Life without weather

I just had an OMG experience...I decided on the topic for tonight, and pushed the enter key...and I was told that I had published my Blog for tonight!
Oops...all I did was write the title, nothing else, but it brought me to, and fortunately to the editing choice of my post, so I chose it. I had apparently NOT done that before, since it threw me and was foreign to me, and also, I must admit very slightly frightening to me.

So here I am writing about that.
Over the last nearly 80 days of this Blog I haven't learned too much about the act of blogging from my fellow Bloggers.
But I've had offers to look at there's, I really should, and they always know they can examine mine.
After all I'm an open book, LOL!

Anyway, back to my chosen topic: Life without weather.

Imagine it never being too hot, never too cold, never too wet or never too dry.
No wind to be measured, and then ask yourself; how would the air/space feel?
Nothing at all, would be my answer; why would there be anything to get a sensation from? I said nothing was in it.
Maybe, it would be like living in a bubble perhaps?

I personally think it would be like in that old movie with that very young John Travolta.
He portrayed that teen that was too sensitive to be exposed to our polluted air to breathe or live in it.
That child could have actually died from exposure, and I do understand that is an actual disease or disorder.
Though, we humans, most of us, are very tough.
Supposedly, our air is not healthy to breathe in many areas of this country, but we do breathe it. Some do get sick and can die from it, but most don’t thankfully.
Some even jog, swim, ski, and play in it.

Breathing is a given for most of us when it comes to air.
Boy we are brave souls!
Temperatures fluctuate constantly, in reality.
Moisture content too.
We are so adaptive to all this.
Amazing really how we deal on a daily basis with such contrasts.
Resilient and flexible come to mind when thinking about our human abilities, and sensibilities.
Most of the things that I mentioned are not tangible.
You really can't touch air or moisture in it, unless it semi-solidifies like in rain or snow.
But then why does some air feel so heavy?
Air can be smelled, but that is usually when it is aromatic or stinky, and that is still not being touched.
Wind can be felt, but not really touched either, interesting.

If anyone has any ideas about doing away with our weather since it appears to misbehave so often.
I still think it would be a terrible mistake like living in outer space, but with gravity.
We would need so many contraptions added to our everyday lives that would be attached to us or to the ground, to balance our body contents due to us not having it come naturally through air or water, etc.
No water out of the sky… the ultimate drought, we would die! But I did say it would NOT be too dry.
Or we could possibly get moisture from our vegetable crops, but how would they be able to grow without water? The air would answer the needs of the crops by doing whatever they needed at anytime they needed it.
No air with any odor sounds nice.
Our air temperature would never be too hot or too cold just perfect, but everyone’s idea of perfect temperatures are different.
That could start wars, OMG!
That’s much worse than the first problem in this writing.

Or could everything and everyone just learn to adapt like we have already with having weather?

Good night to all.
Hope my silliness didn’t turn you off, but I had fun, and I hope you did too.

Missing makes it so; sorry that's wishing makes it so, but we will be missed too! And all about me!

First of all happy news for south west Florida... Hurricane Ike is heading due west of us and we are no longer in the cone of uncertainty or anywhere near those spaghetti plots! Hurray!

Now about me, I thought with this newest free non weather space I would describe how my days/nights really are.
Friends and family do occasionally ask, and so here goes...
Pain is not a constant but a daily presence, and yes I have a few complaints from not being able to find a comfortable position to sleep in.
I do use a cane, not because it is fashionable, although that hasn't been since the turn of the century, the one before last I think. I do have four in different colors and designs to match different outfits; but they're use is really due to my MS. I have what is a symptom of the disease MS it is called Ataxia, a balance disorder.
It can be all on its own or in cahoots with the MS, and I drop things periodically as well.
Used to drop my cigarettes, and that's one of the reasons I quit two years ago nearly burnt the house down, an exaggeration, actually I put another distressed mark on our distressed table, and most of the glasses I use are actually plastic, but on occasion I have broken even them.
My bodily plumbing is not working at all right so I have to wear special undergarments. The nicest way that I thought I could put it.
I have what I fondly call the nummies, where parts of my body, mostly my legs go numb periodically, arms do it too on occasion, sometimes my face.
And then there is the muscle spasms which occur in all different locations, my back, stomach, thighs, arms or any major muscle group, at the most inopportune times, while swimming, sitting, walking or whatever. Fun, fun, fun!
That takes care of the MS.

Now for the seven types of arthritis that I have out of the 100 that exist...Fibromyalgia, a total pain and muscle disorder that is systemic, but seems to be helped with regular exercise. I was a guinea pig at one time for docs at the university, and was on many different types of meds. Everything from El dopa used in Parkinson's, to Prozac an anti-depressive to Ritalin used for hyper activity, even Magnesium shots, etc. Now I take nothing for it and it works fine.
Then there is my Sojourn’s Syndrome which causes dry eye, and other dryness in different parts of the body, I guess that’s the nicest way to describe that.
My eyes were the worst, actually I need drops to maintain proper tear balance, but really I need eye surgery. I backed off of it years ago. Since you are awake for it and you can see the doctor coming at you with the instruments. It helped me to stop wearing my contact lenses, but boy was that hard beauty wise. I had been wearing them on and off for over forty years.
And I have already had 13 surgeries, but they gave anesthesia for them.
Next I guess is Osteoarthritis of my back, which I guess can also be called Spondylosis, or degenerative spine disease. It is a normal part of aging.
Then I have basilar joint disease of the hands/thumbs, one was fixed but the other needs to be. It is small joint replacement and takes four months from surgery, splint (until incision heals), and cast (six weeks) to occupational therapy (two months) onto complete healing. I have already had the left thumb done, but the right needs it, and I am right handed, thus my reasoning for the delay.
Another type is cervical stenosis, which is a narrowing in the spinal neck region, and if severe enough can cause quadriplegia.
I also have osteopenia the pre cursor to osteoporosis.
Last but not least is the most common, bursitis in my shoulders and hips.
That’s the one that seems to be interfering with my sleep and any exercise program I need to accomplish.
Listen to your body is what I was taught to teach, and unfortunately mine’s been yelling STOP!
But I did make it into the pool today, and it was delightful.
Walking will be on the agenda at the end of this month I do hope that the cooler weather will cooperate.
None of any of these problems will kill me in the near future, but I must confess are annoying just the same.

Thanks for letting me vent and clear any questions anyone out there may have since I do mention my ills on occasion.
I hope that was informative.

Good night to all and to all sleep tight, nah relax those muscles; too tight will hurt! LOL

PS Happy 10th Birthday today GOOGLE!

And then there was one... But boy what a BIG one!

Hurricane Ike cannot seem to make up his mind on just how BIG he really wants to become. He was, at one time just one of the crowd of 4, with his cohorts Hanna, Josephine and 99.
At this writing he is now back to a Category 4 status hurricane at 135 MPH winds, and takes up quite a large area.
Predictors have him shifting his cone of uncertainty, and spaghetti plots a little more towards our west, out into the Gulf of Mexico off of our south west Florida coast, by about 150 miles. Actually, our meteorologists did that, but he's following what they are saying to the letter. Keep going, I say! But I would also like him to get plenty of wind shear on his way too, and disintegrate to nothing, to go on to harm no one.

But unfortunately, at that distance he will still cause us grief we are told from possible storm surge, training rain bands, and the fringe winds will be higher than Gustav’s that were only in the 30-60 mile an hour range when he passed out there, but he was much further away at 250 miles into the Gulf. Gustav was only a Cat 2 at that time and he was a wet windy problem for all of us.

Ike promises to be either a Cat 3 or 4 in approximately the same location as Gustav was off of our coast, but closer by nearly 100 miles, and so we can expect more rain and gustier winds that are more than likely what could happen at the least right now.

My wishing dilemma is if he doesn’t come here, where will he go?

My husband went out today to do the last minute errands alone.
I was exhausted I did not sleep well last night.
He returned the library books, topped off the gas tank and got some cash, also 2 more cases of water, things that we will use or do even if all is well.
I asked him if it was busy with others doing the same, and he said no it was rather quiet.

I thought others must be waiting for more proof of the danger, but then I heard on the news that Broward, and Dade counties were evacuating along with Monroe, the Keys.
But the Keys were under mandatory guest evacuations, because it does definitely look like a direct hit there.
But Dade and Broward are where Miami and Palm Beach are on the east coast, and they aren't even in the cone of uncertainty or targets of the infamous spaghetti plots????
What's going on?
Are we the California Chilin types... on the laid back coast, and they... the in a NYC minute ...worry warts?
I truly think not, I'm from NJ, and I'm worried, what gives????
Perhaps I'm just on info overload, and they have been busy watching the tennis matches, but they were delayed and then rained out by remnants of Hanna!

Oh well... one never knows does one.
I will definitely be here to keep whoever wishes to be posted with what we have happening here, you can be sure of that. As sure as my name is... oh well, let's just say you can call me Tobi.
As long as I know anything you will have my word that I will let you know too!

Good night to all, and tell me what you know, we could share TMI on many different topics other than weather, please.

Just Call me Lady Ambassador, or weather girl...

Hello everyone!
Today I was honored with the request for me to become an Ambassador for Arthritis, and I said yes.
Sounds important, huh?
It was created by the Arthritis Foundation to establish contacts between important members of Congress and the constituents, who care the most and know the most about arthritis, and that's me, so I've been told! My recruiter letter was from the main office in Florida and a woman who is in D.C. and the one in charge of the Arthritis Foundation Ambassadors.
I suppose it could be considered a very important job, but it is strictly a volunteer position, and entails very little actual time involvement a one hour conference call a month for briefings from the staff in Washington D.C., and a monthly advocacy assignment of one hour that helps build recognition.
My immediate thought is why don't more people do this? They really should.
After this month I will be able to tell you more. So far I am excited and praying that I don't let anyone down.
This was all a very positive and welcomed distraction from our weather situation.

Updates: Tropical Storm Hanna is hugging the east coast from the Carolinas all the way to New England with a lot of rain, winds in the 65-75 MPH range with much higher gusts; tidal surge is in their concern, as well as flash flooding.

Hurricane Ike is a monster still out in the Atlantic, but heading towards our Florida west coast, and is predicted to be a Category 4 with 135 MPH winds by then Tuesday through Wednesday afternoon. We are preparing for the worst even our local meteorologist is shuttering up his home this weekend. By Monday we will be informed on whether they will be evacuating any of us. My fear is to where???
The majority of the state is in the cone of uncertainty!
My anxiety is extremely high... wind shear is our only hope for the likes of Ike to be diminished. He is suffering a minimal amount now. I want him to suffer more.
What exactly is wind shear?
Hmm...Wind shear is the change in wind speed or direction with height in the atmosphere. Okay, now that was perfectly clear. All I really care about is that Ike gets a massive dose of it!
Stay tuned we will be in hyper mode for this info all weekend!

Good night to all, sleep tight while you can, and so will I.

Pit Bulls don't wear lipstick, but Hockey Mom's do

That's what I learned last night watching Governor Sarah Palin speak.
Sarah Palin did it and boy she proved what a dazzling speaker she is!

She took the interest and negativity off her daughter's teen pregnancy, and put it back on herself where it rightfully belongs.
Her children were bright spots in the booth with Dad, Todd and Cindy McCain,also John McCain's Mom, along with Trac, Bristol, Willow, Piper, and baby, Tres the Palin kids. Hysterical laughter is what was caused when the cutie youngin Piper licked her own hand to flatten her new baby brother's doo. Levi, Bristol's baby’s daddy did look handsome but out of his element, definitely showed that he was a fish out of water. I think Whoopee Goldberg may have said it best that he looked so bewildered like he was thinking all I did was take the governor's daughter Bristol out on a date one time, and here I am. He was whirlwinded. Other View hosts also noticed about the amount of African Americans at the GOP convention… they counted only two that the camera kept in their sight as Governor Palin tore apart Senator Obama, and I noticed it too, and that was interesting.

So much was going on that I didn't realize until much later when Joe Biden and other Democrats reminded me that she didn't answer any questions or concerns we all had about the economy or foreign policy etc.
She did have answers for her home state to beef up oil drilling production, but why can't they do that now? Alaska is part of the United States, isn't it?

She played down too much the reality of any knowledge of the suffering of Senators Barack Obama and Joe Biden. Give me a break Sarah, play fair. We all know that Senator McCain was a POW during Viet Nam, and that he was a miraculous brilliant survivor of that. But they both did not just magically appear without living their lives with quite a bit of sadness and hard times, and picking themselves up after. It was definitely not all laughter and light to get where they are at this point.
And they have both well paid their dues in the game of life.Evident in their bios, which apparently she neglected to read.

The evening was definitely interesting.
And hearing what Governor Palin had to say was good to know so I could be that better informed.

Update on Tropical Storm Hanna: she has her destination planned now as the Carolinas, and will be possibly a Category 1 on her arrival this weekend.
From what I saw the Carolinians seem to have it also under control with their preparations from experience too.

Update on Hurricane Ike: he is massive, and one reporter compared him to Hurricane Andrew that was off the scale back in 1992 when it hit south Florida.
Scary, we helped after that devastation, and lived through Charley since not even as strong, but horrendous just the same.
If Ike is half as bad, and heading this way we are very much on guard for what may be coming at us as early as next Tuesday.
All we know so far is that we are still in that cone of uncertainty for Hurricane Ike, but not even the pros know for sure where he will be going!
So we are glued to the TV and weather sites so we will know what to do and when to do it.

Good night to all... the future is looking very tumultuous, stay tuned, it could be rocky ride.

Hanna is no longer a threat to SW Florida

We are out of Hanna's cone of uncertainty! The presumed trajectory is for north Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas to watch out!
But Ike is now a hurricane and looks like we may have him in our radar by this coming Tuesday.

Anyway, in other news, Governor Sarah Palin, Republican Presumptive VP nominee will be speaking tonight.
I would hope that I will be able to stay awake.
One never knows does one?

All day I have been a bit under the weather.
Yesterday, when I got out of the pool I noticed an itchy rash brewing on either forearm, which looks like a mass of mini insect bites.
At first I though it might be rubbing from bathing suit along with the high Chlorine we keep in the pool due to all the rain.
This time instead of rushing to the phone to speak to a nurse who would just tell me to see the doctor I waited until we got the grocery for our normal shopping and I then asked the pharmacist about it.
No answer was given about what it could be, but I was told my assumption to take Benedryl was correct. The pharmacist also said to use cortisone cream, which I thought we still had at home, and we did. I did take the Benedryl and it made me sleepy enough to take an hour nap.
I suppose the 2 pill initial dose of Benedryl that I took at 1:30 P.M. is still working on me causing an unfortunate drowsy feeling. I did take the adult dose, and with this weight on me I don't think this should have had such an ill effect, but I am so tired right now I feel like I could go right back to bed.
When I was a skinny bilink I was very easily overdosed by adult recommended dosages even as an adult.
That is extremely important for parents to remember with children medicine works by weight, not just age.

I think I will say good night to all now...and maybe try somehow to wake myself up to see the convention later on.
In reality I would like to be very well informed before I make that final decision on November 4th.

Enough is enough!

Gustav is nothing more than a tropical depression inland, and evacuees are still on hold on when they can go home.
Hope for their sakes it is soon, but electric is still out for nearly 1.5 million homes in the area of where the storm hit.
Miraculously the levees held!
Even though the actual date of completion of their fortification is 2011, and they were only 20% where they eventually will be.

Hanna is a tropical storm once again and is still supposedly heading to our east coast waters, and we should only be on the rim of her. More than likely her trail will be left from Thursday and Friday of this week. Ike is looking like the one for us south west coast dwellers to be watching, so far no one knows just where he may decide to go, possibly a Saturday landfall.

Josephine is way away at this writing and we are told not to be concerned with her at this time.

What do any of us make of this newest information about Governor Palin's 17 year old daughter Bristol?
We all know that Mom does NOT believe in SEX education in the schools, only abstaining, but why didn't she inform her daughter of this?
Kids will be kids, and that is why they should be taught how to deal with sex in a safe way, abstaining should be the first consideration of all youngsters, but if they do want to experiment they should have all the know how of what their responsibility is in doing an adult act, and should know how to prevent diseases like: STDS, AIDS, etc., and of course pregnancy!
Come on Mom, what are you living in the 1950's?
Even in the wild 1960's we were opening up the discussion on the S-E-X word.
They were called the Sexy Sixties!

I still think that this woman Sarah Palin is fascinating with a compelling history, and admirable attitude about loving her family.

Also in the news right now, which does concern me is the Casey Anthony case whose 3 year old daughter Calee has been missing since June, and the Mom, Casey only reported her missing in July.
The toddler is now presumed dead, evidence in the mother's car was tested for DNA and decaying tissue seems to make the authorities believe this is the case.

Casey was just 19 when she had her daughter, and her Mom, the grandmother was responsible for her keeping her daughter and not giving her up for adoption or even terminating the pregnancy although Calee's father was killed in an automobile accident prior to her birth.
Add in post partum depression, and would think you have the makings for disaster not unlike what the authorities are assuming.
NO wonder Grandma and Grandpa are hoping and praying THEIR grandchild has not perished at the hands of that Mother, their daughter just another unprepared teenage Mom not emotionally ready for what motherhood entails.
After the deed is done, children want to win back their parents respect and will more than likely do whatever those parents tell them to do whether they are ready or not.

Is this not something profound to think about?

Good night to all, and my mind is spinning from all this.