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October, thank goodness. I've had enough of September 2003. Now it's October, Autumn, Halloween and sometimes a few snow flakes. Apple cider, what would October be without apple cider. In my opinion, October is unofficially, the start of the holiday season. I'm willing to bet that some of you have already started your Christmas shopping. I know Patti probably has, and more importantly, she probably can't find one or more Christmas gifts that she has put away for safe keeping. At my work, October is consumed with testing. The state of Florida graduation test is given to 11th and 12th grade students who haven't passed it yet or are new to the state. PSAT is also administered in October, October 21. In case you need a refresher course, the PSAT is the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test. It is for college bound students. Certain National Scholarships are awarded to students based on their junior year PSAT scores, but for the majority of students, the PSAT serves as a practice SAT. Both the PSAT and SAT have been updated significantly over the past several years. Most of you probably wouldn't recognize it in it's present form. This discussion of the PSAT and SAT does not preclude that the ACT and the PACT are any less important for students, they are just another college boards type exam. Actually we urge students to take both the SAT and the ACT in 11th and/or 12th grade. One never knows how one will do on either test. The SAT is more aptitude, math and verbal. The ACT tests achievement, English, math reading and science reasoning. Enough about testing. I feel like skipping class tomorrow. Speaking of school, October is the month for school pictures. And here's mine.
******************************************** Some October dates worth noting:
******************************************** Kudos go to Miss Patti for her weight loss over the past few months. I believe she has lost about a third of her goal. Congratulations and Good Luck to Patti. For more information contact Patti. ******************************************** I want to thank all of you for your prayers, best wishes, cards, email, phone calls and gifts over the past few weeks. A sincere and heartfelt thank you. Tuesday I had my follow-up appointment with the surgeon. All's well. The lymph node biopsies were all negative. And everything is good. I have to go back to my dermatologist on Monday, the 6th and have the other moles on my body evaluated. The doctor said that I may need other biopsies, we will see. But at least I'm familiar with the procedures. Hopefully and with pray, I won't need anymore surgery, but if I do, Richard is first on the "to call" list this time. Of course Sandy is always welcome as well as any of you at any time.
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Entertainment
Open Range, I saw the movie on Labor Day. A good old fashion western. Staring Kevin Costner and Annette Bening. The were both great. The movie seemed more like a spoof on the great westerns. People laughed at some of the dialogue throughout the movie. I don't think the dialogue was supposed to elicit laughter, except maybe the reference to the Cuban cigars. If anyone saw Open Range, please comment on that fact. Let me know how other viewers reacted to the movie. It was refreshing and took me back to the old days, the days of the original westerns. I seem to remember hearing that Kevin Costner did not take a salary for the movie. I don't remember why, maybe he had some other financial interest in the movie. ******************************************** Cold Creek Manor, Another good movie. It was one of those horror movies. Not too scary. Dennis Quaid and Sharon Stone played in it. Entertaining, but not the kind of movie that one was glued to his or her seat. It was interesting. Dennis Quaid looked like he was trying too hard. He had that look on his face that would suggest that he had to go to the bathroom, but couldn't go right then. Sharon Stone seemed to be too old for the character she played. It was entertaining. I didn't yell out in freight during the movie. Sandy was with me. I guess I felt protected. I felt protected and secure that whole weekend. ******************************************** Emmys on September 21. Of course I fell asleep at 9:30, so I didn't see all of the Emmys. I read about them in the paper on Monday morning. For a complete list of the winners go to winners. ******************************************** Miss America, Miss Florida took the honor this year. From the start of the show I thought that Miss Maryland was going to be crowned Miss America. Miss Maryland was 3rd runner-up, I believe. I stayed awake for that show. Sandy was here that night. She went to bed early, missing most of the show. Friday night she fell asleep on the coach about 9:30. I should talk, I never fall asleep watching TV, yea, right. Sandy says she was only catching up on her lost sleep. Sleeping or awake it was good to have Sandy here that weekend. She did stay awake during my surgery.
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Surgery over, I guess I'm cured of skin cancer. A word to the wise, visit you dermatologist. Especially as you age. The damage that the sun has done to your skin when you were young will show up in your later years. A friend of mine at work made her husband go and he needed a biopsy. We are waiting for the results. Another of my colleagues visited his derm and found out he needed a biopsy on one of his moles. If my situation has helped even one person, then my experience served a purpose. Hopefully all will heed the warning. The sun is not our friend. Yes, in moderation, but not unconditionally. However, people get melanoma who never sun bath. It is recommended that one wears sun block on a daily basis. I bought Lubriderm Daily UV Lotion with sun block (SPF 15) and wear it everyday. It's non-creasy and doesn't have that girly smell . My next visit to the beach will include a big umbrella, one that goes in the ground and provides protection from the sun. The sun and I have had our last rendezvous. No more intimate visits with the sun. I'm strictly a moon man now. ******************************************** During my recent visit to the hospital, the nurse had a heck of a time trying to regulate my blood pressure. During the pre-op, it was fine. But on the day of surgery, it was through the roof. I am planning to ask my doctor about it when I go for my flu shot in October. The nurse at the hospital recommended a herb approach. Her husband has high blood pressure. Years ago he started treating it with herbs. She recommended Presur-Lo. I bought a jar at GMC. I'm going to ask the doctor about it.
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Now there are 10 candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for president. I thought the field should be narrowing instead of widening. I don't know how Gen. Wesley K. Clark will fare among the other Democratic candidates. Some are saying that Clark is not a true and tried Democrat. I think he just wants to be president so he declared himself a Democrat and joined the race. Time will tell. My money is on Congressman Gephardt. My second choice is Senator Kerry. I think Kerry comes from a too liberal state, Massachusetts. His wife's family connection to the Heinz fortune is not a plus in his ordinary Americans plea. Governor Dean is probably a good choice for Democrats, but I doubt if he would win a national election for president. Senator Graham from Florida is a good choice as far as being the candidate most in line with my political views, but he is boring. I don't think he could spark the fire needed in a presidential bid. Senator Edwards should run for re-election for North Carolina's senate seat. The other Democratic candidates either lack charisma or are incapable of eliciting a national following. ******************************************** The media is saying that President Bush is dropping in the popularity polls. Well, he is, but he is still ahead of where other incumbent presidents were in their third your of office. Yes, Iraq is a problem. Yes, our economy is in serious trouble. People are out of work. Jobs are being flushed down the drain. The deficit is skyrocketing. But it is still early in the presidential election cycle. Wait until next year at this time. And remember a president is elected if he or she has a simple majority (even just one more than his opponent) of the electoral votes. Remember the 2000 vote. Please Florida as well as every other state, get 2004 right. Let us never again have the Supreme Court of the United States determine the president of the United States of America.
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October is the month of the rosary. I believe October 13 was the last visit of the Blessed Lady to the three children of Fatima. The first visit occurred on May 13, 1917. Lucy asked the Lovely Lady to perform a miracle so the people would believe the children. On September 13, 1917 the miracle occurred. The sun started falling to the earth and then it stopped and went back to it's original place in the sky. During each of her visits, the Lady urged the world to pray the rosary. So too today, pray the rosary. Praying is not past tense. It should be present tense. Praying the rosary is not obsolete. It is a beautiful way to keep in mind that the Blessed Lady is still our Mother. The Blessed Mother is perhaps the closest spiritual being to the Lord Jesus. Mary is the mother of Jesus, our God. Who else has the right ear of the Lord? In elementary school the nuns told us to pray to Mary because Mary was the closest being to our Lord and her requests were the closest to God's heart. Pray the Rosary.
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Tech Talk Have you heard the news about the "Do Not Call List". The October 1 implementation is in doubt. The latest judicial ruling says that in it's present form, the law is discriminatory and violates our free speech law. Under the present law political, charitable and a few other types of unsolicited calls are allowed. I think they should ban all unsolicited calls. I prefer not to be called by any solicitor. The Unites States Congress passed a new law concerning the "Do Not Call List". The President has signed the bill. The fate of the "Do Not Call List" is anything but determined. The Federal Communications Commission says it will enforce the law in spite of the court fights that continue.
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