My Degree Posted!!!

Many of you know that I have been waiting since mid-May for my degree to post. Well, I logged in to the school site, and found MY DEGREE HAS BEEN AWARDED!!!! The pic I snipped from the site. Yippee!!!!

Update on the Jeep

Well, after taking it back to the body shop, the noise was coming from the exhaust system banging into the axle. Although it was a "quick fix", I feel it shouldn't have happened in the first place. They should have fully road tested my vehicle. If they had even driven it down the block, they would have heard this noise. The crack in the shifter plastic... ok, I see that it could have possibly been missed on the initial inspection. But they "detail" cars before they go back to the owner (READ: Vacuum, and wash the exterior). I found it with a few minutes of being back in my car. The cargo cover should have been checked out. It wasn't. (Note: Both of these are being replaced).

An Online Lite-Brite!

If you remember having one of these wonderful art-with-light systems, you will enjoy this site: http://www.sfpg.com/animation/liteBrite.html

Here is my attempt at artistry:

Protons and Electrons - A Perspective

This site will nicely show, on a web page the relationship between a proton and an electron inside a hydrogen atom. The web page is 11 miles wide! (No kidding). Take a look, but use your slider at the bottom of the page, or it will take you a while.

http://www.phrenopolis.com/perspective/atom/index.html

Car Woes

Well, I spoke too soon. There is something really wrong with the rear end of the Jeep. There is a strange sound when I hit even tiny bumps or potholes in the road. I had a friend sit in the passenger side, and we agree, the sound is in the middle rear, right where the axles go into the differential. Right now, I am waiting for the body shop to get approval from State Farm to get this fixed. I reported it Tuesday morning. Why it is taking so long, I don't know. Last night, I was told I would get a call "first thing in the morning". We'll see.

Update: I spoke with State Farm and the Body Shop, and then took it back to the shop. The rep I have agrees that it is making a noise that it shouldn't, and I am bringing it back tomorrow morning. They are comp'ing me a rental car (I suspect that they know I understand that they should have caught this, and the other minor problems). They should have FULLY evaluated the Jeep in the first place. As a first class repair location, I am very surprised by this negligence, although they appear to be making it right now. State Farm said I have to sign a "Tear Down Authorization", and if it isn't caused by the accident, then they won't pay. Since this started AFTER the accident, I KNOW it is caused by the accident. So far, I haven't had to sign it. At least the shop hasn't asked me to. Perhaps in the morning they will, I don't know.

Got my Jeep back

I have been car-less since May 8th... ugh. Finally got my Jeep back today. There are a few issues to deal with, but I don't think they are horrible.

I am just glad to have wheels again!

I'm back!

Just got back from working at a Girl Scout Camporee event. I had volunteered for this several months ago, and before I knew it, it was here. So, I packed up all my medical gear, got another member of the service unit to take the backboard up the hill (since my Jeep is just now getting finished), shared a ride with my co-leader and one of the girls in my troop, and worked up in the foothills near Placerville/Diamond Springs. Thought I'd get in some nice relaxation... not! Glad I forgot the book I was going to read!

I was busier there than I have been most nights at Raley Field! Wow! Everything from heat problems (it was in the mid-90's up there, and the swamp cooler for the lodge wasn't working properly), to a type I diabetic out of control, to cuts, bumps, bruises, bug bites, burns, medication needs, you name it... I was pretty busy! Most of it didn't take long to deal with, but they did need my help morning, noon, and middle of the night.

I really did have fun. Campfire was nice, spending time talking with friends and the younger girls there, learning new things... It just came in 10 minute spurts!

Oh, the Jeep should be ready for pickup tomorrow. I called them on my way up the hill in the early afternoon Friday, and was told it would be ready by 4:30pm. So, I hope to pick it up early tomorrow morning. And go over it with a fine-tooth comb! It was in fantastic condition BEFORE the accident, aside from the crumbs on the carpet. I expect it returned to me that way (Well, minus the crumbs would be nice!).

Still looking for work. Need a person with scientific skills in microbiology, immunology, and biochemistry, 20 years of computer programming, who also happens to be an EMT? I just graduated, and need to find work ASAP! Please, get in touch with me!

Ceiling Cat

Donate Life

Many of you are aware of my husband's struggle to get a kidney transplant, that he, ultimately never got. Rory waited from August 3, 1995 until his death on July 28, 2004. Even before Rory needed a transplant, both he and I were advocates of altruistic donation. Many of us have that little pink "Donor" sticker on our licenses, but until recently, you had to make sure that 2 people would speak for you if you ever were to become a donor (basically, if you were brain-dead, but your organs were harvestable).

Now, you can go to https://www.donatelifecalifornia.org/register/ and sign up. You will be assigned a unique ID, and be given the opportunity to print a card with this ID number on it. This is a way for you to make the Organ Procurement Organizations (OPO's) in California aware of your wishes, and gives them permission to harvest your organs if you are declared brain-dead. This overrides the complication of having 2 people authorize your donation.

I urge all of you in California that wish to be organ donors to please go to that site, and sign up. I feel even more strongly than ever that we should all be able to help others have life in the event of our own untimely death. You can always revoke or modify your permission by using your ID code on their website.

And, yes, just in case, tell two people close to you that you know will express your wishes (either for or against) your wishes. And print the card! Put it in your wallet!

No apparent fairness or justice

I never got a followup by the CHP due to my accident. So, I called today, nearly 1 MONTH since the accident. They have gotten the report done, and couldn't tell me if they were going after the driver that slammed into me. They told me to call the D.A. here in Sacramento County, that they would have more information. Yeah... I called. THERE IS NO RECORD OF A REPORT BEING SENT OVER BY THE CHP. Wonderful. I got bounced from person to person, only to get bounced back to the CHP, where I got voicemail.

I get the distinct opinion that the CHP does not intend to follow up on this accident. They have the name of the person who hit me. They have her address. They have her car. They have a description that should clinch who hit me (She is pregnant). Why haven't they arrested her? While it wasn't severe, I was hurt in the accident. My car has severe damage. I have been VERY inconvenienced by this as well, having to pay airfare to get to a job interview in southern California I was planning on driving to. I had to rent a car to see my grandson born in Salt Lake City. (The cost is the driving force on rental vs airfare for me). I have expenses that I have had as a direct result of this unlicensed and uninsured driver hitting me and then leaving the scene of the accident.

I am so disgusted about this.

Anyone care to comment? Or help?

An interesting wi-fi location I came across

Yesterday, while down in Los Angeles for an interview, I turned my laptop on while on one of the Metro buses. Just for chuckles, I thought I'd see what wi-fi locations popped up, and to my suprise was this one:

Yes, that reads "BombSquadWireless". I was going by an L.A. Police Station at the time. Don't know if it is real or someone's idea of a joke nearby, but I like it!