Just for fun December 2011

Posted on December 2, 2011 by dfolstad58

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I have a confession. I enjoy that tv comedy ” Big Bang Theory” – and here is my quote from Season 1 that I thought was fabulous.

• From “The Fuzzy Boots Corollary” (Season 1):
Regarding Leonard’s romantic prospects with Penny: “I think that you have as much of a chance of having a sexual relationship with Penny as the Hubble telescope does of discovering at the center of every black hole is a little man with a flashlight searching for a circuit breaker.”

Another TV show I still enjoy (now on DVD) is “Get Smart” – that’s Agent 86 -Maxwell Smart from Control.  You know the “Cone of Silence”, enemy of Kaos guy, …..shoe phone? Ah, now you remember. 

Silliness, but still wonderful and fun. You will LOVE the clip below, my favorite part is the SUICIDE WEDDING RING of Siegfried. (grin)

Here is your assignment. Do you have a favorite quote? or TV show? I’d love to hear what tickles your funny bone!

I cannot believe it is close to 3000 times this blog has been viewed. Thank you everyone for checking in, commenting, and especially to those subscribers! Your ideas, and feedback are all welcome. (I can delete it – HA!) 

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Live Life. Pass it On – Register to be an Organ Donor

Posted on December 2, 2011 by dfolstad58

Did you know that you you can register to be an Organ Donor ONLINE? 

Need a reason to donate your organs? 

Here’s 5 Reasons.

1. You have the potential to save seven lives.

2. There’s a greater chance that you will one day need an organ transplant than  there is of you ever being an organ donor.

 3. Survival rates of transplant patients continue to improve, providing recipients with an extended and high quality of life.

4. It takes seconds to register your decision online at   transplant.bc.ca. 

5. You want to make a difference.

There are more than 350 British Columbians currently waiting
for a second chance. Stop the wait. Registering for organ
donation takes seconds at transplant.bc.ca

85% of BC residents have intentions to register but only 17% have taken the time to do so.

PLEASE take a few minutes to make a difference and ultimately save a life!

CLICK HERE to complete online registration.

Why did I make this post? I could now list:

  1. health reasons for persons who receive transplants
  2. cost savings to government for persons who receive transplants
  3. better lives for those people who receive transplants, and for their families who love and support them
  4. the hundreds of people who are waiting for their organs,
  5. the sadness that some people die while waiting for a transplant.

My reasons are all of the above, but mostly I was fortunate to have had a kidney transplant in 1987, and it changed my life in ways I could not explain. It has given me freedom, better health, and better quality time with those I love.

When someone dies, donating their organs to someone who can use them for a better life will not diminish the life of the person who has perished.

Instead I believe it adds another dimension, a gift that person and their family can receive from a tragic, sad time. Celebrate the life they had by remembering them, and knowing them, and let a part of them live on and give health to someone else !

Do you have questions, please research them (Statistics and FAQ’s about Transplants) and when you are registered online- encourage others to do so also. http://www.facebook.com/bctransplant

Thank you. 

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Amy Purdy- Pushing Off Limitations

Posted on November 30, 2011 by dfolstad58

Amy Purdy. amy-purdy.blogspot.com

It must be a day when I have needed inspiration, because everywhere I look I see something speaking to me.

Of course, if you visit TED.COM – you will find yourself discovering, much as I have, ideas, and people who are inspiring.

They may be young or old,  but they have stories to tell and stories worth hearing.

Amy’s story is like that. Plus for me, in addition to her legs, she is also a kidney transplant recipient so of course that interested me in her story.  What really touches a person is hearing her excitement in her voice as she describes the doors that have opened for her, the opportunities, the gifts (yes I said gifts) that she has discovered through her imagination, and willingness to imagine success instead of defeat.

Thanks Amy for sharing, and connecting to so many people.

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Happiness Plunge – One man’s challenge to us

Posted on November 30, 2011 by dfolstad58

There are so many inspiring stories and people everywhere I look. 

Happiness sign arrow

The Happiness Plunge website  is such a location where you learn about a young man who quit his six figure job to be a nomad, volunteering and finding joy by plunging in. He isn’t plunging into expensive swimming pools, he is nomadically travelling, volunteering, and experiencing life in other countries. It is called “slow travelling” – look it up in wikipedia, I am not making it up.  🙂

I found it very educating also when I scratched around and looked in one section where he talked about poverty and how expensive it was being poor. He talked about the lack of garbage collection in the country he was visiting and writes about it.  Read this interesting article called – The World is My Garbage Can 

I have never been to Costa Rica, and may never get the chance so I enjoyed seeing the flowers, bugs, bamboo, and reading more about the beauty of that country. check it out here for pictures and even video! 

I hope you enjoy reading about Adam’s inspiring journey, and share it with someone else!

what is the happy nomad tour

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where have I been hiding?

Posted on November 24, 2011 by dfolstad58

Hello Reader,  I had my surgery in Kelowna on November 9. This was a second trip to visit the nice people at Kelowna General Hospital. The first time was April 2011 and my surgeon then was partially successful in his locating and snipping out parathyroid glands that had gone to the “dark” side.  The fault I had to return in November was not that of my surgeon, who is very knowledgeable and experienced with this type of surgery. The twist causing my return was due to the fact that my earlier tests indicated only minor surgery would suffice.  The first surgery located my parathyroids, and of the ones located 2.5 of them were snipped.  The desirable result would be that my calcium levels in my blood would drop. Time went by and it didn’t happen. Additional gamma scan then showed that I had a parathyroid that was enlarged and it was missed in the first surgery.

My surgeon went back on November 9, boldly returning and this time he would leave no “stone” not unturned.  That is “exactly” what happened.
I return to the room, they hook me up, I recited why I was there, my date of birth and I blacked out. While I was “out” my surgeon (Dr. K) carefully looks, and cauterizes (very little blood loss). He found one “errant” gland but while it was larger than normal and it was a  5th gland, Dr K kept a thorough search going on. He even looked below my neck and my ribs, and there he found a 6th (sixth) parathyroid gland that was immense by parathyroid standards. It was 40X too big, as big as a cherry compared to being as big as a grain of rice.  Dr K tested it first by taking a sample and he verified that it was indeed a parathyroid gland hiding there.

Now it, the oversized Ph gland and his brother,  is out, and I am getting better, taking my calcium, bothered by “hungry bones” but on the mend.

I was treated swell by the nurses and support staff at KGH, and I hope my roommate Michael O’Brien is doing better every day. Thanks Mike for teaching me how to play crib with the “black” sand ~ we love it!

On another note ~ completely off topic to the above – I just love what is out there for animation, it is amazing and entertaining.

Check out – Pidgeon Impossible 

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Yoda said, Do or not do, there is no try, … be open to Yes ! I Will …

Posted on October 29, 2011 by dfolstad58

 Be willing to say yes, be open to new experiences. ,….

Here I am today wanting to add a new post, and this struck me. I think it amazes me how often people say “no“. Are you a person who automatically says “no?”

  Opportunity knocks, A new challenge is offered, a new experience, a chance to try something never tried before……. and we say NO,  we say I’m really busy right now, that sounds good and another time I would say yes.  Really? Is that really true, too busy? or are we happy with SAFE, happy with comfortable, and accustomed to no surprises. 

Now I confess I am as guilty as anyone to like predictability, comfort, and that I worry about unexpected problems, and even do enjoy trying things I know I can handle.

BUT, I am learning slowly that some people shy away even some small risks, being a guest at Toastmasters, taking a class in something interesting (how about Tai Chi) or traveling anywhere new.

A Woman does tai chi.

Image via Wikipedia

Speaking as Mr. Chicken, I encourage you the reader to take a step in a new direction today. Even if you just take a different route on a walk in your neighborhood, that step, that small movement in a new direction is important, it counts.

I have said Yes, I will… and now I know I would have missed great stuff by not opening my mind to moving out of my rut, and answering the door when the world beckoned.

Take another small step again tomorrow, a different coffeeshop, checking out a 8 week course in ? Sign up for a one month membership at the gym, and get a trainer.

Look around at your life, are you in a rut? Can you make some small changes, life is here now, grab the chance, it may not come back again. ….listen to the small voice inside you, it may be saying “yes!”

Neither of us will be climbing Mount Everest soon, but neither will be living a life of re-runs either.

Sometimes but not always… I like change, and I think you will too.

 

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