New TV Shows: What I Recommend

Now that the fall television season is on its way, I thought I'd give my take on some of the new shows. I haven't seen all of them, so this is just a report on the few I have viewed. Also, I'm basing my evaluations on one (maybe two) episodes, so take my opinion with a grain of salt.

Flash Forward on ABC has been hyped royally. I was anxiously awaiting it because I read the Robert J. Sawyer novel on which it is based. When I read the book, I remember thinking to myself that the story would make a great TV series--and obviously someone at ABC was reading my mind. After seeing just one episode, I believe ABC has a winner. It's not 100% true to the book, however. In the novel, we know immediately what causes the world-wide lapse of consciousness; on the show, we don't. In the book, the story is set in Europe; on the show, it's in the United States. The characters appear to be basically the same. One event on the premiere (I won't say what so as not to ruin it for viewers) was so totally different from the book, that it made me realize that the producers are going someplace quite different with the plot. Even so, I'm hooked and will be following.

Glee on Fox was also highly promoted. I've seen several episodes and I like it. Of course, my glee over Glee may stem from my own experiences as a high school teacher who often produced musicals, so many of the very stereotypical characters are recognizable to me. There's lots of humor and spot-on satire in Glee, particularly the autocratic cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester played marvelously by Jane Lynch. Some of Glee seems a bit mean-spirited and I hope the producers tone this aspect down, because, otherwise, Glee is wonderful fun.

Community on NBC is another education-oriented comedy--this one taking place at a local community college. It follows a group of students who gather regularly to study--a la The Breakfast Club--and all their exploits. I don't like this one as much as Glee, even though I also taught in a community college while I was in graduate school and have a great respect for these students. To me, there is too much nastiness in Community and not enough warmth--and when there is warmth--it's more schmaltz than genuine. There are some great character actors in the cast, however, and I hope the producers will utilize them better as the season progresses.

The Good Wife on CBS was a new show I had not intended to watch. However, I happened to catch a repeat episode last Friday and then decided to watch the second episode last night. The drama, with Julianna Margulies as a wife who has been cheated on by her smarmy politician husband played by Chris Noth, is pitch perfect. I had forgotten how good Marguiles is and how she can reel you in. Also, Christine Baranski as a law firm barracuda made my skin crawl every time she appeared on screen. This show is timely, well scripted, and beautifully acted. I am not going to miss an episode. It's a treat that all women owe themselves.

Those are my reactions to some of the new season shows. Have you seen these shows? Did you like them? Have you seen any other new TV shows you would recommend?

(photos at http://abc.go.com/watch/flashforward/235637?partner=rm&cid=KNC-rm+flashforward_title_fall_launch+google+flash_forward_abc, http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/6201946/Glee-Fox-review.html , http://www.nbc.com/community/, and http://www.cbs.com/primetime/the_good_wife/)

Giada De Laurentis I'm Not

So, I was watching Giada De Laurentis cook up turkey osso buco on the Today Show the other day, thinking, “I can do that.” So, I did. Or at least, I tried. Giada made her dish without flicking an eyelash or twisting a heel. I, on the other hand, looked so totally tattered following my day of culinary exploits that I decided against providing you a self-portrait to laugh at.

Even so, I kept a photo diary of each step of the recipe so you could see how the dish comes together in real life (which is totally different from TV life). Also, I changed the turkey to chicken because Hubby couldn’t find the appropriate type of turkey at the grocery store.

I decided to make this dish because it looked time-consuming, complicated, and expensive—all qualities that I felt would be appreciated by Hubby. I figured, once the dish was completed, he would be so appreciative that I would surely be free from cooking duties for at least a year. Also, I figured that when Hubby discovered how expensive it is to cook one of these gourmet dishes, he’d want to go back to his favorite “whatever’s in a box and can be micro-waved in three minutes or less” preference.

This osso buco recipe is full of strange ingredients. It calls for two whole cloves. I barely know what a clove is, let alone have any in my kitchen, so Hubby had to buy some at the store. Do you know that you can’t buy two whole cloves all by themselves? You have to buy an entire bottle of them--and a bottle costs $10! There are about 600 of the little suckers in one bottle. Now where am I ever going to use 598 cloves?

In the accompanying photos you see the ingredients, the frying chicken breasts, the vegetables, broth, wine, herbs, and tomato paste simmering (like cloves, no one ever uses an entire can of tomato paste—most recipes only call for a tablespoon so the rest of the can is totally wasted) and the chicken just out of the oven. Then you see a photo of a dish of gremolata which is part of the recipe for the osso buco. It's a concoction of fresh herbs, lemon zest, and spices. You sprinkle this on the chicken when you serve it. There's also a photo of the final results on the plate—complete with a rice side dish and sprinkled with the gremolata and some of the braising liquid.

It was a tasty meal but it took me all afternoon to make it, and I did not look nearly as composed and neat as Giada did on the Today Show afterwards. Does anyone have any idea what to do with over 500 whole cloves?

(photo from http://television.aol.com/celebs/giada-de-laurentiis/670774/main?flv=1)

The Bee Said

On my other blog Communication Exchange the other day, The Bee said, in response to a post on the effect of technology on student writing:

“I want to comment but I am too intimidated by the intelligent and well thought-out comments so far. Let me just say that I do not think technology will be the down-fall of education. As far as text messages go, I text quite a bit and I can still manage to spell words out and correctly when necessary. I actually think that READING more is better for one's spelling than writing is anyway. I wish kids and adults would watch fewer movies and less t.v. and instead read more books.”

This comment was, in my mind, one of the best of several excellent comments in response to this controversial post. The reason I say this is that The Bee suggests implicitly in her comment how important it is to have intelligent discussion on controversial issues. She certainly should not feel intimidated, because her comment is right on the money. What’s more, hers and all the comments to this post exhibited something you rarely see in public discourse these days (particularly on television)—courtesy. Most of the bloggers I know are capable of discussing controversial issues with consideration and tact. How I wish public officials and lawmakers could do the same. We need intelligent discussion of issues before we make decisions, and it would be nice if lawmakers and media pundits could conduct these discussions in a public forum that encouraged articulate thought rather than character bashing.

What do you think?

(photo from http://www.clas.ufl.edu/users/chazlett/ENC3312.html)

Is Anyone Lyrical About "Lyrica"?

My neurologist prescribed a new drug to help relieve the pelvic pain I've been having for the last four months. It's called Lyrica--nice name. Sounds like it would be a gentle drug, a mild drug--a drug that would make you sing, right? Well, not quite.

Knowing my history with taking new meds (I usually can't tolerate the prescribed dosage), I carefully prepared last night to take my first dose of Lyrica. I do mean "prepared." Lyrica comes in capsule form. That made my efforts much harder than if it were a tablet. I can cut tablets in neat segments with my handy-dandy pill-chopper. Capsules are harder. Some capsules are filled with those little mini-caplets (usually hundreds of them in one capsule). In the past, I have divided up medicine in capsule form by opening the capsule, counting the mini-caplets inside, and then starting my dosage with a few mini-caplets and slowly building up the dosage by doubling the number of mini-caplets each day. That is actually how I finally found a tolerable dosage of Topamax which I take as a migraine preventative (I now take one 10 mg. capsule of Topamax daily, which is, according to my doctor, the "infant" size dose).

Unfortunately, Lyrica capsules are filled with powder--not mini-capsules. There is nothing to count. I had to find a way to divide the powder in a way that I could measure it. Don't suggest I use a teaspoon or even a quarter-teaspoon because they are far too large. Eventually, I found a small round, rubber circle that Hubby uses as a replacement part for his eyeglasses. It is about an eighth of an inch in diameter. I placed a small amount of Lyrica powder from the capsule in the center of this rubber circle (the whole process making me feel as if I'm some sort of drug addict cutting white powder with a razor blade). I then swallowed the amount in the center of this rubber circle. The entire amount was probably about a tenth of the total amount in the capsule--in other words--very small.

You probably can't read the warning label on the Lyrica bottle in the photograph but it says that side effects of Lyrica might include drowsiness and blurry vision. It warns against driving heavy machinery and drinking alcohol. I did neither of these activities last night. Given the drowsiness warning, I took the medicine at bedtime. Did I have either of the two side effects? No. Did I have any side effects at all? Yes, in fact, my side effects were just the opposite of what I expected. I felt as if I'd drank a gallon of coffee. I was wired all night long--eyes wide open, heart racing, fingers tapping. I certainly wasn't drowsy. I got no sleep at all.

Am I going to give up on Lyrica? No. The amazing thing is that despite the side effects I experienced from just this small amount of Lyrica, this morning the pelvic pain I've had for the last four months seemed greatly reduced. I know, it might be all in my head. Even so, I'm going to keep trying. So, the next time I try Lyrica, I'm going to take it in the morning when it won't matter so much if it keeps me awake. Also, I intend to consume a MUCH smaller portion--just a pinch. I just wish there was a way to measure really small amounts of medicine in powder form more accurately--for people like me who can't tolerate normal doses.

Have you ever taken Lyrica? Did you have any side effects? Did it help you? Do you know anyone who has taken Lyrica? Are you as sensitive to medicine as I am?

I'm Counting Down to Fall

At 4:18 p.m. today (Central time) fall arrives! None too soon! I expect to see colorful leaves drifting by my window. I expect gusts of fall breezes blowing through my hair. I will be out there with my stopwatch marking the movement of the second hand as it slowly inches its way towards the magic moment.

Really, is there a more lovely season than autumn? So many colors! Such moderate and pleasant weather! When we lived in Louisiana we never really had seasons--just one long summer with something sort of rainy in January. Now that we live in Illinois, I relish watching nature make these gradual changes and the world transform into something new each quarter year.

Happy fall to all!

(photo from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autumn_leaf_color)

I'm Exhausted From Babysitting!

My sister Chris asked me to assist her in babysitting her first grandchild Brennan last night. It was a good thing I was there to help her because babysitting a newborn is incredibly exhausting work. Without my help, she probably would not have made it.

There's all that rocking back and forth--back and forth. All that jiggling and cuddling. I had to constantly coo at the baby and make noises to entertain him. I had to stare at him and get him to stare back at me (babies are just learning to recognize people and differentiate one from another so I felt I was doing my part in helping him develop his perceptual skills).

Then, of course, there's the pacifier. Brennan loves his pacifier but when I was holding him, it fell out of his mouth--a lot. Every time he squirted the binky out, I would have to quickly retrieve it and re-insert it before he began to cry hysterically. (Did my own two children do this? Surely, they must have. I just don't remember.)

Let's not forget his education. It's never too soon to start a baby on the path to knowledge. Chris and I assisted Brennan in that area by watching Wheel of Fortune and encouraging him to guess the puzzle answers along with us. What better way for him to memorize his vowels and consonants? Auntie Patty--always the educator.

After several hours of this non-stop whirlwind of physical exertion, I called it a night and returned home. I was in bed far earlier than my typical ten o'clock. It's a good thing that it's young women who have babies, because I'm wiped out--especially my mouth, from all that smiling.

Can you tell from these photographs how hard my sister and I worked at babysitting?

Diane and Me: We Write Cozy Mysteries

Yesterday was a red-letter day for me. I met my writing buddy Diane for the first time. We have been corresponding now for several weeks. I discovered her on Meet-Up.Com. We learned that we are two older ladies who love to write cozy mysteries and live only about a half-hour from each other. Heaven!

Both Diane and I had tried some general writing clubs and found them just not right for us. The members were pleasant and supportive, but we found them more interested in a style of writing that didn't appeal to either of us. Diane and I write cozy mysteries. Actually, I didn't realize I wrote cozy mysteries when I first wrote my mystery The Sound of Murder, but from reading some online sites I learned all about cozies and realized that that's what I had written. Diane's mystery Too Dead to Dance is also a cozy, but she knew it already. Both of us also like to read cozy mysteries.

Now we are hard at work critiquing each other's work and offering suggestions to help each other improve our stories. These efforts are so much more rewarding because we actually enjoy reading each other's work. Also, as I respect Diane's writing skill, I value her suggestions for my story even more. It's truly a wonderful reciprocal arrangement. And the fact that we are in such close proximity is just icing on the cake (actually I should say "pie" as we met at Annie G's Pie and Pancake House in DeKalb, Illinois).

All you writers out there, I wish for you a wonderful writing buddy like Diane. Have you found a writing buddy?

Daily Dilemma--Butter, Margarine or What?

I don't want a stick of butter on my half of bagel in the morning (like that Mrs. Butterton ad with the entire stick plopped on top of a baked potato). No, just a small pat of something warm, tasty, and buttery to spread on my requisite carbohydrate. Sure, I would prefer real butter, but--no! That causes clogged arteries.

So, I switch to the margarine recommended by my DOCTOR--I Can't Believe It's Not Butter. Not bad. I can believe it's not butter--but it's not lard either and for a while I'm happy and firmly believing that I'm improving my health.

Then, I hear (also from my DOCTOR--a different one) that ICBINB is actually full of some things--poly or hydro or saturated somethings--that are also bad for me. So, I switch to the more aptly named Smart Balance. Also--not butter--not even close--but tolerable.

Now, it appears we've gone full circle and I'm hearing rumors that butter may actually be better for me than any of the artificial spreads I've been using! Who'd have thunk it? I don't know. Who can you believe? As Heidi Klum would say, "One day you're in and the next day you're out."

You know, I probably should just get a jump on all the experts and spray my bagel with Pam in the morning. I'm sure that's going to be their next suggestion. It would surely be quick!

What do you think? Is butter good or bad for you? Do you use butter? I probably should say, "Do you eat butter?" because "use butter" sounds like you might spread it all over your body. Do you eat any of the artificial spreads? Why? Why not?

p.s. Just so you know I'm not making this up, I took the photographs you see; the products all come from my refrigerator or cupboard.

Chocolate For All the Senses

Everyone muses about why we all seem to love chocolate so much (I know I do). Maybe it has something to do with the fact that chocolate appeals to more than just our sense of taste. When all our senses are engaged in a choco-fest, it's more than just eating--it's a sensual carnival!

Obviously, there is taste. Chocolate tastes wonderful. What you may not realize, however, is the amazing new formats in which that taste can now be delivered. Not just bars, bon-bons, and warm beverages. Several firms (e.g., Cadbury, Choco'la, and Bubble Yum) are now offering chocolate chewing gum. Mo Rocca on CBS's Sunday Morning yesterday did a story on candy of the future; he mentioned a new chocolate invention that is available today called Le Whif--an inhalable chocolate. Talk about chocolate as a drug!

But chocolate appeals to the other senses too. For instance, my blogger friend Moms Check Nyo posted the other day about a study that found that the mere sight of chocolate sent many subjects into ecstasy. The scientists compared MRI's of the brains of chocoholics and non-chocoholics and found a dramatic difference when the two groups viewed actual pieces of chocolate. I certainly must be in the chocoholic group because just seeing something chocolate does seem to send me into a whirl of pleasure.

Not only the sense of sight, but other senses are affected by chocolate. We all know how good chocolate smells. Well, innovative manufacturers have capitalized on this knowledge. One company produces a chocolate perfume (called, likely enough, Chocolate Perfume). Another company produces a chocolate scented room deodorizer.

Can you imagine touching chocolate and feeling good? Well, the Swiss skin care company Mibelle incorporates an extract of chocolate oil in their special cream. Their studies show that not only does the cream have anti-wrinkle benefits, but it helps relax the muscles when applied too.

I looked high and low for some evidence that chocolate produced some sort of sound that was soothing or stimulating--but could find nothing. Even so, Amy McNulty at Chocolate Zoom argues that chocolate lovers should be aware of the unique sounds of chocolate, such as the crispness with which it breaks. Who knows? Maybe certain sounds of chocolate, in addition to its taste, feel, smell, and look, help create its "feel good" quality?

What do you think? What makes chocolate such a sensual experience?

(photo from http://www.chocolatezoom.com/article.php/How-to-Taste-Chocolate-Like-an-Expert/272/)

Flu Shots? It's a Date!

My romantic husband Milt took me out on a date yesterday--to get our annual flu shots. He prepared for our date in advance--checking to find the best location where we would have the best experience and wouldn't have to wait long for a table (I mean, a chair). His selection was the local Dominic's grocery store, just down the street from our house. As it was only ten o'clock in the morning, we didn't have to wait long before the maitre d' (I mean, pharmacist) got us in. In fact, we didn't have to wait at all. We just signed a few release forms and were immediately seated. The ambiance was warm and appealing; the smell of baked goods from the nearby deli filled my nostrils and the sound of the in-store announcer proclaiming the day's specials added that extra "je ne said quoi" to the total experience.

Our server Lisa (I guess she was a pharmacist or maybe a nurse practitioner--I don't know if pharmacists are qualified to give flu shots), arrived from the back equipped with prepared syringes and a large red plastic container for disposing of the used shots (it looked something like a wine decanter). My husband, being the gentleman that he is, allowed me to go first. Lisa was quick and efficient and managed to shoot both of us in just a few minutes. Afterwards, we both received matching band-aids, another romantic moment (see my post on tie signs).

Our entire flu shot date lasted around seventeen minutes--but seventeen minutes of romantic bliss that I was able to spend with my sweetheart. Now we are experiencing sore arms together--a continuing reminder of our wonderful date! And just think, with the Swine Flu vaccine becoming available for people our age in the next month or two, we may have another date in the near future!

Have you ever had such a romantic date?

(photo from www.sheknows.com/articles/805815.htm)

Moderation in All Things--Except?

They tell us "moderation in all things." Balance is best. Have a balanced diet--in amount as well as types--of food. Eat too much and we're fat. Eat too little and we're anorexic. Too much of one food and tomorrow we'll discover that it causes cancer (I love grapefruit juice but try to alternate it with cranberry juice each morning because I'm a balanced juice drinker). Not enough of a certain type of food and we develop a deficiency.

Be moderate in your exercise. Too little exercise and couch potatoes develop heart disease and lose friends. Too much exercise and marathon runners may lose track of any other meaningful activity in their daily lives (not that I would know of any such a person--hmmm). I try to exercise each day, but I'm certainly not obsessive.

Devote yourself to your career--in moderation. Be aggressive and try to do the best you can for your company or organization. However, don't go overboard and neglect your family or your outside pleasures. I'd say I followed that principle. Now I'm trying to enjoy retirement--in moderation.

It seems the moderation mantra can be attached to so many aspects of our lives. If we follow the general guidelines of practicing balance and proportion in our activities and lifestyle--we should do fine. Most people probably are fairly moderate in most aspects of their lives--I know I am--or I try to be.

Why is it, then, that it no longer seems acceptable to be a political moderate? Our political system has become so incredibly polarized--with seemingly half of the population espousing views of the far right, and the other half espousing views of the far left. Am I misreading this phenomenon? Am I the only political moderate left in the United States? Is it just because I read a lot of blogs and follow the news? I know we have a two-party system, but I always thought that historically--until recently--most Americans were politically in the middle. Our country has changed.

I believe I understand the viewpoints of the political extremes. My entire career was spent in higher education; most of my colleagues were political liberals, many of them extremely so. In my over 40 years of teaching, I became quite familiar with their views. My husband, on the other hand, is a political conservative; I am well versed in his opinions too. I have respect for the opinions of my liberal co-worker friends and for those of my husband.

Here I am--a political moderate. I agree with Conservatives on some issues and with Liberals on some issues. In some elections, I have voted for Republicans and in some elections I have voted for Democrats. Nothing makes me happier than to see bi-partisan efforts. Unfortunately, we are not seeing such bi-partisan efforts much any more; we are seeing increasing partisanship on the part of our lawmakers.

I suspect that a lot of Americans are moderate just like me, but are afraid to say so because, unlike all other areas of life where moderation is a good thing, in politics--being a moderate has gotten a bad rep. If you're a political moderate--you may be perceived as undecided, wishy-washy, afraid of taking a stand, not having the courage of your convictions, and a whole host of other derogatory terms. I disagree with this characterization of political moderation. Some of us are moderates because we believe in compromise and collaboration and feel these behaviors ultimately lead to better solutions.

What about you? Are you a political moderate like me? Why or why not?

(photo from http://blog.wineenthusiast.com/index.php/2008/12/)

This Female's Feelings About Food Preparation

I'm ambivalent about food--more specifically, about preparing food. I've been this way for quite some time, I guess. However, I've really only noticed it since I've been retired--during the last year or so. Is it just me or do other women--particularly retired women--feel the same way?

When I was working, preparing food was a job--just something I did because I (and my family) had to eat. Once in a while, it might be something more creative, as when I had to take a dish to a pot luck dinner (can anyone say Fumi Salad?). However, for the most part, I didn't think much about it, because I had more interesting things to consider.

Now that I'm retired, the preparation of food has taken a more central focus. I don't eat any more or any more often than I (or my hubby Milt) used to--but it seems like we do because work issues are not consuming our time. Luckily my husband is capable of feeding himself at breakfast and lunch, but when supper rolls around, he starts hanging around, looking bereft, and asking, "Have you planned anything for dinner?" as if the focus of my retirement is now devoted to creating luscious meals for his evening entertainment. If I say I haven't (which is most of the time), he looks forlorn and opens a can of soup and eats it cold from the can. This, of course, makes me feel horribly guilty. After all, I'm his wife--making his dinner every night of the week--as long as we both shall live--isn't that what I signed up for?

Truthfully, the whole idea of food preparation (cooking) is something I find totally boring--a real chore. I'd rather scrub ten toilet bowls that cook one meal. Although I have nothing but extreme admiration for chefs who can whip up magic with their whisks (such as my amazing foodie brother Ken), I am not one of those persons. I remember my Grandmother Harriet telling me when I was a girl that cooking was the worst chore a woman had. She said the reason was that husbands typically wanted to eat three times a day, so the demands on a wife were never-ending. Other household tasks, she said, such as dusting, vacuuming, or scrubbing floors didn't have to be done that often. I never realized how right she was! It's the simple frequency and repetitiveness of the need to eat--thus, the need to prepare food--that annoys me. If I only needed to cook--let's say--once a month--maybe it would hold some thrill for me.

My dream is that my husband Milt would all of a sudden become stricken with the urge to become a chef (I did take him to see Julie and Julia and I hoped that would inspire him). Unfortunately, he remains as disinterested in food preparation as I am, but just as interested in eating. If I were rich I would have my own personal chef. I would sit at a beautifully appointed table with a white linen cloth and my chef would carefully place each delicious, healthy dish before me. I would enjoy each bite, knowing that I had not had to prepare it.

Go ahead--tell me I'm selfish. Tell me to get busy and start cooking regular, delicious dinners for my mate. Just don't tell me to like it.

(photo fromhttp://search.aol.com/aol/imageDetails?s_it=imageDetails&q=%22food+preparation%22&img=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getprice.com.au%2Fimages%2Fuploadimg%2F1073%2F350__1_27-Food-preparation-system.jpg&site=&host=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.getprice.com.au%2FFood-Preparation-System-Gpnc_684--37919937.htm&width=115&height=116&thumbUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fimages-partners-tbn.google.com%2Fimages%3Fq%3Dtbn%3ARlNN0sWWjY1CmM%3Awww.getprice.com.au%2Fimages%2Fuploadimg%2F1073%2F350__1_27-Food-preparation-system.jpg&b=image%3Fq%3D%2522food%2520preparation%2522%26oreq%3D6928aa4c895d477a82c3599b6235391d&imgHeight=305&imgWidth=303&imgTitle=%3Cb%3EFood%3C%2Fb%3E+%3Cb%3EPreparation%3C%2Fb%3E+System&imgSize=14980&hostName=www.getprice.com.au)

Ukulele Lady

What brightens up a gloomy morning better than playing a little ditty on my beautiful wood Hilo ukulele? My wonderful son Alex got this beauty for me for Christmas one year--surely one of the best presents I've ever received! My little uke has a place of honor on the wall of my bedroom right next to my nightstand.

I've loved playing the uke ever since my grandmother Harriet introduced me to this delightful musical instrument when I was a girl. Hers was plastic, however, not the lovely wooden marvel that I have. Grandma Harriet could play all sorts of songs on her ukulele, such as "Oh, You Beautiful Doll," "Down on the Beach With a Sweet Little Peach," and "That's Where My Money Goes." She taught me the fingering and strumming techniques that I use today. She also had a small electric organ in her house and the two of us would play duets to our hearts content (or until my Grandpa Clarence complained).

It's pretty hard to sound bad on a ukulele. I know because I've tried other instruments and my family will tell you that I sound rather awful on most. In elementary school, I butchered my experiences with the Tonette. Do any of you remember the Tonette? It was a small plastic wind instrument you played like a recorder, but only cost a few dollars, so all students could afford one and in my school we all learned to "play" it and learned the basics of music at the same time. It was virtually impossible to ruin a song on the Tonette--you just blew into it, presssed your fingers over the right keys and--voila! music!

Not so for the violin, which I graduated to when I went to junior high school. I loved playing the violin and loved playing in the school orchestra. Unfortunately, my family HATED the way I played it and complained vociferously every time I practiced. The violin, unlike the Tonette--or the ukulele--is NOT easy to play. Fingering chords is much more difficult than the uke and you don't just strum or blow--you bow! And that's really hard. Then you have to coordinate the fingering with the bowing. On top of that, add vibrato, which mean vibrating your hand WHILE you finger the chords! Really hard! Believe me, I have a huge admiration for violinists.

No, just give me the ukulele. It's easy to play and it sounds good no matter who is playing it--even the very unmusical me. Do you play the ukulele? Any musical instrument?

Pelvic Therapists Boldly Go Where No Gynecologist Has Gone Before

Disclaimer: I’d like to apologize in advance, first, to men—particularly those who might be squeamish when it comes to descriptions of female anatomy-- and second, to any ”close relatives” of mine who might be aghast that I am again tastelessly posting on a personal medical experience without considering the appropriateness of revealing such private information. I realize that that some of my "close relatives" believe that I should limit the scope of my blog to less embarrassing topics such as interior decorating and hummingbirds.

Yesterday I experienced my first real session with my pelvic pain therapist Lisa. Last week we had a get-acquainted meeting in which she did a thorough personal history and examination. Yesterday, however, we got down to business. As I mentioned before, I didn’t know there was such a specialty as pelvic pain therapy, but Lisa assured me there is—she is fully certified (and is also, I should point out, employed by the Rehab Center at a local hospital). Evidently, the reason there aren’t more pelvic pain therapists, she says, is that in order to be certified, physical therapists have to not only practice various therapies on others—they must also be the recipients of the therapy themselves. Some female therapists are not willing to have another therapist conduct pelvic therapy on them and thus cannot be certified as a pelvic pain therapist.

I found my first pelvic pain session eye opening—not only in how it made me feel but also in the greater understanding I acquired as to why I have probably been experiencing pelvic pain. I’m sure most all of my female readers have experienced a pelvic exam at the gynecologist’s office. Pelvic pain therapy starts there and goes much further. The therapist manipulates the pelvic floor—both inside and out—and all the surrounding muscles. But where the gynecologist is in and out in seconds, the pelvic pain therapist explores, pushes, pulls, nudges, and squeezes in such a way that she becomes intimately knowledgeable about every centimeter of your pelvis. In my session, while Lisa was massaging my pelvic floor, she touched on the exact spot that had set off the horrific pain I had experienced last week. She explained to me that the spot appeared to be a very tight muscle and some scar tissue, and she intends to focus her efforts on that location in our upcoming sessions. None of what she did yesterday was pleasant, but it was not unbearable. She demonstrated various exercises that I am to do at home. My main task—it seems—will be to do all my computer work from now on sitting on an exercise ball rather than in a chair. I am doing that now and, believe me, it is difficult and is forcing me to use muscles I didn’t know I had.

I mention all this about my pelvic pain therapist because the entire experience has been an answer to my prayers and it is something that I had no idea even existed. I always figured that if the gynecologist couldn’t find anything wrong—there wasn’t anything wrong. How wrong I was! I can’t tell you how relieved I am to discover that there is a reason for my pain and I’m not imagining it. I hope my experience will provide enlightenment for any other woman out there who has pelvic pain and who might have been dismissed by her gynecologist. My message to her is—don’t give up. Please ask your gynecologist about the possibility of consulting a pelvic pain therapist.

(photo from http://www.healthyalberta.com/HealthyPlaces/696.htm)

Entrecard Top Droppers For August---Finally!

Here they are--finally--as promised--the ten wonderful friends who visited Subjective Soup the most often during August. I so appreciate your friendship!

A Simple Life 31
Mommy's Little Corner 31
Life's sweets and spices 31
The Modern Mom 31
moms..... check nyo 31
Yummy-as-can-be 31
Rambling stuff 29
BetterSpines 29
The Way I See It 29
Jean sQuared 29

Thanks to all!

Can Old People Make New Friends? Check Out MeetUp.Com

Yes! Old people--like me--can make new friends, as I've recently discovered; you just have to know how to go about it and where to look. When my husband Milt and I moved to Illinois two years ago after I retired from teaching at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, I had no idea how lonely I would become. Yes, I have my wonderful sister Chris just down the road, and my sweet Mom close by. My brother is only several hours away and my son lives in downtown Chicago, just a quick ride away on the Metra. I've met some wonderful gals at my new Curves gym and also some super blogging buddies in the area.

Despite this, I was lonely. I really missed my female friends from UL-Lafayette, especially--Brenda, Janet, Alice, Jeanne, JoAnn, and a parcel of others. With these women I could not only discuss the latest developments in the field of Communication--but I could gossip too! Now, however, I don't really need someone to talk to about academia and research; I need someone to talk to about my writing endeavors which take up the bulk of my time (just as my research used to do back in my career days). Yes, there are many writers on the Internet and many have blogs and are more than willing to offer advice and interact. However, they're all so far away. I'm an interpersonal communication-kind of gal and I need face-to-face contact. I also need someone who can relate to the very specific type of writing I do--cozy mysteries.

Lucky me. Several weeks ago, I tumbled on a site--http://www.meetup.com/--where various groups list their public meetings and invite new members to join. I checked writers' groups in my area and found several. Not only that, I was able to search some of the local groups' membership rosters and up popped the name of a lady who wrote cozy mysteries and lived less than thirty miles from me. Taking a chance that she wouldn't be a figment of my imagination, I emailed her, asking if she would like a writing buddy. Lo and behold--she said she would!

Since then, we have been corresponding like crazy. I have read her mystery and she has read mine. We have been shooting ideas back and forth and are planning a meet-up in the near future (as soon as my pelvic pain subsides and as soon as her busy work schedule calms down). All of a sudden, I feel rejuvenated. Creative writing is such a solitary activity, especially when there is little or no feedback. Now, with my new writing buddy, I benefit from her substantive suggestions and I also benefit by reading her work and trying to figure out ways to help her. By reading her mystery, I can see places where we both excel and places where we both have problems. I cannot tell you--especially you writers--how wonderful it is to find the perfect writing buddy. You get an insightful critic but you also get a supportive friend. Can you think of anything better than that?

Do you have a writing buddy? How do you maintain friendships when you move?

(graphic from www.meetup.com)