When I informed them that the opposing team was LSU, the Princess* who was born in New Orleans decided she'd opt for them. Her sister and cousin cheered on Carolina -- everybody paid attention to the game so they could try and out-cheer each other.



What fun! Two of the girls played church league basketball this year, and their cousin attended several of their games. It's neat to see them admiring the skills of the female athletes, and paying attention to plays and strategies. One of the Carolina women got her 100th point during the game and those in the crowd who had been following her streak went a bit crazy. It was nice to also see cheerleaders at the women's game -- not what I'd seen in undergrad, but that was a while ago...



Sadly, the New Orleans niece's cheers were the most effective. LSU won 49 to 46.



After I got home and Mom drove the girls away, Izzy and I watched the Duke-Florida State game he had taped. As usual for the past few games, we (the Dukies) pulled out to an incredible 17 point lead early in the game, and let it slip away in the second half. (Izzy's coinage is the suck-ond half.) We didn't have the Clemson game miracle shots, though, and lost 68-67.

At least I got to see JJ honored.

So, two basketball losses** balanced against having three nieces and Mom over for waffles & an outing*** -- overall a good day.

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*These are the Princess Nieces for whom the annual Tea Party was started. Looks like we'll have the next one in early March. We're taking fancy dresses, tiaras, antique china, lots of pink food, tiny sandwiches, etc. Moms, daughters, nieces, grandmas, etc. , attend. It's pretty much the social event of the season.

** Nope, we didn't watch the Super Bowl. When there was a Masterpiece Theatre on??

***Me & possibly my Mini-Me during the outing...

Bits from Ads

At the end of a Staples commercial, just after the announcer says: "Now, get free installation of Windows Vista", the tiny print reads: "Free installation does not apply to Windows Vista."

There must have been more that I didn't read... **

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A local convenience store chain recently ran a contest to win a car or truck or something.

An ad I heard on the radio tonight included an interview with the winner, where the following was revealed...

"When I got the call that I had won, I got so excited I nearly fell out of my deer stand."

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** A check of the Staples website indicates that the free install doesn't include Vista Basic. Still funny, though....

God the Uncle

(Re-purposed a bit from a post I sent earlier to an email discussion group from our previous church.)

From an article appearing in the Durham Herald Sun

What do teens think they know about religion?

Moralistic therapeutic deism.

It's a mouthful, but it's a sociological way to describe how teens observe religion. It's also the subhead on a chapter called "God, Religion, Whatever" in a book about the first wave of research of the National Study of Youth and Religion.

According to the study, the creed of sorts for moralistic therapeutic deism includes a God who wants people to be good and nice, a life with goals of personal happiness, God's involvement if needed to solve a problem, and the belief that good people go to heaven when they die. ...

The study has used 3,000 phone surveys with teens ages 13 to 17, and followed up with one-on-one interviews with 267 of them in 45 states. ...

[The lead author of the study, Christian Smith (who will be speaking at Izzy's old school this Thursday), found] that most of those surveyed are not being taught what they are supposed to believe and the significance of it in their life. That includes those who attend religious services regularly.

"A lot don't really know what they believe and what difference it makes," Smith said. "My sense is that moralistic therapeutic deism represents larger transformations going on in Christian churches. It reflects something bigger that's happening." ...

"The language, and therefore experience, of Trinity, holiness, sin, grace, justification, sanctification, church, Eucharist, and heaven and hell appear, among most Christian teenagers and the United States at the very least, to be supplanted by the language of happiness, niceness, and an earned heavenly reward," Smith wrote.

My reply/comment:

I was privileged to worship at [our old church] last Sunday, when [the ministry intern's] sermon on John 6 (feeding of 5000, "testing" of Philip) touched on some similar issues. It's not just teens who want this sort of (small g) god. We want a god who is nice, gives us stuff, solves problems, and has no expectation vis a' vis our behavior, attitudes, etc. [The ministry intern] mentioned in passing that that sort of relationship with God is not loving; it's neglect.

As I drove home Sunday afternoon, a thought (which may be original) occurred to me: We don't want to worship God the Father. We want a one-sided relationship with "God the Uncle."

Stereotypically, uncles give us stuff, take us places, cheer us on at ball games or recitals, teach us cool things that our parents won't, tolerate what our parents won't, and we can placate them with hand-drawn cards or cheap aftershave and they are happy just to have been remembered.

"God the Uncle" is cheap grace. God the Father "demands my soul, my life, my all" (as we sang last Sunday.) No wonder we lean away from Him.

Thoughts?

Birthday Video

Eliza's first year on Vimeo (link having a bit of trouble...)

Most folks who stop by this blog will never meet Eliza, at least not this side of Heaven.

Those who love children or stories of faith should take a look at the video her parents created for her 1st birthday.

(If the embedded link above doesn't work, go to the Vimeo link and, if nothing else, advance the video to 5:16. Gaze into those eyes that will first clearly focus on Jesus.)

Bible Quiz

Not that you'd expect any different (though the questions were mostly middle school youth group level.)

The Southern Baptists taught me well, even if (IMHO) the adulations from the Quiz People are a bit over the top.

You know the Bible 100%!

Wow! You are awesome! You are a true Biblical scholar, not just a hearer but a personal reader! The books, the characters, the events, the verses - you know it all! You are fantastic!

Ultimate Bible Quiz
Create MySpace Quizzes

HT to the Curt Jester.

Life and Death and Dying

Life.

Izzy and I are in back in Durham for the Eliza's first birthday. The party, attended by well over 100 people was full of joyous and poignant moments. I got to hold Eliza several times, once for an extended period where I got to feel her helpless, vulnerable, precious weight in my arms, trying not to overstimulate her as she experienced several waves of seizure activity. I cried.

Her parents showed a montage of photos, overlaid with words from their earliest email posts about her life and condition. I cried.

Eliza's Dad, I learned today, is the author most responsible for the incredibly powerful statements of faith about her life. (Read here and here for examples.) At today's party, he said to the assembled group of friends and family: Eliza is teaching us how to be what we should be -- people relying on a God whom we know to be good. We then sang Happy Birthday, because, after all, it was a birthday party. I cried.

If we believe God is good, and believe He intends good towards us, then we have to believe that what comes our way is part of His good purposes. That's tough to take when a child is severely handicapped or dying. It can be even harder to remember when the suffering goes on without any end in sight... Eliza's parents have taught us so much about faith and the value to God of all those He has created.

Death.

Friends from Durham have a 20-month-old foster daughter, in addition to their three month old little girl. The foster child, another Izzi (the feminine spelling, I guess) lost her biological father this morning, She has no idea about this, and will not understand for years that her dad died while in another country. She spent dinner as a toddler should, eschewing the veggie pasta and reaching for the ice cream cake brought over by foster dad's parents for his bday. Her whole life changed, once again, today, and she won't know it for years.

All little Izzi knows is that she and "Uncle Izzy" had a great time playing at the dinner table and that her biological and foster grandparents (designations she doesn't know but people for whom she smiles brightly) are crazy about her and will do all they can to help her grow up safe and happy. Just like Eliza's parents, just like other parents cherishing these tiny gifts from God.

Dying.

We continue to pray for Gashwin and his family as his Dad slips closer and closer to the end of his life. I was privileged to speak with G this afternoon, sharing what I could about the dying process, comfort measures and treatment options for cancer patients, and honoring our parents in our care for them.

What a difficult time he and his family are having as Mr. Gomes body fights its last battles with cancer. There is no difficulty in the devotion, none in the care-giving, none in the intent to make him as comfortable as possible. The difficulty can come in the worrying and wondering and second-guessing that can accompany every single decision.

The best and most right decision was the trip to India. I am so glad this option was there for G.

From Sirach 3:3-14, read recently in Sunday Mass:

He who honors his father atones for sins; he stores up riches who reveres his mother.
He who honors his father is gladdened by children, and when he prays he is heard.
He who reveres his father will live a long life; he obeys the LORD who brings comfort to his mother.
He who fears the LORD honors his father, and serves his parents as rulers.
In word and deed honor your father that his blessing may come upon you;
For a father's blessing gives a family firm roots, but a mother's curse uproots the growing plant.
Glory not in your father's shame, for his shame is no glory to you!
His father's honor is a man's glory; disgrace for her children, a mother's shame.
My son, take care of your father when he is old; grieve him not as long as he lives.
Even if his mind fail, be considerate with him; revile him not in the fullness of your
strength.
For kindness to a father will not be forgotten, it will serve as a sin offering--it will take lasting root.
In time of tribulation it will be recalled to your advantage, like warmth upon frost it will melt away your sins.

And that kindness, our imitation of God's goodness to us, will demonstrate to others just how much God loves them.

More reasons to drink coffee

From our live / local / latebreaking News Channel:

(National-NBC) January 23, 2007 - Coffee and other caffeinated beverages could be key in curing baldness. German researchers say caffeine blocks a chemical known to damage hair follicles.

 

Unfortunately, downing a cup or even two probably won't do much good. Researchers say the average male would need at least 60 cups of coffee to equal the amount of caffeine needed to produce a result.  

 

The study was led by researchers at the University of Jena in Germany and published in the International Journal of Dermatology, January 2007.

Sponsored by Starbucks? 

 

BTW, as a reminder for those concerned about follicular challenges and coffee:  these 60 cups are merely 56 more than the amount you're already drinking each day to avoid alcohol-related liver damage (3 drinks + 4 cups of coffee = no cirrhosis.  Voila!)

Birthday Party

Izzy & I have just decided, rather impetuously and spontaneously for us, to head to NC next weekend for a one year old's birthday party.

I've posted a few times in the past year about the daughter of friends from NC, and what we've learned from watching their lives with Eliza. I'm looking forward to our chance to see (and perhaps hold, if she isn't too upset by the large crowd at the party) this little baby who has shown so many people the faithfulness of God to the children with whom He graces our families.

Letters from the Sandbox

I chanced upon this site tonight, where members of the armed services can post non-classified reports from the front lines in Afghanistan and Iraq. It's hosted by the Doonesbury site at Slate.com.

Posted by a nurse who was taking a leave of absence from her position:

After returning the properly signed paperwork to the proper people I walked out the door of the hospital and over to the parking garage. As I sat in my car the tears flowed, and I again thought about all the ones I had seen and cared for, hugged and encouraged, cried for and with, and then I thought about all the ones whose hands I would not hold. The waterworks finally ended and I was able to head home. As I drove through the Post gates I sent a prayer heaven-bound, that someone, somewhere, would do what I could do no longer.

From a soldier in Baghdad:

So it is a new year, and once again I am disappointed that we are not all zipping around the skies in shiny silver jet packs. I thought we would be there by the impossible Year of Our Lord 2007. But no, here we are in freakin' Baghdad, watching Mesopotamian hillbillies waste each other with assembly line machineguns designed in 1947, and trying to relearn hard-won lessons from a bitter little war 40 years behind us. It's all a bit depressing.

I could deal with all that, though, if it weren't for the mud. We enjoyed a week's respite while the clouds held back their torrents, and a weak and impotent sun slowly transmogrified the mud back into its usual tan-grey talcum powder form. Now it's returned with a vengeance, like some monster jello from a cheap 1950s sci-fi horror flick. "Revenge of the Chocolate Mousse." "Bride of the Mocha Blancmange." Or my personal favorite: "It Came From The Porta-potty."

Rumor has it that last week 1st Platoon lost a soldier to it. One moment he was walking to the latrines, the next second he was gone. All they found was his boonie hat lying on top of an innocent-looking mud hole, a few air bubbles plopping around it. No one's seen him since.

More good stuff available at the site. Click the icon below if you want to tangibly "support the troops."