Although I’m sure it must seem that way, I’m not playing hide-and-seek, honest! I thought I would write a post and let you know what has been going on, before you all give up on me.

Less than a month ago, we moved home from camp. The weekend that we moved home, I had a final to take in my Health Information Processes class, and a new class to begin – Advanced PC Applications with Lab. The first week of the course, we were told that we had until this Sunday (Nov. 26) to complete a rather involved project in Excel. We also had something I haven’t had to deal with up until now – live online classes two nights per week. I chose my project theme, received permission to use it, and tackled it with enthusiasm. The graphic you see on this post is the graphic I designed for enhancing the Documentation sheet. I chose “Dietary Values for the Renally Impaired.” I worked on it every available minute, and I’m ready to pass in my “chef d’Å“vre” tomorrow.

Meanwhile, I had to the get the house up to speed for Thanksgiving – not an easy task. As it turned out, my son Dougie and I worked feverishly the last week before Thanksgiving trying to finish unpacking and cleaning. We made it – by a squeak! We had a quiet Thanksgiving celebration this year – only 7 of us. My daughter, son-in-law, and grandbabies were not with us, and neither were Daein and Sarah. They were all missed!

Those were the major things. Concurrently … there were (are) other goings-on …

Dougie has accepted a job, and is working with a fellow from church … so it looks as if I’ve lost my chef. I guess my poor husband is going to have to put up with my cooking again … ;o)

Daein has been job hunting since he got out of college, and may be signing on with an Israeli company which could use his Molecular Biology skills … it would involve a lot of travel. We’ll see if he goes with that one or not …

I’ve been staying in touch with my dear friend, Dr. Engel … who is recovering from his stroke. He’s making great strides, although I’m not sure that he realizes how much better he’s doing. He’s had a nightmarish few months. I hope that he comes back to his blogging soon.

And for myself – I still can’t believe I actually did this – but this past Tuesday, I changed my major. The two consecutive classes, which I took just before the class I’m taking now, were my first two “HIT specific” classes – all of the other classes had either been “Gen Eds,” or courses which support the major (medical terminology, anatomy, etc.) … so I finally got a good taste of what HIT’s do on a day by day basis. It caused me to realize that, although Health Information Technology is a health informatics course, it’s not what I’m looking for. A degree in this course would have sent me into the back room of some hospital or other medical facility, where I would have scrutinized patient’s charts for errors and omissions, entered diagnostic and procedure codes for insurance companies, and gone slowly, but surely, mad. This wasn’t what I thought I was buying into.

After speaking with a course advisor last Tuesday, I was directed toward CIS – Computer Information Systems. Once I have a BS in CIS, I can take a certificate course for Medical Informatics, and arrive at my destination in that manner. Roundabout – but at least, going this route, I will get there! Once the course I’m taking at the moment is over, I’ll begin with “Architecture and Operating Systems with Lab.” This course delves into the workings of Windows, Unix and Linux. I guess I have a bit to learn, because in my mind, Unix and Linux are basically the same systems …

And now, home from camp, the initial unpacking and cleaning for the holidays over and done with, settling into my new major, kids starting new jobs … it looks as if I’m just about ready to settle back into my regular blogging schedule.

And how have all of you been??? :o)

It seems like only yesterday that I was just moving back home from camp … trying to unpack, clean, prepare for the holidays … watching the last of the leaves flutter from the naked trees. And as I did, I wondered … “Wasn’t it only yesterday that I did this? Am I always coming home, so that it seems as if it’s all I ever remember … ?”

Somehow, the years haven’t all been the same, so why does “coming home” every autumn give me the delusion of living a circular, sustained event? It seems as if this is how I mark the years … through my fall homecoming.

However, each return has its own story … although always within a common theme: the analogousness of change. Change is … unchanging.

Has Moofie lost it? Perhaps …

But more likely, Moof is lost in a maze of time’s twists and turns …

… Once I find my way out of the time maze, I promise to write a more logical post … *blink* … anyone have a flare? ;o)

“The Circle Game”

…Take your time, it wont be long now
Till you drag your feet to slow the circles down

And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
Were captive on the carousel of time
We cant return we can only look behind
From where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game …

By Joni Mitchell

I’ve begun doing my blogrun … alphabetically! It’s going to take me several days, and I’m going to need a new prescription for my contacts by the time I get done … ;o)

When I was over visiting the always interesting Barbados Butterfly, I ran across something that I could not easily walk away from. Barb has shared a bit of wisdom that hit me right between the eyes. I hope she doesn’t mind if I share it with all of you.

Denial can be very useful in getting through any difficult or dark days. Sometimes experiences are so terrible that to face them openly is to face more than you can bear. In these situations judicious use of denial can make the world an easier place to live. But denying yourself human emotions is dangerous. Denying reality is dangerous. I’ve never seen value in lying to myself.

Determination and belief in oneself are much more useful than denial. Rather than deny that things are bad, believe that one day they will be better. Believe that time heals all wounds and that one day you will be free. Believe in honesty, truth, justice, freedom, determination, humanity, love and peace. Know that not everyone is your friend. Know that the world can be a harsh place. Accept that at times there is no rhyme or reason. Then plant your feet firmly and face whatever may come your way.

If you aren’t already familiar with her, please do yourself a favor, go to her blog and take a look. She’s colored it with wit, wisdom, and her great talent for portraying the human element in any given situation.

A year ago today, I began blogging in earnest. I already had a few posts in my original Blogspot.com blog, but had only “journalized” them for my own benefit. I wasn’t really blogging.

On November 1, I wrote the very first post which was not intended as a “journal entry,” although it was a while before my blog firmed up into something a bit more eclectic. By the end of December, I could no longer tolerate Blogspot.com, and acquired Blogsplot.net. Blogsplot.net is now the home of fifteen different blogs … six of which are mine. Not all of the blogs are “linked in.” Mine have been sadly neglected since we left for camp about 3 months ago. I’m trying to get on top of the mess at home with the moving and unpacking, and when I do, I’ll come back up to speed with my blogging.

The terrain has changed a lot in the last year … there are people that I really miss: Dr. IBear and Dr. Dork are two of them. (I hope that Dr. IBear remembers that we’re going to hit a Pink Floyd concert sometime, and then get silly on Grateful Deads! ;o)

Before I quit – I want to send kudos and greetings – and thanks – to Dr. Bob of The Doctor is In. His was the first blog I ever ran across, and I must say that it shaped my own ideas about blogging a great deal. I count Dr. Bob rather high among my blog friends, today.

I don’t have time for a long entry, but I didn’t want to let the day go by without sharing my first blogiversary with all of you, and say thank you … because I would not have persevered if it weren’t for all of my good friends.

By the way – my Bloglines is up over 1000 unread posts … *sigh* … please don’t give up on me! Another day or two, and I should be caught up enough to start chipping away at all of my piled up reading … *blink!*