GARYC24

She backed up her minivan to the pickup window -- and the employee who handed her the bag." - I wonder if they thought she wanted "mayo" at this point? (like the other lady in the news) Actually this is a good story, I would have returned it too!

Crosby Stills Nash & Young at the Arlington Theatre in Sant Barbara,Ca (15-16 yrs ago) ! This month was David Crosby & CPR, then Todd Rundgren both were dinner shows, very small venue (The Canyon) Agura Hills,Ca...I went by myself on all the above (as usual).

Which one was you?

Thanks for the links. I will try to send a few. I myself have sponsored a child via "Compassion International" paperwork is in the mail. Gary Calhoun

That's right across the river where grew up, Louisville, Ky. I had a job once that set me up in a hotel in Cincinatti.."The Carousel" wonder if it's still there. and used to go to "Kings Island alot"

The first thing I noticed was the ash tray on the table. (even tho I quit 4 weeks ago) Was this a public place? or at DZ?

1 week from tomorrow, I'll be there! I got 26 days before reserve repack! This weekend I busy, xmas shopping, studying for a final exam and guitar pracice for Sunday night church thing! I also go to Elsinore, as well. May even spend the whole weekend next week!

Oh. I'm not complaining, by any means. The guy behind me his 1st year he got $2.50. We're all in good moods today. I like working here! It's a tool company, I work in QA Tester. I test ALL KINDS of stuff..today I have a whole bunch of casters(wheels) to test, then I have to build a pedal go-cart, then test a 156 piece tool box set! [email] I'm gonna used the $ to mail my mothers present to her!

This is my first year here. They just passed out our weekly check, and additional bonus check (- taxes) I got a check for $14.29 ! (out of $25) Merry Christmas!

I wonder what Jared would do? har har

[Why on earth give up whiskey?? non-healthy liver panel results from my physical. Yep, when ya get older ya got to pay more attention to your health.

Been ~20 days for me.But I was sick Thanksgiving week with the flu, I was down for 3-4 days, when I got up I was already ~4 days smoke free. I just turn 44 yrs old and feeling better than when I was 21! Also, giving up whiskey and using vulgar language , bad jokes, and pay more attention to what kind of tv shows and movies I watch,etc.Oh, and next year I will do twice as many skydives than this year!

Let us know what kinda guitar ya got! And, if you could get a price check' What's a "Taylor" acoustic going for in Fl.? One thing I decided on is NEVER get a too cheap of an instrument(cheap as in quality)..when I play a better quality-made guitar it changes everything I play. My next acoustic will probably be a "Taylor" and will cost ~$1200 (min). I will get top of the line for now on!..the sounds and feel are so much better!

I hope it's a nice one and easy for you to play. I myself play guitar. And I guess I bought my Xmas gift for myself early. a mandolin! ($800 Washburn for $350new) Also learning harmonica and keyboards. And this Sunday..I'm playing with pastor at church for some Christmas family night, bluegrass style xmas songs.my 1st time playing in public..especially a church! case o beer?..har har

Quade- Don't take this the wrong way.. I was being funny, I thought it was a hilarious response to your post..maybe even what some call here a "hi-jacking". I guess my sense of humor didn't work this time.. By the way..someone marrying a barbie-doll is weird stuff..not religion! hahahaha

Maybe this will help: A Taiwanese man has tried to appease the restless spirit of his dead wife by marrying a Barbie doll. Chang Hsi-hsum, 46, married the 28cm (11 inch) plastic doll during an elaborate ceremony at his local Buddhist temple. He believes the doll houses the spirit of his wife, Tsai, who killed herself 20 years ago because his family opposed their marriage. The ceremony appeared to be a wedding like any other, with the bride's anxious family waiting outside the temple for the groom's arrival beforehand. The bride wore a wedding dress, complete with gold jewellery and rings. As part of the ceremony a paper model of a red Mercedes car, representing part of Tsai's dowry, was burnt, so she could make use of it in the spirit world. And a gold necklace that had belonged to Tsai was placed on the doll. After the wedding, Chang and his new bride returned to their home, together with an urn which contained Tsai's ashes. 'Finally together' The urn will be placed at their home and from now on Tsai will be regarded as a member of their family. The groom's family have asked for Tsai's forgiveness by giving their blessing to the marriage, thus placating her spirit. Chang Hsi-hsun said: "I have waited for this day for 20 years. Even after all this time, I feel in love with her. "Now I will marry her spirit and take her home. We will be finally together and able to live in peace." Chang married again after Tsai's death, but the ceremony was carried out with his current wife's blessing. It is not unusual in Chinese culture to hold such a spiritual marriage, with the soul of the dead person represented by an object with their name written on it. However, what is unusual was the form of the bride chosen - a plastic doll manufactured by an American company for children to play with, and famous for her figure.

Thank you for saying thank You. And thanks for all who have replied. I checked out "CCF" website.., JohnnyD. And the link from Nightinggale. Yeah, tracing the money is always the first thing one thinks about with these places. Also, the final excuse/decision not to give as well, in most cases. It is very hard to decide which place, where there alot of places 1(one) person can donate $ to. I have thought ..why should I give to some kid in a foreign country when there's kids in my own county that needs help. Heck i got 4 nieces haven't seen in over 6 yrs that could use it. But, I think that the kids I'm talking about, reading about, in these other countries need it more! $26 could do alot just a 1 time donation. I think I will keep this a long term thing! I wonder what would happened if everyone gave something to the needy kids all at the same time?

I used to sponsor a child years ago..i(I fizzled out). I get invited to a church for a concert "the Potters Field" a couple with a dynamic message. And I have decided to sponsor another child. I used to be with Compassion International. I had a chance to pick one last night from "World Vision"..but I decided to go back to Compassion International. Anyone else ever considered it or been involved or want more info? PM would be more personal for replies. Thanks, Gary Calhoun

By me being sick last week (Thanksgiving week!) I guess I got -4 days smoke free the "sick"way.. The day I got up I was already smoke free.. I just think about those days..and it keeps be from even thinking about smoking..

Ever wonder what happens to your body the moment you stop smoking? Within 20 minutes of smoking that last cigarette, the body begins a series of changes that continues for years. 20 MINUTES Blood pressure drops to normal. Pulse rate drops to normal. Body temperature of hands and feet increases to normal. 8 HOURS Carbon monoxide level in blood drops to normal. Oxygen level in blood increases to normal. 24 HOURS Chance of heart attack decreases. 48 HOURS Nerve endings start regrowing. Ability to smell and taste is enhanced. 2 WEEKS TO 3 MONTHS Circulation improves. Walking becomes easier. Lung function increases up to 30%. 1 TO 9 MONTHS Coughing, sinus congestion, fatigue, and shortness of breath decrease. Cilia regrow in lungs, increasing ability to handle mucus, clean the lungs, and reduce infection. Body's overall energy increases. 1 YEAR Excess risk of coronary heart disease is half that of a smoker. 5 YEARS Lung cancer death rate for average smoker (one pack a day) decreases by almost half. Stroke risk is reduced to that of a nonsmoker 5-15 years after quitting. Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat and esophagus is half that of a smoker's. 10 YEARS Lung cancer death rate similar to that of nonsmokers. Precancerous cells are replaced. Risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, esophagus, bladder, kidney and pancreas decreases. 15 YEARS Risk of coronary heart disease is that of a nonsmoker. What Are Some Rewards of Quit Smoking! Immediate Rewards Within 12 hours after you have your last cigarette, your body will begin to heal itself. The levels of carbon monoxide and nicotine in your system will decline rapidly, and your heart and lungs will begin to repair the damage caused by cigarette smoke. Within a few days you will probably begin to notice some remarkable changes in your body. Your sense of smell and taste may improve. You will breathe easier, and your smoker's hack will begin to disappear, although you may notice that you will continue to cough for a while. And you will be free from the mess, smell, inconvenience, expense, and dependence of cigarette smoking. Immediate Effects As your body begins to repair itself, instead of feeling better right away, you may feel worse for a while. It's important to understand that healing is a process­p;it begins immediately, but it continues over time. These "withdrawal pangs" are really symptoms of the recovery process. Immediately after quitting, many ex-smokers experience "symptoms of recovery" such as temporary weight gain caused by fluid retention, irregularity, and dry, sore gums or tongue. You may feel edgy, hungry, more tired, and more short-tempered than usual and have trouble sleeping and notice that you are coughing a lot. These symptoms are the result of your body clearing itself of nicotine, a powerful addictive chemical. Most nicotine is gone from the body in 2-3 days. Long-range Benefits It is important to understand that the long range after-effects of quitting are only temporary and signal the beginning of a healthier life. Now that you've quit, you've added a number of healthy productive days to each year of your life. Most important, you've greatly improved your chances for a longer life. You have significantly reduced your risk of death from heart disease, stroke, chronic bronchitis, emphysema, and several kinds of cancer­p;not just lung cancer. (Cigarette smoking is responsible every year for approximately 130,000 deaths from cancer, 170,000 deaths from heart disease, and 50,000 deaths from lung disease.) Other Health Benefits of Quitting Smoking... Unless otherwise indicated, information in this section comes from Quit Victoria, 1995 The 1990 Report of the US Surgeon General is devoted to smoking cessation, and has reached the following major conclusions: Smoking cessation has major and immediate health benefits for men and women of all ages. Benefits apply to persons with and without smoking-related disease. Former smokers live longer than continuing smokers, and the benefits of quitting extend to those who quit at older ages. For example, persons who quit smoking before age 50 have one-half the risk of dying in the next 15 years compared with continuing smokers. Smoking cessation decreases the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke, and chronic lung disease. Women who stop smoking before pregnancy or during the first 3 to 4 months of pregnancy reduce their risk of having a low birthweight baby to that of women who never smoked. The health benefits of smoking cessation far exceed any risks from the average 2.3 kg (5 pound) weight gain or any adverse psychological effects that may follow quitting. British research has confirmed that quitting at any age increases life expectancy, provided that quitting takes place prior to the development of cancer or other serious disease. Those who quit before the age of 35 have a life expectancy that is not significantly different from non-smokers. For those who stop later, the risk is intermediate between non-smokers and continuing smokers. Even those who stop between 65-74 years of age experience age-specific mortality rates beyond age 75 years appreciably lower than those who continue to smoke. Immediate benefits: Nicotine and carbon monoxide leave the body in the first few hours after stopping smoking, although it may take up to two days for nicotine by-products to leave the body. Within a month of cessation, blood pressure returns to the normal level, and lung function has improved. After around three months, the lungs may have regained the capacity to clean themselves properly, depending on whether irreparable lung damage has occurred, and blood flow to the limbs will have improved. Long term benefits: Cancers Ten years after stopping smoking, the ex-smoker's risk of developing lung cancer has declined to between 30-50% of the risk in continuing smokers, and risk continues to decline with abstinence. Quitting also lowers the risk of laryngeal cancer, and reduces the extent and severity of premalignant cellular changes in the lining of the larynx and the lungs. Stopping smoking halves the risk of mouth and oesophageal cancers after five years of quitting. The risk of pancreatic cancer is also reduced, although this may only be measurable after ten years of abstinence. The risk of bladder cancer reduces after a number of years, but studies have conflicting findings about extent. The risk of cervical cancer is substantially lower among former smokers than current smokers, even in the first few years following cessation. Cardiovascular disease Smoking cessation greatly reduces the risk of coronary heart disease (CHD). Risk of mortality is reduced by about half one year after cessation, then declines gradually. After around 15 years of abstinence, the risk of CHD is similar to that of never-smokers. For those smokers with diagnosed CHD, stopping smoking appears to reduce the risk of recurrent infarction and cardiovascular death by 50% or more. Smoking cessation substantially reduces the risk of developing peripheral vascular disease, and improves management of the existing condition. Smoking cessation also reduces the risk of ischaemic stroke and subarachnoid haemorrhage. Respiratory disease Stopping smoking reduces rates of respiratory symptoms such as cough, sputum production and wheezing, and respiratory infections such as bronchitis and pneumonia. In smokers with established chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), stopping smoking improves pulmonary function by about 5% within a few months of cessation. The accelerated decline in lung function in smokers stops with smoking cessation, returning to the far slower rates of decline that naturally occur with ageing. With sustained abstinence, mortality rates from COPD among former smokers decline in comparison to continuing smokers. Reproduction The US Surgeon General has stated that 'smoking is probably the most important modifiable cause of poor pregnancy outcome among women in the United States'. Women who stop smoking before becoming pregnant, or who quit smoking in the first three to four months of pregnancy, have infants with the same birthweight as those born to women who have never smoked. Those women who stop smoking any time up to the 30th week of pregnancy have babies with higher birthweight than those who smoke throughout pregnancy. Reducing the number of cigarettes smoked, rather than quitting completely, does not appear to benefit birthweight of the foetus. Smoking causes women to reach menopause one to two years early, but former smokers have an age at natural menopause similar to those who have never smoked. Other disease processes Smokers have an increased risk of developing duodenal and gastric ulcers. The increased risk is reduced by stopping smoking. Ulcer disease is more severe, less likely to heal, and more likely to recur in smokers. Affected smokers who quit do better than continuing smokers. Cessation and the older smoker: As noted above, cessation at any age carries benefits for the smoker, reducing the risk of major disease. Smoking in later life has also been associated with higher rates of physical disability, poorer self-perceived health status, higher levels of depressive symptoms, and lower levels of physical function, bone mineral density, pulmonary function, and muscle strength. Cessation therefore is an important factor in bringing about improvement in general health and well-being.

I was thinking about getting one. The high voltage types. And I wanted to try it on myself, just to feel what it feels like. Anyone ever felt one before?

The big question is do you have the $ to take the time off to do the show. I was on "The Love Connection" in 1991..and even that little show I had to take time off work, I think an extra 2 days.

Last week, I got the flu or something..I cut back smoking a whole lot..but still smoked. Anyways I was in bed for 2-3 days..and was spitting up stuff a billie goat wouldn't eat..some of it had blood..I know it was from smoking! I missed Thanksgiving day, didn't get up until Fri! I was alone in the house and thought maybe I should call hospital..I was even thinking I was going to or could die right there! and decided I do not want to die from smoking cigarettes or from continuing smoking! I will never smoke again!

How about a Schmoke and a pancake?

I hear my company is now closed for Fri. Our dept. still hasn't gotten the "official" word.. But definetley will be closed. So, if I knew that I would have accepted invitation to go with real close friend to her relatives in Las Vegas with them. Now, I'm sort of getting sick, head cold, ears, runny nose, eyes. And I have to work PT job tonight for 3-4 hrs. Maybe after work I go to store and buy something to cook for tomorrow, and rent movies. And go do a few jumps on Sat!