Kim’s Comments (group member since Sep 17, 2008)

Kim’s comments from the Runs with scissors group.

I read this in January and followed it up with his auto bio a week later. Not much was said in either book as Manilow is very private and Butler (who did the bio) kinda got lost in some study or other about fandom rather than facts on the man. She did not mention the farewell tour or his being booked in Vegas.

Now, I am not a do or die fan, but I do like the guy and his music. I think he is still gorgeous and can still sing. (He does a fantastic version of "One Voice" with Straight No Chaser on their debut album "With a Twist") There was an interesting note about fan behavior and the internet in this study. Apparently, there was a women who had only seen Manilow 6 times and therefore was not a "true fan" as the others who had seen him at least 100 times or more. Another woman was attacked for being up on stage with Manilow during "Can't Smile Without You" (a tradition in which he picks a member to sing to on stage) because it was her second time! (Oh the horror!)

It would seem a kid born in Brooklyn and raised by a very strict grandmother (whom he has called "a ball-buster"). His grandmother apparently did not approve of his father or much of anyone, except Barry. He could do no wrong and she gave his all of her love. His family encouraged his musical ability. By a strange road, he ended up at CBS' mail room and from there his musical career developed. He worked with Bette Middler and helped launch her career.

His own came soon after and he still goes on. Most of us who were children in the 70's know at least 1 of his songs. As he so eloquently put it in the DVD "Music and Passion", "hopefully they [his songs] will be mutilated in elevators for years to come." All I know is I Can't Smile Without You Mandy on my Weekend in New England, so I'll go Somewhere Down the Road to the Copacabana. Could It Be Magic that I Write the songs? I Made it Through to the Miracle of American Bandstand, where we played until Daybreak. Looks Like We Made It.

I talked to Kelley on Tuesday evening,and the internist said that her dad has 2 growth's the size of a man's fist on his liver. They are cancer.The internist said surgery, radiation, and chemo will probably be the course of treatment. His entire liver will have to be removed, so Kelley and her family are going to get tested to see who is a tissue match.

I could tell Kelley had been crying and I in the 20 years I have known her, I have only known her to cry 1 time,and that was when one of her nephews was killed in a car accident. Kelley is not a crier. She just is not the touchy-feely type. If anything, she is the toughest person I know.

Her dad is a retired Iron-Worker,who is also a carpenter,and has done work in the auto industry. He was in the Navy. To her, he's Superman. I know this going to be hard for her and her family. Her dad is kinda larger than life and now....

Sorry. Please pray. Please keep a good thought.

On a separate note, Etoile has been given a cage of his own and a roommate. After trying very unsuccessfully to find him a home, we decided to keep him. We set up the old cage next to the girls cage so he could still see and sniff (but NOT touch) the girls. Luna did have 6 babies (and the little devil got her pregnant right away!) and we were able to tell a boy so we kept one and put him in with Etoile about 1 week after the separation. Sol (Latin for Sun) is a dust colored male and he and his father are getting along fine.

So, imagine my surprise about 3 weeks ago, when we in the process of separating out the babies to go to the pet store, I am helping by moving the girls and the babies to the travel cage, (Narzain has gone to the bank, so I am all alone here) when I discover 2 "pinkies". Cloud had been pregnant too, and we didn't know it. So, there I was with 2 very small and newly born (about 1 or 2 days old) babies that you usually don't handle due to how delicate they are.

OH S***! So quickly I scooped and placed then got the girls in with them and the other babies, freaking out the entire time. Luna is the size of a mousy Winnebago at this time and I am worried about her. Everything went fine and now we come to Sunday.

Luna had her babies a few days after Cloud, and we were just seeing them Friday/Saturday. This means that they are ready to be weaned by mom and can go to the pet store soon. So, Sunday (1/30/11), we decided to clean the cage because we can now safely handle the babies.

CHAOS THY NAME IS MOUSE!

All heck broke loose. Luna had 9 babies (my little girl, the over achiever!) So, now we are trying to wrangle 11 babies and 2 adults into the travel cage. One jumped onto the floor, one the counter and the travel cage got knocked into the sink,causing one to end up in said sink, and we each got bitten (no blood) which is unusual.(Everyone was captured and recovered quickly.)

All in all, not good,and more traumatic for me then them.

We are going to enjoy the quiet.

My best friend Kelley, who is the most un-flappable person I know,is flapped. Her dad, also named Kelley (she was named after him) has an enlarged spleen and bacterial infection. Her dad is 70 and is about 6'3". He has gone from 210 lb. to 165lb without trying to lose weight. She and her family are waiting for the test results to come back. Dr.s are trying to figure out why his spleen is enlarged and what is the cause of the infection.


It's pretty serious. I've never heard Kelley sound scared before, but she sounded that way last night on the phone.

I read this in this mornings paper. It was a little light on some details, but here's the gist:


It appears that a 3 year old girl was asked not to come back to pre-school for 1 month because she had had a "potty accident". Mother and child were escorted from the school by the principal. The mother, who was reportedly shocked by this turn of events ( I got the feeling that the school may not have informed her of any previous incidents), was told that her daughter was "out of chances" and that the child would not be be welcome back "until she is properly potty trained." The school, a private montessori school, is still charging the family the $800+ tuition while the child is out on essentially, suspension.

The child is 3 for crying out loud! 3! Kids have accidents, that why they are called accidents! I am a nanny and I have had plenty of kids have accidents while being trained and have trouble for a while with bed training. I have known a few kids who are fine during the day, but at night they have problems in spite of their advanced age (i.e. 8 or so.)

I think this school went too far. Yes, I can see why they do not want kids in diapers, and I have heard locally some don't even want them in pull-ups. I do understand the idea behind the ideal of a fully trained child,but 3 year old's are still learning!

URRRRGH!

I actually had a one day job this week that may turn into a temporary one to help out a woman who is having surgery next month. So, I did not get to swim Wed. due to having to work ( I LOVE saying that!.

So I decided that I was going to do a 3/4 mile yesterday (Fri.) to kinda make up for it.

I not only reached the 3/4 mile, I manged to reach 70 lengths before I got too tired to go on. I also manged to do a 1/4 mile in 16 minutes, which is 4 minutes off of my average of 20. I have been able to do it in 15, but not consistently. I am trying to get a 1/4 mile done in 15 minutes, so that I can get 1/2 mile done in a half hour so that I can work on making a mile my norm. Then from there, well, we'll see.

All in all, I am very proud of myself!

I just wanted to add that if the TITLE of a book contains a curse word, it is fine to put that in your post as long as you do not go overboard with it,unless that word comes under rule #6 then please use * to edit the word.

If you are not sure, please contact me by email to check before you post.

Cool, then that's what we'll do. March is choose your own strong woman story.

I yesterdays Plain Dealer (1/24/11), there was more to this story. It seems that the bishop (who apparently has still, to my knowledge not met with the priest in question after repeated requests) has sent a letter to the priest telling him that he will face punishment under church law and "canonical" punishments as well. The parish is operating in an "unsanctioned space" and that they face excommunication if they do not stop. The resignation of the priest was demanded within 48 hours of the letter.

The priest responded with a polite version of telling the bishop "to stick it where the sun don't shine."
He told his parish that his place is with them and nowhere else.

I think other parishes are looking at this closely to see what happens. I think that we are witnessing the first great change in the church since Luther and Calvin. I think a whole new version of Catholic may come from this and I will not be surprised when the Pope finally steps in because this is not good P.R.

As I have said before, one of my Catholic friends tells me that this bishop is NOT popular among the local faithful. I think he is a diocese hatchet man since he did the same things in Boston before he was assigned here.

Cool. I'll add it to the shelf.

So, what does everyone think of my March suggestion?

I want to clarify my "meaning that she over comes her adversity or inspires others to do so." statement. Inspiration does not have to mean a "goody-two-shoes" persona. She can inspire evil, or inspire others to want to kill her. Adversity could be taking over the world or what have you.

Actually, Joss Whedon said, "if you want good serious, get a comedian do it." but what Narzain said is close enough.

I have read all of Barry's works, including his fiction stories and his fiction collaborations with Ridley Scott. I find him to be very funny and thought provoking in good balance.

Narzain, you are welcome. (I suggested the book to him...heh,heh,heh.)

Yes, yes it does. You want to read it for Feb. or March as your choice?

So I'm thinking since March is Women's History Month, that reading a book about a strong woman would be appropriate. It can be fiction or non, but the main character has to be a strong woman, meaning that she over comes her adversity or inspires others to do so.

I am, as always, open to other ideas.

So, yesterday, I had a not so small panic attack when I thought I had lost something very precious to me. I discovered it was missing just as I was changing for swimming. I have an aquamarine necklace that I wear all the time and have for 18 years, ever since my parents gave it to me at a graduation from High School present. My scarf caught on the clasp and opened it. I found it (VERY THANKFULLY next to my car in the slush). I came back into the Y in a state, so rattled that I couldn't feel my knees.

I was not sure how far I would get since I was so shaken. Not only did I do my normal 1/2 mile, I manged to do a 1/4 mile in only 20 minutes and do 6 extra lengths in 5 minutes! I swam 50 lengths yesterday, and am very proud of myself.

And for those of you who are wondering, yes, I put the necklace in a safe place while I was swimming and it is now back around my neck where it belongs.

I have been walking with a heavy burden I did not realize that I had until today when it was lifted. As I have mentioned, my mom announced on Christmas day that she will losing her job by years end. So, since I feel like a burden to her already since she has been helping me since I am not working, I have been feeling like crud. Not to be selfish sounding, but I have been wondering what may happen to my Y membership if I cannot find a job before she loses hers.

Narain said that if push comes to shove that he will give up his membership and pay mine since I get more out of it than he does. That was not the burden lifter.

I talked to the membership person today. My mom can come in under my scholarship (which means no joiner fee) and it can be worked out that she becomes the primary member, meaning she can get the senior rate and get a scholarship on top of that. That would be a HUGE savings and Narzain can keep his membership as well.

I fell so light, I could float.

O.K. I re-read this. I admit, I am a huge fan of Bombeck. I own most of her books and have re-read them frequently. I love her observations on human behavior in all of her works,but in this one, she lists an animal article at the start of the chapter then parallels things from her own life and observations. Yes, some items have appeared in other books, but they still remain true today. I think what makes her so funny, is that we can all see ourselves or someone we know in her words.

Thanks. I hope a new year means new hope for us all.

My mom announced on Christmas day that she will out of a job my this time next year. She is estimating 9 months as a more realistic time frame. Her boss is taking a buy-out from the parent insurance company he is an agent for. The company is phasing out agents in favor of phone banks and on-line presence like their competition.

As this year comes to a close, and it is closing on a sour note for a lot of us,I found myself thinking about this year as a whole. I found some surprising things.

When I began this thread, I was seeking support for a hard decision and hoping others were in the same situation. I did (and still do) need that support that I found. I found more encouragement than I did from my own family and still find more support than I do from my family.

I found unconditional support,the encouragement when needed and a kick in the pants when needed. I of course am hoping that this new year brings more hope and promise than the old one did on the job front, and I hope to make and reach new goals in the pool.

But, how far I have come this year alone. When I started I was terrified. Now, I much more confident in what I know I can do. In April, I would never have thought I would ever do a mile at one time by the end of the year. Not only did I do that, I did 2 months ahead of time! I have lost around 20 lbs. in this time, and I have taught a class. Did I ever think I could? No.

I have been told in another thread that I am an inspiration to others. Outside of the under 12 set, I have never thought that possible. I mean, who would want to look to me for a role model? I don't do anything exceptional. I'm loud, talk too much and just live my life the best way I know how. Sure I read, give to charity, sing, bake, and love my friends as much as anyone, but what do I do?

This year I found out what I do. I try.

So, this new year, I hope will bring me to the goal of a 3/4 mile as my normal swim time (instead of a 1/2 mile each time), I hope for a new,long term job with a good family, that my mom finds work, that all of you who are not working find work, find good health, and keep up what good work you have started. For those of you just starting, well, we are here. It's just fine to be scared and we understand.


HAPPY NEW YEAR one and all, may it be a good one.

This is my pick for our comedy/humor read.