Clutch Cargo Lips - Latest Comments

Re: The New Adventures of a Gregarious Bird

Bridgett — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 14:05:36 -0000

There is nothing in the computer user world more exciting than designing and starting a new blog...

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Dona Patrick — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:42:03 -0000

It may be a portable organ, but it is far too heavy for me to carry. You'll all just have to come down to Bethesda someday to see it in person.

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Helen — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:17:21 -0000

Wow, that's amazing. You'll have to bring the organ when you visit Mali in New Zealand. And awesome performance!

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Mali — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 18:18:08 -0000

Wow, I'd never heard of a folding organ!

I loved the performance. I think I'd find it very distracting pumping the feet and trying to play!

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Dona Patrick — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:06:43 -0000

Thanks. I think so too.

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Dona Patrick — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:06:18 -0000

It is like a piece of exercise equipment, Tina. I think my chair is a little too high. I think my feet are supposed to do the work.

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

Dona Patrick — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 15:05:14 -0000

I talked to my mom yesterday and she corrected some of my misunderstandings about the organ.

1. My folks didn't get it from my Aunt Corrine. They got it from a friend of my Dad's mother. I don't know how the friend ended up with it, but the minister of their church had more than one church, so he lugged the organ along with him.

2. My mom gave it to my Aunt Corrine, but she gave it back to my mom. (Whew, I was worried she'd want it back) She probably never played it at church.

3. The doodads on either side of your knees as you sit down make it sound like an organ -- you know with the ghostly sound -- like a harmony.

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

indigobunting — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:45:48 -0000

This is utterly cool.

Re: Bilhorn Brother’s World Famous Folding Organ

thebiggertheyget — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 17:37:29 -0000

Hey, Dona, thanks for the nice compliment. Not sure the kids got all their awesome from me though. Wait, of course they did! :-) Love your video. It appears your organ is also an old fashioned piece of exercise equipment...

Re: Oh yeah, Easter

Lali — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:38:03 -0000

Lovely to see you again!

Re: Oh yeah, Easter

Helen — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 07:30:18 -0000

Great pictures. And quite the height differential!

Re: Oh yeah, Easter

Mali — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 23:16:32 -0000

This was lovely. The bunnies were adorable. I loved seeing Andrew and Dean too ... and always a joy to see you. One day I might see you in real life. Now that IB has, there's hope!

Re: Casino hotels and college tour guides

Dona Patrick — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:12:11 -0000

I'm glad for your brother-in-law and his family, Catherine. Maybe he's right. I just get the heebie jeebies (I've never used that term before!) in casinos. Something about them really bothers me. Maybe I've seen too many gangster movies or something.

Thanks for telling me the Wesleyan story on the phone.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Dona Patrick — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 09:06:47 -0000

You're right Lali. And in the long run a week or so of missing sports is better than long-term effects of repeated concussions. He's got an appointment this afternoon to check if he can go back to sports, then another on Tuesday. Fingers and toes crossed that everything checks out ok.

Re: Casino hotels and college tour guides

Cath — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 19:50:35 -0000

Dona! Hi! I need friend time, but I'm still submerged in school stuff. In the mean time, I have two stories related to this entry on your trip, one on Wesleyan, the other on Casinos.
First, casinos: My brother in law, former award winning salesman for National Computer systems who talked himself out of job (he's a bit brash) 6 years ago at age 60, is now a consultant in the "gaming industry" (aka gambling) for Pacific NW Native American Gaming Association, or something like that. I just returned from Seattle and two days with him and my sister, during which time he convinced me (more or less) of how great casinos are as " the poor man's country club", where, for $40 a senior citizen can eat, watch a great show on a big screen TV, and gamble the slots for an hour, all in a safe, friendly environment. What can I say? It's paying their mortgage (after many months of non-payment) and like any good salesman, he believes in his product. I have no idea what he actually does, but they're eating and paying bills. The Wesleyan story is much better, but it will have to wait. It involves a love child, a female professor, and my eldest sister. How does that sound? Love ya, dearie.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Lali — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:48:45 -0000

I heard that scary broadcast on NPR--but I seem to remember that they were talking about people who have repeated concussions. Plus, there are concussions and then there are concussions. I think that your awareness of Andrew's activities the night before is an important variable, but if you mention "fatigue" in the context of "concussion" it sets off a whole chain of medical interventions. Kind of like if you mention the word "pain" anywhere near the words "left arm." Next thing you know, you're hooked to an EKG.

Re: A promise of lilacs

Lali — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 12:39:11 -0000

I LOVE that first sentence!

And we're waiting, waiting for our lilacs to do their thing.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Helen — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 07:29:02 -0000

It would be nice if medicine was more cut and dried, but I guess in many cases it's not. Which is no comfort of course.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Dona Patrick — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 06:44:08 -0000

I agree, Mali. I just wish there were more objective tests to determine when he can go back to sports. He's actually exhibiting one of the "symptoms" of concussion because he cannot play sports (irritability).

Re: Subjective evaluation

Mali — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 22:47:23 -0000

I dunno. I'd far rather a Dr was cautious about concussion than not.

Today it's been announced that a former top All Black retired from rugby. He hasn't played for 10 months since a bad concussion last year. That was about his 5th (that I know of) serious concussion. Once he had his first, he seemed to have more and more.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Diane — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:25:54 -0000

That would be "and it ISN"T just in the medical field" (of course)

Re: Subjective evaluation

Diane — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 19:22:58 -0000

Hmmm. I know a practicing pediatrician--I wonder what his thoughts would be. Ligitation always is an issue these days and it is just in the medical field. A sad sign of our times I think.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Bridgett — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 13:14:07 -0000

When Maeve had her first (and so far only) febrile seizure, it resulted in an EEG and an MRI...which were fine. I have a feeling they are fine most of the time. Perhaps a high percentage of the time. And when it was all fine, it was done and over with. If the tests are good...that's frustrating that there is that much easing back in. In many cases (like kayakwoman's example) we are over tested because that's how doctors are paid.

Re: Subjective evaluation

kayakwoman — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:17:16 -0000

Malpractice may not have even been a specific concern. I think this kind of stuff has become somewhat systemic.

Re: Subjective evaluation

Dona Patrick — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 10:05:30 -0000

I hadn't considered that it might be due to malpractice concerns, but I do think the doctors are overdoing it.