Saturday, March 9, 2024

A Night At the Hospital

 In the slightly over 81 years that I've been around I've been hospitalized overnight just three times.  The first time was when I was 13 and it was to get my tonsils out.  The second time was in 2008.  I was in the hospital 4 days following kidney surgery.  The third time was this past Thursday-1 day ago.  

I had gone to my kidney doctor Thursday afternoon to discuss lab work.  In the course of his exam he noted a swelling of my right leg.  He was very concerned that I may have a blood clot so he sent me to the hospital right from his office.  I got to the emergency room at about 4:30.  By the time I actually got in to see someone and get examined and various tests evaluated it was 10 P.M. at which time it was determined that I had cellulitis.  Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that if caught early enough can be treated by oral antibiotics.   In my case my entire right leg was infected so they decided to admit me and give me a strong dose of antibiotics.  

I was not thrilled at the idea of being hospitalized to say the least.  My last experience in the hospital was not a happy one.  The nurses were nice enough but I found a lot to be lacking.  For example there were many times when I laid there in need of getting my dressings changed because the old ones were sopping wet and getting all over the sheets.  Also, when I did ask the nurses for medications I should have gotten they would tell me they'd check on it and that would be the last I'd hear of it.  There were other things too but you get the idea.

I am happy to report that this time around most things went much more smoothly.  I had a great nurse and assistant nurse  who checked on me frequently and generally followed up on things.  The only issue I had was confusion over what medications I was taking.  I gave my list of daily medications to practically every person who examined me and yet when it came time for me to take them they couldn't quite get it straight.  I never got my daily meds on Thursday.  I did however get most of them Friday morning.  I say most of them because there was one in particular I didn't get at all. No one could explain why.  So that's an area they need to work on.  But all in all this time around went much better than my last experience.  

Nevertheless, with any luck at all, that will be the last time I need to spend the night or nights in a hospital.


Friday, March 1, 2024

Hello March

About the Month of March

March is the 3rd month of the year and has 31 days.
Full Moon-March 25th
Season (Northern Hemisphere): Spring

Holidays

Read Across America Day (Dr. Seuss Birthday)
Saint Patrick's Day
Pi Day
Daylight Saving Day
Women's History Month
National Nutrition Month
American Red Cross Month
Fire Prevention Month

Symbols of March

  • Birthstone: aquamarine and bloodstone
  • Flower: daffodil
  • Zodiac signs: Pisces and Aries

History:

The name March comes from the Roman god of war, Mars. For many years, March, being the start of spring, was also the start of the New Year. Much of Europe used March as the start of the year. Britain used March 25th as the beginning of the New Year until 1752.

Interesting Facts about March

  • It is the first month of Spring which begins between March 19-21.
  • In the Southern Hemisphere, March is the same as September in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • Each year March and June end on the same day of the week.
  • It is the time of year when animals start to wake up from hibernation.
  • March Madness is a basketball tournament played by the NCAA.
  • Easter is sometimes celebrated in March.

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Wednesday, February 21, 2024

End of the road

For those of you who have been following my web site, georgeswebpage.com, your next visit there will see the notice I have posted below.  It is self explanatory so I won't elaborate further only to say this blog spot that you're reading now will remain active so I look forward to your visits.  

Thank you for your loyalty to my web site. Much of what you saw there will be transferred to this web site but not all of it.  Many of the pictures on my web site have been there a very long time so it's time to retire them and replace them with others. 

See you soon. 



Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Story 46: What would you want to be famous for?

As promised here's another example of the kinds of questions I'm sent by Storyworth.  I almost rejected this one but decided I'd give it a whirl.  I hope you like it. I'm almost done with Volume II of the book.  I have 4 more stories to go to total 50.


Story 46:  What would you want to be famous for?

 

Interesting question this week. Quite frankly I am not in the least bit interested in being famous-or infamous-for anything.  I’m just not comfortable in the limelight. So why did I decide to take this question? Well, as Andy Warhol is said to have quoted, everyone gets 15 minutes of fame so if that’s the case I might as well choose what it’s going to be for, right?

 

I have no athletic skills so I wouldn’t be a famous sports figure.  I can’t sing or act so that’s out.  I’m certainly not a politician so you’ll never be reading or hearing about a Senator or President Stockwell.  Even if I could wiggle my nose and presto I was one of those things, I still wouldn’t want it.  I guess when all is said and done the one thing I’d most want to be famous for is my philanthropy.  Someone like Andrew Carnegie or Warren Buffett or Bill Gates. I would like to be known for using my vast fortune to make the world a better place for others.

 

There is no shortage of ways to spend millions upon millions of dollars for the betterment of humanity.  I would start right here in the United States.  Think about it. Just in the area of health care alone you could wipe out a fortune.  There are so many people who can’t afford the care they need in spite of the government’s insistence that there is a safety net in place to care for those who can’t afford effective health insurance.  Think about the many times you hear about someone who needs a certain medicine or an operation but can’t afford them so they go without.

 

So that’s where I would start.  The only thing is I wouldn’t want my fortune to be the result of harmful acts.  For example when Alfred Nobel invented dynamite it was intended to be for use in the mining industry but it wasn’t long before others figured out you could also use it to make weapons.  And then there are those who used ruthless business practices to the detriment of others to amass their fortunes but later decided to use their money for good causes.  I need my fortune to be the result of intelligent investing or something like that. 

 

So there you have it-philanthropy.  Just remember to spell my name correctly when they put the monument of me next to the Lincoln Memorial.   

                             


Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Hello, February

 February is the 2nd month of the year and has 28 or 29 days. The 29th day is every 4 years during leap year.

Season (Northern Hemisphere): Winter
Full moon-Feb 24th


Holidays

Chinese New Year
National Freedom Day
Groundhog Day
Valentine's Day
President's Day
Mardi Gras
Ash Wednesday
Black History Month
American Heart Month
Chocolate Lover's Month
National Bird Feeding Month
National Dental Month

Symbols of February:

  • Birthstone: Amethyst
  • Flower: Primrose
  • Zodiac signs: Aquarius and Pisces

History:

February was added to the Roman calendar in 713 BC. The length of the month changed over time and, at one time, it had as few as 23 days. When Julius Caesar remade the Roman calendar, the month was assigned 28 days during normal years and 29 days during leap years which occurred every four years.

Interesting Facts about February

  • It is the shortest month of the year.
  • The Welsh call February "y mis bach" which means "little month".
  • It is the third month of winter.
  • In the Southern Hemisphere February is a summer month the equivalent of August.
  • The month is named for the Latin word februum which means purification.
  • Together with January, it was the last of the months added to the Roman calendar.
  • The largest American sporting event of the year, the Super Bowl, is held in February.
  • The Saxon term for the month, Sol-monath, means "cake month". This is because they offered cakes to the gods during this month.

 


Monday, January 22, 2024

Story 45: Coming up

I just finished story number 44 of Volume Two.  Tomorrow morning (Monday, Jan. 22, 2024) I will receive the question for story number 45 of my book.  I probably won't like the question or I will probably have received it when I did Volume One of my book so I've chosen a new question.  Here it is: Story 45: What's your idea of a perfect day?

I have 5 stories/questions/chapters to go at which time I'll begin the time consuming process of editing all 50.  I usually edit them as I go along but I often miss something so I need to do it again.

At this point you're probably wondering what in the world I'm talking about.  Well, let me explain.  Two years ago my son and daughter-in-law got me a Christmas gift in the form of a subscription to a service called Storyworth.  What they do is send you a question every week about some aspect of your life.  The written answer to that question becomes a chapter in what is ultimately a book.  After 52 weeks and after all the editing is done you get to pick out a cover design and a couple of weeks later you get your book.

After answering 52 questions about yourself, you actually end up with an autobiography.  It's a fun process and it really makes you think about your life. 

If you like to write and if you're looking for an interesting activity this may be for you.  Log on to Storyworth.com and check it out.  

Here's a picture of Volume One of my book.



    

Thursday, January 11, 2024

End of Year Report

I like to keep track of things.  I don't know why. It's just one of those many weird things I do.  For example I keep track of how much fuel oil and propane we use every year and I keep track of how much fuel our cars use.  I do that last one mostly because by doing that I discovered a certain gas station was stealing our credit card information and I was able to stop it.  

Another thing I keep track of is all the books I read through out the year.  Strange, isn't it? I mean who cares how many books you've read? No one,  but I do anyway. So here's my end of year report on the books I've read.  The total is 31.  They are all fiction.  I have to admit. I'm not big on non fiction.  That's not to say  I've never read non fiction but I just prefer fiction-especially historical fictional.

So for my favorite book of 2023 the honors go to The Parisians by Marius Gabriel.  It is a World War Two era novel about people struggling to survive the Nazi occupation of Paris.  Like many of the books I've read about World War Two, it focuses on the hardships of civilians as opposed to those of the soldiers.  

Now it's 2024 and I'm just finishing a book I started toward the end of 2023 so I have to pick my next book.  I'm not sure what it's going to be so stay tuned.

Sunday, December 31, 2023

Hello January & Mercifully 2024!

 Good bye and good riddance to 2023.  It has been a generally miserable year.  Yeah, yeah, it could have been worse.  After all here I am sitting here writing this but still it could have been a heck of a lot better.  The weather stunk, there were numerous health issues with my wife and myself and it closed out with family disruptions.  So my expectations for 2024 are quite high.  Don't let me down!

Here're the usual tidbits about the new month of January.  

January is the 1st month of the year and has 31 days.

Season (Northern Hemisphere): Winter

Holidays

New Years Day
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Australia Day
National Book Month
National Thank You Month
National Eye Care Month
National Volunteer Blood Donor Month
National Soup Month

Symbols of January:

  • Birthstone: Garnet
  • Flower: Carnation
  • Zodiac signs: Capricorn and Aquarius

History:

January was named after the Roman god Janus. Janus is also the Roman word for door. The god Janus had two faces which allowed him to look forwards into the coming year and backwards into the past year.

The original Roman calendar only had 10 months. January and February were not included, but were added later.

January in Other Languages

  • Chinese (Mandarin) - yiyuè
  • Danish - januar
  • Italian - gennaio
  • Latin - Ianuarius
  • French - janvier
  • Spanish - enero

Historical Names:

  • Roman: Januarius
  • Saxon: Giuli
  • Germanic: Schnee-mond (Snow month)

Interesting Facts about January

  • On average, it is the coldest month of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
  • It is the second month of winter.
  • In the Southern Hemisphere January is a summer month the equivalent of July.
  • Sometimes the Saxons called January the wolf month because hungry wolves would come into their towns searching for food this time of year.
  • For a long period of European history, the start of the New Year occurred in March.



Thursday, December 14, 2023

A Sad Day

 Today is the 11th anniversary of the Sandy Hook School shooting tragedy. Twenty one children and six adult staff members were killed.  When I got the news of this horrific event I was in the waiting room of my kidney doctor's office.  A nurse came in and said to me "didn't you teach at Sandy Hook?" I replied I did.  She told me to go to the outer waiting room and look at the TV.  

That happened at about 9:30 in the morning so events were unfolding.  I went ahead with my appointment and rushed home after too watch events unfold on TV.  It ended up being the worst day of my life and I'm 80.

What's been done since then to address the issue of gun violence?  Nothing.  It is this country's greatest failure.  Is there cause for optimism over the coming year or two?  None.  Not as long as we have a House of Representatives controlled by republicans.  

So onward we go, into the future, proudly wearing our guns on our belts. 



Friday, December 1, 2023

Welcome December

About December

 About the Month of December

December is the 12th month of the year and has 31 days.

Season (Northern Hemisphere): Winter

Holidays

Pearl Harbor Day
Hanukkah
Christmas
Boxing Day
Kwanzaa
Read a New Book Month
Human Rights Month
Calendar Awareness Month
National Handwashing Awareness Week
National Fruit Cake Month

Symbols of December

  • Birthstone: Turquoise, zircon, or tanzanite
  • Flower: Narcissus or Holly
  • Zodiac signs: Sagittarius or Capricorn

History:

December was originally the tenth month of the year in the Roman calendar. It gets its name from the Latin word "decem" which means tenth. However, when the Romans added January and February to the calendar, it became the twelfth month. They still kept the name, though.

December in Other Languages

  • Chinese (Mandarin) - shí'èryuè
  • Danish - december
  • French - décembre
  • Italian - dicembre
  • Latin - December
  • Spanish - diciembre

 

Historical Names:

  • Roman: December
  • Saxon: Giuli
  •  Germanic: Heil-mond (Holy month)

 

Interesting Facts about December

  • It is the first month of winter and the last month of the year.
  • National Cookie Day is December 4th. Other snacks celebrated this month include pie, cotton candy, chocolate brownies (mmm!), cocoa, and cupcakes.
  • December often marks the beginning of rain, snow, and cold weather.
  • In the United States the month is associated with Christmas. There are Christmas decorations, sales, musicals, and parties. Many people spend their time Christmas shopping.
  • A lot of people have days off around Christmas and before New Year's Eve.
  • December in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to June in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • The first day of Winter is on either December 21 or 22. This is the shortest day of the year and the longest night. It is called the Winter or Southern solstice in the Northern Hemisphere.

 

 

Thursday, November 23, 2023

November 23, 2023

Today is Thanksgiving.  Happy Thanksgiving to one and all.  It marks the 57th Thanksgiving that my wife, Sandi,  and I have been together.  

It is also noteworthy for two other sad reasons.  First it was 60 years ago yesterday that President Kennedy was assassinated.  On that day I was working at my desk at the Bridgeport Brass Co.  Arlene, our secretary, came in with tears streaming down her face announcing the news.

Finally it has been 49 years ago today that Sandi's brother Ricky was killed in a hunting accident surrounded by mysterious circumstances.  No one came forward to admit it and nothing more was ever found out about it. 

Good bye for now.

Monday, November 13, 2023

I was just sitting here looking over my calendar on my computer and I discovered that the first two weeks of November have been marked by:

Three visits to a vascular surgeon

Two visits to a blood lab

A visit to an eye doctor

A visit to my primary care MD

A visit to an infusion center

A visit to my kidney doctor

That's a total of nine medically related appointments in 14 days. On top of that I'm on so many medications I have to keep a paper listing them in my wallet so every time I'm asked what meds I'm on I pull it out and read from it. 

 It's not that I'm critically sick or falling apart. It's just that I need to stay on top of things or I will be falling apart.  Such is life at 80 years old.  

Of course, I'm not alone in this constant battle to stay somewhat fit.  Many of my friends are fighting the same fight. And the fact is I will never be totally free of some sort of medical issue.  That's just the way it is. 

So what should a person do to deal with this?  Simple. Just keep going.   What else can you do?   The alternative is not very pleasant so it all goes down to my life motto: keep calm and carry on. And to anyone else who is dealing with the same issues, I would give you the same advice. 


Wednesday, November 1, 2023

Hello, November

 About November

 Holidays

Veterans Day
World Diabetes Day
Thanksgiving
American Indian Heritage Month
Good Nutrition Month
Aviation Month
American Diabetes Awareness Month
National Stamp Collecting Month
National Peanut Butter Lover's Month

Symbols of November

  • Birthstone: Topaz and citrine
  • Flower: Chrysanthemum
  • Zodiac signs: Scorpio and Sagittarius

History:

In the original Roman calendar, November was the ninth month of the year. It got its name from the Latin word "novem" which means nine. However, it became the eleventh month when the Romans added in January and February to the start of the year.

Throughout much of history, November has often been thought of as a somber month because it signaled the start of winter. People would spend the month storing up their harvest and preparing their food and homes in order to survive the winter.

 

Interesting Facts about November

  • It is the last month of the Fall season.
  • November in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to May in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • Elections are held in the United States on the Tuesday after the first Monday in November.
  • The third Thursday of November is the Great American Smokeout. Smokers are encouraged by the American Cancer Society to stop smoking on this day.
  • Some Christian churches celebrate All Saint's Day on the first day of November and All Souls Day on the 2nd.
  • American football is the main sport watched in the United States during this month.
  • Most, if not all, of the leaves have fallen off the trees by the end of November.
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Monday, October 23, 2023

 Here's another sample from Volume Two, A Brief History.

Story 30: Do you have a family member you wish you'd gotten to know better?

Yes…and no.  How’s that for a nice clear answer?  There were five people in my immediate family. There were my parents, two sisters and little, old me. My parents stayed together until their mutual deaths.  My father died first at the age of 72.  My mother died four years later at the age of 76.  My mother was 10 months older than my father.

 

In addition to my parents I had a sister 8 years older than me and one two years younger.  My older sister left home at the age of 19 when I was 11.  While she was home I knew her about as well as an eleven year old little brother could know a big sister. 

 

I know my younger sister quite well.  We were in some of the same social circles in high school and later when we both married and had families our parents’ house became a weekly gathering place.  Even to this day my younger sister and her second husband don’t live far from us and we see them from time to time but email on a more regular basis so we are in frequent touch.

 

My relationship with my older sister was much more complicated.  She passed away at the age of 69.  I was 61 but I hadn’t seen her in at least 20 years.  In thinking back there were several long periods of time between contacts with her.  As I mentioned she left home when I was 11.  I didn’t see her again for any length of time for the next 10 years.  Then when I got drafted and stationed in North Carolina we reconnected and there were several weekends when I traveled to Virginia to visit with her and her family.  When I got discharged I didn’t see her again until I got married.  That was a couple of years later.  Then there was another very long period of time when I didn’t see her.  And so it went. 

 

I would of course hear about her through her daughters and my sister but there was never any direct contact between the two of us.

 

I’ve never really been able to explain why this happened.  We simply didn’t reach out to each other much. That’s all.  Some of our interactions were somewhat conflict ridden so that didn’t help.  I really believe there was a sibling rivalry thing going on.  My sister was 8 when I was born so all attention turned to me and that seemed to be the case going forward-especially where my mother was concerned. 

 

I can’t say I’ve really been bothered by it.  To use a very overused saying it is what it is.

 

There are others outside my immediate family that I would have been interested in knowing better.  My mother’s parents for example.  I have no recollection of them whatever. They passed away before I was born or at least when I was a baby.

 

There’s also my mother’s brother Manly.  I got my middle name from him.  He was very close to my mother but when he returned from World War II he stayed around for a while then went to California.  He severed all contact from his whole family back east.  We did connect with his son, my cousin, some years later but he was not forthcoming with information.

 

Here again I don’t lay awake nights thinking about it.  It’s simply part of life.  But I do get curious from time to time when we have family discussions.  Other than my sister and uncle there are no other family members who are mysteries to me.  

 

First picture:  My sister Judy's high school grad picture.

Second Picture: A collage of my Uncle Manlio.

Third Picture: My maternal grandfather with Judy.



 


Thursday, October 12, 2023

Happy birthdays

 Note: birthdays plural.  October is a big month for birthdays.  My wife Sandi's is the 4th and our grandson Cole's is the 11th.  This year is especially big for Cole as he turns 16.  He sent me a text showing him proudly displaying his learner's permit so we have a new driver in the family. 

Where does the time go?  It seems like just yesterday he was following me around the yard with his toy plastic wheel barrow, picking up little twigs and generally helping me around the yard.  And he's not even the oldest.  There are two others older than him. 

Funny how they all age so quickly and we kind of stay the same, isn't it?

Happy birthday.  Cole is 16.  Sandi isn't!



Friday, October 6, 2023

Story 29; Vol. II, My Stories

I thought you would find the latest story to Volume Two of My Stories interesting.  When you have settled on a motto for yourself, leave it in the comments section. Thanks.

Story 29: What would you consider your motto?

This week’s question is interesting.  Ask most people what their motto is and they would probably say they don’t really have one.  But in my view whether or not you realize it everyone has a motto.

 

A motto is like an abbreviated philosophy of life.  It’s a reflection of your basic personality and character.   For example consider the following three potential mottos: “Live everyday like it’s your last”; “Be the change you wish to see in the world”; “One day at a time”.  Each one of these mottos represents a different way to approach life whether it be above all else, have a good time all the way to make a plan to change the world. 

 

My personal motto is very much a reflection of my particular way of handling things.  It is Keep Calm and Carry On. The keep calm part is definitely me.  I don’t fly off the handle when life hits a brick wall-and believe me-at 80 years old I’ve hit more than a few brick walls. 

 

The second part is also like me.  I interpret Carry On to mean analyze the situation and handle it.  When life throws a monkey wrench into the works, figure out what needs to be done to work things out.   But sometimes life’s little wrenches don’t have a solution.  Then what?  Carry on, that’s what.  Keep going.  Curling up into a ball of despair is not going to solve anything. 

 

I have to confess I did not invent the Keep Calm and Carry On motto.  As far as I can determine it originated during world war II by England’s  Ministry of Information.  To me that makes sense.  The sentiment of Keep Calm is very British.  They’re not an excitable group of people like, say, the Italians who become very animated and emotional during crises situations.  Given the fact I’m part English and part Italian my temperament could have gone either way but in thinking back to my childhood it was my Italian mother who tended to keep calm when things went south and my English father was the one who flew off the handle.  Go figure.  My family has always been a little weird.

 

In order to help you, dear reader, decide on a motto that suits you, here’s a list of potential mottos  I put together for your consideration.  Just think about the kind of person you are and choose one-or make up one of your own.  There’s a motto out there for everyone. 

 

1. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.

2. Live every day like it's your last.

3. Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken.

4. Be the change you wish to see in the world.

5. Let go of who you think you're supposed to be and embrace who you are.

6. If you are not obsessed with your life, change it.

7. Set some goals, then demolish them.

8. A ship at harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are for.

9. Take small steps every day.

10. If you're tired of starting over, stop giving up.

11. Be a rainbow in someone else's cloud.

12. Don't sweat the small stuff

13. Will this matter a year from now? 

14. Always remember to fall asleep with a dream and wake up with a purpose.

15. If you are not wiling to risk the unusual, you will have to settle for the ordinary.

16. Always find a reason to laugh.

17. What's meant to be will always find a way. 

18. If you can't stop thinking about it, don't stop working for it.

19. Life is a one time offer, use it well.

20. Life doesn't have to be perfect to be wonderful.

21. We have tomorrows for a reason. 

22. Your soul knows when it's on to something.

23. Eat healthy, sleep well, breathe deeply, enjoy life.

24. Some of the best things in life are mistakes.

25. Everything in life that matters requires risk.

26. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn.

27. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking.

28. Always believe that something wonderful is about to happen.

29. If for a while the harder you try the harder it gets, take heart. So it has been for the best people who ever lived.

30. Be happy with what you have while working for what you want. 

31. Be who you needed when you were younger.

32. A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.

33. If you love something, set it free. If it comes back, it's yours. If it doesn't, it never was.

34. Nothing will make you feel better except doing the work.

35. What you choose to focus on becomes your reality. 

 

And if none of these do it for you then here’s my advice DON’T WORRY. BE HAPPY!


Friday, September 29, 2023

Hello, October

 About October

Holidays

Yom Kippur
Columbus Day
Child Health Day
Halloween
National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sep 15 through Oct 15)
Italian American Heritage Month
Polish American Heritage Month
National Breast Cancer Month
National Pizza Month
National Dessert Month

Country Music Month
National Book Fair Month

 

Symbols of October

  • Birthstone: Opal and pink tourmaline
  • Flower: Calendula
  • Zodiac signs: Libra and Scorpio

History:

October was originally the eighth month of the Roman calendar. It comes from the Latin word "octo" meaning eight. Later, it became the 10th month when January and February were added to the Calendar.

The Saxons called the month Wintirfyllith because it had the first full moon of the winter season.

 

Interesting Facts about October

  • It is the second Autumn month.
  • National Fire Prevention Week falls during the week of October 9 each year. It commemorates the Great Chicago Fire of 1871.
  • October in the Northern Hemisphere is similar to April in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • The leaves of trees often begin to change their colors during this month.
  • The World Series for Major League Baseball generally takes place during October.
  • The NBA, National Basketball League, and the NHL, National Hockey League, both begin their seasons in October.
  • There are many health observances that have October as their national month. These include Healthy Lungs, Breast Cancer, Lupus, Spina Bifida, Blindness, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS).
  • The United Kingdom celebrates the 21st as Apple Day.