as writ by THE author

I was reading my book on the bus the other day, The Small Bachelor by P.G. Wodehouse-- probably the greatest literary comic ever-- and came across a phrase that, if I do say so myself, just fits me.


"As I drained the glass now, new life seemed to burgeon within me. I remember Jeeves, who, however much he may go off the rails at times in the matter of dress clothes and in his advice to those in love, has always had a neat turn of phrase, once speaking of someone rising on stepping-stones of his dead self to higher things. It was that way with me now. I felt that the Bertram Wooster who lay propped up against the pillows had become a better, stronger, finer Bertram."  


"rising on stepping-stones of his dead self to higher things"... Jeff 2.0.  Need I say more?  Gawrsh that fits well.

incredibly simple neat Google tricks

Just ran across this and thought "Everyone should know this."  A quick simple guide to useful Google one-liners:

http://www.google.com/intl/en/help/features.html

(I've probably blogged this before, but in case I haven't...)

step one of "pay it forward"

AWESOME.  Y'all may or may not know this part of the Jeff Knox story, but rewind back to May of 2007.  So there I am, in a coma, hadn't done anything for five weeks-- hadn't talked, hadn't voluntarily moved, hadn't breathed.  The future did not look bright, in fact it was a dim shade of dark.  Then on July 1st, a pet therapy volunteer brings in Cassie the Golden Retriever to come see me.  She settles in and lies down next to me.  Then it happened.  I reached out and began petting her.  It was the first signal anyone had that I was "in there."  So I'm alive thanks to doctors, but I'm awake due to Cassie the therapy dog-- at least, the way I see it.  This was a major part of why my first college major post-wreck was to become a veterinary assistant.


Fast forward to 6 months ago.  My parents adopt Riley, a very sweet ~2 year old mix between a Golden Retriever & a basset hound.  Early in having her in the family, my folks and I both expressed desires to try to coach her into being a hospital therapy dog like Cassie.


For the last few months, Riley has been a therapy dog on weekly visits to a local nursing home's Alzheimer's unit, where the residents just love on her and love on her.  So it's a good deed, but it's still not a hospital.  


Fast forward to yesterday, 10/23/10.  Riley got her Canine Good Citizen certificate recently, but yesterday... STEP 1 OF 3 TO BECOMING A HOSPITAL THERAPY DOG!  We went to a place where they do the first round of 3 days of testing.  And they're not just testing the dog, they're training/testing the dog's handlers.  So dad went first with the Ri-meister, so mom & I could both observe the test & gain more confidence.  The test included the following:  

• walk  in a pattern around some cones
• walk up to a guy in a wheelchair and have Riley stand next to him and get petted
• walk up to a guy with a walker and have Riley get petted
• walk up to a guy with crutches and have him drop both crutches next to Riley so see if she got scared
• have someone open up an umbrella in Riley's face to see if she got scared
• have someone toss a ball to make sure Riley didn't go after it
• have another dog walk around Riley to make sure she didn't go after the dog
• have someone touch her tail, ears, feet, etc. to make sure she didn't get scared

And Riley AND dad both passed!  She did awesome!  (oh yeah, and dad was there (snicker snicker))  So then I got to go-- Riley and I passed!  Then mom-- both passing!

Following the test, the whole graduating class went to a mental hospital for our first observation-- we each have to be observed handling Riley 3 times and pass before she gets officially certified as a therapy dog.  And Riley loved her first visit-- she laid down on the floor and got belly rubs from some of the patients!  She loves a good belly rub-- I love this dog.

Duck & Cover

Wow.  WOW.  My folks got some device a long time ago (I forget what it was), and it came with a DVD that included this 1950 public safety message.  Last night we popped it in and were subjected to learning all about Duck & Cover.  First watch the video (it's 4:48), then come back to see my commentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixy5FBLnh7o

     "We all know the atomic bomb is very dangerous.  If it may be used against us, we must get ready for it, just as we are ready for many other dangers that are around us all the time."  OK, so, when teaching Isaac (my ~11 mo. old first cousin once removed, for those who don't know) the basics to ensure a good life, ensure he understands early:

1. don't talk to strangers
2. don't play with sharp objects 
3. always be prepared for a nuclear attack

     "It is such a big explosion, it can smash in buildings and knock signboards over and break windows all over town.  But, if you duck, and cover, like Bert, you'll be much safer."  OK, so let me see if I'm following the train of thought here... this force can knock buildings down, but if I just lay down and cover my head with my arms, I'll be safe?  IT'S THAT EASY???  Then why all the concern?  
     "... and her teacher is explaining there are two kinds of attack, with warning, and without warning."  Or, put another way, you'll die scared, or you'll die happy.
     I just love the guy who is so amazingly prepared for a nuclear attack, that at a moment's notice, he can jump off his tractor and lie face-down.  That'll keep him safe.  He's been hard at work preparing for this.
     "The next important thing to do after that is to stay covered until the danger is over."  Which'll be roughly 24,000 years or 4.47 billion years, depending on whether the bomb used plutonium or uranium as the radioactive source.  And we don't mean at all that you'll be safe at that time, that's just about how long it'll take to roughly cut the effects of the radiation in half.  Why, you gotta be somewhere?
     Wow were we dumb in 1950.

And can anyone click on first cousin once removed and tell me who my first cousin once removed actually is?  How dumb is that-- a term that could mean this person, but it could also mean this totally other person...  I mean, if they're gonna do that, why not have "dad" mean your father, but also mean the guy down the street?