OT June Chit Chat

[Howie]

What book Virginia?

[Virginia]

Howie, it is a book by Daniel Silva. He wrote a series called the "Gabriel Allon" series. I think this will probably be the last in the series. It is book number 16 and the name of it is "The Black Widow". I have read them all in order. I have had this one for months on my kindle, but have just put other books in front of it. All of this series has been interesting in that it has helped me understand a lot about the middle east. Of course they are fiction, but a lot of fiction is well researched and you can really learn a lot from it. I did decide to start on it today, but have read only the first chapter because I have a headache and my eyes are still hurting some.

Funny - while reading this series and after buying this book, I saw Newt Gengrich on TV one night recommending this book because he said it was the closest thing that he could think of that was going to happen in this country. That kind of scared me. Apparently, the book is going to end up coming to the US. This series while detailing a lot about the middle east has moved all over Europe. I love history. The first chapter starts out in Paris.

After that long explanation, guess that it is the last time you will ask me about a book.:smile

[Howie]

I am the cat daddy, so I'm naturally curious.

I can't read books any more because of my MS. I will read part of a paragraph, and I'll get hung up and read the same sentence over and over, and my eyes won't move down to the next sentence.

I've tried reading like a first grader, and putting a short, narrow piece of paper over the part of the paragraph that's been read, and slide it down as I go. But that gets old.

I'm okay reading online, mostly, but when someone writes a long post with no paragraphs, I start getting lost again, and will read the same sentence over and over.

Newspaper size, and book size of type, I just give up on. But online, I can increase the type size to one that's comfortable. I know they have books on tape, but I wouldn't know what, when, or how about that.

I can't read a map. I have to have been there before, then I have no problem. But "here's a map, here's where you're going", forget it. A talking GPS would work, but I've never tried it.

I never feel deprived by my limitations. I'm a homebody these days, and that's okay. Like now, TV is playing, and I'll pay attention to it now and then, but being on the computer is how I spend most days.

Alright Howie, that's enough typing, go to your room!

[Virginia]

I noticed Jendie has been on and hit the thanks button on some other threads. I have been wondering about her. We haven't heard from her in awhile. Jendie when you feel like it let us hear from you.

[Virginia]

Does anyone remember the man that use to be on here that was misdiagnosed. I can't remember his original user name - maybe MSCraig or something like that. Then they found he did not have MS but another neurological disease of unknown origin and he called himself something else but kept coming on. He went on some cruises and he made a trip to Hawaii. He wrote a book, self published, which I bought but no longer have.

I just happened to think of him and wondered if anyone knows if he has survived. I think he lived somewhere around Richmond, Va.

[Howie]

The name MSCraig sounds familiar, but don't know anything about him now.

[stillstANNding]

Craig Mattice. I believe he has/had a FB page. I am not a FBer.
ANN

[Virginia]

Thanks Ann, since I read his book I should have remembered. I just wondered what happened to him. He talked like he was getting in extremely bad shape, but then one time I thought he was going to die pretty soon and he went on a trip to Hawaii. I think he was a very determined person who wanted to be with his wife and family as long as possible. I hope he has made it and is doing well.



Good night all - have a nice sleep Howie!

[Howie]

U2Va.

[agate]

Thanks Ann, since I read his book I should have remembered. I just wondered what happened to him. He talked like he was getting in extremely bad shape, but then one time I thought he was going to die pretty soon and he went on a trip to Hawaii. I think he was a very determined person who wanted to be with his wife and family as long as possible. I hope he has made it and is doing well.



Good night all - have a nice sleep Howie!

I have a vague memory of him, and wasn't he UndiagnosedCraig for a while, when he'd been diagnosed with MS and then undiagnosed?

I found this about him but the last article by him is dated 2013, and I'm not sure how current the information about him is:

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[stillstANNding]

Virginia, he did get to Hawaii and climed the last .2 miles of a 10,000 ft volcano. You can see the picture here on the cover of his book:

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And for Howie, it looks like you and Craig have something in common:

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ANN
Edited to add: He also used the name, neuronixedcraig

[Howie]

Live long and prosper Craig.

[stillstANNding]

I love your new quote, Howie.
ANN

[Howie]

He is the new Carl Sagan. He can take these complex ideas in physics, and break them down so anyone can understand them.

[Sunshine]

Virginia, I have lifelong allergies and asthma. My allergies are birds, cats, dogs, pollens, and dust mites . Dust mites are microscopic creatures that live in dust. Here is what I do for my dust mite allergies. Some may not be affordable :

1.Take Allegra every single day. It is over the counter and has generics.
2. Take a prescription nasal steroid called Fluticasone (Flonase is brand name) every day.
3.Control house: all surfaces non porous. No cloth curtains, non porous floors, leather and vinyl furniture.
4. Get non feather pillows and cover it with a dust mite proof zipper bag. Cover your mattress with a zip up dust mite proof casing, unless its already covered with a vinyl zip up case. They live in mattresses

5. Launder your sheets and pillowcases weekly IN HOT WATER to kill the dust mites.

6. Hepa filters in your heat/air system. Increase humidity in your air. (It's obviously not possible to spend the whole day in s humid bathroom!)

7. Get a vacuum cleaner that has a Hepa filter if you can only afford rugs. Most vacuum cleaners suck up dust and then spew a bunch of it back in the air. It's more expensive, but less than getting rid of all your carpeting.

8. If affordable, put in an in the wall vacuum cleaner so all of it gets sucked up and spewed into your garage.

9. I get allergy shots for dust mites alternate weeks

10. Go see a board certified allergist for testing to figure out what you're allergic to. It may not be dust mites, but be mold, Mold gets into your vents. It can make the home smell vaguely musty. That's a whole other ball game

Personally, I would start saving for vinyl flooring, like linoleum, instead of rugs, (if Pego, tile and wood are not affordable.)

So, as you see, some of the fixes are easy or cheap, and some are not easy or cheap.