An Interesting Storm Cloud

Supercell developing near Castle Pines - click on photo for larger view

I am going through some pictures I have archived and came across this one. I took this photo on July 12, 2004 at 7:26 PM. You can see the light from the setting sun illuminating the west (right) side of the cloud formation. From this vantage point, I am to the northwest of the storm.

Supercells can bring violent weather, including hail, heavy rain, and even tornadoes. I pulled over to the side of the road on Monarch Boulevard in Douglas County, Colorado to take this shot. To me, it appears this cloud is in the process of exploding, and offers a very interesting view of this dynamic meteorological system.

Montana's Instructions for Idiots

The state of Montana, Big Sky Country, is a vast stretch of land where winters can be brutal. Getting stranded in a blizzard can be a terrifying and life-threatening experience. So, to be helpful, the state has issued Montana's Take-Along Winter Survival Handbook, available for download as a pdf file.

This is actually a survival handbook that has a lot of great tips, but on page 20, there are instructions on how to use automobile parts to save a life. The last tip says:

• For warmth and signal, burn a tire. (Not on the car!) Release the air pressure, and use gasoline, oil, or any other means to ignite it.

Now two things here strike me as kind of dumb. First, the obvious warning to the morons of the world to not burn the tire while it is still on the car. Secondly, gasoline, oil, or any other means to ignite it? Any other means? Perhaps a pocket knife or a hubcap? Probably won't work too well.

Still, the book is a worthwhile guide to download, print, and keep in the car. Dumb warnings aside, it is a good effort.

Netscape Reaches the End of the Line

The current owners of the Netscape Navigator web browser announced today that the venerable product that popularized the World-Wide Web will no longer be updated or supported. The demise of the once market-leading browser is the end result of a long decline.

Based on the groundbreaking Mosaic, Netscape was a commercial version brought out by Marc Andreessen and others, and was at one time the top web browser in terms of technology and market share. Its decline started with the inclusion of Internet Explorer in Microsoft's Windows Operating System, the purchase of Netscape by America Online, and is today little more than a repackaging of Firefox, its open source progeny. Today, I don't think I know of anyone still using Netscape.

So Netscape morphs into just a web portal, with the browser itself being relegated to the annals of computing history. It was a good run.

Colonoscopy Update

It is a sunny, beautiful day here in Colorado, with blue skies, sunshine, and lots of snow on the ground from the storms of Christmas Day and yesterday. I am back home after the colonoscopy and am very pleased to have it over and done with. Before going into the particulars, let me say that after dreading this for years, it is really no big deal. Everyone told me the preparation was the worst part, and indeed that is true. Plus, the good news is that I have absolutely no problems, no polyps, no cancer, and there was nothing to be removed or biopsied. All the doctor did was go in and take a look around. Because of that, the procedure took only about ten minutes from the time they got started until finished; however I wouldn't know because of the sedation.

The day started by getting up at 6am to get ready to go to the hospital. After trekking through the snow via backroads to avoid the traffic jam on I-225, we arrived for check in. This is where one unpleasant surprise awaited. As it turns out that since this procedure was taking place at a hospital rather than a regular endoscopic clinic, I had to pay a $300 co-pay, rather than it being free. That "gotcha fee" almost made me walk right back out. But, after the prep and my wife's urging to stay despite our both being upset about the fee, I calmed down and went ahead with it.

The nurse took me to a room with a reclining chair in it and had me change into one of those most fashionable hospital gowns. I was allowed to keep my socks on. They then brought me some warmed blankets, hooked an IV up to my hand, and took my blood pressure, which was elevated. Shortly, a young man came in a wheel chair to get me and take me to the room for the procedure. He was very nice and explained everything to me, and showed me the colonoscope. My only concern about that machine was that the "hose" part was a bit thicker than I had hoped, being a little larger in diameter than my index finger. It has a light, a camera, surgical tools, and an air injector on the end. The air is used to open the colon so the camera can see inside. Soon, the doctor showed up and we got started.

The nurse gave me some medication (Versed and Phentanol) through the IV, to relax me and get the sedation going. I don't remember a thing until it was over, and I heard the doc saying everything looked great. Seemed like only a couple of minutes since I went under.

Soon, I was riding back home with the lovely spouse driving the car, as they don't let you drive after the medication. I was totally lucid, and since I hadn't eaten in almost two days, we went to get some lunch. I started getting very sleepy, and couldn't finish my lunch, so I brought some of it home for later. Upon arrival at the house, I couldn't help taking a nap.

So, the bottom line is this...
If you are asked to get this test...do it! It really is not a big deal at all. The fear of the unknown is the worst part, but I can tell you that it is nothing. Most important of all, it can save your life. Consider these facts:

• Colorectal cancer takes 50,000 lives in the United States every year (think about this...that's about like a 9/11 every 3 weeks!)
  
• Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths for both men and women, coming in second only to lung cancer
• Someone in the country dies of the disease every 9.3 minutes
• More people die each year from colorectal cancer than to breast cancer and AIDS combined

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common, and yet preventable, cancers.

I am glad I went ahead with this. Since everything looks good, I now don't have to do it again for ten years, unless something new develops. But I can tell you this... I will not hesitate to do it again when necessary.

What a Way to End the Year

Well, this is not way to end the year. I have been fighting off a cold-like bug, and it finally has me. I rarely take any sick days off work, but today I don't feel like going in and sitting in my spacious 4x4 cubicle box. Plus, it is snowing again! We got about a foot on Christmas, and are expecting another 5 to 10 inches today. But that isn't the worst of it, so if you are queasy, you may not want to read further. This could fall into the area of "TMI", or "too much information".

Already feeling sick, I have a task to do before our current insurance runs out at the end of the month. Tonight I have to prep for the dreaded colonoscopy. I can only have clear liquids today. Then this afternoon, I have to take 4 Dulcolax tablets, and at 5 pm I have to mix a half gallon of Crystal Light with a whole bottle of Miralax. The dosage on the bottle says one capful in a drink, but I have to down the entire bottle! Holy Shit!! Literally!

I have no doubts this will be a miserable evening! Then after I am...shall we say, emptied out...I get the joy of going to the hospital tomorrow morning and getting the equivalent of a 6 foot long garden hosed snaked up to the innermost parts of my insides. The thought of all of it, from the laxatives to the colonoscope, scares the crap out of me. Well, maybe not...the laxatives will take care of that. They say the prep is the worst part, as the procedure itself is done under the influence of some drugs that take away any memory of it and compress time. Still even if I don't remember it later, I don't want to know while it is going on.

I am doing my best to go through with this by steeling my nerves for the experience. This is a baseline procedure they now recommend if you are 50 or older. Since I am turning 55 next month and never had one, I the doctors want to do it to screen for any indications of colon cancer. Oh the joys of reaching middle age.

I will have several people upset with me if I don't go through with it. My brother in Wisconsin has said he will be pissed off at me if I don't get it done, the lovely spouse will also not be happy, and my good friend in Maryland has also told me to get it done. This friend is particularly sensitive to it, as we lost a mutual friend a couple of years ago to colon and liver cancer. He was only 56. The three of us used to work together at WCBC Radio back in the 1970s.

So, I am trying hard to keep myself psyched up enough to go through with this. For JR, for Bob, for all my loved ones, and for myself. Between worrying over this and being sick, I didn't sleep well last night, and doubt I'll sleep much tonight. Tomorrow morning, we have to drive through the snow to the hospital in Aurora for an 8am check in. At 9, they'll begin, and I should be in recovery by 10. Then another hour or two for the drugs to wear off enough for me to be driven back home. So hopefully I'll get a clean report and be back home enjoying lunch by 1pm or so.

Yes, I am a big baby about medical stuff, I'll admit it. But I am also a rational human being, so logic dictates I get this done.

It's Not Always Easy Being a Dog

Please Dad...let me back in now!

Molly has a pretty good life. Easy living, all necessities provided, along with lots of love. Still, how would you like to have to go out in the snow to pee? Poor baby!

That sad little face has to be warmed up!


Ah, now that feels better, and my toy thinks so too!

Colorado Christmas Morning

White Christmas arrives in Colorado

So, the weatherman predicted light, intermittent snow showers. Well, I said earlier that I washed the car yesterday, so guess what? Yep, lots and lots of snow coming down since last night. It has been coming down nonstop. They say the odds are against snow on Christmas day, but we got it today. The only bad thing about it is I have to go out and buy some ice for the Christmas fiesta. ICE! With all this snow! Seems odd buying ice when the weather is like this.

'Twas The Night Before Christmas

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care . . .

Christmas Eve, 2007. Hard to believe it. Both the day and the year have come so fast. I still have vivid memories from childhood of my family going to Oklahoma City for the Christmas holiday. It was always Christmas Eve at my paternal grandparents' house in the Capital Hill section of OKC, then Christmas morning at the maternal grandparents' house in Bethany, Oklahoma. One thing I remember was that both sets of grandparents had at one time or another, one of those aluminum Christmas trees that were popular back in the 1960s. Since these trees were metallic, you couldn't wire them up with regular lights, but they had their own allure of a spotlight color wheel that sat on the floor beside them and projected different color of lights onto the shiny branches. The light was a spotlight with a plastic wheel of four different colors that rotated in front of it, thus constantly changing the hue of the light on the tree.

Since in those days we lived in warmer climates, it was always a treat for us kids if it snowed while we were in Oklahoma. That meant snowball fights, snowman building, and snow ice cream. Yum!

Now I am the grandpa, and it is up to me to help build lifelong memories for my grandchildren. Time moves on whether we like it or not.


Santa ornament from the USPS

Another thing I have concluded is that life is to be enjoyed, not put in a box and stored away. A perfect case in point is the above picture. A few years ago, the United States Postal Service issued a series of Christmas stamps featuring the head of Santa Claus wearing hats of four different colors. To go with these stamps, they also sold sets of ornaments matching the Santas on the stamps. At the time, I bought several sets, thinking that they might be worth something to collectors someday. Well, this year I looked on e-bay and saw that these ornaments have not increased in value. In fact, they were selling below what I paid.

So, I decided we would open them and enjoy them. Why save everything away and never get to enjoy them. Life goes by and all the good stuff gets hoarded and saved. Now the Santa ornaments adorn our tree and go well with all the other items we have on it. So I say, take out the good stuff and use it. Don't save the good dishes for company . . . family is more important than anyone, so why not share our best with those we care about?

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Flakes A'Comin' & Santa Too!

Denver 5-Day Forecast from myfoxcolorado.com

I mentioned in the last post that we have snow forecast for Christmas Day tomorrow. A few of the forecasts are wavering on that a bit, but it looks like we'll at least get some intermittent snow showers. The radar shows a nice storm to the west over Utah heading this way, so we can hope. I also washed my car today, so I imagine that'll mean we get more than we want!

Another pleasant thing was that today my employer let us leave early, allowing me to get a little last minute shopping done. Now time to clean the house up for our kiddos to arrive tomorrow for the fiesta.

On another note, Santa is already making his rounds, as it is already night in parts of the world. Remember, you can track Santa along with the good folks at NORAD by CLICKING HERE. You can see video of his progress at NORAD's You Tube page by CLICKING HERE.

He even has visited the International Space Station (see video below). This further proves Santa's magic, as you can hear the sleigh bells and his jolly "Ho, Ho, Ho!" in the vacuum of space!

Tomorrow Night Santa Makes His Rounds

How did it get to Christmas so fast? Every year it seems that once Halloween comes, the rest of the year flies by. This year it looks like it will be the kind of Christmas that Bing Crosby would have loved, as we are expecting a nice snowfall on Tuesday.

The kids will all be coming over, and that will be the best part of the holiday for me. We will be having a very non-traditional dinner, as one of my daughters-in-law doesn't like ham or turkey, so this year we decided to have a Mexican Fiesta! Feliz Navidad! We will be having chicken enchiladas, a taco and fajita bar, Mexican rice, and a virgin Margarita punch. Sounds like a nice change of pace. Who says you have to go with the same thing every year?

Besides, I think I must be part Mexican somewhere, because whenever the lovely spouse says, "What do you want to eat?", my usual reply is, "How about Mexican?" ¡Aye, caramba! ¡Comida Mexicana es muy, muy bueno! We even bought a string of lights that looks like red chili peppers, so we will be ready.

Almost Needed That One Horse Open Sleigh

Well, I know the video quality is crap because it came from the camera on my cell phone, but you can ride along with me. The morning started out beautiful, with clear blue skies. But right after lunch, just as the TV weather forecasters had predicted, the snow started to fall. This is a little bit of my commute home this evening. The background sound is from XM Radio's Special Xmas channel, a station featuring the weirdest, most demented songs of the holidays. The song that starts about :30 into the video sings about Santa doing the mambo. Truly, there are no redeeming qualities to either this post or video...but it is just an experiment at uploading from the camera phone to You Tube.

Isn't It Ironic? Don't you think?

Here is a story that is a real bit of real life tragedy and irony. Ken Hendricks, 66, a real-life, self-made multi-billionaire who built his fortune in the roofing supply business died last night. How did Mr. Hendricks meet his demise? Well, the roofing magnate was checking the roof of his garage when he fell through, suffing massive head injuries that proved fatal.

The really sad thing about this is that Hendricks seemed to be a down-to-earth guy. In an interview with Inc.com last year, he said about his $3.5-billion wealth, "It doesn't make any difference to me: I can't spend it. I'd have to sell the company, and I'll sell the company over my dead body."

My condolensces go out to his family and friends.