Michele

Thanks, Jess. I now have a bit of a clue. But now, to adopt the bird method to my cat. "Be calm and affectionate" made me laugh, sitting here with runnels of blood under my nose...I'm supposing tossing the towel over her head and then scooping her up was the wrong idea. Speedy, I swear, I asked about that. The vet and the pharmacist want to try this first. I think they're sadistic. Not against the cat, you understand...but against me. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Um, well, I did that. She flails worse than me when she's hanging there in midair. She still managed to nail me. She's old, she's sick, but she's still earning her name on a regular basis. Usually I like to see her feisty. Not when she's trying to pick my nose with her claw. O.K., I'll try it again after dinner. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Would you mind explaining how to burrito wrap a bitch kitty? I just took a claw up my nose while trying to wrap her, and now I'm bleeding like a pig from a puncture wound. It's not a scratch. It's a hole. And it hurts. And she's so mad at me. I am so bad at getting her meds in her. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Well, the governments of both the US and England are taking some significant precautions, inasmuch as troops at Heathrow, a trainstation was closed (not the big one, but still a large one), and the US has placed ground0-to-air shooter things (mobile missle launchers? Dunno for sure) on the Washington Beltway, according to the reports. The NY hospitals are on high alert for cynide/serin attacks (per MSNBC/FOX/CNN and various news sites)... There is nothing wrong with being a bit more prepared. As to living here in So CA, I have all the things in my GOOD kit (Get Out Of Dodge) that are recommended right now. Hey, it's EQ country, and it's always good to be self sufficient for 7 days... As for taking it seriously, yes, in fact I am. No reason not to, and also no reason to change my normal daily routine. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Since I was one of those who asked for help understanding anti-americanism, it would be interesting to note that I have NOT opened that thread, and do not intend to. My clicking into a thread I KNOW will be inflammatory and inciteful is ridiculous, and do nothing more than support the posters and encourage them ala trolling... I asked for help understanding this stuff from a sincere position. Too bad that others decided to do whatever they did and get it locked before I could continue the discussions. Too bad others let emotions get out of control and personal attacks prevail instead of giving me information so that I can make up my mind about what I believe. Too bad people from all countries are participating in the "bash them" attitude instead of researching the issue and posting something thoughtful and honestly articulating their position. It was "sound bite" posting...which doesn't tell the story, but makes great headlines. I was asking (and still am) for the story, not the damned headlines. Why, for example, do only 4% of Americans hold passports, and where can I verify that stat (I searched, but couldn't find a reliable site with that info on it...). For those who've tried their best to educate me, I do very much appreciate it. For the pm's and responses to an honest query I thank you. For those who're just looking to whack someone around for whatever idealism they hold dearest, screw off. I want to understand it. I don't. And I'm willing to look at the situation from several different points of view, as long as said view is offered and not shoved down my throat. And that, global friends and neighbors, is about respect. Pure and simple. Just my 2 cents. Keep the change. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Thanks for the ideas...I can use all of them I can get. If you've got any more, please please post them. The problem with giving it in her food is that she's refused to eat it at times, and, before I can grab it and get it up, the other girls try it out. Not that I think it's bad for them, but still...and the pills are less effective than the liquid. Or would be if she ever got any liquid. The pharmacist has suggested that we try it this way, and once I've lost enough blood he'll try to mix it with other things (fish oil) that she may not be so violent about. I have tried the food before and after, as treats...I will try the gravy thing, though. And if worse comes to worst, a Bitch burrito sounds like it's gonna work. (Lisa, I'd never be able to catch her with the rubbermaid things...she'd see those coming and bail. At least with the syringe, I can almost sneak up on her. Thank God she's old and doesn't run too fast...nor hide too well...if the closets are closed, at least!) She's eagle-eying me right about now. Wants her dinner. The chase shall be on shortly.... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

But it may not be...it may be a secondary infection rather than the primary issue. We won't know until she takes the stupid meds...we're trying to eliminate the issues, and still see if there's a problem. Time will tell...but it's at least a chance, you know? Smiles, it is just me - the two person scenario would be most excellent, but it just won't happen here. Rather, I have two other cats who're in cahoots (cat-hoots??) with BK, protecting her from the evil medicine bearing me...they conspire to trip me, leap on me, distract me...and then ignore me once I am successful in cramming that down her throat. They believe they're next... Gia - you got that right - it's bizarre. We are not at all sure how she got it. She never goes out, and even if she did, there are no horses around here (perhaps horses' asses, the human kind...but no equines...). And because the last ranch I showed was looooooooooooooong time past, there is no definitive answer. Then again, it is me, my family...and if it's weird, it will occur here... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Tiff, that's a good plan at any time at all. Family is always important, and time with loved ones can never be better spent. Especially on Valentine's Day. Let's meet here on Saturday, and you can tell us how it went. Deal? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Kewlio! You and I have a skydate, then...but remember, you're unsafe to everyone around you, and so am I...so we should make sure to scare ourselves silly. Which, in my case, is not hard to do... Good to see you around a bit again. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I bring BK in to the vet's for a check-up and a little monitoring of her condition. He and I talk...and then he notices her eye is still very swollen, nasal discharge contains blood, and she has bad, bad, bad breath. He swabs her sinus, and aspirates some fluid from under her eye. He sends it for tests. The test results come back. He calls me... Dr. B: Michele, you're a realtor, right? Me: Yes. Dr. B: Shown any horse property lately? me: Um. What? Dr. B.: Have you been on a ranch or around horses lately? Me: Not in at least 6 months or more. Dr. B: Can you bring the other girls in immediately? Me: Sure.... So I load up the car with three sceraming and freaked out cats, and I only have two carriers. Esse gets the harness, and roams free in the rear window, plaintively meowling at the world passing her, begging the occupants in other cars to save her from this indignity. the other two chorus with her, and I am nearly deafened by yowls. We make it to the vet, me with bundles of feline freaks, and he takes blood from all three. They are not happy, and all try to bite me. None are successful, but all accomplish the goal of shedding lots of fur on my white sweater, and peeing on me and the counter and in the carriers. The test results come back. Esse and Charlotte are fine, but BK has a serious and massive infection commonly found in horses. WTF??? And when it does occur in cats (which is rare), it tends to settle in the urinary tract. BK somehow has contracted this, but it's settled in her nose and sinus/ear. Because the other two are fine, he figures that it's a secondary infection, but may actually be the cause of her illness. He had me go to a human pharmacy, and get tetracycline...1.6 ml's 2x a day, in a thick, stinky, yellow fluid, for the next three weeks.. BK and I have come to an agreement. Should I approach her with anything in my hands, meds or not, she will leap from where she's sleeping and run away. Should I be so lucky as to catch her, she will impale me with whatever claw she has handy, and scream at me. Should I manage to subdue her long enough to get my hand onto her throat, she will spit and hiss enough to cough and choke herself, which will, of course, scare me into letting her go. At which point, we shall repeat the process until I am either too tired or bloody to continue, or she's gotten the nasty medication into her throat. At which point, the agreement goes, she will close her throat off long enough to fool me into thinking that she's swallowed it, and then, when I let her go, she will spit it out all over her coat and the floor and the clean laundry or the sofa or bed... This is going to be an interesting three weeks. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Morning, Tiff... February 14th is, of course, our Valentine's Day. It is also, if I'm not greatly mistaken, the last day of the Hajj (or perhaps it's the day after the last day of the Hajj). The hajj, for those who're unaware, is the annual pilgrimage to Mecca, the birthplace of Islam. Here is a link for a brief peek at Hajj. http://www.ummah.net/hajj/ As to the correlation between the two days, and the Orange alert, there have been many contributing things to it coming at this time. Not only has the "chatter" (monitored conversations between suspected terrorists) increased and become quite specific, there is the whole Iraq issue to include - the movements of our troops, the tensions escalating, Saddam's recent "change of heart", the fracture of the UN Security council, the Turkey acquiesing to troop placement, etc. Further consider that there have been at least three suicide (attempts?) within the held AQ down in Gitmo in the last 10 (or so) days, the suspicion that a SAM was smuggled into England (thus the Heathrow issue), and last but not least, the supposed tape of Bin Ladin encouraging attacks on the enemies. Now, there's been lots of discussion of if this info is correct, not correct, misinterpreted, or whatever. It could all be co-incidental - calendar, audio tape, chatter, etc - but it may not just be co-incidental, either. There is no real way to know other than it actually occuring. NacMac put up a great explanation of a dirty bomb, and I'd encourage you to read it and ask questions should there be any. A "nuclear" bomb as we know it is not terribly likely. What is far more likely is a chemical or biological assault, which would be very hard to carry off, or a dirty bomb explosion in a mall, etc. The terrorists' goal is to terrorize, to change our way of life. The threats cause fear, a deep uncertainty, a restlessness...how do we protect our loved ones, family, friends, country? How to we survive? How do we make it through this and get back to "normal" life? That's the goal of those guys - to scare us, to modify our behavior, to emotionally blackmail us into this, that or the other thing. Consider a demolition of a well-used highway interchange - maybe 50 people will die, but the fear - the fear! "They're here, what's next, oh christ what do I/we do now" is the major factor. People stop using the interchanges in states far removed from the actual incident. Consider a dirty bomb in a movie theatre. 300 people contaminated, but the rest of the country stops going to the movie, because they're too scared. Or five cases of botulinum toxin in one local area - people stop shopping for food, stop eating out...fear. It's about fear. It's about manipulation of emotions, instilling fear (real or imagined) in a large group of people. And when there's fear, people stop their normal lives. And when they stop their normal lives, the economy suffers....it's a chain reaction, and plays upon our emotions. My only piece of advice is to go about your normal daily routine, knowing that death can claim any of us at any time, for any reason. Take whatever precautions you feel necessary, but do NOT let the fear change your pattern. If it does, they win. Hugs to you, Tiff (and whomever else needs them). It is indeed a scary time, but the test is how scared can you be and still have your life? We jump out of planes. I am terrified of that on a regular basis. I take precautions and make it as safe as I can, and then leap out into the blue sky and fly...this is the same. Take the precautions you need to do, and then leap...continue with your life. Hugs again... Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I am very close to ordering my Infinity. It's good to know the turn around time is so quick. Not that I can use it when I get it (missing a reserve and a cypres still), but it's still nice to know. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Um, this is earthquake country, Bazz...that's Standard Operating Procedure for us...(yes, including plastic sheeting for us who lost roofs and windows in '94 and '71...) I don't think there's a whole lot I can do about it, except take the precautions, and then go about my normal life. I mean, cowering in a corner (as some have) does nothing but let the bad guys win, you know? Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Dan! You just couldn't stay away, could you?? Well, either that or it was fond memories of lasagne and garlic bread at IHOP last summer! LOL!!!!!!!!! Told you this place was beyond belief! Good to see you around. You are indeed an inspiration and I look forward to learning tons of stuff from you. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, Bill...Still reading through the thread, but I thought I should take a quickie moment here... My comment was, and is What I am asking is simply why do people have a hard time with the notion that there may be a connection between AQ and Hussein; it further asks the question about what it would take to convince one person one thing or the other. It did not state that since "it's not impossible, then it's probably true". Just wanted to make that clear

Hi, KB... That's one of the perceptions I just don't get. Why is it believed that it's Bush's reputation that is driving this? I must've missed something somewhere, but that's not what I see. I do believe that the UN's reputation is on the line, and they've recently done some things which really concern me - such as you mentioned, as well as the Turkey thing. Personally, I believe that France is far more complicit in this then we are aware of; and Germany's position comes from several decades of anti-american sentiment. Pooty-poo's flop is fascinating, and the alliance between these three speaks volumes of "something" (dunno what, just yet). I also don't see why it's so hard to see the leap between AQ/terrorism and Iraq. Why is it so impossible? And what evidence would someone need to be convinced otherwise? I am soooooooo late to the office, but I will be coming onto the thread during the day as time permits (and it stays unlocked)... Thanks for taking the time to state your thoughts, and I look forward to seeing more as time progresses. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Hi, NacMac I am really interested in what you see as the inspectors' jobs. From what I understand, and I've been known to be wrong, their job is simply to verify that the WMD declared by Hussein and his group have already been disposed of. It's to verify that the information declared is accurate and complete. What have I missed? As for the politicians actually doing anything other than posturing for their constituency, I am not clear. Diplomacy has not worked so far. Nor has 12 years of sanctions. The UN is violating their charter of protection vis-a-vis Turkey, and there is something significant happening with France and Russia in alliance with Germany. Add to that the additional threat level raised (here and in the UK and Saudi Emerates), and this being a significant one (inasmuch as the panic button has been pushed by FEMA), an additional 400 troops in tanks at Heathrow, the Hajj ending Thursday, ad nauseum ad infinitum blah yada... Something is indeed going on, and I don't understand what. And I do hear a lot of anti-americanism (not just CNN, etc. but in sites that I go to and read on originating outside the US), but I am really unclear as to why, exactly, this feeling is so pervasive. Just curious... Ciels Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

I really am curious as to the viewpoints of people in different countries. I think this is something that can be conveyed without personal attacks, or calling people names (groups or individuals). While Mike is a bull in a china shop, he's said nothing more than I've heard around town (albeit more politically correct...which may or may not be good...). I would like to see people post their opinions about the situation, rather than their opinions about particular people on this site. This is a great opportunity to find out what people think, if handled well and with maturity. Just my wishes, though, and "if wishes were horses, beggars would ride" as the saying goes... Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Packages!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Vibes sent. Prayers said. All appendages are crossed, and good thoughts being thunk right now! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Clay, if I ever get whereever you are, I owe you a jump. And if you ever get out here, I still owe you a jump. And we will have a drink and talk in person.

Good to see your upside-down face again, Lummy... As to why it's national news, there are several reasons...primarily being she's pregnant. The others stem from it being Christmas when she disappeared, his behavior after the fact, and his affair beforehand. There's also a connection, albeit peripherally, of it being Modesto, which is where the Condit/Levy thing happened. While Scott Peterson may not be coming across well, there are several things which point to something other than innocent. 1. Selling her car. While it's true that her family got it back, any evidence it may have contained is now null and void. A defense attorney can take anything found in the car and demolish it, and at the same time demolish any confidence a jury may have in the rest of the evidence. 2. His attempt to sell the house. WTF? I've known of folks who're missing family members who never move for the rest of their lives, never change their phone numbers, etc. in hopes that the missing person comes home. To sell the house - and it's very clear he tried to do that - he'd need a death certificate to be able to sell her property depending on how title was held. It's patently obvious that the realtor contacted pulled the title, and it showed both their names on it. Why would someone sell the house? 3. His trip to Mexico is an issue for me, as well. Perhaps not like the other issues, but difficult for me to swallow, nonetheless. 4. His purchase of a new truck. The sale of Laci's SUV financed his purchase, if I'm not terribly mistaken. The story he gave was that they were looking to sell the car when the baby was born...but to buy a replacement truck? I dunno about that. 5. What is the truth to the life insurance policy (ies?) purchased? From what I understand, he bought a 250K on her, and her alone, and did not buy one for himself. Whether or not this provides motive I don't know, but it is a piece of the evidence that, while circumstantial, is possibly indicative of something. As to his setting up press conferences and/or searchs, why in LA and San Diego? That's kinda outside the realm of logic. Didn't his jaunts to LA and SD co-incide with some major public event? Superbowl and something else? And a last observation...his lawyer fired him for talking to the press against the lawyer's wishes. This indicates something about Scott's personality - although I am not at all sure what, specifically. I would sincerely hope that she's just bailed on a bad situation - his affair (s?), his duplicity in other ways, and what not. I also do not think she'd've bailed without telling her family, primarily because she was pregnant. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think we're gonna bring her home alive. And that sucks. And, as always, it's just my opinion. All are welcome to their own. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Jess, you crack me up. 'Twas, indeed, Carpe Dadum. He is 80, and I know that my time with him is limited. I also know that I have been gifted with more than the average time with parents. I am a fortunate girl. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

(Last Thursday, I had the wonderful opportunity to travel with my Dad on a little overnight trip for a premiere he was invited to in San Diego. Here is a rundown on that 24 hour period.) I head into the office at 8, try to get a fire put out, and realize it is far more of a forest fire than a tiny little blaze. I fax over some very important and threatening demands to the selling agent, and seriously consider not going with Dad because of this file. And then I decide: "Screw that. I am spending time with Dad. The file will wait." I drop my pager in my drawer, change my voicemail, call Dad to say I'm running a little late but I'll be there ASAP, and flee the office. Dad, knowing me better than any other human on earth, comes to pick me up and has brought lunch for me - ceasar salad and a water. He loads the car with my stuff (yes, it's only 24 hours, but I still need 2 bags ), and off we go. On the drive down, we talk about everything from soup to nuts, family, friends, work, life, Iraq, and the moral decline of our youth today because of rock music. We hold very different opinions on things, and it's fun debating and discussing with him. We sing old show tunes (both he and I can't sing very well, but we do it with enthusiam!), and arrive in La Jolla at about 2:15...and promptly get lost. We finally spot the Marriot, and check in at 2:45. At 5:15, I am in the lobby, waiting for him. He is uncharacteristically late. I meet the "minders", folk from the Mitzel foundation who are assigned to us so we don't handle this alone. It's a retired Dr. and his wife, and I introduce myself. Dad comes down and makes his entrance, playing the "actor" for all he's worth...Nate and Sue are enthralled, and I am cracking up. I fiddle with his tie, and we set out for the evening. We pile into the car, and make our way to the Jewish Community Center for the Jewish Film Festival that my Dad's short movie is opening. There are about 1,000 people there, and they are anxiously awaiting "Uncle Leo's" arrival. It is hysterically funny to me, but Dad is loving every second of it. In the car as we pull up, he leans over to me and says "see? 50 years later, I'm an overnight sensation!" and grins from ear to ear. To see my father light up is glorious. We do the "red carpet" thing except it was blue, and move into the reception. He is pulled away, and I lose him very quickly. No matter, he doesn't need me to hold his hand. I see his director Dan, and make my way over to him, and chat for a while. I see Dan's father, Abraham, and Abraham and I sort of move to the outskirts of the throng, and get some food. He and I are laughing - this is as fun for us to see our family garner well-deserved accolades as it is for our family to recieve them. Because it is a Jewish film festival, there will be some very "heavy" movies being shown. I meet one of the other directors and we talk about his film a little bit - it's a documentary about life in Israel and the difficulties with the Palestinian issues...about fear and about life and about love and about survival - on all sides. Abraham, a physicist who works with lasers in medical applications, joins the conversation, and stories are exchanged. I am invited to Tel Aviv to see first hand the uprising and the issues, but for the moment, I decline. I meet a wizened old woman, and she and I talk for a bit. She is wearing a gold lame long sleeved blouse, and, as she raises her hand to drink, the sleeve falls back, and I see a grouping of numbers tattoo'd on her forearm...she is a survivor of a camp. I want to ask about it, but daren't - this isn't the time nor the place. But a heaviness descends on me, cloaking the joy of the evening with a dark sense of enlarged perception and awareness of the fragility just under the surface of her smile. And I notice as well the quality of joy and faith sparkling in her eyes, and in her hug. I reluctantly leave her, this moth to her light, and find my father on the dias speaking (you all think I talk alot? LOL, you should hear him some time. But he actually has something to say!! Well, usually.) We manage to make it to the theatre where we will see the movie, and there are easily 1500 people there for the festival. He makes another speech, and we watch the movie. At the reception afterwards, our minders are enthralled with his stories. And it is really wonderful to see him in the midst of a crowd, touching hands, making people laugh and feel at ease. He must have signed 200 autographs on people's playbill. He never looked tired, and while I was about to drop, he could've walked a marathon I think. We get back to the hotel about 12:30, and are seen in the lobby by other attendees. He is again thronged, and I am aware his first interview in the morning is at 6. We manage to extricate ourselves at about 1, declining drinks yet again. 5:00 am comes far too quickly, and we trudge out to CBS, do a 5 minute spot, off to NBC, and another 5 minute spot, and then somewhere else for another quicky spot. We make it back to the hotel about 10 and meet up with a few friends for breakfast. My father is looking tired but satisfied, happy and proud of himself. There have been many contacts made for other film festivals, including the Bay area and even Berlin. All are asking if he would be available to come with his movie to those venues, and Dad, of course, is agreeing to everything. We clamber back into the car at about noon, and are back in Burbank by 2:30. I drop off my stuff and head back to my office as my father heads off to a rehearsal and a reading. My father is an amazing man, and so full of life and love and generosity of spirit and joy. It is wonderful to see him enjoying himself, and to share in this part of his life is fantastic. I do so very much love him, and am very proud of him. He, simply, rawks! Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~

Here is a link to the whole speech: http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/2-5-2003-34991.asp I read it, and then searched it for "ricin", but didn't find it. He has spoken about it recently, but unless it was an editorial/off-the-cuff comment, it wasn't at the UN last week. Lest you think I am poking you, I am strongly in favor of going into Iraq and taking out Saddam. I am sure that is anathema for many, and surprises a few...but I think it's long overdue. I also believe that war sucks. I want the inspections to work. I also want it to not take an additional 10 years. Ciels- Michele ~Do Angels keep the dreams we seek While our hearts lie bleeding?~