Rich Barnes

2009-04-07T19:09:00.000-07:00

2009-04-07T18:52:00.000-07:00

2009-04-07T18:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Kirkland

2008-08-06T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well my friends I can officially say.. Welcome to Kirkland Washington. Where the air is clean and the water is pure. It has been only 2 short weeks, yet I feel as if this was the best move ever. Consider the facts.. Temp in Loma Linda, CA the week of the move.. 115 degree's F... Temp on arrival in Kirkland, WA.. 65 F ... ok.. so not convinced.. tap water.. Lomi land... "tastes like recycled/filtered sewer water.. (forced to drink bottled H2O) Kirkland H2O... fresh, clean and clear. Saving all kinds of money on bottled water. :) Traffic.. oh baby . yeah.. that word alone is clear.. LA.. Stinks bad.. Up in WA.. reasonable.. moves along no major stops.. unless they have some Wild animal on the roadway.. (why yes they do have wild animals up here.. Not just the animals in the zoo..

Living in the rain. Now it does rain a bit.. Well to be honest it rains alot.. but hey who's counting. It is sufficient to say that life is more moist that Cali.. yet that makes everything... GREEN!!!! I can tell you I do not live in a desert.. Grass is nice.. Tree's are good. I can see why they have so many tree huggers up here.. I mean .. hey they are green .. smell nice and are producing O2.. What more can you want from something?

Life up here is G R E A T ....

Only thing I miss from LA .. is the Noise of gun Fire.. no .. NO I Don't... :)

Cheers..

Moving into Seattle!

2008-07-25T12:57:00.000-07:00

It has officially happened! I have left Loma Linda, CA. There is no going back. The door has been shut. I have signed away my life to the Seattle area for a bare minimum of 1 year.

So now as an official Seattle Local. I can say that life here is very very different. It is not the sun baked land. The dirt is not dried up and cracked with the temperature. There are green trees and plants everywhere and the weather is a mild degree of cool. The water is cool and clean. I took my first drink from the tap and thought I had filtered water. It tastes good. I could hardly believe it. I suppose that many things will take time to adjust. My Driving style is

certainly going to be one of the first things that must change. Who knows, I may get the bug and ride the bus to work!!! wow.. starting to turn a bit green already.

Well my friends. I can only say that the

life up here is very different from California.

cheers.

Heading North!!!!

2008-07-04T21:43:00.000-07:00

So Life in the big LA basin has been getting worse and worse for many years.. but now it has past the limits. I am getting out. No other thing to do than leave. As now Loma Linda has offered up here last degree to me. I can no longer stand by and watch as he world passees me by. It is now time to take action. Packing up the stuff. Heading North.. Kirkland, WA. Where the sun shines brightly and the weather is warm the whole year round.. :) hahahaha Look out Rain here I come.

Get Cheap Memory for Your Laptop!

2007-11-22T22:57:00.000-08:00

If your looking for a great deal on Laptop Upgrades You should check out the options available at: MemorySuppliers.com .

They have some of the best deals on memory, Flashdrives, desktops, battery chargers, hard drives, Custom MP3 players, along with Apple Laptop Memory. It is your one stop shop for all you computer needs.

Loma Linda.... why are we still here?

2007-08-29T21:23:00.000-07:00

It has this week become starkly clear that my time here in Loma linda is drawing to a close. Well how do you know that Rich? Ah, I am glad you asked me. Allow me to elaborate a bit.
Loma Linda is a city filled with youth and constant change. Being that the only real large item located in the city is the university. Which is in no way a true university (yeah.. another point to cover in more detail later) Right. so here we go then. As the "university" is the only thing here life somewhat naturally becomes focused on student type things. You know what I mean, the mundane things like go to the coffee shop and get a cup of Jo to facilitate late night study for a 5 unit class, or trying to get a couch for your new apartment. You know the core things in school life. In any case we find that most of the people who remain in Lomi land for longer than three years are either dating someone who currently attends the "so said" University. If this is not the case they may be involved in part two of that same idea... (part 2 is defined as "trying to find someone at the university as cool as the person your buddy is dating!" ) ..I will say that part 2 people are usually fustrated and bitter due to being aced out on the one person who would have been perfect had they been able to convince the person they were not stalking them with the nightly phone calls and flower deliveries. :) yeah.. ok.. so

Where was I .. right .. still in Loma linda .. the real question is .. "WHAT ARE WE THINKING?" I mean we are not here for the air quality, we're not here for the water! Oh, it must be the lush green forests that surround the area!!! NOT! Well then most asuredly we are staying in Loma Linda because the Mountians are so beautiful in the winter. (ok. you have a point there, However you might be overlooking the small fact that for the other 8 months of the year people believe we live in a plain with no mountains for a hundred miles or more! You can barely see the neighbors house let alone the mountains. So leave all that nature talk to the people who actually move to Arrowhead or Rim Forest. Where you can take your chances with all the Fires! Naw we are here in Loma Linda area because of all the quality people..... uh.. wait a minute.. no..(this just in.. Crime in the surrounding area has been escalating for the past three or four decades. ) I heard from a Law Enforcement person that LA county is paying their perolies CASH to relocate to San Bernardino!!! I said Great! Just what we need.. Well.
What can you do. You are forced to realize if you are still here .. you may need to just set fire to the place in which you reside and let it all go up in smoke! Think about it. talk about your savings on a Uhaul! You can load up as much "ash" as you want to put in your new garden in Kansas and head on out. Yippy skippy. No packing no paying a bunch of guys to come over and carry your crap out into a truck only to have it all delivered to a new place which will probably not be able to hold all your junk. Don't be a pack rat. Unload and Get out of Dodge! That's what I am thinking. Get up and out! no reason to stay longer than you need to. I am counting down. Hasta la vista baby.. Heading for clean air and cool waters.. (of course i heard that was what awaited me here!) :)
take care all you lomi landers!
Stay in the trenches, keep your head low and your rifle loaded.
RB

Moving Day is here....

2007-06-25T13:25:00.000-07:00

Today marks the beginning of the move. I hope to finish in the next two days??? hmmm.. I know I am always the optimistic one. I truly think I can make it in a few days... We will have to see I have a lot of stuff. You know what I am talking about. Stuff.. things we should have long ago given over to the land fill or just hawled them outside and set them on fire. Either would suffice the point being they really have no purpose in our daily lives other then to be moved from one place in the house to another and then brought back to the original place. We clutter up the house with many such items of zero importance. Well today is my chance to adios a few of those items that are lurking around my house. Zap, POW, WHAM....!!!! ZOWIE!!! HAIII..YA!!! TKO those bad boy's... Get back to you laters. RB

"Close Enough"

2007-06-25T13:21:00.002-07:00

What can you do? Some times we need a little improvising. Hope the day is going well for all.
RB

Close

2007-06-25T13:21:00.001-07:00

Share-Cropping...Brilliant move or absolute stupidity?

2007-06-23T16:35:00.000-07:00

Ok.. so a lot has happened since last time I had a lot of time to get the blog out. I moved, Graduated P.T. school, got a girlfriend, then got engaged, then I am moving again, while trying to stay on top of the pulse of Lomi-land. Let me tell you friends, I truly believe we are way to busy it this world. Way way way to busy.. We need to take a break.. So this is where the whole "share-cropper" thing comes up.. So check it out..

I live with my roommate, owner of the house and land on which we live. They guys a straight up type of fellow, yet has his lapses as we all do from time to time. Let me set the stage for what could be one of the more interesting lapses this decade as he and several "new" aquaintances attempt to make a farm out of our 3.5 acres of dusty land.
It all started a few weeks ago when some guy (will go nameless for sake of immunity) talked with my roomie about needing a bit of land to grow some veggies. Well if a garden you want then a garden you shall have! Says, my home owner. And they beggin to wine and dine the idea of a garden in the dry, dusty, sunbaked and last but not least gopher infested land we call home. Now if the last part of that last sentence has not alerted you to the potential hazards of Gardening then the next one should let you know you are in for some hard times.. You all remember "da silly liddle wabbit" yeah.. we got like fourty thousand of the little dudes crusing around our place. At night it is now uncommon to see a whole squad of them chasing our dog around the property. So yeah.. Garden,,, with Gophers and a Rabbit problem... hmmmm... stay tuned for news...

Well my roommate the shrewd thinker that he is devised a plan that they .. the people desiring to grow a garden... could have their little run of the land if they would give him a portion of the take... back in the early 1800's they used to call this type of deal share-cropping. In todays society the fact that there is not much of it going on.."maybe in like africa or somewhere. It would imply that maybe there are a few problems with the system. Any how They are at it day and night.. Every AM at 5:30 they roll in with digging and raking the soil. They have been going buckwild on the garden area for near on three weeks now. The sun is starting to get hot.. so this will be the true test of their fortitude. What will the share-croppers do with the recent heat wave? The plants are being sticken with heat exhaustion. Many have already thrown in the towel. The Rabbits hit the garden the other day. Now they are rapidly building a fence to keep out the rabbits. The Gophers have yet to strike. They are waiting for there to be some plants to eat.. Right now the digging would take more energy than they would get by devouring the whole garden. oh baby this is going to be a long long long summer for the Share-Croppers.. I am currently thinking this is going to be stupidity.. we will see if I need to take those words back...
RB

2007-05-15T14:57:00.000-07:00

Well It is three weeks till we finish the madness! Graduation is coming soon. I guess I will be moving on to the Real world. The world of daily work. It seems strange to think that I will be getting out of Grad school. Life will be great. Work work work. Fun Fun Fun.......
Check back for more soon.
RB

"Hipaa or not to Hipaa"

2006-05-05T10:32:00.000-07:00

The wonderful field of health care has made it possible to join in the fun of being a Hipaa member. Oh yeah. It is our grand pleasure to inform you that you are now held liable for the protection of the "hippa". Ok,,, soooo.. What is a hippa.?? Is it a small animal found on the large continent of Africa? Or should we be looking for this beast in the rain forest of Brazil?

Turns out this wild animal is found in the bowels of the healthcare system. Yep. one more of the wonders of healing. It wonders the halls and elevators looking for those who do not comply. Large fines are charged to the individual who does not take care to watch out for the Hipaa! "BEWARE OF THE HIPAA"!!!! You could potentially cause an incidental use or disclosure... So watch for he Safeguards. 1.) Don't let the hippa beast get in the way of your care. 2.) Info is given on a need to know basis!! (sounds like the military) 3.) Only the Facts....
The TPO is a crucial part of the system... With the hipaa beast wandering the halls we often find a mess that would require the use of a bit of TP..O TP can clean up a lot of ...stuff..... and put it in contact with an organization of TP you could reasonably assume that the hospital would be a clean place.
Next we come to Gap analysis... you don't want a leak... (enough said)
Hipaa the next animal to come out of the healthcare system.... Will it be the last???
Rb

"Tuning In" Vs. Tuning Out"

2006-04-17T00:15:00.000-07:00

Do you ever look around you and notice that several of the people in your close proximaty are "tuned out"?? In other words not available for comment. Zoning... Out for lunch.. on break, Having an early siesta. I find it more and more common that those around me are doing one of the aforementioned activities. It seems to me that more and more people spend a large portion of their days Tuned out vs. Tuned in. It is only when we tune in that we are able to interact and learn useful information about the surrounding world. Not that a brother who is 'tuned out" can not feel that rain drops hitting him on the head, But rather the fact that he does nothing about it. Seem strange? I will talk more out this Tuned out business in my next update.
rich

"Puddle Jumping" Sport or Play??

2006-03-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention that the activity of puddle jumping is not really a sport but rather a simple act of play.
this my friends was a shock to a guy who takes great pride in puddle jumping. I suppose I should digress a bit for the "newbies" in the group. For those who think that puddle jumping is done with a small plane between to islands you may need to read a bit farther to fully understand this one.

Imagine if you will a large mass of water sitting along the side of the road. ("Got IT in mind?") ok then see yourself in a car aimed right straight at it traveling relatively fast. 1.) You grip the wheel. 2.) Brace for impact with the water. 3.) Punch the accellerator. 4.) Smile with glee as you hammer the water. 5.) Smile in sweet success of washing the bottom of your car and the neighbors cars and anyone standing within a 30 foot radius of your vehicle.

Now to those who have experienced this I would like to say.. "Strong work" Your living life ..

Now back to puddle jumping. The same spirit that motivates you to hit the puddle with your car also compells us to Jump into
puddles of water. We often use restraint and side step around puddles so as to avoid the water splashing on our shoes or some article of clothing. I would like to discourage this action and to call people to let the kid out. Walk up to the puddle and plant both feet together to allow you to jump higher. Then launch yourself into the air landing in the deepest part of the puddle. This will probably send most of the water out and away from yourself which vastly limits the amount of self clean up but may lower your friendship value to those standing round about you. I will assure you that if you can do this you will feel a smile spead accross your face that will last for several days al least.

Now this action of puddle jumping when taken seriously is a fairly sport like activity. You have to buy proper shoes and puddling gear. Then there is the practice. I mean hey you can't just go out there cold turkey and expect that you will be able to get it right the first time. puddle jumping is like bowling. Often you end up in the gutter yet do not dispair.
With a bit of practice you can get a strike every time .
so is it play .. ??? I think not.. Puddling.. is a sport.

So go out there and enjoy the rain and sport that comes along with it.
You will feel better and be a happier person for it. :)
Rich

"Turkey Sleep" the return...

2006-02-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

It seems that we see the return of a secondary Turkey Sleep here in Loma Linda. Of late many of my classmates are slipping into the mysterious sleep during lectures and in Labs. The effect of Turkey Sleep on the individual is often unanticipated. This may help to explain the quick and sudden onset of the stupor upon the person/persons in question. I have been watching carefully keeping track of the symptoms, which precede onset of the Turkey Sleep. Usually there is a large food bolus eaten prior to a period of sitting in a lecture/ lab. This seems to be a common point. Other characteristics are the famous head-bob. Made world famous by none other than Hanz "jello neck" schwanzengruber. The head bob can last anywhere from 1-5 mins. all the way up to 1 hour or more. It is by far one of the best crowd pleasers of all the signs of Turkey Sleep. If you are looking for an opportunity to do some research on your own. I recommend a nice afternoon at your local library or attend any after lunch lecture. These venues will provide you with an unlimited number of Turkey Sleepers. Check it out... Rich

"Hiking Boots??? Nah...Rock the Clogs!"

2006-02-26T22:49:00.000-08:00

It goes without saying that men are brash and quick of thought. We often make decision, which others may look at with a smirk and think to themselves. "Yeah, try that out smart guy." Well, I have had the luck or dare I say opportunity of late to make several suggestions...(advisements) that have not been the most helpful. The first of these was the advice to the great bio-chica of tomato Tuesday fame. She asked me if we needed hiking boot for this "walk/ hike/ adventure we were going to take for the afternoon. I said nah... you'll be good with those clogs. Huh.. Not good exactly sage advice there kids. I can tell you that when asked such a question in the future I will be smart enough to answer thusly... "What do you think dear?" ah ha.. Now that will solve some of it. Well, the Clogs rocked the hike with relative ease. I would say they lose a bit of traction on the wet surfaces so at times like these you just have to do as my cousin Hobart would say..and "man up Barnes" The photo show's just what such a comment requires as far as the "man up" part goes. The lovely bio-chica was there by carried over the slippery logs and crazy sand stone. She rocks. Well, I guess having good people around you can make all the difference when you say something like "hiking boots??nah.. rock the clogs!" .. Lesson learned... rich

Here is the team.. Bio-chica, Rich, WB
I'm telling you.. Gun lock, Utah. Not bad
not bad at all... Two thumbs up..

"Gun lock, Utah"

2006-02-26T22:32:00.000-08:00

Let me tell you my friends you have not been anywhere till you have been to the location of choice this week. Gun lock, Utah. This is a location where on your right you have sand dunes, on your left you have a lake of Ice cold crystal clear water. Who is to know what awaits over the next hill? A land where you want to charge over the next hill to see what great adventure may await you there. God outdid himself with this one. A big thumbs up for Gun lock, Utah. Nice...
rich

"PowerBook G4"

2006-02-07T21:34:00.000-08:00

I can only say that I am the new owner of the powerful G4 PowerBook. I am now a new apple computer user. Its easy to sum up my feelings about this little computer.. Portable, Easy to use, fast, fun , and can do a whole lot more than my old computer.
All smiles on this end. Great stuff. Apple computers.. NICE.. Rich

"Tomato Tuesday"

2006-02-07T21:16:00.000-08:00

Yep, That's correct it is another Tomato Tuesday. That is the day which Cocco's has choosen to set as the day to serve Tomato bisk soup. Oh my friends if you have not had this soup I can only advise you to add it to you schedule for next week. A bowl of soup for dinner is now a reality. Good price good food.. $3.99 not a bad price for a good bowl of soup. Cocco's ... hmmm...Its whats for dinner for me on tuesday...
Today I was able to share the evening with the lovely Bio-chica. We ate soup, and exchanged stories about life in the Southern California. The dryness of the local climate was considered and debated at length, as we sipped glass after glass of water. Our server "Chase" is the man. This guy will no doubt be a legend. He has skills with the water pitcher and kept our glasses full to overflowing. Good times , Great company, and Good Soup...Another Tomato Tuesday.
Rich

"THE APPLE STORE"

2006-01-29T22:52:00.000-08:00

How do you like them Apples?

"The trip to Ana Capa Island" Part 1

2006-01-29T22:20:00.000-08:00

It was a trip to remember all the squad was there. The Aldrin, Dump Valve, RX, SuperFly. We rolled out at about seven PM. Stopping briefly at Del Taco to fuel up on some Tacos and of course a few orders of fries. After telling the High School tale of how the Superfly dropped a 35' redwood in front of the dorm. We assembled back in the car for the drive to Ventura where we would board our ship the "Spectre". She is a grand vessel at 85' long with a 19' beam she sports a hot tub on the back deck and several BBQ's on the bow. We arrived at just after 10 pm and boarded the spectre. It was a clear night and the star were out in full force. We noted that not many brave souls had arrived yet and we secured our gear. The Aldrin went below to locate bunks. We assembled our gear and went below to get a head start on some solid sleep. Upon awaking in the am we found that we were not alone anymore. The galley was half full and many people were on the aft deck pull out gear from large bags they had brought on board.
We powered up and headed out to sea. Ana Capa Island was the destination for the trip. The seas were a bit rough on the way out. Mid-Channel the swells died down a bit yet you could see it might pick up at any moment. The next thing you know we were suited up and ready to plunge off the side of the boat into the icy waters. The word Plunge is a literal term for this boats sports a hefty six foot drop from the gate to the water. You have just enough time to think hmmm... I hope I turned on my air... before you hit the water. Dive one we saw many creatures and several fish... (I think many of the fish had the weekend off) . Well, as soon as I get back on the boat I take my gear off and I hear the words..."WHALE", "theres a whale off the port side".
Well, I wanted to jump back in to swim with the big beast of the sea, yet time would not allow for it... To Be Continued........in Part 2

"Kicking OFF the New Year"

2006-01-05T22:44:00.000-08:00

Well Friends It has been a long time since I updated the old Blog so I will apologize now and get on with the writing. I turns out that the New Year was kicked off by many hundreds of millions of people world wide this year. During their wild excitement I may have turned over on the couch to ease the pain in my neck. Yep that's correct. I was out cold on the couch. Never even saw the Big Apple. It was over for me at about oh..... 10:30pm. Woke up at 12:30Am to my neighbors yelling and screaming, but as for myself. I kicked it off with a bit of sleep. Nice Job eh.. Well any way you slice it the year is off and rolling now and it is time to try and catch up. Classes at LLU started on Tuesday this past week and we have been loving the full days of lecture. Oh yeah... Talk about catching up on your sleep. Plenty of tired people lounging around the classroom catching up on a lot of much needed sleep. It turns out that yours truly survived last quarter’s finals week with out too much grief. I mean hey, if you fail an exam and you still get a B+ in the class. Who's going to complain about that? I have some new topics this month to add to the blog so pop in once in a while check them out. It should be funny. Hope you all had a wonderful holiday season and safe travels to and from your destinations. Rich

"7 TESTS 3 NIGHTS"

2005-12-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Glories of being in school are the simple pleasures we enjoy on a daily basis. The example here might be something like midterm exams that last for three weeks or final exams that are compacted into a mere four days. One may argue that testing is only stressful if you are concerned with your test scores. hmmm... interesting concept... we will probably assume that the person who has been kind enought to share that thought process is probably a person who enjoys the narcotic affects of "TURKEY SLEEP" on a daily basis.
Well for better or worse we will be finishing our exams this week. Finishing being a loose association not implying that we passed any of them but rather that we have survived the week. This also may lead a reader of this article to think it was some type of "vote them off the island" competition. I would caution the reader to not make any assumptions, but rather to just empathize with us or laugh at our stupidity. Christmas Vacation is Almost here. Cheers.
Rich

"Sport Shorts Gone Bad"

2005-12-11T18:01:00.000-08:00

Yep, thats right shorts can go bad. It is officially a fact. They can expire! It seemed impossible yet, there you have it they can loose their luster. Sometimes they go out quickly, other times they just drift into mild obscurity. Thee Shorts in question drifted into relative hibernation two decades ago with the demise of the "butt hugger" gym shorts. However it seems my friend doug (pardon me for being a bit anthropromorphic for a moment) "awoke" the shorts and brought them to Ther-ex class. What better time to parade a pair of vintage gym shorts that almost never had a "hay-day" then in the FINAL PRACTICAL. The plan may have been to some how convince the evaluator of his proficiency of the material by wearing a "sporty" pair of the afore mentioned (dare I say) shorts. In any case I must send a warm and hearty "nice work" to Doug aka:"King of the Lawn". Thanks for the laugh my friend. Who better than you? Assistant Trash colector. Rich

"Oil and Water"

2005-12-05T14:49:00.000-08:00

This past weekend brought to light the simple yet important fact that oil and water do not exist as a single compound. It also allowed for a certain amount of research which was conducted with little to no imformed consent. It rained here on Fri. night and therefore left a small amount of water on the pavement for all to enjoy on Sat. morning. The fun started by having the opportunity to get out of a nice warm bed in order to get on my bike for a small four to five hour ride around the local area. First stop Coffee. Then we can see how far we will decide to ride following a few sips of the old coffee. As we were sitting around the coffee shop talking I heard someone say "hey man, did you see that section by the entrance to the road? It looked slick as hell. Someone's going down on that today you watch." Several of the other guys concured that they thought it looked slick and that some one was going to eat sh@$ on that section. We finished drinking most of the coffee so that we could get started on our ride. Grabbed our bike and headed out. Clipped into our peddles and off we went. As we started into the first corner I noted that it looked like some oil might be sitting on the pavement. (I think it was the water beaded up on the surface that clued me in to this fact.) It was at this moment that I noticed a sudden lose of traction in both the front and rear tires. It was over before I had a chance to do anything. Laying in the street holding my coffee cup high. Not spilling a drop. I repeated the words said earlier. "somebodies going to eat sh#@ in that corner today" Yep... I knew it would be me. Oil and Water... Don't mix.... not at all. Watch out for Black Ice on the road as well. Rich

TANKS. "Does Size Matter?"

2005-12-01T17:00:00.000-08:00

Talking Tanks can be one of those things in diving the boarders on the insane. It never stops. It starts when your assembling your gear with a simple probe or jest. Just to sort of break the ice. It might sound something like this. "Hey man, looks like you got a steal 100." Yeah. "Find you use alot of air diving eh?" Huh. "well I am using the new steal hp80 smaller and more negative in the H2O. " ect.ect..ect.... and the conversation continues. It is strange how each person thinks you should dive the same tank they are diving.
There are many different sizes of tanks made for diving of which some are more loved then others. It seems that more people on the west coast of the U.S. enjoy diving a steal tank. In the tropics the common choice is the aluminum 80. Well any way you slice it, You will find that you will need a tank to dive. Unless you are daring enough to dive on snuba. The large tire pump with a hose hookup to send you down to the deep unknown. I mean check these guys out. I have a question. How long is that hose? oh. I got one more. Question #2: Who's running the pump up there on the boat? Snuba.... hummm.. maybe not. Well in any case they are under water and looks like they don't care about question #1, or #2. So, let the good times roll.
When it comes to tanks... Size matters if you want to be down longer. The cut off for functionality is the weight of the tank. Which also increases with the size of the tank. If your a lung and use enough air to raise the titanic then maybe snuba would be a great idea. One additional point might be to ask for the larger diameter hose. I guess that just about sums up all I have to say about that.
Rich

Random Fact: #1

2005-11-30T21:09:00.000-08:00

I attended a portfolio presentation on Sleep deprivation this evening. It started with a meal and the speaker got up to talk following a lengthy intro from some LLU employee. It was at this time that they turned down the lights to show a power point presentation. Well, several minutes passed. I took a look around and what did I see. Yep, thats right. Four or five people with their heads on the tables out cold. That is Irony. Attend a seminar on sleep deprivation -- sleep through it. NICE.. I want to send out a firm and hardy handshake to these folks as they have reached a point where sleep was just more important. Cheers. Rich

Reasons to Love LLU #1

2005-11-29T19:37:00.000-08:00

Here at LLU we are often faced with days where you wonder why I picked this place. I mean signing up to by tested and retested then tested some more, and somewhere in all the madness they want you to study for thee afore mentioned tests. It can sometimes be a bit overwhelming. It is at times such as these that we remember reasons why we have chosen to spend years of our lives and thousands of $$$$$'s to attend the University they call LLU. Today I present Reason #1.

Not long ago we had a chapel on wednseday morning that saluted our faculty and staff members and allowed the student body to see just who was running the show around here. It was on this wild morning that I saw two of our professors Dr. Sulzle and Dr. Lohman. Just seeing the smiles on their faces as we the students came by refreshed my memory as to why I was in school at LLU. These two professors have been known to go way above and beyond the call of duty to help out students with any problems they may be having. I can tell you personally these are Reasons #1 & 2 of why I love LLU.
rich

Turkey Day part2

2005-11-28T20:43:00.000-08:00

Hey Turkey-day lovers. The big day has come and gone. Many an American overeater has had their Gastronomical dreams come true.They have eaten as much food as they can possibly stomach, then for an encore they will fall under the spell of the mysterious "Turkey Sleep". Better know as the affect of Tryptophan a marvalous little amino acid which is a precursor to serotonin. This chemical combo is responsible for many of those couch potatos lounging around livingrooms everwhere over the holiday's. Plump protein packed pultry packin plump peoples pantry's. The holiday's are such a thrill. It is this thrill that is carried over from Thanksgiving till the end of December. Big bad budda bellies beggin badly burnt beef burger breakfasts. Yeah? Weird. Well I can tell you when you cram your stomach full of food over the holiday's you are looking to have some serious time spent on the treadmill at the gym to loose all the extra poundage. It is this unwillingness to stomp along on the treadmill with the millions of americans this Jan-Feb that provides me with the will to watch the amounts I eat over the next several weeks. So as the holidays begin be warned. Watch yourself. Turkey-Day is just the start. More Over eating to follow. Enjoy your vacations, but beware of the "Turkey Sleep". Rich

"Turkey Day"

2005-11-22T16:52:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving is here. No way to push this one out at all. I can tell this vacation is going to be great. I plan to get some long days on the bike and long hours in bed tring to catch up for 10 weeks of sleep deprivation. Turkey is what's for dinner, and sleep is on the menu. Hope you can get a lot of both of them as well. Rich

"Hey, Can I borrow your pen?"

2005-11-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

Here I am on the eve of a monster Histology test Tuesday typing away. I can't help it though. I mean this blog had to go out. Let me start you off with a little thought to ponder. You walk into a public bathroom, look around pick a location to do your business, head to the sink to wash your hands (as any good manered individual should) then hit the door back to what ever you were doing. Ok.. Gotta the picture. It may be a bit of a strange picture yet hang in there it's going somewhere.
So I am out for dinner a couple days ago with my friend Bio-chica. I believe we were at the Rama Garden in Redlands. It was a nice evening with the full moon and the moderate climate we have been enjoying. Dinner was wonderful and we bantered on about politics and religion, social life and friends. The waiter tried to light the overhead heater like four times with absolutely no, I repeat myself, NO success. It was beginning to get cool as the evening had now progressed. It was after his final and futile attempt at lighting the heater that I gave up. "CHECK PLEASE".... Soon after the waiter appeared with the bill. We as always split the bill down the middle. Put our two cards in the black bill carrier and he quickly scampered off to run the cards. Shortly there after he came back with two black bill carriers one for each of us. I quickly opened mine scanned the ####'s picked up the pen and signed the paper. I looked over at Bio-Chica and she was rummaging in her purse for something. I asked if I could help? she said no, and continued the search in her purse. Soon she was triumphant in her search and happily pulled a pen from her purse and signed her bill. Huh... was all I could say... "aaah... was the pen they gave you broken?" I asked. Bio-Chica: NOPE. I don't like to use the pen they provide. You don't know where it's been. RICH: "yeah.......hmmmm... yeah....ok.. uuuuhhh... you wanna get some Ice cream?" and "CUT" I was waiting for the film crew to come over and powder my nose but, nope..... no film crew here... "real life" that's what I'm talking about. Where has the pen you picked up from the grimple holder on your desk been? More importantly, Is it yours? You may have washed your hands, but how about dude hitting the door in front of you? Wash? or Did not Wash? Your make the call. Real People .... all different... diversity is our strong point and our weakest point.. So next time you go to grab that pen, or pencil laying by the computer. what you may really want to do is ask your friend; "Hey, Can I borrow your pen?" Rich

Training in my living room

2005-11-16T16:34:00.000-08:00

Since the recent demise of my car. I am forced to ride my bike anywhere I want to go. Not so bad if you enjoy peddling around Loma Linda. However night rides on the local streets are not conducive to safety nor do they allow for much social interaction. (Barring the occasional finger waving deviant the attempts to run you off the road into any ditch, hole, curb, or structure that may present itself as an available target) This being mainly due to current road conditions and the lack of common sense on the part of those who choose to throw their glass bottles onto the roadway to achieve a sense of self-worth. (I am somewhat jaded on this point) Thanks to these deviants we are able refine and test our tire repair skills on nearly a daily basis. This installs a desire to not ride in Loma Linda, but rather in Redlands where there are fewer deviants and more low traffic roads. However this creates a new problem of how to get to Redlands to start a ride. Normally it is as simple as jumping in my car and hauling "A" over to where ever you want to start. With the “red bandit” in the shop for the near future I have had to fall back on the trusty #2 option. The indoor trainer! Let me tell you this little guy shows no mercy. It is a constant workout with no relief in sight unless you want to just get off. I thought it would be cool to watch a movie and do a nice easy 60 min. workout. Not happening! In the first five minutes of the flick I was starting to loose interest. As the presence of lactic acid slowly began overriding any and all thought processes that were trying to take place in my feeble mind. Studying? Nope. I realized a bit late that I need 99-100% O2 sat. to even stay on the bicycle at this point. Making a long story short riding the trainer kicked my butt. Not that most things wouldn’t. However it really crushed my self-image to be so badly abused by such a small machine. It was like having to quit a marathon because you tripped on your own shoe lace and broke a leg. (well, that maybe a little random) All I can tell you is that riding thee old trainer will either make you stronger or make you sell it on ebay. Rich

CAR PROBLEMS

2005-11-15T20:13:00.000-08:00

Ok, where do I start? The story about my car goes back a few months and will probably only make sense if I give you all a little background. About three or four months ago my sister was in South Africa traveling through the jungles looking at some pretty cool animals. At the same time I was here in good old Loma Linda getting my butt kicked by Gross Anatomy. Upon her return she headed down south to Temecula to see a friend for a day or two. It was on one of these nights that I got "the call"... You know, " hey rich, I was wondering if you wanted to buy my car?"....huh.??? What are you talking about? I was thinking.... Subaru outback.??? yeah.... that would be cool... huh. "Why?" was all i could ask her. Well, I kinda bought a new car today and was wondering if you would like to have(buy, purchase) the old one? Well, I needed a new car cause the beast that I was driving was beginning to show signs of fatigue. "OK." I said in a moment of weakness. I'll buy it. Then began the brother sister barter trade type talking to see what was at stake here. A price was agreed upon and both parties were happy. Next the "red bandit" (richie's new car) had to be retrieved from Temecula. Where it was lurking following the purchase of the "Black Pearl". It came home with me and was a pleasure to drive. So somewhere around here is when the story gets good.
I went out to Utah to work on my house that needed a little room repair. Along the way the old dummy light on the dash comes on. "CHECK ENGINE" Well, I call my sis, and she says : hey don't worry about it the light kinda comes on once in a while. Ok says I and away I go.. Sure enought the next day the light goes out and were feeling good again. Well, the light came on again and stayed on for like a week. I checked every fluid level and all the wires and plugs. Nothing. So I keep driving .. always on the look out for anything funny. Yesterday I finally said you know what I gott get this light checked by a "pro" Vs. a rookie like myself. In to the Subaru dealer the "red bandit" goes. They tell me she will be ready at 4:00pm and I leave feeling AOK about the whole deal.. Thinking nice choice son. Your gonna get all this foolishness figured out once and for all. The phone rings.. "HEllo" yeah rich?? yeah, Hey this is so and so from the Subaru dealer and I have some good new and some bad news..... Ok... what's the good new? We found the problem with your car! hey thats great... What's the bad news....? Yeah... ahh.. it's the #3 valve compression... yadah yadah yadah.. a bunch of mumbo jumbo I don't know and then followed by a # that almost made be wet my pants... it's gonna cost how much?????? I was thinking this guy must be talking about some other vehicle......cause my ride ain't worth that much money. So, taking a few minutes to contemplate the situation I resolved to have the work done. After returning home this afternoon I was thinking ... hey , How much more could it cost to put a new STI 300hp turbo charged engine in my ride? The answer ...4500 dollar... yeah.. ok well I didnt' have the amount needed to repair the old engine so what does it matter if i go in the hole for a couple thousand more dollars? hmmmmm... This is the kind of thinking that gets our government into trouble everyday. Why buy one? When you can buy two at double the cost? Yep that kind of economic reasoning is running this wonderful country.. I wish they were working on my car... Well, needless to say I am having the car fixed. They only problem is that they are pretty certain that they will not be finished before Turkey day.. In which case I will be Fred Fintstoning my A@$ Around LLU for about 10 days.. Yeah.. cool huh.. well, maybe I can loose that extra 5-10lbs. by doing a little ambulation. Keep you posted.. Not likely to happen though.. I am too smart to let a little walking help me loose wait. I will probably increase the "CT" factor (couch-time) to match the increased walking.
Car Problems make you wonder why we buy cars. I might get adventurous and ride a little public transport. Now that would be a story worth telling. I promise you that. I drive by the bus stop in the morning. Them cats have been out there for a while, waiting for the bus. You can tell by the number of McNugget containers that are laying empty around them. Some of them people are living at the bus stop. They ride the bus out on expeditions to find food. Then its back to the BS (bus stop) I will have to try the local system out... See how functional it is. Until Then I am out of GAS and OUT of a CAR. So Enjoy driving yours and if you see me walking around LLU. Don't be afraid to lay on the horn and crank down a window to hollar out a "WAAASSS UP" to a brother as I'm heading to or from school. Rich

"ONE HAND OR TWO"

2005-11-10T13:25:00.000-08:00

Today I saw something that I believed never possible. Call me naive or even the hopeless romantic. Yet, never the less it was unbelievable. A person who you see as beautiful and kind from all angles and references, heart broken. It was truly sad. (Now I must quickly inject that "anyone" in such a case should be equally understood) In most cases however, I would usually be able to say, "That’s too bad, but I could see that one coming". I trust many of us have said these words, to friends or acquaintances, and therefore can relate to my use of this comment. It shocked me in this particular case, because I could see only kindness in this person.
It crossed my mind that many people often only think of self in a relationship. This is not a new concept, being that the world has been around a long time and has seen many self-centered individuals who care only about self. These self-centered people enter relationships looking for what they may personally gain from being in this relationship. For example: "If I date this person, people will view me as being cool" Or "I will look good if I have this type of girlfriend" You know what I am talking about here, "I want a girl who likes the outdoors, but is not too woodsman like", "She needs to be pretty, but she cant know she's pretty", Most of these demands are unrealistic, and if these are not enough, try adding, she needs to be "single". I think the girl in this reference lives next to Snowwhite in fantasy land, just around the corner from tomorrow land.
If you live on this planet and have a criteria list with any of the above comments I can tell you living on this planet is going to be lonely for you my friend! Yet, do not despair you may still find a person who makes you smile, or causes butterflies to fly around in your stomach. When you do find this person hold on with two hands.
The problem we face in this world lurks in my last sentence. Most people only take hold of a single hand. Not willing to let go of whatever they have in the other. Constantly weighing the value of each at every turn it the road. It then becomes a constant choice between to loves. In which case there is always one that is not chosen. This person will be forever split between the two. Life is hard enought with out adding any additional troubles.
I make no claim to know all, or even to understand all of lifes questions. I have only one small bit of knowledge learned through a short time spent wandering this planet. It seems that those who find a person that makes them happy in this world are those who take hold of both hands. It is wise to choose happiness over some trivial fade, or phase you may be going through. Tomorrow the fade may be gone, or the phase may no longer hold you captive. The person who you hold close will change with you, and over time you will see. Life is much better holding Two Hands then only one. Good luck my friends and remember. Life is only what you make of it. Live it to the fullest. Rich

Ps. To my friend: You are truly a wonderful person and have much to offer to those around you. Do not be sad that one person on this large planet was too myopic to see the magnitude of the beauty you possess. rb

A Note to the Great "Kelly OH"

2005-11-10T11:44:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention that I did not recognize the great Kelly Oh at school today. So I have to say "hey" kelly... Whats up? your looking good my friend... Rich

What are you looking for?

2005-11-09T17:43:00.000-08:00

What are you looking for? The question resounds throughout the universe. Each answer different than the last, each convinced their answer in correct. The best I can do is to offer you a different way to view of the question. Try hearing the question vs. speaking the question. There can be no better way to ask this qustion. U2 Rocks this question. Check these guys out.

Watch Videos:

I STILL HAVEN'T FOUND WHAT I'M LOOKING FOR (U2) Video Codes by VideoCodeZone.Com

Watch Videos:

WITH OR WITHOUT YOU (U2) Video Codes by VideoCodeZone.Com

Hope you enjoy them as much as I do. Rich

Caffeine

2005-11-04T06:47:00.000-08:00

Here is the wonderful yet, terrible Caffeine Molecule. Its a big mover. Caffeine is able to keep about 90% of Americans on the road to work today. Way to go little fella! If little old Caffeine can stimulate that many sleep deprived Americans to go to work. What could our society do if we put a little in the water fountain at work? ha ha ha yeah......ok.. Well I gotta tell ya. This little chemical has the world on a string. Go ahead, enjoy your Caffeine today. Expect a follow up piece on Caffeine in the near future.... Rich

Attitude and Amplitude

2005-11-03T07:05:00.000-08:00

Have you ever listened to music and wondered as to what the ultimate goal of the sounds they were making really was? It would seem a bit assumptive to believe you can interpret the entire meaning of a song or know what the intended experience was by just listening. A good example is to look at performers today as they dance around in concert. What is the message? The body language, the dance step, or the volume, or the clothes they are wearing? Sometimes it is imperative to note the style and movement of the musician. But, other times it is nice to turn down the attitude and the amplitude and just enjoy the music. Last night such an opportunity came knocking. Fernando Ortega who plays and sings with a refreshing simplistic style that was relaxing to hear and easy to understand. He did not play loudly or use any flashy key strokes to capture the listener. He simply played his songs from the heart and let the music speak. It was good music for the heart, and mind. Check out some of his songs. Rich

Halloween

2005-10-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

I forgot that today was the big sugar fest of October. It was not till I got to the front of the line and started ordering my morning coffee fix that it crossed my mind. "Hey, she doesn't usually wear a Naughty Nurse outfit, and that other girl.... Was she always dressed like a french maid?" I pretended not to notice that difference in dress, and ordered my standard non-fru-fru drink, the old faithful of coffee houses everywhere "House coffee". I guess you might also refer to it as the cheapest coffee on the menu. (It also comes with a refill!) Where was I ... oh yeah.. Halloween. Now where in the world other than the US would be able to find a holiday created or crafted toward a demographic of young children living in a sugar/french Fry/Soda saturated culture. Then on top of that, shape this holiday to require elaborate and expensive costumes for the children to wear and hit the streets in search of free handouts of candy. I mean doesn't anyone see a problem here? When was the last time a child could be seen turning down "FREE" candy? yeah.. uhhhh.. like never. Ok so with that small point established I would have say that we should try to change a bit. But until then I will have to go along with the old "when in Rome, ya.. da.. ya.. da.. ya.. da.... Happy Candy Gathering Kids.
Keep an eye out... You may see some strange looking people out there.. I mean check this guy out.

Coffee : "Friend or Foe"?

2005-10-31T19:01:00.000-08:00

It has been brought to my attention that I drink a lot of coffee. This is most likely a true comment, due to my arrival at school with a cup of coffee in hand every morning. A nice cup of coffee in the morning is not the worst way to pass the first several hours till you get your eyes open. This addictive stimulant is Legal, Cheap, and in your face. Here in America we can find no shortage of Coffee shops and little kiosks where you can purchase your Java for minimal expense. I believe that we should always have an understanding of any substance we ingest. Coffee should not there for be overlooked. Ok, off we go to find out the finer points of our friend coffee.

How much Caffeine is in a drink, food, pills? Lets Check it out. The National Soft Drink Assoc.... NSDA ... (can you believe they have a job looking at Sodas?)
They gave us some #'s about mgs. of Caffeine per 12 oz. Soda... here are a few of the favorites.
Good old Jolt cola leading the way with 71.2 mgs., followed closely by sugar-free Mr. Pibb @ 58.8 mgs, Mt. Dew @ 55.0, then we see a little drop about 10 pt.s to hit Coca-cola weighing in at 45.6, Pepsi brings up the tail end of our list at a meger 37.2 mgs. (No wonder you can't get a buzz on the stuff) ... That wraps up the Soda side lets see how that compairs with a cup of Coffee.

In your standard 7 oz coffee we see a variance by how the coffee was made. A drip coffee is kickin with a rip roaring 115-175 mgs, Espresso 100 mgs. (thats a single shot) about 1.5 oz. ZAP! If your brewing the stuff your gonna see only about 80-135mgs. Instand 65-100, Tea-30-70mgs depending on if its iced or instant. Now we have established how much Caffeine you will get.. Lets see what the stuff will do to you. ( Here is what the Caffeine Molecule looks like)

In Humans the Caffeine Molecule works primarily on the Brain and skeletal muscles. Caffeine is an alkaloid. We find it lurking in Cacao bens, cola nuts, and several other plants.

There are numerous compounds called alkaloids, among them we
have the methylxanthines, with three distinguished compounds:
caffeine, theophylline, and theobromine,found in cola nuts,
coffee, tea, cacao beans, mate and other plants. These compounds
have different biochemical effects, and are present in different
ratios in the different plant sources. These compounds are very
similar and differ only by the presence of methyl groups in two
positions of the chemical structure. They are easily oxidized to
uric acid and other methyluric acids which are also similar in
chemical structure.

This explains a bit of why after drinking that cup of coffee you
may soon feel the need to use the restroom. Life for the average
Joe begins with a cup of this lovely nectur. A steaming brew of
Chemical compounds your enzymes are all to ready to breakdown.
It is this wonderful point that I will attempt to address in my next
Caffine article. Rich

Mt. Rushmore

2005-10-31T00:57:00.000-08:00

I was in Nichol hall today studing ortho for an exam tomorrow when I saw a map and started looking for places to go. I saw Mt. Rushmore and I thought. Man, I gotta see that big A#$ rock. So, I am on it.

See more progress on: visit Mt. Rushmore

Did the time Change?

2005-10-30T18:36:00.000-08:00

It was the night before the time change all through the house not a clock was set not even a little. I was studing till they through me out of the coffee shop. Then several hours before the time change I took a look at the clocks lurking around the house and made a mental note to remember the time would not be correct in the morning if I don't spin them back an hour. Well, I got busy studing and soon after faded off to bed. The last thought I had was something like, "my cell phone will auto update the time". So the alarm goes off. I stretch over and turn it off. "Man it feels good to get another hour of sleep. Well, I gear up and jump on my bike for the Sunday morning suffer fest. I arrive at the coffee shop about fifteen minutes later. I see my buddy Andy hanging out side talking to the TREK rep Greg. I noted that Andy's coffee cup is like a quarter down already. I look around wondering if I will have time to sit and enjoy a slow cup myself. A minute later I am sitting in the warm sun cause my A@$ is numb from riding over to the shop. I look around and not two more guys show up and I was like yeah, here we go. The ride usually leaves at 8~8:15 so I was thinking some of the guys forgot to set their clocks back and overslept... hmm..... So, I call my budy Eddy. Rich:"Are you riding? Or are you hidding? What's the deal man?" Eddy: "Rich, its 7:15 man..." Rich: "NO WAY?" "ah Idiot" "AHHHH" I then realized I had been swindled out of about an hour of good solid sleep. Yet, strangely enough I felt good for getting out of bed at like 6:00 on a Sunday. The point is don't trust your cell phone. rich

Pigmies on the battlefields of life!

2005-10-26T18:32:00.000-07:00

It seems funny that throughout life we are constantly pivoting from one focus to another. If we are not shifting our focus we soon become bored in the stagnate life that has been created. This is why we must be aware of the pitfalls which a mundane life may bring and avoid them at all costs. It was this exact thought that caused me to get out of the trenches and move on to the battle field of life.

In my feable attempt to thwart boredom, I left the little town of loma linda and headed for the clear skies and clean air available in arrowhead. I can tell you that there are few feelings better then coming out on top of the world and looking back down on only clouds. It is a great way to kick boredom to the curb.

I have included a photo of the afore mentioned pigmies. I would say not out on the field of battle quite yet, but ready at a moments notice. Left to Right. Andrew, Wendy, Natalie, Rich, Randy.
What a crew. We traveled up the hill in search of adventure and to grub on some Belgian Waffles. The local area sports one of the best places in which to enjoy said waffles it is called, "Waffle Works" and is located in the lake Arrowhead city center. Arriving at the city center ( in a new world record time) we piled out of the "BLACK PEARL"(Actually a car), and headed off in our search for waffles. Wendy being nearly as quick as her car. Headed in first to get our names on the list. No good waffle house would be without a list of people waiting outside. I mean there is a 40 min. wait at IHOP so lets be real for a minute. She returned a few minutes later with a very confused look on her face. "The are experiencing techincal difficulties in the kitchen and are closing early!" Say, what? I want some waffles. Well, after a few heated moments and a lot of counting to ten. We headed off to the coffee shop, mainly because everything else was like 16 dollars for a buffet breakfast without waffles. The coffe shop lady said that the plumbing was backing up and that the kitchen down stairs in the waffle works was flooding. (Katrina or Rita what do you think?) Well, we enjoyed a nice cup of coffee with great friends and headed off to do some shopping in the local city center mall. I was lucky enough to find the biggest 14 dollar waste of money yet produced are you ready..... A flying superman minifigure. Yeah it was kinda a spur of the moment "CAFFEINE" induced purchase. Well, the thing rocks, It buzzes around your living room or where ever you put the guy with speed and grace. Superman Rocks! That little purchase and a few more hair raising corners courtesy of the "Pearl" returned us to the land of the smog. We venture forth once more "pigmies on the battlefields of life."

"Birthday Bash"

2005-10-22T18:17:00.000-07:00

Well, another year has past and yep I am now a member of the 30 somethings club. It feels the same but you get some looks when you tell people how old you are. Your 30.... wow..!! I guess it must be surprise that I look so young for my age!!! hahahha yeah.. not likely... It's more like "I thought you were 40 something... ah haha well .. what can you do? Party on friends party on.....................................................

EKG for RSB

2005-10-19T23:40:00.000-07:00

This week we are studing the lovely EKG or ECG your choice they mean the same thing. I can tell you that I never thought in PT we would be learning all this stuff. However the opportunity is welcome. It is interesting to see how the muscles in your heart are in perfect rythmn and maintain it through coffee both real and fake. I had wanted to understand the ECG, but now I realize that there is more information about how to read a 12 point print out, than there would be to get a manual of how to build a working battleship.
In my attempt to better understand this new world of heart stuff. I decided to shoot a little blog about what the little bugger looks like. So take a look at the picture. It should be somewhere on the right. Then tell yourself that this is what you want to see on your own EKG/ECG if you ever get one. Then look to the pic on the left side of this page. That one is a not so good one option to have. In my review of many articles and studies looking for the understanding of all the up's and down's. I was forced to call several people to help me gain some real knowledge. I would like to therefore thank the little people(MD's) in the ER @ St. B's your guys rock. Thanks for the help. In addition to there help I contacted Bio-Chica. She was a plethera of knowledge. I did find it funny that we had both read similar books on the EKG. Coincidence???? Who knows. Well, my friends I must say that is about all I want to say about that.

Mid-Terms are upon us! Run.. run.. run!!!

2005-10-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Mid terms are Kicking my butt and its only week one.

A Happy "21" Birthday for "Greta"

2005-10-18T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, everyone I would like to Introduce another friend of mine. One I am lucky to be in school with for the next several years. Her name is Greta, she in the DPT program and is always fun to be around. Today is her B-Day. Soooooo. I would like to Take a moment to say "HAPPY BIRTHDAY" GRETA from all your classmates at LLU. Hope your 21st yr. in life is a great one! It comes to mind that several things become legal at the age of 21 so be careful out there. Being on the wagon isn't so bad.... Cause you can watch the rest of the crazies.. look crazy.. Happy Birthday. Rich

"I Don't Want Real Coffee!"

2005-10-18T16:06:00.000-07:00

I was standing in line at the GFE to get some coffee to take to class, when the lady infront of me raised her voice and says "Decafe"!!! "I ordered Decafe!" I don't want real coffe like I got last week! This lady was getting a bit agro for 7:45 am. I was like chill out baby. The Caffine may take the edge off whatever your dealing with. Can you imagine... I mean this lady was in a coffee shop ordering a coffee, yet she does not want REAL coffee? Ok.. That was random. I went throught my first cup of REAL coffee. Trying to understand why anyone in their right mind would pay the price of like $1.75 or something to drink a hot cup of bad tasting water strained through some highly altered coffee beans. Out of control! Nice Lady. You win a wacky moment award for paying for something you want, but you want it not real. I am a big fan of real! Not just coffee but everything. It is have a good friend who is not real. A stuffed animal is nice.... But I like my dog. You get the idea. So Tomorrow when you get out of bed.. Well assuming you can. Try and have a real day with really fun times. I know I will. Rich

Book Review: Portuguese Irregular Verbs

2005-10-17T22:56:00.000-07:00

Well It has come to my attention that I have not been enlightening my fellow bloggers with any of the great literary pieces which have passed across my desk of late. So, in a feable attempt at fixing this short coming, I would like to present a book by Alexander McCall Smith. He is an amazing British author with a unique way of mixing amusement with drama to make a book come alive. His work in question is none other then the Classic Portuguese Irregular Verbs. I should add that the name of this book does very little to interest the reader, unless they are of course a linguist. In which case, this may stir some deep longing to study the irregular verbs in yet another language. I for one have difficulty understanding this urge, coupled with the lack of comprehending what the hell an irregular verb is, in the first place. Yet the struggle moves on. It was however a good read. The plot was great. I find that by telling you much about the book. I would ruin the reading potential this book has to offer. So..... when you have a chance you should get down to the local library and pick up a copy. You can also find this absolute classic on Audio Tape at the Loma Linda Public Library. Check it out I am sure you will enjoy this one.

Alexander McCall Smith has many other books, which I am currently reading in my free time. I have so much free time recently .. yeah .. well I can dream. Can't I? I would also recommend the book The Finer Points of Sausage Dogs. A real classic. I could not put this one down. It was a truely well thought out book. Filled with many more examples of marvalous British humor.

Pro Mountain Bikers Rock

2005-10-15T22:38:00.000-07:00

Pro Mountain biking is a sport that is often times overlooked by the public. It gets thrown in a category with all the other quote "Extreme" sports. People scratch it off the list of things to check out. I would like to show several reasons/people that represent the true heart of a great sport. Here is my friend Jeff Evans a hard working Pro rider for the KHS Team. I mean look at this guy. He is the epitome of cool. Just by looking at the pic your already thinking, "I wanna hang out with this dude". Not to mention, the fact that he competes in downhill, slalom and the mother of all evil 4 man MX. He has shown good form all season long riding hard and placing well. A man to keep your eye on. If you wanna see this guy in action your in luck. He was featured in a four page spread of Decline Magazine, and is all over the new 2006 Azonic catalog. I looked at some of the pics and they were sick. The Decline mag article was great! I have to say Evans has really raised the bar, on and off the bike, especially with rallying his civic WRC style in the pea gravel at the campsite. Rally's rock! Mt. bikers have a style all your own. No Chedder cheese here my friends!
(Jeff checking on the competition)

My other friend Dave K. is also a madman on the bicycle. He turns out some of the fastes times on the NORBA Downhill series every year. He is always a contender in every race he enters. I have been riding with Jeff and Dave several times when all I saw after the up-hill section was a cloud of dust. They haul A@%! Dave "K" recently won the Canada cup race in Whistler, BC. This guy has been riding hard this year. Congrats Dave looking good bro.

These guys work hard. Traveling around the country racing different venues. It's their love and commitment to the sport that keeps them riding hard. It is always a blast to go out for a ride with these guys. If your fit and willing to take a few diggers you can pin it with the fellas. I would warn you from experience. Just because they didn't brake into the corner does not mean you shouldn't! These guys have "handling skills" that will overcome the laws of physics alot of the time. I would recommend before riding some of the more gwarly trails with these guys, giving your health insurance a call just to see what the ER coverages are. It may give you a little more respect for the trail. The long and short of it is summed up in the fact that these guys are out there pushing the limits. No matter what the conditions or terrain. If you get a chance, get off your A@# and check out one of the local races. I promise you will not be disappointed by what you see.

A "Third Grade Neuro" Moment!

2005-10-12T22:05:00.000-07:00

I would like to point out the huge commitment that LLU has made for it's lovely group of Third Graders this year. They have gone thought a lot to provide clean rooms for study, and plenty of Play-Doh to make all the kiddies happy. Just look at the smiles on their faces as these classmates. Who would ever guess that this much happiness could be generated from making brain stems out of Play-Doh. They are doing a very good job of forming a brain stem. I think if I tried this type of experiment you would have a lot of cleaning up to do, and very little brain stem to show for it. In any event, I think these guys deserve a firm and hardy hand shake for a job well done. Nice work gang! See ya next week. For another adventure in Third Grade Neuro! In closing check out what you can do with play-doh. Plato????
Contests??? can you believe it? Amazing!

Nerd Status

2005-10-12T21:52:00.000-07:00

Nerd status is a funny thing. I mean in high school everyone was pretty much doing anything, and I mean anything to not be labled a nerd. However as time passes, and we progress through this crazy thing we call life. We note more and more nerd-like behaviors becoming "main stream". You may even think to yourself "Lucky" I mean just look around you, at your friends. How many own a computer? How many have a graphing calculator? Do you know what 273K would be in Celcius? Do you find yourself checking your palm pilot before you make any weekend plans? Do you watch C-span vs. the five'O clock news? Well, that would raise your nerd level to somewhere near "King of the Nerds" status. I hope that this little update has hightened your awareness to your change to becoming a Nerd. If this has stirred a little curiosity in you as to how much of a nerd you are then I have the answer for you. Check out this link. Enjoy. Go to Nerdland!
Wanna take a nerd Test?

Watch out for Omnitrans!

2005-10-10T19:34:00.000-07:00

Many people are able to multi-task it turns out I am not one of them. How do I know this piece of information, you might ask. It was today that I confirmed a theory I had been considering for quite some time. I am completely a one task type of guy. It was not long in coming, but oh did it drop the hammer. Omni trans of Loma Linda came down on me like hail from the clear blue sky. I mean wow..... So there I was, walking up Anderson St. with Doug (King of the Lawn) Hill, who I was politely asking Ortho qustions for the quiz we were about to take. I believe, I was asking if he could tell me the difference between primary and secondary impingment of the glenohumeral jt. when...a *$&%ing Omnitrans sign connected with my frontal bone and down I went. It was total chaos for a moment until the ringing from my ears died down. As I looked about me I could still see my notes slowly and peacefully gliding throught the air on their own way to the ground. I positioned my self like a NFL lineman in a huddle by taking a knee on the sidewalk. I quickly assessed the situation. Instantly I surmised I had lost some skin from the blow to the head and it was quickly starting to say "I'm gonna leave a mark!". So I gathered my notes and holding my head to stop the bleeding. Thanked Doug for his concern over my head and than asked about why he never said something like, "Hey rich, look out for the Omnitrans sign in the middle of the sidewalk." Well, the moral of the story is that you should always keep your eyes on the Omnitrans signs, and check with a friend before multi-tasking. They may tell you your a single task person like me.

Casino Pt. , Catalina

2005-10-09T23:57:00.000-07:00

For the average person it may be just a small hunk of land off the coast of the biggest fashion and movie production city the globe has seen for centuries. Yet, others may see it as a refuge from the constant smog and busy schedule which keep us running helter skelter. Personally I have to take the second option. I also have to say that I enjoy Catalina Islands other wonders those not found above sea level. I am a scuba diver and Catalina is one of the best locations in Southern California. It offers clear water and a large variety of fish, many can be found close to shore for those who would rather snorkle or kayak. It was this magnetic pull of clear water and cool fish that got me out of bed at 4:30 Sat. morning to head to San Pedro to catch the one hour ferry ride across the channel to the Catalina. I sacked out for a little rest on the bench out side the port of San Pedro. Aldran did some sweet driving and helped us arrive a few minutes early for our ferry. This also gave us time to sip a cup of coffee and eat a muffin before falling asleep on the boat. When I woke up it was cool, and the weather looked like it might rain. The taxi driver assured us that it would not rain and that the clouds would burn off by 10:00 am. (I should have put some money on that one) The day was great, except for a slight breeze. Which would chill you down real quick after being at 100 ft. for 45 min. The dives were excellent. Aldran and his girlfriend Shiva were my dive buddies for the day. It was barrels of fun swimming in and around ship wrecks, chasing lobster, and looking for octopus. It was nice, really nice .. We finished the day off with a night dive and several cups of hot coco to warm up the old body before the ferry ride home. All in all a great day. More Photos to come on this one.. oh yeah.. more photos.

To Glove or not to Glove

2005-10-09T21:23:00.000-07:00

My friend Bio-chica was talking to me last night and I noticed a set of Garden gloves in her back seat. I thought wow a very over zealous patron of the biological realm. It came as quite a surprise to me to hear her say that she did not do any gardening at all, but that she used them to pump her gas. "Nice", I thought. You keep your hands from smelling like gas from the pump. What a great idea! A big swing and another miss!!! She tells me that no she is not concerned with the gas smell on her hands, but rather she is worried about all the dirty hands that have been touching the pump before she got to it. Riiiight... So .... let me get this straight.. you wear gloves to pump gas to avoid getting one of those ichy rashes that are skulking about the gas pumps waiting for an opportunistic chance to climb on to a finger or thumb and cause disease or some other possibility. Well Bio-chica, I have to agree there were some pretty scary looking people at the pump today.... and more scary than that is the part where they all said, "HEY Rich, how's it goin?" yep the RB has some skeletons in the ol' d closet. ha ha ha nah.. You never know.. What you pay for at the pump may get you more than gasoline. So I leave it in your hands to Glove or Not Glove.

Coffee and a Bagel

2005-10-06T19:54:00.000-07:00

My sister who is currently in New Orleans working for DMAT called me today and relayed several facts about the clean up effort. The number one fact is that food is pretty darn expensive and at times hard to find. The fast food places don't even have the full menu available. It's either this or that. Option A or Option B.... ha ha ha ha yeah..ok so you want a Big Mac with Cheese and a large what? Oh. I am sorry sir but we do not currently have that item available, would you like to add something else instead? Oh, I am sure that would go over like a lead balloon. Try that in LA For a week or two see how they like it. Well, the skinny is no pun intended, that the price of a single cup of drip coffee and a bagel this morning in New Orleans was $7.50 Now mind you that is a simple cup of house coffee and a normal (made on this planet by humans) bagel for 7.50. Sound like robbery to you? Well its breakfast to alot of people. Better start saving your box tops and betty crocker points. Hope all is well with all of you. Especially the WB and DMAT crew in New Orleans. Rich

Pigmies in the Jungles of Life!

2005-10-06T17:46:00.000-07:00

The thought comes to mind of a tribe of three foot people swinging around on vine branches. Well, there are those days when you wish you could just swing around in the trees and not have to study anything. Today is one of those days. Now it is entirely possible that you might not actually be having one of those days, but one of those weeks and just not be aware of it yet. A prime example is my Friend Claire who has been having one of those weeks. She bought a calendar several weeks ago and was happy with her purchase. However she had been noting some strange things happening to her. Her timing for things was just off a little. Like wishing her mother Happy B-day a day early. It was in fact that event that clued her in to the problem. She had bought a 2006 calendar. Hang in there Claire 2006 is coming.

Here is my friend Lauren. She is the brains of our group. If you have a problem with your neuro homework..... yeah enough said..she's on it.
Time to hit the books......I'm out
Rich

A note to the fans of "Brain Boy"

2005-10-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

A note from "Brain Boy" to the kids at table #2. When looking at this pic it appears to the viewer that a class of rather large 3rd graders are struggling with a coloring project. This could however be a group of DPT students working on a drawing (from memory) of a spinal cord. The basic point here is that no matter how many times you ask people to do something like draw a picture or something. It is always easier to do if you have skittles or Gummy Bears.

I must however point out the reading material on the left side of this picture. It does not look like the Brain Atlas to me, but what do I know.. (Kids at play time)
Ask the Brain Boy.... maybe he knows...

Random Moment With Japanese Nurses?

2005-10-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

Here is a genuine event that can only happen in Loma Linda. I mean, where else in the world can you be just walking down the street and be jumped by like ten Japanese Students in "white suits"? Each of which has a camera and wants to take a picture with you. It is out of control. Absolutely no explaination to be had. Here is the fruit of their labor.. (now the real random thing here is that I also took a picture!)
Crazy days my friends . Crazy days.
I'm out .. rich

Time Trial Season

2005-10-05T16:11:00.000-07:00

It is the time of the year when cyclists start hanging up the road bikes and pulling out the arrow bars to start the time trial series. It has become more popular to race TT's this year. Possibly due to the increased public awareness caused by Lance's winning the Tour again. #7 Well, what ever the reason this years TT series promises to have some great competition.
Lancaster offered several TT's this year. My good friend Evert and his brother Ernie talked me into entering several of these the two man, and Four man team TT's. We ride regularly together so I knew that I would need to train hard to be able to contribute as a 2nd man in the two man event, and as the 4th man in the four man team event. The Lohman brothers are always strong and this year has proved once again that they can turn the big ring.
(R-L) Ernie, Evert, Rich

Aligators Bite!

2005-10-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

Well as we all know there were several small storms that wiped out Louisianna and parts of Texas. Some parts have now been flooded twice. This has been difficult on many people in the area. So our good old Government agency FEMA has called in health care workers and people of all occupations to help clean up and support the people of the area.
My sister the great WB has been a member of DMAT (Disaster Medical Assistance Team), http://teams.fema.gov/dmat , and was called up to respond to this most recent disaster meaning RITA not Katrina. Currently she stationed in New Orleans working to support the local Hospital staff. She called me last night and told me that one of the biggest injuries is Alligator Bites now as for me personally I can not imagine how you treat a bite from one of these creatures. I mean what do you do.... ask the gator for the leg back, or do you just bring the patient gator and all into the E.R. together? I got a good laught out of some of the stories of crazy stuff we just don't see out here in sunny SoCal. Cheers to all the Volunteers and Healthcare workers who have taken time to be a part of rebuilding our nation.

Tuesday

Another ride up sunset and around the loop. The weather was perfect other than the wonderful head wind which would hit you on any exposed section of the climb. It gets dark so early these days that most riders are tring to go out early in an attempt to get more than a single lap in before dark. As Grant "seven pancake" Sample put it " Bring out the lights " as he tore up sunset with his high beam on. Uneventful, ride.

Planning a dive weekend out at Calalina this Sat. with a friend of mine Aldran. It looks like diving conditions are fair, and H2O temp going down.
Check the Dive Conditions at this site:Dive conditions

This past Friday night Aldran and I went diving in Laguna at Shaws Cove. The drive was not too bad, most likely due to the fact that we took the toll road. As we reached Laguna Sea Sports ( a nice dive shop in Laguna) which is owned by a friend of mine Gordon.
Well turns out Gordon and company are having the annual Chilli cook off so people were crawling all over the place with piping hot Chilli and stories to keep you laughing for hours. This party was a long one. We entered the water for our dive around 8:00 pm and returned to the shop after the dive and the revelers were watching the classic movie Sea Hunt. Good Times and great people.The Diving was amazing as well. We saw several Horn Sharks , and many Spanish Shawl (Flabellina iodinea) This made for an adventurous dive. Allong with many small other factors such as the fact that the bio-illuminesense was beyond explanation . I t could only be said that of the many dives at Shaws Cove this was a good one. Well that will do it I'm out.

What is under your back seat?

2005-10-03T23:56:00.000-07:00

Turns out my digital camera was under a backseat for nearly a month. The camera was somehow inserted under the seat during a mad dash return from a Time Trial out in Lancaster, CA. I thought it was lost for sure. I was searching the internet for a good deal on a camera when my friend Eddy told me his brother had found it under the seat. Good times are here again.

LLU kicking my butt!

2005-10-03T23:00:00.000-07:00

LLU
For the past three months my fellow PMPT students have been slugging away at school. However the bomb was finally dropped this past week.
With the beginning of a new quarter we have been introduced (quite politely i may add) to a real schedule of classes. We suffer from a load of 23 units. The number sounds so bland. Lets add a few course names to spice things up a bit. Physiology, Histology, Orthopaedics, and Neural Anatomy to name a few. You can feel the blood pressure rise with every hour of lecture that passes. I can hardly wait for next quarter.

Lowering The Stress.
Stress release can be difficult when your time is limited. Getting outside works well for me so if I am not out riding my bike or diving I begin to feel bit twitchy. Some times you need a good road trip.
Planning a trip soon...