The World of Coca Cola

Jennifer had a lot of fun taste testing at the World of Coke! There were wonderful as well as hideous carbonated beverages from the world over. There was a kiosk for each continent and three sets of 5 or 6 fountain drinks unique to each continent. It was riotous.

I think this was my best aquarium pic of Jennifer.

Deepo

Jen needed to have her picture taken with Deepo before we left the aquarium.

Day 3

This day we went to the Georgia Aquarium...largest in the world, CNN, and the World of Coca Cola. This picture is in the subway, and the woman statue in the middle has a pigeon resting on her.

The Trash

These trash cans are all over downtown Atlanta. This one was in the Underground area. I just cracked up the first time I saw it. what an advertisement. Notice that this is directly in front of the visitor's bureau.

The Oreo

I asked these two security guards to have their picture taken with Jen. They seemed very happy to oblige. after the picture the guy on the left said, "Hey, we done made an oreo." I said that I wasn't sure how I felt about the whole thing! LOL.

The Poet

This young guy asked us if we'd give him some money if he recited poetry for us. Jen gave him one word "eccentric" and he kinda rapped or slammed for about 5 minutes. I gave him $5. It was pretty cool and he was the first guy who didn't just ask for a handout.

Inside the Underground. The Underground is billed as "unique shops" and trendy cool stuff all in this underground mall. Basically, it is really a stink-hole of a tourist trap. Souvenier shops and cell phone kiosks. It's not really worth the effort to see.

On our 2nd full day in Atlanta we went downtown to the Alliance Theater and watched a play. We were going to tour the art museum but decided to wait. We went to the Atlanta Underground, and then found Rocco's a neat little neighborhood pub to hang out at in Marietta.

Jennifer on the back side of the Art Center.

Jen on the MARTA train.

My Favourite Southern Eatery.

Our First Full Day In Atlanta

Today, we went to the MARTA station and took the train into Atlanta. We went downtown and bought our City Pass and the High Art Museum. It was misting and raining, so we found a neat neighborhood bar and played some pool until the play at the Alliance Theater’s Hertz Stage. It was a great play, and we went back to play a little pool. Afterwards we went back to canton and explored around a bit. We ended up back in the hotel at a reasonable hour.

As we came up the escalator in the MARTA station “art center” I noticed a little mouse riding the escalator. It was hilarious to watch. He rode just like everyone else.

Tim and Dana

What a cute picture.

Swans on Fawn River

I saw these swans by the bridge (below). They looked graceful and free.

Haybridge Road

This is the bridge on Haybridge Road. South of Three Rivers off of Sevison Road.

Change

We went to Harvey House in Constantine, MI , for breakfast this morning. They have about the best breakfast around…mmmm…good. Our bill was $14.66, and I gave the waitress a $20 bill. She brought back a $5 bill and 34 cents. I was disappointed in our waitress’ lack of forethought. Do I leave the 34 cents and let the waitress pay the price of not taking care to anticipate the customer’s needs and meet them in such an easy way. She could have simply given me 5 singles instead of a five dollar bill.

In what ways could I do better at anticipating our customer’s needs and meet them easily? It is likely that I overlook things and make things more difficult for our customers. I need to remove myself from the work sometimes and think more like a customer than like a seller. How can I “give better change” to my customers?

Disconnected

Saturday, I got out of sync and ended up at home in bed with severe pain and digestive problems again.

Since my health issues, which started in January 2008, I haven't really felt myself. I have not been able to find the right schedule and foods that agree with me, and I have been learning about my physical self anew. The struggle to find some equilibrium while experiencing the roller coaster of pain and strange discomfort has brought about a few changes in my own emotional and physio-psycho makeup.

I believe in the bi-part makeup of man consisting of a body and a soul. The more out of touch that I feel with my body, the more I feel like it isn't really a part of me. It is a strange sensation to feel as though you awoke not long ago with a new body, with a new set of problems and preferences, and have to relearn all that you know.

That disconnect also enhances the soul side of my self. I feel more and more that this body doesn't define me, and that it can die and not destroy me. I have an enhanced sense of the afterlife, I guess. I feel less dependent on physical things, including my body.

Believe me, I know this whole thing sounds strange, but it's how I'm being affected by this illness. It has caused me to evaluate what is important, what is true and what I want to spend my time and money doing. I'm not there yet, but I hope to come through this a better person.

So, diverticulitis it is.

I have been under incredible pain and discomfort for some time now with little or no information on what the problem was. It turns out that I have diverticulitis. Diverticuli are pouches or little folds and pockets that form in the colon (primarily the descending colon) as we age. Sometimes those folds can trap fecal matter or food or bacteria. They can become infected and swell. This creates pressure and pain as well as fever and elevated white blood cell count…other sickness symptoms as well (tired etc..).

I ended up in the emergency room last Thursday morning at about midnight, and had a CT Scan. I went to the doctor yesterday for the verdict. I was referred to a surgeon and they will call me to set a time for a colonoscopy. In the mean time, I am taking Cipro (antibiotic), Darvocet (pain killer), and Donatol (slows the digestive system).

Interestingly, this all began in January when I went to the doctor for what I thought was the flu. She said I didn’t have the flu, but she thought I had some kind of infection. She hit it on the head even though we had no way to know how serious it was.

I need to eat a high fiber diet, but no seeds, corn or other nuts which might lodge in the diverticuli.

I also gave up alcohol altogether because my liver didn’t look very good in the ct scan. I haven’t drank that much, but I don’t think it’s worth it. I have moderate to severe fatty infestation of the liver. And I take a drug on a regular basis (androgel) which is hard on the liver. I might as well not be any harder on it than I have to. I also need to lose weight, but it’s been pretty easy to not eat when eating leaves me writhing on the floor in agony.

So that’s my story today!

To everyone out there who I’ve been neglecting…I am sorry. I need to get myself together. The guys at work have had a pool going on how soon until I die. It’s funny…but not so funny.

Bold Predictions:

1. Barack Obama will be the Democrat nominee for president.

This is no great incite accept that Hillary is running desperate. Do people prefer inspiration over facts? That’s what Hillary is touting… She brings facts and Barack brings inspiration. Well, inspiration wins. We as humans always prefer to be inspired. Bill Clinton knows this, and he, above all others, knows that his wife is uninspiring.

2. Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States.

This sounds like I’m a Barack supporter or a Democrat or something. Nope. I just see the writing on the wall. Republicans are nominating an uninspiring man with questionable conservative credentials. If McCain can convince conservatives that he is true blue…well, maybe. But the rule that I learned long, long ago in politics is… Given a choice between a Democrat and a democrat one should always choose the Democrat (and most people will). McCain's one possiblility is the continued racism of the people of this country...will they vote for a black man?