Jackie On Her Soapbox…

For the first time in half a century, whooping cough is back.  California alone has had 2,700 cases.  It’s a nasty disease for youngsters, but is life-threatening for infants.  CA has also had seven babies die of the malady.  There is a vaccine for it, but it can’t be given until 2 months of age and can take all the way to five years old to totally protect some kids.  So why are we seeing so much nowadays?

It’s not totally because kids aren’t being immunized, though a lot of kids aren’t protected.  Much of the new disease is hitting young adults and older who WERE vaccinated but their coverage has lapsed.  They get the disease, but because their airway is larger and because their cases are often milder due to past injections, they don’t get as sick.  But they pass the infection along to the under covered or unvaccinated.

So here is my plea.  If you have ANY contact with young children (2 and under), please, PLEASE!  Not only immunize your kids, but talk to your doctor about getting a booster for yourself and the other adults in the family.  Remember, the baby you help may be….well, it doesn’t matter.  Isn’t being safe to any baby around you worth a tiny stick?  Bet your doctor will give you a sucker if you’re a big person and don’t cry.

Please help us get this once almost wiped-out disease back on the road to extinction.

A New Car

A few weeks ago, my car was rear-ended for the second timed in 18 months…the third time in five years!  Is there an invisible sign on the back of my cars that says “Hit Me!”???  This time, the car was totalled.  Luckily, the other driver’s insurance, State Farm, has been fantastic!  So much different from Metropolitan Life, the insurance company I had to deal with 18 moths ago.  When I got home after the accident, State Farm already had a message on my machine, starting the process.

My old car was drivable and after I paid off the note, I was going to save up for a nice downpayment on a new car.  Because I’ve never been really crazy about my Ford Focus, I was going to take my time looking for another car.  But my DIL had other plans.

She didn’t like the idea that if I got hit again (A possiblility since that seems to happen to me a lot!), I might get hurt this time.  So, she got a list of what I wanted in a car and went hunting.  Withing a week, she’d found a 2010 Chevy Cobalt.  I went to look at it, but didn’t think I’d find something I really like that quickly.

Was I wrong!

I loved it.  From the minute I test drove it, I wanted it.  I loved the color.  I loved the way it handled.  I loved the fit.  I didn’t even really know how much I DIDN’T like my other car until I drove this one.  So, now I’m a happy camper.  I’m once again in a car I can enjoy for a long time.

Isn't it a beauty!

Play away time

OMG!  I should have gotten an iPhone years ago.  That’s why I haven’t blogged lately.  I’ve been learning to use my iPhone.  I’ve learned to text, bought apps, read a book, set up my iPod part, and am now in the middle of a game of Words With Friends…with a random opponent who is very good.

You have to understand.  I have a long time history of “machinery deficiency”.  I like to put it that machines and I have been at war for decades.  If there is any way to break it by using it correctly, I’ll do it.  So for me to enjoy any device is astounding.

But with my iPhone, I can email, text, play games, send money per Pay Pal, read books, magazines, and newspapers.  I also have a pet; a parrot fish called Jake.  and I can play the piano, find lyrics to songs as they play.  I can get Amber Alerts, weather alerts, and find a pet.

Oh, and I can make phone calls.

Happy birthday to me!

  Yep, it’s my 65th birthday today.  When I was a kid, I never figured I’d live this long.  After all, 65 is sooo old!  Ha!  Now, I think 100 is old.

I’m at Conestoga, a local SF convention.  For my birthday, I treated myself to a weekend off from work.  By providence, my state tax return came in so I have money to buy to my heart’s content.  I won’t, but it’s nice to have it available.  I also ordered room service for breakfast.  What luxury. 

It’s time to go.  More stuff at the con and I’m on a panel this afternoon.  Happy birthday to me!  And many more.

I have a new iPhone!

Tomorrow is my 65th birthday.  I don’t lie about my age; I lie about my weight.  And for those of you wondering, I weigh 125 pounds and I have proof.  My driver’s license says so!

Anyway, as a present for myself, I bought an iPhone 3Gs…the one with the touch pad.  It’s sooo much fun!  Since reading the instructions on how to use it properly wouldn’t be any fun, I’m learning by trial and error.  Lots of errors!  I’ve made calls, gotten calls, taken pictures and video (if anyone would like to see me walking around my messy living room, let me know), and set up the coolest ringtone.  I’ve got three eReader programs on it and one book.

Am I a geek or what?

Whew! Done for another year.

Once again, tax time is done.  Right up front, I should tell you, I’m mathematically challenged.  It took me four semesters to learn two semesters of algebra…and that’s with my dad’s help.  So, for years, my taxes were done by someone else.  My mom, my ex-husband, my mom again until I met Lou.  Lou was actually TRAINED to taxes, so he was my “guy” for about 20 years.  But, Lou had the audacity to retire, (What!!??) and left me on my own.

Due to the fact that I’m both a nurse and a published writer, I have two incomes and expenditures to work on.  My good bud, Marilyn Pappano, who also writes, but she makes a living at it, encouraged me to try Turbo Tax.  May 1000 blessings fall down on you, my friend!

Thanks to Turbo Tax, I’ve managed to get my tax return filed on time.  And I even got nice refunds.  But when I looked over my return before I mailed them off, I can’t help but wondering how any untrained person possibly gets through the forms with help.  And despite it only being April 16, 2010, I’m already freaking out about next year.  Do you suppose if I promise the IRS that I will just send them 23% of all my income, they’ll let me skip filing each year?

Yeah, right!  That’s going’ happen.

Uh, how long has it been??!!

Okay, I know I said I might not post every day, but it’s ridiculous how long it’s been since I last posted.  Not entirely my fault.  In my other job, I’m a pediatric nurse and winter is our “busy” season.  You know how adults get colds and flu?  Well, kids do to, but because their airways are so small, they can’t drink and breathe at the same time…so, they give up drinking.  That leads to dehydration and a hospital stay for rehydration and treatment.  Lots of kids.  Enough to keep peds nurses working extra long shifts.  Now you know why I didn’t keep up my blog.  Hopefully, with spring I’ll do better.

Oh, and before I go any further, due to complaints from fellow writers that I wasn’t giving them enough words to brag about their hero, I’ve upped the word count to 1000 words or less.  Now, we had no HOM for March so let’s see some entries for April.  So, Sandee Wagner is ahead in winning that $50 gift card.

I have to share something I saw yesterday.  I’m driving around, doing errands when I stopped at a red light.  I happened to glance over and the driver of a SUV is brushing her teeth!  Swear to God, the truth!  After my jaw dropped, I started laughing and she caught me…and it didn’t bother her at all.  I must be getting old or something, but in my day, personal hygiene was performed in the privacy of your bathroom.  Though I guess, with the battery operated brushes, you could take it anywhere you don’t mind getting toothpaste splashes!

  All for now.  Let’s start a pool on how many days I can keep this up before failing to post.  Maybe if I have you guys tracking me, I’ll stay on track better.  The only danger is you never know what I’m going to write about.  Especially after a hard day!

Why Blog?

Let me make myself perfectly clear.  I blog when I have to, but don’t really understand the value of blogging.  As an author, I’ve been told that having a blog is a good way of building readership.  I don’t read many blogs; would rather spend the time reading a book.  And that includes the blogs of my favorite authors.  I’m the member of a couple of group blogs (www.writingsluts.com and www.ninc.com ), but it’s always a struggle trying to think what to write.

My cousin Colleen has a personal blog which my dad thinks is a hoot.  I don’t even know how to get to it, much less read it.  I know people who say they “socialize” through their blogs with friend and family.  Me?  I’d rather talk, face to face, over a cup of coffee.  And for those to far away, I’m “tech” enough to like email, but, again, it’s more one on one than a blog.

I think a blog is perfect for someone like Erma Bombeck.  For those of you too young to know who Erma was, she started writing a weekly column with her local newspaper.  She didn’t cover world events or even her city’s political scene.  She wrote about her life as a suburban housewife and mother.  Eventually, she was syndicated in hundreds of papers.  And funny?!  She used to write about labeling the cobwebs in her living room corners as the children’s science fair projects so she wouldn’t have to dust.  Or how she painted a target inside her toilet so she could train her boys how to aim right.

So, with a thought Erma’s as my inspiration, that’s probably how my blog is going to go.  Mostly absurd, sometimes serious, and hopefully with a touch of humor.  So stay tuned; I have no idea where I’m going to ramble, but you’re welcomed to come along.

Welcome!!!!

Welcome to my website.  I’m a pretty laid back person, so feel free to take off your shoes, settle back in your chair, and browse to your content.  You’ll never know what you’ll find here.  I’m interested in many things and from time to time, I’ll probably shake things up around the site.  So, come when you want, but don’t stay away too long.  You just might miss something crazy.