Garden of Skyscrapers (pictures)

After a while, the downtown section of any big city seems to take on a generic look after having seen several. While each is interesting, especially when seen from different angles, to me they have rather merged into a bland mass of silver steel and shiny glass. Chicago changed my mind about this.

Paul was in a one-day conference in Chicago July 1, so the day before through the day after we had a chance to explore the city a bit. In fact, almost the whole time he was in the conference I wandered around downtown (called “The Loop”), along Millennium Park, and saw whatever there was to see, including lots of cold, drizzling rain and therefore umbrellas, for miles and miles. (Who would have thought that July 1 would see 60 degrees as a high?) Feeling very much like a tourist, I took lots of pictures, mostly of the buildings. I adore the many colors, the wide range of sizes, the styles ranging from ultra sleek to chunky and decorative, the artistic uniqueness and joy found at almost every glance. It really is a beautiful city, at least what I saw of it, and it honestly reminded me of a garden. These two pictures are of the view from our hotel room and of a statue half a block away near the Chicago Tribune building. If you look closely, we’re in that shot, too. (Oh, the outside of the Tribune building is really amazing for many reasons!) More pictures will be in Facebook soon.

Two other wonderful things happened on that day. First I had lunch with my friend, Andree, and that was fantastic to see her. I love it when Paul’s work travels mean that I can see friends and family!! Thanks, Andree, for a great visit!

Also, that night we saw the live Broadway version of “Mary Poppins.” Once again I’m stunned by the seemingly effortless magic Disney creates, not just through movie tricks but LIVE!! It’s one thing to watch flying in a film, but quite another to have Mary Poppins fly from the stage to the ceiling over ones’ head, and to see Bert smoothly and comically walk up the right wall of the stage front, dance upside down at the top, walk down the other side, then continue dancing on the floor! The Banks’ house was a combination “full sized” fold-out, 360-degree spinable, dollhouse / pop-up book with all sorts of lighting, anti-gravity, and “magic” effects. The song “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” became a huge number in which the word is not just sung, but spelled out and danced akin to “YMCA” but at a hyper fun pace.

Clearly, it was a terrific trip, but also exhausting. Once home I felt beat, and Paul was tired too, so we cancelled our trip to Key West and instead will have a more “boring” and relaxing weekend at home doing household stuff, running errands, and watching movies (yes, we did watch “Mary Poppins” at home already).

Happy Birthday to the USA!

Zogby Surveys

Like most people, it drives me nuts when people call for surveys. Fortunately, such calls have dropped dramatically because it's more efficient and effective to get data via the internet, and of course the Do Not Call list reduced a lot of telephone soliciting. One of the larger internet survey groups to my knowledge is Zogby. I have forgotten how I first started doing this, certainly from a respected source, but I've been doing this for a long time.

The surveys arrive every few weeks and don't require immediate response, up to a week or more later, allowing me to choose a good time to respond. Also, sometimes I "refuse to answer" certain questions and often mark "not sure" when, imagine that, I don't have a firm view one way or the other. To me, this is important voting, not for American Idol type stuff but to have a voice in some of the surveys actually used to influence business and political decisions. (How much influence there's no way to say, of course.)

The reason I mention this now is because the survey I took today was an extensive one about national health care reform. From my perspective of the medical field as a patient and through Paul as a provider, this survey was serious food for thought.

Here is the link to sign up for it if you would like to voice your opinion, too.

http://interactive.zogby.com/pollregistration/registration/index.cfm?refsite=tell

There is no obligation; no salesman will call. :-)

Education and Relocation

According to History.com (see below), today marks the anniversary of the GI Bill. Its effect has been dramatically wider and better than I had ever guessed, and you can count us among the millions who have gratefully used it (a much, much smaller version, however). Recent changes to the GI Bill means that active duty soldiers can use it (or something similar) and even in some cases may soon be able to let a member of their immediate family use it instead (or in addition, I’m not clear on that).

Anyway, the GI Bill, in whatever form it takes, may once again be part of the way Paul eventually gets his education because he wasn’t selected for the doctorate degree program we had been hoping (and hoping and hoping) he would get. When he had first heard of the program, in his category there were to be four students selected, but HUGE budget cuts reduced that to only one. There were just two qualified applicants in his category to our knowledge, but whether due to first-come-first-serve or some other reason, the other guy got the slot. Bummer, big time, to say the very least.

However, Paul is in the “Alternate” slot, the First Runner Up so to speak, so apparently if Other Guy can’t attend for whatever reason and/or more funds become available, then Paul can still be approved. With that uncertainty hovering over us, Paul will investigate other options, with luck starting in Fall 2010 or 2011.

This we do know (to the the extent anything is ever certain with us): Paul and I will be moving approximately April 2010 to somewhere roughly Richmond VA / Alexandria VA. We’re thrilled for many reasons, among them friends who live in that general area, drastically reduced risk of hurricanes, career opportunities for both of us (with luck), etc. Of course, this also means snow, but we can handle that. So if you’re thinking about visiting us here in Miami, you have until March. :-) Hope to see you here, or there, or somewhere, soon!


http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?HPF_rid=9263329&HPF_mid=2478_T1_Url0

June 22: General Interest
1944 : FDR signs G.I. Bill

On this day in 1944, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs the G.I. Bill, an unprecedented act of legislation designed to compensate returning members of the armed services--known as G.I.s--for their efforts in World War II.

As the last of its sweeping New Deal reforms, Roosevelt's administration created the G.I. Bill--officially the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944--hoping to avoid a relapse into the Great Depression after the war ended. FDR particularly wanted to prevent a repeat of the Bonus March of 1932, when 20,000 unemployed veterans and their families flocked in protest to Washington. The American Legion, a veteran's organization, successfully fought for many of the provisions included in the bill, which gave returning servicemen access to unemployment compensation, low-interest home and business loans, and--most importantly--funding for education.

By giving veterans money for tuition, living expenses, books, supplies and equipment, the G.I. Bill effectively transformed higher education in America. Before the war, college had been an option for only 10-15 percent of young Americans, and university campuses had become known as a haven for the most privileged classes. By 1947, in contrast, vets made up half of the nation's college enrollment; three years later, nearly 500,000 Americans graduated from college, compared with 160,000 in 1939.

As educational institutions opened their doors to this diverse new group of students, overcrowded classrooms and residences prompted widespread improvement and expansion of university facilities and teaching staffs. An array of new vocational courses were developed across the country, including advanced training in education, agriculture, commerce, mining and fishing--skills that had previously been taught only informally.

The G.I. Bill became one of the major forces that drove an economic expansion in America that lasted 30 years after World War II. Only 20 percent of the money set aside for unemployment compensation under the bill was given out, as most veterans found jobs or pursued higher education. Low interest home loans enabled millions of American families to move out of urban centers and buy or build homes outside the city, changing the face of the suburbs. Over 50 years, the impact of the G.I. Bill was enormous, with 20 million veterans and dependents using the education benefits and 14 million home loans guaranteed, for a total federal investment of $67 billion. Among the millions of Americans who have taken advantage of the bill are former Presidents George H.W. Bush and Gerald Ford, former Vice President Al Gore and entertainers Johnny Cash, Ed McMahon, Paul Newman and Clint Eastwood.

Owed To Long Hair -- an original poem

Owed To Long Hair

by Yvonne (yep me)
June 16,2009 (that's today)

You may detect a soldier by his handsome physique,
More often it is due to his hairdo, never chic.
Buzzed millimeters close to his scalp incessantly,
He’s almost bald or at the best he’s barely fuzzy.

His wife’s not in the army so wears Fad’s uniform,
To Fashion Feminine she strives ever to conform.
Often that means long hair, by design or by default,
For she and trusted stylists move, seldom ever halt.

Thus she finds on ev’ry move and filling umpteen drawer
Accessories making hair routine a growing chore.
Flat and rounded brushes, wide and narrow combs to start,
Gels, conditioner, hairspray, mousse; each one plays a part.

Electric blowers dry her hair, misters make it wet,
Tube-shaped irons curl while flat ones straighter make it set.
Bleaches take out some of dark and dyes will cover gray,
Pins and ties and things galore then tuck it all away.

Add to this some makeup, with its space, cost, time, and skill;
Jewelry for body / hair / clothes, fit where e’er they will,
Tweezers, razors, nail polish, don’t forget cologne,
The look her mirror does reflect is hardly her own.

Don’t tempt me Hari Krishna with shaved-head devotees,
Keep away dear Uncle Sam, your trimmers I may seize.
Scissors call me daily to chop down this cost and care,
Then again it must be said, I really like my hair!


Notes about the poem:

While tending today to the washing, conditioning, brushing, gelling, careful drying, etc of my lengthening hair (wet it reaches to the base of my shoulder blades), the idea for this poem came to me. Obviously, the longer my hair, the more time, money, and thought I have to put into it, especially since in stark contrast Paul does keep his hair buzzed ultra short.

I’m not what one would call a fashion conformist, as anyone who knows me can attest, but even so nearly this whole poem directly refers to me.

To break up the sing-song tempo of the poem that originally started to form in my head, I made each line thirteen syllables. Why thirteen? Quite simply, it seemed right for this poem, giving a tiny bit of unexpectedness and, to me anyway, a more humorous, lighter tone.

Memories of WY (several pictures)

It’s so very hard deciding which few pictures to share that best represent highlights of our trip to Jackson WY, the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone Park, which is a big reason I have avoided posting a blog. Well, that and other tasks that have kept me away from the computer, and my computer was having time-consuming annoying issues. Here are a few of my favorites, selected from hundreds, many of them surprisingly great pictures (in my opinion). Hopefully soon I’ll have more pictures posted in my Facebook albums. Happily, even if you don’t have a Facebook account you may still be able to view them; just drop me an email and once I get a successful link (assuming that happens) I’ll email it to you.

The landscapes were fantastic, animal sightings a huge thrill each time, plus we got to see Wes, Elisabet, Sarah and Christina! The diversity of plants and terrains was beyond description – far more glorious variation than I ever imagined! Among the critters we saw and often got in pictures were: lots of bison and elk, mule deer, prong-horn antelope, a black bear, a moose (that I named Waldo because he kept hiding behind the bushes and we couldn’t find him), a coyote, a grey owl (no picture, alas), a red fox (ditto), an osprey (ditto?), Canadian geese, mallard ducks, and a few cute rodents near our room. Also, not only did we see Wes and Elisabet again our last night, but just before that we took a tram ride with Wes from the relatively warm valley, up thousands (?) of feet, to a suddenly snowy, very windy peak.

It was a spectacular trip that, happily, we caught in bits and pieces in pictures and short video segments. Some day we both hope to return to Jackson Hole, WY, but we have to confess it was wonderful to return home, especially back to the warmth of Miami, FL.

Why WY, Y?

Paul and I are in Jackson, Wyoming, this week for an anesthesia conference. He needs to earn some number of Continuing Education credits each year, and fortunately sometimes it works out that he can get them in fun and interesting places with costs partially reimbursed. Not only have we been able to see the Grand Tetons (our hotel room looks out onto some of them) but yesterday on a scheduled day off from the conference we saw Yellowstone National Park, including Old Faithful and lots of critters (bullalo/bison, elk, etc.)!! Obviously, we didn't see all of the park, but quite a lot, in large part because tourist season isn't in full swing yet. Despite camera challenges sometimes (that is, my challenge in using it correctly), a bit of construction delays, and periodic rainy/cloudy/cold weather, it has been incredibly fantastic! Also, we were able to quickly visit my cousins on Sunday and with luck will do so again before we leave. Once we're back home I'll find a few of the better pictures to post, hopefully on Monday, and get caught up on email (this is only the second time I've been online this week and primarily just to post this).

Thinking of you,
Yvonne

And Baby Makes Five

Jes, Monica, and little Rachael were here for three fun, tired days – not tired in a “dull and boring” sense by any means but because of how it started. They were supposed to arrive just before midnight Thursday, but a delayed first flight meant a missed second flight, which left them stranded in the Atlanta airport all night. The best option available, that fortunately worked out, got them into Fort Lauderdale at 10 AM Friday, not too bad all things considered. Obviously, Jes and Monica were therefore rather exhausted at the onset.

In the three days of their visit, we drove all around and saw a lot of the greater Miami area. Activities included:

* walking around most of South Beach on Ocean Blvd, Espaniola Way, and Lincoln Road Mall
* taking a too-loud-but-fun airboat ride at Everglades Holiday Park where Paul and I most enjoy fishing
* seeing the hospital where Paul works
* shopping at Aventura Mall and specifically the Sanrio shop
* exploring Coral Gables at the Venetian Pool and Old Cutler Road
* wandering through Bass Pro Shop and Dolphin Mall
* adventuring along the Anhinga Trail in the Everglades

Frequent and intense rainstorms caused us to adjust our itinerary and cancel a few excursions, but then again, hanging out at home was a lot of fun, too!

The whole visit was wonderful, partly due to Rachael, a gem who honestly rarely cried and instead smiled or slept nearly all the time. Monica is a great mom and Jessica is a super aunt, which made everything very enjoyable and much easier for us. Thanks, Jes and Monica, for a great weekend! Oh, and thanks also to Nayt and Matt for being so supportive.

After we dropped them off at the Miami airport and waited until we were sure they caught their flight, Paul and I drove out to go fishing at Everglades Holiday Park. Atypically, the fish were not biting in the least, at all, and we wondered if the dark clouds in the distance were a factor. After seeing lightning we motored back to the boat dock, but since the wind was blowing the storm away we started to motor back out again. Very suddenly, the wind shifted direction and increased dramatically, and before we could get back to the boat dock (it’s slow going at about 6 MPH max speed) we were getting drenched in rain. Everything was soaked by the time we got the boat on the trailer and the contents unloaded in the truck. Fortunately, the storm hadn’t hit our house yet so we could unload in sunshine. So instead of fishing all afternoon and evening, we watched a few episodes of NCIS then Pinocchio, a movie neither of us could recall ever having seen in full before. Not quite the same as fishing, but still fun.

Our Memorial Day weekend had good times, without a doubt.