The Eyes Have It!!

It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul.  They are also the windows to your brain. I recently had my two year eye checkup, and  I was looking forward to it.  I knew that the doctor's examination would be an opportunity to check out my CPU [central processing unit...aka the brain] that keeps me going.  He had told me of a couple of instances where he was the one to alert the patient that there was something awry.  Nice to know.  Within my circle of family and friends,  there are several people who have glaucoma, and pay very close attention to the medications that keep it in check.  I think that you wouldn't want to find out in 'hindsight' that there was something needing attention that could have been fixed.

Yesterday I posted about how NATURE fascinates me.  The brain with its ability to multitask like nothing else is in the same category in my book...amazing!!

This reminds me of a book that I read and would recommend.  It is called, "My Stroke of Insight" by Jill Bolte Taylor.  She is a Harvard- trained brain scientist who had a stroke at the age of 37.  She recognized what was occurring, and her account of the eight year total recovery gives immense perspective to the brain...including the right brain/ left brain differences.  I loved it!

So, get your eyes checked.  It may seem costly, but it is actually...priceless.

All in favor...Eye!!

So you see...

The 'eyes' have it.

Foster Care for the Plants

The cooler weather has arrived along with a mention of the 'F' word...FROST !!! When I look at the beautiful flowers and plants on the deck, I know that it is only a matter of time before they will be gone. Last year I brought my two cedar planters to the school where I taught and 'Green Thumb Marty' nurtured them through the school year. I picked them up around Memorial Day, and they have hung around my house for the spring/summer. This year I am trying to get the green light for more plants to go and winter with the kids. I think it is a win/win situation. The plants brighten up the halls and classrooms, the kids get a sense of 'Mother Nature' , and the plants live longer all the while emitting good vibes into the air. It was on my helper list back in my teaching days. We called it 'The Green Team' and the plants had names, too. 'Shuffle' for the schefalara plant and 'Shakespeare' for the Imperial Palm Tree.

Do you know a teacher who would loan your plants a warm window while you loaned them some plants to observe in the name of Science? It's a teachable moment waiting to happen!!

My mom's gardenia tree and the braided hibiscus will join us on the inside of the house in the hope they may even produce a flower in the darkness of winter.

Cock a doodle..huh?

My dentist appointment is tomorrow and that squawking tooth will be history!

When 'Holy Communion Helen' was here this morning, she told me to put it under my pillow for the tooth fairy! Haha. We were reminiscing about life and we were amazed that neither one of us could remember someone's name from school. I have said all along that the 'weapons of mass destruction' were indeed released airborne and they are the reason that no one remembers anything...young, middle-aged, or old. It's a flippin' epidemic!!

Anyway, her hip is really bothering her and we got talking about solutions. After she left, I was reading the newspaper and there is a doctor's column[ Dr. Gott] where people write in and ask questions and/or share remedies for problems. So, today's column was:

"Relief for hip pain without surgery".

The tried, true, and popular answers were explained. And then it said,

"As to the injections that you heard about, your friend may have been referring to viscosupplementation, which involves injecting hyaluronic-acid derivitives into an affected knee to provide some cushioning. Created from rooster combs [that brightly colored, fleshy 'crown' on the top of a rooster's head], the product is similar to one of the components of normal joint fluid. It is currently only approved for osteoarthritis of the knee, but is being studied in other joints."

Well, that's great news, but can you predict my reaction??

Rooster combs???

Who would ever entertain the idea that rooster combs could have a beneficial secret??

Shockingly true, though, I was probably less aghast than most people would be...because of my prior experience with bizarre yet effective medical breakthroughs.

I remember that I was driving along in my car listening to [talk] radio about science, health, insurance companies, whatever! And the conversation went in the direction of ...'the latest rheumatoid arthritis break thru...and people would be surprised...back after this commercial word from...'

Well, perspective is everything, and they certainly had my attention!

A break thru drug, Enbrel, [ hey! That's what I am taking!] has undergone many years of testing. [yeah, yeah] and scientists achieved this new success working with recumbant DNA technology using the living cells... of small hamsters...WHAT???

It's a wonder that I didn't drive into a tree!

And I repeat my question:

Who would ever entertain the idea that hamster cells could help anyone...anyhow??

60 Minutes spoke of interspecies cloning to avoid the extinction of current ones. So many living animals are threatened, a 'frozen zoo' would preserve their DNA! An extinct wooly mammoth 40,000 years old frozen in permafrost had DNA intact where there was talk of resurrecting the wooly mammoth!! Can you believe it?

And this morning on CBS Sunday Morning, one of their stories ended with a statement about recognizing the talents of discovery, and science instead of celebrating today's stars, or the winners of television shows.

I agree.

And I would also like to personally acknowledge the hamsters and roosters, too!

The March of the Crayfish

This is Part 2... the final chapter... of my 'Mad Scientist' escapades! Similar to my two 'horse stories of Aug 24', I succumbed to the pressure of:

"Oh come on! You can do it!! Give it another chance!

I will help you through the entire science unit!" said Ms 'I love science', my new team partner when I was transferred to 4th grade. I had already tried to negotiate my way out of teaching science. Science units arrived in kits, and the first one was electricity. It had hands-on experiments with batteries and light bulbs, and ...oh joy!!!

Simply electrifying! [just kidding].

Since you were supposed to learn by discovery, there was no teacher's manual...with 'the flippin answers'!! So when the kids would ask, "What's going to happen when we connect these two wires?" Joking around, I might tell them that their hair would stand straight up and then their eye color would change!!...and smile as their eyes got bigger...followed by....."Really?? "

"What do you think?"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Good thinking, Bradley!"

In looking back, I must say that the most unforgettable unit had to be.....the crayfish!!!

They arrived by UPS in a package labeled: Live material! Open immediately!!

Cheers and whoops of joy were the kids' response to their arrival. We had already set up the tables with sand, water, and containers under which the crayfish could scurry for cover.

Everyone got to pick out a crayfish, name it, weigh it, and label it with a distinctive design like maybe a blue dot on the left pincher or a stripe on its back, etc.
During the next month or so, we conducted experiments and kept records. It was important to learn how to pick them up, or you could get hurt. It was safe to lift them up behind those pinchers [weapons] by their main body part. [I have already forgotten its official term.] And so, I was a little shy about that.
Mind over matter...You have to be brave in front of the kids. And I did it!! After a few times and with practice, I had no fear! This was a piece of cake! Answering questions about the crayfish, well, that was a different challenge.

"Mrs. W, how do you know if is a male or a female?"

"Good question!! Pick up their shelter and look for the shopping bags!![kidding!]"

It goes without saying that the kids got attached to their crayfish. When it was time for the crayfish to move on, there were many long faces. My partner and I decided that we could take an autumn walking field trip with the kids to the lake and then the kids could be a part of the 'proper send off' back into their natural environment. We all stood on the shore and on the count of three, all crayfish were set down on the shore. As a small wave picked up crayfish, they went belly up!

"Why are they doing that? asked the kids.

"They are doing the back stroke to get out there faster. Ok everyone, let's go."

My teammate couldn't believe how fast I came up with that answer, and holding in the laughter, we returned to the school for a little bit of distraction on the playground.

The next science unit was 'powders and crystals'. At that point, I refused to go any further without a teacher's manual!! I didn't want to cause any havoc mixing things that I wasn't positive were not going to explode!! I got through it, and it was my last adventure in teaching science.

There is an epilogue to the story, though.

Years later, and in a different building, I was teaching 5th grade and I walked into Ms Science's room for something. There was a [friend]substitute teacher in there, and the kids were interacting with....their crayfish!!

Hey! I remember studying crayfish, and it was a lot of fun!

In an effort to show how comfortable I was with the little critters, I stuck my palm out and said to one of the kids, "Let me see your crayfish."

What was I thinking? I was not thinking.

The kid put the crayfish in my palm.

The crayfish promptly grabbed on for dear life with its pinchers.

Yeeoowww! My instinctual response was to immediately shake it off of my hand.

Did you know that crayfish can fly??

New Snapple facts with commentary...

1. One fourth of the bones in your body are in your feet. And if your feet aint happy...well, it can just ruin everything. The fashion world sports 5 inch high heels, and if you buy them...kinda self-de'feet'ing to those 26 bones, 33 joints,107 ligaments, and 19 muscles.

2. The tongue is the fastest healing part of the body. That is a good thing! What amazes me is how painful it is when you inadvertently bite your tongue. 'Ouch' just doesn't describe it.

3. The average American will eat 35,000 cookies in his/her lifetime. I knew that I was above average in many ways...this would be one of them!
Actually, I believe that I am at the head of the class!!

4. Penguins have an organ above their eyes that converts seawater to fresh water. Thank goodness for that! Probably in response to their cries of..."Oh come on...give us a break!!" After watching National Geographic's movie, The March of the Penguins, I was so depressed thinking about what a hard life they had. And if someone thought things were bad, I would say, "Things could be worse...you could have born a penguin!!"

5. Oysters can change genders back and forth. No way!!...Way!

It takes about a year for an oyster to mature. They start out in the male gender, and progress to the female gender at a later time. Isn't there a saying that goes something like...'With age comes wisdom.'

6. Broccoli is the only vegetable that is also a flower. My mom does not like broccoli and doesn't eat it. Often, when eating dinner, regardless of what vegetable is on my plate, I will ask Florence in a very thoughtful and benevolent kind of voice...Mom, would you like some of my broccoli? I catch her off guard all the time!

"No thank you." [everytime!]

7. Almonds are part of the peach family. Flo loves Jordan Almonds! That's the way to eat almonds, especially at the movies 'cause you can make them last a long time.

8. Strawberries contain more Vitamin C than oranges. I must remember to pass this info along to the squirrels and/or chipmunks that stole my strawberries right off the front deck. I have noticed that the chipmunks are particularly plentiful, plump, and perky!!

9. Apples, peaches, and raspberries are all members of the rose family. So much for the ..."A rose ...is a rose....is a rose. Turns out their relatives look nothing like them. In the end, roses...smell great...and/or taste good. Now we're talking apples and oranges....I mean apples and roses!

10. Fresh apples float because 25% of their volume is air.
So if you are bobbing for apples, and you don't see the apples bobbing, politely decline the invitation...and pass on it! They don't call them 'Granny 'Smith apples for nothing. They're old!!

11. The fingernail on your middle finger grows the fastest. I realize that this fact is about the middle 'finger', but I just could not resist this picture. How funny is that? And so, I wonder if the middle toenail grows the fastest, too!!

12. Bees are born fully grown. If I remember correctly, when we [people] are born...only our eyeballs are fully grown. Everything else continues to grow as we age.
I, for one, am sure glad that bees get no bigger!

That's the 'buzz-zz-z!

Until next time...bee nice...because nice matters.

Once in a blue moon...

Last night, at about 4 AM, I quietly turned on the bedroom light so that I might safely go to the bathroom. [I take no chances since I fell in Feb.] I glanced across the room, and Flo's eyes opened. I told her that I was just going to take a bathroom break, and I'd be right back. Since during the daytime, Mom had expressed a desire to see the full moon, I said:

"Mom, would you like to see the full moon? It wouldn't be difficult to do."

"Sure! Yes, I would!"

Was I surprised that she would want to get out of bed to see it? Not really. Flo has surprised me more than once. I have learned not to think for her.

Picture it:

I rolled her wheelchair next to her bed, sat her up, and into her chariot she went! A very short trip to my side of the room, and we gazed out the window. There, shining brightly, was a very full moon.

"Oohh! That is certainly bright! And beautiful!"

I wondered if it was a blue moon. Then I recalled that it was not possible since it was the first full moon in September. I remember years ago while still teaching, my friend, Maureen, explained that a blue moon is actually when there is a second full moon within the same month. It doesn't happen very often, and averages about once in every two and a half years. The rare phenomenon of 'two blue moons' in a year happens about every nineteen years, with 1999 being the last time this occurred.

Flo, Gracie, and I sat for a moment staring at the full moon, and chatting a bit [at 4:30 in the morning!!]. I told Mom that I would 'Google it' in the morning and find out when the next blue moon would occur. Here's the news:

The last one was May 31, 2007. And...a drum roll please...

Get ready everybody...Dec. 31, 2009!! So this New Year's Eve, be sure to look in the sky for the full moon, and make a wish!! It could be lucky!

And this info ...compliments of the last person that you would want to consult about astronomy!!

Which is why I thank my lucky stars for 'Google'!!

Can you see the irony?

When I was a freshman in college, I pretty much went to most of my classes. But there was a spring day in May that Janet and I decided to seek adventure other than the 8 AM astronomy class. We were even in the parking lot at school, and while chatting about 'stuff', she asked about my brother's success at a game show the day before. I had called Paul the night before to ask him how he and Nan had done in New York City at an audition for the TV show "Dreamhouse".

"We won six rooms of furniture and we go back tomorrow morning for the seventh game, which is the grand prize...the house!"

"Okay, now tell me what really happened." said the disbelieving sister.

"It's the truth. We taped 3 shows and each show had 2 games. So, we won 6 games, and we go back tomorrow for the last game...which will be 'the house'!"

So, back to the college parking lot at 8AM .[And the astronomy class that we really weren't totally motivated to attend...I, personally, would have rather watched paint dry!!] .I relayed to Janet that my brother and sister-in-law were on their way back to NYC to tape the final show.

Now, truthfully, I can't remember whose idea it was to cut class and go and watch the taping, but the next thing I knew: We were driving out of the parking lot on our way to NYC. We had enough gas to get there and $7.00 between us, and we also had to find out where the 'Dreamhouse' studio was located. These were the days before cell phones, GPS systems, laptops, etc.

We encountered 2 phone booths that didn't work[ now there are only a few of them], and then were finally able to get directions to the studio. We parked the car in a parking garage that you paid on the way out, and found our way there just in the nick of time. We were seated in the balcony, and the taping began. I'm thinking that the host acknowledged that my brother's family was in the balcony, and then..."Here we go!"

All I can remember from that point on was that the game ended in a TIE and there was going to be one tie-breaker question that would decide it all.

"Name one of the three planets that has no moons."

Buzzzz...Paul..."Venus"

"You're right! You win!! Congratulations"

Followed by dancing and hooplah in the balcony!!

Thankfully, Janet and I were able to borrow enough money to get the car out, and buy gas to get back to NJ.

The 'ironic part' was detailed in a follow up article in the local newspaper that quoted my brother saying, "I heard the question, and gazed up in the balcony where my sister was sitting, and in a split second guessed 'Venus'!!"

Yes, I had cut an astronomy class to attend the taping.

And it was a good thing he wasn't counting on me for the answer. Because college astronomy was the only class that I have ever failed!!! And had to retake it!

I find it kind of ironic that the tie-breaker turned out to be an astronomy question. And how happy was I that it wasn't me that had to give an answer??

'Out of this world' happy!!

My brother and sister-in-law became aware of just how much money it was going to cost to pay the taxes on the 7 rooms of furniture. So they donated two rooms [a nursery and ??I forget the second] and opted for the cash award [I'm thinking it was like $20,000...remember that it was the 60's!!]instead of the house. Many features were extra...like a piece of land to build it on, as well as many other extras like landscaping and things beyond the basics of plumbing , elec, etc.They did have a great experience and came away with some furniture and some cash, too.

To quote The Moody Blues, "Isn't Life Strange?"

Well, Hallelujah! A beautiful day follows a rested night. Never underestimate the value of sleep. It is when the body heals itself. And being rested plays a big role in our outlook on life.

Flossie and I watched The Oprah Show, and her guest was Michael J Fox.

He has written a book, "Always Looking Up," [Tales of an Incurable Optimist] and he has a TV Special coming up in May. Michael has been dealing with Parkinson's for a long time, and had to arrange his interview in sync with his medications. Also, a woman was a guest who woke up with a stiff neck, and it progressively got worse and now her head is permanently resting on her right shoulder. So her perspective on life is certainly from a different angle than most of us. Dr Oz was a guest to help explain how the brain works or doesn't work and the resulting symptoms. I am absolutely fascinated with the brain and its capabilities. There's so much that we don't know yet. And then there was some stem cell research discussion. Whew! The possibilites are immense. And yet the medical discussions also related to attitude, resolve, and the effects of these unexpected illnesses. Quite often these unexpected circumstances lead us in a direction that is different than we had planned. But it is also true that there are silver linings that would never have been seen were it not for chance placing us on a different path. What do you think about that?

And now let me end with a smiler or two . Cause smiling is good therapy.

My subject and verb have agreed to disagree.

If the earth were only...

If the earth were only
a few feet in diameter,floating a
few feet above a field somewhere,
people would come from everywhere to
marvel at it.People would walk around it
marveling at its big pools of water,its little pools,
and the water flowing between the pools. People would
marvel at the bumps on it,and the holes in it,and they
would marvel at the very thin layer of gas surrounding it
and the water suspended in the gas. The people would marvel
at all the creatures walking around the surface of the ball,
and at the creatures in the water. The people would declare
it precious because it was the only one and they would
protect it so that it would not be hurt. The ball would be
the greatest wonder known, and the people would come to
behold it,to be healed,to gain knowledge,to know
beauty and to wonder how it could be. People
would love it,and defend it with their lives,
because they would somehow know that
their lives, their own roundness,
would be nothing without it.
If the Earth were only
a few feet in
diameter.

[author unknown