Sunday, May 31, 2009

May 31, 2009

Changed alarm to 9:30. I absolutely want to make it to church to hear pastor on call. They term it "preaching on call". At the service we vote.

Note that Texas congressmen and woman are coming out strongly NOT to dis Sonia S. There are a lot of Latino voters in Texas.

Today is Pentecost and I forgot to wear red. We approved of our new pastor. We vote by standing. Most of the auditorium stood up for Yeah. Only five people voted nay. I wonder why. His wife was wearing a Pucci print.
Dr. Beasley looks about 12 years old. And I thot his wife was his daughter. I liked the sermon. He talked about Celtic Christianity and how they have a wild goose for the symbol of God's spirit rather than a dove. I want to find a wild goose pin or pendant.

Took a nap. Off to the dog park where we met Ken and Judy with Szabo. I did carry out instructions to walk. I am tired. Judy says I'm getting old.

Lady Chica's Tale
The first thing I did in the park was jump into the pool. It would be fun if we had a back yard with a pool. Blitzen jumped in, too. We didn't do much running. Mom dragged me thru that stupid agility course. Szabo wouldn't go thru a tunnel.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom never has the energy to drag me thru the agility course after she gets finished with Chica. Old Szabo was there with his mom and dad.

Sunday evening and I plan to watch Wallender.
Szabo was at the park with his mom and dad.

BOOK REVIEW
Jeffry Deaver, *Blue Nowhere*
If you want to understand what Pres Obama is talking about when he appoints a cybersecurity cazr, this is the book for you. Wyatt Gillette is in federal prison for Computer Fraud. The DoD thinks he broke a security encryption. He denies that, but he breaks other encryption just for the fun of it.
A woman has been murdered and the police think her computer was accessed by a remote computer. The computer cop has read some articles by Gillette and wants him to investigate. The cop gets him out temporarily.
You learn a lot about computer hacking. The killer has gone out of bounds. He is playing a computer game with real people for victims. Fascinating book.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

May 30, 2009

Lea and I wore our matching tee shirts to Circle Theatre. More forced marching back and forth from and to the parking lot.
The play, *hail Mary*, was hilarious. Mary is in the first stages of her novitiate, no vows yet. She teaches third grade in the parochial school. The Mother Superior is so traditional she wears the full habit. Mary keeps getting in trouble bc scandalized parents call Mother Superior. For catechism Mary has Q&A where students ask questions about God. Mary explains that God cant get his feelings hurt, that right and wrong are relative.
Well, Mary gets fired from the novitiate. Her old boyfriend turns up. Mary goes off to join a radical nunnery.

Had dinner with Lea and John. Going to take a nap. 8:16 PM

Lady Chica's Tale
We had a long time playing at Pup's. And you know, what happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.

Blitzen's Tale
Old Pup is sure glad to see us. He mostly just sits and watches us. He likes having company.


BOOK REVIEW
Jeffry Deaver, *Praying for Sleep*
Read first three chapters and last two. Decided I do not like this book.

Jeffry Deaver, *Blue Nowhere*
Blue Nowhere is cyber space. This novel is all about hackers, one of whom is a serial killer. I like about half of Deaver's novels.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, May 29, 2009

May 29, 2005

Down one pound. Yeah. I wish I burned calories doing all the exercise I expend in my dreams.

Tai chi was slow going as usual. We learned two more pressure points. We do everything sitting down. And still I find my muscles sore tomorrow. We stretched.
I hung around the Center, gobbling blueberry muffin and two cranberry muffins.

INteresting timing. Synchronicity. I have been reading two mysteries featuring hackers. So today Obama names a hacker czar and the military is going to have a hacker division.

Came home and took a nap. We went to the park at six. I was deep into my book on hacking.

Lady Chica's Tale
As soon as we got to the park I ran and jumped in the pool. Mostly I lay around on the table. Mom was busy reading.

Blitzen's Tale
I thought we had some old busters running but they didn't.

Watched Bill Moyer's Journal tonight. He had excerpts from a documentary on the American use of torture. Then Waking the Dead (tv program) has had a two part story about the use of enhanced interrogation tactics. The various characters debated the use of torture.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Crais, *The Last Detective*
Another Elvis Cole novel. The son of Elvis' girl friend is kidnapped, presumably by somebody who wants revenge for something Elvis did in Vietnam. As usual the corpses pile up in the finale. Elvis and Joe Pike shoot people.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

May 28, 2009

10 AM and the lawn men cometh. I was finished w sleeping. Sun is shining and the day bodes to be hot. I am planning to sew all day and go to dog park at 6 PM.
Studies show that only 30% of people over 65 use a computer.

Ruth C writes that yesterday somebody put a beagle in their back yard. It turns out the teen ager next door thot it belonged to Ruth. Luckily, the owner turned up. riding his bike looking for the dog.

According to Jeffry deaver, I am a first generation computer programer, an elder.

Sewing all day does not make for an exciting blog. We went to the dog park at six PM. The heat had abated slightly. I am in the middle of two books about hacker. How did that happen?

Lady Chica's Tale
Got some dogs racing tonight. Mom spent all day in the house, running that funny sounding machine on the desk where I sit to look out the window.

Blitzen's Tale
We really got those old busters running tonight. I think that is the same black dog that runs often.

BOOK REVIEW
Robert Crais, *Free Fall*
Elvis Cole series. Elvis is a PI in Los Angeles. This is like a police procedural. Elvis is hired by a woman to find out what is bothering her fiance, a policeman in an elite unit. Elvis is aided by his friend, Joe Pike. There are always bloody corpses in this series. Meaning Elvis and Joe Pike shoot people.

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

May 27

Last night was interesting. Lady Chica is scared of the sheet lightning. So off and on again she climbed into bed and woke me up by licking my face. She wanted to be cuddled. The storm was far away but we had a lot of sheet lightening.
People in Arlington had the storm, even some hail.

I spent the day sewing like crazy. Well, like an older woman. 1 down, 44 blocks to go.
PPQS tonight. We had shrimp for dinner. Yeah.

Lady Chica's tale
Too exhausted to write tonight. We went over to visit Pup. Lots of squirrels out.

Blitzen's tale
Ditto. Tired out. too tired even to go out to the kitchen to get a treat. Mom gives us a treat at bed time.


BOOK REVIEW
Abraham Verghese, *Cutting for the Stone*
First novel, third book. An Indian nun working in Addis Abba, Ethiopia, has twins. This is their story. Verghese wants to describe the romance of medicine. He has developed departments of medical ethics.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

May 26, 2009

Off to Baptist Center as usual. I feel normal today. What can I say?

I dont understand why North Korea is rattling the bomb. Probably inner politics. Leader is dying and somebody must inherit.

Baptist Center at 11 am. Computer was down. We have served 18 families. Busy morning.

Came home and took a nap. Then off to Dollar General, library, gas station and finally the dog park. It was hot. It is 93 degrees at 6:36 PM. Few people at the park.

I hear thunder. 6:37 PM. severe storm predicted. I am turning off computer.

Lady Chica's tale
As soon as we got to the park I ran and jumped in the pool. Boy, that felt good. (There is a wading pool.) Mom had been dragging us around to library and gas station.

Blitzen's tale
What can I say? It was hotter than blazes. Not many big busters out. Mostly I sat in the shade. A man was eating cheese doritos and I kept pestering him. I also humped a little dog but nobody got much upset.

BOOK REVIEW
Cynthia harrod-Eagles, *Gone Tomorrow*
Another Bill Slider police procedural in Shepherd's Bush, London, England. Man is found stabbed sitting in a swing in a children's play area. Good read as usual. You cant believe who stabbed him.





Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, May 25, 2009

May 25, 2009 Memorial Day

I turned on the radio to hear an interview with the author of the book I am reading. This interview is a rerun bc I chose this book after listening to this interview.
Abraham Verghese, *Cutting for the Stone*.
Off to Wendy's.

Wendy's has a new coffee frosty. While Judy and I were hassling over *the Wire* --- I dont mean we were hassling each other. We see eye to eye mostly. We were decrying the present society. Brenda called, going to dog park.
So then I got the dogs and we went to t he park. Lady Chica mostly just sat on the table, removed from where we sat in the shade under the trees.

I may remember wrongly, but it seems to me the memorial day is different this year, less glory and more sadness. Maybe it is just NPR.

Well, 7 PM and where has the day gone? I only slept for three hours. I am pinning strips on my 45 quilt blocks.

BOOK REVIEW
Sara Rosett, *Getting Away is Deadly*
Another Mom Zone mystery. Chick book. Ellie Avery goes to Washington DC. Finds dead bodies. Easy read.
Hugs, Dr. Liz

Lady Chica's Tale
Well, at the park I went over and sat down with Gracie's mom and Emma's mom. So there, too. Nobody was doing anything.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom got a chair out of the car and sat down under the tree. Moxie's mom was there and that guy with the weiner dogs. Today it was Mindie or Mandie. I mostly sat and guarded Mom's chair.

Sunday, May 24, 2009

May 24, 2009

I messed around with alarm and missed SS. Going to church to hear the name of the new pastor. Last sermon by Pastor Charlie. I am sleepy and tired. Mainly I think I am bored with Charlie. Many people just love him. He preaches old timey. Underneath he is a radical. He calls Karl Barth his mentor.
Wearing my new twin set. It is knit but light weight.

Our pastor candidate is Dr. Brent Beasley who preaches in Memphis. He is the bro of Bette H's niece's ex-husband. He seems to be a "new Christian" ala Brian McLaren.

Fellowship lunch with margie, Bette, Ron and the Iceman. Now for a nap.

We set forth for the dog park, driving thru patches of rain. Judy, Ken and Szabo were there. We stood around in the rain for a while. Then we decided the sky was too dark in the east and came home. I am so sleepy.

Lady Chica's Tale
Finally we got to the dog park. I ran up and said hello to Judy. We didn't do much. It kept raining. I like the rain. I got all wet.

Blitzen's Tale
Not much to tell. We ran around in the rain. Nothing much happening. Dull day.

Watch two minute talk by our pastor candidate. I googled Brent Beasley.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUNk1Ho2k2w

7:51 PM I am watching annual concert on Washington Mall. I have never seen memorial Day like this. We just saw a wounded veteran with half his brain gone. We see a picture of him before he went into service.


BOOK REVIEW
Robin Marantz Henig, *A Dancing Matrix* Voyages along the Viral Frontier
I have read this book two or three times. If you want to understand the swine flu this is the book for you. He defines a virus. Discusses how the flu virus mutates.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, May 23, 2009

May 23, 2009

I was depressed watching Bill Moyer's Journal. The hour was devoted to Health Care Reform. Which we are not going to get.
My father was a great sociologist. He predicted where all this would end when Blue Cross was first introduced.

I am writing down my prognostications so that I can say "I told you so."

Sat morning. Up at 10 AM. My muscles hurt as if I had played softball hier. Obssessed over my itinerary. Decided to hit the dog park first. Then a nap. Then sewing. while I listen to Tales from Lake Woebegon.

Light crowd for Sat. Parking lot was crowded with tailgate parties. One group even set up a shelter and had a grill going. Kelly asked me if I owned a computer and was so surprised, because I am "old". Of course, I dont wear my doctoral robes to the dog park.
I force marched twice around the perimeters.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom put me on a leash and took me thru that stupid agility course. I even jumped the hurdle without a treat. Lots of people and dogs and little kids and stuff. All the cars were parked.

Blitzen's Tale
Just the usual. The big side was crowded but nobody was running.

We all slept for three hours. It may just be me and NPR but the comments on Memorial Day seem to reflect on the horrors of war, not just the patriotism.

While I was writing this, my sister called on video. Mostly we discussed Skype. They were having cold pizza for supper. I am drinking lots and lots of water and koolaid (Mexican koolaid). Did you ever hear of Jamaica flavor? It is a blend. I am trying not to eat snacks like Keebler choc cookies.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, May 22, 2009

May 22, 2009

Fortunately I woke up at 9:15 am bc I forgot to set the alarm. Off to tai chi this morning. Massage this afternoon. I feel good this morning. Forced marching pays off. Martha force marches me. Sun is shining. 75 degrees at 10 AM.

Our tai chi teacher was tired. He had been out watering the lawn. So we spent most of the hour doing pressure points. This is the equivalent of acupuncture. I am going to try it consistantly and see if anything happens. Now for a nap.

A forced march and a massage and I am walking normally. my muscles were relaxed today. Off we went to the dog park. Nothing happening.
Tonight I will watch Bill Moyer's Journal and Waking the Dead.
Have a good holiday weekend.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom took me through that stupid agility course, on leash of course. Otherwise nothing much at the dog park.

Blitzen's Tale
Nothing much happening. I tried to hump a little dog but her mom pulled me off and Mom was threatening time out.

Thursday, May 21, 2009

May 21, 2009

"I count it as a certainty that in paradise, everyone naps."

รข€”Tom Hodgkinson


Lawn mowers came by about 8:30. am I am getting dressed for my day with Martha. We are going shopping. Girls day out.

Sometimes I think I have to revise all the learning I did in grad school half a century ago. I thot lemurs were in our direct lineage. Instead they branched off from primates.

Martha came by about eleven and off we went. I had an Xmas gift card for TJ Maxx. So we stopped there first. I was carrying on about wanting everything and a woman said, "Life is short. Get what you want." I got a light jacket and a twin set top.
Next we hit Dress Barn where Martha made some spectacular buys. She needed summer clothes for work.
Then off to the Northeast Mall where we stopped at food court for lunch.
We browsed Chico's.
Then Martha got two pairs of shoes at Payless. And we staggered home. I took a nap. What else?

Off to the dog park in the cool of the evening. I never understood that phrse from the Bible until I livedin Texas.
Lady Chica found a racing buddy. She is tired out.

Lady Chica's Tale
I had fun tonight. this black dog raced me back and forth along the fence until I got all tired out. Blitzen didn't race much tonight.

Blitzen's Tale
Aunt Martha came over for a while today. I love to see her. I miss Aunt Libby. She was my favorite person in the whole world. I wonder why she never comes any more.

No time for reading today.

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

May 20, 2009

9:30 AM We all three seem to be programed for rising at this time. Beautiful day. Our program for the day is to clean house steadily. Put away some projects. Fabric is my problem. Piles of half finished quilt blocks and shirts.

Well, I am satisfied with today's achievements. The living room looks halfway decent. Some fabric stashed away. Off to dog park at 6 PM

Gracie's mom is Kelly. We had a little therapy session there in the dog park. I think the author of *One Nation Under Dog* has hit on something, that dog parks are now the center of social interaction. Shadows were falling as we sat talking.

Lady Chica's Tale
It was almost tomorrow before we got to the dog park. Mom kept running that vacuum thing again. I hid behind the sofa. She did keep the door open. I like to lie there at the screen door except it's glass so Blitzen can't get out. I can smell under the door.

Blitzen's Tale
Well, by the time we get to the park, all the big busters have gone home. Nobody will run with us. Mom sat there all the time talking to gracie's mom.

BOOK REVIEW
Lynn Hightower, *High Water*
Stand alone suspense thriller. Impossible plot. Too convoluted. Unbelievable. Fun to read. I rested between working.






BOOK REVIEW

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

May 19, 2009

Monday night. After sending my journall we took another nap. Then we got up and had supper.

Tuesday morning. Off to Baptist Center. All that sleep yesterday did me a world of good. I am feeling full of energy.
The place is so slow. I expected more people would come with the recession. apparently there are jobs in the metro area. We served 7 families for groceries.

Took a nap. Decided I had to take time off from sewing and work on the house. Things had gotten to where even I could not stand it.

I am so satisfied with my achievements today. I picked up a lot of stuff. My problem is that I start a project, then move on to another, leaving first and second and third project sitting on the table. I need to sort some things tomorrow. I intend to spend all day doing housework. We went to the park at 6 PM. Nothing happening. There was a little boy on the big dog side who kept getting into things. He threw rocks into the wading pool. He pulled the dog's tail. It was his own dog who must be used to it. The little boy was so funny. His daddy was busy!!!

Lady Chica's Tale
Finally mom took us to the park. We had to wait all day. She ran that old vacuum thing all afternoon. It makes a horrible noise. Blitzen hides under the bed.

Blitzen's Tale
Yeah, mom was running that vacuum thing all afternoon. The noise hurts my ears. We finally got to the dog park and none of the big busters would run with us. There was a little boy who wanted to run with us but didn't know how.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, May 18, 2009

May 18, 2009

Lady Chica's Tale
Sunday night. Mom has this big box she sits around watching. Lots of things move on it and it makes noises. Tonight she had some big dogs in there. I could hear them. I wonder how this works.

Monday aft. The dog park was boring again today. I was busy parking cars.

Monday morning 10 AM. I deamed I was riding to Wendy's on a sled pulled by a big white dog, not one I had ever owned. In the snow of course. But the dog was just like Lady Chica. She refused to cooperate without being on a leash. My sister was in the dream, aged about ten. I sent her back to get the leash. And it was after eleven, the time of meeting, and it got later and later and later.

I came home -- in real time -- and took a nap. I am so tired today.

Judy and I talked about being pro-choice. This came up talking about Obama's speech at Notre Dame. I dont know that the Bible talks about abortion. It is my firm belief that the patriarchs did not know what was going on in those red tents. (women stayed in them during menstraution). Nomadic women controlled births. You can't trapise around the plains dragging three or four toddlers.

Took a nap. Then to the dog park. At first we were alone. Then half a dozen chattering ladies came in. It was pleasant under the shelter with a small breeze blowing.
We all came home and took another nap. I have spent four hours today napping after eight hours of sleep. I am so tired.

Blitzen's Tale
Those big busters wouldn't come near the fence. Ha. Not much doing at the dog park. Mom has slept all day.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, May 17, 2009

December 17

7:30 AM Too early for the dogs to get up. Ha! I am dressing for church. I actually woke up before the alarm. This begins to sound like a twitter. Weather has turned cool. Only 55 ce matin.

Sunday school and church. had lunch with Mark F, Ron, David iceman, Margie T. We had a great time, laughing and laughing. It is hard to replicate a conversation.
2:33 PM Now for a nap.

After a long nap we went to dog park. Ray gave me onions and new potatoes. Yum!! I ate them for supper. Gracie's mom was there and went into one of her long political tirades. They are not right nor left nor up nor down. Just crazy. Dozens of dogs. Place was crowded.

Just took another power nap. Dreamed of politics. Probably bc of Gracie's mom. Will watch Masterpiece Mystery tonight.

Lady Chica's Tale
Too many dogs at the park today. Lots of big dogs but nobody will run. I was reduced to parking cars.

Blitzen's Tale
Not much doing. None of the big busters came near the fence. Lots and lots of dogs. No bikes, no motorcycles. Nothing.

Hugs, Dr. Liz

Saturday, May 16, 2009

May 16

Friday night. I have not been in the habit of watching telly. So the dogs have not been conditioned to realize that we take walks only during the commercial. I am trying to tell them but they dont listen.
Just watched something from BBC. I dont understand the ending. Why did the woman get arrested?

Saturday 6:54 AM Up for breakfast and back to bed. I woke up hungry. At 4 am we had a huge rainstorm, a gulley washer. And I remember I left my car windows open. Oh, well, the back seat is covered with towels.

9:30 am and Blitzen demanded I get up. Or maybe that Lady Chica get off the bed. I got up and here we are. I have yet to check my car.
Actually it did not get very wet. I think the rain came behind the car not into the windows.

I worked on my sewing projects. Took a long, long nap. Went to the dog park at 5:30 PM and there were Judy, Ken and Szabo. Came home, sewing between chapters. Bill our tai chi teacher says he works for five minutes, rests for ten.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mostly no dogs around. So I chased birds. Mom said she was glad I was getting some exercise. I go all out. I have been clocked at 25 mph.

Blitzen's tale
Old Szabo turned up. At first we had fun double teaming this pit bull puppy. Actually he seemed to want to play with us but all the peoples objected. He went home. Finally got a big buster running across the fence.

No time to finish a book. I am reading a big thick book. Richard North Patterson. on gun control


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, May 15, 2009

May 15

Alarm rang at 9:30. Off to tai chi. Dogs made a lot of fuss this morning. I dont wake up enuf to shut them up. Finally I got everybody settled down just in time for alarm to ring. -- I wondered if they were responding to dog at the end of the bldg. I could hear her. The bldgs act like an echo chamber.

Tai Chi. We had a new member, another man almost 90. He chatted on and on and on. Now off to dog park after eating lunch.

Evening 7:49 PM. I can hear lady Chica getting into another trash basket.

Judy and I chatted for more than an hour. One thing we talked about was the books we read as a child. This led to my dream as I slept. I dreamed that I lived in a small town and I was trying to find a book I had never read.

I came home and slept for three hours, dreaming as I said. I told Lady Chica that we would take a shower and she went into a frenzy of excitement. She ran around and barked.

Now I am dressed. I plan to watch Bill Moyer's journal and then Waking the Dead.

Lady Chica's Tale
It is such fun to take a shower. I love to take a shower. I am so bored tonight. I parked cars at the park today.

Blitzen's Tale
Well, we saw old Szabo at the park. For a while we were the only dogs there. Not even those big busters on the other side of the fence.



BOOK REVIEW
Robert Parker, *Night and Day*
Jesse Stone novel. Jesse is chief of police somewhere. Police procedural. I had a hard time getting into this book but it came together midway thru. Vintage Parker.





Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, May 14, 2009

May 14

The lawn mowers were here early. Need I say more. I think that dogs domesticated humans. After all, it was the idea of dogs to trail along after the nomads, eating leftovers. They probably helped the humans sharpen their hunting skills.

Once again I ache all over. I feel as if I had been out playing softball or something. What am I doing? Arthritis Index is Very High. Temp going up to 90 today. Aha. prob of thunder storms this afternoon.

I spent the day working steadily on my sewing projects. I have a huge pile of quilt blocks. Then we went to dog park.

I watched Public television, *The Dead Speak* or something like that. It was a story about michelangelo and how he and a grp were trying to cleanse Catholic church.
Then I watched CSI (in Nevada) and then NYPD CSI. That ended with a Who Shot JR? episode. The crowd was in a bar making a toast and somebody shot at them.

Lady Chica's Tale
Not much doing at the dog park. Not many dogs there.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom was after me as usual cuz I was trying to hump some dogs. They gotta be kept in line.

BOOK REVIEW
Walter Mosley, *The Man in my Basement*
This is a weird book. Mosley is black and has black protagonists. A black man keeps a white man in his basement. I think it has symbolic significance. Mosley said that he got the idea when he said black men need to keep a white man in the basement to tell him how to get along in the corporate world.

Yesterday I heard an interview with new president of Howard Univ. He had been pres of Bowling Green. (One of my grad assistants in on faculty there.) Said he thot that society didn't know what to do with him.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

May 13

Guns, Germs and Steel
For various reasons, farming produces denser populations. Hence eventually farmers can overcome hunters even w/o better weapons and such.
Development of agriculture depends upon the wild plants and wild mammals surrounding you. The Fertile Crescent beats everybody. That is why we conquered the world, after the horsemen came down from Asia.
The something came down like a wolf on the fold
Their cohorts all gleaming with silver and gold.

Agriculture produces surplus food products which allows the development of specialists who invented writing, metal alloys, bureaucracy and military organization.

Wednesday morning. At 7 the trash man cometh and the dogs make a fuss. Arthritis Index is very high and every muscle in my body aches.
I managed to go Krogering. I needed to go to Kroger to get Rug Dr Enzyme Cleaner. That took a brief period. Came home and took a nap.
I have 45 blocks to go, one finished. I press all blocks, add a strip by pin, stitch a strip and start over.
Took another nap.

PPQS tonight. Lea made home made pizza. We discussed when pizza came to America. John remembered his first taste of pizza.
Watched most of National Geographic's Baby Mamoth. Judy taped it for me. It was fun watching it with Lea bc she is a paleontologist. She was curator of a museum in Alaska which has an incomplete baby mamoth.

Lady Chica's Tale
What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's. Mom doesn't know.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom doesn't know. What happens at Pup's stays at Pup's.


BOOK REVIEW:
Jared Diamond, *Guns, Germs and Steel*
Fascinating explanation of how writing developed. Little by little. Description of how Sequoya developed Cherokee alphabet. S did not speak English. He just knew they had writing. He was a blacksmith and he started keeping accounts. Then he tried syllables. Finally he devised an alphabet. Cherokee learned to read and write, had a printing press. (Little good it did them.)
The author points out that cultural diffusion is easier east and west, the same latitude for growing plants and keeping domestic animals. For example, the Mayans would have difficulty diffusing culture easily, surrounded by jungle.
In order for an animal to be easy to domesticate, they must have a group with dominance hierarchy. Then a human can be alpha dog or cow.

Lea has not read the book but says that some professionals question the book. Diamond over simplifies and over generalizes. I think Diamond has enuf disclaimers.



Hugs, Dr. Liz

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

May 12

So sleepy. Off to baptist Center. The keyboard on that lap top sticks. Hard to write. I type at 90 words per minute. Or I did. And I practice daily, as you may notice. It is hard to do that when the keys stick.

At Baptist Center the Food Market served 12 families, more than 40 individuals. We were busy. I was busy.
Came home and took a nap for three hours. Went to dog park.
Lady Chica protested that she was too tired to get into the car to go home.

I am not watching Nova tonight. It is all about the Challenger disaster and I dont want to hear about it. I remember watching the pieces fall from the sky.

Lady Chica's Tale
Did a lot of running at the park today. I was tired out. Mom thinks I was kidding.

Blitzen's Tale
We really scared those busters off today. they were afraid. We barked and they ran away.

BOOK REVIEW
Linda Fairstein, *Lethal Legacy*
Alex Cooper series. This series is often set in an old New York building. I find this aspect fascinating. Manhattan Island has layers and layers.
In this book, rare books are missing from the Research Library. Two young women are found murdered Police procedural. Cooper is an assistant DA.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, May 11, 2009

May 11

Re yesterday: it was wonderful. When I ranted and raved about social class and the school system, Jake cited statistics supporting my position. Wow. Wow.
Then I was talking about Columbine. Jake and I both cited statistics on "shooters". Only 30% played video games. And Jake ended, "But 100% had a copy of *Catcher in the Rye*. Hey Jake, I looked up that title and it comes from a poem by Robert Burns. I cant get the tune of Bringing in the Sheaves out of my mind. (OK, Readers. Ask me why that associates. No se.)

Monday morning. Up on a gloomy day, 9:40 am. It rained. The ground is wet. Summer is on its way. 66 degrees seems chilly. Meeting Judy at Wendy's.

Wendy's has a new item: coffee frosty. I labeled this breakfast. 10 points. 4 points for small chili. Judy and I talked about politics, Columbine, Germs, Guns and Steel. Judy had seen an NPR presentation on the latter. We saw the sun come out. So we hastened to the park. No other dogs at all. Our three dogs spent their time treeing a squirrel. Blitzen climbs a tree. I do believe he is a treeing feist.

Took a nap. Watched the final episode of the American Indian, the standoff at Wounded Knee in 1973. At the head of the account in Wikipedia it says that this entry is biased. I agree.

To begin with, it took place in an atmosphere. Everybody in the USA had been protesting for a decade. [In 1973 I was busy organizing a shelter for battered women.] On the Pine Ridge rez the tribal chairman was corrupt and biased toward mixed bloods. The group of full bloods asked AIM to come in and help them protest. They decided to occupy the town of Wounded Knee.
The feds surrounded the town and the seige went on for 71 days. I do remember that the chiefs appealed to United Nations but got nowhere, despite the fact that the fed govt said the Ogala were a separate nation so they could not remove the tribal chairman. Of course, the seige ended. The feds cut off electricity and water.

And so it goes.

NPR has interviewed an author who has written a book -- I cant remember author nor book title. But it is all about how we are at a point of tremendous change. I would use the example of the invention of the printing press. Then everybody could read the Bible and look what happened. We got Baptists!!!!

At the Park:

Lady Chica's Tale
I was stalking this squirrel who was sitting on the ground eating a nut, when big old Blitzen comes lalloping along scaring the squirrel into the tree. Blitzen is such a klutz.

Blitzen's Tale
We had fun keeping that old squirrel up in the tree. Szabo was there, too.

BOOK REVIEW
Philip R. Craig, *Vineyard Prey*
Martha's Vineyard series. I always enjoy books in this series bc they are full of sights and sounds of the Vineyard, sort of a travelogue. The plot is always the same. Somebody is out to kill Joe Jackson or his wife or his buddy, Joe Begay.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Sunday, May 10, 2009

May 10

I have one red and black block finished. 14 to go.

Up just before the alarm rang at 9:30. I must also be programmed as well as the dogs. Off to dog park. Martha will pick me up around 1 or 2.

Reading *Guns, Germs and Steel*. He brings up something I did not realize. Bacteria are picked up from domesticated animals. Hunting peoples don't have the same germs. That is why Europeans brot devestating germs to the New World. The Aztecs were conquered by small pox.

Lady Chica is a pill. She refused to go thru the agility course, even for a treat. she is having fun with me. I can tell by her body language.

Lady Chica's Tale
Ha ha ha. Mom wanted me to run the agility course but I fooled her.

Blitzen's Tale
Park was boring this morning. The big dogs wouldn't look at us. There are three great big white busters but they wont play.

I had a wonderful time today. Josh and Jake were both home. We had a great time. Jeff grilled a turkey outdoors. Delish. Josh showe us a video of his fraternity at ACU.
Came home and watched Masterpiece Mystery, a new series concerning Wallender, created by the author Henning Mankill, a Swedish author.

Saturday, May 9, 2009

May 9

The Fourth Chapter: Life After Seventy-five
Last night Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot was a guest on Bill Moyer's journal. She has written a book about the third chapter. She articulated, talking about her mother, what I have been trying to say, the loneliness of old age as one's friends die.
Sometimes I feel as if I come from a distant planet when I talk about my childhood sans electricity, indoor toilets, television, even radio. My girlfriend's dad had a radio powered by a windmill.

I had a strange dream dredging up resentments from sixty years ago.

Then I took a nap. Noon. I wish NPR had Saturday programs I want to listen to.

Then I took another nap. Tai chi was too much for me. Guess we'll totter off to dog park. Maybe I will stop and vote. Town election.

The two surrounding towns cancelled voting bc nobody challenged incumbents. Not only did we have challengers but we had a proposition to vote on, building a bldg in the people park.

At the dog park Gracie's mom was there, talking a nonstop monologue. I think she is deaf in the head. She doesn't reply to what one says. On the way home the gate of the cage came open and the dogs were out in the car.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom forgot my birthday on Monday. I think I deserved one of those liver cakes she makes. We had fun on the way home from the park. The door to the cage came open and I got to sit at the back window and bark at the cars.

Blitzen's Tale
On the way home, the door to the cage came open. We could look out the windows.

I am reading several books simultaneously but none finished.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, May 8, 2009

May 8

According to the Nova documentary, the Mayans tore themselves to pieces with constant warfare. Watching the documentary, all I could think of was those far away planets that the original Star Trek used to visit, who had consumed themselves with warfare. This was during the Vietnam war.

Midnight between Thursday and Friday
I must go to bed but I cant put *Columbine* down. One fact I did not realize. The massacre was not planned as a shooting. The two boys had placed bombs all over the school but the bombs did not go off. The idea was to make a bigger bomb than Timothy McVeigh.

Got up and off to tai chi. We are now doing Tai Chi for Health. This was devised to help with arthritis, to work various muscles. Our teacher will be ninety this summer. We did it slow today but I am sore.
Came home and determined to sit down and stitch on blocks. Now for lunch and a nap.

After a nap we went to the dog park, saw Ray and Marcie. Tornado watch right now. 89 degrees. I am sending at 7:22 PM. I intend to watch Bill Moyers and Waking the Dead.

Mark: I am starting to read Guns, Germs and Steel. it is exciting!!

Lady Chica's Tale
It seems to me I slept most of the day. Sort of a dull day.

Blitzen's Tale
Not much going at the park. Everybody seems sluggish except that little Italian greyhound. he kept following me around wanting to play.

BOOK REVIEW
Dave Cullen, *Columbine*
On April 29, 1999, Eric and Dylan killed 13 people in a shooting spree at Columbine High School in Colorado. Cullen is a journalist who has spent ten years researching the event after being present during the shooting. Eric and Dylan left extensive documentation during the year before the shootings.
Extensive research has been done on psycopaths (sociopaths in my vocabulary -- it depends on whether one is a psychologist or sociologist). Apparently psycopaths have reduced brain activity. They do not feel emotions. They may be born that way. Eric was a psycopath. Dylan was a depressive who followed the leader.

The book alternates chapers between the year leading up to the shootings and the aftermath. Thus it generates tension.

The book explodes various myths generated about the two boys. Police tactics have changed as a result. When there is an active shooter police go in. This was demonstrated recently when a lone policeman entered a nursing home and stopped a shooter.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Thursday, May 7, 2009

May 7

Lea's response to hearing that my car had been searched: "I hope they organized your stuff."

Thursday 3:34 AM -- the wee hours. This is one of those nights when I cant sleep. I go to bed. I get up and read.

The dogs double teamed me at 10:30 am. I turned on NPR and Diane Reams was interviewing some clod who answered in monosyllables. Who was she interviewing and why? Turns out it was Ted Turner who has a new book. *Call me Ted*.
Already 75 degrees. After I dress I will take car for oil change.

Oil change was easy and nothing was leaking. Came home. Went to park immediately bc the lawnmowers were here making noise. Made a library run and got a book on *Columbine*. Cant put it down. Easy reading. Happily I have read how police procedures have changed with a gunman situation.
Came home and took a nap. Tonight I will watch CSI and MI5. So I am sending this out about 8 PM.

Lady Chica's Tale
Mom tried to get me around that agility course. With a treat for each she got me thru the tunnels. Then I stalled. I refused to go over the hurdle even for a treat. She gave up. She is an easy mark.

Blitzen's Tale
I made sure that I stayed on the other side of the field where Mom could not commandeer me for that agility farce. It is a miserably hot and humid day. Not too bad at the park.

BOOK REVIEW
Cynthia harrod-Eagles, *Game Over*
Police procedural for people who dont like police procedurals. Inspector Bill Slider in Shephard's Bush, London. Author's web site has a map of Shepherd's Bush. I think we stayed there in 1970. Cant remember for sure.
Investigative journalist was murdered and several others. Turns out he was investigating a scandal.

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

May 6, 2009

Thinking about Indians. For my comprehensives for PhD I had to become an expert on one culture area. I chose Plains Indians. I was amazed at how rapidly culture change had come about. One or two sightings about 1790 showed that the horse had not arrived. Yet by about 1840 here they were in all their glory.
The Lakota Souix had a complex mid-summer celebration which the other horse cultures adopted in part. There was a great deal of culture exchange among the horse cultures. So they all look alike. I noticed that in the final pictures of Geronimo he was wearing a feather head dress. That is not Apache (who were not in the Plains horse culture). Of course, Geronimo acted in Wild West Shows. That is sort of like Osama Ben Ladan acting in some kind of horse show.

By the way, the Apache group were enemy combatants and were kept in Florida for 27 years.

Wednesday morning. Breakfast was served at 9:30 am. By acclamation. The dogs had been going bizarre early on. I think it was the new dog on the block, an adorable little pekenise (sp) named Cassie who is not friendly.
Sun is shining. No pain except my jaw.

I have worked hard on pieceing all day. Took a nap. I have found two more sets of partially finished bloocks. They are enuf for two lap quilts when I finish. It takes 15 blocks of 12" square.

PPQS tonight. We are giving away another lap quilt. A woman who works with Lea has a friend who has been diagnosed with lung cancer.
Lea mended John's jeans tonight. She does a beautiful job of mending. I worked on collars for shirts. Like I need another shirt!!!
79 degrees right now. Tomorrow will be 89 and feel like 98.

Lady Chica's Tale
Lots of squirrels and rats and birds out at Pup's tonight. I guess it is the wet weather. I had a lot of fun.

Blitzen's Tale
Went to visit Pup. Old Pup is always so glad to see us. We don't interact much. He lies down watching us, enjoying the company.

BOOK REVIEW:
Douglas Ezell, *Revelation on Revelation*
I am only on the first chapter. I think Doug Ezell should become a rabbi. His work is hard to wade thru. Does reading this count as a sacrifice in the temple? He argues that Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus. So John in Revelation is talking about fulfilled prophecies. I think that is what Ezell is saying.







Hugs, Dr. Liz

Monday, May 4, 2009

May 3, 2009

Did you know that Earl Stanley Gardner started writing mysteries as a way of educating people about the inequities of the justice system? Gardner was a member of some activist group trying to free innocent people from prison.

8:30 AM Feeling rested and I can walk on my foot. Meeting Judy at Wendy's at eleven. Found that a small frosty is 16 points, more than my day's goal.

Aha. I knew that portions had decreased. Looked up Wendy's for 2009. Small frosty is 6 points. Met Judy and we talked for almost two hours. Then we each went home and got our dogs and met again at the dog park.
3:16 PM I think I will take a nap. Beautiful day, absolutely perfect. Would that it would remain. Slept till five.

My knee is hurting bc a storm is coming in. I sat with the girls, doing hand sewing. Helen's daughter brot a bunch of aloe vera which Oda Mae was repotting.
Watched the American Indian experience of *Geronimo*. Fascinating. Use of torture is not new for Americans.
Next week is Wounded Knee in 1973. What happened? Why did the Indians camp out there? What were they doing? I was preoccupied.

Lady Chica's Tale
Boring day. Mom was gone all morning. Not many dogs at the park. Mom sat talking with Szabo's Mom. They talk and talk and talk. Booooring.

Blitzen's Tale
Mom put a scarf on me. This is a different scarf. I love wearing clothes. Makes me feel like Mr. Cool.

Did not get a chance to read today. Have a new book on Revelation by Doug Ezell. Revelation was written for people in 100 AD, not 2000 years later.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

May 2

The dogs have an alarm clock in their head. At 9:28 am Blitzen leaped out of bed and demanded breakfast. [In the novel Lassie Go Home, Lassie goes home bc she needs to be at the school gate at 4 PM to meet the boy.]
I could not get to sleep last night until 4 am. One of those nights. So I am going back to bed. Email from Judy that weather will be bad and they are going to park early.

I did not feel sleepy so went to park. Met Judy, Ken and Szabo. I was there two hours. Dogs were tired and just lay on the table. Judy says she likes to talk to me bc so much comes out of my mouth.

We got home just in time. It is still raining. I took a nap. Garrison Keeler just sang a cowboy song called Twitter. The cowboy is riding the range sending a twitter just like Tex Ritter. Great irony.

Spending the evening sewing and vacuuming. decided this is the only time I am awake.

Lady Chica's Tale
After breakfast I just flopped down for another nap and then Mom decided to go to the park. She says she does not sleep. I cant understand that myself. We ran and ran. We stayed a long time. saw Szabo.
Finally we got home and I could get on with my nap. I think it is the rain.

Blitzen's Tale
Stayed at the park for a long, long time. Old Szabo was there. We ran and ran and ran.

BOOK REVIEW
Johnathan Keller, *True Detectives*
Alex Delaware and Sturgis make cameo appearances as well as Petra, but this may be the start of a new series about a pair of brothers, one black and one white, one a cop and the other a PI. Both are working on the same case, a missing girl.


Hugs, Dr. Liz

Friday, May 1, 2009

May 1

Correction: Dame P.D. James is 89.

I woke stiff and sore. Maybe part of that is the weather. My jaw does not hurt but it doesn't yet feel normal. Stop at the Food Bank. Off to the park.

Somebody searched my car last night I discovered. When I looked at what they found I burst out laughing. They found pooper scooper sacks, the stone I am saving which crashed thru my window, raggedy old dirty towels lining the back seat, the dog carrier, obsolete paperbacks. The lever which opens my trunk does not work. They would have found dog food and my winter coat, as well as potting soil.

We picked up Food Pantry groceries. Off to dog park but too late to catch Judy. I took Lady Chica thru the agility course off leash by tempting her with a treat (surreptitiously bc it is against the rules). She knows exactly what to do. She balked at jumping the fence and ran off to do the next trial, a slant board up and down.

Library run. New books by Johnathon Keller, Marcia Muller and somebody else. Yeah.

On an NPR show, an ex-pat in Mexico called in to remind us that in Mexico people are poor and only turn up in a hospital when they are very, very sick. Like the thirties, hospitals were where people went to die.

Lady Chica's Tale
We had a lot of running today. I came home, ate lunch and flopped over to take my nap. (I take my meals in my den.)

Blitzen's Tale
I have been restless today, playing with Mom. Running, running, running.

Reading Johnathan Kellerman's latest, *True Detectives*.


Hugs, Dr. Liz