Books, as usual

I have been reading quite a bit or so it seems to me

1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3) "Ellis Island Interviews" By Peter Mortan Coan
4) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
5) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
6) "DaVinci for Dummies" by Jessica Teisch
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
9) 'Tis" by Frank McCourt
10) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
11) "Strega" by Andrew Vachss
12) "better" by Atul Gawande
13) "Digging to America" By Anne Tyler
14) "Heat" by Bill Buford
15) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell
16) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
17) "The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
18) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
19) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
20) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
21) "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris
22) "i will plant you a lilac tree" by Laura Hillman
23) "Daniel Isnt Talking" by Marti Leimbach
24) "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon
25) "A light in the Window" by Jan Karon
26) "Hiroshima Maidens" by Rodney Barker
27) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
28) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
29) "Haunting Rachel" by Kay Hooper
30) "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late" by Harry Kemelman
31) "Why Jews should Not Be Liberals" by Larry Sternberg
32) "My Lobotomy: a Memoir" by Howard Dully
33) "Teach with Your Heart" by Erin Gruwell
34) "Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola
35) "The Appeal" by John Grisham
36) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
37) "Fearless Fouteen" by Janet Evanovich
38) "The Secret Servant" by Daniel Silva
39) "Somebody Else's Daughter by Elizabeth Brundage
40) "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich
41) "The Five Thousand Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen
42) "Prairie Tale: A Memoir" by Melissa Gilbert
43) My husband's Sweethearts" by Bridget Asher
44) "The Condition" by Jennifer Haigh
45) Little known facts about well-known Places: Disneyland" by David Hoffman
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Updated book list

A work in progress as always...quite a few new ones added

1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3) "Ellis Island Interviews" By Peter Mortan Coan
4) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
5) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
6) "DaVinci for Dummies" by Jessica Teisch
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
9) 'Tis" by Frank McCourt
10) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
11) "Strega" by Andrew Vachss
12) "better" by Atul Gawande
13) "Digging to America" By Anne Tyler
14) "Heat" by Bill Buford
15) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell
16) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
17) "The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
18) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
19) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
20) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
21) "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris
22) "i will plant you a lilac tree" by Laura Hillman
23) "Daniel Isnt Talking" by Marti Leimbach
24) "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon
25) "A light in the Window" by Jan Karon
26) "Hiroshima Maidens" by Rodney Barker
27) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
28) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
29) "Haunting Rachel" by Kay Hooper
30) "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late" by Harry Kemelman
31) "Why Jews should Not Be Liberals" by Larry Sternberg
32) "My Lobotomy: a Memoir" by Howard Dully
33) "Teach with Your Heart" by Erin Gruwell
34) "Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola
35) "The Appeal" by John Grisham
36) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
37) "Fearless Fouteen" by Janet Evanovich
38) "The Secret Servant" by Daniel Silva
39) "Somebody Else's Daughter
40) "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich
41) "The Five Thousand Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen
42) "Prairie Tale: A Memoir" by Melissa Gilbert
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A work in progress as always...quite a few new ones added

1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3) "Ellis Island Interviews" By Peter Mortan Coan
4) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
5) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
6) "DaVinci for Dummies" by Jessica Teisch
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
9) 'Tis" by Frank McCourt
10) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
11) "Strega" by Andrew Vachss
12) "better" by Atul Gawande
13) "Digging to America" By Anne Tyler
14) "Heat" by Bill Buford
15) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell
16) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
17) "The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
18) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
19) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
20) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
21) "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris
22) "i will plant you a lilac tree" by Laura Hillman
23) "Daniel Isnt Talking" by Marti Leimbach
24) "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon
25) "A light in the Window" by Jan Karon
26) "Hiroshima Maidens" by Rodney Barker
27) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
28) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
29) "Haunting Rachel" by Kay Hooper
30) "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late" by Harry Kemelman
31) "Why Jews should Not Be Liberals" by Larry Sternberg
32) "My Lobotomy: a Memoir" by Howard Dully
33) "Teach with Your Heart" by Erin Gruwell
34) "Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola
35) "The Appeal" by John Grisham
36) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
37) "Fearless Fouteen" by Janet Evanovich
38) "The Secret Servant" by Daniel Silva
39) "Somebody Else's Daughter
40) "Plum Spooky" by Janet Evanovich
41) "The Five Thousand Year Leap" by W. Cleon Skousen
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What do YOU do?

This morning we went out to breakfast....
Just the local Denny's
As we arrive we notice a bit of a scene.
Mom and Dad are being screamed at by their son...about 11 or 12..as the scene goes on, it is rather obvious that the son is most likely autistic and in the middle of a meltdown. And not a small child.

Clearly, this is not terribly unusual...as Dad is handling it like a veteran. Kid gets in the car, then out, screams some more then bolts....he actually bolted twice...the last time we saw he went down and paced on the sidewalk by the street barefoot.

Do you ask Dad if he needs any help? Do you ignore it? What is the proper thing to do?

I know you dont do what one lady did....and that is call the cops....there was no reason for that....and being Irvine...you dont get one police officer...you get 3 cars....(DH thought they would earn 4)...there was no abuse, no man handling...clearly they were not kidnapping him....just trying to diffuse a meltdown.

When the cops arrived, they already had corraled the boy back to the car...and into the back seat...

They take dad away from the car, ask mom to step back and then try to talk to the boy, which results in a 2nd door ding to the car next to them....

At that point, we did offer mom a drink, did she need water, ice tea anything?

So they finish talking to the kid and walk away...what do you think the boy does? He got back out of the car....by now he is calmer and can easily be talked back into the car. The officers help them leave a note on the door dinged car (despite the fact the 2nd ding was done by the officer trying to help his partner talk to the boy) and they drove off to continue their journey....or return home.

But what would you have done? Would you have offerred the dad some assistance? Or do you just ignore it?

Tonight's ER episode

Is the one that features Camp Del Corazon. Rebekah participated in the filming of the dance scene. As I understand it, (I wasn't there) she is near the front of the stage on the side with John Stamos.
This is an article about the actor playing the main character tonight. He is also better known as Gibby from iCarly. I hear he is a very nice kid and hung out with the extras. We have a picture or two of him. I had no idea he was local to us. Ivan Talked to his parents (on accident...mentioned how nice the boy seemed)


http://www.ocregister.com/articles/camp-kids-heart-2345970-logan-noah

Anyhow tonight NBC at 10PST. And while I of course think it is neat that Rebekah is involved....I think it is Great to feature Camp Del Corazon on one of the last episodes of a hit show. The camp is completely free for any kids ages 7 and up with a heart defect. And that is not a cheap feat.

Book update

A work in progress as always...I discovered a book on the list I had already read (bummed me out, I thought I had NEW book by an author I enjoy)

1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3) "Ellis Island Interviews" By Peter Mortan Coan
4) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg sorta...5 people left and the book disappeared
5) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
6) "DaVinci for Dummies" by Jessica Teisch
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
9) 'Tis" by Frank McCourt
10) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
11) "Strega" by Andrew Vachss
12) "better" by Atul Gawande
13) "Digging to AMerica" By Anne Tyler
14) "Heat" by Bill Buford
15) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell I GOT IT BACK
16) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
17) "The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
18) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
19) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
20) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
21) "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris
22) "i will plant you a lilac tree" by Laura Hillman
23) "Daniel Isnt Talking" by Marti Leimbach
24) "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon
25) "A light in the Window" by Jan Karon
26) "Hiroshima Maidens" by Rodney Barker
27) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
28) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
29) "Haunting Rachel" by Kay Hooper
30) "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late" by Harry Kemelman
31) "Why Jews should Not Be Liberals" by Larry Sternberg
32) "My Lobotomy: a Memoir" by Howard Dully
33) "Teach with Your Heart" by Erin Gruwell
34) "Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola
35) "The Appeal" by John Grisham
36) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
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E. R.

I used to be a huge fan of this show but, I stopped watching when almost every episode carried some political or moral message. I also was bummed about the constant killing off of docs I was really starting to like. (I totally missed Dr Pratts killing....)

Anyhow....

On March 26, they will be airing an episode written specifically for Camp Del Corazon (www.campdelcorazon.org) and I would venture to guess Tom Arnold had a big hand in it. The story line is about a kid with a heart defect and his struggles. I believe it is being played by the brother from iCarly.


Camp Del Corazon was asked to supply many of the extras so, yesterday Ivan and Rebekah spent the entire day on the Warner Brothers lot. Some of her friends have a longer commitment...which will surely mean more face time in the episode...some were even asked to bring sleeping bags...so clearly alot of this focuses on the camp. Rebekah was asked to dance. Ivan says if he hears that song "I feel good" one more time he might go crazy. They were reenacting the dances at camp. Rebekah was asked to bring her camp shirt but, for some reason never asked to put it on.

The awarenss to CHDs that this can bring is huge in my opinion. Not only did these actors work with these kids, but now everyone who watches ER will hear more about them and see the many "normal" kids that CHDs affect.

I wonder if there will be camp facts at the end of the episode? That would be kinda cool. And more in your face....There are at least 7 heart camps I can think of ...and prob more (there are 2 in California!) Just the sheer amount of kids who attend these would be a heck of an eye opener to many people who dont realize that that 1 out of every 100 people has a Heart Defect.

so dont forget to watch ER on the 26th of March...rebekah has light blue jeans, a flowered shirt and is wearing a lei in the scene....and prob drooling over John Stamos as I understand it....

CHDs

I stole this from a friend....but I think it is important to read....she titled it soap box....I wont go so far...I just want you to know....
My soapbox is more directed at the AHA.....someday I might ramble about it. (or maybe I have already here....hmm I see an AHA tag...I think I have)
I know the person that started the CHD awareness Day....I spent many years working hard to promote it...only to find the AHA had more money and more lobby power...and could never get a president to declare it...Got the Governor (not the governator...go figure he has a heart defect) and the mayor of Irvine and quite frankly, became jaded and have focused my efforts elsewhere...

Over the years, I have met many people who have had siblings with CHDs, some have passed away and even then they had no idea how common they are.
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With this being CHD Awareness Week (& the 14th is CHD Awareness Day) I am going to take a moment and stand on my soap box, please bear with me here.

Most all know that February is National Heart Month. We are all familiar with wear Red Dress Day, we are all familiar of the importance of understanding adult and youth acquired heart disease. It is a well known fact that heart disease is the #1 killer among women. Because everyone relates February with Valentine's Day and love, chocolate candy hearts, and the color red it only makes sense February would be chosen as National Heart Month. But if you were to go ask the average person on the street if they ever heard of Congenital Heart Defects, I am sure your response would be quite different from those about acquired heart disease.

By no means do we want to down play the importance of acquired heart disease and the need for prevention and intervention. But we do need to make aware the need for more research and awareness to those who are BORN with Congenital Heart Defects. It was not lifestyle or age that brought on these defects, and there was no way to stop it from happening.

To the parents who have a child born with a heart defect it is mind blowing how little awareness there is for the #1 Most Common Birth Defect. There has, fortunately, been a greater amount of funding going into CHD research, however, there is still a much greater need for more.

Please help join in the Awareness this week and pass this on.

1. Congenital Heart Defect (CHD) is a defect of the heart present at birth.

2. CHD's are the #1 most common birth defect, affecting 1 in every 100 babies born.

3. CHD's are the #1 most common cause of infant death related to birth defects within the first year of life.

4. There are at least 35 different known Congential Heart Defects.

5. 1 in 10 born with a CHD will have a fatal defect.

6. There is no known cause for CHD's, however, genetics and environmental factors can play a role in the defects. Scientist have been able to discover over 100 mutations that are directly linked to the heart.

7. There is no known cure or prevention for CHD's. Most born with heart defects will require some form of palliative surgical intervention.

8. Through research and medical advancements the mortality rate after surgery has significantly decreased in the past 20-30 years. On average it is about 5% compared to the 30% it was.

9. There are an estimated 1 - 1.2 million living with a CHD in the US.

10. Nearly twice as many children die each year from CHD's, than from all forms of childhood cancers combined. (Yet Max has both)

Spread the word and wear your Red & Blue on Feb. 14th

Some things suck

http://www.0ddness.co.uk/2009/01/happy-birthday-for-angel.html#comments

This is a friend of mine's blog. I have known him for over 8yrs now. I met him thru a heart list.

Heart Defect suck. Sure I have made many great friends and met many people but, this is where they suck.

This certainly wasnt the first, nor will it be the last child I know of who dies but damnit...it makes me tear up every time I think of her. Not just for the loss but for the gigantic hole it has left in my friends life.

Cherish your moments, cherish your time.

Its late, I am tired and gosh darn it...there is something in my eye...

I could leave you with lots of facts but, the one that I think is most telling....Congenital heart defects affect 1 out of every 100 babies born. March of dimes lists CHDs in the top causes of Infant death. Some are severe, some are not...Some get lucky.

Bethy wasnt an infant....and she was lucky for only a short amount of time. Those she touched were lucky to have known her. And if you believe in fate...perhaps you can throw that in there too.

She left behind a mom, a dad (my friend) a loving brother and the baby sister she never met. She touched many lives in her short time.

Happy Birthday Little Moo.

books 2009

A work in progress...I know in my kitchen boxes there are a few more books for this list.


1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3) "Ellis Island Interviews" By Peter Mortan Coan
4) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
5) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
6) "DaVinci for Dummies" by Jessica Teisch
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
9) 'Tis" by Frank McCourt
10) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
11) "Strega" by Andrew Vachss
12) "better" by Atul Gawande
13) "Digging to AMerica" By Anne Tyler
14) "Heat" by Bill Buford
15) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell Loaned to a neighbor...havent gotten it back yet
16) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
17) "The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
18) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
19) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
20) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
21) "Hannibal Rising" by Thomas Harris
22) "i will plant you a lilac tree" by Laura Hillman
23) "Daniel Isnt Talking" by Marti Leimbach
24) "At Home in Mitford" by Jan Karon
25) "A light in the Window" by Jan Karon
26) "Hiroshima Maidens" by Rodney Barker
27) "The Phantom Tollbooth" by Norton Juster
28) "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs
29) "Haunting Rachel" by Kay Hooper
30) "Friday the Rabbi Slept Late" by Harry Kemelman
31) "Why Jews should Not Be Liberals" by Larry Sternberg
32) "My Lobotomy: a Memoir" by Howard Dully
33) "Teach with Your Heart" by Erin Gruwell
34) "Charlotte Mason Companion" by Karen Andreola
35) "The Appeal" by John Grisham
36) "Invasion of Privacy" by Perri O'Shaughnessy
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EDIT***BOOK LIST FOR NEW YEAR***

I guess I read 40 books...upon review I noticed 2 I had read but forgot to delete....so #3 & #5 are now blanks. #12 is also gone...I tried to read it, I really did but I just couldnt follow it....


I have begun reading the one listed at 54. When I finally make my new list, I will move it up so, that the oldest books are at the top.



1) "Republic" by Plato (suggestion courtesy of will smith)
2) "The heart's Code" by Paul Pearsall
3)
4)
5)
6) "Ellis Island Interviews" by Peter Mortan Coan
7) "The parents guide to children's Congenital Heart Defect" by Kramer and Mauer
8)
9) " 100 People who are screwing Up America (and al Franken is #37) by Bernard Goldberg
10) "Einstein Never Used Flash Cards" by Kathy Hirsh-Pasek and Roberta Michnick Golinkoff
11) "DaVinci for Dummies"
12)
13)
14)
15) "A Monk Swimming" by Malachy McCourt
16) "'Tis" by Frank McCourt
17)
18)
19)
20)
21) "The Omnivore's Dilemma" By Micahel Pollan
22)
23)
24) "Stega" by Andrew Vachs
25)
26)
27) "better" by Atul Gawande
28) "Digging to AMerica" By Anne Tyler
29) "Heat" by Bill Buford
30)
31)
32) "Lone Survivor" by Marcus Lutttrell Loaned to a neighbor...havent gotten it back yet
33)
34)
35)
36)
37)
38)
39)
40)
41)
42)
43)
44)
45)
46)
47)
48)
50) "The Nazi Officer's Wife" by Edith Hahn Beer
51) The Sunflower" by SImon Wiestenthal
52) "Zlata's Diary" by Zlata Filipovic
53) "Crunchy Cons" by Rod Dreher
54) "Working on the Edge" by Spike Walker
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56)
57)
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60)
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