Well, its another Friday night in Bethesda! Hurrah!!
Its bitterly cold here, and I nearly froze walking to Metro. Why am I living here again!!!???
Joey is such a lucky guy! He was teaching this week at VCU in Richmond. One of the librarians brought him a birthday cake!! What a nice person!!
He will be 29 tomorrow! I'm glad I'm not 29 again though, but I think its a good age.
After work tonight, I went to the grocery store to fill up the larder for Ed's arrival home. $166 later, I stopped at Tony Lin's for Chinese. Its so cold here, I couldn't get warm, so I went for Won Ton soup and Broccoli Chicken. It was good, and I see they deliver for free, they are just around the block from me. I might do this again sometime.
Work was pretty grueling today. We had a two hour session with me on the laptop projecting onto the large screen...typing and editing away on the dam*n statement of work...committee work took up another hour...I cut out as soon as it looked feasible...about 4:30.
It was so really very cold walking to and from Metro today. Oh Well..
Friday, January 29, 2010
Friday, January 22, 2010
Friday night in Bethesda
Friday nights are always my favorite time of the whole week. I love Fridays!
Last night we had Weather Warnings for Montgomery County - freezing rains and sleet by morning with 1-3 inches possible.
So, I reset my alarm clock to an hour later than my normal 5:30AM, told my boss not to expect me before 9AM, and also told her if the sidewalks were impassable, I would call her in the AM.
The weather didn't materialize, but I slept until 7AM, so didn't get to work until 9 anyway. I think that was OK. OK with me anyway. I worked until 5:30 tonight and was the last to leave the office.
Work was kind of grueling today, we are working intensely on the "statement of work" for the big contracts our office manages for medical library services across the nation. Picture me typing away, projected onto the big screen flat panel for the team to review, critique, revise on the fly. I got so tired after an hour and a half, I told them I needed to quit!!! Hey, my eyes were starting to hurt!! Migranes were coming on!!
One interesting development was that we (our library) were able to make available access to information through a service our library has worked out with publishers - we offer free access to much medical information over the web-- seminal medical books, key journals....free from the publishers (Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, many others, etc.) for the Haiti crisis. This is an international effort and quite a lot of negotiations went into getting this in place. This was part of our Katrina solutions -- I mean things that we could have used to help Katrina victims but these services were not in place then. They are now. Those health care providers on the USNS Comfort will be able to use this if they need it...other doctors/nurses/patients too.
I'm a bit lonely tonight. That is to be expected, of course. I'm coping. One of Ed's high school girlfriends "friended" me on FB. Oh dear.
After a week of work I really like to go out to dinner on Friday nights. But not so much fun alone. I think I'll subscribe to Cinemax.
I hope Amanda isn't flooded out in Arizona...
Joey has a great offer for an internship...I'm excited!!
I'm looking forward to getting my hair cut on Sunday morning.
I think I like the Happy Light in my office. It is a great conversation piece if nothing else. I'm not so sure my Seasonal Affective Disorder is related to light, but rather the season where my husband lives 3000 miles away and I .... Oh Well. ::heavy sigh::
Next week we have a Birthday to Celebrate!!!
Last night we had Weather Warnings for Montgomery County - freezing rains and sleet by morning with 1-3 inches possible.
So, I reset my alarm clock to an hour later than my normal 5:30AM, told my boss not to expect me before 9AM, and also told her if the sidewalks were impassable, I would call her in the AM.
The weather didn't materialize, but I slept until 7AM, so didn't get to work until 9 anyway. I think that was OK. OK with me anyway. I worked until 5:30 tonight and was the last to leave the office.
Work was kind of grueling today, we are working intensely on the "statement of work" for the big contracts our office manages for medical library services across the nation. Picture me typing away, projected onto the big screen flat panel for the team to review, critique, revise on the fly. I got so tired after an hour and a half, I told them I needed to quit!!! Hey, my eyes were starting to hurt!! Migranes were coming on!!
One interesting development was that we (our library) were able to make available access to information through a service our library has worked out with publishers - we offer free access to much medical information over the web-- seminal medical books, key journals....free from the publishers (Elsevier, Wolters Kluwer, many others, etc.) for the Haiti crisis. This is an international effort and quite a lot of negotiations went into getting this in place. This was part of our Katrina solutions -- I mean things that we could have used to help Katrina victims but these services were not in place then. They are now. Those health care providers on the USNS Comfort will be able to use this if they need it...other doctors/nurses/patients too.
I'm a bit lonely tonight. That is to be expected, of course. I'm coping. One of Ed's high school girlfriends "friended" me on FB. Oh dear.
After a week of work I really like to go out to dinner on Friday nights. But not so much fun alone. I think I'll subscribe to Cinemax.
I hope Amanda isn't flooded out in Arizona...
Joey has a great offer for an internship...I'm excited!!
I'm looking forward to getting my hair cut on Sunday morning.
I think I like the Happy Light in my office. It is a great conversation piece if nothing else. I'm not so sure my Seasonal Affective Disorder is related to light, but rather the season where my husband lives 3000 miles away and I .... Oh Well. ::heavy sigh::
Next week we have a Birthday to Celebrate!!!
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Earthquake Relief
I know all of us are being somewhat bombarded with information about the earthquake.
This morning I spotted something positive for us, so I wanted to share:
American Psychological Association January 15, 2010
Managing your distress about the earthquake from afar
For people with friends and family living in Haiti, watching news coverage of the earthquake's devastation can be very distressing, particularly if there is no news on their safety and well-being. Even for those without personal connections to the country, the news coverage can be overwhelming.
APA offers the following tips to mange your distress:
* Take a news break.
Watching endless replays of footage from the
disaster can make your stress even greater. Although you will want to keep informed - especially if you have loved ones in Haiti - taking a break from watching the news can lessen your distress.
* Control what you can.
There are routines in your life that you
can continue such as going to work or school and making meals. It is helpful to maintain these routines and schedules to give yourself a break from constantly thinking about the earthquake.
* Engage in healthy behaviors.
Eat well-balanced meals, engage in
regular exercise like going for a long walk, and get plenty of rest.
Bolstering your physical well-being is good for your emotional health
and can enhance your ability to cope.
* Keep things in perspective.
While an earthquake can bring tremendous hardship and loss, remember to focus on the things that are good in your life. Persevere and trust in your ability to get through the challenging days ahead.
* Find a productive way to help if you can.
Many organizations are set up to provide various forms of aid to survivors. Contributing or volunteering is a positive action that can help you to make a difference.
* Strive for a positive outlook.
Many people who have experienced tragedy find that they grow in some respect as a result of persevering through the hardship. Over time, people can discover personal strengths
and develop a greater appreciation for life.
For many people, using the tips above may be sufficient to get them through current challenges. At times, however, an individual can have difficulty managing intense reactions. A licensed mental health professional such as a psychologist can assist you in developing an appropriate strategy for moving forward. It is important to get professional help if you feel like you are unable to function or perform basic activities of daily living. You can find psychologists near you by contacting your state psychological association. Many of these psychologists are trained in trauma and disaster work.
Psychologists are licensed by the state in which they practice. With doctoral degrees, they receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees.
(Special thanks for help from Raymond F. Hanbury, PhD, ABPP, and Eva D.
Sivan, PhD. Adapted from "Managing Traumatic Stress: Dealing with the Hurricanes from Afar (2005)," "Tips for Managing Your Distress Related to the Wildfires" and "Tips for College and University Students:
Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of School Shootings.")
Documents from APA Help Center
may be reprinted in their entirety with credit given to the American Psychological Association.
Any exceptions to this, including requests to excerpt or paraphrase documents from APA Help Center , must be presented in writing to Help Center and will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Permission for exceptions will be given on a one-time-only basis and must be sought for each additional use of the document.
This morning I spotted something positive for us, so I wanted to share:
American Psychological Association
For people with friends and family living in Haiti, watching news coverage of the earthquake's devastation can be very distressing, particularly if there is no news on their safety and well-being. Even for those without personal connections to the country, the news coverage can be overwhelming.
APA offers the following tips to mange your distress:
* Take a news break.
Watching endless replays of footage from the
disaster can make your stress even greater. Although you will want to keep informed - especially if you have loved ones in Haiti - taking a break from watching the news can lessen your distress.
* Control what you can.
There are routines in your life that you
can continue such as going to work or school and making meals. It is helpful to maintain these routines and schedules to give yourself a break from constantly thinking about the earthquake.
* Engage in healthy behaviors.
Eat well-balanced meals, engage in
regular exercise like going for a long walk, and get plenty of rest.
Bolstering your physical well-being is good for your emotional health
and can enhance your ability to cope.
* Keep things in perspective.
While an earthquake can bring tremendous hardship and loss, remember to focus on the things that are good in your life. Persevere and trust in your ability to get through the challenging days ahead.
* Find a productive way to help if you can.
Many organizations are set up to provide various forms of aid to survivors. Contributing or volunteering is a positive action that can help you to make a difference.
* Strive for a positive outlook.
Many people who have experienced tragedy find that they grow in some respect as a result of persevering through the hardship. Over time, people can discover personal strengths
and develop a greater appreciation for life.
For many people, using the tips above may be sufficient to get them through current challenges. At times, however, an individual can have difficulty managing intense reactions. A licensed mental health professional such as a psychologist can assist you in developing an appropriate strategy for moving forward. It is important to get professional help if you feel like you are unable to function or perform basic activities of daily living. You can find psychologists near you by contacting your state psychological association. Many of these psychologists are trained in trauma and disaster work.
Psychologists are licensed by the state in which they practice. With doctoral degrees, they receive one of the highest levels of education of all health care professionals, spending an average of seven years in education and training after they receive their undergraduate degrees.
(Special thanks for help from Raymond F. Hanbury, PhD, ABPP, and Eva D.
Sivan, PhD. Adapted from "Managing Traumatic Stress: Dealing with the Hurricanes from Afar (2005)," "Tips for Managing Your Distress Related to the Wildfires" and "Tips for College and University Students:
Managing Your Distress in the Aftermath of School Shootings.")
Documents from APA Help Center
Any exceptions to this, including requests to excerpt or paraphrase documents from APA Help Center
Friday, January 15, 2010
Mobile MedlinePlus for your Smart Phone
We’re pleased to announce the official release of Mobile MedlinePlus (http://m.medlineplus.gov/). Please take a look from your mobile device, and pass this link on to others.
Mobile MedlinePlus offers a wide range of health information. Are you or someone you know wondering what the side effects are for your new prescription? Go to Mobile MedlinePlus while you’re waiting for the pharmacist to fill your order.
Visit Mobile MedlinePlus during your train ride to work to read the latest news on diabetes.
Or, the next time you’re in your doctor’s waiting room, visit the “Talking With Your Doctor” page on Mobile MedlinePlus to learn how to get the most out of your visit.
Mobile MedlinePlus offers a wide range of health information. Are you or someone you know wondering what the side effects are for your new prescription? Go to Mobile MedlinePlus while you’re waiting for the pharmacist to fill your order.
Visit Mobile MedlinePlus during your train ride to work to read the latest news on diabetes.
Or, the next time you’re in your doctor’s waiting room, visit the “Talking With Your Doctor” page on Mobile MedlinePlus to learn how to get the most out of your visit.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Waaaay back when we didn't have blogs...
So, in looking back a decade -
It occurs to me that we didn't have blogs a decade ago.
or digital cameras! or camera phones!
In 2000 I didn't know what a blog was or have any idea that I might be able to have one.
I didn't jump on the blog bandwagon until 2004.
Sometimes I realize how important and meaningful they are to me....Ed ask for a photo he needed at work. I **KNOW** that I have the exact photo he needs...but it was pre digital cameras, pre digital photo web sites (flickr and picasa) so,
I had to go to the 2nd bedroom, dig around in old photos for a few hours and then I did locate it.
It is a lot easier to keep my photos organized online. Like a librarian, by date.
I like the digital cameras and I like the blogs. Thanks first decade of 2000!
It occurs to me that we didn't have blogs a decade ago.
or digital cameras! or camera phones!
In 2000 I didn't know what a blog was or have any idea that I might be able to have one.
I didn't jump on the blog bandwagon until 2004.
Sometimes I realize how important and meaningful they are to me....Ed ask for a photo he needed at work. I **KNOW** that I have the exact photo he needs...but it was pre digital cameras, pre digital photo web sites (flickr and picasa) so,
I had to go to the 2nd bedroom, dig around in old photos for a few hours and then I did locate it.
It is a lot easier to keep my photos organized online. Like a librarian, by date.
I like the digital cameras and I like the blogs. Thanks first decade of 2000!
Friday, January 08, 2010
Bidding the old decade Farewell
I think its a little scary to look at a whole decade. When you look at the changes over a 10 year span, it is overwhelming.
If we knew things in advance, we might hesitate to move forward. Something I read recently suggested that "One cannot move forward toward the future using only the rear view mirror as the guide."
Given that perspective, I will aim to be forward looking. The decade just past was very eventful. Some good, some painful.
As this decade began, I had been hiking in South America, working on my marriage, I was at a good healthy weight. We sold the home where I had lived for eleven or twelve years, raised my children.
Moved to a lovely new home.
Sold that home and moved across the country, left my job, my friends. Tried in vain to help my parents, my family. Who guessed I would gain a whopping 130 lbs during this last decade?
Of course, this was a decade of significant losses for me. But, also a decade of wonderful delights, much happiness and good things interspersed. I [finally] grew into a significant job where I make positive contributions to society (after nearly throwing in the towel.) I am more at peace in my marriage and my life now as the new decade begins. I've lost about half the unwanted weight. I am in a good place to move forward.
Three of my nieces had children in this decade. Lovely, healthy young daughters for all. I hope to play a role in their lives in the coming time.
My own children made significant personal and professional strides. I am so proud of them both. They are funny, witty, bright, independent young adults.
Both had a very eventful and significant decade of his/her own. In many ways, their decade was more eventful than my own.
I love it all, the good, the bad and the ugly.
So, Welcome 2010! Bring it on.
If we knew things in advance, we might hesitate to move forward. Something I read recently suggested that "One cannot move forward toward the future using only the rear view mirror as the guide."
Given that perspective, I will aim to be forward looking. The decade just past was very eventful. Some good, some painful.
As this decade began, I had been hiking in South America, working on my marriage, I was at a good healthy weight. We sold the home where I had lived for eleven or twelve years, raised my children.
Moved to a lovely new home.
Sold that home and moved across the country, left my job, my friends. Tried in vain to help my parents, my family. Who guessed I would gain a whopping 130 lbs during this last decade?
Of course, this was a decade of significant losses for me. But, also a decade of wonderful delights, much happiness and good things interspersed. I [finally] grew into a significant job where I make positive contributions to society (after nearly throwing in the towel.) I am more at peace in my marriage and my life now as the new decade begins. I've lost about half the unwanted weight. I am in a good place to move forward.
Three of my nieces had children in this decade. Lovely, healthy young daughters for all. I hope to play a role in their lives in the coming time.
My own children made significant personal and professional strides. I am so proud of them both. They are funny, witty, bright, independent young adults.
Both had a very eventful and significant decade of his/her own. In many ways, their decade was more eventful than my own.
I love it all, the good, the bad and the ugly.
So, Welcome 2010! Bring it on.
Monday, January 04, 2010
Pita-Piata Recipe
I found the recipe I have that was in Thomasina's handwriting. I can read it pretty clearly.
Remember, double click on the photo image to enlarge it to save or read better.
This typed one is not the same exactly, but similar.
Remember, double click on the photo image to enlarge it to save or read better.
This typed one is not the same exactly, but similar.
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