So this is Christmas

So this is Christmas and what have we done.
Another year over. A new one just begun.
--John Lennon.

So, Christmas has come and gone. For some it just happened or will happen. Remember there are 12 days of it. Day 12 is the 7th.

Christmas for Jen, Andrew and me was a bit light on the receiving end this year.
Lighter still on the giving. Times are tough on all of us. Remember it's not
what you get. It's the thought.

On the Lennon reference. When the song was written, we were involved in a war in Viet Nam. The times are different, or are they. We are agian invoved in a war. Or is that wars. I honestly don't know any more. Like it or not.

All I know is this, we, as a country, need to support our troops. We don't, I repeate, DON'T need to support the reasons. We have family and friends on foriegn soil fighting a mostly unjust cause. They deserve our thanks for their service. They need our support when they return home. They also deserve what the Viet Nam vets didn't get for the most part. That is the help they'll need to heal from all the scars. Emotional as well as physical.

This is also a time for reflection. At least for me. I look back on the past year to see what I have. What I have done. Where I have gone. Even if it is only in my "backyard". I also think of family and what they have had happen.

I wish those who do read my blog a Happy an Prosporus New Year.
Thanks for reading. See you in 2009

-More to come

Laptop Searches

It still astonishes me that the government can get away with this. As I have mentioned before, I am all for the protection of our populace. LEGALY. The article linked here gives one some insight in to what's happening. Googling would undoubtedly lead to more stories. So would looking at the articles posted at the Electronic Frontier Foundation's (EFF) site. www.eff.org.

Call me a Conspiricy Theorist. I just don't think the Government needs to go about this in this way.

In my opinion, our Fourth Ammendment right to unreasonable searches and seizures are being violated by doing this. The authorities can search if it's -my emphisis added- IN PLAIN SIGHT And if not, then get a warrant. PERIOD.

Note: Clicking on the title links to the referenced article.
More to come

Day two of new smile aka new smile part deux

So, here I am two days, 10 hours and 25 minutes as of the start of this post in to having a full upper denture. It's not as easy as I thought it'd be. Eating solid foods is doable. It's also a bit tough. Pun intended. Yeah, I can eat solid food. And I am enjoying doing so. It's the one thing I missed having while I had no teeth. I did eat some semi-solid foods and some more than semi-solids. Just not TRULLY solid. I just wish I had the lowers to go with the upper. I think it'd be easier to eat.

I also got to thinking today while I was working. It got to the point where I almost broke down. Yes, I almost cried. And, what's wrong with a guy who cries?
NUTTIN'!! imo.

You may ask why I almost cried. I'll tell you.
Having a full upper makes me feel old. People my age should not, I repeate, NOT
have dentures. Sure there are people my age who do have them. I just feel that aat
44 going on 45, I should not have them.

I knew a few years ago that I'd most likely need them I just didn't think it's be this soon. I guess that's what I get for not paying more attention to the brushing.
My own damned fault.

I'll keep y'all posted

-More to come.

A new smile

Today I got my new smile. After going through the upper teeth extraction in the middle of August and then almost two months of no upper teeth, I have my full upper plate. It feels a bit strange.

I'll need to take it out every night. Brush it. Place it in a cleansing bath and let it soak over night. In the morning, take it out and rinse it. Dry it thoughly and then put adhisive on it. This last step I'll do ONLY if it seems that the plate will be loose.

In January of 2009, I get to do all of this again as I'll be getting the lower teeth removed.


Best part of today. Jen bought me breakfast. SOLID food -REAL. SOLID. FOOD. - for the first time in many weeks. It "felt" good. It'll take getting used to chewing again. Not too long though.

As for speaking. That's easier than I thought it'd be.

-More to come

Government Spying/Control Part 2

I have added to the right a clickable "badge".

From the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) page.

ABOUT EFF

"From the Internet to the iPod, technologies are transforming our society and empowering us as speakers, citizens, creators, and consumers. When our freedoms in the networked world come under attack, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) is the first line of defense. EFF broke new ground when it was founded in 1990 — well before the Internet was on most people's radar — and continues to confront cutting-edge issues defending free speech, privacy, innovation, and consumer rights today. From the beginning, EFF has championed the public interest in every critical battle affecting digital rights."

From my post
01 May 2008
Government Spying/Control

Since 9/11 our government, in its infinite wisdom, has felt the need to spy (secretly) on our populace. I'm all for LEGAL means of obtaining information but. when it comes to getting this through WARRANTLESS means, I have issues.

This is where the EFF can be of help, and not only in the the Bloggers' Rights arena.
NOTE: The title is a link to the first post. That in turn links to a Newsweek article. The "badge" links to EFF and the Bloggers' Rights page.

-More to come