ChasUFarley

Nope - much older movie than that...

:unsure: :unsure: ...the point wasn't that they were "running" from anything, it was more like - the authorities can find you for the small things, why can't they find someone for the BIG thing? Ya know...? (This is coming from someone who got pulled over for being a day late having her car inspected - the cute cop just gave me a verbal warning, tho.) :)

Ashes to Ashes (We All Fall Down) - Grateful Dead That's from the Touch of Grey album - good album! Probably one of my more fav Dead albums, although it's the more mainstream of all of them.

I thought it was a picture of the moon! :blink:

You're my knight in shining armor, and don't you forget it. You're gonna get back on that horse, and I'm going to be right behind you. I don't like horses.

Socks -- A little Shellfish Ed 101 for you -- Really BIG clams are called "quahog" (pronounced CO'-hawg). That's probaby where the "hog" comes from that you're referring to. (Only a real Maine-ah would know this!) :) Still... a silly term for a fat finger moment....

The Paper (a mid-90's film, I believe.) (???)

Why is it that when you're a day late registering your car you get pulled over immediately, but when some wack-job cult leader makes the FBI's 10 Most Wanted, no one can find the guy? Scheech!

Beautiful, as always, Evan! Such a bittersweet song - Greig's music is always very expressive. We've recently discovered him via a children's show that my boys love - Little Eiensteins - which feature his music quite frequently. Sounds like there's a key change in this - is that so? Or is it incidentials? (At about mid-way through the piece.) Either way, it's a pleasure to listen to. Not to take away from your performance or anything, but why is a mistake called a 'clam'? I thought just bassists used that term...

Socks - I take it your Tak is electric? (I'm guessing by the gauge you mentioned...) If so, does it have a trem? (Forgive me if you've written about it already... I've forgotten... ) :)

I'm praying that Hubby doesn't see your post, my friend. I caught him calculating the postage on this GUITAR tonight... then I hid all of the credit cards. I think I just heard him say, "MEWANNNNTTTTSSSSSS IT! PRECIOUS!" from the first floor.... yikes.... (NO! NO! NO!)

At my house, we hear it HUNDREDS of times a day - especially this week (and next)! Around here there are no noise ordinances. There are no helmet laws. It's COMMON to have baffle-less pipes roar past your house or pass you on the road. There's no such thing as a quiet Harley. This is Harley country - the people who ride the little rice burners (Ninjas, etc.) tend to drive in packs - the serious Harley dudes don't really put up with them. Every now and then I get the notion that I want a bike until I hear some horror story about people getting killed on them who were just out for a ride - something nasty happens. Then I think I prefer having all the metal of a car around me... a really big car, thank you. But I still appreciate a nice bike - dreamin' is free.

My comments in blue, bracketed, below: O.K. did I CLAIM to be a [edited profane language] doctor? [No, but you certainly posted like someone who was an authority on the subject, in my opinion. You make some strong statements and came across rather judgemental. This is my opinion. Period.] Sorry, but you are right. I've lived my entire life without the slightest medical issues bothering me EVER. You and a few of your friends are probably the only ones who've ever suffered any such problems. And if you'd like to spend your life stroking a rabbit's foot or having your chakra adjusted, be my guest. [Thank you for your unsolicited permission. Although I understand what you're trying to say, I think that if you look at some of the personal accounts here and what others have tried, then perhaps you can understand what we're saying. No one has talked about chakra, or anything of the like. Again, you're going to extremes.] But Alternative Medicine that works soon becomes MAINSTEAM medicine. All one need do is perform the basic clinical trials, publish the results in a peer-reveiwed journal and before you know it, it will become accepted therapy. That is, if the results are postive. [bINGO! Give that man a Baby Ruth! Did you read what I said about hospitals using alternative medicine? Yes, it's becoming more mainstream, as it's been proven. I don't think anyone here has mentioned anything really "out there" for treatment. So we agree here.] Funny that so few of the alternative crowd bother with that regimen? Maybe it's because it's easier to sell snakeoil - and take advantage of the desperate - than it is to do real science? [The problem with alternative medicine is organization - few companies or groups are able to get it together enough to get through all the red tape that's put in place by the FDA. Clinical trials cost big bucks. Seriously big bucks. If you want a real fun time, try writing for a grant sometime for something that's healthcare related - -I can assure you, it will make your annual tax preparation look like a walk in the park! Again, this is something that should fall into the categoy of how this country needs to change healthcare - if these remedies actually work and are less expensive, then why the heck aren't we getting them approved? It's because the insurance companies drive healthcare in this country. Sorry, but that's the bottom line. Yes, there's some crud out there that has no business being called medicine. But I think it's poor logic to lump it all together to call it all 'quackery' or 'snake oil'. At this point in our society and healthcare structure alternative therapies have to be considered on a consumer level - what's safe? what's worth making available? what will do the least harm? If Joe Patient wants to take MSM, a supplement which has no known side-effects, and he thinks it works for him, then sobeit. How can you judge what one person or ten people or 100 people all say works or doesn't work for them.] Maybe? Anyway, I WAS trying to be nice. Best wishes to you Mr. Finch on your treatment, whatever it is. [And again, Peace. My first post directed to you isn't a personal attack on you. I disagree with your post. It doesn't mean that I have a problem with y-o-u. As always, you are welcome to disagree with me - I'm sure you do, and that's fine. Personally, I enjoy a good debate, and if it's about healthcare - something near and dear to me - then all the better! I want to know what others think about it and improvements we need to make. It's a passion. ]

Laconia Motorcycle Week Motorcycle week started today and closes on 06/18 - Father's Day. So far, it's pretty rainy here, but according to my friend who's a tattoo artist, this week for him will get him all caught up on his winter bills! LOL! Any bike enthuiasts out there? Do tell!

Reminds my of Classical Gas.... I like how it progresses and the tempo picks up, then goes into a decrescendo (sp) -- you should develop it more. It has a 12-string feel to it - perhaps that's the phaser I'm hearing - almost chorus pedal, like. Anyhow... good one! Me likes! :)

Thanks for you input, Dr. Aar... whoops! You mean, you don't have M.D. after your name? So sorry. But yet, there you sit, comfortable as can be, typing away your expertise on a subject that I don't remember you as saying y-o-u live with... am I wrong? I find it interesting that the link you posted had no data on questionable alternative arthritis treatments.... hmmmm.... That could be because a condition that's not easy for physicians to diagnose and treat, isn't one they're going to take to task too badly as "quackery" I study medical errors for a living - it's called healthcare quality management. I am also a patient advocate. I work for a large, regional hospital in NH. I can tell you that in 1999, it was reported nationally that medical errors killed an estimated 44,000 to 98,000 patients a year. That's just in America. That's not a world-wide statistic. It's the equivilent of a jumbo jet crashing every day - 365 days. But yet we still trust hospitals, don't we? We still think that the doctors, nurses, therapists, etc., all have our best interest at heart. Alternative Medicine is just that - alternative treatment, secondary to clinical medical treatment. Hospitals are starting to use it - calling it "Complimentary Medicine" - hmmm.... interesting. If you read my post and many others, you will see where we have all gone the clinical route. Have you ever had to take a medication that actually made you sicker than the disease or symptom that it was supposed to cure? Personally, I chose not to pursue it anymore because the medications have side-effects that I'm not willing to put up with, quite frankly. I still take some of them, like Pred, but to me, and many of others I've talked to about this condition, it's more about WHAT WORKS FOR YOU.... when that no longer works, then I'll try something else. Really, George, it's more about BALANCE. As someone who works in healthcare, I can tell you that in treating a patient, the patient first and foremost has to believe in the doctor and the therapy. A patient will do much better when treated by a physician that they can relate to, confide in, and find approachable. An patient who has received education about their ailment and treatment will be more compliant, be more apt to schedule follow-up appointments, and so on. With a condition such as this, there is no way to guarantee treatment will work. Unfortunately, it's a condition that can go without a definative diagnosis for many years - it's often a "catch all" phrase that's used when someone has a constellation of symptoms. Hence, patients will try any and everything to bring relief - and it may seem outlandish to you, but if it works for the patient, then why not? Personally, my opting for the alternative therapies come from all of the hours spend in physicians' offices, emergency rooms, getting lab work done, waiting for results, and just asking lots and lots of questions. So far, I haven't read anyone's post on here, who doesn't really talk about their dealings with this issue, who haven't mentioned how they've pursued this clinically. The flip side of this, is that Arthritis treatment has been recently listed as one of the top 20 key initiatives that need to be changed about healthcare. The reason is that many insurance companies will not pay for long-term treatment (prescriptions) of this condition. Patients are having to pay for very costly medications, which cause many patients to be non-compliant in their treatment. They are turning to more alternative treatments because (a) they're more affordable and (b) they get some relief. It this sort of "insurance driven healthcare" dialemma that makes me hate the field I work in - we need serious reform in this country, but that's another thread isn't it? Besides, if the placebo effect works, then why knock it? You could say the same thing about prayer, too, right? It's not proven, so don't you dare use it. Peace.

Now I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo.... I WON! WHOOO-HOOO! YIPPEEE! I WON! YAH! uh.... what did I win? ================================= Sudo -- Yes, I spent some time in the south... if Birmingham, Tuscaloosa, and Nashville count. Husband 1.0 was from AL - then we got sent WOW to TN... I am fluent in both Southernese and Maine-ah...

Yeah, but where you live people call Laundry Detergent "Washing Powders"... even if it's liquid... And all carbonated beverages are "Coke".... even if it's really 7UP.... I also know a Billabong is a bay or harbor... hence the use of the name for the label of clothing that I mentioned earlier...

Yes, I've had several RA factors ran - all of them elevated. I tested neg for Lyme, but haven't ruled it out. Mainly I was told that the symptoms could be condition A, B, or C, and that "time would tell" - and that sometimes a real diagnosis is never reached. There was some joke about how rhumatology is the treatment of symptoms before a diagnosis, or something to that effect. Ha... ha... ha.... Oh, how fun. About pred... I had to take pred on and off - I can't take it for a long period of time because, quite frankly, it makes me feel really depressed - like PMS to the tenth power. I just want to lie in the road. I take 10mg for about a week or two - no tapering - but I'm also on it for asthma. Whenever I get a cold or allergies get bad, I end up on pred. I have a love/hate relationship with it - I love the instant anti-inflammatory benefits, but absolutely hate the side-effects. Miserable drug to be on after a while - I had to take it all thoughout my last pregnancy because I was so stuffy the whole time it was the only way I could breathe! This week I just went through a bout of having to take pred because I was having a bad flair up of whateverthehellthisis - I wasn't able to drive until Thursday - it sucked. Thanks for the comments about how I manage my condition. I honestly try not to talk about it much, even to my husband, because anything that slows me down in anyway is just a huge frustration. He knows when it's bad. But I'm an agenda driven person - I have too much to do to be sick. As the old saying goes, "God put me on this earth to get a certain number of things accomplished. At this rate, I should be able to live forever!" Now, about the meds you're going to take... methotrexate isn't all that bad. I'm familiar with it. Here's a snip of the side effects: SIDE EFFECTS: Methotrexate can be well tolerated, but also can cause severe toxicity which is usually related to the dose taken. The most frequent reactions include mouth sores, stomach upset, and low white blood counts. Methotrexate can cause severe toxicity of the liver and bone marrow, which require regular monitoring with blood testing. It can cause headache and drowsiness, which may resolve if the dose is lowered. Methotrexate can cause itching, skin rash, dizziness, and hair loss. A dry, non-productive cough can be a result of a rare lung toxicity. Maybe you know this already, but when a company reports side effects, they are reporting what everyone who they tested the drug on reported as a symptom during that trial. For example, say they give 2,000 patients NewDrugXYZ. One patient says, "I got vertigo from that drug!" then the company has to report "Vertigo" as a symptom. Even if only one patient in 2,000,000 makes that claim. So, the shopping list you get for these meds isn't always what Joe Patient can expect. Again, keep us posted. There's been some great posts here and lots of info to consider. Hope you're feeling better soon.

Oh, boy.... Here's the Reader's Digest of my story: Family history of lupus and rhumatoid arthritis (RhA). Last summer I had my first episode of physically not being able to get out of bed - felt like I had the flu from head to toe. It felt like even the coating on my bones was inflamed. I don't have the words to describe the pain. It lasted a few days, went away, and returned about two months later. This kept happening for some reason unknown. Talked with PCP about it, who could give a flip, quite frankly. To him I'm just another whiny female, but he refers me to a nurologist, who refers me to another nurologist. So on... Ah, life with rigor mortis... Tons of blood tests, an MRI, and feeling like I'm going insane - like no one believes me - I get told that there's no definitive diagnosis. I could have lupus or RhA or fibromyalgia - all are auto-immune conditions. I was offered a course of anti-malaria drugs to take to off-set the pain, stiffness, etc. but when I got checking into the side-effects I said, "No f-fing way!" I have two very young kids (ages 1 and 4) and can't afford to be bogged down with side-effects, which could include loosing your perhprial vision - no thank you!) Here's what I've found out that works for me: Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate - you can get it at any drug store, over the counter. It helps. Period. It sure beats taking anti-inflammatory medicine all of the time, which was starting to cause stomach problems for me. You have to take it for a couple of weeks at first to feel any changes. Without getting too graphic or personal, colon health (ahem) can really effect a flair up of this - if I'm eating properly and digesting my food properly, then I have less problems and my symptoms are better controlled. I've found that if I make myself move more when I feel a flair up coming on, then it's easier to deal with. For instance, making sure I workout three times a week is a must now. If I don't move it means I won't be able to move the next week! Stretching is especially important - I do it daily now. I haven't become a healthfood fanatic, but I've cut back on eating processed foods, sugar, etc., and cut back on coffee (sniff! my first love!). I have had less stiffness after doing this - less symptoms. It's worth it. I found alcohol had a huge impact on me and basically stopped drinking - I think I have about a drink a week now, if that. Finally, message is w-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l -- it will help you move and relax. It's a great treat. Here's what I'm considering trying: Acupuncture Aromatherapy (certainly less painful than acupuncture) More aggressive diet changes MSM (Methyl Sulfonyl Methane) - a supplement that is supposed to be a remedy for rheumatoid arthritis - It is supposedly a substance that is naturally found in fresh fruits and vegetables, milk, fish and grains. It is lost during processing of these foods, so we need to ingest it as a supplement. Here's my disclaimer: I'm not a doctor or nurse - no clinical training. I'm not telling you what to do. Decide for yourself. You may want to consider: (1) Get another opinion - if you want or if you can afford it. (2) Try some alternative medicines - you may even have a doctor in your area who specialized in holistic treatments - check it out (3) Learn more about the meds - are the side-effects too severe for the benefits you'll receive? It's up to you - try what works for you. Perhaps someday I'll have to take whatever medication they prescribe because nothing else is working for me anymore, but right now that's not my case... Thank God! Best of health to you! p.s. I'd be curious to know what you decide and what's working for you - please promise me you'll let us know or tag me in a PM.

As someone who attended "Sufer-dude High School" (the school was less than a mile from the beach), the "Billabong" I know is a label of sportswear, mostly jams, t-shirts, etc., at least, this was true in the late 80's.... (Does anyone call shorts 'jams' any more? Scheesch... I've just dated myself, I think....) Am I close?

I am going to pass on this one -- My turn is up for grabs for whoever wishes to post next... I've got too much on my plate - gotta get some little boys out of the house today to get their yia-yias out, as it's been raining all week long! Have fun!

Yeah, he did it and now he's looking for his balls....

Does it have something to do with a film or movie?