Lent

I'm giving up sugar for Lent. Typing it here makes it so.

P.S. I'm not giving up natural sugar that comes in fruit. Just the refined crap that come with everything good.

Thinking out loud

I've been mulling on my career in-progress. I'm studying speech-language pathology and have a background in adult counseling. I sought out this new direction since I'm both very interested in language and how it knocks around in our noggins, and have some knowledge and experience in how to help people on a deeper level. Speech therapy seems like a good way to do all that stuff. Cool.

But wait, there's this other thing called research. That sounds fun too. I've been getting some exposure to neuroimaging and language by volunteering in one of my professor's labs. Really cool stuff. Hmmm, maybe a Ph.D. would be right up my alley. But what the hell would I do with it. I don't think I want to just research and teach. I want to be a clinician. And what about all that counseling stuff that got me going this direction in the first place? How do I put all of this together?

This has me wondering...what type of psychotherapeutic tools exist for people who have language disorders, from stroke or head injuries or whatever. What if they're depressed after a profound, life-changing neurologic event, but they have no way to sort through it other than in their own head, and even that's not working right. What if they could benefit from some form of psychotherapy, if there was just a way to do therapy with someone who's language is impaired. Therapy may have to look totally different, depending on the severity of the impairment. Have there been studies done to look at the correlation of depression and language deficiencies, neurologically and otherwise? Is there anyone out there who's doing this kind of work as a clinician? Probably...maybe...I really don't know. There are support groups for people with these kinds of language problems, and that's really helpful for a lot of people, but maybe others would benefit from individual counseling that works both on their language skills and their emotional/behavioral health.

I need to do a little digging and see what's out there along these lines. And think about it a lot more.

The Big House

Not many chicks in this day and age can be proud of their husband going to prison. Good going Ray. I hope you get to "do more time."

Bee in my bonnet: an update

Last post, I pasted my snarky email to a local TV station. A producer responded within 24 hours, which I appreciated. She told me..."We’ve spent months working on the investigation not because we felt it would “bring in an audience” but because we feel it is a matter that substantially serves the public interest."

At the time, I did a brief web search to see if other news media had also picked up this story. Nope. Out of curiousity, I checked again a few minutes ago, more than a week after the story broke. Found nary a thing on graffiti in airplane holds in the local papers or public radio news.

But do you know what does "substantially serve the public interest?" The word bonnet! I don't think I've written or said this word since my 3rd grade book report on Little House in the Big Woods! Had to spell check that sucker.

Good thing I'm not producing TV news shows, huh.

Dear King5.com,

I appreciate your website for good weather and traffic updates, but rarely pay much attention to the news content. The same is true for King 5’s and other local newscasts on TV. Why? I was reminded again this morning: Why is graffiti inside Alaska Airlines’ cargo holds a "Top Story?" As you certainly know, there are far, far more pressing news items happening in our community, region, nation and world. Pieces like this insult our intelligence...or is this really what brings in an audience? Must be.

While I will probably continue to use King5.com as a logistical resource, I wanted to speak up as a member of the public who wants more from its local TV news sources, King 5 included.

Thanks for your time.

Rebecca

Theodor Baciu

I bought this painting a few years ago when I was in Iasi, Romania. We were walking around near the National Cathedral (where we learned that in the Romanian Orthodox church, mass is more like an open house) and came upon a group of artists selling their "art" in a nearby square. I put art in quotes because most of what they were hawking that day was more akin to an airport hotel art sale, advertised during reruns of Sally Jessie Raphael. Anyway, amongst the knock-off Monets and Thomas-Kincaid-paints-sunny-cottages -with-sunflowers, was this other stuff. It was dark and somewhat abstract, and by my book, amazing. Thankfully, an interpreter was nearby to facilitate. Theodor Baciu (Bah-chew) said he painted this piece during a difficult time when he felt the world was coming down around him. He asked where I was from and we chatted for a few minutes. The interpreter brokered the deal, and I paid Mr. Baciu the $15 US he asked for. He said,"I give you this deal because I want my art to go to America." Consider it done.

Since then, it has been in America, but packaged in cardboard until yesterday, Valentine's Day, when Ray subtly unveiled it, beautifully framed. Thank you Ray!!!

And thank you Theodor Baciu. I'm finally making better on my end of the deal.

Cat and rabbit gang

On Friday night we were walking out the front door heading for dinner. Ray commented on the larger than usual grouping of cats hanging out on the parking strip. We took a closer look...one of thems ain't a cat! That's a rabbit!

Sure enough, a big brown rabbit was hanging out with the cats. There was no predator/prey dynamic here. It was more like watching guys stand around a Harley, kicking its tires.

We walked down the steps and they all walked/hopped across the street and loitered there briefly. Then the rabbit hopped up the closest driveway, while the cats walked away. I went up to the house and asked if they were missing a pet rabbit. "Nope," my neighbor replied, "...but I've seen that rabbit before."

Tip

If you're ever having trouble getting to sleep because you're thinking about logarithms, try imagining the schematics of famous television houses. Last night's pick: the Brady Bunch house. Still haven't worked out the second floor yet.