Bye bye Blogger, Hello WordPress

Any second now you will be redirected to my new home. Visit me there and I'll fill you in.

My latest google maps hack: crime in the hood

When google recently announced their new "My Maps" feature I knew I had to try it out, the only question was, what map do I want to build?

I tried mapping my Flickr snapshots. But Flickr had already done that. Not too interesting.

Then it occured to me that I get a daily Ingleside Police Station Crime Report email that lists all of the police activity for that day that includes the address of the incident. Bingo. So I started mapping crime reports. This is what I came up with. It currently covers the four days from April 2nd through April 5th, listing the arrests and criminal incidents. No, I will not maintain this map. I just used it as a way to learn about this feature. But it does offer an interesting view on the crime in our hood...

We got into Mather!

View full size

Upgraded?

Hmmm.... I'm experimenting with the New Blogger here on this old, neglected blog. Trying to figure out how the new version of blogger will affect my main blogging project the SfSchools blog. So far I am not impressed.

I had hacked the my old template at the HTML/CSS level pretty heavily. After upgrading to the new layouts feature, all that is gone. Poof. In its place is an oh-so-usable touchy-feely UI that makes a lot of things possible for people that have no clue about HTML, but injects an unwanted, cumbersome layer for anyone like me that wants to fiddle the HTML.

Sigh. It looks like one can get one's hands dirty with the low level template code. So I'll have to play with this for a while before declaring it a mistake. Or maybe this will be the impetus I've always needed to switch over to WordPress or Moveable Type. Something I should have done a long time ago...

Stay tuned.

Quiet blog

Hawthorne district Fall Foliage during a break in the storm
Originally uploaded by BernalKC.

Yeah, this blog is pretty dead these days. I've been a lot more focused on the schools blog and just living my life.

Meanwhile, check out my recent photos, or maybe a gallery of desktop wallpaper images.

Where do the hours go?

I've been obsessed with WEBoggle for weeks now. Obsessed. Playing it constantly. Sheesh.

I haven't been this obsessed with an online game since Planarity.

This is so much more fun. And I suck. If I get my name in the top 40 I've won. Or if I have found as many words as I recognize. So many 3-letter words that are totally obscure. And it seems there are throngs of Boggle nerds who know every damned one of them and came type them all out in 3:00 minutes! Oh well. It's just a fun challenge.

Beth is even getting into it!

Angel, RIP

I feel so all alone, so suddenly. Words fail me. For now I'll let Google bring these words to me.

If I have any beliefs about immortality, it is that certain dogs I have known will go to heaven, and very, very few persons—James Thurber

A dog teaches a boy fidelity, perseverance, and to turn around three times before lying down—Robert Benchley

I think dogs are the most amazing creatures; they give unconditional love. For me they are the role model for being alive.—Gilda Radner

To sit with a dog on a hillside on a glorious afternoon is to be back in Eden, where doing nothing was not boring - it was peace.—Milan Kundera

The more I see of men the more I like dogs.—Anne Louise Germaine de Stael

Nobody can fully understand the meaning of love unless he's owned a dog. He can show you more honest affection with a flick of his tail than a man can gather through a lifetime of handshakes.—Gene Hill

He is your friend, your partner, your defender, your dog. You are his life, his love, his leader. He will be yours, faithful and true, to the last beat of his heart. You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion.—unkown

Dogs' lives are too short. Their only fault, really.—Agnes Sligh Turnbull

Many who have spent a lifetime in it can tell us less of love than the child that lost a dog yesterday.—Thornton Wilder

Goodbye Angel. We miss you.

Nurse KC's Diary

Here's a long post chronicling my visit with Teena during her first round of chemo therapy:

continue reading...

MONDAY

I hopped a morning flight from Oakland to Portland. I left the sunny Bay Area and landed in the midst of a record breaking storm. My favorite source of satellite imagery of natural disasters had a great picture of this freakish sub-tropical storm that just happened to be sitting off the Oregon coast -- hardly where sub-tropical storms are supposed to develop. But there it was, pumping record breaking buckets of rain on top of Teena.

And Teena is looking just like Teena. Moving a bit slow from the surgery, but for now she's doing well and feeling relatively good. In the back of my mind I was unsure what to expect. From afar it's hard not to fear what is happening to my sister. As soon as we met I felt a quiet relief. Teena is strong and doing well. As this story progresses we know it will take a toll. Now that I'm here with her, I'm loving the chance to have a nice vacation with TT.

We got out of the airport and headed over check out an acupuncture / massage clinic that Kaiser referred her to -- in the oh-so-hip Hawthorne district. We grab a sandwich at the Grand Central Bakery Cafe and I feel like I'm still in SF. This place is definitely on the map. I'm trying to subtly influence Teena to stay with the acupuncture -- because I really think it will be worthwhile -- but also to make sure this place becomes part of the routine.

We dropped in on the clinic and got Teena hooked up with an appointment for the next day. The women there fit the bill perfectly. Definitely good feng shui. And the price is right. Turns out their practice is somehow funded by research into the benefits of alternate practices working with the chemo regimen. Teena has her doubts about the Chinese herbs, and truth be told I do too.

Next we're off to Longview and it's dumping. The highway is a blur of rain and fog and spray from the cars and trucks. This has been going on for days. The rivers are swollen. When we get to Longview, the road to Terri's (and now Teena's) house runs along the Cowlitz river and the river looks menacingly close to flood stage. You'd swear that the water is flush level with the river. Hmmm....

One of my jobs here is to cook, so I start out with a risotto which is a good way to make something out of whatever is on hand. The rice was not perfect, so it came out a bit gloopy. Pretty typical for my risottos. But it tasted good.

We're feeling good. No election news tonight. So we decide to take in a movie. Teena surveys the listings and we agree to check out the Scorsese flick "The Departed". Whoa. We expected violent, but this goes above and beyond. The cast is great. The acting is great. I recommend it. But if you see it, know that it is way, way violent and graphic. Happily it didn't inhabit our dreams. It's just Scorsese doing what he does.

TUESDAY

Nice leisurely morning. Still raining. Hard. We don't have to be in Portland until 11:00, and while we're lounging we get a call moving that to 11:30. Plenty of time to sip coffee and linger before another drive through the deluge. The weather news is bleak, and that river sure looks angry, so we pack our bags expecting to spend the night in Portland. Tomorrow is show time and there is no way Teena is going to let some natural disaster delay things any longer.

The first appointment has Teena getting some blood taken, then getting a PICC line inserted to ease future blood work. This is at the Kaiser Interstate clinic where most of the oncology visits will take place. The IP happens in a different facility -- a hospital? -- but today she's getting worked on in the non-oncology-specific end of the facility. I'm just along for the ride. Unfortunately, there is no Wifi in the public spaces here, so I mostly hang around and read. Yawn.

The PICC line takes longer than expected, so we have to rush back to the acupuncture appointment. We quickly grab another sandwich at the bakery. Yup. This place is definitely worth a return trip.

While Teena gets the needles, I wander the neighborhood in search of a WiFi hotspot. In this neighborhood you just know its out there. Sure enough I'm directed to Red and Black cafe, a worker co-op coffee house where I get my Internet fix. Meanwhile I've explored the Hawthorne area. The clouds break, and I find some very cool fall foliage that looks extra vivid after the rains.

Teena is underwhelmed by the acupuncture. How can you tell if it is beneficial when you're undergoing such a severe treatment regimen? The effects are subtle, and if you don't have prior experience with acupuncture's benefits, how can you tell if it is working or not? We'll keep talking about this. I'm a believer. But it is subtle. And, aside from the hipness of the locale and the nice lunch choices, this location is not convenient for her. The massage was a hit. So we'll see.

Another wet ride home to Longview. This time not so wet, but still the rain is coming down. The breaks in the clouds give us the confidence to go home and not bother staying in Portland. Good call.

Election night? We all know how good that was. What a massive relief after so many dark election days! One complaint though -- CNN was so wishy washy. MSNBC put them to shame, calling the 30+ seats changing in the house much earlier and much more accurately. How sad to see how badly CNN has fallen. Thank goodness for MSNBC and Olberman -- and the Daily Show. How deliciously freakish that Stewart has some of the best coverage -- and has Dan Rather on his show! I liked Colbert's catastophometer with its Jesus <--> Bin Laden scale.

Whatever else comes from all of this, it has been great to spend some time together. No other plans, no kids, no distractions other than the business at hand. It is a gift. Even if we'd do anything to give it back and undo it.

WEDNESDAY

Early wake up today for Teena's 9:00 am appointment for her first IV chemo at Interstate. No trepidation getting ready, at least none that I could sense. Time to get the show on the road.

The road is clear. It is really beautiful here now. The mists, the dramatic clouds, and the bright yellow foliage are lovely. For some reason there is no traffic either. Smooth sailing.

Into the clinic we go. It all seems so routine. Until we are visited by the counselor and the pharmacist. Some of the info is due diligence warnings about anything and everything that might happen. But some of it is a rude awakening. I know a lot more now about the specifics of her treatment regimen. The IV Taxol is very routine. The side effects are manageable and well known. The IP Cisplatin is the nasty beast. Many different people had assured Teena that nausea is a thing of the past. "If you're nauseous, we're doing something wrong." Not so for the IP Cisplatin treatment. I'm learning that Cisplatin has been around for a long time, predating Taxol. So it is well known too, and the hazards are Kidney damage, and nausea which can heighten the kidney risks via dehydration.

We get a ton of info about the strategies for confronting the side effects. Hydration is numero uno. Gotta keep the fluids coming and going. Going is key. Constipation can be a problem. Lots of meds. Lots of advice. That is my/our job in the hours and days after each treatment. I'm trying to absorb as much as possible. There's alot of written information too. Teena is ready for it with files and binders to absorb it all -- even as she is getting drowsy from the Benedryl their pumping into her to ward off any Taxol side effects.

The staff at the Interstate clinic are fabulous. I can't praise them enough. The counselor nurse was sharp, helpful, clear... a total pro. Sure, there was a lot of sobering info to absorb, and Teena was maybe not in the best shape to absorb it all, with the meds flowing. But nurse did a great job of laying out everything Teena and the rest of us need to know, both verbally and in handouts. Best of all she has her set up with all the phone numbers and contact strategies we'll need when the time comes.

Gayla, the pharmacist, was a total trip. She is the queen of her domain in the chemo injection facility. She could not be more vibrant and energizing and more full of infectious zeal. Very cool woman who really makes Teena feel cared for. Just a wonderful ally to have looking out for her.

Right now Teena is getting the Taxol and napping while I tap away. I realize that I need to be recording this. It's not just info I need to know for this visit. This is what we all need to know going forward, for when we are here with her and for those anxious times to come where we will be so far away and feeling helpless. We're not really. We need to know all this so we can keep tabs on her progress and know what to be alert for to do and what do.

I'll stop now to get back to her. My job is now pretty clear. Help keep her hydrated. Lots of soups. Nothing fatty or spicy or acidic. So the chicken soup I made last night is right on target. The chemo will change her taste buds and make everything unappetizing -- even water. No matter -- the fluids must keep going in -- and out. Some symptoms can be expected and dealt with easily. Others, like even the slightest fever, or constipation beyond certain limits, need to raise the alarms.

We're equipped with a lot of knowledge now. Finally the treatments have begun. It's no picnic from here out. All the good wishes and all Teena's optimism and healthy living are now put to the test. Under the unwanted circumstances, we're in a good space.

Stay tuned.

---

Wednesday night and all is well. The Taxol IV has been a breeze. We shop for printers at Office Depot, have dinner at home, and relax. Nothing notable to report, just uneventful good news.

THURSDAY

Today we drive to the Kaiser Sunnyside Medial Center in Clackamas, south of Portland. This is the hospital where the hysterectomy surgery took place and where the IP port was inserted. Some familiar faces for Teena, but nothing as warm and fuzzy as the Interstate clinic. By the time Teena gets a room and starts treatment it is clear she is once again in good hands.

The Sunnyside hospital facility is no where near as warm and fuzzy as the Interstate clinic. It is a hospital, so it is just not possible for the experience to be anything like the outpatient clinic. You are on a hospital ward with all kinds of other patients with all kinds of maladies. Hospitals suck, OK? At insterstate you're with other chemo patients and there is some sort of solidarity there.

The other problem about Sunnyside is the hospital food. Teena will need a lunch courier on her IP days. There is a big mall across the highway that really should have some food options, but forget it. The whole mall is being rebuilt, the parking is a mess, and frankly I didn't see much food there. Nice Barnes & Noble, if you need someplace to hang. Across the street, closer to the hospital, there is a Baja Fresh that I ate at and where I got Teena a quesadilla. That's decent. There is also a Thai BBQ joint that looks promising. I found a quiet Starbucks in more or less the same place that had what I needed -- a hot spot.

For a hospital, Sunnyside was very nice. Teena won the lottery and got a private room -- because it was the only bed available. And her nursing staff was great. Nurse Anna was the point person and she did a great job of focusing in on Teena and making us feel well cared for. Sounds like we will see more of Anna too, which will really help cut through the institutional suckiness of the hospital.

I can't repeat it enough. Everything went perfectly. OK, maybe Teena could tell you about the catheter if she wants to get clinical, but that worked out and then it was just sitting in the bed while the meds flowed in. Occasional beeping and checking, and a machine to take Teena's vitals every few minutes. Six hours that passed by without problems. Then again, this was expected. The unknown parts were to come in the hours and days ahead.

Gayla kept impressing on Teena that nausea was to be expected, and there were things we needed to be ready to do to prevent "launching". Teena has some pills that need to be in her purse at all times that she can take at any time, that she need not worry about any interactions with other meds. There are backups for post launch conditions too. Gayla has it all covered for Teena, including the phone numbers. With the nausea issue in mind, I made sure there was some kind of bucket or barf bag in the car. Gotta think like that. Nothing happened, but the bucket is now permanently in Teena's trunk.

So we got home to Kelso and settled in. The rain continued, with the temperature dropping, but it wasn't so bad. In a short visit I'm already adjusting my idea of what good weather is. If the clouds are light in color, if the rain tapers off to a mist or intermittent showers, it's a good day. Pretty stark contrast the Bay Area. A total world of difference to our Cabo sister. This is just the start of the dark wetness too. Let's hope Teena is able to make an escape to the sun a few times during this 6-cycle treatment. The cold, wet, darkness could become a real drag. She's used to it. She's lived through it. But she is a Cabo girl now. She needs the sun and blue sky to keep that light in her eyes.

There I go, carrying on again.

But there really is not much to report. Lots of phone calls from Teena's rich network of friends all over. Keep 'em coming. Lots of ways of reaching her too. We need to get Teena to publish a directory of the many phone numbers and where and when they are useful.

Dinner was late and light. More homemade chicken soup, which figures to become a staple. Her belly full of fluids and the late quesadilla put the focus was on liquid intake -- and apprehensively waiting to see how the chemo would sit. Which it did OK. We tried taking a walk. Teena is not one to take all this sitting or laying down. But in reality she was in no shape for walking, so we turned back pretty quickly. Gotta love the attitude that got her out there. It would be too easy to passively wait for the chemo to work. But not Teena.

The main after effects came at night. Some of the anti-nausea meds they dripped into her were steroids that kept here up. Gayla was very colorful, as always, describing how she'd wake up at 2:00am ready to "mow the lawn". Sure enough, Teena's sleep was totally interrupted. Can't mow the lawn in the rain, but she was up working on the computer all night. Filing info and starting her diary that hopefully will start her blog. Oh well. Sleep sure would be nice. But wakefulness is better than hurling, for sure.

FRIDAY

Friday is a time for rest. Nothing on the calendar, so I sleep in. Teena? No sleep at night, but by the time I wake up she is dead tired and not feeling that great. I muff my first nursing assignment. Teena crawls into bed feeling like the nausea could be coming. I did not get her pill to her before she's under the sheet and nearly napping. Damn. Gotta tighten that up. She needs to have those pills with her at all time and pop them at times like this.

Oh well, she got lucky. The nap works. The stomach settled. We had worked out a shopping list, so I went to town and stocked up. When I got home Teena was sleeping. Yay.

>

Missy arrived from Portland and injected a welcome dose of laughter and light. Originally I was going to fly home today, but I'm so glad I chose to overlap with Missy. This a key time to make sure Teena had no distractions from resting and recovering. And I got to meet Missy and make contact with another branch of Teena's family tree. For those of you feeling any guilt about not being there this time -- forget it. We had her covered and trust me, we are both grateful for the chance to be there.

She also arrived with bags of pure goodness from Whole Foods in Portland. Take a note. The grocery scene in Kelso / Longview is Safeway all the way. We should locate that Whole Foods in Portalnd or some other groovy grocery and make it part of the commute circuit on the many trips to Portland.

Dinner was local wild Salmon from the river, courtesy of Terri's AA sponsor. Throw in some asparagus, pasta and pesto, and we finally had a break from the endless soups. Yum.

Teena, of course, won't sit still. She's feeling good again so she and Missy are off to a meeting. It's a short drop in, but Jay calls and we marvel at how well it's going.

I spend the rest of the night trying to get Teena's iPod and iTunes set up -- and fail. I cannot get the music from my laptop to hers. Between the Leapfrog VPN and Terri's VPN there is no way to break down the walls. Dang. But I do work with Teena to launch the blog. We use her diary from the night before to get things going. It could work. We will see.

SATURDAY

Another quiet morning at 235 Sparks Drive. Teena slept better, if not soundly. No nausea! As Teena keeps saying, the first round is a good indicator of how it will go in the future. So she is psyched. This really looks good. So far. The Interstate crew was clear that the danger zone lasts a few days, so knock on wood. But really -- this feels doable to Teena.

We drive Missy's big honkin truck to the airport. My turn is done.

Sorry to ramble on at such length. I had plenty of time on my hands during my visit, and I felt the need to write it all down. Hopefully some of the notes will be relevant to one or two of you who follow after me.

KC

Bernal Rock the House Phone Party

The party is on. Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday get ready to lend a hand to help restore some balance back in DC.

Sign up for one or more of Bernie's Rock the House Phone Parties! Bernie is opening his house — hot tub included — to volunteers willing to make calls into key Congressional races in support of Democratic candidates. You will be calling pre-identified progressive voters to help get out the vote. Come for as many parties as your cell plan can bear!

From the host:

Please bring cell phone and chargers, swim suits and towels. Any snacks and/or beverages would be appreciated. Sorry, the location is not handicap accessible. We have three cats.

Click on any of the links below to sign up:
Saturday, Nov 4, 10:00am-1pm
Saturday, Nov 4, 2pm-5pm
Saturday, Nov 4, 5pm-8pm
Sunday, Nov 5, 10:00 m-1pm
Sunday, Nov 5, 2pm-5pm
Sunday, Nov 5, 5pm-8pm
Tuesday, Nov 7, 7:30am-10:30am
Tuesday, Nov 7, 4pm-6pm
Tuesday, Nov 7, 6pm-8pm

Call for change

Give some time and some cell minutes to help put some checks and balances back in our government My friend here in Bernal is hosting at least one more call party for MoveOn.org Get a list, a script, some background info on the race, and start dialing. It comes down to person to person (and lots of answering machines) connections that can make a difference.

The way to connect is to visit MoveOn and look for a place to search for a call party by entering your zip code. Once he has his party registered, voila! See you there. And if his party doesn't show up, others will. Wherever you are.

With the gorgeous weather we've been having around here, it would be a great way to donate to the cause.

Limits to blogging Flickr slideshows

OK, so digg dug a dud. Maybe that's a bit harsh.

The code for blogging a Flickr slideshow above is buggy. Not what it was advertised. Looks to me like the set_id parameter is not working. I just get my most recent shots.

Which is OK. It's still fun to have that there. But it sure would be nice to correctly specify a slideshow. If any readers come here with more info, code fix suggestions, leave a comment.

Fun with Flickr

Thanks to Digg, I found a cool recipe for embedding Flickr slideshows in a blog.

Here's my summer vacation set, which may actually be of interest to the friends and family that make up a the majority of the audience here:

Baghdad Burning — again

This is not the first time Riverbend, my favorite Iraqi blogger, has taken a hiatus. But this was a really long break. And with the news coming out of Baghdad being what it is, it's hard not to worry when a voice like hers falls silent. So it was a great relief, of sorts, to read her latest post

This has been the longest time I have been away from blogging. There were several reasons for my disappearance the major one being the fact that every time I felt the urge to write about Iraq, about the situation, I'd be filled with a certain hopelessness that can't be put into words and that I suspect other Iraqis feel also.

Checks and Balances on the horizon

Krugman nails it:

But while the Democrats won't gain the ability to pass laws, if they win they will gain the ability to carry out investigations, and the legal right to compel testimony.

The current Congress has shown no inclination to investigate the Bush administration. Last year The Boston Globe offered an illuminating comparison: when Bill Clinton was president, the House took 140 hours of sworn testimony into whether Mr. Clinton had used the White House Christmas list to identify possible Democratic donors. But in 2004 and 2005, a House committee took only 12 hours of testimony on the abuses at Abu Ghraib.

Impeach Bush? Nah, just put him on a spit and roast him slowly. Stop the hemorrhaging and start shining a light on what has really been happening.

Have you read Nancy Pelosi's plans for her first 100 hours?

CBGB closing for good

...and moving to Vegas? OMFUG. Not Vegas...

Josh Marshall lets his guard down?

"I love the sound of Republicans whining. It is the sound of Democratic victory."

My latest forray into Google Maps

I used MapBuilder.net to quickly cook up this map: KC's map of lunks spots in the East Bay

Not bad at all for a tool-generated map. The tool definitely has its limits, but it also makes it very, very easy to pull off a map like this. The collaboration feature is pretty cool too. (Charles, let's do that noodle joint idea!)

Life goes on

Morning sunrise over Poopenot Valley
Originally uploaded by BernalKC.

but will this blog?

I'm having many mixed feelings about this blog and its future. Taking some time off has been a useful way to get some perspective on it. But I don't yet know if I want to resume, nor what changes I will make.

While I mull the options over, I thought I'd post a link to a new set of Camp Mather pictures I just uploaded. Enjoy.

Joe Jones, RIP

My dad is gone. May he rest in peace.

Though he and I have been estranged for some time now, there was no hard feelings between us. I will always cherish my childhood memories of dad. I'm thankful for his presence in my life, thankful for the many things he taught me. He was an intelligent man and an honest and forthright individualist. He always knew where he stood and spoke his mind with conviction and without trepidation. There are so many traits that I hope, on my good days, that I've picked up from him.

This is not the place I want to pour forth my feeling and thoughts about the man. Yet, what else is there to write about? For now, I will sit with this and privately dwell on his life, his passing, and what it means for me and my family.

Peace be with you all.

Is Bush an "Idiot"?

Is the Pope Catholic?