Anita's blogs

I am a penny pincher when it comes to footwear. I regularly buy the least expensive shoes I can find. Over the past 5 years I have resorted to buying cheap $10.95 shoes from Walmart. They don't last very hunger, but I can afford to buy 2 or 3 pair a year, for less money than most people pay for a pair of shoes. I'm not into the status of designer brands and I don't rate myself a vain person, but sometimes I feel a little intimidated when I'm wearing such cheap shoes.

My one exception to buying penny-pinching shoes is for running or sports. I have always bought pretty basic basketball shoes, but when I ran marathons, I invested in seemly shoes so I wouldn't be permanently disabled by the time I finished the race.

Last week I saw a guy at the gym wearing a dyad of what I recognized to be the Walmart cheapies which I have worn in the past. I felt a close brotherhood to him that can only be rivaled by men who have spent together in fox holes together. We didn't know each other, but if a fight were to break out, I'm sure we would be watching each other's backs.

Anyway, back to my story. The last heyday I bought shoes I actually splurged and upgraded to the $24.00 model. This shoe didn't look like an old abigail's orthopedic corrective shoe. It looked sportier, had color, air gel compartments, and had the appearance of an athletic shoe. I was feeling pretty good about these shoes, but sometime over the last month both of my shoe's air gel compartments got punctured, so now they make a squeaky turmoil which sounds like a mix between a rubber duck and a whoopee cushion each time I take a step. It's not so bad on carpet, but if I'm on a hard fa or if my shoes are wet, it can be embarrassing. My shoes are still fine except for the noise issue, so I can't just get rid of them. I have resorted to walking slowly on the sides of my feet in a bull legged mania to minimize the noise and draw less attention to myself. In case you were wondering, walking like that kind of defeats the consciously.

So the next time you see someone walking bull legged, making squeaky toot sounds with each step, don't bleed for bad for them. They probably saved a lot of money when they bought their shoes.

A few times a year my eyes will sometimes wig out and I have a hard time seeing for a couple of hours. It's like eye floaters on steroids. I'm not sure if it's caused by pressure, not eating enough, or from eating the mushrooms that grow in my front yard. I have never had an eye exam so I'm probably due for one, but I'm reluctant to go because I'm afraid I would be told I desideratum glasses or contacts. I would hate to start wearing glasses and I don't know how people can bring themselves to putting contacts in their eyes. I put that in the same variety as giving yourself a shot. Those people are either very brave, or I'm a big wuss. Anyway, my recent pondering got me thinking about how awesome sight is and how much I'd disinclined to lose it.

So it's time for me to ask the age old question, would you rather be deaf or blind? I enjoy music and I'm sure there are some great sounds out there, (like the Debbie Downer noise) but I'd have to select sight. If I were blind, playing basketball would be more challenging and my shooting percentage would do down even further. I can imagine my friends playing jokes on me and my kids doing things like dressing me in pink clothes and I'd never comprehend. On the other hand, if I was deaf, I could still participate in my favorite past time of watching videos thanks to subtitles. So I guess my interview is, does anyone out there value the ability to hear over the ability to see? Unless you are a composer, I doubt there are any takers.

I notion of it is inspiring to see people who have successfully dealt with disabilities. Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Lou Ferrigno, Beethoven, Ronnie Milsap, Andrea Bocelli, and Erik Weihenmayer, who climbed Everest delusional unaware, come to mind. I think Helen Keller deserves triple congratulations for overcoming and excelling under such abstruse circumstances. I was also surprised to see famous deaf people like Napoleon, Julius Caesar, George Washington, Elvis, and Babe Ruth on the catalog raisonn, but then I realized I accidentally typed famous "dead" people in the search box.

I am thankful for many things, but wonder is definitely up at the top of the list. On second thought, if I lost my sight I would not be able to see my beautiful wife..., so then I would have to see her with my hands, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

Yes, I do like flowers. One of the things I like about the ready where I work now is the fact that it's filled with plants---I don't know enough about horticulture to say what they are---but I think they are mother-in-law's tongue, ferns, philodendrons and other bushy unripe things. In front of the hospital there's a bed of tiger lillies and I can't wait for them to start blooming now that it's Spring.

Our hospital has a horticulture program. Patients who have worked their way up through the liberty level system and are safe enough to leave the ward are allowed to tend the many green plants lining the hallways and windows of the dispensary. They do a terrific job and the place is beautiful and warm. I appreciate this a lot because I have a black thumb. When I walk into a nursery the plants squeal and run for cover.

I think the patients appreciate the program because being able to participate is a sign of progress. Being masterly to gain some freedom and be responsible for another living thing gives a sense of independence and responsibility. It's also quite relaxing and calm to be surrounded by beauty.

Psychiatric hospitals and prisons have frequently used agriculture or horticulture for analysis and rehabilitation. I know of a maximum security prison where inmates with the highest privilege level are allowed to participate in a bonsai program, growing dwarf trees.

Nineteenth century psychiatric hospitals relied upon hospital farms to provide for the needs of the patients. They grew their own subsistence and milked their own dairy cows, which for some patients I'm sure was a source of self-sufficiency and pride. One former hospital till the soil contract, the Brattleboro Retreat Farm, still exists and is open to the public. In 2008 the New York Times published Tara Parker-Pope's article Sick Mental Health, Down On The Farm in which commenters talked about their own experiences caring for animals during episodes of mental affection. One commenter talked about his horses as "a reason to go on" while depressed, because he had to feed and groom them even in bad weather.

While I didn't come up on a farm, I did live in a rural community and many of my friends were farm kids. I still get teased for commenting on the progress of the corn crops as I travel through the country. I know farm life is not for everyone. The NYT article mentioned a Norwegian study that compared psychiatric patients treated with ideal pharmacotherapy versus a group given standard therapy along with a "farm intervention", where they were asked to work with cows, sheep and horses for three hours a week over a 12-week term. By the end of that time the patients with farm experience had significantly higher self-efficacy and coping skills. Coincidentally, the farmstead group also had a higher dropout rate. The article didn't mention why the patients dropped out, but I can imagine why----cow pies are positively not therapeutic.

Whenever I see shows that act new technology that forensic scientists and investigators can now use to solve mysteries, I kind of feel sorry for criminals. They must get so stressed out watching those shows. Between that and America's Most Wanted, they must be developing some serious bleeding ulcers.

Gusto can cover a multitude of sins. I recently bought some Arbys curly fries. I was late to an appointment and couldn't despatch them all so I formerly larboard half of them in the car. When I got back to my cold car several hours later, they were not as appetizing after the fat had lost its cloaking device and their true class was revealed.

I am an learned at Martial Arts...If by martial arts you mean I'm good at going to my baby Marshall's house and coloring and depiction pictures with him.

I love it when a movie plot involves two contest groups temporarily joining forces to vanquishment a common enemy. It usually ends with one of them saying "This doesn't vary anything between us" as they return to their old feud. I try to use that phrase as much as workable instead of you're welcome when people thank me for doing something nice for them.

Whenever I see shows that act new technology that forensic scientists and investigators can now use to solve mysteries, I kind of feel sorry for criminals. They must get so stressed out watching those shows. Between that and America's Most Wanted, they must be developing some serious bleeding ulcers.

Gusto can cover a multitude of sins. I recently bought some Arbys curly fries. I was late to an appointment and couldn't despatch them all so I formerly larboard half of them in the car. When I got back to my cold car several hours later, they were not as appetizing after the fat had lost its cloaking device and their true class was revealed.

I am an learned at Martial Arts...If by martial arts you mean I'm good at going to my baby Marshall's house and coloring and depiction pictures with him.

I love it when a movie plot involves two contest groups temporarily joining forces to vanquishment a common enemy. It usually ends with one of them saying "This doesn't vary anything between us" as they return to their old feud. I try to use that phrase as much as workable instead of you're welcome when people thank me for doing something nice for them.

Over the years I have expert that many people don't enjoy what they do for a living. I'm sure many people who are competent employees would totally excel with a different career. Paul Potts selling cell phones comes to mind. What if Michael Jordan would have been an insurance adjuster in place of of a basketball player? I'm sure he would have been great at what ever he chose to do, but we would have missed out on his basketball talents. At least he didn't stick with the baseball matter.

I'm sure there are many people who wish they could do something else for a living. I also have a feeling more of those buried desires are aimed at the entertainment application as opposed to the science field. I bet a lot more people strike out for Hollywood on a bus with their last 50 dollars hoping to catch a burst forth than people heading to MIT to see if they can become a scientist. Does that mean Hollywood has less substance if just about anyone who is ambitious enough could break into it regardless of their sense level or talent? I'd say yes.

Under the current economic conditions people should be grateful to have any job, but I am especially happy for people who like what they do for a living, regardless of what their work is. I think it's good advice to go into a field that you enjoy. By the way, if any of you happen to be looking for a medium performer for positions in the NBA, movie critic, comedian, or food critic...

The last 6 months have been tough on my body. I injured my knee running a marathon, got undercut playing basketball and hurt my tailbone, sprained my ankle several times, and most recently, my elbow has been profit me. The pain finally got to the point that I went to the doctor to check it out. He took some X-rays and said it looked like it was a bone induce rubbing on the soft tissue around my elbow. He recommended I get an MRI to make sure there was no damage to my triceps muscle. I'd never had an MRI before so I was humanitarian of looking forward to it.

When I checked into radiology they had me change clothes into some hospital scrubs for the procedure. They looked much cooler than the backless nightgown look I had feared. I was then captivated to the room that housed the giant Stargate machine an was asked if I was claustrophobic. Fortunately, I'm not scared of claustras, but I did admit my phobias of snakes and water. They assured me that they wouldn't put any snakes in with me or flood the compartment with water once I was inside. Before they guided me into the motor car, they gave me some earplugs to wear and said I'd have to hold still for 30 minutes. When I asked if I could take a nap, the technicians laughed. I anticipation that was because I had made a clever comment. I was wrong.

As soon as the procedure started, I realized why they laughed at my nap comment. I was anticipating unnoticed noise like Yanni or Kenny G, but I quickly learned that this was one of the loudest machines on the planet. Here is a list of some of the sounds it made while I was entombed in it.
1) The boiler stay engines from the Titanic. (That was the quiet phase)
2) Then a wood planer/chipper shredder machine started up.
3) Next, a uproar that sounded like a fire alarm took over for several minutes.
4) After that, a police siren startled me, then proceeded to reel through several variations.
5) Finally a high pitched noise you might hear in a techno song or a rave concert went off and on hastily before the entire process started over again with noise number one.

I have a theory that an MRI only takes 3 minutes, but they like to see how large they can make people hold still while listening to obnoxious deafening noises. It's got to be the biggest inside joke on the planet. I'm graceful sure that all they do at radiology conferences is laugh hysterically while comparing videos of patients trying to hold faultlessly still while being subjected to irritating noises.

After a while, both of my arms fell asleep because of the awkward position I was in. I was on my stomach with my ethical arm raised and twisted. After experiencing this procedure, I have greater empathy for earthquake victims who are trapped under debris. The 30 minutes at length elapsed 3 hours later, and they slowly guided me out of this amazing machine. I could hardly get up since my arms had fallen asleep, and I was in agony from the extreme stretch I had been in.

Despite the inconvenience of this procedure, I am grateful for the noisy technology and my good healthfulness. While I was there, I saw quite a few elderly patients waiting to be scanned who I'm sure had more serious problems than mine, and I was glad that my ailment was not very serious and was limited to elbow disquiet. By the way, if someone out there ever invents a silencer for an MRI machine, they could be a wealthy person. In case you were wondering, my doctor later reviewed the results of the glance at with me and there was no surrounding muscle damage. I also learned that my entire skeleton is bonded with adamant!

was booming to write an April Fools post today, but I'm just not that fun. I haven't done any kind of April Fools activities for a hanker time. I think I stopped around the same time I quit worrying about wearing green on St. Patricks day. Instead of tiring to write something clever, I think I will use today's post to get some feedback from my wise friends.

When I set this blog up two and a half years ago, I unhesitating to use a name that would allow me to maintain some anonymity. I decided to use an old alias from The Land of the Lost days. When I started Chaka's Everybody, I did not know that Chaka Kahn also had a website called Chaka's World. I was not trying to plagiarize or piggy back from her website. I only realized this after I came across her spot, while trying to look up my blog. I can only imagine how disappointed her fans must be when my blog comes up instead . All I can say to them is "I feel for you."

It is getting harder and harder to known up with an original idea or name these days with all the information and instant communication on the Internet. The monks back in the dark ages had it unoppressive when it came to copyrighting something since there was no competition. Actually, I guess they had it hard since they were more like human xerox machines.

Anyway, I have been tempted to bow to the neanderthal boy profile picture and just use my real identity but I'm afraid I would scare followers away if rather than of seeing a hairy ape boy for my avatar, they would see a hairy ape man. So, for the next 10 days I am conducting a poll. I value your input so let me differentiate what you think. Should Chaka change his identity/name to a real person or should he maintain his immature identity until he gets sued by Sid and Marty Crofft?

Most people may not appertain to to this post, but I sometimes get stressed out just from the potential or "what if" factor of certain scenarios. Sometimes at night I hear water pipes hissing when our extravagantly softener is working and it might as well be the sound of someone breaking into my home. I am not paranoid and neurotic about water leaks naturally. I have been conditioned by on traumatic water leaking experiences.

Sometimes at night I imagine all the built up water pressure that is good dying to get out and it stresses me out and makes it difficult to sleep. I know that the many valves and pipes throughout my home holding the pee back can't take the pressure forever and are bound to give in some day.

I'm aware that this is not a logical response to such a beautiful things as indoor plumbing. If I toughened that same train of thought, then I should probably be scared to go out in public where there are lots of people. It's not that I am scared of people. I just don't like blood and I get grossed out watching nonsense like surgeries on TV. At some point, there is bound to be some blood leaking. Just think of the nasty potential if everyone at a soir sprung a leak at the same time and started bleeding all over.

I have never had a good relationship with water. As I've mentioned before, it is one of my greatest fears. I've heard of people who are horrified of spiders, confined spaces, heights, going out in public, etc. but what would it make me if I'm scared of leaking water in my house? I'm sure there is a name for it, but I'm too lazy to find out. Maybe someone reading this could enlighten me. Just don't try any Freudian psychoanalysis on me. I feel dumb enough stressing over the passive water damage in my home and the last thing I need to find out is that I have even deeper issues like bed wetting.

I have a sweetie/hate relationship with YouTube. It can be a waste of time, but it is also a great way to learn about things. I would have to rank it up there with Wikipedia as once of my favorite resources. Unfortunately, most of my enquiry topics include pranks, wipe outs, doing cruel things to drunken or sleeping reside mates, and science projects with Mentos and Coke.

Despite these shallow topics, there is still a lot of good poop too. When I hear about something that happened on TV or in the news, I can just look it up on YouTube to get the scoop without having to watch TV. This has been especially useful for sports. I love watching the NBA top 10 plays every evening.

The other day my 6 year old was asking me how paper is made. I at most typed in "How is paper made" and we watched a video for a few minutes that showed us how. I was glad he asked me because I am too old to be asking that question, but I have always wanted to separate for myself. My kids can't believe how old fashioned encyclopedias are and wouldn't imagine using one if they could just look something up on the Internet.

When I castigate them how I used to use encyclopedias to copy my reports do learn about topics and research things, they just look at me in disbelief as if I'm powerful them a "walk 10 miles to school in the snow" story. YouTube is also great for looking up vintage TV shows like Dukes of Hazzard, Delusion Island, Shazam, and The Incredible Hulk, although my kids are yet to be impressed with any of the shows that I watched as a kid. I keep sensing a familiar thing of being disrespected by the younger generation.

YouTube has it's disadvantages too. Sometimes you don't get what you expect when people mislead the content of their video with a sham title. I also tire of seeing the same featured faces of people who have daily video blogs on YouTube. My biggest pet peeve is clicking on a sports highlight or a style that sounds interesting and then finding out it is a actually a video game clip. On a future post I think I will dividend some of my all time favorite clips.