Oops

I forgot my 2 year Blogiversary!
It was on the 28th, so I am not that late, but still. I wouldn't want to miss my birthday either....
Anyways, Happy Blogiversary to me!!!

Wait

As I mentioned a while back, my nephew was born 6 1/2 weeks ago.
He was a little early and needed a little help. At first it was his legs that were bothering the doctors and also his jaw which made it hard for him to eat since it is a lttle recessed. He had cramps, wheer his body would just cramp up all of a sudden and so they decided to transfer him to another hospital about a week after he was born. Then he started to have seizures and after a bunch of tests and CT scans they determinedthat they were epileptic and staretd to give him medication for that. He then started to have trouble braething. He was able to breathe but he didn't get enough oxygen in his blood so he would have a little oxygen mask thingy close by just in case in addition to his feeding tube and the other monitors. All in all he was doing good though and grew etc. They were talks about him being able to finally go home along with all his hardware, but that wasn't such a big deal. His parents were tired of the hour plus drive each morning to the hospital and my brother had to go back to work too. So then, when they were only waiting to finally get all the monitor rentals approved by the insurance company my little nephew stopped breathing. And his little heart stopped too. Luckily a doctor and his mom were around and it only took seconds for him to be back or whatever you call it, but after that he obviously wasn't going to go home and they transferred him to intensive care, where he has been now for about a week. When I talked to my brother last week he said that he was getting a little bit more oxygen but he was breathing on his won. They didn't want to incubate him because then he wouldn't breathe by himself which is not good for newborns since they are still learning. On Friday though they did decide to go ahead and give him a Tracheostomy. He has a tube going through his throat in his lungs, but as far as I know he still breathes by himself.
The disturbing thing is that apparently my brother and his girlfriend told my parents that they would not want him to live on life support only, if that is what it will be for the rest of his life. Now, I know you discuss those things, especially in those situations, but all I keep thinking about is that I haven't even seen him yet.
I hate being so far away. Of course I hardly get to talk to my brother because they are constantly at the hospital so I get second-hand information from my parents and then it's delayed too. They talk at night, so during the day for me, but I have to wait until the next day.
It unsettling too, because the doctors can't make a diagnosis. They know he has something but all the tests they have done so far ad all indications don't lead to a standard disease. He has nothing genetically wrong with him, since they checked his genes and made sure there is no birth defect, but they just don't know, so they can only treat the seizures and help him breathe, but they can't treat whatever makes him sick. I would hate being a doctor then.
So all I can do is sit here and think and look at the few pictures I have and wait.

Weird

So, I just really realized it was St. Patrick's Day this morning at work. Not that I really care, except for the license to drink (but not drive!!). And then I thought about the whole wearing something that's green thing and all and, of course, I don't. I don't ever do that, but in Germany they don't celebrate or even talk about St. Patrick's Day (not that I know of at least), so I do have an excuse. Plus, why would they??
Anyway, so I was thinking of maybe something that could be green that I am wearing and thought about the stripes in the front of my socks that are green and then I had it (thought with the accent of the Dyson dude)!!! My underwear is green!!! Not that I would show them but still. But then the weird thing happened. I remembered that last year I wore the same pair of underwear. That's strange. And I am sure of that because I don't have a lot of green underwear…matter of fact I think that's the only pair…..
Must be something subconscious. Hey, maybe I am partly Irish??????

Buzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Nothing like having a buzz going at 4 PM on a Saturday afternoon.
Just got back from the Chinese Restaurant and I just can't say "No" to those Mai Tais.
My husband went to take a nap and I figured I'd better use that time to get some "computer-stuff" done.....

define: Idiot

I hate them. Really.

Panda Porn

Well, I guess it's time for those two to get it on!!!!!

Smithsonian National Zoological Park officials believe Mei Xiang may be ready to mate with Tian Tian, in the next few days.

To prepare for that eventuality, officials said they will close the panda exhibit for the next four to five days to give them a little privacy.

But, you can't go to the zoo and watch it???? Bummer.
Even better, just watch it via one of their live cams.
The Washington Post also has a story about it, but you have to be registered.

- via NBC4

I'm Ready

I can't wait to get home and go play with my new toys!!! (not the ones you think).
I finally got around to getting a IEEE cable to hook up my camera to my computer and start putting all the videos on DVD. Then I got one of them fancy DVD+R DLs (I don't know where to put that little "s" here…). I recorded the BEST RACE EVER and only the two qualifying rounds would fit onto a regular DVD so I am hoping the DL will work. Then I just have to manage and play it on the DVD player.
And to make it all perfect I bought some CD labels and CD case labels. I'm in business!!!
Watch me, because soon I'll be making my own documentaries…..

Gotcha!!

Poor Baby ;(

Must have been a rough day for him if he's already drunk at 7:30 PM. I usually don't get there until after 9 PM...

What the...?

What's wrong with this weather?
Yesterday it was above 60 and the sun was out and everybody was happy. Now it's pouring outside at 40 or less degrees and it's going to get colder? And it's supposed to snow this afternoon!
I am so ready for the Spring. No more hats and gloves and scarves and boots and whatever else you need for this weather. I am done.

Happy Birthday

Yesterday was my nephew's birthday.
He is a whole month old now!!!!! He was a little early and has been worrying everybody here lately but each day brings better news. He is very tiny, being 3 weeks early, but the doctors also said he was already two weeks behind which totals it to 5 weeks early (???). He has a recessed chin which makes his little tiny mouth even tinier and so he has trouble eating (drinking?) and they have this feeding tube to give him the rest when he is done and falling asleep. Also, he has those cramps, where he just tightens up and about a week after he was born he started having seizures too so they did all kinds of tests to determine that he is epileptic but his brain doesn't have any problems, meaning the brain looks normal. But he does have some water pockets that are normal in newborns and also his brain ist a little underdeveloped. So they say he's normal but has seizures or something.....it's really complicating to me because I get my information through my parents and I hardly get to speak to my brother since they are always at the hospital. So everything is second-hand but I get the overall idea that everybody is happy. For a while they though he had some birth defect but they luckily ruled that out.
They are hoping he will be released soon...maybe next week. And of course, I as the cool aunt already sent a package and am already working on the next one. You can never have enough baby clothes...especially cute little boots and hats....

Drained?

I think I'm drained.
The last two days just flew by. I got to work on Monday (complaining about not having a snow day) and had just a ton of work to do and was busy non-stop the whole day and yesterday up until this morning. So, I thought I could just get to the other things now but I can't. I start and can't concentrate but I want to get things done...it just doesn't work.
I need a beer or something, really.
The weather is too depressing too. Yesterday one of the many incompetent weather people here mentioned that last year at this time we were in the 60's. Like I needed to hear that. It doesn't help either that it's March, because it's still cold as shit. So, I guess I get drained and depressed and in need of beer...lots of beer.

All up to date

FINALLY!!!!
We got a new computer.
I love it. We can actually use it now without it making weird noises or just shutting down when it wants to.
I just love Windows XP Media Edition. Watching TV while typing!!! Now I just have to get another cable to hook up my camera to the computer and transfer all my video from tape to DVD. I already started playing with the movie maker and made some slide shows.

So, with that my last excuse as to why I can't post anything anymore is gone as well and so I hope that I get to blog some more again. Now I just have to find something interesting.......

Home Sweet Home

Well, I finally made it back to the US and to work.
What a wonderful visit it was. I wish I could have stayed longer (or forever). I finally got to meet my brother's girlfriend. Their little baby boy will be here soon. I hope it won't take years for me to finally get to see him.
I saw a bunch of old friends of mine and found out that another one is working where my dad works and they talked to each other before but never realized who they were actually talking to. So, I got in contact with her and will try to see her the next time I am over there.
Other than that I am just tired and hurting, but luckily the weekend isn't too far away. It is kind of nice getting back home and sleeping in your own bed again but it is such a pain to unpack everything and put everything away. I think I need a vacation.

One more time...

I figured I'd better post one more time before this year is over. Tomorrow I will be on my way to beautiful Germany...FINALLY!!!!
I can't wait. But there is still so much to do. But packing is not that big of a deal to me since I just pack everything!
Anyways, I hope you have Wonderful Holidays and a Happy New Year!!!!

15 years later.....

So yesterday was the 15th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall. Just one month and three days after I left East Germany with my family. I remember thinking how much it sucked since we just went through all this trouble of leaving and now everybody could just leave (I was just 10 years old), but looking back on it I think we still made a good decision.
This article says it all. Having family on both sides of the "wall" I can see the sentiments of people and what their thoughts are. Even I can still see differences in the people, but after only 15 years that is to be expected since most of the people remember how it was before and still have the mind set of that time, which is not a bad thing.
I think it is sad that those differences still exist, especially because they cause resentment, but you have to consider the circumstances. Things like that don't change over night and apparently not in 15 years. We'll see how long it takes...

He died....Again

Ok, so is it true now????
I don't know, but if you ask me it's all a big conspiracy and he has been dead for years.......

-via The Drudge Report

Update: or NOT

GO!

Tomorrow is election day and all of you out there better go vote. I wish I could go vote and it bugs me that I can't but at least I can make sure that people who have the privilege to vote here go and fulfill their democratic duty because that is what it is. You have to vote.
So, go to bed early get up at 6 and be at the polls at 7 or whenever they open in your neighborhood. Thanks.

Court allows political asylum from Germany / Afghan fled Soviets first, then neo-Nazis

What a bunch of bullshit.
So, this lady claims that the German government wasn't protecting her from the neo-Nazis in Germany and that is why and court in the US granted her asylum.
So, could I actually apply for asylum in the US as well since our apartment was broken into and I was attacked by groups of people before as well? But now that I think of it, that mainly happened in areas of Hamburg like Bergedorf. It is an area with a very high unemployment rate, something you could compare to the projects in the US. So, if this Zakia Mashiri is going to move into some kind of bad neighborhood in the US and gets threatened where is she going to go then?
I like the comment I heard on the radio from some official in Hamburg (sorry, I am bad with names). Germany is going to appeal and will try to get the asylum revoked in which case she needs to move back to Germany and then, since she is not a citizen her asylum status will be reconsidered and since things are better in Afghanistan she can go back to where she came from.
BTW, her husband is under investigation of social security fraud in Germany. Great.

15 years

My mom reminded me today that 15 years ago we left East Germany. I always thought it was during the summer but I guess I was wrong. So, it was October 6th 1989 and only a month and three days later the wall came down on November 9th. By then we had made out way from Giessen where they had a huge refugee camp, up north to Hamburg where we lived on a boat, functioning as a refugee camp....Do you call them camps???? There was a TV room downstairs and that is where we together with about 50 other East Germans watched as they tore down the wall. A few months later, towards the middle of January 1990 we finally moved into an apartment (all too ourselves). My parents started out with nothing...Well, except for the 100 Marks they gave you. Just 8 years later they bought a house, which is so impressive to me. Anybody can do it. You just have to believe in it.......
Anyways, 15 years doesn't sound very long but it is everything to me. I don't even want to think about where I would be,considering which part of Berlin we lived in.

Prost

Guess where I am going tonight????
Even though the food sucks the beer is OK and so it won't be that bad to sit out there and enjoy the wonderful German music (NOT). At least the weather is better than it was the last couple of years. I remember last year I had to wear my winter coat already.

So, if you have nothing better to do why not go to the Oktoberfest at Ft. Belvoir??? It'll be going on until Sunday.