Summer Vacation

Part "Vacation", part "Staycation", and entirely fabulous!!

It all started on my birthday...a few days in Seattle with long walks along beaches and up/down hills...a few days in Juneau Alaska seeing the sights...a few days back in Seattle kayaking and playing in the sun...it's been heaven!

Mom, Dad and I hopped aboard an Alaska Airlines jet early Thursday morning and took in the sights, sounds and tastes of Juneau for a few days: a walking/hiking tour of the town, a bus tour to the glaciers, a fabulous salmon bake, the Alaskan brewery tour, and some of the best sashimi I've ever tasted. It was an incredible time, and we're already planning a return trip for kayking, hiking and a little BBQing of our own! This was my first trip to Alaska, and it exceeded all of my expectations. The people were as friendly and the scenery was breathtaking.

I'm not going to be ready to go back to work on Wednesday...if only I could play all the time and never have to work! I am rested and rejuvenated...it's time to get back to real life :-)

Father's--& belated Mother's-- Day weekend!!!

I am so incredibly blessed to have my Mom & Dad in my life :-) They came up to visit this past weekend, and it was FABULOUS!!

We had a leisurely weekend, with Dad doing many "labors of love" for me...which include (but are not limited to):

oil change
fixing car clock
tire pressure check
vacuuming
Punkin-brushing
DEEP clean kitty litter box
mad Moth hunt throughout apartment

MULTIPLE grocery & home depot store runs to score:
Sunflowers
Kleenex
Oatmeal
Paper towels-- & install new holder!!
Tub drain fix
Sink drain fix
garbage out
recycling out

Mom & I cooked the following:
Roasted tomato/garlic/thyme risotto
Vertical Roasted chicken
Lemon-thyme Asparagus

Watched movies...drew Mom a bath...Dad& Punkin' time...........

It was an amazing weekend with the 'Rents' (haha) and can't wait for another weekend together to hang out & have fun!! :-)

YAY MOM & DAD!!!

Whew ! ! !

Wow, what a crazy few weeks! If you are still checking to see what I've written lately--sorry for the absence and thanks so much for reading my silly ramblings! Are you ready? Here is a not-so-short update :-)

This evening I am in DesMoines, Iowa. haha, "where in the world is Kari?" My dear Mom and Dad are used to calls that begin with: "guess where I am?" and the answer? ...The top of the Empire State Building...Niagra Falls...Hollywood beach in Florida...the rest escape me now, but it's pretty funny :-)

(See upcoming post on the Denver SVU annual conference!!!)

So I am in Iowa right now. I am at a very nice Hilton Garden something-or-other... I just killed the largest beetle I have seen in a long time...on the wall above the bed...and it left a lot of glow-in-the-dark goo. I'm not kidding. Neon green GLOW IN THE DARK goo. Ewwww. Here I sit...watching the coverage of Michael Jackson's death on CNN. Wow, Farrah Fawcett is nowhere to be found in the news. I don't have cable TV at home...now I see why! It's getting late and I just keep watching. Blast! I wasn't even an enormous Michael Jackson (or Farrah Fawcett, for that matter) fan. What am I doing!?

So I gave a 2+ hour lecture this evening on Renal Artery duplex scanning. I think it was very well recieved--It really went great! However, it is easy to fall prey to our insecurities, the fact that we're all harder on ourselves than anyone else is. I am very blessed to have had at my lecture the gentleman who's company invited me this weekend...he gave excellent constructive feedback, which is something I am very thankful for!!

The next business trip won't likely be until the autumn...and I'm looking forward to it! I like to think of it as a "field trip". I am so thankful to have these opportunities, and (aside from the sweaty palms, abdominal cramping, etc.) am doing what I LOVE: Hands-on training & consulting. What an incredible blessing!!

Laptop Computer in Stable Condition Following Scare

(OP) Seattle, Washington -- Kari Olmsted's laptop (Dell) is resting comfortably at home this evening, reportedly in good condition following a sudden BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) attack late Friday night. Dell was rushed to the Computer Hospital early Saturday morning to undergo emergency brain and heart transplantation. While in the ICU following surgery, Dell also recieved a hefty dose of antibiotics and a procedure the technicians would only describe as "optimization". Ms. Olmsted could not be reached for comment, as she is said to be working feverishly to compensate for the three lost days of lecture preparation time. A spokesperson for Ms. Olmsted released this statement hours ago: "The presentation will go on as schedules and is expected to be a huge success. Dell has never performed better, given his age, and is rising to the occasion, ready to meet the deadline head-on."

Urban Myths

Last night I was sitting at the drive-up ATM preparing to make a deposit when I got the mother of all papercuts on my tongue. I'm not kidding. I was still tasting blood an hour later.

It brought to mind something very disturbing--have you heard this story? Here goes:

Cockroaches are attracted to the glue on envelopes, and leave eggs wherever they go. Apparently someone cut their tongue on an envelope and these eggs got into their tongue...the eggs grew...eventually hatched...and, well...
EWWW.

Man, I really hope it's an urban myth and not an actual fact.

New Blog Links------------->

I found these on friends' blog lists and recommendations.

I warn you--you may not be able to stop laughing!

A few more things that come to mind...

~ Use extreme caution when lifting up the mat next to the patient bed (to cushion them in the event that they fall). You really never know what you will find. I can elaborate in person, just ask.

~ Is dryer lint clean or seriously very gross?

~ There are two guys here at the hospital who's job is to go from room to room and help patients turn or shift positions to prevent bedsores. All day, every day. Around and around they go. Reminds me of those old Motel6 commercials with Tom Bodett...something about remodeling all of their hotels and when they get finished they'll just start all over again. "We'll leave the light on for ya. "

~ Isolation Gowns. Yellow, plasticky, worn when working with certain patients to prevent infection (them, us, everyone else).
Good = Obvious reasons, plus I lose weight whilst working in plastic. Gallons of water weight.
Bad = Sweating. Sweating. Sweating. Oh--and some of them smell like they were left in the dark washer too long after the cycle was done. You know that smell? No, I never forget my laundry in the washer either.

~ Yes, that is the sound of the flow in your blood-veins. And yes, it sounds like a lion.


~ I've done a bit of research, and as it turns out, when I concentrate and really focus on something (like scanning) my nose gets cold and clammy, (like Punkin's or a puppy's). As if the amount of blood rushing from my nose into my brain really helps? My schnoz isn't that big...is it? Further research has shown that when my nose is warm I'm dumb as a post.


~ Why do some people always back into parking spots?


~ I have long hair for the first time in years and have been experimenting with ways to wake up with that "give a quick tousle it's ready to go" look. I spent a considerable amount of time last night rolling my freshly washed hair in to rag strips, and tying them into bows to sleep in (admittedly it was pretty cute). I think it's a work in progress. I'm willing to spend this much time to achieve that "effortless" look? Oh, right. My nose is warm. That must be it.


~ When someone tells you they fell off of a 4th story balcony, don't ask.

Random Thoughts.

~ I need to start carrying pennies in my pocket. Today I was actually given 99 cents in change.

~ How many times can you re-use biodegradable silverware?

~ When someone adds a Facebook status from their mobile such as: "At my daughters school play"...does this not scream "I'm bored out of my mind at my daughter's play..."? A-hem...put the Facebook away...you're missing the play!

~ Why do people make personalized license plates that only make sense to them?

~ My biggest pet peeve is noise pollution at my house. Note to self: when I buy a place to live in, adhere to strict policy of not on a main thoroughfare, not right on a busline (but within walking distance).

~ I am seriously procrastinating. But I am accomplishing something while I procrastinate, it's just a different something than I initially intended to do. So am I really procrastinating?

~ The neighbor's car alarm went off again this morning at o'dark thirty. It's not like I or any other nearby resident--or even the owner, for that matter--went running out to see if someone was breaking into the car because no one ever is. Which brings me to a GREAT movie suggestion: Noise, with Tim Robbins.

~ Of all places, why is there not hand sanitizer at the gym?

~ I really want sushi tonight after my workout. Hamachi and salmon sashimi...maybe a spicy tuna roll...should I spend the money? hmmmmm dilemma.

~ Cuts to state education budgets, teacher layoffs, more layoffs across UW campus and all across the state, discontinuation of UW Swimming programs, etc. etc....and the UW football coaches are getting $3 million a year. I know there's more to the story, but it really makes my blood boil. And we still have no mass transit system in Seattle.

My first TaeKwonDo session in 6+ years...

...and it was like the first day of school. Serious jitters. Am I wearing the right thing? Socks off, like at my last gym? Oh my gosh I feel old! What--are these kids old enough to be in college?

We started out with laps around the makeshift dojo (IMA, Mat room B): 10 laps. It's a good thing I've been working out. The formal instructor/master comes in...10 more laps! Some of the college guys and gals have pased me twice already. At least they'll admire me for being here, right? haha.

We line up and start in with the bowing, ready position, fighting stance... Hey, I remember this! Ha-hahhhh. He says I have good form. Did you hear that kids? This is incredible!

This class I've started is through the UW gym: Tues/Thurs for 6 weeks (at a rockin' $35! Cha-ching!). They started out last night with the basics, which is good. My aging body actually started remembering and "waking up" to the moves! I still have it, people...well, it's in there somewhere, at least :-)

About half-way through our 1-hour class, the real martial artists (black belts and....other people...with belts) came in and began warming up and practicing all around us. I remember doing a lot of that stuff, and am totally motivated to get back to that point of training. They were amazing! Watching them also made me realize why I was in the best shape of my life when I was doing TKD: running, bouncing, kicking, pushups, jumping, kicking, more pushups, laps, etc., etc. I was also considerably more flexible than I am now. I did some stretching before the class, and fortunately didn't pull anything major. (That's not to say I'm not walking a bit gingerly today.)

My goal is to see where I'm at once these 12 sessions are complete, dust off my TKD uniform and green belt, and either dive in to the UW club with the big-belts, or into another TKD school as before.

All-in-all: I can't believe I let myself get away from it! I LOVE IT!!
Kari is coming back, baby :-)
Now, where's the ibuprofen?

"Give a writer an hour to hook you."

"...Books can be solid gold.
The great ones have gotten us through the nights for centuries.
Give a writer an hour to hook you.
If he can't, find someone else."
~ Anthony Hopkins' character, Hearts in Atlantis

Reading is definitely one of my passions. I love the classics, the new ones, fiction, non-fiction, (anything but paperback smut romances...most westerns...and I've never met a science fiction I was crazy about). So many books, so little time. If I was able to read one book a week, that's only 52 books a year, multiply by years of remaining eyesight, mental clarity, etc....carry the 1...factor in the total number of books available...you get the point.

Most books take me around 2 weeks to read, (if you are following along at home, that's a mere 26 books a year!) and tend to hold my interest to the point it's difficult to say 'goodbye' to the characters once the final chapter comes to an end. Then there are the books which lose me several chapters in--such that I will actually procrastinate reading it (wash dishes, iron, re-organize the closet...). In extreme circumstances, sorry to say, I just plain don't care what happens to the characters, and the book gets put it aside in favor of the next book in the queue. The question is: When do you cut your losses and move on? An hour seems like not quite enough... But a month or more, like I've given the current book I'm reading? (see right panel) For me, that's just foolishness.

~~~~~~~~~
Heyday by Kurt Anderson (Back cover description):

"During a single amazing month at the beginning of 1848, history lurches, sending one eager English gentleman off on an epic transatlantic journey....[yaddayaddayadda]...three restless souls...[blahblahblah]...falls hopelessly in love... Beckoned by the frontier, new beginnings, and the prospects of the California Gold Rush, all four set out on a race west--relentlessly tracked, unbeknownst to them, but a cold-blooded killer bent on revenge."
~~~~~~~~~

Sounds great, right? It really IS a good book...but 622 pages long...and as of chapter 40 on page 386, we are just beginning to travel West. I'm bored with it, and have been for some time now...which is why I haven't been reading lately, and that's just a shame.

My choices are:
a.) Cut and run.
b.) You've come this far...
c.) Give the guy a break. Could you get a 622 page novel published?

Sunny and 69 degrees!

Spring is finally here!! It smells fresh, sunny and...well...if yellow had a smell, this may just be it! The buds are opening on trees and the daffodils and tulips are in bloom... Ahhhh :-)

Here are some webcam shots from Seattle's local news sources: 5:00pm Monday April 6, 2009

I'm on my way out for a nice long walk this evening along the West Seattle waterfront!!

Tae Kwon Do

If you've known me for a while, you may be familiar with my mad skills (riiiiight) in the martial art form Tae Kwon Do. I started at Lee's Martial Arts in West Seattle many years ago, primarily for self-defense training but also for the physical conditioning, agility, flexibility, etc. By the time I made the big move back East I had achieved the "High-Green" belt:
White (comes with the outfit)

Yellow

Orange

Green -- High-Green

Blue -- High-Blue

yadda

yadda

yadda

Black

There were several of us late-twenty/early-thirty somethings in the class starting from scratch, and we had a blast together (laughing at each other and with ourselves). We'd practice our forms together (think: "wax on, wax off"), study for our belt tests and practice our poses for picture day :-) After our first belt-test, a few of us went together and gave our main instructor a thank-you gift...signed, "The Martial Artists Formerly Known as White Belts". Ahhh, good times, good times. I had every intention of joining a school when I moved back East, but it didn't happen. Maybe I was apprehensive. At that level, we were just starting to spar (hand-to-hand fighting)...and being non-confrontational, I hated that part! I'd just weave, bob and cover my face and head with my arms. Admittedly, it was a pretty funny sight! Then there was the weapons training they were starting us on. You got it:

Nunchuku: Two shorten sticks connected with rope or chain.
Kama: Small sickle, wooden handle with a curved blade.
Bo: A staff of approximately 6 feet in length, typically made of wood.
Escrima: Two short sticks approximately 2 feet in length, typically made of wood.
Sais: Forklike object with 3 prongs, made of metal. Typically the center prong in longer than the other.

WHY!? I never really understood why they would equip suburban yuppies with skills to use the Sais. Other self-defense techniques were indeed useful: how to use a writing implement as a weapon, how to use a shirt-filled-with-rocks or your shoe as a weapon, how to target certain pressure points (like Spock!), etc. But Nunchuks?? Here I am on a dark sidewalk facing an assailant...I've been out with friends, have my hot jeans on and a clutch purse...Do I say "wait for just one moment Mr. BadScaryMan, while I run back to my car and grab my nunchuks!" ? Or "you wouldn't happen to have a long wooden staff with which I could beat you, would you Mr. BadScaryMan?" ? Aside from that, I nearly knocked a tooth out the first day of nunchuk training...those things could really hurt someone...ME!

So here I am, 6 years later (and 6 years older) starting up again! I'm going to get a piece of flair that says: "Ask me to demonstrate my mad TaeKwonDo skills!" Wish me luck with the sparring--and watch out Mr. BadScaryMan...I kick yo a** ;-)

It's not easy being fluffy.

I've been seeing a nutritionist (Judy) and a personal trainer (Erika) for the better part of a year now, and they've changed my life!

Regular exercise + Probiotic/Flax/CodLiverOil/VitaminD3 + the right nutrition and calorie intake = Healthy Kari. My cholesterol and blood sugar are officially normal (YAY!) and it's amazing how GOOD I feel! (I'll be posting about the book she recommended one of these days soon: The Flexitarian Diet. Very cool.)

Judy did a resting metabolism test for me last week, and it was wicked cool. The test is done fasting, takes about 10 minutes, and measures the total oxygen exchange at rest to very specifically indicate how many calories your body uses through a day (assuming no significant activity/exercise). There's a formula then to determine the calorie intake with exercise/activity, etc., to maximize weight loss and fat burning. When I first began meeting with Judy and working with Erika, my calorie intake was far below what my body needed for the level of training/activity I was doing. As it turned out, my body was clinging to every last calorie with the fear I was starving. Oh yeah, I was wasting away to nothing...Seriously!? So adjusting the calorie amount and content, I've been able to see dramatic results--inside and out! It's incredible! [Note: Ideally, a person should also do the exercise metabolic testing, which includes a set treadmill protocol, to determine the specific heart rate zones (fat burning and cardio) for your body. I haven't yet done the exercise one, but if I do, will post the result!]

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was thinking, this may apply to my cat Punkin as well. I shall explain:

I took him to the vet a couple of months ago, and it was determined that he was...well..."fluffy"... plump. I still think he's just stocky and big-boned, but whatever. The vet recommended I get him the low-fat/calorie cat food, help him get a little more exercise, etc. In addition, he said to limit the food to 1/2 cup per day. I feed him at the same time each morning, and believe me, he is ready for breakfast. In fact, he starts trying to wake me up a good 2 hours before the alarm...probably because he's hungry. Poor guy :-(

Cats are all about routine. (Come to think of it...I have a pretty specific morning routine as well...Hmmm...Bygones.) Aside from however he manages to remember his little routines, I'm convinced he has no long-term memory. He is frantic each morning, as though I am going to forget to feed him! I think maybe he needs a resting metabolism test. Perhaps the vet is wrong, and he actually needs more calories through the day. He certainly isn't slimming down. Is his body clinging to every last measly calorie like mine was!? Or does he just need more exercise? Maybe I should get a pet mouse for him to chase around.

Here and Now

"20 years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do, than by the ones you did. So throw off the bowline, sail away from the safe harbor, catch the trade winds in your sails, explore, dream." --Mark Twain

Today was a memorial service for one of my favorite ICU nurses here at UWMC. She was incredible with her patients, loved by all of her colleagues, had been here for 20+ years. We would visit about horses, tae-kwon-do, Hawaii, hiking, Irish dancing, bands, travel, you name it. She wasn't afraid to try anything new...she would turn up the radio and dance to entertain a patient or help another nurse (or vascular technologist) smile. I knew her in passing, as compared to those who worked with her daily in the ICU...but I was able to visit with her enough to know that the Twain quote (which was in the memorial program) totally fit her. A couple of weeks ago she was thrown from a horse, suffering multiple injuries, and died Monday from a stroke. It was such a nice service, and the auditorium was packed. There were even former patients who stood up to speak about their experience with her...which says so much more than their words could express. She was quite a lady, and will be greatly missed. One of the bands she liked the most is Great Big Sea; they played their song "Here and Now" at the end of the servcie. The lyrics are very cool, and I thought I'd include them:

Here and Now --Great Big Sea
~~~~~~~
The sun must set to rise
The light will leave your eyes again
Then breaking like morning's dawn
Does summer feel the winter come
The hardest part of life
Is to live while you're alive my friend
So sing an unwritten song
Or repent for the deeds you left undone
This is Here
This is Now
It's the moment that we live for
And we just can't live without
It's all clear to me now
We've already started dying
And our time is running out
Oh, Right Now
Time is ours to steal
She's a secret to reveal my friend
And when your children have all grown
You'll wait by the window
And wish them all back home
Walk a little further off the beaten path
And we'll drive on even if we get there last
Our backs against the wall
And we will lunge and bite
And we'll rage, rage, rage against the dying of the light
~~~~~~~
I will miss you, Deanna!

The Power of a Pager

It can wake you from the deepest sleep, evaporating dreams in-progress...

Ruin the sweetest cup of coffee and defeat a peaceful awakening...

Command attention, immediate response, "JUMP! NOW!" it says...

~~~~~~~~~~

It's not all bad, being on call. The problem is, it's entirely unpredictable. Money is a good thing to have right about now, and I'm either making it or I'm spending it. So I might as well be making it. The screeching announcement on the belt indicates another add-on patient waiting to be seen. When they start to stack-up, so does the stress. To be honest though, there are weekends which are pretty quiet: I mean, I saw a patient in the ER first thing this morning, and now here I sit blogging instead of scanning.

~~~

So what do I do if it's quiet? I don't make any plans, to be safe...don't plan to make it to church on Sunday. There's always a project to work on--but not always the motivation to do so. I may venture to a coffee shop and dive into a book. I could have some lunch down the road...but just as I'm ordering... Ahh, well. You never know. It was worth a shot.

~~~

What I don't do is go home. For me, there's nothing worse than driving all the way home after seeing a patient, prop my feet up with a glass of iced tea and "BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP BEEEEEEP". That will drive me to insanity faster than anything. Not to mention the waste of gas. So I stick around, work out on the treadmill, write some emails...finish those presentations for next week's conference. (I'm currently in full-on procrastination mode. I do work best under pressure, but this is ridiculous).

Guernica ~~by Dave Boling

Are you familiar with this quote?
"People may not remember exactly what you did, or what you said,

but they will always remember how you made them feel"

This comes to mind when I think of my experiences inside the novel Guernica, by Dave Boling. Not to say that I don't remember the intricate weave of characters and events in the story, or the artful phrasing and cadence of the writing which so vividly brought them to life. His work is brilliant...it stirred in me palpable emotions toward the characters, the Basque culture and its people, and the resulting impact of that fateful day in Guernica, which is immortalized in Picasso's painting. I remember how I felt as I spent time in this book, and it was incredible. If you enjoy historical novels, this is one to put on your list. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Side-Note: Every now and then you meet someone and immediately "click" with them. This lady was one of my patients for a routine ultrasound exam...I think I caught a glimpse of myself in her, +30 years. We had a lively conversation about work, family, travel--and specifically about books we have read recently. She told me about this book, describing its beauty, and I added it to my list of books to read. The next morning when I arrived at work, the her book was in my mailbox with a kind note, and her intentions that I pass the book along to others who would like it. So if you're looking for a book to read and are interested: I'm "paying it forward" :-)

The Eyre Affair ~~by Jasper Fforde

Admittedly, it's not the longest book I've ever read...and I was sick in bed, literally reading all day...a little perspective on the fact that I read it in 2 days. That said, The Eyre Affair was a fast-paced joy-ride of a book that kept me intrigued and awake!

This book is a mystery novel set in an alternate version of 1985 England, as-in: the main character has a pet Dodo bird (version 1.2), there is a "ChronoGuard" which is a Special Ops detective unit dealing with time travel, and it is possible to actually enter a piece of literature and interact with the characters. There is humor throughout the book, as we follow detective Thursday Next (whos boss is Braxton Hicks, haha) in her hunt for the villian Acheron Hades. I've never been what you'd call a "Fan" of Sci-Fi novels--but this wasn't entirely Sci-Fi, and I was completely engrossed in it! Better yet: I could understand the world the author had created, with an entirely different set of laws, physics, realities from the world we know.

This is the first in his "Thursday Next" series of mystery-detective-adventure novels, and I just might read the next one... Alas, so many books, so little time.

I'm starting on his next series, "Nursery Crimes":
-The Big Over Easy (the fate of Humpty Dumpty set in New Orleans),
-The Fourth Bear (the theory that there must've been a fourth 'bear on the knoll' in the Goldilocks story),
-The Last Great Tortoise Race (TBA).

In the "Nursery Crime" series, Jack Spratt is the detective, and the bad guys are characters like the Gingerbread Man. What I love about Jasper Fforde's writing is that it is highly intelligent, with wicked humor, and not juvenille in the least (despite the characters). Fforde is either the craziest or the most inventive author I've ever read. GREAT STUFF!!

The things kids say...

So, this weekend I walked into the used bookstore at the West Seattle junction, and I hear this kid say "Hey Dad, isn't that the crazy Jesus lady?!". I glance around the shop (pretty much just us and the shopkeeper), at the kid staring at me, and finally at the dad who was beet red and not-so-subtly shushing the kid. It was pretty funny, and I gave the dad a smile. I didn't say anything to them, but I did think: Even though I wasn't their "crazy Jesus lady", I do love Jesus, and in some ways I am a little crazy. Hmm.

A *Sunny* Weekend on Alki Beach

Yes, it was *SUNNY*, albeit a little on the chilly side this weekend. It was perfect for a walk along the waterfront in my neighborhood...

...and maybe a coffee in a comfy chair by the fireplace at Tully's...

...or maybe a Guiness at the Irish pub...
...I went for the Guiness this Saturday...
Certainly you've heard about this:

NEWS FLASH!

From: BBC News, Nov. 2003:

The old advertising slogan "Guinness is Good for You" may be true after all, according to researchers. …A pint of the black stuff a day may work as well as an aspirin to prevent heart clots that raise the risk of heart attacks. ...the firm still makes no health claims for the drink. The Wisconsin team tested the health-giving properties of stout against lager by giving it to dogs who had narrowed arteries similar to those in heart disease. They found that those given the Guinness had reduced clotting activity in their blood, but not those given lager…The researchers told a meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida, that the most benefit they saw was from 24 fluid ounces of Guinness - just over a pint - taken at mealtimes. They believe that "antioxidant compounds" in the Guinness, similar to those found in certain fruits and vegetables, are responsible for the health benefits because they slow down the deposit of harmful cholesterol on the artery walls.

(Image from the BBC Website)
…The original campaign in the 1920s stemmed from market research - when people told the company that they felt good after their pint, the slogan was born. In England, post-operative patients used to be given Guinness, as were blood donors, based on the belief that it was high in iron….

A little internet research to justify my Guiness enjoyment on a Saturday afternoon :-)

~~~

We even have our own version of the Statue of Liberty down at the beach:

I have a favorite workout-walk: It's a 6 mile loop from the east side of Alki beach (with fantastic views of the Seattle skyline across the bay), around the point (with incredible views of the islands, penninsula and Olympic mountains) along the waterfront to the Coast Guard station and lighthouse, up the long steep Admiral hill, and through the north-West Seattle neighborhood (past historic mansions built by sea captains and...appropriately enough, Admirals), and down the hill to Alki once again. Depending on where I start the loop, I end up at the pub for a refreshing Guiness (just one).

Makes for a nice day, don't you think?

"Liberating" (that pun's for you, Dad!) :-)

The Most Caffiene You've Ever Seen is in Seattle

One of the morning radio stations I listen to is "The Bob Rivers Show" on KZOK. They are pretty darned funny, and generally interesting and entertaining.

The reason I bring it up is: They do the "Twisted Tunes", which are parodies on songs we know and love. While some of them are a little raunchy (although not too raunchy to play on the air...true, that's not saying much these days), some of them are classic.

My favorite one is to the tune of "The Bluest Skies You've Ever Seen are in Seattle". It's ramped up to rock speed, and it's called: "The Most Caffiene You've Ever Seen"

http://www.twistedtunes.com/#v8771

Lyrics to Most Caffeine You've Ever Seen :
The bluest skies you've ever seen in Seattle
And the hills the greenest green in Seattle
Like a beautiful child growin' up free and wild
The most caffeine you've ever seen in Seattle

And they grind the meanest beans in Seattle
It's a beautiful trip from the very first sip
We're the java pioneers
Served by chicks with no brassieres
Till the foam comes out our ears
In SeattleIn Seattle

When it's time to go to work
You'll be draggin'
And you need a little buzz to get you through
Don't be shakin' till you find
A hot barista sweet and kind
That triple mocha's waitin' there for you
The most caffeine you've ever seen in Seattle

And our teeth are turnin' brown in Seattle
Have a grande-size cup
It'll jack you right up
Serve it iced or serve it hot
Single short or triple shot
Six bucks a cup is not a lot in Seattle
In Seattle
[ Most Caffeine You've Ever Seen Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]
~~~
It would be worth browsing through some others on the page...but remember, I warned you!

Random Groceries

How much can you tell from what's in a person's grocery basket? Can you in fact get an idea of this person by their "9-items-or-less"? Maybe.

Last night at Safeway, the "9-items-or-less" express line was exceptionally s-l-o-w. There were 4 of us in line with our items on the belt and I had time to take notice of what they were buying. Some combos were pretty predictable-- as in, they all fit a particular list of what you would expect. Some did not...and it was pretty funny! (To be clear, this has nothing to do with the person standing with the basket. Of them, I remember nothing. I'm just talking about the collected items for purchase.)

Shopper #1: 6-pack CocaCola classic, 1 head cauliflower, fortune cookies, dirt bike magazine.

Shopper #2: 4 Kashi frozen dinners, chicken noodle soup, large bottle mineral water, cottage cheese, shelled edamame.

Shopper #3: 6-pack Budweiser, Wonderbread, Gatorade, Cosmic Rainbow brownies, Tony's pizza, 1 carton Marlborough cigarettes.

Shopper #4: 1 Whole chicken, Crest toothpaste, soymilk, tortilla shells, toilet paper.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, so Shopper #2 is me. But I've been Shopper # 1 too! Except for the dirt bike magazine. There are certainly times you run in to the store to quickly pick up a few items to supplement what you already have at home, hence the silly combo. But what if he really was going to eat a head of cauliflower for dinner and have fortune cookies for dessert?

To be fair: Shopper #4 got it right: Never buy only toilet paper.

Things I Learned While Staying Home Sick

I'm back from the sickbed, after being "down-for-the-count" for a few days with a bizarre combo of cold/flu/24-hour bug. YIKES. I'm pleased to have lost a few pounds :-) Punkin was happy for the snuggle time and I got some serious reading done. I finished "Guernica" (Dave Boling), read "The Eyre Affair" (Jasper Fforde) cover to cover and started "Heyday" (Kurt Andersen). It's the first time in a while that I've been coherant enough while sick to read and enjoy a few books.

I don't recall the last time I was home during the week, let alone for 3 days in a row, and I was surprised to find out a little of what goes on while I'm away every day. Propped up in bed with a cup of tea, the cat and a book wasn't as quiet or interruption free as one would think:

- The traffic never stops. Rush hour is a given in the morning and evening; the rest of the day is quiet. Not so much...it's all day. I live on a busy street near an intersection and 4 bus stops. Said intersection is up the hill from the Vashon ferry, which arrives and deposits around 100 cars every 30 minutes. There's a mini-mart a few doors away and a busy fruit stand across the street. I have drafty single paned windows. Therefore, I hear everything--and it goes on all day. Horns, sirens, loud engines, occasional yelling, busses grinding away from the stop. An "Urban symphony"? Not to me: my biggest pet peeve is Noise Pollution. I did know that most of this would be troubling when I moved in. So I really can't complain.


- Punkin literally sleeps all day. He barely moves. We cat owners presume this to be the case: The cat is snoozing as we are toiling away, whistling as we work. Yes, he is. They all are. So don't waste your money with the "kitty-cam". Maybe he was just playing it cool for a few days. He was probably thrilled to see me leave this morning...if for nothing else than the return to his routine, which he values greatly. I have given some thought to a light dusting of baking flour across various surfaces in the house, and checking out the tracks when I get home in the evening. Very CSI. A lot of dusting work later, but it may be worth it. You can expect a full report once I've completed this mission.

- A certain neighbor of mine comes and goes from her apartment multiple times per hour for what seems like all day. I know this because she slams the door each time, and the decorative hanging above my bed rattles against the wall. I never said it was the highest quality of construction...it is a "vintage" building. We'll see how solid my building is once we've had the next "Big One"...the earthquake we were due for a couple of years ago. It could happen at any moment, and in a sick way I'm anxious to see what happens.

- There are little elves who come to shine shoes, replace the toilet paper roll and fill the Brita water pitcher in the refrigerator. Communication broke down in the early stages of negotiations for them to also dust, vacuum and wash dishes. What can I say, I got greedy.

- The "Postal Carrier" (which I believe is the PC term) is in fact not attractive. He is not young and fit, as you would believe someone--who walks miles upon miles each day with a heavy load--would be. He appears to be approximately 30 seconds this-side of a heart attack, and should consider a portable oxygen tank. I did not express these opinions. My mailbox is pitifully small and I fear revenge on the oh-so-fragile Netlix mailings. At least I know CPR. (Now here's a moral dilemma to ponder: mouth-to-mouth on a stranger, these days? Hmm.)

- The "Home Grocer.com" or some such delivery man is indeed very attractive. Or maybe it was the cold medicine. Two of my neighbors received their groceries from him while I was home. I can certainly see why: ooo-la-la. Alas, it was not to be. I looked like death (literally). Besides, I really like to pick out my own produce, and wander through the aisles of the grocery store talking myself out of--then into-- that bottle of wine.

Do you know what goes on at your house while you're away?

Age is just a number, right?

I'd like to think I'm still young. I feel young--younger with each workout, in fact (if you don't count the aching knee). When I really feel old is at a mall when the music in a store is just too loud, and the cloud of cologne that causes a burning sensation at the back of my throat at that one certain store. When you think about it, a 32 year old shopping at Old Navy, Forever 21 or even Abercrombie & Fitch is a little weird. Maybe it's not an age thing so much as a style preference. I'm an "Audrey", not an "Audrina". Another time I feel old is when the young bagger at the grocery store calls me "Ma'am". Or when I realize that students graduating from high school this year were born in 1991-92, when I was in high school. For the record, I'd never want to go back to my teens or 20's...the 30's are absolutely the best so far. But I digress.

I started doing the math last night as I was on the treadmill, at the 28 minute mark (another 32 minutes to go), starting to get bored. I'm a little competitive, so naturally I was trying to keep up with the girl on the machine next to mine. It put me to shame how good of shape she was in...a steeper incline and faster pace. Blast! What's a good justification for falling behind? This girl looks about 12 years old...she must be 18 at least, to be a member here. How old are these "kids" really? College freshmen are generally 17-18 years old. Hmm. My moral dilemma suddenly became: is it creepy for a 30-something gal like me to "enjoy the view" as fit college guys work out at my gym? It certainly is good motivation to go work out...and anything it takes to get me there must be fair game. It's not like I'd ever flirt with them...only minimal blatant staring. It's probably okay then.

So, if in fact age is just a number, then I'm in luck. I'll take extra good care of myself, and date people closer my own age--who are equally as young as me ;-)

A little something to get through the workday

It's Wednesday here in the Strandness Vascular Lab....we're motoring along through the week, well into our normal routines, seeing all kinds of patients and having a fine day.

Regardless of how wonderful a job is, or how great our co-workers are, we all need a little something to get through the day. Sure, there's the bucket of candy, the platter of cookies, the enormous pot of coffee...temporary fixes. At this moment, the candy bucket is filled with hard candy: peppermints, cinnamon and butterscotch discs, jolly ranchers. Not even a Werthers--those were the first to go. Unless it's chocolate, it's useless for this purpose.

What we need is a theme song for the day...a "soundtrack for life". Everyone should have a theme song...something that serenades you from within, gives you that spring in your step. No one has to know what it is. In fact, with some songs it's better if no one knows how lame you are...like the theme song from Beverly Hills Cop, for example. Not that I ever groove to that one. Or Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley. Not that Kurt ever grooves to that one. :-)

Choosing a song of the day isn't always easy. Sometimes it comes to one of us along our morning commute, or lyrics that pop into the conversation. We didn't have a great song until my first patient today came in with her husband. He was bored out of his mind within the first few minutes, and got out his iPod. From behind me there was a distinct beat...then a recognizable rhythm...and I totally know this song...it's...it's... AWESOME. The perfect song of the day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Fo0-gVwX2o&feature=related

I'll start posting a running list of the Song of the Day on the right panel of this blog.

Enjoy!!

Bumper Stickers

It's amusing to see what messages people stick to the outside of their cars. I personally don't do bumper stickers...to each his/her own. Working at a large teaching hospital means there are a lot of employees...a lot of cars in the parking lot...and a lot of car bumpers decorated with stickers. It makes for an entertaining walk to and from my car every day! I thought I'd share some of the stickers that have made me laugh and/or think lately. I apologize in advance for the inappropriate nature of some of them...you don't have to admit that you laughed at those :-)
In honor of our crumbling viaduct in downtown Seattle: