Greece is Really Going to the Well....Frogs

Those poor people in Greece cannot get a break. First their country announces it's going broke. Riots in the streets, consumer confidence drops in the EU followed by the rest of the globe. A ripple effect to be sure. Today, frogs. The little amphibians closed a major Northern highway today as they hopped across the road. Perhaps they were in search of food, perhaps a better lifestyle (aren't we all nowadays?), we'll probably never know.

Check out the story here

Mitel Goes Public

I worked for Mitel for over 12 years. Over those 12 years there were good times but mostly bad times. There were pay cuts, many years with no raises and stock options in lieu of bonuses. Then there was the company stock purchase program. Yes, for only $1.50 and later $3.50 you could buy a Common share of Mitel stock in this privately held company to be redeemable when it goes public. We were told what a good deal this was, we would be investing in the company's financial future and subsequently ours, we could cash it all in when they went public and they would make it really convenient and do a paycheck debit for us.

Sounds like a good deal doesn't it? Well, it turns out that the rich get richer and the middle class get nothing. Mitel went public (Ticker symbol: MITL) on April 22nd, 2010. They hoped for $18 to $20 a share, it started at $14 and today, less than a month later it's hovering around $ 11.50, probably the reasonable value.

One week before they went public I received in the mail notice of a 15 to 1 Reverse split of my common shares. Basically, if you purchased 1000 common shares through the employee stock purchase program you now have 66 shares. If you bought them for $3500 they are now worth based on today's stock price, $770.22. Yes, every Mitel employee got this "deal". I'm sure not about the big wigs, they probably had something other than "common" shares (I believe they are called Preferred Shares) and probably didn't have to trade those in so I'm sure they made out like bandits.

Welcome to the middle class. Bend over.

My Garden

Spaghetti squash, oh so big, red cabbage, blackberries....yummy, yummy.....

The Next Medical Problem

Jeesh, you'd think I was a sickly kid. Oh, OK, I was. But I had hoped it wouldn't carry into adulthood. It has. I've been fighting off what I thought was just a general cold that always moves into my chest due to either weak lungs and/or the asthma. Yesterday and somewhat the day before my eyeballs have felt like someone is pushing them out of my head from the inside. Squeezing them... My face is puffy, my cheek bones are tender and my teeth hurt like hell. I cannot chew anything because my teeth hurt so bad. It turns out that all of this is sinuses, a severe sinus infection it appears.

My doctor gave me an antibiotic, Nasonex to treat the polyp in my left nostril, Advair for my lungs, cough medicine with codeine and a nasal rinse to relieve the pressure. I'm a regular drug store and thank G-D for insurance. Hey, all you people who think that there isn't a problem with America's medical system and are so against health care reform, how much do you think all those prescriptions would have cost you? Over $400. Cough that up. What about my doctor's visit? $150. Swallow that.

Back to that nasal rinse. That stuff is awesome! Gross, but awesome. It's not the nedi pot because I'm so plugged up that won't work but it relieved the pressure in my head quite a bit and cleaned some of the mucus out. I'll spare you the disgusting details.....

The Foot Pain Aftermath

Dr. Portillo (Italian not Spanish) had asked me to try and keep my feet dry in the shower for a couple days if possible so that taping would stay. So this morning I had everything all ready - scissors, waterproof medical tape and a couple of Ziploc one gallon baggies. I guess the problem with using zip lock is that it is too bulky. I tried my best zipping it up half way, then folding it over on my ankle and quickly trying to put the tape around before it bowed out again. I wrapped that tape around and around and around and finally just hoped for the best.

In the shower I realized about half way through that the left foot was completely soaking wet, this was the first foot I did so obviously I got better when I moved to the right side. By the end though my too zip lock baggies were completely full of water and I sloshed out of the shower and pulled the soaking wet tape and padding off. A great day had begun....

Why can someone not invent and sell to orthopedic docs and podiatrists a cheap, foot shaped plastic wrap with some sort of adhesive at the top for waterproofing.

My Poor Aching Footsies

I have been having a devil of a time with my feet. I've kind of always had foot issues especially when I worked at K-Mart in my late teens. All that standing on concrete was so painful. Finally, I couldn't take it anymore. Each morning I'd slide out of bed and I could hardly stand let alone walk the pain in my heels was so bad, more so on my right. So limping I would go to the bathroom.

I broke down and went to a Podiatrist to see what the matter was. First however, I had to search the internet to self-diagnose. This is the way of our modern society now and I'm a firm believer in knowledge = power. I had diagnosed myself with plantar fasciitis and my podiatrist concurred on his own, no lead in by me whatsoever. Plantar fasciitis is quite common and is also known as heel spurs. It's common symptom is severe heel pain upon rising, lessening as the day progresses then coming back as a dull ache and often recurring louder as you relax on your couch at night.

My treatment? 5 days of Celebrex, taped up feet for 2 or 3 days, and about 500 cortisone shots in my poor heels. Using his sonogram machine he sprayed my heel with something so cold that it burned. This was apparently to numb my heel although I was and still am suspect of the point of that. At this point he had leaned me way back in the chair so I couldn't see and like any good, compassionate doctor nattered away to me about mindless topics keeping me engaged and asking me questions. A little prick at first (the needle, not the doctor) and then the pain. The searing, propelling me off the table pain as he jabbed the needle into me repeatedly. At least it felt like it, I'm not really too sure. I guess the lidocaine goes in (which burns severely) and that is supposed to numb you so you don't feel the cortisone although I don't really get the logic there.

After he was finished the right heel I had to muster all my guts and glory to let him do the left. He told me sometimes 3 treatments are required although I doubt I'll ever allow that to happen again. I walked out of the doctors office blissfully numb in my heels and hoped for the best. That was short lived because by about 9pm I laid in bed trying not to cry myself to sleep. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day.

Backyard Update

I've spent a considerable amount of time in our backyard over the past month. Transplanting, cleaning up, roto-tilling, planting a new garden, mitigating various plant diseases and pests and my favorite thing - experiencing it all. Often I'll stop for a moment to stretch my back or admire my work and a view of the backyard drama will present itself.

Since it's spring I began my time watching the courting of various birds and listened for days of a poor crow in heat crying for a mate. That crow whined for 3 days straight until it finally shut up. Lately I've been watching the scrub jays defend their nest in the tree behind our neighbors house. I've seen them chase a squirrel right down the fence top pecking at him as they went. My mom told me that squirrels are egg suckers and crows are baby bird stealers. The scrub jays are often screaming at one crow or another, dive bombing it to keep it away from their territory and nest.

Yesterday morning I came across a terrible discovery. There was carnage in our bird bath. It appeared that a crow had been successful and was eating his breakfast on the edge of our bird bath until I startled him. There were lots of feathers, a small wing, blood and bone. I was very sad and could not bring myself to clean it out. I noticed later that the crow must have returned as the wing and bones were gone. I'm still a little sad.

Life goes on around us no matter how small or large, from the caterpillar crawling across the driveway this morning to the night blooms of the cactus - try to stop and experience the little things today. You'll be glad you did.

Planting for a bountiful harvest, hopefully

Biggest Loser Campus

My mom and I went bird watching at a National Park in Las Virgenes called King Gillette Ranch. Named such because it used to be the home of King Gillette (yes, King was his real first name) the inventor of the Gillette disposable razor and perhaps the founder of our disposable society. During our 3 hour walk we stumbled upon the Biggest Loser Campus, complete with gym, boxing ring, pool, dorms (where of course, I went to the bathroom), and the infamous arch where they come thru. The place is in quite the disrepair, obviously out of the filming season, windows swinging open in the gym, equipment still in there and gopher holes everywhere. I don't imagine the Biggest Loser contestants go running on the grass as they'd surely break an ankle.

The Harvest is Just Beginning....

Dawn and Oscar

Another Star Sighting....

Yesterday during lunch in downtown Los Angeles another star was sighted - the California Cheese cows. Yes, they were filming in the 80 degree weather with a back drop of the downtown LA Library and (not in the picture) the tallest building in Los Angeles, the Library tower (aka First Interstate Bank tower). I can see the tag line now, "real California cheese comes from happy cows", for the summer two of California's cheese cows went on a vacation to Los Angeles. They are probably filming in Hollywood too.

More Touring...the Hollywood Sign

This is the best view yet with little effort of the sign.

Tour Guide Dawn Pulls it off Again!

I pulled it off again.....my cousin Patti was in town from Edmonton and of course, Rodeo drive was on the tour itinerary. While walking down Rodeo in Beverly Hills, we were wondering what all these camera people were doing. We hung around for a bit and out pops Joan Rivers doing an interview of some weird looking interior designer who has made it big and cannot drive this beautiful car. The scene was him pulling up and Joan meeting him at the driver's side door. He scraped the crap out of the front of the Austin Martin because he hit the curb. The show is called "How did you get so rich" or some such nonsense.

Next victim......April Fools

Are those packing peanuts???? LOL

April Fools - Paybacks are a Bitch

I've been a busy little Canadian beaver this morning, playing small, geeky tricks on my collegues. The office has been so dry, I wanted to inject a little levity into it. One of things I was doing was flipping the screen on their computers upside down (in software) so that the task bar was on top. Then they'd call me and I'd laugh at them, ask them what they did to the computer, tell them to reboot (which of course they couldn't do because the mouse would go backwards) and generally make fun of them. Then I'd go over and fix it with 2 keystrokes. And no, I won't tell you what they are....

Then I went out, I admit, to get some items I need for another practical joke I'm going to play later when one of our VPs goes to lunch and this is what I was greeted by...

I've Been Here Before

6am - the pain throbbing at my temples, radiating down the back of my neck. Oh, it's late this morning, normally it happens around 3 or 4 am. The headache has returned. I drag myself out of bed and stumble in a pain filled haze to the bathroom and grab my pills. Swallow a couple and jump up and down hoping that they clear my esophagus before I lay down again.

Once, I woke up in Seattle with a blistering headache and took two Aleve and laid right back down. They apparently didn't make it all the way down to my stomach and I woke up an hour later with what felt like a hole burning through my chest. It turns out that is what was really happening. A trip to the emergency room and lesson learned, you must let any pill or food clear into your stomach, it's not instantaneous and gravity plays a role. Aleve is nasty stuff, I try to avoid it now. Tylenol with Codeine is much better.

8am - Frustration - just get up and do something, there is so much to do.

10am - Oh goodie, I can take another pill. The headache continues to throb and I'm driven back to bed. Dena gives my neck a little massage and tells me to stay put. I lay in bed for about 3 minutes my mind whirling with things I have to do and want to do. Paint my table, clean the garage, plant tomatoes, buy Vitamin B for root growth and on and on the list goes. I'm practically vibrating in the bed my mind is whirling so fast. I've almost leaped out of bed 3 times before it hits me.....I've been here before, many times. I'm not sure I could ever relax even in pain. It's a tension headache says the doctor and my chiropractor, yoga, relaxing would all help. I just can't help it and out of bed I go....

US Citizenship Update #2

Well, I believe the last time I spoke about this I had decided to go ahead with the whole US Citizenship thing. I've filed my request with the FOIA people (Freedom of Information Act) which is really just the USCIS (Immigration), so it makes no sense, but, hey, it's government. At first my request was 10,000 out of 12,763 on Track 2, which basically means, it will never happen. Since then two letters have arrived, the first requesting an affidavit of my signature and that the request was really mine, which I had provided via email and a notarized signature, but alas, it wasn't real paper.... The second letter was to inform me of the receipt of the notarized affidavit and they moved my Track to track 2. This is much speedier and as of yesterday I am 1157 out of 2211. There appears to be hope.

I think they just put you in track 1 until you provide all the paperwork they want. Once I get this all squared away I can move on to step one in the US Citizenship naturalization process. I've looked online and it appears that the wait period (aka back log) in Los Angeles right now is five months. Maybe this long term goal will be accomplished by Christmas 2010?

I Feel So Sorry for This Book

I admit it, I'm a book lover. I'm sure that it was my Mom that instilled this love of books, not sure how, maybe because she bought almost every Little Golden children's book out there or maybe because she read to me all the time. It could have been because I was an only child for 10 years so an escape into make believe was a good way to keep the loneliness at bay. One of my favorite things to do is wander around Barnes & Noble or Borders books and browse, imagine, touch and ultimately buy something new.

When I first started working at my new job I realized I was right across from the LA Central Public Library. I was very excited. An entire building full of books, the ultimate collection. The 2nd day I went over and signed up for a library card. I'd never had one in Los Angeles before. Hope sprang eternal of all the possibilities. These were soon dashed as I made several forays into the depths looking for this specific book or that. Being a geek, one has needs, very specific and timely needs for research and constant learning. I prefer getting that from an actual book rather than an e-book or PDF.

Each time I went to the library they were out of the book I wanted and the books they did have were very out of date. At one point I even donated some of my older technical books to augment their collection. Today I tried again and was thrilled they had the specific book I was looking for. I practically ran down 2 flights of stairs afraid someone would beat me to it. There it was, sitting on the shelf, the dirty old book in the picture. Dare I touch it? It was filthy and looked as if it was left in the rain for a week the pages were so curled. I did check it out but only after I made the librarian make a note of its condition. After reaching my office I clorox wiped the hard cover, twice and washed my hands several times. Black, each time. It's sad that a book be treated so unfairly but I suppose its nice that it has a home rather than being burned in some Fahrenheit 401 reincarnation.

The Republican View of the Unemployed

Here is an excerpt from a CNN news article regarding unemployment and why or why shouldn't this new jobless benefit bill be signed into law, taken from Matt Smith, CNN reporter's article listed below:

And former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, another Republican, said on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday that keeping benefits coming "keeps people from going and finding jobs."
"There's some studies that have been done that shows that people stay on unemployment compensation and they don't look for a job until two or three weeks before they know the benefits are going to run out," said DeLay, who resigned from Congress in 2006 and is awaiting trial on a money-laundering charge in his home state of Texas.

That just pisses me off. For those of you that don't remember, Tom Delay is the Indicted ex-House Majority Leader (R), indicted for campaign finance fraud he was also accused of ethics violations in 2005. He solved that problem pretty quickly by making it the first order of business for the 109th Congress to gut the House Ethics Committee.

Again, I am amazed that politicians and Washington are so out of state with the actual public. yes, those of us who are middle class and losing ground on a constant basis. Are they not aware that unemployment is at an all time high in many states and frankly, under reported. When they say unemployment is at 12% that just means those that are still collecting. That doesn't mean the 1000's that have gone back to school, thus losing their benefits, or the 10's of 1,000's that can no longer collect because they were laid off at the beginning of this free fall. Some say it could and probably is double 12%. When companies pull an ad off the web after only 24 hours because they got 1000 resumes what does that tell you? When a company interviews candidates, even has second interviews, then decides that they are not going to fill that job after all, what does that tell you?

Do they really actually think that the unemployed are sitting around happy as clams for collecting a maximum of $475 a week? I got news for you, $475 a week in Los Angeles gets you NO WHERE. When car insurance is usually $2000 a year, plus food, mortgage or rent and you must have internet now or you can't shop for a job, that leaves you with nothing except to reach for your 401k provider phone # and cash in. I urge you to write your elected official, send them an email and set them on the right path. Tell them your story and tell them to get their heads out of their private jets, first class seats, limos and tuxedos and get down in the mud like the rest of us.

http://www.wibw.com/nationalnews/headlines/87466337.html