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Friday, July 11, 2008

Friday Mishmash


Graphic by Yoko Ono



If you have not visited Yoko Ono’s blog, 100 Acorns, I urge you to do so. As an explanation of her blog, she writes:

It's been 44 years since my book of conceptual instructions, GRAPEFRUIT was first published in 1964.

On 15 June 1968, John Lennon & I planted two acorns for peace at Coventry Cathedral. It was the first of our many Peace 'Events'.

In the summer of 1996, I picked up from where I left off, and wrote 100 ACORNS.

Starting on the 40th anniversary of the Acorn Peace Event on 15 June 2008, I will publish here an 'Acorn' every day for 100 days.

After each day of sharing the instructions, you should feel free to question, discuss, and/or report what your mind tells you.

I'm just planting the seeds.

Have fun.
Love, yoko
June 2008




Perhaps I am an eternal optimist, but I really had hopes that the G-8 conference would somehow impact the every growing problems of today’s world. However, this headline from The Economist (UK) (and the story you may read by clicking the headline) sums it up all too well:






I have a medical appointment at the VA outreach center this afternoon. It is actually further from my house than is the hospital. But the doctor I see only operates from there. My big concern is that I have enough oxygen in the portable tanks to make it there and back. I need a renewed supply and the folks who provide it tell me that I am not eligible (VA rules) for a resupply until after July 15th.


That’s enough for now. I have a cat who is demanding to be brushed!

funny pictures
moar funny pictures
Bytes by Unknown posted at 7/11/2008 12:01:00 AM
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18 comments:

  1. AnonymousFriday, July 11, 2008 6:33:00 AM

    You mean if you run out of air you just have to wait until next month?

    Something sounds very wrong about that.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownFriday, July 11, 2008 7:55:00 AM

    There most probably is something wrong with the process. At least I think there is: decisions at the VA are dictated by a computer. Everyone, with the exceptions of some of the nurses, sits in front of a computer and the computer dictates the diagnosis and treatment based on the input given.

    When my breathing ability was lasted tested—I blogged about being walked around and around without oxygen until my blood oxygen level fell to some computer designated point—my “recovery time” after sitting down dictated that the VA would provide 7 tanks (I choose the size) of oxygen a month. I had been receiving 12 tanks of oxygen before the last test.

    The thing is, the oxygen tanks only dictate how often and far I can go from home. In the house, I use exclusively oxygen created by the electronic oxygen compressor through the nose hose. The tanks are for when I leave home—except for one that I always keep in reserve in case of an electric power failure. So I now give up a lot of trips and activities outside the house because I must budget the 7 tanks of oxygen.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousFriday, July 11, 2008 8:33:00 AM

    I visited 100 Acorns and it is a neat blog.

    I think the VA is more bureaucracy than medical.

    Please tell Alex that he does look pretty.

    ReplyDelete
  4. AkelamaluFriday, July 11, 2008 1:47:00 PM

    The G8 conference was just an excuse for fat cats (no offence to Alex) to get fatter! How dare they pontificate about the amount of food wastage and then go on to fill their fat guts with food that most people have never heard of let alone tasted.

    Sorry for the vent. :(

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  5. LibbyFriday, July 11, 2008 2:29:00 PM

    nick--that SO sucks, to be tied to your house, just because 'they' say you don't get any more oxygen!! don't you wonder sometimes 'if the shoe were on the other foot??'

    ReplyDelete
  6. Mike GolchFriday, July 11, 2008 4:54:00 PM

    the V.A. is so flawed in many ways, instead of trying to help the veterans that try to find a million ways to shaft the veteran.
    If a vet is suffering mental health issues from their service the are dismissed as personality disorders that stems from prior service. I experienced that one first hand. They are doing this to the service men and women that are haveing problems due to their service in Iraq and Afgastian.
    So Brother you are not alone. I'm sorry that they reduced the amount of oxyen that you recieve.
    I'd like to see them recieve the treatment that they dish out be given to them.
    That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. UnknownFriday, July 11, 2008 5:29:00 PM

    CHINA GIRL: Isn’t 100 Acorns a grand blog? Reading through her posts to date almost gives me the feel of a session of meditation.

    I really can’t blame the VA for acting like a bureaucracy because that is exactly what it is. I will say that I could never practice social work for them; I need much more personal involvement with my clients than a VA bureaucrat can ever expect to have.

    AKELAMALU: I agree completely about the G8. Please vent all you wish; I have felt like throwing a temper tantrum or two at the bull shit that has again come out of their meeting.

    MIKE GOLCH: I did make it to the VA appointment and back without running out of oxygen. Of course, I was using the regulator that only supplies oxygen when I inhale, I reduced the setting from 3 ml to 1, and I took the nose hose off when I wasn’t physically moving. If I rest up OK from the trip, I’ll blog about the experience tomorrow. (If I am still as exhausted as I am now on the morrow, I may postpone that until Sunday).

    ReplyDelete
  8. DanaFriday, July 11, 2008 9:36:00 PM

    I was just stopping in to wish you well with your appointment at the VA outreach center, but see that you made it there and back and with oxygen to spare. Relax and take care of yourself!

    ReplyDelete
  9. SquirlFriday, July 11, 2008 10:38:00 PM

    I hope you're feeling more rested now. Suck up that compressor oxygen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. AnonymousFriday, July 11, 2008 11:01:00 PM

    So glad you made it with the oxygen. Thank you for the link to yoko ono’s blog. I’m off to visit Alex’s blog.

    ReplyDelete
  11. AnonymousSaturday, July 12, 2008 2:11:00 PM

    I feel as though I should smoke something before heading over to 100 Acorns. LOL! I'm really glad though, that Yoko Ono has managed to continue pursuing creativity over the years.

    ReplyDelete
  12. CathSaturday, July 12, 2008 7:36:00 PM

    Ah Nick - thank you so much for your regular visits to my haunt. They do so cheer me. Glad you like the kitties and I hope Alex doesn't get jealous!

    The stuff in your blog is always entertaining and informative and I also hope your appointment goes ok for you. But that statement that you are not "eligible" for more O2 until July 15th??? What??!! If you need permanent oxygen, how can you be "not eligible"? Are they demanding a certain rate of breathing so as not to use it up too fast? Ludicrous. You take care and if the journey can't be done, it can't.
    They'll have to manage another way as I assume they prefer their patients to be breathing when they consult with them... ;0)

    ReplyDelete
  13. CathSaturday, July 12, 2008 7:40:00 PM

    After reading the comments I see you did get there and back, but I agree with other commenters, who know far more about VA thank I ever will, that the whole situation is daft. And I hadn't realised they actually REDUCED your oxygen.

    I'd call that constructive imprisonment! Imprisoned in your own home. Pah! (Angry for you)

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  14. OceanshamanSaturday, July 12, 2008 11:07:00 PM

    nick- so glad you stopped by . . . you are in my thoughts and prayers . . .

    your fellow aquarian blogger buddy

    ReplyDelete
  15. AnonymousSunday, July 13, 2008 12:43:00 AM

    Thank you for the link to Yoko Ono, Rev Saint. I had no idea that she was doing this 100 Acorns thing.

    The G8 may have been effective at one time but they certainly aren’t now.

    I wonder is the Veterans Administration have an ombudsman. They certainly need one.

    Take care, my friend.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Puss-in-BootsSunday, July 13, 2008 2:31:00 AM

    Hah, I know what you mean regards G8...a lot of money spent getting there just to exercise their tongues but do nothing. Sounds like an expensive exercise in B.S. doesn't it?

    Hope you made to your doctor's appointment and that you had enough oxygen, what would happen if you didn't? Yikes!

    ReplyDelete
  17. cathySunday, July 13, 2008 5:48:00 AM

    It's coming to something when you are told how much you can breathe!

    They obviously overlooked it when they wrote the bill of rights...
    ... life, liberty and trhe pursuit of happiness ( no breathing)

    ReplyDelete
  18. The Lone Beader®Sunday, July 13, 2008 10:05:00 AM

    Alex does look perddy!

    ReplyDelete

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