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April 26, 2005

TRAVELING

Greetings! I know the blog hasn't offered up much as of late. What with being sick and then trying to get caught up at the office, there just hasn't been a lot of time to blog.

I'm traveling this week for work, so the next update will be a Four For Friday post at the end of the week (assuming, of course, I can find a reliable Internet connection to do so).

Have a great week!

Posted by Mikal at 6:22 AM | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 22, 2005

FOUR FOR FRIDAY

Q1: Do you like your office space? Why or why not?

Q2: Have you ever changed a flat tire on an automobile? If you never have, do you think you'll be able to if and when the time comes?

Q3: Joseph Ratzinger, now known as Pope Benedict XVI, is being characterized by some as a hero to the conservative wing of the Catholic Church, and by others as something of a Darth Vader figure to liberal Catholics. Despite your religious affiliation, how do you feel about Ratzinger's selection as Pope?

Q4: A privately supported, not-for-profit membership organization, National Public Radio (NPR) serves more than 750 independently operated, noncommercial public radio stations, each of which serves local listeners with a distinctive combination of national and local programming. Do you listen to NPR? If you do listen to NPR, have you ever made a donation to support its efforts? If you do listen but have never made a donation, do you think you ever will? Why or why not?

Posted by Mikal at 12:02 AM | Comments (10) | TrackBack

April 20, 2005

I'm not quite 'bright-eyed' or 'bushy-tailed' like I projected I might be yesterday, but I do feel a lot better. For the first time in days I got a good night's sleep last night, and I can almost breath again thru my nose.

Happy Wednesday. I'm going into work!

April 19, 2005

Because of an unrelenting cough and runny nose, not to mention a killer headache, I didn't fall asleep until around 1:00 a.m. this morning. By 4:30 a.m., after waking up every hour or so because of the coughing, I'd had enough. Since my primary care physicianís office doesn't open until 9:00 a.m., I drove myself over to Indiana University's emergency room (which accepts my insurance), and got looked over by a nice ER doctor.

After a few tests, Dr. Ramanuja told me that I have Bronchitis and Pharyngitis, and that the reason I haven't been able to sleep for the last few nights was due to the fact that I'd been taking a nasal decongestant that makes you wired, not sleepy. He prescribed Zithromax (250 MG) and Nyquil-type product, and told me not to go to work today.

So, for the second straight day I'm at home, but at least I'll get some sleep, which should make me bright-eyed and bunny-tailed for the rest of the week.

April 17, 2005

It started about two weeks ago when I had root canal performed on tooth number 31 (the furthest back, bottom right). The procedure got screwed up on account of the dentist breaking off a file in one of the roots of the tooth. A week later, last Wednesday, I went to an Endodontist--a dentist who has undergone specialized training in performing root canal therapy--to see about removing the file and finishing up the procedure. Long story short, the Endodontist was unable to remove the file, so he left it in--which he said is pretty common these days--and completed the procedure. Well, the next afternoon, last Thursday, I started to get a wicked sore throat, and by Saturday afternoon I had my full Barry White voice on.

I spent most of the day today--Sunday--sacked out on the coach, drinking Gatorade, sucking on Extra Strength Sugar-Free Cepacol Throat lozenges, and trying not to cough on account of it hurting too much when I do. While I don't have a thermometer, I sense from the chills and sweats that I'm running a fever, and my stuffy nose and itchy ear drums and eyes tell me that an infection of some sort is running rampant thru my upper-respiratory system. Bottom line: No Fun!

With any luck, all will be better in the morning, and none of what I'm feeling is connected to that root canal proceedure.

UPDATE: Monday Monring (8:11 a.m.)

Woke up at 5:00 a.m., felt like crap (coughing, deep voice, itchy ear drums still); called and left a couple of messages at the office to say that I wouldn't be in today, went back to sleep. Now, three hours later, it's not any better. Going back to sleep, but first a warm shower.

April 15, 2005

Q1: Are you concerned about identity theft? If so, what do you do today to protect yourself that you didn't do just a few years ago?

Q2: The summer of 2005 is shaping up to be one of the best on record for potentially blockbuster-level movies. The 40 Year Old Virgin, The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl, Batman Begins, Bewitched, The Brothers Grimm, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo, The Dukes of Hazzard, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Kingdom of Heaven, The Longest Yard, Monster-in-Law, Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, Triple X: State of The Union, War of the Worlds, and Wedding Crashers. Which movies are you most looking forward to seeing this summer?

Q3: At the same time that the U.S. Department of Defense is failing to meet recruitment goals and is forcing some soldiers to stay in Iraq longer than they had signed up for, soldiers are being forced out of the military because they are gay. In light of these facts, or not, how do you feel about the U.S. military's 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' policy?

Q4: What are your favorite sections of a bookstore?

April 8, 2005

Q1: Do you think cities should be allowed to use eminent domain to seize property for private business development?

Q2: Across the United States, policy makers are debating whether to grant driver's licenses to illegal immigrants, while in some states, legislators are taking up bills that would require voters to show photo identification before casting ballots. Do you think illegal immigrants should be allowed to receive a driver's license? What about presenting a photo ID when casting a ballot... are you in favor of this idea?

Q3: What kind of impact has Pope John Paul II's death had on you since he passed away last Saturday? What kind of an impact did the Pope have on you while he was alive?

Q4: If you knew for certain that it would extend your life expectancy by 8 years, would you reduce your daily caloric intake by 30%?

April 6, 2005

Two friends and former co-workers made news yesterday, and since I'm too lame to blog about anything personal right now, I'm going to live vicariously thru their accomplishments (which is a lot better than getting a root canal, which is happening later this morning):

Ford Church and The Cottonwood Institute were profiled in yesterday's Boulder Daily Camera (click here to see the article for yourself, and feel free to use "blogreader@belicove.com" as your user name, and "readit" as your password). For the uninitiated, The Cottonwood Institute is a Boulder, Colorado-based not-for-profit founded and run by my friend and mentor, Ford Church. Under Ford's direction, CI develops engaging outdoor programs aimed at transforming the way people become involved with their communities. Ford's programs are all about community action, and are designed for people who are passionate about making a difference in the world. Check out the article by clicking here; and if you know anyone with teenagers living in Colorado, send them an e-mail message with a link to The Cottonwood Institute website.

Josh Bernstein's History Channel show, Digging For The Truth, was renewed yesterday for a second season, which is scheduled to premiere with the first of 13 new episodes starting in January of 2006. Digging For The Truth, which premiered in late-January of this year, is The History Channel's most-watched original series, averaging around 1.4 million viewers per episode. Click here for a Beli-Blog review of the first show, along with some of my reader's own commentary.

Congratulations to both Ford and Josh. Keep up the great work!

April 1, 2005

Q1: According to an article in The Washington Post, pharmacists across the United States are refusing to fill prescriptions for birth control, saying that dispensing such medications violates their personal or religious beliefs. Supporters of pharmacists' rights see the trend as a welcome expression of personal belief. Opponents see it as a major threat to reproductive rights and one of the latest manifestations of the religious right's growing political reach. What do you think? Should pharmacists be allowed to refuse to fill prescriptions based on personal beliefs, or should they be required by law to fill all prescriptions, regardless of their beliefs?

Q2: If you have Caller ID on your phone, do you answer incoming calls from people you know any differently than from people whose number's you do not recognize, or do you just say "Hello" in the same tone and inflection regardless of who it is that's calling? If you do not have Caller ID, are there times when you wish you did?

Q3: Do you have a living will? If not, has Terri Schiavo's situation caused you to think twice about putting one in place?

Q4: What's the name of the first book you can remember reading from cover to cover?