Weird somber feeling

I found out this morning that one of my patients died of a heart attack yesterday. He was 54 and lived alone. He had an appointment yesterday, and had never missed an appointment until then. We had left a message checking in. A friend, who he referred to us as a patient, was in this morning and told us the news. It's left me with a weird somber feeling today. He was a very kind man, very genuine and thoughtful. A few weeks back he had brought me a plant -- a pregnant onion -- that we had discussed one day. He had made such a turn-around in his care, going from crutches or a cane and barely able to walk, to walking briskly and returning to work. It's just sad.

Bone marrow donation

Jeni and I put ourselves on the national bone marrow donor registry about 10 years ago when we were living in Davenport. And then nothing happened for a long long time -- almost to the point that, if not for a patient who was involved with the donor program, I would have forgotten we were on the list. Then a few months ago I got a call from the National Marrow Donor Program. It turned out that I was a possible match for a sick five-year-old boy. I donated some blood for additional testing. It was a hurry-up-and-wait situation, and it felt like I waited forever to find out if I was an ideal match. Well, we got a letter in the mail last week ... it was vague on details, but for one of a variety of reasons, they don't need me as a donor right now (the boy could be doing better, he might be ill, it might not be the right time). Still, it was pretty humbling to think that I could help this boy, that a little bit of me might help him live a better life. I really can't think of a better thing to do than give a little of myself to make someone else's life better. I hope he's getting better, wherever he is.

Week in Review

We've been real busy with so many things going on lately. The blog should be a chronicle of what's happening in our lives, but somehow our lives got so busy that the blog got left behind. This last week has been full and exciting.

Last Friday was opening night for Caroline or Change at Workshop Theatre. Jeni is the co-producer of the play, as well as doing props and stepping in to help stage manage when necessary.


Here's a shot from after opening night of Jeni with Caroline (the musical director) and Jocelyn (the director) Jocelyn (the lead, Caroline), LaToya (the radio), Jeni, and Anna (grandma). We have more pictures from the show, and afterward, on Flickr. The show has been a fun experience for Jeni, but very exhausting and time-consuming, too. Jeni may have to step in and help stage manage this weekend, which may interrupt our plans to visit with Lisa for her birthday.

On Tuesday, I donated some blood -- seven vials, to be exact -- for genetic testing. Back in 1998 Jeni and I registered with the National Bone Marrow Program as possible donors. There was someone in Davenport who was in need. We weren't a match -- didn't really expect to be, honestly. But then last week, 11 years later, we got a phone call. Apparently, I might be a match for a five-year-old boy. So they're doing some more specific testing of certain genetic markers (there's a pdf here, if you are really curious). So I guess it's wait and see time, now. It's pretty humbling to get a call like that.

Last night, Jeni, Tiff and I went to see Coraline while it is still in 3D. I really wanted to see it in the theatre to experience the "Real3D" effect. It was pretty cool. I was really impressed with the movie. I'm glad the Jonas Brothers Movie tanked so we got a second chance to see Coraline (since there are only so many 3D screens to go around ... Monsters vs Aliens takes over tomorrow). If you go see Coraline tonight (and you should) sit through to the very end of the credits for the best 3D effect of the whole movie. I think at that point they were just showing off.


Here I am with buttons for eyes ... I always felt this picture of me was a little creepy before the buttons, but the buttons sure make a difference. You can trade your eyes for buttons, too, here.

So I guess this was a Caroline/Coraline themed week.

I'm going to try to keep the updates more regular. I still owe a post about Gracie and Clara Ann's birthday party, too.

Why I don't Twitter

I made my first Twitter post, linking to a comic* that explains why I don't Twitter (and avoid Facebook). I must limit the sources of addictive internet outlets I expose myself to for fear of dissolving into a blog of internet obsession.

*This is Non Sequitur from Wednesday, February 18, 2009, in case you read this after today.

Roller derby and bowling

This is a post that should have been made before now because the night was so great, but wasn't written because this has been a busy week. (Jeni is co-producing a play at Workshop Theatre which is keeping her running around with her hair on fire right now, so while she's in a meeting I'll try to get this up.)

Last Saturday Jeni and I, along with Lisa, Brian, their friend Breck, Tiff and her friend Kirby, all went to the roller derby and then bowling. Back in early January I found out we had a roller derby team and instantly we knew we had to go. This is by far the best $10 we have spent in a long long time. The whole night was just way too much fun. Honestly, I think we did as much people watching as derby watching, but by the end of the night we had scoring and strategy mostly figured out.


Here we are before the night began in our semi-matching t-shirts. We were expecting more of a rock crowd and less of a punk crowd.


As an added bonus to the roller derby, there was a wedding before the bout.


All the team members had personas with fun names, like Mel Anoma, seen here coming out of the penalty box. There was a lot of penalty box time.


This was one of my favorite pictures, featuring Shiv Tyler and her "Get Some" pants, again coming out of the penalty box.


Afterward, Breck went around and got autographs and pictures with the QuadSquad rollergirls. Crystal Cutt was his favorite, and with much right because she kicked butt.


Here we are after the bout, looking even happier than before. This picture was taken by a girl who, unfortunately, did not wash her hands before leaving the bathroom. Jeni was really asking the girl beside her, who did wash her hands, to take the picture, but the other one offered faster. (We wiped the camera off real good.)


After the roller derby bout we went bowling. Don't ask me why sitting on the floor at the bowling alley seemed like a good idea. This is the group picture including Nikki, who was out with Morgan and a limo full of 13-year-olds and couldn't be here in person.


As the night went on they black lights came on at the bowling alley.


Jeni wore Tiff's QuadSquad bandana as a doo rag until someone asked her what gang she was in and Jeni decided it was best to take it off. (We were leaving at that point anyway.)

We have a whole set on Flickr of the best of our roller derby pictures, so check them out. We'll be doing it again in March, except that it'll be on a Sunday so probably less of a big night. But it was just too much fun. We really can't stop talking about it.

Our trip to Kelly's tuba recital in Cincinnati

Jeni and I went up to Cincinnati, then over the the University of Miami (Ohio), last weekend to see Kelly's senior music recital. It was a very nice weekend and Kelly did an excellent job. It was a treat to see her in her element, and around her peers.


This is Kelly with her friend Rob.


And her friend Emily, who played piano with Kelly during two pieces of the recital.


Doug and Cathy also flew up for the recital so we were able to get a rare picture of most of us (minus Doug and Cathy's kids) actually dressed up and looking presentable.


It snowed on us Saturday morning. This is Sassy out in the snow in the back yard. The news called for a "light dusting" of snow, but for us Southerners, one to two inches qualifies as more than a dusting. Jeni and I managed to slide through two intersections Saturday morning while running errands (not my fault ... I was driving very carefully, but there was black ice). We were very fortunate because a few minutes later we saw a wreck at one intersection that we slid through.


This is Jeni's favorite picture from the weekend. We were hanging some clothes in the closet and we found my old cowboy hat from when I was about seven living in New Orleans (OK, don't ask why I needed a cowboy hat ... it was 1979.) So of course I had to try it on. Fits good, huh?


(Well, it used to fit!)


Jeni's second-most favorite picture from the weekend.


Sassy has always liked Jeni, but she liked Jeni even more when Jeni was in the kitchen chopping the turkey for the reception. Sassy is 14 now and she's a little slower but still as spunky as ever.


Runway lights leaving Charlotte.


It wasn't really supposed to be dark when we flew from Charlotte to Columbia, but after a few delays and our layover turning from 90 minutes to five hours, we were able to get these cool pictures. I'm glad Jeni took these. They turned out really cool. She took a bunch of extended exposure shots, but these are two of my favorites.

Zero attention span radio

I used to blame They Might Be Giants for my loss of attention span when it comes to music, with songs like Rabid Child (19 seconds), you get used to a song starting and stopping quickly. And now, with the iPod and XM radio I can jump from song to song, genre to genre, quickly -- it's hard to make it through an entire song anymore.

Perseid Meteor Shower

If you're up into the wee hours of the night watching the Olympics (and I know you are), why not stay up just a little longer and check out the Perseid Meteor Shower. I guess you could see as many as 60 meteors an hour. This is as good an excuse as any to stay up late (like you need one)...

Giant exploding comet

OK, you know Jeni married a big nerd, and sometimes I just can't help myself, but I got an email update from Space Weather about a giant comet that is larger than the sun (although light in mass so it's size will not affect gravitational pull or planet paths or anything catastrophic) but you should be able to see it in the sky, assuming you know where Mirfak, the brightest star in Perseus in on Nov 19, which I don't, but still think it will be cool to stare into the night sky and look for something really big and bright that we may never see like this again.

The email: GIANT COMET: University of Hawaii astronomers have measured the diameter of Comet 17P/Holmes: 1.4 million kilometers. This makes the exploding comet bigger than the sun and now the largest object in the solar system. Not surprisingly, the comet is visible to the naked eye; with only a backyard telescope you can watch its gigantic debris cloud expand from night to night. Nov. 19th is an especially good night to look: Comet Holmes will glide by Mirfak, the brightest star in the constellation Perseus, and appear to swallow it. Visit http://spaceweather.com for a sky map and images.

(Note: The sun remains by far the most massive object in the solar system. Comet 17P/Holmes' diaphanous atmosphere of dust and gas, which is what the astronomers measured, contains less mass than a typical asteroid. In spite of its great size, Comet Holmes is a lightweight that won't be deflecting the orbits of planets or causing any other such catastrophes.)

A Point of View....

The Family
Originally uploaded by jenianddean

....was the name of the cabin we stayed in last weekend with Dean's parents, sister, and Sue and Larry (family friends). The weather was perfect, the cabin was cute, the view was beautiful, and the football was exciting and nerve racking. Overall we had a really good weekend.

Here are two recipes that I made over the weekend.
Nutty Orange Coffee Cake - and Sue assured me it was just as good reheated later that night as it was for breakfast.
Brown Sugar and Chocolate Chip Pound Cake with Maple - Espresso Glaze - Yummy!!

Gracie and her uncle Deano

Happy Birthday Dean
Originally uploaded by jenianddean

Here is the picture of Gracie and Dean from his birthday, as promised many moons ago. Gracie was such a big helper at Dean's birthday. She helped Dean blow out his candles; she was the official icing taster (someone had to do it); she helped with the presents. What more can you ask for in a big helper!!!

We loved have Gracie and Clara Ann at our house. They are so stinkin' cute I just want to squeeze them all over and kiss their little faces all day long.

Just click on the picture to head over to our Flickr to see more super cute pictures of the girls in their Halloween costumes.

If I were in the Simpsons

Deano ... Simpsonized...

Kitchen lights

Here is one the house projects that sort fell by the wayside and didn't make it up on the blog. When we were in Atlanta about month ago, we went to Ikea and bought a few things for the house. Dean installed the little lights under the cabinets and I just can't believe what a difference it makes in the kitchen. They really light up the counter tops and at night they make the kitchen look so homey.

And on a side note, I love my under the cabinet TV unit. Thanks Sue and Dad!

Dean's Dream Mailman

If Dean could pick his dream mailman, this is who it would be...

Also, check out uspsjedimaster.com.