Today, we celebrate Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving- a holiday which we’re told was initially celebrated by the Pilgrims and the Indians to give thanks for bountiful harvests.  Today, Thanksgiving is typically a celebration with friends and family where we stuff ourselves full of turkey and other delicious food till we’re in a food coma.  Damn that tryptophan.  Those still awake watch football or plan where they’re going for the Black Friday deals.

Over the last few days, I’ve been contemplating and reflecting over the things that I am thankful for this year.  Some times sarcasm creeps– what can you be thankful for when your world is turned upside down and you’ve lived through the darkest, loneliest, saddest times you’ve ever been through.  I’ve then given myself a mental pep talk.  After several days of  thinking, I’ve found some light in the darkness.

Basically 2009 has just plain sucked since February.  Life was so good before February- I had a husband whom I loved dearly and we were such a happy family with our new son.  Everybody was healthy.  Life was good.

Then along came February and the stage IV diagnosis, followed by our fight and culminating in our lost battle.

But through it all there are things to be thankful for.

Nathaniel.  I have a wonderful easy going delightful son.  He is a pleasure to be around and his growth and development is nothing short of amazing to witness.

John got to be a father and he was a great one.  Some men never have the opportunity to become fathers.  Of the ones that do, not all of them are great.  John enjoyed fatherhood as much as he physically could through his illness.  Mentally it gave him a reason to fight and a reason to live that stretched beyond self.  John loved his boy so much.  He told me that Nathaniel’s laughter was his most favorite sound.

I had a great marriage and was married to a wonderful man.  I’ve been able to experience true love.  There are lots of people who can’t say that.  I have enough wonderful memories to hopefully last a lifetime.

John’s illness has taught me to stand up for what is right and to fight for those you love and to pick up the pieces and carry on.  The Mary of years past, wouldn’t have stood up to the well known and credentialed doctor and told him that we weren’t done fighting and if he was, then he could be forever referred to by name as “the doctor that gave up on daddy and the doctor who let daddy die.”  The doctors and nurses have other patients and rooms to visit.  The patient has one life.  Sometimes you have to stand up for those you love and insist on the best treatment for your loved one.  In the end maybe the outcome isn’t the most important thing, but rather how you life the life you have and the memories that you leave.  We’ve all been born and we’ll all die… really it’s the parts in the middle that we need to really make count!

John’s death has left me with a hole in my heart- grief, heartache, and loneliness like nothing else I’ve ever experienced.  But, I’m getting through it… not over it, but through it.  Some days are like walking through a nice grassy meadow with the sun warmly shining.  Others are like fighting my way through thick mud and slipping, sliding, falling, and getting up and pushing on.  The sun rises.  The sun sets.  Life goes on.  If I choose to live life or not, it still continues- better to enjoy it while I can.  Nathaniel, the horses, and the cats have kept me going.  They all need me and they all love me.  I’m working or re-building my life.  It won’t ever be the same or the happy home and strong fortress that it was with the three of us, but we’re making it.  It’s not always easy, it’s not always pretty, and it certainly isn’t always clean, but we’re making it…. one day at a time.  Life goes on.  We never know how short or long our life will be.  To me it only makes sense to enjoy it to it’s fullest and be happy as best you can.

For some reason, John’s death has chilled me out more and I don’t usually get upset over the little stuff.  In the end, the little things don’t matter.  It’s the big picture.  I just want to relax and enjoy simple pleasures- hug my kid, ride my horses, take a walk, pet the critters, and just enjoy life.  I’m very fortunate that I can do all of those things without even leaving Leaky Creek!  I love my farm, my house, my horses, my cats, and my son.  I truly feel like there is something else out there beyond our realm.  I do think that John has given me signs.  It’s reassuring and gives me an inner peace that I need.  Attending church has been helpful.  I used to fear dying terribly.  After I held John’s hand as he died, my fear left.  Someday, I’m sure we’ll be together again… as long as he doesn’t hook up with some hot angel in the meantime…

Annapolis Fire Department.  They were absolutely amazing during John’s illness and they (along with Community Fire Company of Rising Sun) made his funeral a fitting tribute to a wonderful man and amazing firefighter.  AFD did so many wonderful things that I know I can’t mention all of them.  They covered John’s shifts, so he received full pay.  They allowed him to retire on disability.  They came to visit him in the hospital and were there for his 2nd round of IL2 treatments at 6 AM & 10 PM.  They transformed our half bath into full bath with a shower that John could use.  Sometimes when you’re sick… the ability to get clean just means so much.  Sadly, John was only able to use his shower a few times, but it was very much appreciated!    AFD built a ramp, so we could get the wheelchair in and out easily.  They mowed our grass and did assorted maintenance jobs.  They went with us to many doctor’s visits so I didn’t have to worry about driving on little sleep or in unpredictable traffic.  They sent meals.  They held a fundraiser in Annapolis.  They participated in Team Smitty for the LiveStrong Challenge.  In, short, they took care of their brother.  John truly worked for a topnotch organization.  He loved working there and they loved him, too.  I miss them.

I’m thankful to the wonderful medical personnel that we encountered… from the friendly, familiar faces on the ambulance, to the caring hospital nurses, to our beloved home health nurses, and every smiling caring face in between.

I am thankful to the friends and family who have supported us and were there for John, Nathaniel, and myself.  During times of crisis, you find out who your true friends are.  Sometimes they are who you think they are… sometimes they’re different people.  I  have been very fortunate that no matter how alone I feel, I am not without friends to support me.  Some friendships have strengthened and I’ve even found new friends.  A simple phone call can make all the difference in the world.  Many people have also helped me out with everything from mowing grass, to checking car brakes, to babysitting, to installing ceiling fans, to watching Nathaniel while I got some equine therapy… and just being there when I needed to talk, needed a hug, or needed a shoulder to cry on.  This Thanksgiving, I’ve received so many invitations- thanks to everybody who thought about my boy and me and knew that we might not have a place to go.

I also have the world’s best babysitter.  I can’t tell you how amazing she has been with my son and how much I enjoy and value her friendship.  We’ve known each other since elementary school, but had lost touch through the years.  Facebook re-united us and I consider her to be one of my best friends, now.  We share conversations, hugs, and tears.  There is nothing like having the piece of mind that my son is being cared for as if her were part of her family.  Nathaniel helped carve his first pumpkin and made his first art project with them.  Her daughter is like a sister to him.  Nathaniel adores her husband and I think it is important for Nathaniel to  have a good male role model in his life.  I can go to work and have no concerns and no worries… to quote the credit card commercials.. “Peace of mind– priceless.”   I know John would approve.

I also hope that I can do some things in memory of John to help fight melanoma and fight cancer.  I don’t want his death to be in vain.  Skin cancer can kill.  We need more melanoma awareness and much, much more research.  I’d love to do a memorial bike ride, since he loved to cycle.

So, even in what has been the worst year in my 34 year life, there are things to be thankful for.  Happy Thanksgiving everybody.  Hug your spouse.  Hug your kid(s).  Pet the critters.  Eat up and watch some football.  And if you get a chance before the food coma sets in take at least a brief moment to remember what you’re thankful for.

There is usually no need to invest in both, a Roth IRA and Traditional IRA in the same tax year.  Both types of retirement account can be enormously valuable to your retirement planning, but first, you need to be able to tell which type of account suites your particular needs best.

Click the following link to read an article that describes the differences between the two types of accounts and helps you figure out which one is the right choice for your retirement investments: How to Decide Between a Roth IRA and Traditional IRA.

Are you ready to retire? With the real estate market in a full-blown meltdown, the U.S. on the verge of a recession, and the stock market tumbling, it is not a fun time to consider retiring. In fact, many potential retirees have to extend their working years later and later just so they can scrape by. It just doesn’t seem fair.

What happened to living the good life in your “golden years”? Where did your dreams of finally relaxing after years of hard work vanish? Do you worry about how you’ll ever make ends meet?

If you are feeling the pinch and punch of this “uncomfortable” time in U.S. history, you are certainly not alone. Countless thousands of individuals in their late 50s, 60s, and even 70s, both those already retired as well as those ready to retire, are being faced with the prospect of having to keep working or even return to the workforce just to get by. Once respectable nest eggs and savings are quickly diminishing with the fall of the stock market, and with rapidly falling house prices, the money many expected they’d make on their home sale, just isn’t going to pay out.

Dreams of retiring to such domestic hotspots as Florida, Arizona, or California just aren’t feasible any more. But, don’t fret; more and more Americans are realizing there is an alternative. More and more retirees are pulling up their roots and beginning one of the biggest, most exciting adventures of their lifetimes – they’re choosing to invest in one of the world’s best-kept retirement secrets: Croatia!

Though Croatia is commonly seen as a repressed eastern European country filled with drab colors and an oppressive government, the wealth, recovery, and beauty of the land is in­comparable to that of any other country in all of Europe. Filled with gorgeous coasts, mountains, and hinterlands, as well as countless island paradises you ever will see, Croatia is truly a sight to see.

In fact, many Americans have already made the decision to see it and call Croatia home, and that’s in addition to thousands of English-speaking expatriates from around the world who make Croatia one of the most desirable locations to retire.

There’s never been a better time to live and invest in Croatia. With the recent inflation in most of the world’s beach resort locations, comparatively prices are incredibly affordable in Croatia. The entire country is booming with life in its newfound independence and retirees are scooping up cream of the crop properties at seriously discounted prices. Add to that the fact that all of Europe is readily accessible from this hidden gem and the reasons to retire to Croatia keep getting better and better.

With unmatched beauty from the Dalmatian Coast, Istria, Slavonia, and throughout the countless islands, as well up into the mountains and hinterlands – Croatia is a never-ending retiree dream with activities, culture, easily accessible destinations and more for the young at heart who are looking for the best place in the world to spend their golden years.

Once reserved for the world’s elite and most savvy investors, Croatian real estate investing is quickly becoming the best way for retirees to find their own seventh heaven and begin living the lives they always dreamed were possible. If you’ve ever dreamed of living, investing, or retiring to your very own private paradise, don’t miss the opportunity to start living the good life you deserve in Croatia.

What’s ahead for you?  New baby going to take you from two paychecks to one?  Starting a new business?  Moving into a new house with a big monthly payment?  Retiring in a year or so? Big changes all.

Your plan is all in your LIFE LAYOUT, but it’s going to take a tight budget.  You’re convinced it’s doable.

Want to be sure?  Start living on the new budget now.  Yes.  Now.

Hi Tanuki here, looks like I got in trouble for saying cats that live outside are stupid but I didn’t mean all cats that live outside. I just don’t get it though why don’t they just find a nice house and live inside? Anyway, I’m supposed to apologize so I’m sorry.

There now that I’ve got that out of the way here’s the thing, the litter box hasn’t been very clean lately and I’m not happy about it. I mean its bad enough that I have to share the box but sometimes they don’t change the litter for days and why does Rascal get her own box? I know she’s a founding member of the band but she hasn’t written a new song in a long time and should be retired by now anyway. This whole little box thing stinks so leave me some comments telling the studio that I should have my own box and it should have new litter every day.

Bill Moyers Tells a Tale of Two Quagmires: Vietnam & Afghanistan

John Nichols 11/21/2009

http://www.thenation.com/blogs/thebeat/499437/bill_moyers_tells_a_tale_of_two_quagmires_vietnam_afghanistan

Moyers, who was at the side of President Lyndon Johnson at the time when disastrous decisions were being made to escalate the U.S. presence in the quagmire that was Vietnam, used his experience to speak Friday night to President Barack Obama about what could be an equally disastrous decision to escalate the U.S. presence in the quagmire that is Afghanistan.

“Our country wonders this weekend what is on President Obama’s mind,” Moyers began, at the opening of a remarkable hour of television. “He is apparently, about to bring months of deliberation to a close and answer General Stanley McChrystal’s request for more troops in Afghanistan. When he finally announces how many, why, and at what cost, he will most likely have defined his presidency, for the consequences will be far-reaching and unpredictable. As I read and listen and wait with all of you for answers, I have been thinking about the mind of another president, Lyndon B. Johnson.”

The presidential adviser turned journalist, who will retire his “Bill Moyers Journal” television program in April, then turned to decades old tapes that were recorded as Johnson was making the decision to surge hundreds of thousands of additional soldiers into a war that would kill almost 60,000 Americans and more than a million Vietnamese.

One point of the program, he explained, was to offer viewers “an insight into the mind of one president facing the choice of whether or not to send more and more American soldiers to fight in a far-away and strange place.”….

*Bill Moyers will be sorely missed, his has been the voice of reason for many years now, and we all would be smart to listen to his words, I can think of no one currently who can take his place, and I thank him for being there when we were and still are wandering in the wilderness….

SOURCE

“The Oprah Winfrey Show,” an iconic broadcast that grew over two decades into a daytime television powerhouse and the foundation of a multibillion-dollar media empire, will end its run in 2011 after 25 seasons on the air, Winfrey’s production company said Thursday night.Winfrey plans to announce the final date for her show during a live broadcast on Friday, Harpo Productions Inc. said, bringing an end to what has been television’s top-rated talk show for more than two decades, airing in 145 countries worldwide and watched by an estimated 42 million viewers a week in the U.S. alone.

I never really completely finished an entire Oprah episode. I can’t even remember the last time I attempted to watch one. But this news is sad but relieving at the same time. Sad because one of the most talked about shows in the whole world is about to end. Relieving because Oprah will finally have her whole life back to her once more. No more schedules, no more issues, no more controversies, she’ll have one of the biggest retirement fees of all and she has her whole life ahead of her.

Though I never was a fan of the show, I do know that Oprah’s show discusses topics that are sometimes of my interest. Thank you for everything Oprah, may you have a happy retirement period.

Look Tanuki face the facts, my little sister Ashes is cute, don’t be getting all freaked out because she’s on the CD cover.  And don’t think I don’t see you watching me from back there…

More importantly, I can’t believe Cleo crapped on the floor again!  You’re right we do have to retire her from the band and maybe then they’ll kick her out of the house.  I mean we all get in trouble every time something like that happens so let’s just kick her out, and Rascal too!

BB Kitty

Let me begin by saying that the current versions of ObamaCare don’t have a single death panel.

It’s more like 111 separate death panels.

Some of the names  and acronyms of the dozens and dozens of bureaucracies are undoubtedly different under the new iteration of socialized medicine, but here’s a snapshot of your new health care system if Democrats get their way:

The Senate version is 2,075 pages of fun, I hear.  Nobody understands it.  And nobody is going to end up getting a chance to read it by the time it gets voted on.

If you thought that there was going to be any kind of transparency or accountability – or even honesty – from the Obama administration – you need to stop smoking your crack pipe.

This latest event in the march toward socialized medicine reminds me of the case of Barbara Wagner.  In Oregon, which has “universal coverage” through the state, she was abandoned to die by a system that would not pay for her cancer treatment, but offered to pay for her euthanasia.

Only this time, the government wants to deny treatment on the other side of the cancer diagnosis.

IBD Editorials

Rationing’s First Step

Health Care: A government task force has decided that women need fewer mammograms and later in life. Shouldn’t that be between patient and physician? We have seen the future of health care, and it doesn’t work.

We have warned repeatedly that the net results of health care bills before Congress will be higher demand, fewer doctors, more cost control, all leading to rationing.  New recommendations issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) regarding breast cancer and the necessity for early and frequent mammograms do not convince us otherwise.

Just six months ago, the panel, which works under the Health and Human Services Department as a “best practices” study group, was shouting its concern about a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study showing a 1% drop in the number of women regularly undergoing such screening and prevention.

The task force was saying that women older than 40 should get a mammogram every one to two years. It found that frequent screening lowered death rates from breast cancer mostly for women ages 50 to 69. But that was then, and this is now.

“We’re not saying women shouldn’t get screened. Screening does save lives,” Diana Petiti, task force vice chairman, said of the recommendations published Tuesday in Annals of Internal Medicine. “But we are recommending against routine screening.”

Now the panel recommends that women in their 40s stop having routine annual mammograms and that older women should cut back to every two years. The concern allegedly is that too frequent testing can result in increased anxiety, false positives, unneeded follow-up tests and possibly disfiguring biopsies.  Preventing breast cancer and saving lives almost get lost in the new analysis.

“I have a particular concern in this case about who was involved in this task force,” says Rep. Charles Boustany, R-La., who was a heart surgeon in private life. “There are no surgeons or oncologists who deal directly with breast cancer or even radiologists. … I’ve seen far too many young women develop late-stage breast cancer because they didn’t have adequate screening.”

Little, if anything, has happened medically in the last six months to cause such a shift. A lot, however, has happened politically as a health care overhaul has limped forward on life support. The Congressional Budget Office has been busy pricing these various bills, a process that includes screening and prevention.

As we have warned, the growing emphasis seems to be on cost containment rather than quality of care. About 39 million women undergo mammograms each year in America, costing the health care system more than $5 billion.

“The American Cancer Society continues to recommend annual screening using mammography and clinical breast examination for all women beginning at age 40,” says Otis Brawley, its chief medical officer. “Our experts make this recommendation having reviewed virtually all the same data reviewed by the USPSTF, but also additional data that the USPSTF did not consider.”

Daniel Kopans, a radiology professor at Harvard Medical School, says: “Tens of thousands of lives are being saved by mammography screening, and those idiots want to do away with it. It’s crazy — unethical, really.”

This, sadly, appears to be the future of medicine under government-run health care. Aside from taxes on insurers, providers and device manufacturers, we’ll be up to our eyeballs in cost-effectiveness boards that will decide who gets what tests and treatments, when and if. These are only recommendations for now, but they are the shape of things to come.

An IBD/TIPP poll found that 45% of medical doctors would consider retiring if the Congressional health care “reform” passes.  Given the fact that an increasing shortage of doctors is already one of the chief burdens in providing health care, this exodus would amount to a catastrophe that our health system would never recover from.

In Canada, the chronic doctor shortage has been bad enough that patients literally have to sign up for a lottery in order to have a chance to “win” a primary care physician.  But now we are learning that overwhelmed Canadian doctors are using a lottery of their own to dump patients.

Why on earth would anyone want this for America?

The Obama administration is preparing the health delivery system to implement the philosophy of Obama advisers such as Robert Reich, Ezekiel Emanuel, and Cass Sunstein, which can be easily summarized with the quote:

“It’s too expensive…so we’re going to let you die.”

Robert Reich’s words in context only make the hateful idea sound even more hateful:

And by the way, we’re going to have to, if you’re very old, we’re not going to give you all that technology and all those drugs for the last couple of years of your life to keep you maybe going for another couple of months. It’s too expensive…so we’re going to let you die.”

Then there are the words of Obama’s Regulatory Czar, Cass Sunstein, who wrote:

“I urge that the government should indeed focus on life-years rather than lives. A program that saves young people produces more welfare than one that saves old people.”

And Rahm Emanuel’s brother Ezekiel, whom Obama appointed as his OMB health policy adviser in addition to selecting him to serve on the Federal Council on Comparative Effectiveness Research wrote:

“When implemented, the Complete Lives system produces a priority curve on which individuals aged between roughly 15 and 40 years get the most substantial chance, whereas the youngest and oldest people get chances that are attenuated… The Complete Lives system justifies preference to younger people because of priority to the worst-off rather than instrumental value.”

“Attenuated” means, “to make thin; to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value.”  Attenuated care would be reduced or lessened care.  Dare I say it, in this context it clearly means, “rationed care.”

And Obama himself told a woman who wanted to keep her aging mother alive:

“At least we can let doctors know — and your mom know — that you know what, maybe this isn’t going to help. Maybe you’re better off, uhh, not having the surgery, but, uhh, taking the painkiller.”

YOU take the painkiller rather than have that lifesaving surgery, Barry Hussein.  And why don’t you insist that Michelle and your two daughters take the pill rather than have that lifesaving surgery, too?  Just to be like all the “little people” out there.

But of course that’s not going to happen.  Rather, Democrats have now exempted themselves from 11 separate amendments that would have required them to have the same ObamaCare that they want to force everyone else to have.

You can understand why they would do so, given the promises that the system will be worse than terrible, and due to the fact that even a complete idiot who looks around and sees how horribly the administration has managed the H1N1 vaccine situation can recognize that taking on 1/6th of the economy would be beyond catastrophic.  I mean, heck, if I were a Democrat, I’d be sure to exempt myself from this monstrosity too, lest MY family members fall under the coming steamroller.

This “recommendation” of reducing mammographies isn’t mandatory now, but that’s because the government hasn’t usurped the health care system yet.  You just wait a decade from now, when the government runs everything, and soaring deficits force them to start cutting costs.

Valentino: The Last Emperor (2008)
★★★★ / ★★★★

Over the years I’ve grown to love the fashion industry so watching this documentary about the legendary Valentino Garavani was a real treat. I was fascinated with watching him handle situations when people did not quite reach his vision. That frustration sometimes ended up in heated arguments and sometimes they ended up with a joke or a simple snide remark. The passion Valentino had about fashion sometimes took its toll with the people around him, especially his long-time business partner and lover Giancarlo Giametti, but if it weren’t for his persistence and perfectionist nature, his creations would not have been the same. I liked that Matt Tyrnauer, the director, took some of the picture’s time to go back into the past and tell his audiences where Valentino came from and how he met some of the most influential people in his life. I was so engaged when the legendary designer talked about the many inspirations he had from films and movie stars when he was around thirteen years old. And when asked by a reporter if he dreamed about being anything else other than designing for women’s clothing, there was something brilliant and amusing with the way he said his one-word answer. I’m glad that this documentary didn’t quite focus on all of Valentino’s accomplishments (although I wouldn’t mind watching that documentary if one decided to take on the project). The majority of it was about his final couture show, which was beyond extravagant, and the media’s ever-annoying questions on when he would finally retire. I’ve seen a few runways and shows but nothing comes close to the elegance of his models, the ravishing sets, and the inspired clothings. Every image of the film looked like candy I wanted to touch and relish. “Valentino: The Last Emperor” would most likely not reach the mainstream because it’s geared more toward fashionistas. However, if one is generally interested in beauty, or even better, the passion and effort to make something beyond exquisite and divine, this is definitely the one to see.

An IC diary entry:

It’s quiet here. The mornings are the best times. The cold from the night is gone and the heat isn’t yet unbearable. The sunrises are glorious — golden rays drifting in under the leaves of dark, broad-leafed trees. Embers from the previous nights fire are still hot enough to start a cook fire for some breakfast and black wine. I suppose we should drink it sparingly. Who knows when another trader will come through with more.
After breakfast and cleanup the quiet is gone. The camp begins to stir, chores are done by free and slave alike. There’s no resting on one’s laurels in the desert. Most days aren’t bad. The work is tiring, but I’m not above it. Churning butter, preparing food, feeding verr and a long list of other sundry, boring things that take up my time. I admit I’m no good at most of this yet. But I’m muddling through. Trying hard to fit in.
My biggest gripe so far, aside from the irreparable damage done to most of my wardrobe, is the wind. When the wind blows here it’s like the world around you has turned on you. The dust gets whipped up and you choke, the sand stings your eyes. There’s nothing for it but to wrap a shawl around your head and run for cover.

Now for some OOC fun …

Oasis of the Five Blades thoughts on free woman attire in the desert camp is that they need not be clothed the same as they would in a large, crowded city. One description found in the books about women’s clothing is offered here. Though, for you quote-sticklers I’ll acknowledge, the quote here is refering to the attire of a slave. The reason it is applicable is because the difference between FW and slaves in the desert is that slaves weren’t veiled, wore their hair long and obviously, they wore their master’s collar around their neck. Oh, the books also mention that slaves weren’t generally given undergarments … I won’t even SAY how silly that sounds — I mean, one word: SAND. *ahem*

“She wore a long, bordered skirt, with scarlet thread at its hem, which swirled as she turned; she wore a jacket, tan, of soft kaiila-hair cloth, taken from the animal’s second coat, which had a hood, which she had thrown back; beneath the jacket she wore a cheap, printed blouse of rep-cloth, blue and yellow, which well clung to her.”

So, keeping that description in mind I’ve made an effort to find some pieces that fit this landscape and still keep in mind my desire for color and style. Let’s see what I found.

First, the shoes. For once I went for function rather than flair, choosing a durable walking boot rather than a more decorative slipper. I don’t have a quote handy, but the Tahari style boot is a leather footwear that comes to a point that curves slightly upward. ViGo makes a nice one in several different shades and offers both male and female sizes. Here are some pics. I think they’re adorable.

Now for the clothes. As described above I figured I was looking for separates that I could mix and match. And the main item on my list was to find a jacket that looked something like what was described in the book. I found an adorable suede hoodie at Benoir. It doesn’t have zippers or buttons. Looks patchy and handmade but still soft and comfy. I love it. The photo above has a great view of the back so you can see the hood.

Second on my list was tops. I searched for shirts and blouses that looked like they’d be made of some natural fiber. Any prints I purchased I tried to find patterns that were neutral or offered a tribal feel. All of the tops I bought wear longer-than-average. No belly button peep shows in the desert, y’all! And besides that, most of the cute skirts that I found were low-waisted, so I needed the length to cover the butt-crack! *laughs*

Finally, when shopping for skirt I looked for something at least ankle length with wearable, natural-looking cloth with reasonable amounts of flair just around the hem and maybe the waistline. I figure that since women probably made their own clothing they wouldn’t mind taking the time to embroider a good skirt with something pretty. Or maybe die some color into the edges. But unless the skirt is something made out of rep-cloth, it probably wouldn’t have an all-over pattern.

Want me to shut up and show you what I wore? OK, here ya go. Only 2 outfits, but I think you get the jist of things:

A quick note on the pieces I’m wearing in those pics: Jacket, Benoir Designs; Shirts, Sprawl and Gypsy Soul; Skirts, Mashooka and Nomine. If you know your SL designers then when you read those labels you may notice that not one of them ‘caters’ to Gor. So everything I’m wearing — except the veil and shoes — was bought ‘on Earth’ … something I take great glee in doing whenever possible. You end up with unique looks that don’t look like ‘boxed’ Gorean-wear. Love it.

Now then for a few words on the sim we’re playing in these days. This place is called Oasis of the Five Blades. It’s a masterfully designed oasis with none of the painful desert stereotypes. The ground has a hint of plant life. The trees cast dramatic shade onto the sands below. You can easily find and recognize the water source bubbling forth from the rocks. Small pools and streams irrigate the gardens and keep the trees watered. The layout has a natural feel and the overall atmosphere of the oasis is one of shelter and comfort. A rare place of water and life found in the heart of the perilous, dangerous, deadly Tahari desert.

And now for pictures:

One final note on Oasis of the Five Blades. It is a no-meter RP SIM with very strict Gorean philosophies and ideals enforced. If you visit I hope you enjoy it. But I encourage you to be aware of the culture you’re walking into

Reports are coming all across the news wire that Allen Iverson is going to be retiring this NBA Season.  Inside sources state that if Iverson does not rejoin the Grizzlies, then he is going to retire.

Iverson, 34 has been getting a lot of playing time on the bench lately and this could be the main contribution to his retirement, he is unhappy.

As has been stated previously in this space, the time to buy in Florida is now. Prices are lower than they have been in years.  Take advantage of these opportunities — they won’t last forever. As reported by the National Association of Realtors®, the Pending Home Sales Index posted its 8th consecutive monthly gain in September.  It’s the longest winning streak in the history of the index and Pending Home Sales are now at their highest levels since December 2006.  When the Pending Home Sales Index rises, it tells us that market activity has picked up.  September data confirms what we’ve been noticing since February — the buyers’ market appears to be ending.

That the time to buy is now is especially true for retirees and others looking for a relaxed lifestyle in a warm climate.  I know about cold winters.  I was raised in the Detroit area and have close family there, so I feel your cold-weather pain.

Have you visited web sites like greatplacestoretire.com and city-data.com ?   On those sites, Lakeland and Winter Haven are recognized as great places to retire.  I completely agree.

Most retirees I know enjoy smaller homes and don’t enjoy mowing the grass — although many do enjoy the benefits of  year-round gardening.  If that fits you, then a condo or a 55+ community may be for you.   I’m going to divide this into two postings in order to talk about both concepts.  First, condominiums.

I live in a condo in Lakeland.  Many of my neighbors are over 55, but it is not a 55+ community.  Previously, I have lived in 2 other condominium complexes, also in Lakeland, so I can tell you from experience that condo living has much to recommend it.  For example, the condominium maintains the exterior of each home.  Last week, two men came to clean out the gutters.  They told me first why they were at my house so that I wouldn’t be surprised to find two men on my roof.   I like the fact that this household chore was taken care of by the association, and I like it that the men told me why they were there.  Amenities at my complex (Stonewater) include a very nice pool with hot tub, tennis court, clubhouse, and electronic gate.

I have my condo on the market for sale because it is too big for me since my daughter is away at college and my husband passed away.  However, I enjoy living in this community, which is convenient to everything I need, and I would gladly trade down to a smaller unit in the same complex.

If you would like, you can see my home and community from the air.  Go to Google maps; put Stonewater Dr, Lakeland, FL in the search box.  Click the “satellite” button, then under the “more” button check the “real estate” box.  Mine is the first house on the list (A), 3105 Stonewater Drive, and you can click on it for a description and for photos.   As you’ll see, it boasts water views and a large fairly new shopping village is just a short distance away (Lakeside Village).  It’s also within walking distance of such staples as Target and Publix and offers good access to Polk Parkway.  A top-rated “links” style golf course is situated right across the street.   Great medical facilities and employment centers are also convenient.  Maybe you or someone you know would like to talk further with me about this house.  If so, please just contact me.  The golf course, by the way, is Grasslands Golf & Country Club at Oakbridge.

One more thing about condominiums that I want to be sure to mention.  In Lakeland, most condominium complexes are townhouse style, rather than apartment building style. As a Realtor, when I speak to folks about condominiums, often their first response is based on the belief that a condo is an apartment in a building.  That is not the case here in Lakeland.  “Condominium” refers to a type of ownership, rather than a style of construction, but that’s for another conversation.

As I type this on November 7, 2009, the day is fabulous.  The temperature is in the low 80’s, it’s breezy, and clouds are scudding across a gorgeous azure sky.  Welcome to the beginning of the very best time of year to be in Florida!

I wish to retire with millions and millions of money in the bank or in assets.

Very ambitious, it may come true. In my personal view, it is not difficult or tedious to be wealthy, depending on what you define as being wealthy.

Wealthy means comfortability, above average, where you can afford a better-than-normal style of living and that you can retire without worrying about your mortgage and debts – all fully paid.

Since young, I wanted to be a millionaire. There is one obvious mistake. I did not write in detail how rich I wanted to be or how much is “much”.

I am writing a plan for myself, obligations and responsibilities I have to stick with in order to reach my ultimate goals. It shall be deeply rooted in my mind, just for myself to see and visualise.

The simple rule for now: pay myself first, i.e. savings, upon getting my paycheck and work with the balance for other expenses. For now, the discipline is to pay myself 50%.

It is a proven fact, that up to 97 percent of most people who have had any experience in network marketing have failed. Most come to network marketing because they heard some hype through an “independent representative,” or an ad they read online or in the newspaper about “to earn six figures using their ‘fast start’ plan.” They are quick-buckers looking to resolve their financial problems overnight. And when they don’t get the instant results they are looking for, they accuse the industry of being just another pyramid, saying that none of it is legitimate, and it’s just too hard. Here are 4 of the greatest lies about the network marketing industry:

• Network marketing is fast money. The answer is yes for SOME people. What your uplines have not told you is that those few “lucky” people have a pretty stout advertising budget and can use pay-per-click advertising on Google or place ads in newspapers and magazines. But for the majority of us, who lack that scale of an ad budget, we’ve been taught to bug friends and family, the three-foot-rule, buy leads lists, etc., but the real training on how to actually move product is totally omitted. You’re given a product to sell, and a copy of your company’s compensation plan, and that’s basically your training. Is it ever a wonder why your network marketing business failed? Most people also don’t realize that network marketing is a BUSINESS. And like any other business, you have to build a rock solid foundation first and that takes TIME and patience. Even if you started a traditional business or service, you can’t realistically expect to turn a profit—after all your expenses—within the first few months. There is a learning curve that everyone must go through in any type of business. That’s why most true business people think in much longer terms, and succeed, while most quick-buck seekers fail.

• Network marketing is nothing but a cheesy pyramid scheme. False. Yes, you will need team of motivated, skilled leaders to produce the type of results you are looking for. But in the past, there has been no system to weed out the 97 percent of the people we call the “tire kickers” and the unmotivated people. And you have been told primarily that you need to find that “ultimate star player,” that proverbial needle in the haystack, for your team to succeed. Again it goes back to omission of the necessary training. If you had been properly trained, and mentored a group of people into being “ultimate star players,” isn’t that a whole lot easier than sitting around, waiting incessantly for that “one” to fall into your lap and lead you and your team to victory?

• Network marketing isn’t a legitimate business. Absolutely FALSE. Network marketing is definitely a great business with tremendous benefits. You’re not clocking into a job you don’t like anymore. You get to spend more time with your friends and family because—with most opportunities, with the proper training, and mentoring from your leaders—you will actually spend LESS time on your business and more quality time at home with your family. There are also tremendous tax benefits to operating a business from your home. Not to mention the savings of not having to spend money on gas, commuting to your job, saving wear and tear on your car, or waiting in cold or rain for the bus.

• Network marketing is hard. Those were the old “push and sell” days of typical network marketing—the warm leads, three-foot-rule, grocery store lines. With the advent of Social Media, or Web 2.0 as its known now, and with more thorough internet marketing training available today, network marketing is WAY easier than it was in the past. Using attraction marketing, and the consultative approach, there limitless methods and resources you can use to promote your business. Once again, it goes back to PROPER training on how to use them. You will have to put in some hard work in the beginning. But would you rather work hard for 3 to 6 months and build a great residual income, or work hard for 30 years and get next to nothing?

I believe that if we give people, who are serious about building a home based business, the proper training and mentoring, we can greatly increase the number of success stories in the network marketing field. My mission as an internet marketing consultant and coach is to help those who are seriously ready to take their current business to the next level, AND, help those who are curious about building a home based business, but need the proper training and access to tremendous tools to get started in whatever opportunity they choose. For more information, just shoot me a quick email at deesign1969@gmail.com.

Arizona, take a look at the upclick of single households since 2008!!

http://www.realtor.org/research/economists_outlook/didyouknow/dyk110609sl

REALTOR.org gives a country-wide look at the changes over the years.

Kathy Howe, Designated Broker

Kathy Howe

how2ariona real estate

PS.  I moved the “single” status up a knotch when I moved to Sedona from Honolulu in 2006.

Great Room

A great property in West Sedona.  Check out our office website for more information.  Then click on “Our Listings which will take you to the public MLS site.  Or visit our Blog for quick pictures and information.

Thunder Mountain Sedona AZ

Kathy Howe, Designated Broker

kathy@kathyhowe.com