Renee's Place

Under 250, FINALLY!

2007-03-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

As of today, my weigh-in at Weight Watchers shows my weight at 249.8 pounds. I am so stoked, you would not believe it! I haven't weighed under 250 pounds since my daughter Diana was a year old! That was 18 years ago, folks!

Yippee!!!!!!!

Sentinel Dome Webcam

2007-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

I look at a few Webcams, and have some that come up automatically in my Google Desktop. As the title of this entry states, this is the webcam looking out at Sentinel Dome in Yosemite National Park.

Somebody built a snowman up there!

Of Cookies, Jonny, Tendonitis, and more...

2007-03-04T21:50:00.000-08:00

First, here are a few pictures of Jonny!

Now, many of you know that I am a Girl Scout Leader. And yep, it is that time of year again... GIRL SCOUT COOKIE TIME! If you are looking for cookies, get in touch with me! We still have plenty of all varieties, including the new Sugar Free Little Brownie cookie! (It really tastes yummy!). The other varieties are: Thin Mint, Samoas, All Abouts, Cafe Cookies, Tagalongs, Do-Si-Dos, and Trefoils. Price: $3.50 a box + Shipping to get it to you.

I am battling tendonitis in my right wrist again, and am sitting here splinted to try and alleviate the pain (That and NSAIDs). Ugh. It has got to get better quick. I don't want to go to Nashville splinted later this month. If it isn't better soon, I guess I will get it seen.

I am back on Weight Watchers again, and seem to finally be losing weight again. Maybe my body needed a "diet break". :-)

Do You Like Old Infocom Interactive Fiction Games?

2007-02-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

If so, have I got a deal for you! I put my entire collection of Infocom games from the 1980's on Ebay. If you are interested in old Infocom games, go over to Ebay (Click link to get there). Some of the games over there are Bureacracy, Stationfall, Nord and Bert..., Cutthroats, and The Lurking Horror.

2/25/07 Update: The games sold! And for a lot more than I thought they would. I still have a few more to sell, but I was pleasantly surprised. I opened up bidding to international bidders, and got 2 from the UK, and 1 from Argentina. Wow!

WooHoo!

2007-02-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

I dropped a pants size!!! Current weight: 251.0 (Lost 0.5 from last week... not a lot, but enough to at least get in these pants COMFORTABLY). Exercise is the key, for this success. Hopefully, I can drop another pant size before the NDMS Conference... :-)

Firefighters Raising Money for a Great Cause

2007-02-17T16:21:00.000-08:00

If you know any firefighters, you know that they are suckers for a good cause. They will raise money to help any legitimate need out there, whether it be scouting (boys and girls), Shriner's Hospital, helping people devastated by fires, and especially their own. Firefighters are a true brotherhood (and sisterhood!). This year, for the 13th time, they are having their "Fill the Boot" campaign at the Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, with all proceeds to benefit the Firefighter's Burn Institute at UC Davis Medical Center. The burn institute mission statement is as follows:

"The Firefighters Burn Institute is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization founded by the Sacramento Area Firefighters Local 522 in 1973, for the purpose of establishing a local burn treatment facility; providing recovery programs for burn survivors; providing fire and burn prevention through public education; funding education for burn team professionals and firefighters; and supporting burn treatment and rehabilitation research."

Considering these are the guys that save our butts when things go bad, this is a great organization to help their own and to educate others.

Two firefighters, Michael Daw and Forrest Rowell, will spend February 16-19, 2007 100 feet up in the air. Yes, the entire time (Even bathroom breaks are up there. Boy, that brings up some interesting pictures, doesn't it?). Last year, motorists at the intersection of Sunrise and Greenback contributed over $130,000 to the cause. This year, I am sure with the good weather and kind giving by many, they will top that.

Here are some other photos that I got yesterday. Unfortunately, I had just gotten back from a DMAT work day, so most of the rigs were gone or leaving when I arrived.

Mila

2007-02-16T16:47:00.000-08:00

If you haven't learned the story of Mila yet, I am about to introduce you. Mila is a little 2-year old who is dying from brain cancer. A growing movement is learning about Mila, and helping her mom, who is struggling in all the ways that a mom can struggle when dealing with a dying child. You need learn more about Mila. Her story, and her videos will tug at your heart in so many ways. My wonderful daughter Diana provided me the link at first.

Please pray for this little girl and her mom. They need all the prayers they can get.

First, watch this video: http://www.helpmila.com/aboutmila.html (It is the one titled "Gavin Michael Booth's Blog - Feb. 14, 2007 #2").

Now, go to: http://www.helpmila.com (The main page). There is a link to a MySpace page also (It is a clean page, so all you parents don't need to worry).

There are many more videos over there, and at the MySpace account listed on the site.

I can't imagine my kids dying. I don't know what I would do. It was hard enough to lose my husband.

Mila, you have a lot of people praying for you, honey. I just joined the ranks.

Andi, I will let everyone I know learn about your wonderful little angel. You keep doing what you need to do. You are a wonderful mom to Mila, and you are giving her what she needs the most: Love. Total Absolute Love.

Shooting in Salt Lake City Last Night

2007-02-13T09:38:00.000-08:00

By now, you may have heard about a shooting at a mall in the Salt Lake City area. I wanted to make eveyone aware that Diana and Jonny were nowhere near it at the time. Diana was in school last night when it happened, and Jonny was being babysay. I found out through a "breaking news alert" on my cell phone that I subscribed to. Yeah, I immediately got worried and called Diana, who let me know that she was in class, and they had just heard about a shooting, but didn't know much else. I gave her what info I had at the time, so she could update her classmates.

If you didn't hear about it, here is some information:

An 18-year old while male entered the Trolley Square mall in SLC around 7:00pm last night. He had a shotgun and a handgun. He randomly shot people as he walked through the mall. He was shot dead, possibly by an off-duty officer. The shooter killed 5 people, and critically wounder 4 others.

My prayers go out to all the people who were affected by this tragedy.

To learn more information, go to these sites:(Warning: Don't show these sites to small kids. There are some pictures there showing bodies. No blood, but definitely bodies.)

KSL (Local TV): http://www.ksl.com
KUTV (Local TV): http://www.kutv.com
Salt Lake Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com

Yeah, and stupid, too!

2007-02-10T14:01:00.000-08:00

Maybe they should mention that it will kill you, too. In case you are wondering, these signs are at all the light rail stations in the Sacramento region. I have seen quite a few people actually "Link Surf", as they call it.

Stupid should hurt, by the way.

New Logo for the Sacramento Rivercats

2007-02-08T12:24:00.000-08:00

As many of you know, I work for the Sacramento Rivercats as an EMT during baseball season, and for other events as needed. I love it! To combine medicine and baseball... two of my favorite things... and to work outside on fun and sunny days... who could complain? I certainly won't. They are a great organization to work for (If you are looking for part-time seasonal work, they are hiring right now. Go to http://www.rivercats.com and read more).

Anyhow, I heard over the weekend that the famous Rivercats logo was being "updated". Sports teams periodically update their logos, and the Rivercats are now doing just that. Here is the old logo:

And here is the new one:

I like both, but honestly, I like the new one better. It is smoother, has a more "baseball" feel to it. I do miss the Tower Bridge as part of the artwork, however. When you are at the park looking out to center and right field, you can see the bridge.

So, there it is. Enjoy!

Jonny

2007-02-06T12:33:00.000-08:00

Here's the latest pic of the munchkin:

Doesn't he look incredibly happy?

Coke Rewards

2007-02-07T12:19:00.000-08:00

Do you drink Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, or Coke Zero? If so, do me a favor and save those red caps that are on the bottles (20 oz and 2 liter). There are codes inside of them, and I am working on saving enough points to get some free stays at Hilton Hotels so that I can visit Diana and Jonny. The codes are also in the 12-packs of the same (Look for the Coke Rewards announcement on the 12-packs and the red caps on the bottles). I currently have about 800 points, and need another 1600 or so to earn 40,000 points on my Hilton Honors account, which will get me free nights.

The MyCokeRewards logo is �2006-2007 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved.

Last Rites for the Floppy Disk

2007-01-31T07:26:00.000-08:00

In this article posted at CNET Blogma, a British computer store (ironically called PC World) has announced it will no longer sell floppy disks.

R.I.P. 3.5" floppy

(On a personal note, although I haven't used a floppy disk in any of my own PC's since before 2000, schools still have uses for them. A protein analyzer I used at Sac State less than a year ago still uses floppies for storage of output. And I found a whole box of used floppies while cleaning out a storage unit I had. Any takers???)

Back in Antelope

2007-01-15T08:24:00.000-08:00

Wow! It has been a while since I posted! I went to the 2007 Consumer Electronics Show (Held in Las Vegas). I am very thankful my employer paid my salary while I was at the show. When I learn about new technology, they do as well. There was pre-conference stuff I attended on Saturday and Sunday, along with the show on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (I actually wasn't on the show floor Wednesday... I listened in on the webcasts as I was on my way to Salt Lake City to avoid driving in the impending snowstorm). Webcast and podcast listening on the Treo 680 is surprisingly simple. And I-15 has about 90% connectivity from Las Vegas to Salt Lake City. I will talk about it another time.

CES itself was wonderfully exciting this year. What is the big buzz for this show? UMPC's (Ultra Mobile Personal Computers), accessories for EVERYTHING, Microsoft Vista, and Bluetooth (although you could consider them accessories - they deserve a category all their own). I wanted to stay longer, but couldn't risk the weather. And I was glad I left Wednesday...

I got to Salt Lake City on Wednesday night. The trip was nice. I-15 is a wonderful drive! On Thursday, we got 6 inches of snow at Diana's apartment (I measured it just for chuckles). It snowed and snowed and snowed. I've been there during snowfalls before. This was a lot, even for SLC. There were over 500 accidents on the roads during this snowstorm. I-70 was closed for a while south of Salt Lake City. We still went out and got some things done, but we were REAL careful and didn't venture too far. I love my Jeep... no slip and slide. I am permanently sold on 4WD. ALL of my vehicles will have 4WD in the future.

The cold afterward was another thing. It was so cold out there, it took our breath away when we went outside. The low was around 0 to -2 (yes, NEGATIVE 2) degrees, and the high was 15 while I was there. We stayed inside a lot. Good thing. Jonny had a cold that turned into an ear infection. Poor guy was so miserable on Saturday. We took him to the E.R., who put him on antibiotics and agreed with me on using a decongestant and cough suppressant for his symptoms. Within 24 hours, he was a renewed child! I had to leave at this time, and didn't want to!

I did take Diana out on Saturday night for her birthday (even though her birthday was on Sunday). She wanted to go to Red Robin, so we went there. Neither of us had been there before... they have great burgers! And bottomless fries (not good when you are on Weight Watchers, but neither of us ordered more than what was on our plates). I managed to tell the waitress that it was Diana's birthday without Diana seeing me do it... hehe... they delivered a GIGANTIC piece of ice cream pie for her birthday, free of charge! It was fun! Happy 19th birthday, hon!

We also got her some furniture for her living room. When she moved into this apartment, she didn't take any furniture except Jonny's crib and changing table, and a mattress for her. She found a couch, chair, and ottoman for $40 on Craigslist.org (Great site!), which was in great condition! So, that was my present to her (her request). It is a cute set, and Jonny loves them as well. You should have seen how we got it from South Jordan to Diana's apartment! It was COLD, and the back of the Jeep was open, with the couch sticking out about 2 feet, and the chair on top of the Jeep on the rack. Jon got the ottoman home in his trunk, with Jonny in his car. Use your imagination for the picture... Not a bad set for $40, huh?

My trip back home was uneventful, which is a surprising departure for winter travel. The roads were clear (Some of you might recall my last trip took 15.5 hours... this one... 9). It was bitterly cold, with a high temp of 28 degrees, and a low of 3 while I was travelling. The northern Nevada desert was covered with snow most of the trip. There were a few clouds, but it was so cold, they wouldn't snow.

I know most people think "Desert? There's nothing in the desert but, well, desert." They can't farther from the truth. The desert is a delightfully beautiful place, but can be inhospitable and unforgiving. Always travel with an emergency kit of food, water, blankets, and a first aid kit. Especially in the desert, regardless of time of year.

Even sick, he's cute!

Have A Happy and Prosperous New Year!

2006-12-31T11:48:00.000-08:00

To all my family and friends:I didn't get my letter out this year with my Christmas cards, so here is what I was going to send:

Wow! This year has been a whirlwind of activity! And one that has brought changes to all of us. First, I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a prosperous New Year. I hope this letter finds you in good spirits, and spending time with family and friends.

The New Year started for David and I with a move. We found out 3 days before Christmas last year that the house we lived in was being sold. Try as we did, we could not convince them to wait until summer to sell, so we needed to find a new place to live. A few calls and visits later, and we signed a lease for an apartment. I swore I would never share walls with anyone again, but here I am! My neighbors for the most part are quiet at night, and the complex has children everywhere (I love listening to kids!). Many of the residents here are of Russian descent, and some do not speak English, but we all get along. The apartment is only a few years old, so everything generally works. I have the world�s smallest porch, but it is nice. Mike, our roommate and friend, also moved with us. He has lived with us since August 2005, and is a longtime friend of mine (I used to work with him).

Rory�s father passed away in April. I miss his conversations on the phone. I know since he had the stroke a few years earlier that many people wouldn�t take the time to listen to him, but he was the same guy. He just spoke slower. I will really miss him.

After Rory�s father passed away, Rory�s mom made the decision to move closer to Luane (Rory�s sister) in Connecticut. She is living in a senior housing center, and enjoys the area a lot. I really want to go out and visit her. We talk on the phone, but it isn�t the same. I haven�t seen her since January 2005. I miss her.

I finished school in May, graduating with a Bachelor�s in Biology, concentration in Microbiology, and a minor in Chemistry. Although I had graduated, it took CSU Sacramento until October to send my diploma. But, my degree was on the national system by July, which was good. Suddenly, I was looking for work again!

Before graduating, I had taken an exam for a state job. The title was �Hazardous Substances Scientist�, and I scored very high. I was in the top 3 scores. The only person above me for some time had been on the list for almost a year, which suggested that he/she already found a job elsewhere. So, then the �Employment Inquiries� started coming. I responded to all of them, and interviewed in Glendale. Didn�t get that job, but I later interviewed in Sacramento.

In the meantime, I was working 4 part-time jobs to make ends meet. DMAT, the Rivercats, a friend with an EMS company, and Bloodsource, the local blood bank (Like Red Cross � all voluntary donations). I worked there until last August, when I took the job that was offered to me at the Sacramento office of the Department of Toxic Substances Control. Yes, it is a state job, but the pay is ok, and the benefits are wonderful. This job has given me a chance to learn many new things, and to consider a different path for my life. I plan on staying in emergency medicine, no matter what, but I can certainly consider different directions.

During my final weeks in school, I was nervously awaiting a phone call� from Diana. She was expecting, and her due date was around my last days of school. I got through finals (Don�t ask me how!), and went straight out to Salt Lake City, UT on May 18^th, right after my last final. My mom went out there, too, although she wasn�t able to stay until the baby was born. After a �trial of labor� with medication, Diana came home for two more days, then the real labor started, and she was admitted to the hospital. Diana and Jon welcomed Jonathan Douglas Lester II into the world on May 22. Little Jonny had a bit of a rough start, with a high bilirubin count around 4 days old, but home UV light therapy for a few days fixed that! I stayed another week, but then had to leave.

David proposed to Candace in July, and she accepted. He borrowed my wedding rings (on my suggestion) so that he could �do it right�! They haven�t set a date (yet), but they are beginning to see that married life carries with it some good things, and are considering when to �tie the knot�.

I went back out to Las Vegas and Salt Lake City for Labor Day weekend, and for Thanksgiving weekend. While in Las Vegas, Dan, Josh, and I all got pictures taken of us in uniform. I miss seeing Diana and Jonny all the time! I want to be out there everyday, watching him this first year. Diana sends me pictures just about every day (I am so thankful for picture messaging on cell phones nowadays!), so I get to see those little glimpses of Jonny.

After a rough last few months, Diana and Jon have decided to break up. Diana moved out into an apartment of her own, still in Salt Lake City, so that Jon can be a part of Jonny�s life. I know both of them love Jonny dearly, but Diana has matured more, returning to school as well as working full-time (and caring for a baby!), and realized that she and Jon were not going to be together forever as a result. Jon has some other issues to deal with that were taking priority over Diana and Jonny. I hope that he gets control of those issues, and continues to mature and be a part of Jonny�s life. He is a great guy, and I know he loves being a daddy to that little guy. They are sharing responsibilities for Jonny, alternating caring for him to accommodate their work schedules.

I helped both Diana and David to obtain newer cars that will carry them for a long time to come. It put my plans to buy a newer Jeep off for some more time (another year or two), but it was more important to help them.

So, here we are at this wonderful time of year! My finances don�t allow me to travel to see everyone this year, as I want to do. But I will sure try to stay in touch!

I wish all of you a wonderful New Year!

Merry Christmas!!!

2006-12-25T16:19:00.000-08:00

100 Years of Radio

2006-12-24T14:50:00.000-08:00

100 years ago today, Reginald Fessenden sent the first radio broadcast out into the airwaves. He played music on a violin, read Bible verses, and sang a song.

So, tune your radio in to your favorite station, kick back, and enjoy that music, talk show, or sports broadcast.

Does it feel like Christmas to you?

2006-12-22T09:32:00.000-08:00

Maybe its because I am stuck here, and not able to travel to see Diana and Jonny, or anyone else from my family, but it just doesn't "feel" like Christmas this year. I want it to feel like Christmas, but I don't know...

I am going to spend tomorrow making my apartment at least look like it is Christmas-time. Maybe thats part of it. Maybe I will bake also.

If you have ideas to make it feel more like Christmas, let me know. I can use them.

He's crawling EVERYWHERE now

2006-12-20T08:41:00.000-08:00

Jonny got his crawling legs, and now he is getting into everything, according to Diana! Now, she has to babyproof EVERYTHING...

Anyhow, here is a great pic of the munchkin in his Santa suit:

W00T!

2006-12-23T08:08:00.000-08:00

This week, I went to my usual Weight Watchers meeting, only to find they were closed. Although the sign said they were closed for the holidays, it actually was due to the contract they had with that location. OK... So, I went to another location (The old one my daughter and I used to go to). I was thinking about using my "free pass", so I didn't have to weigh in. I've been really lousy about being on plan this week. But, I decided to weigh in, to get the bad news...

I LOST 2.4 POUNDS!

Yep. I am down to 251.2 pounds. Another 1.3 pounds, and I will be lighter than I have been in 16 years! Needless to say, I am revved to stay on plan again. :-)

A weighty oops

2006-12-15T17:34:00.000-08:00

This week, while getting over a nasty cold, I really didn't stay on plan like I should have. The net result? I gained 0.6 pounds. Not a lot, but a bummer.

My Christmas List

2006-12-09T17:47:00.000-08:00

People have been asking me what I want for Christmas. I am starting my list here (I am having trouble thinking of things!):

Round trip airfare to Salt Lake City so I can see my daughter and grandson

Gift Card to Lane Bryant (I keep shrinking and need new clothes for work)

Size 2XL Regular Blue BDU's (Propper Brand, button down fly, not zippered)

Palm 2-in-1 Stereo Headset (Product Number: 3185WW)

Emergency! Season 2 (This is the series from the 1970's starring Randolph Mantooth and Kevin Tighe)

World Trade Center on DVD - Commemorative edition, widescreen
Dickies brand Tough Heels and Toes! work socks (UPC 76586 48165) (Dk Blue)
New Floor mats for my Jeep
ROBERTS Name Tapes (Velcro Backed)

A few more pounds down

2006-12-08T16:08:00.000-08:00

I am down to 253 now. :-)

Mycokerewards

2006-12-07T13:43:00.000-08:00

Do you drink Coca Cola products? Notice that red cap on the bottles? Or the code inside the box of 12 packs? If you aren't using them to earn points on mycokerewards.com, email them to me, please. I am trying to earn points for air miles and hotel stays so I can see my daughter and grandson more often.

Thanks!

Note: DO NOT post them in a comment, or someone else will nab it before I can. :-)

A Prayer To Share

2006-12-03T09:24:00.000-08:00

I know many of you are still thinking, "Why does Renee stay in emergency medicine?" Put bluntly, it is a calling. I have never felt more strongly about my decision to return to emergency medicine, in whatever capacity I end up in. As an EMT, no, I don't make a lot of money. That is one of the reasons my "day job" is now a different field (Hazardous Substances Scientist). But I do continue to work as an EMT in many ways: For the Sacramento Rivercats, for friends who have businesses involved in EMS, and for DMAT CA-11. I did find this prayer some time ago, and it really reflects many of my thoughts, and my thankfulness to the Lord that he has allowed me to do this work.

EMS Prayer

As I perform my duty Lord
Whatever be the call,
Help to guide and keep me safe
From dangers big and small.

I want to serve and do my best
No matter what the scene,
I pledge to keep my skills refined,
My judgement quick and keen.

This calling to give of my self
Most do not understand,
But I stand ready all the time
To help my fellow man.

To have the chance to help a child
Restore his laugh with glee,
A word of thanks I might not hear,
But knowing is enough for me.

The praise of men is fine for some,
But I feel only blessed,
That you oh Lord have chosen me
To serve in EMS!

Author: L. Lipps

Additionally, there is an oath that many of us have taken:

E.M.T. OATH

Be it pledged as an Emergency Medical Technician, I will honor the physical and judicial laws of of God and man. I will follow that regimen which, according to my ability and judgement, I consider for the benefit of patients and abstain form whatever is deleterious and mischievous, nor shall I suggest any such counsel. Into whatever honors I enter, I will go into them for the benefit of only the sick and injured, never revealing what I see or hear in the lives of men unless required by law.

I shall also share my medical knowledge with those who may benefit from what I have learned. I will serve unselfishly and continuously in order to help make a better world for all mankind.

While I continue to keep this oath unviolated, may it be granted to me to enjoy life, and the practice of the art, respected by all men, in all times. Should I trespass or violate this oath, may the reverse be my lot. So help me God.

-- Author Charles B. Gillespie, M.D.

Note: This was adopted by The National Association of Emergency Medical Technicians 1978