tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-182336802012-02-16T08:59:29.806-05:00Fun With Empty NestingBaileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.comBlogger751100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-38721006707697514192011-09-10T12:11:00.000-04:002011-09-10T12:11:45.892-04:00

It has taken my until today to be able to post this. September 1, 2011, my father was finally released from the 88 year old frame that had come to be his shackle. He is free again to fly. Dad's release was peaceful and painless after a day spent joking with his family. We should all be so lucky. He is loved and his wisdom and counsel will be missed, but he owes us nothing. The debt is ours

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-56744503999379614112011-08-07T07:29:00.004-04:002011-08-07T07:54:44.909-04:00

Got a phone call from my dad in Tucson -- with my brother's help Dad hasn't been able to talk on the phone for some time. It is a little too abstract for him at this point on most days. But not this time. This time he was alert, he was funny and he knew I was me. He was up to date about my new job, had glib retorts after hearing we recently had 25 wild turkeys in our yard, etc. It was a full out

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-70926306273216134852011-07-31T12:21:00.009-04:002011-08-01T21:47:51.372-04:00

My husband has gained a whole new appreciation for parenting. Until April, he had a very romantic notion of what it is like to raise a puppy. In the last 3 months, though, he's come to see that it is a LOT like parenting. It has also given him a new respect for parents of young children and for what his own folks dealt with. Sunday was the first time we tried to take our two dogs, and our

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-73554203118841647702011-07-31T12:10:00.005-04:002011-07-31T12:19:29.190-04:00

Inspired by an article on CNN about Boston style, which was, in turn, inspired by a bespoke blog called Beyond Boston Chic, I thought I'd show that our own favorite Bostonian (specifically Cambridgeite) Grad student is respectably representin'.I think it's the Dior sunglasses (found on the Metro in Montreal, if I recall correctly) that really sew up the look. Then again it might be the smile of

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-32450530602287212002011-06-17T21:42:00.006-04:002011-07-31T14:18:24.481-04:00

So a little over a month ago -- we adopted a 16 week old puppy who we named, Lexi. I thought, "hey -- this will work, I'm home all day, I can train her." -- but within a week of bringing her home, my little world turned oddly upside down. I got a call from a temp agency. I never applied with them so I don't know how they got my resume, but they had a long-term temp position for which they

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-48179379304855283332011-04-05T09:29:00.010-04:002011-04-05T11:49:51.705-04:00

As a woman of a "certain age," I find myself at a place in life I never expected to be at this point -- lacking full time work. It is small comfort to know that I have plenty of company. Reports are that the unemployment rate of older workers is notably higher than mid-career people. It's also apparent that the longer older people remain unemployed, the less likely it becomes that they will ever

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-49462845558481163802010-12-12T22:15:00.006-05:002010-12-12T22:30:40.258-05:00

OK, ordinarily I would not be caught dead at the mall on a Sunday afternoon two weeks before Christmas. But I got an email this week that had me intrigued. It said that at 3:00 today at Buckland Hills in Manchester, CT, there would be a Flash Mob for Handel's Hallelujah Chorus.I'm a big fan of The Chorus so I decided to brave wind and rain and pestilence to see if anything would really happen.I

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-26978650516018695472010-09-02T01:32:00.004-04:002010-09-02T01:42:17.498-04:00

September 1, 2010 was the last day in the life of one of the dearest uncles one could hope to have. 80+ years of a a wonderful life, but he will be dearly missed all the same. Good night and God's speed Uncle Gene. We love you.

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-15996274071546596732010-08-28T19:15:00.005-04:002010-09-02T01:28:28.064-04:00

My niece and nephew have spent most of their young lives in the Arizona desert. So it is their sage opinion that "if it doesn't poke you, sting you, prick you or bite you -- it's not native to Arizona."Well I found out the hard way that the Western Grapeleaf Skeletonizer (Once again, I'm not making this up!) is a native. I found out while I was trimming dead stuff off my brother's grape

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-52198770405357963472010-08-04T15:19:00.003-04:002010-08-04T15:31:22.801-04:00

I tend to write this blog for myself more than anyone, knowing full well people seldom read it. So it was a pleasant surprise when I received some encouraging compliments on an older post. The boss of my would-be Andy Warhol must have been googling her restaurant and stumbled onto her link in my blog. She then told "Andy" about my post and he commented, too.I apparently made their day, much as

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-8552916815353573852010-06-30T11:09:00.004-04:002011-07-31T12:59:29.277-04:00

Two and a half years after the murder of 24 year old Jonathan Arroyo in front of his Hartford home, his killer was sentenced to 14 years in prison. Fourteen years. Not much to pay for the productive life lost and the lifetime of misery Jon's wife, sons, daughter, mother, brother, sister and friends will suffer without him. I feel a portion of guilt at this outcome. The state entered a plea

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-68938455785900097212010-05-07T01:18:00.005-04:002010-05-07T01:34:41.477-04:00

While sitting on my brother's patio, finishing a feeble attempt at a watercolor of the Catalina Mountains at sunset, I noticed a movement out of the corner of my eye. When I looked down, I saw the cutest, itty-bitty rodent. It's big black eyes seemed to be studying me almost familially.Google freak that I am, I had to find out what the little guy was. First of all, it looked like this and was

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-68493442017414852162010-04-17T08:53:00.002-04:002010-04-17T08:57:14.003-04:00

Ratta, tat, tat. Ratta, tat, tat. Ratta, tat, TAT!Seriously? A woodpecker hammering on the roof at 6:30 in the morning? On a rainy saturday? When the only sensible thing to do is sleep in?Not funny, God!

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-35430809233737143182010-04-15T21:34:00.003-04:002010-04-15T21:40:48.443-04:00

I have seen scores of Springs, yet every one that comes around never fails to delight and amaze. I love that about Spring.Today afforded one of those very special Spring moments. I was walking the dog in a field when I very nearly stepped on something I'd never seen before -- a Trout Lily. It hugs the ground, standing only about 3 inches high with a flower only an inch or so across. Delicate

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-68072292375653348882010-03-28T15:24:00.006-04:002010-03-28T15:59:23.975-04:00

Ok, Sometimes I say painting is easy. Or if not easy, at least fun and satisfying. Like this little season-based quadratych (I made that up) that I worked on here and there to help pass the late winter days.And even the get-out-of-the-ol'-comfort-zone abstract can be rewarding. Sadly... these "hits" tend to

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-274892799773254252010-03-22T07:49:00.002-04:002010-03-22T08:01:17.852-04:00

Just an update on the job search...After my last job-related post my leads ran cold. The job with the long commute turned me down 5 months after I first applied. I was only a little disappointed because that hour and 15 drive each way was not a draw. Last week I interviewed to possibly cover someone's maternity leave this summer. The next day I had another interview at the same company to

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-15962222570159837232010-03-20T11:42:00.011-04:002010-08-01T00:34:10.855-04:00

Have you ever been out and found yourself suddenly and unexpectedly confronted by ART? I mean the kind of art that grabs you by the shoulders with both hands and says LOOK AT ME! It happened to me yesterday in a little breakfast joint called The Cosmic Omelet.The Cosmic sometimes features pieces for sale by local artists and photographers. Yesterday there was a collage portrait of an American

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-13081297689420117502010-01-24T11:13:00.006-05:002010-01-24T11:40:25.439-05:00

OK. Here I am, past the 6 month point in my latest unemployment. This week I have the not-so-rare priviledge of filing for a federal extension to my unemployment because my core benefits have run out. Still, I am growing increasingly optimistic.I'm in my third round of interviews with a company I like for a job that interests me with a group who seem pretty nice. I learned about it because I had

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-2721625449251764412009-12-14T18:47:00.003-05:002009-12-14T19:05:12.997-05:00

You'd think the Department of Labor would want you to pick up part time work while unemployed. I'm not so sure. I did a one day project in November and dutifully reported it. As promised, the DOL docked my next check and I thought that would be the end of it. Then a week went by -- no check. Another week went by -- no check. Nor any other communication from the DOL.I finally searched the entire

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-48460453531980096972009-12-06T11:24:00.002-05:002009-12-06T11:35:36.159-05:00

There's nothing like a lovely little overnight sugar coating to get the Christmas spirit rolling. Sure is pretty in the sunlight. Kind of takes the edge off spending the last 4+ months unemployed. Well, the odds of a new job between now and the end of the year are pretty much nil, so I'll just have to relax and enjoy the season. With a renewed appreciation that it is not about the price tags on

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-32469181575719101602009-10-27T15:46:00.007-04:002009-10-27T16:05:35.352-04:00

No need to pine for exotic locals. Our beautiful countrysides and coasts have so much to delight. Case in point, Cape Ann, north of Boston. On a gorgeous fall day, it's as pretty as anywhere on earth!

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-22895239264147854212009-10-22T22:42:00.005-04:002009-10-22T23:00:59.454-04:00

Came up with a couple of fun seasonal cocktails: Pumpkin Pie Martini and Cranberry Relish Martini.Pumpkin Pie MartiniCombine in a shaker:1 part Vodka1 part "Pumkin Spice" liquor1 part dairy 1/2and 1/21/2 part maple syrupCrushed IceShake until frothy then pour into martini glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg and dress with a dollup of whipped cream.Cranberry Relish MartiniCombine in shaker:1 part Black

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-17533436929465128592009-09-18T16:07:00.005-04:002009-09-18T16:30:19.016-04:00

Had a pleasure rare in my free lance experience today. I got to sit in the room when an audience viewed my work for the first time -- hear the reactions, the laughs in the right places, the nods, the applause. There were even a few teary eyes. Today was the symposium at the Quinnipiac Law School for Judge Constance Baker Motley. I wrote the script, my husband produced and directed it, and NPR's

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-11625845762581190482009-08-01T05:44:00.002-04:002009-08-01T05:54:27.300-04:00

OK. July is gone and good ridance. Could it have been wetter? But now August is here and the fog outside is so thick you can't see across the street. The weekend might be so-so, but then it's suppose to rain again for the first half of the week. ENOUGH ALREADY!

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-74900162588525656432009-07-19T16:45:00.002-04:002009-07-19T16:53:21.899-04:00

Sometimes it's nice to cap a really bad week -- saaay one where you lose your job and dozens of others you know and like lose theirs, too -- with a beautiful wedding. Follow that with a smashing party where you get to shuck your troubles and have a blast with many of your fellow unemployed (including the bride!!) AND a few of the somewhat unfortunate souls who kept their jobs but are stuck

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-16799546817508556572009-07-19T12:29:00.003-04:002009-07-19T12:40:24.786-04:00

OK, everyone knows Duncan is famous for being a "Girly Dog." There's the family story about him barking in terror at deer near our woods, and running back on the deck after he spotted a large rabbit in the yard. So imagine our amazement and horror at his reaction to finding a teeeeeny tiny bunny pressed down in the grass trying to look invisible. Duncan instantly snatching it up in his mouth!!!

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-14680580100656696822009-07-11T12:50:00.003-04:002009-07-11T12:54:27.021-04:00

Who Says High Definition television isn't really realistic? This poor woman was sure her home was on fire. Actually, I could see my dad having the same kind of confusion. :-(

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-17283065865777669212009-06-23T10:02:00.004-04:002009-06-23T10:35:21.494-04:00

This is a fact: it is illegal to talk on a cell phone in Connecticut while driving, unless you use a hands-free device. (Personally I think that part is stupid. It's not so much the phone-holding that gets people into trouble, it's the phone-using, but that's another story.) So why is it that every time I realize someone is tailgaiting me, I look closer and find they are mindlessly yakking on

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-25395088063528999322009-06-12T11:17:00.003-04:002009-06-12T11:31:07.903-04:00

Being something of a student of Web innovations, I'm always on the lookout for new ideas. Sometimes they are concepts I can use to improve our corporate websites, and sometimes they're just plain fun. Case in point, a friend sent me this companion catalogue page for a Dutch department store called HEMA. You can't actually order from this page, but who cares? Just let it load, then sit back and

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-83683968957074519782009-06-03T19:05:00.003-04:002010-04-10T22:18:46.161-04:00

Boy, I didn't know how right I was. The mission was impossible!I spent the last three weeks serving on a jury -- you knew that. But the fact that it was a murder trial puts it in a higher strata. So after spending seven of those days in deliberation, we ended up exactly where we started on the first day -- 10 of us said the defendant was at the crime scene and pulled the trigger, 2 said they

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-87478236134401318972009-05-29T18:07:00.004-04:002009-05-29T18:14:09.066-04:00

... getting 12 disparate people to see the same information the same way. Even after days and days of trying! Who knew it would be so very, very difficult?

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-15089116212169930082009-05-08T15:42:00.007-04:002009-05-08T16:26:01.141-04:00

I've been grateful this week for the support and encouragement of friends, family and colleagues concerning my new assignment.I was chosen to serve on a jury in a criminal trial that is expected to last more than a month. I feel humbled and sobered at the prospect of this responsibility.I'm sure I'll think often (as I already have done) about Twelve Angry Men, the classic film on the power and

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-59985230258663545152009-04-28T06:59:00.008-04:002009-04-28T15:53:37.803-04:00

I have often found birds to be portentous. I remember seeing a great blue heron fly over the day I moved to Connecticut in 1981. That character has shown up again and again at significant moments in my life. My daughter has since taken on the great blue as an omen of good as well. And there are the recurring "visits" from the purple finches that I have found to represent my sister-in-law who

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-737397831778374442009-04-26T15:01:00.007-04:002009-04-28T07:29:23.447-04:00

We are definitely phasing out the siezure medication. I can't WAIT until we put that behind us. This was the scene we returned to from a party on Saturday night. Notice he ripped the pantry door right off the track! Here it is Sunday afternoon and we're still not sure if we've seen all the after effects. What really got under the Dad's skin is the fact that the dog had to drag ALL of his loot

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-53229484342079410512009-04-24T07:18:00.007-04:002009-04-24T07:36:33.682-04:00

"There's many a thing you know you'd like to tell him,Many a thing he ought to understand!!!!" Soooo, psycho dog strikes again. Our best guess is there was thunder at home while we were at work. We came home to find he'd taken out:10 panels of curtainsthree curtain rodsThree sets of blindschewed through a suitcaseknocked the keyboard and mouse off the deskand left a "present" under the piano in

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-39083477767199728972009-04-22T16:13:00.004-04:002009-04-23T09:24:56.931-04:00

Sometimes we are prodded by the unexpected to do the right thing. Case in point:I recently read a very sad blog written by a friend of mine. He told the story of losing a dear friend quite suddenly to skin cancer. It was wrenching because his friend was only in his 40s and died just weeks after being diagnosed.That was all I needed. The next day I made an appointment with my dermatologist to

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-82599366797935336032009-03-31T13:17:00.002-04:002009-03-31T13:44:02.297-04:00

It's a bittersweet day. One chapter is ended and another is begun. At the crack of dawn, Mom and Dad (with David) boarded a plane to start their new lives in Arizona.Everyone rousted in the dead of night to start the exit process. Folks were organized, both at home and at the nursing home, so things went smoothly.We got to the nursing home at 5:00 a.m. to find Dad sleepy but in good spirits. For

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-20789807788636998542009-03-23T16:14:00.005-04:002009-03-23T16:44:10.594-04:00

OK, given all her Tonys and Emmys, I'm probably too late in my ambition, but at the very least, I want to have Angela Lansbury's energy when I am 83. Heck, I want to have her energy now!Ms. Lansbury's plays the batty medium Madame Arcati in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirits, currently running on Broadway and she is nothing short of a delightful hoot. She flounces and frollicks into trances and the

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-58394739531243851352009-03-06T12:29:00.006-05:002009-03-06T13:34:08.598-05:00

Well it’s amazing what there is to learn about the world of long term care, specialized nursing, etc., especially what those kinds of services cost! We’re counting ourselves very lucky that, because we are all over the country, we can explore more possibilities than most folks.CT, it turns out, has one of the highest nursing home care costs in the country. Tucson, AZ, on the other hand, costs 62%

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-60545770450642997052009-03-01T08:28:00.003-05:002009-03-01T10:31:24.288-05:00

Sometimes it's kind of fun to look at old favorites from a new perspective. N'est pas?

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-28394470014504992762009-02-10T14:17:00.002-05:002009-02-10T14:39:07.152-05:00

We had hopes of helping Dad regain some of his mobility by reinstating a drug he'd used early last year. But his neurologist checked him out yesterday and decided there was great risk with little expectation of reward.The Doctor said the drug carried too much psychotropic risk for someone in Dad's condition. And that it could set him spiraling into the red zone. On top of that, the Doc didn't

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-86506642296474294772009-02-02T15:30:00.005-05:002009-02-02T15:57:34.689-05:00

Well, we found out the hard way last week that simple infections can have a terrible psychological effect on the elderly. This is apparently especially true for seniors given to dementia.Poor Dad went down a very rocky road for a few days, becoming paranoid about everyone around him and seeing danger in once-familiar people and things. Apparently the infection prevents his meds from working the

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-81712430603041503162009-01-20T21:57:00.014-05:002009-01-20T22:30:54.418-05:00

The Road Not Taken-- Robert Frost, 1916 Two roads diverged in a yellow woodAnd sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same,

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-86021585825093508332009-01-16T10:27:00.009-05:002009-01-16T20:47:02.521-05:00

We continue to struggle to help my Dad – help him cope with his new circumstances, help him understand what is going on around him, help him comprehend why he cannot come home with us. For the most part, we’re failing miserably. But as I read more about caring for the demented, I understand that the value is in, must be in, the effort. For me that effort is what frees me (most of the time) from

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-28867368637662018272009-01-05T11:39:00.003-05:002009-01-05T11:54:37.423-05:00

Chick Flick fans know the Matthew McConoughey movie "Failure to Launch" about a far-too-old son still living at home. That story is the antithesis of the facts in our world as the recently graduated Mia packed up most of her stuff and made her big move to Boston (technically Brighton). She started her first "real" job today, complete with benefits, a commute and a steep learning curve. All is

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-89792271324613300042008-12-26T14:09:00.002-05:002008-12-26T14:14:12.110-05:00

Getting back to the basics this season and it felt great. Warm relaxing Christmas day that went low key on gaudy gifts and long on leisure, panatone French toast, peach belinnis and good coffee during the unwrapping. Three generations had a good visit with Granddad who was in excellent form. He knew who he was; he knew who we were, and knew exactly what was going on. Then there was the tenderloin

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-52470342945031775802008-12-23T15:30:00.004-05:002008-12-23T15:56:19.596-05:00

See, we all go around dreaming of a white Christmas and -- WHUMP! We get one. With a few tons more white stuff to spare. Ah well. It's a bear to shovel, but it sure looks pretty.

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-78918124211329284722008-12-15T13:22:00.007-05:002008-12-15T13:41:04.145-05:00

Well, the good news is, the pater's sundowning has improved with a change in meds. So he is not hurting people any more (nor they him), he's sleeping at more normal hours and during the day he's much easier to converse with. The bad news is he thinks I'm the cleaning lady and that his granddaughter is about to become his new daughter-in-law by marrying his son (her uncle!). Eww. Strangely, he

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-55503098464267135402008-12-09T12:55:00.000-05:002008-12-09T12:55:09.795-05:00

I learned a new term last week. Sundowner. This is a very meaningful term in the nursing home world. It refers to residents suffering with dementia or psychosis who are pleasant people during daylight hours, but as soon as the sun sets, they ramp up and freak out.Sadly, my father is a textbook sundowner. He’s happy to spend his day chatting with people about flying, travel or what have you. But

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-62371833307935836052008-12-08T15:14:00.005-05:002008-12-08T15:21:31.569-05:00

If a young person were to suddenly relocate to a new city, one of the first things she might want to do after unpacking is figure out how to make new friends.A tried-and-true way to do that is to join organizations and volunteer to help worthy causes.This method offers the twofer of not only meeting like-minded, caring people, but also actually making a contribution to something that matters. So

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-79811279074882767952008-12-05T14:25:00.007-05:002008-12-05T16:57:36.884-05:00

So is it weird that I'm so totally happy that my daughter landed a great first job ("with a little help from her friend"), that almost I feel like it happened to me?No matter. This is great news after a long tough week and I'm very proud of her. She deserves this super new start!Mia cara, di congratulazioni!

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-62542589236539301002008-12-02T11:33:00.007-05:002008-12-02T11:55:12.538-05:00

OK, at first I thought it was just me. But now I’m quite sure that the mavens of Madison Ave. have a new arrow in their arsenal of attention grabbing –- le beep.They are peppering any and all commercials and TV shows with beeps, bops and bings in order to jerk our attention back to them and their sales pitches. The sounds are buried in the music or tucked into actors’ cell phones, instant

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-7175944141100681262008-11-25T11:39:00.004-05:002008-11-25T12:02:41.043-05:00

This is the time of year when people choose to share their blessings. That said, this economy has left dollars in short supply, so when I do give, I want to get the biggest bang for the buck that I can. I found a website that can help. Charity Navigator gives great summaries of thousands of popular charities as to dollars collected, percent spent on administrative and fund raising costs, even the

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-44242448102187280912008-11-20T14:53:00.003-05:002008-11-20T15:39:04.961-05:00

All right -- I know the economy is in the dumps. I know unemployment is high and job prospects are slim, but if you're young, you're facing the chance of a lifetime. Pay attention. You won’t want to miss it.It all comes down to this: the markets are all on sale!I happen to know that Gen Ys, and Millennials love to shop, and really love big bargains on great stuff. Well I got news for you – there

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-35582930865016436372008-11-14T10:46:00.003-05:002008-11-14T11:44:37.586-05:00

It's just a fact, sometimes cool ain't.You know the drill. You learn something, get something or something happens to you that at first seems really, really cool. But then as the dust settles you come to see that whatever it is ends up being a lot harder, messier, more time consuming or even more embarrassing than you could have imagined.I've got one of those going on right now. I got caught up

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-89762621801085200192008-11-11T13:14:00.000-05:002008-11-11T13:50:54.322-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows I have a thing for words. A post about crows over at our friends the Story People got me wondering (again) why we refer to a group of crows as a murder.Grammarphobia.com cites the OED for an explanation of why it's called a murder.But when it comes to collective nouns for animals, Murders of Crows and Pods of Whales are just the beginning. How about:a Shrewdness of

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-25196413222758592922008-11-05T14:50:00.001-05:002008-11-11T14:43:17.148-05:00

Years ago I worked on a social studies project for a textbook publisher. It was a great opportunity because it gave me almost free rein to explore news reels from the national archive. One day I pulled the full length version of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in the thick of the civil rights movement in August, 1963. More

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-35642912815156607802008-11-01T09:00:00.000-04:002008-11-01T09:05:18.236-04:00

In spite of good weather, trick-or-treater turnout was light this year. The good news is we had no oversize, uncostumed grocery bag-toting moochers this year. I think about 25 kids came in all.As usual, Duncan was a huge hit. The little ones who didn't even really talk didn't want to go on to the next house. They just wanted to pet Duncan. Suited him fine.The big revelation came from the elders

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-54235784105725429882008-10-31T16:49:00.000-04:002008-10-31T17:19:14.391-04:00

It will be hard to say who will be more confused this halloween, the trick or treaters (by the snappy quips issued by the grampa who talks to them at the door) "What trick are you going to do?" "Huh? Trick?""Hey there tiger." "I'm not a tiger, I'm a dalmation!" ...or the grampa by the strange array of kids who will show up. "What is he suppose to be?" "Why is the dog barking?" "Are any more kids

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-18072935187716293232008-10-25T13:43:00.000-04:002008-10-25T14:12:07.395-04:00

Just when you think nothing fun and interesting is going to happen, someone comes along and asks you to be in an opera. At least that's what just happened to me. A group of musicians are staging Amal and the Night Visitors at one of the small theaters at The Bushnell. The orchestra conductor, and Amal's father, asked me and my friend Beth to be the soprano section of the shepherds. Yay! We're

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-86875749286633297122008-10-21T15:33:00.000-04:002008-10-21T17:30:02.852-04:00

I don't much believe in coincidence. I sit squarely in the camp of most things happen for a reason.Take last night for example. Two of the five of us were not home for dinner. So at 6:00 p.m. the other three of us debated whether to eat out or eat leftovers. Content with either option, we decided that leftovers were the course of least resistance. We stayed home.Twenty minutes later – the phone

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-75462843287960270552008-10-20T10:33:00.000-04:002008-10-20T11:59:53.846-04:00

I am no sports fan. I'm even kind of noted for not being interested in sports. So it's a bit of an anomaly that I care what happens to the Red Sox. I think it's an inherited condition.My mother is no sports fan either, except when it comes to the boys from Fenway.Late in the summer, when it becomes evident that the Sox are headed for another pennant race, Mom starts to rearrange her TV viewing to

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-58691391029010077112008-10-16T11:54:00.000-04:002008-10-16T16:52:00.952-04:00

Many years ago, I was listening to James Michener's Afghanistan epic, Caravans. Yes, listening -- I'm a fierce fan of recorded books. Anyway, during one of Big Jim's countless descriptions, a phrase he used jumped out and smacked me in the head. He was describing the Hindu Kush mountains when he said, "We are never prepared for what we expect." Holy Cow! How insightful is that? "We are never

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-49517575499693527562008-10-15T14:29:00.000-04:002008-10-15T14:32:39.961-04:00

It's been a long time since I've blogged, but people I care about have been wading into blogging from all quarters, so I've decided to revive this site.Originally I was blogging for grad school, but that sheepskin has been on the wall for over a year, so it's time for a new focus. What that will be remains to be seen, but since all of it will fall in my "baileywyck" it works.Come along for the

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1133552118965382022005-12-02T14:23:00.000-05:002005-12-02T14:35:18.966-05:00

If you are planning to start a business blog, experts suggest that to have a prayer of succeeding, you'd better be doing it for the right reasons.In a nutshell...it's about the customer, stupid! If you think a business blog is just to a place to wax poetic, or you think people would hang on your every word, think again. In fact, read ientry, Inc. CEO " Rick Ord's ,” thoughts, and then really

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1133215377398097152005-11-28T16:41:00.000-05:002005-11-28T17:02:57.410-05:00

The Internet is in perpetual motion and evolution. Ten years ago, it struck people as miraculous that you could have instant interaction with individuals all over the globe. Soon that interaction will be able to cross the line from virtual to literal. " Word is out ,” that developers in Singapore are working on a technology that will allow a user to "touch" another physically. The potential for

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1131051836615117202005-11-03T15:33:00.000-05:002005-11-03T16:03:56.623-05:00

As always, the Chinese government is none too thrilled about letting its citizens have a voice on the world stage. "Pro-Democracy bloggers" in China have been blocked according to recent articles in the world press. The Chinese government's efforts may be a finger in the dike of the World Wide Web. Sooner or later, resourceful people find a way to overcome such obstacles.

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130173356562668362005-10-12T13:01:00.000-04:002005-10-24T14:24:55.113-04:00

I don't pretend to be a hardcore blogger, but I do know it has great potential as business tool. If you want to explore some of blogging's business potential, I recommend Sally Falkow’s blog, "Website Content Strategy."She offers insights about the role of blogging in businesses and corporations, how to approach on-line branding, when and how to maximize electronic media news releases, and those

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130173272462573792005-10-05T13:00:00.000-04:002005-10-24T14:25:20.676-04:00

As college and corporate communities plunge deeper and deeper into the immediacy and convenience of Instant Messaging, they are exposing themselves to greater and greater potential for infection from worms and other viruses.

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130173150400135342005-10-04T12:58:00.000-04:002005-10-24T13:20:55.490-04:00

Now that Kevin Sites has stepped from his individual site to one with (presumably) deeper pockets at Yahoo, will he be able to maintain his independence in the hotzone?

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130172498538966412005-09-15T12:44:00.000-04:002005-10-24T13:20:17.676-04:00

Algorithms allow computers to act like accoustic sniffer dogs to breach security and transcribe documents based on how it sounded to type them. http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050915/sc_nm/keyboards_security_dc

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130171247929240852005-09-10T12:27:00.000-04:002005-10-24T12:27:27.930-04:00

"In a culture like ours, long accustomed to splitting and dividing all things as a means of control, it is sometimes a bit of a shock to be reminded that, in operational and practical fact, the medium is the message. This is merely to say that the personal and social consequences of any medium - that is, of any extension of ourselves - result from the new scale that is introduced into our affairs

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130170383487650502005-09-09T12:12:00.000-04:002005-10-24T12:13:03.486-04:00

Amazing to be working in a medium that is so powerful, yet still so young. Where many of the early inovators are still launching new ventures and forging new relationships. This from the Times of London about a new alignment between Vinton Cerf (an Arpanet originator) and Google. Kind of like watching history in action. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-1772775,00.html

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130170073780227172005-09-02T12:04:00.000-04:002005-10-24T12:07:53.780-04:00

Since ours seems a Dog-friendly group, I thought I'd include Duncan. We call him a "Virginia Golden Chowlie" that we rescued in April. He's such a doll that the in-laws fell in love with him and ran out that week and adopted his brother, Harley.There was some discussion of changing Harley's name to "Hines" so we could have "Duncan Hines" but my sister-in-law put her foot down.

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18233680.post-1130165853418861012005-09-01T10:56:00.000-04:002005-10-24T12:29:06.913-04:00

Since so many of my coursemates have already gotten rolling, I'd like to skip the preliminaries and jump to my initial thoughts as a first-time blogger. In a nutshell --Cool medium, but I think it's in trouble.In browsing other people's blogs, I was dismayed at the amount of "junk mail" that ended up, clearly unsolicited in the comment folders. Can we speculate that people dumping junk mail and

Baileywyckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11832183063951275877noreply@blogger.com0