Ok, so sometimes it really is the little things.
Scootking's getting ready to head out of town and this morning made the tour around our house to say goodbye to the cats like she always does. She got down on one knee to give Bucket a big hug and said, "Goodbye Bucket, I love you so much."
Percy was in the kitchen by his food bowl as usual and she said, "Bye Percy, I love you," then she stopped, held his face in both of her hands, looked him in the eye and said, "Always be yourself."
Gotta love that.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Push Play
Can't get enough of this song. See the movie ASAP if you haven't already (thanks to Sarah and Lisa for the tip). By far one of the best 'music movies' I have seen in years. PS They are will be in Cleveland on May 11th, anyone up for a road trip?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
You Know You're Ready for Vacation When
Ok, so today I'm at this fancy lunch with the head of my department and a collection of colleagues who went to a technology and learning conference in San Antonio last month. The Chief Information Officer of the College of Education says,
"I went to a very interesting presentation on fear and the internet"
Now, I didn't exactly hear what she said and the wheels in my head are spinning, trying to figure it out and then right in the middle of her explanation I said,
"Beer?"
In retrospect, I realize it was rather unlikely the presentation was about Beer and the Internet, but I swear that's what she said. Anyway, like I said, I'm ready for a vacation.
Beer
Fear
"I went to a very interesting presentation on fear and the internet"
Now, I didn't exactly hear what she said and the wheels in my head are spinning, trying to figure it out and then right in the middle of her explanation I said,
"Beer?"
In retrospect, I realize it was rather unlikely the presentation was about Beer and the Internet, but I swear that's what she said. Anyway, like I said, I'm ready for a vacation.
Beer
Fear
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Little Lady Liv's Lovely Luncheon
It was absolutely fantasmagoricly ridunkulously fun times to see you all in honor or such a nice person's special day. La Casita is da bomb. Loves it. February is such a nice and friendly month for birthdays. (What the hell else is there to do?) I'm posting this so that Chad and Griff can pretend that they were there for the festivities. Liv...you're special indeed. We all love you. You are cute and nice. Well done.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
A Mandolin and A Lunar Eclipse.
My friend Jen invited me to accompany her to a Chris Thile and Punch Brothers show last night (had never heard of them before). This summer I took Jen to a Patty Griffin concert in central park (and now she is, not surprisingly, hooked), so I figured I would give Chris and the Punch Brothers a shot. Anyway, it also happened to be the night of a full lunar eclipse (first time in 40 years that residents living in the dirty, concrete jungle of nyc would be in the right place at the right time to view this incredible sight in its entirety). Now, I was bummed though because the show intersected with the prime viewing hours of the eclipse, AND the show was taking place in some room in the Time Warner Center (which is sort of a Manhattan version of a mall. I mean really, how great can a concert taking place in some room in a mall really be?) So I was skeptical about the show, and bummed to miss out on the eclipse.
Anyhow, the night turned out to be a blast and more than I ever expected. First off, as Chris Thile and the Punch Brothers began their first song about a woman at a party who gets a little too aquainted with the punch bowl (and the consequences of this relationship...oh I've so been there), I knew I was going to get in to this music. But the music was incredible. It is kind of a mix of blue-grass, folk, & alternative. Never really considered myself a blue-grass fan, but this was/is amazing! The lyrics were moving and Chris' voice is soft but powerful and so passionate (not all about drunken women at punch bowls, but also about life, struggle, love, loss..you know, those universal themes of humanity). I guess for those "in the know" (which I am never), Chris Thile is considered a prodigy as he has revolutionized, and modernized, play of the mandolin (and he loves breaking all the rules of "traditional" blue-grass and folk music), and he is only 26. He recorded his first solo album when he was 13!
Second, the performance space turned out to possibly be the BEST PLACE in the city to view the eclipse. The room was on the top floor of the Time Warner Center , and small and intimate, but with huge floor to ceiling windows....and throughout the whole concert the moon was in the background so I got to see the eclipse from start to finish. AMAZING and a night I won't soon forget.Here is a link to the chris thile/punch brothers myspace page. Check it out!
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Lost In Middle America
That's how the townies refer to Lima, Ohio.
Look right, look left, then look right again.
Irony in action.
Tailpipe
Liv's exhaust went out on her vintage Honda, so she bought this to replace it.
Now, can anyone lend her $21,000 to pay for it?
PS Zoom, zoom, zoom.
Now, can anyone lend her $21,000 to pay for it?
PS Zoom, zoom, zoom.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
peg legs for pete's sake
Hey ya'all, I'm crazy and it takes me three tries for anything to work out. But I hope this one will do it all up right.
First off, I miss all of you guys and I think that you are all nice. I am including a fancy picture from our peg leg competition, and I think you all have lovely gams. Tito loved them all, no clear-cut winner.
May happiness and odor fill your days.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Music for Winter
Before the amazing Shelby Lynne CD, this was my favorite song of the moment. Gotta love a spin-off of the Field Mice (circa 1991), well, at least I do.
Across the Universe
I love this version of Let It Be, but I wish the woman singing would have put a little more into it. She didn't seem like she was really into it, yeah?
No, for real though. Dang! Sister can sing. The kid in the beginning can belt it out too. Wow.
Snow Miser
Borrowed this from Deweydew's blog. Seemed very appropriate for the day. I have been sitting around all morning saying, "vuh. vuh. vuh. vuh. vuh. vuh." too! Listen and you'll remember what I am talking about.
PS Jack was the best heat miser I've ever seen in my life.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Sitting, Waiting, Wishing
still waiting to hear about salary negotiating with the bio job. It's like Christmas that keeps being postponed. I
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Aether, 2-8-08
I learned something last night. You can pull out your cell phone to take pix at a Jbros show, and no one blinks an eye. Do it an an Aether show, and you feel VERY uncool. But hey--that's ok. Sudafed and a few Rolling Rocks had Joyce feeling like she had taken some valium, and she didn't quite care how uncool she looked.
The Aether show was awesome last night. Aaron was in fine voice, as always, and they played some new material that I really liked (very different sound). The crowd was awesome, too. I love it when people actually listen to the music.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Re-Rewind
I love that Scootking and I are digging the Dusty-Shelby connection. I'm a huge Shelby fan, and I think the match is perfect.
I discovered "Dusty in Memphis" about eight years ago after reading an article about "the Memphis sound" that defined 60s music (well, if you put that British Invasion thing aside for a moment).
Scootking and I are going to exchange CDs. More to come. This will be fun!
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Rewind
As I told Joyce, I keep rewinding every time I listen to this cd, I can not get past the first 4 tracks. 'Anyone Who Had a Heart' is my fav so far, particularly at 2:21 into the song.
And, yes, I am old school.
BTW, this photo is gorgeous.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Yes we can.
I am still puzzling through my responses to the democratic candidates -- and which of them is most likely to bring us back to a country that I can feel proud to live in. Clinton has more experience; in the debates she has been smart, strong, directed and compassionate. She speaks clearly and well about health care, an issue that is extremely important to me and, I would argue, this country. But then I listen to Obama, and again and again, I am touched by his honesty and his commitment to meaningful change in this country and its politics. I am drawn to his belief in an America that can lead through responsibility, diplomacy and vision. Am I being suckered into a very well delivered media message? I don't know. I have to say, I watch a video like this and I believe it. Click here to watch.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Press Release re Scott's Post
Hey,
I haven't had time to think through an intelligent response to this issue yet, but here is a press release from the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland. Maybe this will spark some dialogue.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Earl Pike, CEO, AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
3210 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115
epike@atfgc.org; 216-357-2221
Follow-up: Additional Reactions to Swiss Study
Cleveland, Ohio (February 4, 2008) — Last week the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland issued a press release urging a continued commitment to safer sex after Swiss HIV experts issued a consensus statement concluding that “an HIV-infected person on antiretroviral therapy with completely suppressed viraemia (“effective ART”) is not sexually infectious, i.e. cannot transmit HIV through sexual contact.” [Emphasis ours]
Scientists and advocates have begun weighing in on the study. Here are some of their reactions.
? From the Terrence Higgens Trust (THT), the lead HIV/AIDS agency in the UK: “This is a controversial statement that does not reflect the views of most doctors. The scientific evidence is incomplete, so we can’t suggest that transmission is impossible for people whose treatment is working well. We have known for a long time that successful treatment does reduce the risk, but we also know that the level of the virus in the body can go up between medical visits.” A THT spokesperson also expressed concern that the “real thing” missing from the report was information about “anal sex and getting a new” sexually transmitted infection.
? From the French National AIDS Council: “the findings are not conclusive enough to apply to all HIV-positive people who follow their treatment regimens.”
? From Michael Lederman, MD, Director of the Center for AIDS Research at Case Western Reserve University (from an e-mail): “ . . . it is very difficult to draw any conclusions other than the risk of HIV infection diminishes when the levels of virus in plasma (and presumably genital secretions) are low . . . I suspect that the risks are in fact very low for transmitting HIV from a HAART-treated person with VL<50/mL to his partner, I think we don’t have enough good data to know how low it is.”
The AIDS Taskforce continues to conclude that while this may be good news for population-based strategies to reduce HIV transmission, the need for safer sex, including consistent use of latex condoms, is not diminished.
# # #
Yesterday’s Press Release from the ATGC:
AIDS Taskforce Responds to Swiss Medical Consensus Statement on HIV Transmission
Taskforce Urges Continued Commitment to Safer Sex, Condoms
Cleveland, Ohio (January 31, 2008) — Yesterday Swiss HIV experts issued a consensus statement concluding that “after review of the medical literature and extensive discussion,” the Swiss Federal Commission for HIV / AIDS resolves that, “An HIV-infected person on antiretroviral therapy with completely suppressed viraemia (“effective ART”) is not sexually infectious, i.e. cannot transmit HIV through sexual contact.”
The statement is published in this week’s Bulletin of Swiss Medicine (Bulletin des médecins suisses), and was authored by four of Switzerland’s foremost HIV experts.
The report goes on to say that the concluding statement is valid as long as 1) the individual adheres to antiretroviral therapy, the effects of which must be evaluated regularly by the treating physician; 2) the individual’s viral load has been suppressed (< 40 copies/ml) for at least six months; and 3) there are no other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The article begins by stating that the Commission “realizes that medical and biologic data available today do not permit proof that HIV-infection during effective antiretroviral therapy is impossible, because the non-occurrence of an improbable event cannot be proven. If no transmission events were observed among 100 couples followed for two years, for instance, there might still be some such events if 10,000 couples are followed for ten years. The situation is analogous to 1986, when the statement ‘HIV cannot be transmitted by kissing’ was publicized. This statement has not been proven, but after 20 years’ experience its accuracy appears highly plausible.”
The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland expressed concern about the limitations and implications of the study today, noting both positive and potentially negative aspects of the statement.
“On the one hand, the Swiss statement reinforces a growing body of evidence that affirms the importance of effective treatment as a prevention strategy,” said Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskforce. “Improving access and adherence to antiretroviral medication will help reduce HIV transmission in populations.”
But there is still a long way to go before universal access and adherence is achieved, and “populations are not the same as individuals,” Pike cautioned. “Those are stringent criteria to meet, and individuals, in making personal decisions, should still practice safer sex by using condoms and other latex barriers. A key proposition in HIV prevention has been, ‘unless you know for sure, you should practice safer sex.’ And individuals will still not know for sure.”
“It is absolutely critical that communities and individuals continue the commitment to consistent condom use,” Pike concluded.
The Swiss statement arrives at the same conclusion, asserting that prevention campaigns in Switzerland—promotion of condoms for all sexually active adults—should not change.
I haven't had time to think through an intelligent response to this issue yet, but here is a press release from the AIDS Task Force of Greater Cleveland. Maybe this will spark some dialogue.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Earl Pike, CEO, AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland
3210 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115
epike@atfgc.org; 216-357-2221
Follow-up: Additional Reactions to Swiss Study
Cleveland, Ohio (February 4, 2008) — Last week the AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland issued a press release urging a continued commitment to safer sex after Swiss HIV experts issued a consensus statement concluding that “an HIV-infected person on antiretroviral therapy with completely suppressed viraemia (“effective ART”) is not sexually infectious, i.e. cannot transmit HIV through sexual contact.” [Emphasis ours]
Scientists and advocates have begun weighing in on the study. Here are some of their reactions.
? From the Terrence Higgens Trust (THT), the lead HIV/AIDS agency in the UK: “This is a controversial statement that does not reflect the views of most doctors. The scientific evidence is incomplete, so we can’t suggest that transmission is impossible for people whose treatment is working well. We have known for a long time that successful treatment does reduce the risk, but we also know that the level of the virus in the body can go up between medical visits.” A THT spokesperson also expressed concern that the “real thing” missing from the report was information about “anal sex and getting a new” sexually transmitted infection.
? From the French National AIDS Council: “the findings are not conclusive enough to apply to all HIV-positive people who follow their treatment regimens.”
? From Michael Lederman, MD, Director of the Center for AIDS Research at Case Western Reserve University (from an e-mail): “ . . . it is very difficult to draw any conclusions other than the risk of HIV infection diminishes when the levels of virus in plasma (and presumably genital secretions) are low . . . I suspect that the risks are in fact very low for transmitting HIV from a HAART-treated person with VL<50/mL to his partner, I think we don’t have enough good data to know how low it is.”
The AIDS Taskforce continues to conclude that while this may be good news for population-based strategies to reduce HIV transmission, the need for safer sex, including consistent use of latex condoms, is not diminished.
# # #
Yesterday’s Press Release from the ATGC:
AIDS Taskforce Responds to Swiss Medical Consensus Statement on HIV Transmission
Taskforce Urges Continued Commitment to Safer Sex, Condoms
Cleveland, Ohio (January 31, 2008) — Yesterday Swiss HIV experts issued a consensus statement concluding that “after review of the medical literature and extensive discussion,” the Swiss Federal Commission for HIV / AIDS resolves that, “An HIV-infected person on antiretroviral therapy with completely suppressed viraemia (“effective ART”) is not sexually infectious, i.e. cannot transmit HIV through sexual contact.”
The statement is published in this week’s Bulletin of Swiss Medicine (Bulletin des médecins suisses), and was authored by four of Switzerland’s foremost HIV experts.
The report goes on to say that the concluding statement is valid as long as 1) the individual adheres to antiretroviral therapy, the effects of which must be evaluated regularly by the treating physician; 2) the individual’s viral load has been suppressed (< 40 copies/ml) for at least six months; and 3) there are no other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
The article begins by stating that the Commission “realizes that medical and biologic data available today do not permit proof that HIV-infection during effective antiretroviral therapy is impossible, because the non-occurrence of an improbable event cannot be proven. If no transmission events were observed among 100 couples followed for two years, for instance, there might still be some such events if 10,000 couples are followed for ten years. The situation is analogous to 1986, when the statement ‘HIV cannot be transmitted by kissing’ was publicized. This statement has not been proven, but after 20 years’ experience its accuracy appears highly plausible.”
The AIDS Taskforce of Greater Cleveland expressed concern about the limitations and implications of the study today, noting both positive and potentially negative aspects of the statement.
“On the one hand, the Swiss statement reinforces a growing body of evidence that affirms the importance of effective treatment as a prevention strategy,” said Earl Pike, executive director of the AIDS Taskforce. “Improving access and adherence to antiretroviral medication will help reduce HIV transmission in populations.”
But there is still a long way to go before universal access and adherence is achieved, and “populations are not the same as individuals,” Pike cautioned. “Those are stringent criteria to meet, and individuals, in making personal decisions, should still practice safer sex by using condoms and other latex barriers. A key proposition in HIV prevention has been, ‘unless you know for sure, you should practice safer sex.’ And individuals will still not know for sure.”
“It is absolutely critical that communities and individuals continue the commitment to consistent condom use,” Pike concluded.
The Swiss statement arrives at the same conclusion, asserting that prevention campaigns in Switzerland—promotion of condoms for all sexually active adults—should not change.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)