It's that time of year again!
Will the jolly aging fat man with the white
beard and incredibly cool new hat visit YOUR house this year? Better put out those donuts and
beer...JUST IN CASE!!!!!!!!!!
And while you're waiting for the magic of
Mikesmas...here's everyone's fave Mikemas classic...TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE
MIKESMAS!
"Twas the night before Mikesmas, when all through the
house
Not a creature was stirring, not even the cats;
The beercans were
flung on the floor without care,
In hopes that a french maid soon would be
there;
The cats were nestled all snug in the couch,
While each had visions
of fricassied mouse;
some bimbo in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
were
each taking turns giving the other the clap,
When out on the lawn there arose
such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to
the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters and threw up the
sash.
The moon on the breast of the new-fallen rain
Gave the lustre of
Yuengling to objects near the drain,
When, what to my wondering eyes should
appear,
But a 94 Olds, and eight tiny cold beers,
With a little old
driver, cute as a tyke,
I knew in a moment it must be Memphis Mike.
More
rapid than eagles his curses they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and
called out crude names;
"Now listen here Fucker! now listen Y'ALL! To the top
of the porch! to the top of the wall!
Now dash away! dash away! dash away
all!"
To some crappy dive bar
The site of the ball!
And then I heard
tinkling, up on the roof
Someone was pissing, some little goof.
As I drew
in my hand, and was turning around,
Down the chimney Memphis Mike came with a
bound.
He was dressed all in black, from his head to his foot,
And his
clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of beers he had
flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.
His
eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses,
his nose like a cherry!
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a
bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a
ciggie he held tight in his teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a
wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook, when he
laughed like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old
elf,
And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye
and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He
spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And drank all the beers;
then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And
giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his Olds, to my bimbo gave
a whistle,
And away they flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him
exclaim, as he drove out of sight,
"Happy Mikesmas to all, and to all a
good-night."
Monday, March 18, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
I never thought I'd hear this....
I was talking to my dad today. For those who don't know the old man, he's 78, a lifelong Republican and a cardiologist. He technically retired last year but still works 3-4 days a week, 3-4 hours a day at the hospital. Sitting at home doing nothing was more than he could handle.
Dad and I are now both contract workers in the health field. This means that neither of us are technically employees. We have all of the responsibilities of an employee but none of the benefits. He and I are, finally, on a level to discuss things as equals.
Our conversation today started out about my new job, life in general, and finally...money. Dad is having to learn to live on less...as many of us are nowadays. It's frustrating for him. He mentioned that even as a doctor, he has to wonder who, where and how he will be taken care of, medically and insurance-wise, when the inevitable happens. I welcomed him to the world the rest of us live in.
We discussed, at length, what is wrong with the state of medicine in this country. Example: I have a bad ticker. I need to take a handful of pills, every day, for the rest of my life, to keep my heart from giving out. I'm OK with that. My doctor, though, has to force me to come in for an office visit just so he can prescribe the medicine he already knows that I need to stay alive. If he were to continue prescribing these without this visit, he could lose his license. None of this makes sense.
We discussed UPMC. This company started out with great ideas. It was to be run by doctors...the way it should be. Somewhere in the last 20 years, it has become, yet another, megacorporation. It is this area's largest employer. In the Pittsburgh area, over 3500 physicians are employees of this corporate giant. Gone are the days of doing what's best for the patient. It's now business as usual to do what is most cost-effective. This mode of thinking is inconsistent with medicine and is, in general, just wrong.
Dad explained that the type of medicine he practiced originally is long gone. Patient comes to see the doctor, the doctor treats (and when possible, cures) the patient, and payments where made. Doctors could charge as much or as little as they liked. Insurance companies played by the rules. Sure, at times the payments were slow, but they came in.
Now the insurance companies and other mega-corporations run EVERYTHING. There is no part of YOUR LIFE that isn't controlled by them. Land of the free, my ass. We are all living under a dictatorship...but the government is only a pawn. This country and it's people have been bought and paid for. If you think I'm wrong, you're an ignorant ass. It just shows that you haven't been paying attention.
When I was in my early teens, I recall watching the movie "To Sir, With Love". There was a scene in the movie where the teenage students where reminded that they had to fill out paperwork for their National Health cards. As an American, I had no idea what this was...so I turned to the encyclopedia and looked it. It was medicine for everyone, paid for via taxes. I went to the library and read up more and more about it. I was fascinated! It made perfect sense to me then and it makes perfect sense to me now.
My dad and I had many arguments over the years regarding socialized medicine. As an American physician, he was already caught up in the burgeoning corporate nightmare that our health care system has become. He often reminded me that the American health care system, rooted in good ol' capitalism, was what fed and clothed me. I often pointed out that by that point I was already working and taking care of many of my own needs. Every arguing point he came up with, I was able to shoot down. This led to a level of acrimony between us. The Republican capitalist dad and his Socialist son...but as I've never lost an argument yet, I persevered.
Today, dad finally agreed with me. He says that some form of socialized medicine is what will have to happen in this country. It's inevitable and it's right. The corporate world has no reason, whatsoever, to be sticking it's nose in our health care. This includes insurance companies. They should just agree to the terms put forth by the doctors and hospitals (who are providing the actual care) and just take their premium payments and make claim payments. Nothing else. There is no reason for any corporate interest to pursue health care as a profit scheme.
Dad feels that all American doctors need to ban together and say that effective X date, none of them will continue to participate in any insurance agreement. This would, effectively, put all of these businesses under. Sadly, I had to remind him that this particular scenario is unlikely to ever happen...as too many people are little more than frightened sheep.
Dad and I discussed that a group of doctors should form a committee , a think tank of sorts, to figure out how to fix this mess. I even suggested that he start it himself. Who knows...it wouldn't surprise me if he did.
Here it is...March 9, 2013, and my dad has finally agreed with me. Universal health care/Socialized medicine IS the answer. Funny...I've known this for over 30 years.
Dad and I are now both contract workers in the health field. This means that neither of us are technically employees. We have all of the responsibilities of an employee but none of the benefits. He and I are, finally, on a level to discuss things as equals.
Our conversation today started out about my new job, life in general, and finally...money. Dad is having to learn to live on less...as many of us are nowadays. It's frustrating for him. He mentioned that even as a doctor, he has to wonder who, where and how he will be taken care of, medically and insurance-wise, when the inevitable happens. I welcomed him to the world the rest of us live in.
We discussed, at length, what is wrong with the state of medicine in this country. Example: I have a bad ticker. I need to take a handful of pills, every day, for the rest of my life, to keep my heart from giving out. I'm OK with that. My doctor, though, has to force me to come in for an office visit just so he can prescribe the medicine he already knows that I need to stay alive. If he were to continue prescribing these without this visit, he could lose his license. None of this makes sense.
We discussed UPMC. This company started out with great ideas. It was to be run by doctors...the way it should be. Somewhere in the last 20 years, it has become, yet another, megacorporation. It is this area's largest employer. In the Pittsburgh area, over 3500 physicians are employees of this corporate giant. Gone are the days of doing what's best for the patient. It's now business as usual to do what is most cost-effective. This mode of thinking is inconsistent with medicine and is, in general, just wrong.
Dad explained that the type of medicine he practiced originally is long gone. Patient comes to see the doctor, the doctor treats (and when possible, cures) the patient, and payments where made. Doctors could charge as much or as little as they liked. Insurance companies played by the rules. Sure, at times the payments were slow, but they came in.
Now the insurance companies and other mega-corporations run EVERYTHING. There is no part of YOUR LIFE that isn't controlled by them. Land of the free, my ass. We are all living under a dictatorship...but the government is only a pawn. This country and it's people have been bought and paid for. If you think I'm wrong, you're an ignorant ass. It just shows that you haven't been paying attention.
When I was in my early teens, I recall watching the movie "To Sir, With Love". There was a scene in the movie where the teenage students where reminded that they had to fill out paperwork for their National Health cards. As an American, I had no idea what this was...so I turned to the encyclopedia and looked it. It was medicine for everyone, paid for via taxes. I went to the library and read up more and more about it. I was fascinated! It made perfect sense to me then and it makes perfect sense to me now.
My dad and I had many arguments over the years regarding socialized medicine. As an American physician, he was already caught up in the burgeoning corporate nightmare that our health care system has become. He often reminded me that the American health care system, rooted in good ol' capitalism, was what fed and clothed me. I often pointed out that by that point I was already working and taking care of many of my own needs. Every arguing point he came up with, I was able to shoot down. This led to a level of acrimony between us. The Republican capitalist dad and his Socialist son...but as I've never lost an argument yet, I persevered.
Today, dad finally agreed with me. He says that some form of socialized medicine is what will have to happen in this country. It's inevitable and it's right. The corporate world has no reason, whatsoever, to be sticking it's nose in our health care. This includes insurance companies. They should just agree to the terms put forth by the doctors and hospitals (who are providing the actual care) and just take their premium payments and make claim payments. Nothing else. There is no reason for any corporate interest to pursue health care as a profit scheme.
Dad feels that all American doctors need to ban together and say that effective X date, none of them will continue to participate in any insurance agreement. This would, effectively, put all of these businesses under. Sadly, I had to remind him that this particular scenario is unlikely to ever happen...as too many people are little more than frightened sheep.
Dad and I discussed that a group of doctors should form a committee , a think tank of sorts, to figure out how to fix this mess. I even suggested that he start it himself. Who knows...it wouldn't surprise me if he did.
Here it is...March 9, 2013, and my dad has finally agreed with me. Universal health care/Socialized medicine IS the answer. Funny...I've known this for over 30 years.
Monday, March 4, 2013
Screaming Goats: MY Theory
Many of you have probably seen the "screaming goat" videos where goats yell and scream with a surprisingly human sound. Although I've never been a fan of goats, I have spent some time in their company. I've never heard one scream like a human in real life. But lo and behold...here they are:
I have a theory about this...and God help me, the Creationists and far right Christians just may kill me for it.
Goats are evolving at an alarming rate. Today, it's screaming. In a few generations, it could be speech....and with it, a level of rational thought. Here's where we need to worry.
Goats are, by nature, evil critters. Their society is based not only on a natural hierarchy where the strong rule...but also, to some extent, on nepotism. See! They're already acting like humans!
There is a natural order to their world where each goat has it's own responsibilities within the herd. We need to concern ourselves with their potential ability to reason and plan. For all we know, goats could be, at this very moment, plotting to overtake the planet. We've all seen Planet of the Apes...why not Planet of the Goats?!?!?!!
Our own speech center is thought to be in Wernicke's area of the brain, near the auditory cortex (it's exact location has come under question recently...in front? behind?). Who's to say that goats aren't currently evolving their own Wernicke's area? As I stated before, this could well lead to full blown speech and rational thought...in as little as a few generations!
Will the goats be benign or malicious? Ask yourself this: Why have Satanists long portrayed Satan with a goat head? Ha! See! They're evil!
Be wary of the screaming goats my friends. It's not the zombie apocalypse you need to fear...it's the coming of the goats! Silence of the Lambs will be more like Silencing The Lamberts!
Laugh now...but don't say I didn't warn you! ;-)
(This is the sort of crap I think up while doing laundry....)
I have a theory about this...and God help me, the Creationists and far right Christians just may kill me for it.
Goats are evolving at an alarming rate. Today, it's screaming. In a few generations, it could be speech....and with it, a level of rational thought. Here's where we need to worry.
Goats are, by nature, evil critters. Their society is based not only on a natural hierarchy where the strong rule...but also, to some extent, on nepotism. See! They're already acting like humans!
There is a natural order to their world where each goat has it's own responsibilities within the herd. We need to concern ourselves with their potential ability to reason and plan. For all we know, goats could be, at this very moment, plotting to overtake the planet. We've all seen Planet of the Apes...why not Planet of the Goats?!?!?!!
Our own speech center is thought to be in Wernicke's area of the brain, near the auditory cortex (it's exact location has come under question recently...in front? behind?). Who's to say that goats aren't currently evolving their own Wernicke's area? As I stated before, this could well lead to full blown speech and rational thought...in as little as a few generations!
Will the goats be benign or malicious? Ask yourself this: Why have Satanists long portrayed Satan with a goat head? Ha! See! They're evil!
Be wary of the screaming goats my friends. It's not the zombie apocalypse you need to fear...it's the coming of the goats! Silence of the Lambs will be more like Silencing The Lamberts!
Laugh now...but don't say I didn't warn you! ;-)
(This is the sort of crap I think up while doing laundry....)
Friday, March 1, 2013
On my mind....
I've had a fair bit on my mind lately. The new job, being less than exciting, does give me lots of time to think. Perhaps too much...
First off...there's a guy a work with, we'll call him "Don". He has cerebral palsy. In my former profession, I worked with many individuals with CP. In fact, the guy that got me started in my old work had CP.
Now "Don", he's pretty cool. He is very proud that he has worked there for over 20 years. When I first started there, it didn't seem like many people talked to him. He can be difficult to understand and tends to drool a bit when he talks. From my former profession, these are both things that I hardly even notice anymore. If someone is tough to understand, you just listen a bit more intently. Chances are, you'll hear something good. As for the drool...just don't get too close.
Anyhoo, I started talking to "Don" at work. He's a really nice guy, seems pretty smart, and is personable as can be. Now that I've started talking to him all the time, and hearing his tales about his former jobs, hobbies, etc., others are starting to catch on. He's becoming "Mr. Popular"! It's nice that his co-workers are realizing what a gem they have in him.
Makes me miss my former career though. A lot.
******************************************************************************
My former boss called me out of the blue last weekend. She strongly suggest that I, being a musician, NEEDED to go see the movie "Searching For Sugar Man". Anyone that knows me, knows I don't like being told what I should or shouldn't do. By anyone. I've always made up my own mind. I'll admit, I was a tad irked at first that this woman who really never knew much about me aside from my work and related reputation...and knew about me being a musician because I would schedule myself time off to do shows on occasions....would call me and strongly suggest anything to me!
That said, I'm glad she did. I'd been wanting to see this film for a few months now. You've all probably heard about the movie (it won an Oscar for Pete's sake!) so I won't go into any detail, suffice to say that is brilliant! I thanked her for letting me know that it was playing at the tiny, arty movie house downtown. In fact, she called again on Sunday to remind me to see it...and I'd just come home from seeing it! We had a nice talk about the movie. Perhaps she's not the bitch everyone thinks she is. She could be a pain at work...but it was her job to do so. I always thought that she was an interesting person, aside from her work demeanor. She was born and raised in Africa and has a somewhat different view of the world, I think, than most of my former colleagues and myself. Maybe I should see if she wants to grab coffee sometime.
The other nice thing about seeing this film was that I got to take the young'un. I LOVE movies. Don't get me wrong, she's a movie fan herself...especially good documentaries (like this one). But it was nice taking her to an arty little theater in the city. She grew up out in the boonies and never really had a chance to experience places like this. While she enjoyed herself immensely, she hated the seats. OK...they're not as cushy as the ones at, say, Rave or Lowes...but the movie was much better than the drek we usually see at the more mainstream theaters. It was another of those instances where she and I get to grow together more. I like that!
*********************************************************************************
I've been trying to help find a friend's niece blood donors. She's a sick little girl with cancer and it breaks my heart. I wrote, in detail, about this...but I've been spending a lot of time bugging folks online, by email and the phone, trying to help out. This, to me, is normal behavior. It's something, I guess, I learned from our mother. She would always be first in line to help out someone in need...making dinner for a sick neighbor, helping out at school, anything really. She was so classy in how she did it too! She would never, for a moment, allow anyone to give her any credit for doing what she saw was, simply, the right thing to do.
I've had many people comment, positively, on what I'm doing. I don't know how to feel about or react to these comments. To me, it's just the right thing to do. Maybe my faith has something to do with it too. While we're all in need, there are others in more need...and we should, at all times, try to help anyone we can. That's my understanding of the Golden Rule. I've almost never asked for help. There have been many times when I would have gladly accepted it...but I'm not one who can ask. It's always been more important to me to help others. My life always seems to sort itself out.
OK...I'm rambling now. I have an early day tomorrow...so I guess it's time to start shutting down for the night. Until next time..........
First off...there's a guy a work with, we'll call him "Don". He has cerebral palsy. In my former profession, I worked with many individuals with CP. In fact, the guy that got me started in my old work had CP.
Now "Don", he's pretty cool. He is very proud that he has worked there for over 20 years. When I first started there, it didn't seem like many people talked to him. He can be difficult to understand and tends to drool a bit when he talks. From my former profession, these are both things that I hardly even notice anymore. If someone is tough to understand, you just listen a bit more intently. Chances are, you'll hear something good. As for the drool...just don't get too close.
Anyhoo, I started talking to "Don" at work. He's a really nice guy, seems pretty smart, and is personable as can be. Now that I've started talking to him all the time, and hearing his tales about his former jobs, hobbies, etc., others are starting to catch on. He's becoming "Mr. Popular"! It's nice that his co-workers are realizing what a gem they have in him.
Makes me miss my former career though. A lot.
******************************************************************************
My former boss called me out of the blue last weekend. She strongly suggest that I, being a musician, NEEDED to go see the movie "Searching For Sugar Man". Anyone that knows me, knows I don't like being told what I should or shouldn't do. By anyone. I've always made up my own mind. I'll admit, I was a tad irked at first that this woman who really never knew much about me aside from my work and related reputation...and knew about me being a musician because I would schedule myself time off to do shows on occasions....would call me and strongly suggest anything to me!
That said, I'm glad she did. I'd been wanting to see this film for a few months now. You've all probably heard about the movie (it won an Oscar for Pete's sake!) so I won't go into any detail, suffice to say that is brilliant! I thanked her for letting me know that it was playing at the tiny, arty movie house downtown. In fact, she called again on Sunday to remind me to see it...and I'd just come home from seeing it! We had a nice talk about the movie. Perhaps she's not the bitch everyone thinks she is. She could be a pain at work...but it was her job to do so. I always thought that she was an interesting person, aside from her work demeanor. She was born and raised in Africa and has a somewhat different view of the world, I think, than most of my former colleagues and myself. Maybe I should see if she wants to grab coffee sometime.
The other nice thing about seeing this film was that I got to take the young'un. I LOVE movies. Don't get me wrong, she's a movie fan herself...especially good documentaries (like this one). But it was nice taking her to an arty little theater in the city. She grew up out in the boonies and never really had a chance to experience places like this. While she enjoyed herself immensely, she hated the seats. OK...they're not as cushy as the ones at, say, Rave or Lowes...but the movie was much better than the drek we usually see at the more mainstream theaters. It was another of those instances where she and I get to grow together more. I like that!
*********************************************************************************
I've been trying to help find a friend's niece blood donors. She's a sick little girl with cancer and it breaks my heart. I wrote, in detail, about this...but I've been spending a lot of time bugging folks online, by email and the phone, trying to help out. This, to me, is normal behavior. It's something, I guess, I learned from our mother. She would always be first in line to help out someone in need...making dinner for a sick neighbor, helping out at school, anything really. She was so classy in how she did it too! She would never, for a moment, allow anyone to give her any credit for doing what she saw was, simply, the right thing to do.
I've had many people comment, positively, on what I'm doing. I don't know how to feel about or react to these comments. To me, it's just the right thing to do. Maybe my faith has something to do with it too. While we're all in need, there are others in more need...and we should, at all times, try to help anyone we can. That's my understanding of the Golden Rule. I've almost never asked for help. There have been many times when I would have gladly accepted it...but I'm not one who can ask. It's always been more important to me to help others. My life always seems to sort itself out.
OK...I'm rambling now. I have an early day tomorrow...so I guess it's time to start shutting down for the night. Until next time..........
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