Friday, July 25, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Koko is Gone
It was only a few hours ago when I wrote my last blog about Koko. Nothing sudden really happened - we just took a hard look at how she was behaving and realized it wasn't going to get better.
She was finding it hard to breathe or be comfortable - tending to stand instead of lying to rest or sleep. Last night she panted all night long. Perhaps to an outsider without the emotional ties it would have been obvious but that final decision is not easily made.
Goodbye baby.
She was finding it hard to breathe or be comfortable - tending to stand instead of lying to rest or sleep. Last night she panted all night long. Perhaps to an outsider without the emotional ties it would have been obvious but that final decision is not easily made.
Goodbye baby.
Koko Update
Koko is doing better then when I lat wrote but is still not the perky dog that has been with us so many years. The good news is she is not in the intense pain and discomfort.
Last week, since she was doing better, we took a chance and left her with some people when we went to Raleigh for Maya's birthday. It was sort of a test to see how well she would do. When we picked her up Sunday she was okay but over the last two day we can tell she doesn't move as freely and believe she is uncomfortable.
For a week or so after her last "episode" I was begining to think she might fully recover. She has had previous back problems which cleared under "bed rest" and she regained her normal buoyancy. However, it is now a matter of time I am sure.
During our weekend trip Koko got to play with another dog she likes, Peanut. Peanut is a friendly little terrier that seems to enjoy Koko's visits so we were glad Koko could have that pleasure.
Last week, since she was doing better, we took a chance and left her with some people when we went to Raleigh for Maya's birthday. It was sort of a test to see how well she would do. When we picked her up Sunday she was okay but over the last two day we can tell she doesn't move as freely and believe she is uncomfortable.
For a week or so after her last "episode" I was begining to think she might fully recover. She has had previous back problems which cleared under "bed rest" and she regained her normal buoyancy. However, it is now a matter of time I am sure.
During our weekend trip Koko got to play with another dog she likes, Peanut. Peanut is a friendly little terrier that seems to enjoy Koko's visits so we were glad Koko could have that pleasure.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Browsing Music
I was browsing music and followed a link to Amazon.com for a group called "Quiet Village." I liked some of the music but not enough to buy the album for $14 or $11 from used and new. Out of curiosity opened iTunes and checked there, cost is $10. Of course iTunes limits my use of the music. This is info you can't live without.
One advantage of checking the two sites is that Amazon's music sampler allows you a little longer sound bite to judge whether you like the music.
And...check out Noisetrade.
One advantage of checking the two sites is that Amazon's music sampler allows you a little longer sound bite to judge whether you like the music.
And...check out Noisetrade.
Koko's Last Days?
Yesterday Koko seemed to be in intense pain, her back hunched as she walked - slow and gingerly. Hazel gave her some meds we had at home and that handled the pain and Koke was moving normally. She has had events like this in the past and after a few days she improved.
This morning, however, she was in pain again. More meds and this time, a visit to the vet. He gave us more medications for her and she is pretty dopey right now. He also told us that when she couldn't stand up, it was time to put her to sleep. We have seen her have moments when she had to struggle a little to stand, much like older large dogs do.
What is especially ominous is the vets comment. It was similar in tone to that given when he gave Brue only days to live. Brue had to be put down only two days later. He has seen this play out numerous times. Maybe I am fooling myself to think she has time yet but I'm also not so sure she will improve this time.
It is hard to contemplate putting her down. She is alert, not experiencing dog dementia (that we know) and has become more trusting and close to us as she has aged. Yet I remind myself of our neighbor that died of cancer. The intense pain he experienced in his last weeks and days. I hope to never experience that pain and suffering - I hope I have the option of physician assisted suicide should it come to that.
Living our final moments in agony is not living, it is torture and I'll not torture Koko.
Now, Koko says to me to not be too hasty to put her down. She plans to recover (she has before) and outlive me. She just might.
This morning, however, she was in pain again. More meds and this time, a visit to the vet. He gave us more medications for her and she is pretty dopey right now. He also told us that when she couldn't stand up, it was time to put her to sleep. We have seen her have moments when she had to struggle a little to stand, much like older large dogs do.
What is especially ominous is the vets comment. It was similar in tone to that given when he gave Brue only days to live. Brue had to be put down only two days later. He has seen this play out numerous times. Maybe I am fooling myself to think she has time yet but I'm also not so sure she will improve this time.
It is hard to contemplate putting her down. She is alert, not experiencing dog dementia (that we know) and has become more trusting and close to us as she has aged. Yet I remind myself of our neighbor that died of cancer. The intense pain he experienced in his last weeks and days. I hope to never experience that pain and suffering - I hope I have the option of physician assisted suicide should it come to that.
Living our final moments in agony is not living, it is torture and I'll not torture Koko.
Now, Koko says to me to not be too hasty to put her down. She plans to recover (she has before) and outlive me. She just might.
Sunday, July 06, 2008
Contrarian Party
I think we should form a new political party called the Contrarian Party. Contrarian because until politicians get it right, we adopt as our platform the motion to always vote incumbents out of office. Our own representatives wouldn't stay in office either but that wouldn't matter.
In private enterprise, companies seek to remove individuals that do not perform, that do not do what they say will. So why in the world do people continue to vote incumbents into office?
I recall at the last election Democrats entered office with fanfare - announcing they were going to do something about earmarks. If that means increasing them, perhaps they were right. Washington is unable to enact balanced legislation, work through differences and accomplish anything. The Bush administration had a majority in congress yet has a dismal record. The Democrats have done nothing better.
How about spending and the budget? Vote 'em out until they start balancing the budget and curbing spending. Our tax system is simply a blank check. Raise taxes whenever we spend too much...or print more money. Either way, we lose.
You might argue that some would vote for an incumbent because they vote your views. You may, for example, favor remaining in Iraq and think you should vote for the "pro-remaining-in-Iraq" incumbent. Well how about the rest of the mess. Has the fundamental climate changed for the good? Hell no!
When politicians realize they will only keep power and stay in office by actually being good stewards, working together, being responsible and honest. Our Contraian Party will disband. In the meantime I won't have to debate as to who might do a better job or holds views like mine, I just vote them out.
McCain or Obama? Neither! They are incumbents. Instead, how about Ralph Nader, or if you don't like him, write in Alfred E. Neuman? Yeah sounds a little chaotic but is that any worse? It would be very interesting indeed if the political establishment were suddenly confronted with a serious threat such as this - they would huddle in their back rooms and say "we had better give these folks something to calm them down."
"Later we can return to 'normal'."
In private enterprise, companies seek to remove individuals that do not perform, that do not do what they say will. So why in the world do people continue to vote incumbents into office?
I recall at the last election Democrats entered office with fanfare - announcing they were going to do something about earmarks. If that means increasing them, perhaps they were right. Washington is unable to enact balanced legislation, work through differences and accomplish anything. The Bush administration had a majority in congress yet has a dismal record. The Democrats have done nothing better.
How about spending and the budget? Vote 'em out until they start balancing the budget and curbing spending. Our tax system is simply a blank check. Raise taxes whenever we spend too much...or print more money. Either way, we lose.
You might argue that some would vote for an incumbent because they vote your views. You may, for example, favor remaining in Iraq and think you should vote for the "pro-remaining-in-Iraq" incumbent. Well how about the rest of the mess. Has the fundamental climate changed for the good? Hell no!
When politicians realize they will only keep power and stay in office by actually being good stewards, working together, being responsible and honest. Our Contraian Party will disband. In the meantime I won't have to debate as to who might do a better job or holds views like mine, I just vote them out.
McCain or Obama? Neither! They are incumbents. Instead, how about Ralph Nader, or if you don't like him, write in Alfred E. Neuman? Yeah sounds a little chaotic but is that any worse? It would be very interesting indeed if the political establishment were suddenly confronted with a serious threat such as this - they would huddle in their back rooms and say "we had better give these folks something to calm them down."
"Later we can return to 'normal'."
Friday, July 04, 2008
Friends
I don't recall where I found this so cannot attribute to the source but just acknowledge it is not original with me.
"Friendships are like a flower garden in the backyard. We tend to care for it but find it easy to put off to another day."
I think about the wonderful friends I have had over the years and how special they were. Yet, like the quote, it is so easy to put off nurturing that friendship to another day. Usually it happens when we move to a new city or state and distance inevitably attenuates our connection.
We plant new flowers in our friendship garden which bloom nicely but the flowers of friends past weakly bloom or wilt. Perhaps that is at it should be but never the less, I am nostalgic for for the beauty that once was.
"Friendships are like a flower garden in the backyard. We tend to care for it but find it easy to put off to another day."
I think about the wonderful friends I have had over the years and how special they were. Yet, like the quote, it is so easy to put off nurturing that friendship to another day. Usually it happens when we move to a new city or state and distance inevitably attenuates our connection.
We plant new flowers in our friendship garden which bloom nicely but the flowers of friends past weakly bloom or wilt. Perhaps that is at it should be but never the less, I am nostalgic for for the beauty that once was.
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Speaker System
Someday I dream of getting a good speaker system. To that end I have been browsing online reviews and articles encompassing a staggering array of speakers and home theater systems. Except for a few like Polk and Bose, the names are unfamiliar so I find myself quickly wading through reviews and sometimes rejecting because the name doesn't "sound" right (get it?).
My first criteria is cost so it is usually necessary to scan several pages of review to get the bottom line. Speaker systems can typically range from only a couple hundred up to $15,000 to $20,000. As I was scanning a review I encountered this paragraph by the reviewer: "In simple language that even I can understand: The crossover-processor corrects, in the digital domain, the time delay inherent in the horizontal stacking of the point-source array, while using four linear-phase digital filters combined with the appropriate time-aligning delay filters to carefully limit the response of each transducer's operating range." Ahhhh, okayyy, seems pretty clear to me!
Further in the review I discovered the complete system cost around $250,000. I don't like the sound of that system.
My first criteria is cost so it is usually necessary to scan several pages of review to get the bottom line. Speaker systems can typically range from only a couple hundred up to $15,000 to $20,000. As I was scanning a review I encountered this paragraph by the reviewer: "In simple language that even I can understand: The crossover-processor corrects, in the digital domain, the time delay inherent in the horizontal stacking of the point-source array, while using four linear-phase digital filters combined with the appropriate time-aligning delay filters to carefully limit the response of each transducer's operating range." Ahhhh, okayyy, seems pretty clear to me!
Further in the review I discovered the complete system cost around $250,000. I don't like the sound of that system.
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