Crowded HOUSE

House, seasons 2 and 3 arrived today. I am pumped for this weekend. I can not wait to watch! Well, I guess I am happy to spend time with my wife and daughter, too. Amber watched an episode with me (the one with the pharmacist who made a mistake) and she was not as enthralled as I am. It was not that she did NOT like the show, but she does not like it as much as I do. I figured since Hugh Laurie is the star that she would be all over it. He is a cohort of Emma Thompson's (one of Amber's favorites) and has been in some of Amber's favorite films. I really am not as possessed by this show as I sound. I just have not found a TV show that I like this much in a long time. I also have to fill the void until college football and the NFL come back around. I used to watch ER religiously, but I just did not stay with it. I remember at some point when The Cosby Show, Seinfeld, Hill Street Blues, Knight Rider, The A-Team, and a whole host of other TV shows were what I could not wait to watch. Does anyone remember Max Headroom? How about The Flash? Those were two that I really liked, but were unfortunately short-lived (I must have been in the minority). I really have not gotten into the "reality" TV shows. Other than House, I have not watched a network TV series on a regular basis in a long time, and I have only watched House on DVD. I feel like I am rambling. Television shows get me blabbing, I guess. I am presently listening to Aretha Franklin's Eleanor Rigby. I love the Beatles' version, but if you have not heard Aretha sing her version, it is worth it. Abbie is sleeping and I can hear her breathing on the monitor. I am thankful she has not gotten the flu, and I pray that she continues to be healthy. The Flu is unbelievably rampant here. The pharmacist I worked with today said this was the worst flu season she had seen in her 20+ years in pharmacy. A doctor's office called yesterday and prescribed Tamiflu(R) for their nurse and PA to be taken daily for a month. They said the drug rep for Tamiflu(R) told them that the maker of Tamiflu(R) (Roche) is recommending that they take Tamiflu(R) daily to try to keep from getting the flu. I also had a lady tell me her son got sick with influenza A, got better, then got sick with influenza B. I have been wondering if these periods of rampant sickness could get worse. It just seems that these epidemics are growing in intensity and the way medications are prescribed, we could be bringing some of it on ourselves. We have been dispensing antibiotics at an alarming rate for some time. I am not saying that they are all unwarranted, I am only saying that the more we use these drugs, the more the bugs figure out how to beat them. Just look at how much MRSA (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MRSA ) has spread in the past few years. I am not a prophet or the son of a prophet, but I think these infectious problems are going to worsen, sooner rather than later. Wow, how did I get on that rant? Anyway, I will keep you updated on the fun that House and his friends get themselves into. Have a good weekend.

Cynics Anonymous

Hi, my name is Joby, and I am a cynic. It is nice to see everyone here (I know you do not believe me and I do not believe myself, but that is why I am here, right?). I recently purchased the first season of the series House, MD, and I think it could be one of my favorite (favourite for all of the British and Australian readers) shows of all time. I really enjoy the medical problem solving that each show goes through, but House is by far the best part of the show. He is so cynical and biting towards his patients and colleagues, I LOVE IT! He says some of the very things that I have wished to say to some patients and he gets away with it. I have watched the first four shows and I can not wait to watch the rest and continue with each season until I catch up. I used to be into ER, due to the technical medical stuff, but House is better by far. The episode I just watched had a misfill by a condescending pharmacist and I did not even take that much offense to it. I really like the show, but it also seems to implicate me as a cynic. If anyone out there who knows me wants to argue or agree, I am all ears.


ADDENDUM:
Upon viewing 4 more episodes and reflecting on an E-mail from my mother, I have revised my self-critique. Based on the fact that some of the episodes have me FEELING for the afflicted and their family problems, and the fact that I am hurt that my MOTHER agrees with me about my cynicism, I do NOT think I am a cynic. At least not in the truest sense of the word. I doubt a true cynic would care if his mother thought he was a cynic. Anyway, I still enjoy the show and will continue the self inspection regarding my own cynicism. Jami, I think you would love the show. It is currently in its 4th(?) season on FOX.

ABC's

I took this picture of Abbie today. She likes wearing my caps for short periods and this was about the best shot I could get of her. She really likes the "alphabet song" and even though it sometimes does not contain the right letters, the tune is unmistakable. She has been slower in beginning her speech, but it seems like she is turning the corner. Now, when she comes to me and grabs my hand for something I make her say "please" first. She is getting the hang of it, and the alphabet song is coming together, too. After a time of wondering about what was keeping her from speaking, it is wonderful to hear her saying words and jabbering all the time. I am so grateful to God for blessing us so richly with our little girl. Her reaction when I come home from work can turn a bad day around. I never could have imagined what a great blessing a child could be. I was so caught up in the fear of the responsibility involved that I did not realize all the good things a child brings to your life. I am not saying that I don't get frustrated, I am just expressing some joy that my daughter gives me.

Does anyone out there get headaches? Of course, we all do, I just want to know what that is all about? Why is it that sometimes it feels like a vice is tightening on my temples enough to make me ill? Man, I can not stand those things. I had a headache today and it was very aggravating and debilitating. I did not want to do anything. Then, gradually, it went away. What is the deal? I wish I understood that whole process better. I hope no one is rubbing their temples after reading this. Anyway, have a good weekend.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's day to everyone. This week has been a tough one, so we are not really doing a lot of celebrating around here. Amber took Abbie to the doctor today. Abbie has been fighting some upper respiratory stuff and a nagging cough this week. The doctor said she has ear infections in both ears. It has been a while since she has had to deal with that. She has been hanging in pretty well, but it is easy to see she does not feel well. I hate it when she is sick when I have a stretch of days without any off. I feel better if I can see her even if she is sick. If I am at work, I just wonder about what is going on at home. I open tomorrow, so I am cutting this short. I need to get to bed. Everyone enjoy your weekend.

Radiation Sickness

Today was day 2 of 8 in a row that I have to work. I realize that is not as many as I have had to work before, but I am just not as used to it as I was in Ponca City. When I was there, I would work 7 straight every other week. I had a couple of stretches where I worked 13 days straight. I am no longer a manager, but it just seems more stressful here. I enjoy being busy, but often times we seem to walk a tightrope trying to get things done and take care of the customers. Flu season is in full swing and if we have anyone call in sick (as we have this week) it becomes much harder to take care of all the things that need to be done (not to mention doing them correctly and quickly). The worst feeling I have is when I come home and I am not able to remember if I did or did not take care of something at work. In pharmacy, that is a very bad feeling to have. Usually, I am able to leave all of that at work, but sometimes it is hard to let it go. I work at a new store tomorrow. That is always a struggle to get used to. It is frustrating to try and get used to a new store while being just as busy as ever. Just another of the fun things to deal with at work.

If you are wondering what the title of this blog is about, let me explain. I have gotten hooked on Wikipedia.org. It is a reference website that is basically like an encyclopedia online. I have been reading about nuclear power and the accidents that happened at Chernobyl and Three mile island. That has radiation on my mind. I also was talking about the problems we have at work when anyone calls in sick, hence, Radiation Sickness. Yeah, it is goofy, but my mind is pretty scrambled after the past couple of days, so bear with me.

2 sides to every story

This is a picture of Abbie and our newest family member, Frisco. He is a black Lab and is a year or two younger than Al. He has stayed with us for brief stints before, but is now here permanently. He is definitely a switch from Little Al. Frisco is more high strung than Al (which could be said of most slugs on the planet). He (Frisco) seems to be fitting in well, but it is hard to bond with him as we have with Al. Doesn't Abbie look like a little girl and not a baby girl?

The title on this blog is a bit cliched, but is nonetheless true. I am seeing this more and more at work and at home. How is it that two sides to a story can differ so vastly? People at work will describe how a customer has treated them poorly, and the customer's story paints the associate to be the bad guy. Now I know that people tend to embellish stories somewhat, but other peoples' versions of events rarely seem to match up with the way I remember them. Case in point, the Roger Clemens ordeal. If you have not heard about this story, let me try to describe it in as few words as possible. Roger Clemens is a Major league baseball pitcher who pitched for a long time and seemed to get better with age. He had a paid trainer that worked with him in Toronto and when he was with the Yankees. Now that baseball is trying to get steroids out of the game and point out who used steroids in the past, Clemens has been tagged by his trainer as a steroid user. The two men have been deposed before a Congressional committee and will speak in public hearings next week on this issue. Clemens vehemently denies using steroids and his trainer says Roger is lying. His trainer even went so far as to produce syringes and gauze that were supposedly used to inject Roger with steroids. I say all this to show how different two sides of this story can be. I doubt that either one is the whole truth and probably neither is all false. It is just hard for me to hear how someone else viewed events that I viewed in a very different way. I am not able to put this in words very well, but I see things the way I see them, and I have a hard time believeing someone else could have seen them differently. I am sure that this makes no sense, but I have been thinking about it some, so I tried to spit it out. Understand? Then, you must have seen it differently.

Super Bowl thoughts

I watched the Super Bowl last night (as did 97 million+ others according to Nielsens). I thought it was good game, with a GREAT finish. The game seemed to plod along for awhile. But, you get that when you have defenses that are playing well. The fourth quarter made the game. There was one play (if you watched, you already know which one) that determined the game as far as I am concerned. When I watched this play, I knew, without a shadow of doubt, who would win. When a much maligned and generally quiet quarterback makes 3 defenders (who have a hand on him) miss and then steps back and throws downfield to a well covered receiver who makes a catch using his helmet to hold the ball on the way down, you know that they have IT in their favor. Whatever IT is, they had it. I knew it then, the rest was just details. I am not kidding. My first thought when Eli made that play was: The Giants are NOT going to lose this game, PERIOD. I wanted the Patriots to win. Not that I am a Patriot fan, but I enjoy perfection in sports, or at least near perfection. I loved watching Michael Jordan. I watch golf only if Tiger is playing. I wanted the Patriots to win because it would have been the perfect season. But, I am happy they did not win. I saw Peyton Manning's reactions watching his brother, and I saw how Eli handled himself as a winner (he has handled being a loser and the goat of the New York media before) and I felt good for him. He deserves it. What an unbelieveable story. New York loses their probable Hall of Fame running back to retirement, starts the season 0-2 (almost 0-3 except for a goal-line stand), loses their "star" tight end with a broken leg, then win 10 straight ROAD games to become Super Bowl champs. I really enjoy the NFL. I am not an NFL fan of any one team really, I enjoy the players, games, stats, and stories. I think it would be even better if Brett Farve made it back next year to win another Super Bowl. One last thing, as I was watching the game, Abbie was playing and watching some, too. At one point she was sitting with me and we watched a kickoff return in which someone got plastered. I exclaimed, "ooooo" and on cue Abbie exclaimed, "ooooooo". I laughed and she laughed and we both decided that "Boom," he got pounded.