The news we wanted for Dale

Yes, Dale has officially kicked cancer's ass. Dale had a PET scan on Thursday to see if there was any remaining cancer in his body. We were scheduled to get the results this upcoming Tuesday, however, me being me and having zero patience, I called Sandy, a Nurse Clinician at the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center and left her a message asking if she could give me a "sneak peak" of the results. She called me late Friday evening and let me know the scan showed no evidence of cancer. This means that Dale has won and beat the Devil.

As you can guess, this was incredible news and all I can keep thinking now is that everything is going to be alright. I shared the news with Dale and he was of course ecstatic. We celebrated quite a bit this weekend and I think in many ways the news is still settling in. On August 21, 2009 our focus became Dale's cancer and I think it will take more than a day or two for that to stop. Plus, we are realistic and know it is not completely over, as Dale still needs to get back to his old self and that will take some time. For now, we will enjoy the news and remain focused on Dale getting stronger and stronger.

I am very proud of Dale for this strength and positive attitude through all of this. He has been so amazing. He never complained and showed so much character. He gave more than I ever could have expected from anyone. Whether he was forcing down 25 pills a day, enduring the side effects of chemotherapy, going to hundreds of doctor visits, losing his hair, drinking Ensure weight gaining drinks that tasked like chalk, under-going spinal taps or was completely exhausted, Dale always remained focused on his goal - remission. He always kept a good outlook and was an inspiration. Looking at it now, the word proud is not enough to express how I feel about Dale throughout all of this.

We are very thankful and proud of our friends, neighbor, family, co-workers and acquaintances. So many of you stepped up when we truly needed help and gave so much of yourselves, whether it be helping with meals, sending cards, visiting, being a shoulder to cry on or just sending positive energy. Without your help, Dale and I never would have been able to have successfully navigated this journey. You all were incredible and I will always be indebted to you for your love and support.

We feel blessed to have come upon the downtown office of the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center. They really are an amazing team of caregivers. From Dr. Brunvand, to Sandy Stubbendick, the Nurse Clinician assigned to Dale's case, to the nurses, such as Callie and Poppy to Mel, who does the scheduling of appointments and Deanna at the front desk. They all made Dale and I feel like we were safe and part of a family. Not once did we ever feel like we were going to a hospital or a cancer center. We felt like we were going to friends who were going to help Dale get better. They inspired Dale to work hard and stay focused. We are so grateful to them all.

On Tuesday they will remove Dale’s picc-lines from his arm. Dale will see Dr. Brunvand once a month for a while, but in terms of major milestones, I think Dale has reached it. 163 days after hearing he had cancer, it is wonderful to hear the words remission. It was what we hoped for since day 1 and a blessing to have this become a reality. Dale is my love and best friend and I am so very happy to see him beat this horrible disease. Next stop...Hawaii in late February for some recovering on the beach!

Early morning frustration

It is 6:30 AM.
I should be sleeping.
But I am not.
Woken up by two hungry dogs.
And now can't fall back to sleeps.
Dogs are already snoring again.
So unfair.
I bet a cat would not wake me.
Not to eat at 6:00 AM.
Mind is racing.
To day ahead.
Week ahead.
Feels pointless to lie her.
Feels unfair to get out of bed.
Torn.
Will try shutting eyes on more time.

Delicious dinner full of memories

Tonight, our neighbors Nicole and Toby Krout had us over to their house for a wonderful and traditional Italian dinner of polenta, mozzarella cheese and Italian sausage with sauce. The dinner was cooked from a recipe of Dale’s Mom, that Nicole tracked down from Dale’s sister, Donna.  The meal was delicious and I know it was a wonderful reminder for Dale of his Mom.  It was so kind of Nicole and Toby to make the dinner.  It was a great evening.  We are so fortunate to have such caring and dear friends.

Took a little Snooze

Today for brunch Dale and I joined our friend Barb Pemble for lunch at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery.  It is a very cool breakfast and brunch location in Denver that perpetually seems to have a 2 hour wait, so Dale and I have never been there (as we tend to not like to wait to eat).  However, our friend Barb has some connections and knows several students (she works at DU), who work at Snooze, so we were able to be seated right away (waiting is for suckas).

So how was Snooze?  Amazing!  It actually would be worth a two hour wait.  The place is very cool, with amazing tables, chairs and decor.  The staff is fun and energetic.  Best of all, the food is absolutely incredible.  If you are in Denver, do not miss out on one of their two locations (and a 3rd coming soon to Fort Collins).  It is so worth it.  Or if you hate to wait and are a wealthy, single man consider our friend Barb for dating…you may get into Snooze quicker.

Two reasons for gay marriage

These protest signs made me laugh. The gays are so much better at signs.

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In honor of tonight’s State of the Union Address…

…remember how some of former President’s would live up to today’s scrutiny.

Do you ever see those parents…

…who have seem to have completely given up?

Weird, I used to keep mine in the oven

Even as a kid, I always suspected something was going on with these two

A dog, a soldier returning home & a video camera

I love this video. It shows the bond between a dog and owner and it being a soldier makes me want to cry.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

Hi, my name is Tom and I am addicted to…

…the iPhone game Words with Friends.  It allows you to play Scrabble with other people on an iPhone.  You take turns back and forth.  If anyone wants to play with me, please download the game (there is a free version even).  You can request a game with me by searching my user name of Happy72 or email of twwhit72@gmail.com.  So far, I am not great at the game, but I am getting better and better.  

 

And how did I learn of this game and gain my addiction?  My friend and co-worker, Becki Dilworth.  She is to blame.

Last night on my flight home…

…one of the passengers had a heart attack.  It was a mild heart attack it turns out, but when you hear the flight attendant come over the PA to say “If there is a doctor on board…” your heart sort of skips a beat.  Fortunately enough we had a triage nurse, doctor and a surgeon on our flight.  What are the odds, huh?
The incident happened with an hour before landing, so we still landed in Denver as it probably was just as close as landing somewhere else.  Apparently the man collapsed in the aisle, while making his way to the bathroom and had difficulties breathing.  From what I heard (the triage nurse was in my row), the man was feeling sick before he got on the plane and had recently had a minor heart attack a month ago.  There was not a lot the doctor could do on the flight, but did give him oxygen, which was on board. 

The interesting part came about 10 minutes before the flight ended.  The man started to have breathing problems again, but it was after the Captain had told everyone to take their seats for landing, so the flight attendants would not go get the doctor again.  The wife ran up the aisle herself to get him with two flight attendants chasing after her telling her she had to take her seat.  A third flight attendant blocked the wife and she honestly pushed her out of the way and went to first class to get the doctor, who came back to her husband for the rest of the flight.  Drama.  I personally applaud her and would have done the same thing for Dale.  The risk of someone being out of their seat versus her husband dying seemed like a no brainer.

When we landed they asked everyone to stay in their seats, so paramedics could come on board and take the man off first.  Most people were very cooperative, but it is funny how a few were annoyed, as if them getting to their car was more important than the man’s life.  People can be so self-centered at times that it is shocking.  Fortunately, the man made it off the plane and is hopefully okay, as it could have been so much worse.

When did it become wrong to share your opinion or ideas with your boss?

I find it interesting how quickly some people are willing to give up on their own opinions. To me, this is giving up on yourself. I find it disappointing to see people not value themselves to contribute.

The past few days I have been at my company's quarterly Executive Leadership Team meeting in Atlanta, GA and?on numerous occasions, I saw how unwilling people are to share their opinions, views or ideas with their managers and superiors. These people are more than willing to share their opinions with their peers, but when it comes to sharing upward they were not willing or at least were very hesitant.

Is this unwillingness a learned behavior from poor reactions from superiors in the past? Is it self-preservation from being seen as opinionated, wrong or stupid? Is it just plain fear? Have we become a society that does not appreciate people who speak their minds and are willing to state their opinion. I do not know.

I do know, however, I would rather look stupid than apathetic because at least, being stupid shows a level of interest. I do not know why, but I have never been afraid to speak my mind. From my experience, when I have offered my opinion in a professional and factual manner, it has never been dismissed (at least not openly). I prefer to be a part of a solution, not a passive, accepting participant, who disagrees, but pretends to go along.

Now do not get me wrong...having an opinion and being willing to express it does not mean I am not a team player. If my managers or superiors decide on a path or direction for our company, I will always support and implement it to the best of my ability; however, I am always going to give my opinion if I do not agree with said path or direction. A company is a team and when we start being afraid or unwilling to share our opinions, views and ideas with our managers and superiors, we will never succeed. We all deserve the right to express ourselves. It does not mean people have to accept my opinion, but they should be willing to hear and respect it.

I remember years ago while working at what I considered to be my first real job, I was in a meeting with the company's CEO, my boss and my peers. This was about three months or so after I was hired for my current position. I had been with the company for years in several different roles, but this was my first job at corporate. The CEO and my boss were talking the team through a new competitive strategy, which we were all to implement. I spoke up and in a very professional way explained how I disagreed with the strategy and why, as it was a good short-term strategy, but the long-term implications could be disastrous and very costly to resolve. The CEO listened, but said to move forward anyhow as the revenue result in the short term was too important. I accepted and did as instructed.

The same day my boss made an interesting comment to me. He told me that my "need" to express myself would either get me ahead in life professionally or really hold me back. I asked him why and he told me that the CEO really did not like opinions and expects his people to just follow direction. I asked him why did the CEO invite us to a meeting as he could had simply just emailed us or had my boss give us the new direction. My boss had no answer. I also asked him if the CEO had said something about me to which he said no, but said he knew the CEO did not like feedback from experience. My boss then told me that sometimes it is better to just be a part of the team than to stand-out. Looking back now, I think I decided that day, I never wanted to be a part of a team that did not respect the members of the team enough to at least hear their opinions and giving one's opinion is what it means to be a part of a team, not a stand-out.

On a comical side note little did I know at the time, but that CEO was completely crazy. I had heard rumors, but at the time it seemed that nobody was so self-important or crazy to not listen to their staff at all. However, it turns out my boss had witnessed the CEO's craziness and irrational behavior first hand for many years and was probably trying to protect me in his own way. It turned out for some reason although the CEO did not agree with me that day, he must have at least respected me because less than a year later, I was working for him directly. On a less comical second side note, I spent the next 2 years seeing the man's craziness first-hand, so maybe in some way I was "rewarded" for giving my opinion. However, on a positive note, I do have enough first hand stories of how nutty the man was to fill a book, which I may just write someday. I mean who else has had to share a hotel room with his CEO and wake up to him day after day in his boxer shorts. Or be told that he would pay his employees more but they would just waste it, so it was really helping them from that hassle.

But back to my original point - is it wrong to give your opinion to your manager in a professional and intelligent way? Is it wrong to want to be a part of a team? Is it wrong to want to be a part of the solution? I do not think so, but if not, then why are so many not willing to do this?

Also for Dale

I love this song and it always makes me think of Dale.

For Dale

Love is missing someone whenever you're apart, but somehow feeling warm inside because you're close in heart.  ~Kay Knudsen

Dale,

I hope you know that even though we are apart right now, you are still close to my heart and I hope I am close to your heart.  I will be home soon my love!!!

Tom

Today I am traveling to Atlanta, GA

I am headed there for my company’s Executive Leadership Team meeting.  I will miss Dale like crazy, but I always love to see the people from the other offices within my company, plus I leave I these meetings energized and excited. 
So onto Atlanta!  I decided it would be fun to check out some Atlanta trivia for my trip.  Here are some facts that are interesting:

• Before being named Atlanta, this place was originally called Terminus and then Marthaville.
• The symbol of the city is the mythological creature “Phoenix”. This is due to the major fire incident in which the city was destroyed. The scene is also depicted in the movie ‘Gone With the Wind. After the fire, Atlanta rose from the ashes and has today become all the more appealing and beautiful.
• In Atlanta, the state Capitol building is actually layered with 43 ounces of pure gold, which was mined out from Dahlonega, GA!
• Atlanta is famous for being the birthplace of the famous Martin Luther King, Jr. and the popular soft drink Coca-Cola.
• Atlanta is famous for having the largest toll-free dialing area in the world, the most shopping center space per capita along with Chicago and the world's largest 10K race known as “Peachtree Road Race” that sees 45,000 runners annually!
• The main North-South byway in Atlanta is the Peachtree Street. Apparently, there are more than 100 streets, drives and avenues in the city by the name of Peachtree.

The Next American Idol

I am enjoying American Idol so far this year.  Usually, I hate the audition portion of the series, but this year seems a bit better.  I like that it is focused on the talent and the nice human interest stories, than the bad auditions.  Plus, it will only get better when Ellen DeGeneres joins. 

What does everyone else think so far?

I am a little obsessed with our up-coming vacation

I keep checking the weather in Hawaii each day. Is that weird?I am so looking forward to just relaxing on a warm, sunny beach.

Things I love about Dale: He makes our guests feel so welcome

Our friends, Rob and Scott have been staying at our house this weekend visiting. Before they arrived Dale cut several flowers off an existing fresh flower arrangement to put it in a small vase in the guest bathroom they would be using. He folded two of the guest bathroom towels into swans and placed them on the bed. Who needs to stay at a hotel when you have Dale around? I like that he does these small things to bring a smile to our houseguests' faces when they arrive. I like that he wants them to know that we are happy to have them in our home and are welcome.

The list of things I love about Dale could fill an encyclopedia. Rather than sit one day and list them out, I figured it would be fun to document them here from time to time as they happen.

Am I just being idealistic?

I went to Starbucks today and there was a sign at the drive-thru that read, “We are accepting donations for Haiti, ask you barista for details.”  It is nice that Starbucks is trying to make it easy for people to donate, but I would have loved to see a sign that read “25% of all sales today at this Starbucks will go to Haiti relief” or even, “Starbucks will match every dollar donated for Haiti relief.” I do not know, I just would like to see more of these large corporations doing a bit more.  Even $0.05 on every drink would add up to a huge amount in a single day probably and help.  Am I just being idealistic?

This video is funny

Wouldn’t it be funny if everyone brought in typewriters to class.  You forget how loud they used to be. I miss the sound.

A true friend is someone who will come all the way across the country on their vacation just to sit on your couch and watch TV

I have been awake for a couple hours now and have been sitting on the couch in our family room catching up with my online world of blogging, Facebook, Twitter and news.  In that short amount of time, the day has already moved from darkness to twilight to light.  I love this time of day.  The early morning is when I feel the most at peace and when I feel clear enough to think and reflect about my life. 

Oddly, this morning I got up early not really planning to reflect on life, but mostly due to a stomach ache.  I am still not fully recovered from my horrible stomach flu earlier this week and no matter how much I try, I cannot get my stomach to accept we are better.  I figured rather than tossing and turning in bed for a few more hours and risk waking Dale, I would just come downstairs and soak in the morning.  It has been nice to just sit and relax.

Our friend’s Rob Sansom and Scott Ashley are in town visiting Dale and I. They are really more than just friends, as outside of Dale, they are my best friends. I have known them for 10 years.  Really, I consider them my family, similar to how I feel about Toby & Nicole Krout.  Some people just come into your life and the connection and love is so strong, that they become more than friends…they become your adopted family.

Rob and Scott have seen me through so much and have always been there for me and for Dale.  It is funny but when you are younger in high school and college, you consider your friends the people who you hang out with every day or the people you have fun with at parties.  Later in life, you realize your true friends are the people who will be there when you need them most.  For me, that is Rob and Scott.  They are there when I have needed a shoulder to cry or an ear to listen without judgment.  I always know that if I needed them, they would be on the next plane they could book.  And to me, that is the most important part of friendship. 

Since they live in New Jersey, I do not get to see them as often as I would like.  We do not talk every day, but I know that no matter what, they will be in my life until the day I die and will always be there for me…and that brings me such a sense of joy and comfort.  Look at this long weekend alone, they spent their money and used their vacation time to come visit us for one reason – to celebrate Dale’s final treatment.  Now that is friendship because let’s be honest, Dale and I are not the two most exciting people to come see right now.  Dale is not able to do a lot right now since he is still recovering from the final chemotherapy, so that means I am home bound too.  Last night, consisted of Scott making us dinner and us all watching a DVD.  True friends are someone who will come all the way across the country on their vacation, just to cook you dinner, sit on your couch and watch TV with you.  Words will never express my gratitude for them coming this weekend.  When we have asked them what they want to do, their answer is always just to spend time with Dale and I.  That is amazing, but I should expect no less, as Scott and Rob are two amazing men.

When my Mom was dying from the cancer and knew she had little time left, her and I talked a lot.  One of her biggest fears was me being alone.  I was still single and had not yet met Dale.  Up until that point, most of my romantic relationships had been brief and not very substantial, to say the least, so I could understand her fear.  During her final year, she had several opportunities to meet Rob and Scott.  She really came to adore them both.  Shortly before she passed, she told me she was no longer worried because she knew that even if I never met “the one” that I would never be alone because I would always have Rob and Scott in my life.  So here I am all these years later and she is right.  And even through I did meet “the one”, it is great to know that I still have these two amazing men in my life, who are always there for not just me now, but there for Dale too.
So as I sit here in the early morning hours reflecting on life, I think of Rob and Scott who are upstairs still asleep in our guest room and I am grateful.  I am grateful for their love, their friendship and for being true friends to Dale and I.  Thank you.

I found my next car

I mean really, who doesn’t want R2D2 as a co-pilot?

I am sick

Up since 1:00 AM and sadly spent more time in the bathroom than I did in bed.

Dale is a stoic sick person. He never complains. Sadly, I am not.

Talk nerdy to me

I learned something new yesterday that may cause me nightmares

Yesterday my co-workers and I were discussing how kids movies are not always what we think. I mentioned the subtle themes in Disney movies like how the Little Mermaid is really the story of a woman willing to give up her family and way of life for a man or how Belle in Beauty and the Beast returns to an abusive relationship all in the name of love. We also discussed how scary the Wizard of Oz was for us as kids with a witch, flying monkeys, demonic trees and munchkins. We even discussed how the real Grimm Fairy Tales are horrifying and we told to scare children into obedience. Eventually my co-worker shared a fact I did not know. The childhood rhyme Ring Around the Rosey is about the Bubonic Plague or Black Death. Here is the details on the origin:

The words to the Ring around the rosy children's ring game have their origin in English history . The historical period dates back to the Great Plague of London in 1665 (bubonic plague) or even before when the first outbreak of the Plague hit England in the 1300's. The symptoms of the plague included a rosy red rash in the shape of a ring on the skin (Ring around the rosy). Pockets and pouches were filled with sweet smelling herbs ( or posies) which were carried due to the belief that the disease was transmitted by bad smells. The term "Ashes Ashes" refers to the cremation of the dead bodies! The death rate was over 60% and the plague was only halted by the Great Fire of London in 1666 which killed the rats which carried the disease which was transmitting via water sources. The English version of "Ring around the rosy" replaces Ashes with (A-tishoo, A-tishoo) as violent sneezing was another symptom of the disease. We recommend the following site for comprehensive information regarding the Bubonic Plague.

So the next time your kids are singing this cute little rhyme remember it is all about death. Fun!

I really like this quote

 

This is how a most Mondays feel to me

The Power of Goodbye

I have decided one of my goals for 2010 is to purge and say goodbye to the stuff we do not need.  So my goal with these purges is to not reduce by throwing away, but rather to reuse and recycle.
I started Saturday with our home office.  I parted with 320 CDs in two large cases, 3 small CD carrying cases, 8 books, hundreds of duplicate or unnecessary photos and a lot of old paperwork, including tax returns from 10+ years ago.

I posted the 320 CDs on my blog and Facebook to see if we had any friends interested in them.  They were taken with 40 minutes by our friend, Doris Boardman, who plans to burn any CDs she likes and then donate all of them to the Ronald McDonald House. Excellent…a double reuse. Of the 8 books, which I also posted, 2 were taken by my co-worker, Terri Hill and the others will be donated to the Stanley Lake tomorrow.  The paperwork is set to be shredded and the photos were recycled.  Not bad for a few hours of work.

The goal is to hit at least one room per week.  Dale is going to try to purge anything un-needed in our upstairs guest bedroom and linen closet this week.  We have a TON of sheets, towels and other linens and I think we can consolidate to a more manageable amount as we will never use everything we have.  Anyone needs some sheets or towels?  If not, they will be Goodwill bound.

It feels nice to get rid of some of the excess and simplify our lives.  Sometimes saying goodbye and reducing feels good, especially when you know your things will be reused or recycled.

El Senor Sol & the Spidells

Today, Dale and I had a wonderful Sunday lunch with our friends Matt & Michelle Spidell at a new restaurant that opened near us.  We ate at El Senor Sol’s Real Mexican Food.  The food was good and I would give the restaurant a solid B+.  I would place it equal to 3 Margaritas.  However, getting to spend time with Matt & Michelle was an A+ as it was great to see them and catch up.  Thanks Matt and Michelle for a great lunch. We need to do it again real soon.

Also, if you have an El Senor Sol near you, check it out.  The food is good and the service was great.

Sometimes my dreams are so damn random. Check these out.

Last night I had several dreams which I could remember when I woke up.  As usual they were wacky.  I always love to go to the Dream Dictionary online to see what dreams mean.

Dream #1
I recall standing at my back patio door looking at our neighbors Sam and Anjanette’s house, but it was no longer their house.  Instead, it belonged to my high school friend, Jennifer Wheland Wettergren.  The weird part was that Jennifer kept walking around her house in a wedding dress.  I would constantly see her in front of her back patio door in her wedding dress.  The strangest part was I also saw high school friend Angela Warner with Jennifer and guess what she was wearing?  Yes, a wedding dress.  They both just kept walking around in a wedding dress.

 Wedding Dress To wear a wedding dress in your dream, indicates that you are evaluating and assessing your personal relationship. To see someone else wearing a wedding dress, suggests that you are feeling inferior or unworthy.

I guess this means, I feel inferior to Jennifer and Angela.  Who knew?


Dream #2
I was standing at our back patio door and suddenly saw a platypus in the pond in our backyard.  In my dream, I was puzzled how a platypus got to Colorado.  Next thing I see is my former co-worker, Joel Barr dressed as a walrus and with a live seal standing at my back gate.  He asked me if they could eat the penguin.  In the dream, I tell him it is a platypus, not a penguin and he leaves.

Platypus
To see a platypus in your dream, suggests your tendency to wallow and dwell on your emotions. It may also suggest that your repressed thoughts and unconscious material are slowly coming to the surface and making their presence known. Alternatively, it is indicative of shyness and reservation, especially in social situations.
Backyard To see the backyard in your dream, refers to the secrets your are keeping. There are some aspects of your life which remain hidden from view. Alternatively, it represents poverty.

First of all, can you believe platypus is listed in the Dream Dictionary?  I guess it is obvious I must have repressed thoughts about Joel Barr or at least sea mammals.


Dream #3
Yes, another dream about the backyard, but this one featured no guest stars from high school sadly.  In this dream, we seemed to have new next door neighbors where Cindy & Steve live.  The new neighbors were trashy and mean and seemed to be taking all the trash from their yard and putting it in our pond.  When we confronted them, they told us it was their pond because they built it.

Neighbor
To dream of having a good neighbor, signifies enjoyment and tranquility at home. To dream of having an angry or a disagreeable neighbor, signifies quarrels and dissensions. There is an issue that you need to address with your neighbor in waking life. Alternatively, it could mean relocation from your home.

I guess I need to figure out what issue I feel toward a neighbor right now and work on that, huh?


Dream #4
In the last dream I had before I woke up, Dale and I were sitting at a beach.  We were bundled up and it felt more like an East Coast beach, perhaps Cape Code than a West Coast beach because it was cooler.  We were sitting behind a cute little beach house that seemed to be ours, but were in front a fire on the beach watching the sunset over the ocean.  This was by far my favorite dream.  I once again turned to the Dream Dictionary.

Beach
To see the beach in your dream, symbolizes the meeting between your two states of mind. The sand is symbolic of the rational and mental processes while the water signifies the irrational, unsteady, and emotional aspects of yourself. It is a place of transition between the physical/material and the spiritual. 

To dream that you are on the beach and looking out toward the ocean, indicates unknown and major changes that are occurring in your life. Consider the state of the ocean, whether it is calm, pleasant, forbidding, etc. 

To dream that you are looking toward the beach, suggests that you are returning to what is familiar to you. Alternatively, you may be adapting or accepting to the changes and circumstances in your life. 

To dream that you are relaxing on a beach, signifies that the coming weeks will be calm and tranquil for you. Your stress will be alleviated and you will find peace of mind. However, to dream that you are working on the beach, signifies a business project that will consume most of your time.

I think the part about major life changes occurring in my life and the coming weeks being calm and tranquil makes a lot of sense right now, as Dale has hit a major milestone in completing chemotherapy and the next few weeks look to be a lot more relaxed than the past few months.

I hope that someday

Went to see Avatar, A- .

Late this afternoon I joined my friend Brent Dilworth to see the movie Avatar in 3D at an IMAX theater in Westminster.  It was an amazing movie and truly took films to a new level.  The movie did not have an amazing storyline, but the special effects and filming itself were just gorgeous.  Excellent!  James Cameron definitely delivered.  To me it felt like a futuristic take on how it must of been when Native Americans faced invasion from settlers from England.  To have everything you believe and honor over-run.

The most shocking part was the fact that there were over 200 people waiting in line when we arrived 30 minutes early, but thankfully we pre-purchased tickets and still got great seats.

I think I want to see Sherlock Holmes or Up in the Air next.

Purging some books…anybody in Denver want any of these to read?

Below are the titles that I am looking to give to a new home and recycle.  I included links to the books on Amazon in case you want to check them out. 
All have been read, but I do not see Dale or I reading them again or they did not make me super thin as advertised.

The Good Guy by Dean Koontz in paperback

10 Clowns Don’t Make A Circus: And 249 Other Critical Management Success Strategies by Steven Schragis and Rick Frishman in paperback

A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of my Father by Augusten Burroughs in paperback

The Four-Day Win: End Your Diet War and Achieve Thinner Peace by Martha Beck in hardcover

Brother Odd by Dean Koontz in hardcover

Body for Life: 12 Weeks to Mental & Physical Strength by Bill Phillips in hardcover

Men’s Health Hard Body Plan: The Ultimate 12 Week Program for Burning Fat and Building Muscle by Lou Schuler in paperback

Basic Training: A Fundamental Guide to Fitness for Men by Jo Giswold & David Morgan in paperback

From ABBA to Mamma Mia: The Official Story by Anders Hanser and Carl Magnus Palm in hardcover

If you are in Denver and interested in any of these, you are welcome to them.  Either need to pick them up or see me  at work or something.

Does anyone is the Denver area want over 300 CDs?

Since all my music has been stored and is backed up digitally for years, I am finally parting ways with all my CDs.  I have not purchased a CD is years, so these are just taking up space.  Does anyone in the Denver area want over 300 CDs?  They are all in CD books that hold about 150 CDs (CD liners included) each.  It is free music.

Please know, I have the musical taste of a teenage girl in the 80’s & 90’s, but hey it is fun music at least. To name just a few:

• ABBA
• Alanis Morrissette
• Anastacia
• Annie Lennox
• A-Teens
• Aqua
• Barenaked Ladies
• Bette Midler
• Billie Myers
• Billy Joel
• Britney Speers
• Bruce Spingsteen
• Carrie Underwood
• Cher
• Chris Cagle
• Cyndi Lauper
• Cure
• Dave Matthews
• David Gray
• Elton John
• Elvis
• Erasure
• Eurythmics
• George Michael
• Janet Jackson
• Jennifer Lopez
• John Mayer
• Joni Mitchell
• Kylie Minogue
• Madonna
• Maroon 5
• Melissa Etheridge
• Michael Buble
• Michael Jackson
• No Doubt
• Olivia Newton John
• Paula Abdul
• Peter Gabriel
• Pink
• Prince
• Rascal Flatts
• Robbie Williams
• Seal
• Sinead O’Connor
• Sophie B. Hawkins
• Tiffany
• Tim McGraw
• U2
• Whitney Houston

Plus a fair amount of soundtracks, dance music and other musical gems.  If you are interested shoot me an email at twwhit72@gmail.com or message me on Facebook or Twitter.

Cause I’m a Blond

I am watching the movie Earth Girls Are Easy. It is pure cheese, yet I keep watching. It is from 1989 and starred Jeff Goldblum, Geena Davis, Jim Carrey, Damon Wayons and Julie Brown. I mean watch this video and tell me it is not hysterical.

If things were reversed

Sometimes you find a quote and it says…

…all the things you can never think of how to say.  For Dale:

You should live every day

What is your unusual food combination?

Today, I learned about two food combinations from co-workers that I found a bit unusual and I wondered what other people combine food that is outside the norm.

One co-worker said he eats peanut butter and tuna fish sandwiches. Another eats cereal and milk. Okay, the sounds normal but he eats dry cereal, while drinking a glass of milk because he does not like his cereal to get soggy in milk. The topic of bacon flavored mayonaise was also discussed.

So with that said, what is your weird food combination or way you eat food? Or food you despise that everyone else loves? Please share.

They just don’t made videos like this anymore

I don't know why I wake up with songs like this in my head, but I do. This video is classic 80s.

Sitting with my feet up...

...watching the Biggest Loser is probably not the best way to lose weight myself, huh? Well, I am drinking water and did resist eating pudding while watching, so I guess that is something.

And aren't my red slippers cool?

It is not a good sign that it is only Tuesday...

...and this week is already kicking my ass. The week after a holiday is expected to be rough but this week is horrible. I feel scattered, constantly behind on what I need to get done daily and frustrated. Oh well, hope springs eternal and I will just hope tomorrow is a better day.

What the comics don’t show you

16 words that say so much

This was emailed to me by a friend today, who read the post about the anniversary of my Mom's passing. It is from a headstone in Ireland apparently and it is so profound that I had to share.

"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."

It amazes me how 16 simple words can say so much.

My Mom passed away 7 years ago today

I miss her a lot.  I think about her all the time and she is always with me.  She was taken from us far too early.  Recently, I have been having a recurring dream where Dale and my Mom meet.  It saddens me that Dale never got to meet my Mom.  She passed away 6 months before I met Dale.  I know she would have loved him (and vice versa), but I wish she had the opportunity to meet my soul mate.  I love you Mom and miss you dearly.

View Full Album

Melinda Madeline O’Brien Whittaker    August 24, 1949 – January 4, 2003

This is not the best photo…

…but I wanted to share the new artwork Dale hung in the dining room this weekend. 

We bought this artwork in Estes Park, CO back on August 1st, 2009 and it has been waiting to be hung all this time (yes, I have been busy).  They are a mix of blue, gold and brown and are actually 6 separate canvases.

Dale and I debated whether the modern blue pictures would look okay in the dining room against the red wall and with the antique furniture.  At one point we even thought we would hang them in the family room or our bedroom, but we went with our original instinct of the dining room.  I think they look great. 

This picture does not really do them justice, but you get the idea, right?

I can tell I am a little off today

Just not myself.  I little sad.  A bit melancholy.  It is rare I get this way, but I guess it happens to us all from time to time.

I think knowing tomorrow will mark the seventh anniversary of my Mom’s passing has seeped into my head.  I have thought a lot about her today.  I miss her a great deal.  The fact that vacation is coming to a close tonight and the reality of life will undoubtedly return tomorrow has brought me down a bit too.  This past week with Dale at home was been wonderful.  It has been great to spend quality time together relaxing.  I think the end of the holidays is always a little sad too.  I love the spirit of the Christmas season and the joy it brings.  This will be a busy week as Dale starts his sixth and final round of chemotherapy.  I am happy to know the chemotherapy is coming to an end, as I do not think Dale’s body can take much more. Each cycle seems to weaken Dale more and more.  I think that also makes me a little sad right now too.  I know in a week’s time, Dale will once again be weak, tired and achy all over.  He never complains, but I know he hurts.  I hate knowing that is coming for him.

So here I sit.  A little sad.  I little reminiscent.  I know I will snap out of it, but for this moment in time, it is how I feel.

Literally oily balls

Last night Dale, myself and our friend Barb Pemble fried up some oliebollen.  Don’t know what oliebollen is?  I did not either.  I Googled it and it literally translates to oily balls.  Yum!

A few days ago, Dale’s sister Donna and niece Mikayla dropped off homemade oliebollen batter and oil. From what Dale said, his Mom used to make oliebollen on New Year's Eve for the family each year. It was their family tradition and was part his Dad’s Dutch heritage.  Basically, it is a Dutch fried doughnut.  I loved the idea of sharing a tradition from Dale’s childhood and especially one involving his parents.  We had planned to make them New Year’s Eve, but were too tired when we got home from dinner, so we decided last night was perfect, so our friend Barb could also enjoy our oily balls.

From online research, I found out the dough is made from flour, eggs, yeast, salt, milk, baking powder and has candied fruit, raisins and apple pieces mixed in. You take a scoop of the dough and drop it into a deep fryer or pan filled with hot oil. Once cooked, you take out, soak off the excess oil with a paper towel and let cool slightly.  You then sprinkle the oliebollen with powdered sugar.

It was interesting to read the history of oliebollen online and found they first eaten by Germanic tribes in the Netherlands during the Yule, the period between December 26 and January 6. The Germanic goddess Perchta, together with evil spirits, would fly through the mid-winter sky. To appease these spirits, food was offered, much of which contained deep-fried dough. It was said Perchta would try to cut open the bellies of all she came across, but because of the fat in the oliebollen, her sword would slide off the body of whoever ate them.  Wow, who knew?  Having a oily ball in your belly could have saved your life.

I have to say looking at the batter with chunks of applies, raisons and candied fruit did not thrill me, but they were actually delicious once cooked.  They tasted like sweet doughnuts and were sort of like a fried dough you would find at a county fair.

Thanks to Donna and Mikayla for making us the batter and thanks to Dale for deep frying our oily balls.  They were great!  In case you want to try oliebollen yourself – here is an oliebollen recipe I found online.  Enjoy!

Goodbye 2009; Hello 2010!

New Year’s Eve was nice.  It was not our most exciting New Year’s Eve, but since I was with Dale, it was wonderful none-the-less because he makes every day in my life joyful. 

Dale and I again followed our six year tradition and went to the restaurant Bloom to celebrate.  This was the 5th year we went with our dear friends and neighbors, Toby and Nicole Krout.  I could not think of two people we would rather celebrate the end of 2009 and beginning of 2010 than the Krouts.  They have truly been a blessing to Dale and I this year and I do not know how either of us would have faced Dale’s treatments and cancer these past 5 months without them.  They have been so supportive and words can never express our gratitude.

With Dale not having a ton of energy, we went to Bloom at 5:00 PM, for what we joked was the “early bird special” and then headed home to ring in the New Year in front of the TV.  In the past, we usually took in a movie before or after dinner with the Krouts, but Dale did not have the stamina for that this year.  We came home around 7:30 PM, put on our pajamas and actually rang in the New Year at 10:00 PM with the Time Square dropping of the ball in New York City, while watching in bed.  After that, we called it a night and went to sleep.

We were both tired and since I am a East Coast boy at heart, New Year’s Eve will always be at midnight Eastern time.

New Year’s Day was nice, quiet and relaxing and I once again took the day off of all things online as a gift to Dale.  It was nice to disconnect from the world for a day and have it just be me, Dale, the dogs and a day on the couch watching bad TV.  It was great to stay home and just relax.  I feel with such a hectic life, it is nice to kick-off the new ear relaxing with the man I love.

So that was our end of 2009 and start of 2010.  I hope everyone else had a great New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and that we all lived a blessed 2010.

I’m back!!!!!

After 33 hours, 50 minutes, and 9 seconds, I am back online. I took January 1st off from all things online my annual New Year’s gift to Dale.  It is actually a nice way to start off the year being disconnected from the world and at home with Dale. 

Please let me know if I missed anything good yesterday on Facebook, Twitter or the blogosphere.  Missed you all!

I am checking out of cyberspace today. No blogging, Facebook, emails, internet, etc. Wish me luck!

As part of my annual New Year’s gift to Dale (I did this last year too) I am checking out of cyberspace today. This means no iPhone, no checking email, no blogging, no Facebook, no Twitter and no surfing the internet.

I know, you picture me sitting in a corner somewhere twitching, huh? Wish me luck!

As a sign of solidarity, please do not tweet, update your Facebook status or blog about anything interesting today. That will help. For those of you wondering - posting this on the blog was not a violation as I wrote this post on 12/31/09 at 8:00 PM when I decided to do this again this year and scheduled it to post on 01/01/10 at 12:01 AM. Happy New Year!