Biographies

The Gutenberg Project has been a good source of biographies. They are one of my favorite read. I have a couple of thoughts concerning biographies. They are written about people who are an exception for some reason. They are usually more intelligent and made so mush more of their lives--sort of makes you feel as if you could have done more with yours. They do inspire, but at my age there is not much time to make much of a change. I still like eaves dropping in on other peoples lives. That may be their appeal.

Just a picture today.

Edison

Recently I started reading the biography of Thomas Edison, written in his lifetime--1847 to 1931. The following paragraph is from the book.

“It is curious fact that in the Edison family the pronunciation of the name has always been with the long “e” sound, as it would naturally be in the Dutch language.”

It is of interest that the Edisons where Dutch and came to America in 1730. Could it be that our Elias’ where contemporaries? It has not been determined when we arrived. The best information that has been gathered is that we were here in the early 1800.--Interesting even if not too useful.

Ysterday

Yesterday I made a trip with the Segway and a grocery bag partially filled with used electronic equipment and made my way to the local electronic recycling center. On the way home I stopped at Ralph’s grocery’s and bought a few supplies. I also proofread a few pages for the Distributed Proofreading group. That is not much activity for a day, but I am retired and not required to accomplish too much.

Ducks

These ducks are from our neighborhood park. I spent some time there yesterday. It is a great park and it has many ducks. Santa Monica is short of parks, as is all of Los Angles.

The past summer a pair of those ducks flew into our grassy space to eat some of our bird food. They were welcomed, but think that they are safer in there park a little further from traffic.

Alzhiemer Dissease

Imaging Compound May Catch Early Alzheimer.

Wednesday, December 20, 2006 -- A new imaging technique could make it possible for doctors to detect Alzheimer’s disease in brain before extensive damage has taken place.

“I think this approach offers considerable promise for a brain test that might be used to detect who would benefit from future treatments,” said Dr. Gary Small, director of the Institute for Neuroscience at UCLA.

A study in the Dec. 21 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine details the use of an imaging molecule that literally stains the diseased brain tissue of it show up on Pet scans. They were able to distinguish people with normal brains form those with mild cognitive impairment and those with Alzheimer’s disease.

This is study group that I a took part in 2000 and ended in 2005. Maybe I was of some help in concurring this terrible disease. I was a patient who took two of the Pet scans. I also was on world wide TV with Dr. Small a couple of broadcasts.

Meery Christmas

Christmas Eve at Paige, Brent and Kendal was so nice. Good company with Paige’s family and Brent’s mother--about 12 in all. A great dinner, a beautiful remodeled home with a view better even than, if you can believe it, Crestmoor Drive. The best part is of always the people. Inexpensive gifts for everyone and so much fun sharing. Inexpensive for everyone’s except Paige’s. Brent got her a new Volvo.

Today I plan to get together with Mark, Jennifer and Mark’s father Gunther from Niagara Falls for some cheer and eating.

Christmas Eve.

This day should be slow and easy until this afternoon. Paige invited me to have an early Christ Eve dinner with her, her daughter, her mother, Brent an other members of the family. She has been helping her mother recover from a heart valve replacement at her mother home in Santa Barbara for a number of months. It will be just a little Christmas Party with some inexpensive gifts.

I will miss the UU Christmas Eve Candle Light-Service that I like.

ThisSaturday

Nothing to new expected for today--may go to the Getty Center in the afternoon, haven’t been there as often as I should.

Bouganvillea at the Getty Center

Snow in Denver

\
This is about how our trees would look if we still lived in Denver. I don’t believe we ever, in our 20 years that we lived there, had a storm so bad as they are experiencing.

Christmas Shopping

I do very little Christmas shopping. What little that is done should be finished up today. On Tuesday a trip was made to the 99 Cent Store and there a number of items were purchased. They are now wrapped for the children in the neighborhood. I can remember when we had some Christmas gatherings and suggested that you bring a $1.00 gift and it was hard to find one. Now at the 99 Cent Store there are hundreds. One can not figure out how they do it. All items there should sell for far more than do, some ten or more times. Some things are better than they were.

Santa Monica Pier

A friend called and suggested that we do as a tourist would probable do if they were in Santa Monica--tour the pier. So it will be. We will find a likely looking eating place, have a Christmas Cheer and eat something. We will also keep our eyes open for the scenery.

Cold

Since most people that I met yesterday had been talking about the cold weather and some wind. I will include some comments. Anyone living is this area and talking about cold will not get sympathy from anyone. The feel of the weather for the past day or two, I think, was the coldest I have experienced since leaving Colorado in 1988. Their was a cold spell while we were in San Bruno that may have been colder. I am now a bit older and so not so cold seems like more. My thermometer’ s shows a that our recent low of 45.7. Cold and warmth feeling are all relative to what you get used to. Don’t be concerned about my survival, I will survive.

Cookies

There are many things that I like about Christmas, light, visiting people, partying, and good food and beverages. People don’t make just ordinary cookies for at this time of the year they make--Christmas cookies. It’s a great season and when it all over the sun starts back, hope returns and the sun gets brighter and the days get longer.

Camellias

The two camellia bushes, one in the alley-way and the one at the door to the cottage, have just started blooming. They are filled with buds and so should have plenty of flowers. Each bush is about eight feet tall and they make a good addition to desirability of my living quarters. Their beauty pay off well for my watering, pruning and some feeding.

This Wayne’s 51st birthday.

Chistmas Party

Last evening Ann, John, Lazio, Chris and I had ourselves a little Christmas Party. We had some eggnog at Ann’s and then walked to The Earth Wind and Flour for dinner and good visiting. Mark , his father and Jennifer had other plans and could not be with us. It is good to have good neighbors.

Just a picture

Just a picture, that is all, for today's blog.

Eye Doctoring

The opthalmologist/retina specialist, Dr. Rosen and a technician, looked into the eyes and took pictures and determined that their isn’t any leakage. The left eye is the only one effected. There seems nothing that they can do to improve it’s vision. It is good to know, at least at the present, that it is worse. The next visit is scheduled in two months. I could be happier with the situation, but I am pleased with the information--it could be worse.

This afternoon I will be at the Julies Stein Eye Institute at UCLA for a Christmas Party of the Age Related Macular Degeneration Support Group.

Eye Doctoring

A visit with Dr. Rosen is scheduled for this afternoon. This is a visit that has been taking place about every six weeks for more than two years. This is just for a check. They have some new device for looking and picturing what is going on with the retinas. I have experienced no change since the last visit. I do not expect him to see much new--good or bad. I maybe a little closer to being able to read with the left. As it is I enjoy reading with what the eye right eye sees, with maybe a little help from the left.

William Tell

When William Tell was forced to shoot an apple off his child’s head , this why he do not choose his daughter.

Rain

The ducks at Douglas Park must have liked our heavy rain that came on Saturday, during the night. The first real rain of the season.

A picture

ALONE
Most of these blogs are about me. I thought I would send just a picture to avoid that. I was not successful. The picture is about me--I like blue.

The Photo is not of me but sets the scene for the following:

The paragraph that follows is from a Thomas Hardy story “ The Withered Arm” and it brought back clear memories from the farm that I was worked on at my age of twenty.

It was an eighty-cow dairy, and the troop of milkers, regular and pernumerary, were all at work; for, though the time of year was as yet
but early May, the feed lay entirely from the pasture, and the cows
were 'in full pail.' The hour was about six in the evening, and three-
fourths of the large, black and white animals having been finished off,
there was opportunity for a little conversation.

The voice seemed to proceed from the belly of the cow called Cherry, but
the speaker was a milking-woman, whose face was buried in the flank of
that motionless beast.

Christmas Party

The picture you see it is of the Singapore airport and not St. John’s Medical Center Cafeteria. It gives you an idea of commercial establishments Christmas decorations.

Today was the second Christmas party so far this year. It is still early but it could be the last. St. John’s does a fantastic job of making a Wonderland of their cafeteria. It is a wonder. Everyone comes out of the woodwork and shows up for this Christmas party. It has no doubt, the best attended and the best Christmas parties I know of--nothing is spared. Lots of good food, Santa Claus with pictures for anyone who wishes, good music, professionally catered and served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I always stop at St. John’s for breakfast on Thursdays. Today I stopped in for the breakfast, a cup of coffee at noon and my dinner at four.

Phone Number

Mark Summerfeldt is another name you my wish to add to your list of persons to call if you have doubts about my well being. Mark ‘s address is 1225 Princeton St. apt A, Mark and I keep track of each other and are good neighbors. Mark is away from home from 8 to 6:30 each work day. He has a cell phone--1 805 313 4976.

Today is the day that Saint Johns Medical Center have their Christmas Party. I will be off in a few minuets to be there for their extensive decorating and good food.

Phone contacts

It has been suggested that the list of people for you to call if there is a doubt about by well being be republised. My neighbors all know a great deal about each other and so they are the best candidates.

Ann Buttnay, 1225 Princeton Street, apt C, lives next door and who share a bathroom and kitchen wall and very friendly. She has only a cell phone would be more than pleased to be of help if called. The problem with her and all my neighbors is that they are at work from about 8 to 6:30.

Ann's cell phone number is 213 500 0176

Phone contacts

It has been suggested that the list of people for you to call if there is a doubt about by well being be republised. My neighbors all know a great deal about each other and so they are the best candidates.

Ann Buttnay, 1225 Princeton Street, apt C, lives next door and who share a bathroom and kitchen wall and very friendly. She has only a cell phone would be more than pleased to be of help if called. The problem with her and all my neighbors is that they are at work from about 8 to 6:30.

High Country

I could not think of a thing that happened yesterday that might be if interest. I will include a lovely winter scene that you my also like.

I was never that much of skier but with a view like that is an incentive to be in the high country.

The Swiss Club

The Christmas Party at The Matterhorn Young Peoples Swiss Club was a pleasant outing. The setting very nice, the people friendly. Had a beer with friends, enjoyed small talk. The Santa Clause had gifts for children, called them by there name to talk with him and knew something about them. The food was good, as I knew it would be, after having had few Monday noon-hour dinners there. They sang Christmas songs. Some of the people singing in Swiss. It is interesting that the written words are not written in Swiss--to difficult a language to write. They use high-German for their writing. Life is interesting.

Christmas Party

This afternoon I will attend my 1st Christmas party of the season. Nick, Jim and I will drive to the Swiss Club and enjoy their party with them. There is no way to know what to expect but they have a very nice facility and their dinners have been so good and so it should be a good outing.

What I kept.

It’s all accident from the very beginning in the womb what come to us, and most all what we catch in the game of life, whether we fit. I am well pleased with what come along and what I kept.