Looking out my window...

Best Mouse Buy Ever... In My Humble Opinion.

    

My PC crashed.

My life is on my computer. While recovering from a nervous breakdown and waiting for it to be repaired I use my husband's laptop. It's a given that it becomes mine if needed.

On my pc I use a  roller ball mouse. Have for years and love it. Of course the laptop has that silly touch pad for moving the cursor. I HATE it. So after a couple of hours I decided to plug in the wireless mouse I had bought a few years ago for the laptop that preceded the current one. Tried everything to get it to work, even changed the batteries. Nothing worked. Time to quickly buy a new one.

The one I decided to buy looked good and had good reviews. Even so, any computer equipment purchase always causes the stress of knowing I would have to install it. I placed an order for store pick up. Picked it up and took it home.

First of all, who ever designed the packaging should be making a million dollars. Instead of trying to enter Fort Knox the plastic had a perforated portion  with a red arrow saying OPEN EASY HERE. I was sceptical. My arthritic hands are not strong. Put I pulled and lo and behold I easily ripped that thing apart. I unfolded the huge instruction sheet. There was a total of five steps:

    1. Turn on laptop.
    2. Install mouse battery.
    3. Plug in USB nano receiver.
    4. Congratulations you are ready to use your mouse.
    5. Congratulations again!

I love the fifth step the best.

Anyway, I'm so happy with this mouse I had to share it with you.  And to top it off I was able to use Reward Points earned to bring the price all the way down to $9.99.

Oh, and my PC? I just talked to my friend who is working on it. It was hit badly with trojans, worms and viruses. This is the second time I have had a computer crash on me. The first time was about 1 1/2 years ago. This time I had an external hard drive with backup stored on it.

How did this happen? I wanted to know because I have at least five spyware programs working to keep these things from happening.  The answer is "because." "Because" the viruses that are out there today can immediately kill any security programs you may have. The biggest way to avoid this now is to not download sites known as unsafe: free downloads, emails that have been 'round the world and back (like chain letters).

Oh, and always, always backup your files on an external hard drive!

And, of course, someone like me, who is on-line for many hours a day can expect more problems that those who are not.

Dance As If No One Is Watching!

If you were to ask me what my favorite thing to do is...I would say DANCING!

Probably very few of you have seen me dance. Matter of fact, I really can't dance anymore. That is to say, I can't dance physically anymore. But, believe you me, I do dance and often. It's just that no one sees me.

I just close my eyes and dance my booty off!

Thanks to my friend Pat for sending this my way.

 

How Dogs Support Our Troops

18 Veterans commit suicide a day. 4 Million dogs are euthanized every year. Dogs help Vets with PTSD (retrieved from @DustyRice on Twitter).

   

Powerful stories told here. Visit http://WWW.P2V.ORG/ for more information on the wonderful program.

Dogs can be a friend like no other living creature. They are always there when you need them. They snuggle and keep you warm. And, they don't gossip about anything you tell them.

Our best friend is Copper. You've met him before, but here he is again.

 
Copper The Cock-a-poo.
Picture by Sharon.

Copper is 7 years old this month. Since the Chief  retired, Copper has been his co-pilot on errand road trips. If you see one, you'll likely see the other.

Copper is the one wagging his tail.

Linden Tree Fall Leaves In Wind - For Janice

 
Video by Sharon

Watching this video it would be hard to know that about two years ago I captured, edited, titled etc. videos for over 40 hours a week. I was a volunteer at our local government cable access television. I did use a new program to creat this video, but my memory loss (thanks to Fibromyalgia) caused this little 37 second bit of whimsy to take longer than I care to share. It's a little shakey due to lack of tripod.

But, isn't it pretty? I wanted to do this for my friend Janice Renee, who lives out where there are no Falls. She misses the season and the colors that escape as the sun's rays stretch to reach us.

I took that back in October. And I took this picture of our Prairie Fire Crabapple Tree just the other day. When the crackles came for their fall feasting on the red "apples."

 
Prairie Crabapple Tree Fall 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

 
Crackles Feeding On Crabapples 2010.
Photo by Sharon.

I wasn't able to get all of the birds that were actually here. My slightest move sent them off in a black cloud. I'll try again next year.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

 
Drainage Pipe Photo found on internet.

Are you afraid of something? I mean like a phobia of a specific thing? Do you remember how you found out you were afraid? One horrible winter day, when I was in my very early teens, I had an experience I will never forget.

My girlfriend and I decided to take a walk from the older side of town to a new addition that was being built. In between the two locations was a vast wild field. A small creek flowed through the meadow, although we did not know it at the time. "Cuz this was an adventure!"

There was about six inches of snow over the ground, blown away in some parts, with high drifts in others. Even so, do you think we wore boots? Ha! Never on your tintype. As we walked along, our feet would sometimes break through a crust of ice between the snow and the ground, and our shoes would get wet from the melting ice beneath. The walking was hard work and it would take a bit of time to get to our destination.

About three-quarters of the way we finally came upon the creek. Now that I think of it, it was probably a drainage ditch rather than a creek. But, creek sounds better for the story. It was about 20 feet across with an immediate drop to about four feet below. The water was frozen.

We would never have dared to walk across it, knowing that the ice would probably break. But, we were in luck. There was a huge cement pipe coming out of the ground, going across the ditch, and entering the ground on the other side. It was a huge pipe, maybe four to five feet in diameter, making it easy peasy to cross. Aha, a bridge!!!

My friend went first. Not slowly, but carefully, as I watched. Okeedookee, my turn. I took a few steps and got out almost to the middle when I looked down. I don't know what happened to me, but I couldn't move any further. My friend yelled at me to "come on." But, I was frozen in place. "I can't!" I yelled back.

And, I couldn't. Standing there, my two feet secured themselves on the cement pipe, my arms out to my side like a circus tight rope walker. Nope, those feet weren't about to go anywhere. I think I was in a state of mortal fear. "Walk!" she said. "I can't move!" I answered.

And, there we were. But, where was superman when I needed him. "Go baaaack!" she said. "I can't move!" I answered. I couldn't even move my head. I was like one of those wax figures in Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum.

Time stood still.

I was frantically thinking I had to do something. But, what? I finally decided to lower myself down on the pipe so I would be straddling it, rather than standing. "Good, crawl over to me!" she said. "No, I can't!"

I ended up butt walking, more or less, backwards to the beginning of the pipe and was able to crawl onto the ground. I could breathe once more.

I had been terrified, helpless and cold. I couldn't feel my feet anymore. My face was covered with frozen tears. I needed my mommy.

My parents weren't home that day. Fortunately, the minister of my church lived close by. We stopped there. I told my sad story through more tears. Telling him that my feet were frozen and I feared frostbite. He and his wife took care of me very tenderly and seriously. Just the right combination for dealing with a young teenager: I felt loved and I was being taken seriously.

So, that's my story about discovering I was afraid of heights. Well, not exactly heights. Just anything above ground level. Even today, if I am going down or up stairs, I suffer from vertigo. And, don't even ask me about driving in the mountains!

My regret is, I never had an opportunity to tell Alfred Hitchcock my story. I think it would have made a good movie.

Oh, and what brought all this to mind is a video that my dear Roger Ebert had on his blog. Hold on and enjoy.

 

Hello, Is It Me You're Looking For?

Bird Breadline: Waiting.                        Photo By Sharon 2010.

I've written before about why I blog. It started as an experiment. I've also written about validation. I have gotten more validation from my blog than I could have ever imagined. It almost scares me when my fingers touch the keyboard and start typing. All those letters. All those words. Flying out into cyberspace. Does anyone read them? And why?

Here is a recent comment from a Face Book friend. At least that's where we met. The friendship is bigger than Face Book.

Her husband has been very sick. Scary sick and no diagnosis. Sick that whispers the dreaded word "cancer." Sickness that changes the normal everyday pattern of our footprints.

And then...EUREKA!

A diagnosis was finally given. The disease was found. This is why medicine is not just a science but an art. The art is putting all the colors of the palette together and fitting the pieces together until finally a picture is recognized and named.

And with the diagnosis comes the knowing. And hope is rekindled.

A message from my friend is received:

I have been meaning to write you, but I have been busy learning everything I could about this disease.

You don't know this but you helped me. From reading your blog, etc. I remembered you joined a group on-line concerning your medical condition and had positive things to say about it.So on a lark I found the world organization for the disease.

I think it may have saved his life. His light containing hope had just about flickered out. He now has hope. I am so glad I stumbled into your garden...just wanted to say thanks for being there...you are wonderful beyond belief!

Choose to be happy!!!!!!!!!

Here are some magnified microscopic specimen photographs of the disease I found online. Also art in their own way.

 

 

 

As a person who remains in home most of the time my blog is a way to reach out to others. It warms my heart when my readers reach back to me.

Share your strengths when you can. Accept others' strength when in need. 

And, don't forget to WOOOOOOHOOOOO! Whenever possible!

George Carlin Interview: He Spoke And I Heard

Everyone has favorites.

I have them, too. Here are a few of my favorite people quotes:

George Carlin: "Think off-center."

Roger Ebert: "The Muse visits while you are writing, not before."

Ernest Hemingway via Roger Ebert: "Isn't it pretty to think so."

That's sufficient for the moment. The video clip below is delightful. Not only is George Carlin being interviewed, he is being interviewed by a recent new favorite of mine Jon Stewart.

The clip is over 10 years old and they both look younger. But, I was amazed at how cute Jon looked. I'm going to write him and suggest he dye his hair and re-create that wonderful curl dangling down on his forehead... just as soon as I finish this.

I hope you enjoy the video. If not, oh well then, I have led you astray.

   

Birds of A Feather Flock Together

  Finches at Feeder Photo by Sharon

You'd think by looking at this picture the finches were starving to death. Let me assure you they are not, as they feed like this several times a day. I haven't as yet been able to photograph the "waiting line" on our fence. I shall keep on trying.

I think it's due to these little rascals the mighty cardinals have yet to return to us. Too crowded, especially when there are so many other feeders close by. We still enjoy listening to their songs.

 

Dream A Little Dream with Me

Last night I had a very long dream, or so it seemed. I don't remember it all, nor the details. What I do remember is the Chief and I kept running to different places trying to hide from someone whose goal seemed to be to harm or kill us. No matter how clever we were... we were found.

When I told the Chief about it I paused and said "maybe it was the grandchildren?" And we laughed.  We love them so much.

 

OTC* Laughter

I've written about laughter and humor before. I think it is the one thing that keeps me going. It gets my adrenalin and endorphins jumping.

Recently, on Face Book, a woman contacted me saying she had read my blog when she was feeling sad and it made her happy. Wow. It turns out we have so much in common it's freaky. I mean how we think, how we choose to be happy when that is not life's intention. We both like Lady Gaga (laugh if you want), the Coffee Party (as opposed to Tea Party) and Dexter (okay, so he's a serial killer), to name a few. She is an artist and her work makes me smile. She called me, yes meeee... a word smith!  Holy cow!

Now my mom might say those things (she however doesn't like Lady Gaga) but a complete stranger with no ties or reason to tell me this. What a wonderful gift to give someone. It's sorta like the "random act of kindness" thingy. Any way, I'm so grateful to her for letting me know that my writing touched someone in a meaningful way.

And this reminds me of Roger Ebert, one of my idols. I've loved him since the 60's. This last year has not been the best for me. Fibromyalgia is a nasty thing. Not, however, as bad a trial as Roger has been through. The thing is, I think we both approached our change in life style in a somewhat similar manner: Look at what has happen. Find how limitations can be turned around. Refuse to be miserable. Mandate life be enjoyed. And laugh your heart out.

No, I don't go outside much. No, I haven't gone to things I use to. My life changed. But, one day I thought about blogging. And if you look at my first few blogs, you'll see I didn't have a clue what I was doing. As it is now, it seems to have turned into a conversation with myself and anyone who wants to listen.

And, what brought me to this blog was a retweet from Roger Ebert:

TheSocialBrain Compelling evidence that smiling leads to physiological changes in the brain that cool blood+trigger happy feelings. http://alturl.com/25bdn Retweeted by ebertchicago and 100+ others:

Smiling Makes You Happy
Bob Sutton's Blog "Work Matters" 

Gretchen over at The Happiness Project had a lovely and thoughtful post yesterday called smile, smile, smile.  She ended the post by saying: "And apart from its effect on my dealings with other people, smiling makes me feelhappier. Actions trigger feelings, so by going through the motions of feeling happier, I change my mood. Thich Nhat Hanh wrote, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”'

And here is a Video with Laughing John Cleese

And another from the Yogi himself

 

And, finally...Never take yourself too seriously...

 

 

*OTC means medicines that are Over The Counter  - no prescription needed

Good Morning, Good Morning, Good Morning

  From YouTube - I'm not making any money on this!

Yesterday (OMG another Beatles song. Just have to hum it to yourself) was not a good day for me.

I tried to get my old palm z22 up and running. I've been using the calendar only on this computer, not the hand held device. Now this calendar has my life on it. Dates, numbers, anniversaries, you know? Anytime someone in my family needs some info they call me. And, I have it. Oops. Not anymore.

It had all appointments for myself and the Chief, and Molly and the kids. It's all gone. I felt lost yesterday. I didn't know who I was or where I was going. Deep, deep funk. What to do, what to do? Didn't have a clue so I went to bed.

This morning I woke up, went to the bathroom, took my hundreds of pills, noted that one needed to be refilled, grabbed the bottle and exited the bathroom.

Husband and dog were still in bed. Copper, the dog, woke up and was sooo happy to see me. He made me happy. As I went over to the Chief, the husband, I started singing/humming "Tea for Two." I gave him a kiss on the forehead and proceeded to perform: humming and singing and tap dancing. Okay, I was tap dancing in my head, but the pill bottle made a good tapping rhythm section so I looked and sounded like I was dancing. Both the Chief and the dog seemed to enjoy it. When I finished, the Chief said: "Does that mean you want tea instead of coffee?" 

I have no idea why that song was in my head. Nor do I know why I sang and danced. Sometimes these things just come over me. I can't resist. Besides, we all have fun. If not now, when?

So, there I was all giddy as I approached the office. And then it hit me. Dear God, I don't have my calendar! I had completely forgotten it. No... what I think I did was let go of it. That is why I woke up happy. The calendar was gone and I can't do anything about it. I will of course start a new one, but the old is gone, gone, gone.

On a different note, sometimes I get "down" about my blog. Questioning myself, is it any good, has it any value, do people enjoy reading it?

I seldom get feedback. I know the Chief enjoys it. And I certainly, for the most part, like doing it. I do not, in anyway, think of myself as creative, or artistic, or humorous, or anything else other than curious. Well, I think I do know when something looks "right." My biggest character fault is that I try to be perfect, well practically perfect in every way. And, of course I fail at that. I'm always imperfect.

So, to help my perception of self a little, I would like to copy here one or two comments I've received either via my blog or email.

"I really enjoyed your blog, Sharon. You impress me with your writing. I do believe it is your gifted talent. I also enjoy looking out the window. It is sometimes what gives me a boost for the day. I enjoy sunrise looking out our back windows. Recent sunrise has been almost orange in color - a fall treat! I do not know how this works, but you can teach me. I think it could be so enjoyable." K 

"I enjoy reading your blog, Sharon.  It's evident what pleasure you get from looking out your window and reporting the birds and daily happenings in the house.  I've added creative writing and photography to your many talents observed over the years.  Enjoy the day."  Carol

"Lots of great photos in your blog. Hadn't looked at it since your first notice. You must continue with your writing. I do have positive thoughts going "your way" my dear. Know you are needed in so many ways in this community." MKJ 

"Thanks Sharon.....what a wonderful blog!!  The adoption of the dogs was so interesting to see.  The story of the Cardinals was something I didn't know.  Thanks for sharing....." Dorine

"Wishing to emphasize my admiration for your literary talent. You are able to make even the most ordinary things replete with interest and meaning. I am proud of you." Shirlee

"Good writing but it was kind of scary, in view of the recent Haitian earthquake....." Kay

Oh, my goodness...I had better write more. And thanks to all for hanging in there with me. ♥

Roger Ebert's Journal

Roger Ebert's Journal

Who do you read? Good Roger, or Bad Roger?

By

Roger Ebert

on December 9, 2009 11:24 PM |

This message came to me from a reader named Peter Svensland. He and a friend have been debating about my qualities as a film critic, and they've involved a considerable critic, Dan Schneider, in their discussion. I will say that he has given the question a surprising amount of thought and attention over the years, and may well be correct in some aspects. What his analysis gives me is a renewed respect and curiosity about his own work.

Continued...

 

His link is in my sidebar...

 

 

This is but a nano sample of Roger's Journal writing. Savage Chickens is one of the cartoons I try to read daily. To see them both together was like a sign...calling out to me to read it and more.

O'Rouke"s was a famous bar in Old Town. I was a fan of Roger even back in the mid sixties. And I had a wonderful and amazing time living in Old Town where O'Rourke's resided. It was a Pub. Not a bar, saloon, nor tavern. Nope. A Pub. On a corner in my neighborhood!

I would venture there after work for a scotch on the rocks of the day. I knew that Roger, along with other newspapermen frequented O'Rourke's. While to this day I feel a kinship with Roger, I have never met him. I've followed his life somewhat over the years and valued his movie reviews to the highest. We like the same things. He has triumphed over trials I dare not describe. We are kindred spirits and in that way we have indeed met.