Catching Up On 2011
by Steve West on December 31, 2011

Not that I think my life is that interesting but writing about stuff is a little therapeutic.
Highlights in a nutshell:
Both girls are routinely making Honor Roll.
The work Brenda and I have to do to help make that happen - not routine.
Brenda working two part-time jobs gives her a little flexibility in her schedule that she likes.
Recent automation at my job made one employee expendable so I'm working shorter staffed because the bosses can't understand the learning curve concept and moved my best employee to another department and left the chaff.
I've started medication for multiple sclerosis therapy and it's having a subjective difference for the better. I'm not sure how it's measured yet but I feel a little better.
Brenda went through a cancer scare and ultimately lost her thyroid but she is cancer-free and responding well to her daily meds.
Olivia is using her Ipad as a communication tool with a synthetic voice generator turning her typing into audible words. She doesn't have to type complete words. She can select from a group of pre-typed words or phrases that we have stored by category or she can type new words.
Lauren is in all Honor classes, taking violin, is loving the Chorus, and is exhausting me with her comparative energy. She just got glasses and is revelling in her nerdy, Lisa Loeb look.
Happy New Year everyone!
One Reply to Catching Up On 2011
Web Junkie
Steve West scours the Web searching for interest or absurdity and then shakes his head ruefully when he finds it. Read more »

Bingo!
I just came back from a Daddy/Daughter event at Lauren's school. It was a PTA sponsored Bingo night. Lauren and I spent two hours playing Bingo laughing in frustration about coming so close to winning and just hugging and sharing a good time. Go »
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Steve: I love you. Brenda: I love you more. Steve: NO, I LOVE YOU MORE! Go »
Happy Halloween
Back when I was about ten, I went trick or treating as a witch doctor. I got to a house that I didn't know who lived there and was greeted by a kindly looking old lady. When I routinely and without much enthusiaism stated, "Trick or treat," she responded by handing me a piece of religious literature. Go »
Lost in Translation
Some ad slogans that had hilarious results when translated into other languages for international marketing. Go »
Halloween Is Not For Kids
More and more, Halloween is becoming an occasion for parents to dress their kids for their own amusement and less and less for children to dress themselves as they want. I find it difficult to believe that any of these kids chose these costumes themselves and, although creative, are scary insights into the minds of their potential serial killer parents. The "rat eating brains" cap for infants disturbed me the most. Go »
Scott Hardie | January 28, 2012
I hope things have continued to improve since you said all of this. We don't think of the little details in our lives meaning much - I stopped blogging about mundane daily stuff because my "does anybody care?" threshold got a little higher - but they clearly do, when we look back at them as a pattern. Anyway, I'm happy for your good news, and hopeful about the rest.