You May Want Some Cheese With This

I have no one to blame but myself, but I sure do wish I had someone else to blame.

I am so messed up.  Somehow I missed my morning medication on Thursday.  Which meant I laid around, got nothing done and followed that with something like 20 hours of sleep. 

Then I was so groggy I forgot Friday's meds......slept more.....and forgot Saturdays.

I took them when I woke today....but that was 3pm.

Now it's 11:30 and I am going to have to force myself to sleep.

When I am awake, I am fighting with the laptop.  I love this laptop.  It has accompanied on so many adventures.  It was a gift from a good, good friend, Mary and her brothers.  It was my constant companion during chemo, the transplant and the recovery.  About a year ago, Mary asked if I still used it.  I replied that it slept on the other pillow in my bed, like a lover.  LOL!

But little things have been going wrong.  The battery won't hold a charge despite changing the battery and the charger.  And I got a virus, and after cleaning it, there was damage.  It's hijacked my search capability and I've lost files and Flash.

Don't get me wrong, I won't give up, and if I fix it, it will still be useful plugged into the wall......but the time for a new portable device is in the near future.

Speaking of new things, I finally broke down and got a Kindle.  Holy crap!  What was I waiting for.  I paid $50 for a refurbished device with an Amazon Local deal. Very happy.

So, I'm off to bed.  My Dad is on alert to remind me about the morning meds.

Last Minute Change-Up

My Battleship plans have been shifting as if made on sand.  I've been looking forward to watching the US Navy save the world from aliens.

First I was going with my brother Frankie and my nephews on Tuesday.  Frankie backed out.

Fine! (that's my bratty answer when my plans are thwarted)

So I headed downtown for the 5:30 show Wednesday.  But...I got a little distracted, buying blueberries and stopping to tweet about the guy proselytizing at the top of his lungs in Downtown Crossing.  So I got there a few minutes late.  But that was fine because it was showing every hour.  So I was checking out the other movies to see what I could fit in before a later Battleship showing.  I noticed a line queued against the far wall.  I asked the ticket sellers - there was no one in line for the two registers - "What's going on?"  They had no idea.  Which was weird.  They weren't selling tickets for it, they didn't know what the movie was about or when it started.

So I walked up to the head of the line and asked.  It was a free preview of "For Greater Glory, the True Story of Christiada".  They offered me a ticket and I got in line.  It was starting at 7pm with seating to begin at 6pm.  Someone in the line said the film was a little under two hours.  The closest Battleship showing was 8:45pm.  I figured with all the previews, I could probably make it.  So I got that ticket too.

I was seated a few minutes after six and pulled out my latest read "Guns, Germs and Steel".

The movie was awesome.  It's about a time in the last century when the Mexican government tried to outlaw religion.  There were clashes between the government forces and Catholics fighting for religious freedom.  I was so moved.  And of course, as a Catholic, I felt it on another level.  Really good movie, two thumbs up.

One tiny, itsy-bitsy beef.  President Calvin Coolidge.  Bruce McGill?  Bad fit.  Distracting for this history nerd.

But.......it wasn't under two hours.....it was two hours and seventeen minutes!  So they refunded my Battleship ticket and I try again Tuesday.

My Life Is An O'Henry Story

UPDATE:  As My Marine just pointed out - It's O. Henry.  I want an O'Henry....desperately.  No, everyone is not Irish, they just wish they were.

The Internet connection is fabulous.  The laptop has a virus.

Hero Squares

Today I attended the dedication of two "Hero Squares" in Charlestown.  The first was at the corner of Belmont and Bunker Hill Streets.  It was dedicated to 2nd Lt George R Meehan who enlisted from a home two doors up from his corner.  Lt Meehan was a member of the 1st Infantry Division who was mortally wounded on October 5th 1918 in France during WWI.

The picture above was poached from the Twitter feed of Danielle V Fitzgerald (@dvallefitz), a Townie & Mayor Menino's neighborhood liaison to Charlestown.

The second "Hero Square" was dedicated on the corner of Pearl and Bunker Hill Streets in honor of PFC Philip J Foley who was killed in WWII during the Battle of the Bulge. Philip was born on July 17^th 1916 and lived on School, Cross and Pearl Streets in Charlestown. He was the son of Edward and Helen Foley and was one of three brothers that served in WWII. During the war Philip was a paratrooper with the 82^nd Airborne Division, “The All American Division.”

 

In the picture below a certificate commemorating the event was presented to Pfc Philip Foley's family.

In this picture the Foley family posed with Bill Durette, the Military Historian for the Charlestown Historical Society.  Bill, in addition to doing all the research on Charlestown's military history, is a WWII renenactor. He is also responsible for all the information I have just blogged and three of the four pics on this post.

The next opening of the Charlestown Veterans History Project Exhibit Hall at 20 City Square will take place on Saturday May 26th between 1:00PM – 4:00PM to commemorate Memorial Day. Several new exhibits will be on display. Persons are invited to come down and register any Veteran who came from Charlestown who served in WWI, WWII and Korea. thanks to Bill Durette of Charlestown Veterans History Project.

How Happy Am I?

THIS HAPPY!!!!!

My parents have finally consented, after nineteen, long, expensive months.......

TO LET ME GET THE INTERNET!!!!

The most delicious feeling coursed through my body at the words "You are now connected to the network.  Signal strength: Excellent"

I Know What My Marine Is Going To Say....

... but seriously!

While waiting for my train back to Boston, I popped in the Union Station "WOMEN"s room.  From inside my stall I heard men's voices.  What the...

I heard a surprised woman's voice "This is the ladies.  The men's is on the other side."  They laughed at her and said that was too far.  Then they entered stalls.

I came out of my stall and saw the woman.  She wasn't coming all the way in.  She stayed by the entrance.  I asked "Are there men in here?" She replied in the affirmative.

I went out and saw two men standing near the corridor.  I asked them to flag down the police officer near the seating area.  They said "What?  Police?" a couple of times.  I didn't get it immediately.

Then the two assclowns came out of the "Women"s room and I saw all four were together. 

I reprimanded the two who were in the ladies room and ......  They.  Gave. Me.  Lip. "What?  Is your ass cleaner than ours?" one asked as he walked toward me.  I think I was supposed to be intimidated and back up.

Please.

I walked right at him.

 I said "Don't talk back.  You were wrong and ignorant.  And you are picking the wrong fight, jackass!"  I began to walk towards the police officer.  One told me to "Chill."  I told him to call his mother and tell her what a CREDIT he was.

There were three others guys from a cleaning crew.  One must have said something because the four stopped. spoke to him and stayed near him even when the cleaning guy backed up.

I walked up to the police officer and gave my complaint.  I pointed toward the group.  "Now they are hassling your cleaning crew."

Then I walked off toward a seat.  After the police officer spoke with them, they headed for the furthest gate.  I don't know if it was the police officer's suggestion or if they had just had enough of the crazy woman.  Either way it was a good idea.  The bag on my shoulder had two pair of high heels.....one to chuck at each of their heads.

I'm Here....

at the hotel. 

Everything went great until the Amtrak people made me walk and walk.  But it was fine, because just when I couldn't step another step......a Marine met me at Ballston and carried my bag to the hotel.

The pool at the Arlington Gateway is closed until 4 pm.  Boo!

I'm tired and hungry and I can't make a decision.

BTW, the endocrinologist just called.  The methimazole is working.  So my hair will stop falling out.

On balance, it's a good day.

Tonight will be the Milbloggies.  I am nominated, but didn't really pimp it.  I want Pundit Review radio to win.

Same with the Donovan.  We're hoping his category goes to Lex.

As Alannis Says.....

At 6:35 am I will board a plane and head down to the 2012 MilBlog Conference.

You may say "But Maggie, you rarely blog.  And of the few posts, not many are related to the military."

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  As I told The Donovan during the 1st Milblog "I'm here for the pahties!"

Besides, I have to go handle that Blackfive guy.  He's forcing people to tweet about how "dead sexy" he is.

Congratulations Captain Michael Junge, USN (sel)

Big news in my world!  And the Naval Blogosphere!  And probably Mike's house.....

Nomination: PN1472-112
Date Received: March 19, 2012 (112th Congress)
Nominee: One nomination, beginning with Michael Junge, and ending with Michael Junge
Referred to: Senate Armed Services

If you want to read some of Mike's musings you can head over to this guest post at Information Dissemination; or this article in USNI's Proceedings.  Then there's always his Navy bio

Mike is also husband to the lovely and talented Paulette and Dad to my pals, Eva and Ella.

His friendship is one of the greatest gifts the blogoshpere has ever given me.

I am thrilled and proud to say I will be front and center in Newport for his promotion.  My sisters already found the perfect gift.  Although we will spend from now until then trying to figure out how to wrap it.

There will of course be pics because both of the Junges are very talented photographers.

Well That Was Useless!

The neurologist who thought my tremor was so awesome he filmed it, scheduled an MRI.  I am not kidding.  He filmed me holding my hands out straight, pouring water from one cup to another and stuff.

We talked about the tremor being somewhat present even on 120 mg of propranolol.  We can't increase the dose because it causes my blood pressure to drop.

Now what would my tremor have to do with an MRI?  Well, what do you have to do in an MRI?  You have to stay still.

Guess, what I can't do?  Stay still.  Two hours and tons of admonitions to "please stay still" all we got was blurry, useless images.

When they finally gave up we were so distracted that I almost left with my IV in place. 

My head hurt from being on that hard plastic for two hours.  I self medicated with a strawberry banana smoothie and some chocolate chip cookies.

I did a lot of walking through downtown and Haymarket.  Which of course, means I slept until nearly two this afternoon.