Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act - IMPORTANT LEGISLATION

June 23rd, 2009 § 0

At the age of 70, my mom found a lump and proactively went to the doctor and luckily, caught her breast cancer at a very early stage. Unfortunately, the doctors did two lumpectomies and couldn’t get “clean margins” and so we were given several options.  It’s hard on someone at 70 going through multiple treatments that require anesthesia, so she chose a mastectomy over more attempts at a lumpectomy.  The lumpectomy, even if successful, would have required radiation at the least.  Not a savory option at her age.

We assumed that the surgery itself would be the most traumatic part of this. We were wrong. My mom had great difficulty waking up after anesthesia, and was very tired and sore after the surgery. It was 8PM, and they would not let her stay in the hospital overnight.

“Pardon me?” You are probably saying to yourself right now. Until you experience this yourself or with a family member, it is completely unbelievable. It left me literally dumbfounded and speechless. So I had to take my very upset, exhausted post-surgery mother home, and practically carry her up the stairs to get her into bed, drains and all.  By anyone’s standards except those of the insurance company, brutally unneccessary.

My understanding now is that this is common practice.  It is completely inhumane.  The “why” is predictably always money when it concerns insurance companies.  The “what the…” is why laws haven’t been passed before now to stop this cruel practice which is in obvious contradiction to the “do no harm” credo to which the medical community is supposed to be in harmony.

Please sign the petition below to let your representatives know your feelings on this matter.  THANK YOU, from all the women in your life.

Breast Cancer Patient Protection Act Petition

Wow, it’s so COOL in the restaurant….

June 22nd, 2009 § 0

How many ways can I say this to convey the joy in my voice…
Air conditioning, climatisation (en Francais), klimaanlage (auf Deutsch), condizionamento d’aria (in Italiano), aire acondicionado (en Español), condicionamento de ar (no português), and finally, 空気調節 (Japanexe).

Come in, be cool (but you’re always cool! I mean in temperature), and enjoy our new, improved atmosphere!  And thank you all so much for your great patience…we appreciate your support more than we can express in words!old-man-winter

Pike Place Fish Throwers Center of Controversy

June 18th, 2009 § 0

So, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is upset with the American Veterinary Medical Association. Why? Because they are holding their annual convention in Seattle this year, and they’ve asked the world famous Pike Place fish throwers to do a demo for the vets’ entertainment.

Can't we all just get along???

Can't we all just get along???

Now, I used to be a vegetarian. My cholesterol, however, couldn’t take it. My body is carnivorous, and it does better when I feed it high quality animal protein, like oh, say, salmon, for example. It doesn’t mean that I don’t care about animals or feel that animals should be abused. However, THESE FISH ARE DEAD. These fish throwers have been doing this for I don’t know how long, but a long, long time. They’re a major Seattle tourist attraction, they are not killing them just to throw them around and then throw them away, so where’s the harm? Does PETA really not have any place better to put their efforts?

Is it wrong of me to find this humorous?  I sympathize with PETA’s mission to protect all animals, but this is, well, a little silly to me. Click on the link below and view the video for yourself and see if my sense of humor is becoming a bit bizarre.

Pike Place Fish Throwers and PETA Disagree on Appropriateness of Fish Tossing Demo at Vet Convention

The First Edition of the new Camas Video Magazine

June 15th, 2009 § 0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3RlEaaNPrmM

Big thank you’s go out to Nikia Furman of Furman Pictures and Lisa Fenderson for making the magazine come to fruition!

Things Can Be Funny at Each End of the Human Spectrum

June 14th, 2009 § 0

I know many of you have probably seen this video multiple times, but every time I see it, it makes me happy.  Hope it does the same for you.

 

An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house, and after eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking, and one said, “Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.”

The other man said, “What is the name of the restaurant?”

The first man thought and thought and finally said, “What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know…the one that’s red and has thorns.”

“Do you mean a rose?”

“Yes, that’s the one,” replied the man. He then turned towards the kitchen and yelled, “Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?”

* * * * * * *

An older gentleman was telling his neighbor, “I just bought a new hearing aid. It cost me four thousand dollars, but it’s state of the art. It’s perfect.”

“Really,” answered the neighbor. “What kind is it?”

“‘Twelve thirty.”

* * * * * * *

Three silver foxes are out walking. First one says, “Windy, isn’t it?”

Second one says, “No, it’s Thursday!”

Third one says, “So am I. Let’s go get a beer.”

* * * * * * *

Morris, an 82 year-old man, went to the doctor to get a physical.

A few days later, the doctor saw Morris walking down the street with a gorgeous young woman on his arm. Later on that day, the doctor called Morris and said, “You’re really doing great, aren’t you?”

Morris replied, “Just doing what you said, doc: ‘Get a hot mama and be cheerful.”’

“I didn’t say that. I said, ‘You’ve got a heart murmur. Be careful.’”

* * * * * * *

(I say, good for Morris!)

All jokes courtesy of Linda Frisvold

Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you can only spend it once. -Lillian Dickson

June 10th, 2009 § 0

Time is a funny thing. When you’re a kid, it seems a bottomless supply of hours and days, moving so slowly you wonder if you’ll ever grow up. In your early adult life, you can’t wait for time to pass quickly so you can get to the next landmark date–the day you can get your driver’s license, your graduation day, turning 21…it all seems to pass at a turtle’s pace and you wonder if you’ll ever get to where you want to be.

As you move into life’s more serious pursuits–career and family–time moves so fast, you feel like Einstein is playing some horrible physics joke that you are somehow too dense to understand. Why does an hour suddenly pass in a matter of seconds, days like minutes, weeks like hours. What kind of evil cosmic joke is this?  Why can you suddenly never get the time to have a quiet evening at home with your significant other, take a walk in the woods, or just sleep for a whole, glorious day?

I think that this must somehow go in reverse once you get to retirement age, or at least I hope it does.  Hopefully, time will go at that glorious turtle’s pace again where it seems like time stands still almost.  Is this where we get to fingerpaint again, take a barefoot walk through a stream, and shriek at its fresh, amazing cold?  Spend hours laughing at stories that we’ve heard from our loved ones a hundred times before, but the retelling and the time spent together in the retelling makes them all the more precious?  Is there a way we can steal a little of this “slow time” for today and spend some of these ever so important moments now?  I hope so.  I’d like to try.  I bet so many of you would give your pinky toe to spend some slow time with your family, friends, and maybe even just some “me” time for yourselves.

I love the quote I headed this post with–it brings our time home to us in a concrete way that makes us understand just how valuable our time is, and how it is a waste to spend it in ways that do not make us shiver, smile, laugh, cry, or hug someone just to let them know they are not alone.  Spend some of that time today telling the people you love just how important they are to you.  Smile and wave at a neighbor who you’ve never spoken to before.  Tell the person behind you in line at the grocery store a funny joke you just heard.  Help someone today…just for the good feeling it leaves you with.  Tell your kids how amazing and wonderful they are, even if you’re going through a bumpy ride with them right now.  It will matter later.  All these things will.  It is these coins of compassion, love, and laughter that we give by which we will eventually measure our lives.

I am lucky enough to know someone who can put a smile on almost anyone’s face at any time, no matter how awful or stressful the situation.  What an amazing gift to have, and what a gift to be able to give to others.  Give those gifts that you know you have within you.  It matters.  And people do appreciate it, whether they express that appreciation or not.  Know that when you give those things, it makes you, and the world, a better place.  (And I think it adds to your “coin bank” too.)

Welcome Back, Blog

May 25th, 2009 § 0

Tell me dogs don't laugh!

Tell me dogs don't laugh!

Well, we’ve not been blogging because I updated the website and lost the blog.  Frankly, the loss of technological confidence had me frazzled and skittish.  But we’re back up and running now, and ready to tackle all things virtual and real.

We’re coming up on another beautiful summer here in the PNW, and this Memorial Day weekend has been nothing less than spectacular.  If the rest of the summer would remain this beautifully moderate, I’d be smiling from ear to ear.  Have yourselves a drink out on your patio, take a deep breath of fresh air, and take in how lucky we are to live in one of the most spectacular places in the world (IMHO).

Here’s a pic of Abbey, our faithful companion and friend, enjoying a little outdoor fun today.  Have you ever seen a dog laugh???  After our trek on the Sandy River Delta, we headed over to the Lucky Labrador where your pooch can hang out with you while you enjoy a frosty cool brew.  Then, a little frozen yogurt at Sheridan’s.  She’s not spoiled or anything.

The Speed of Life

October 28th, 2008 § 0

What a great time of year.  The trees are all turning, the air is crisp and cool, and the rain that we are so famous for hasn’t quite started yet.  It feels like a time for tuning up life.  Making things better, more streamlined, simple.  Ah, the simple life.  When we’re in the midst of living our lives, we always feel they’re so complicated.  Then, we look back on times past and feel they were simpler, easier.  But they didn’t seem so then, did they?

So much of our lives is about perspective.  It’s hard to be in the moment and not think about what needs to get done, what you’re behind on, what you need to make better.  But that moment, wasted on thoughts of what should be getting done is doing you no good.  This is so much of what I like about Zen Buddhism.  It’s about being in the moment, concentrating on what is and what you are doing right now, and wanting what you already have. 

I try to talk to our employees about this on a regular basis.  I think some of them get it.  I think, though, most people in their late teens/early twenties are so caught up in the speed at which all outside forces are trying to propel them that they can’t put the brakes on and extinguish those outside influences.  So much of what they do for entertainment revolves around passive, yet speedy, activities, i.e. video games, texting, and the like.

I get texts occasionally from people I work with.  I rarely return them.  I just like talking to people face to face or on the phone.  I don’t get the appeal of texting.  I used to get (understand) IM’ing, when I didn’t have unlimited long distance in the form of a cell phone and I had friends in far away places.  (Man, that really dates me, doesn’t it?)  IM’ing made sense.  We could talk for free.  But texting?  Why not just call?  I like to hear the sound of someone’s voice on the line, connecting me to them in some real, if albeit distant, way.

Life is about connections, real connections with people.  We cannot ignore the importance of these connections.  So many of us raise the importance of so much of what takes up our lives above our connections to the people who are important to us.  Cat’s in the cradle and all that.  It’s easy to do.  Life in this world seems to run at the speed of light, like no mere mortal can slow it down enough to return to some prior, simpler time.  Take me back to the seventies, please.  The clothing was bad, but life did seem to run at a much slower pace.

So take a moment this week, if you can, to slow it down a bit.  I’m going to try.  Life is too good to watch it pass by like the view from the window of a car going 120 miles an hour.  Turn the TV and computer off.  Take a walk.  Take your dog for a walk.  Take a walk in the park with your spouse.  Call your best friend and ask them to meet you for a lazy afternoon of coffee and talk.  Call your kids (or parents) and tell them how much you love them and how proud you are to have them in your life.  Give thanks for all the blessings that you have right now.  Love what you have right now.  Maybe in this small way we can slow life down just a little, even if only for one small moment.  But that small moment will mean a lot.  Life is just a series of moments.  Make the best of them.

Thoughts on Summer

June 28th, 2008 § 2

Summer is a particularly spectacular time in the Pacific Northwest (although, in my opinion, any season in the PNW is spectacular).  The sun shines on our beautiful, snowcapped mountains and our lush green landscapes.  The skies are blue, the birds are singing, people are all smiles, and love is in the air.

True love is not as rare as some might think.  I know quite a few couples who are completely, sweetly, sickeningly, and happily in love after many years of marriage.  This is no trick, no quirk of luck or fate.  They married their best friend, the person who they couldn’t imagine not seeing or speaking to every day.  They respect each other because they love their partners from the inside out, and they never forget that the bond between them is one of respect and mutual like.  Love is based on liking.

Love can build from physical attraction, although it is no more than a starting point.  I think we’ve all been excessively attracted to someone that, after getting to know them a bit, they suddenly become much less attractive.  A person is a whole package…sometimes you give a little bit in one area to get something you value more in another.  Why?  Because love is an agreement between two people that they love the whole package, not just parts of it.

Agreements, as we all know, are easily broken by humans, as we are all so flawed and fallible.  But love says “I will do my best to suppress the stupidity in me brought on by my being human, and I will do everything within my power to honor you and the commitment that I’ve made to you.”  Why am I exploring this topic, you may ask?  Is something wrong?

No, absolutely not.  In fact, just the opposite.  Running a restaurant is exhausting, difficult, time-consuming and all-engrossing (yes, and very rewarding).  Having 17 employees sometimes feels like running a three-ring circus (full of people that we love dearly).  Being an active member of our community takes a lot of time, too.  Sometimes, my husband and I forget to be a couple in lieu of the demands of being restaurant owners and community members.  Sometimes, our business commitments feel somewhat like the other woman (or man), stealing our spouse away from us (I know he feels the same at times).

My commitment to him is that this summer, come hell or high water (which it seems like we as a nation are in a little of each right now - hell AND high water) that we will enjoy the rites of summer in the beautiful place where we choose to live.  We are going to take a hike.  Have a picnic by one of our many beautiful waterfalls.  Go camping so we can drink Kahlua and coffee while roasting marshmallows over a fire looking up at a starry sky.  Because I love him, and because life is short.  I won’t miss out on these things with him.

So, my friends, if we are, on the occasional weekend absent and letting our crew run the show, you will have to forgive us.  We’ve a life to live as well as a restaurant to run.  And I think we can do both well without sacrificing the other.  And I’m willing to test that theory.  And, hopefully, you will support us in that choice.  I so don’t want to be singing some husband/wife variation of “Cat’s in the Cradle” ten years from now.  We will respect our commitment to you, as well, by making sure that we have the best people possible manning the ship.  Hey, and y’all should sow some oats of your own.  Life is beautiful here.  Let’s all get out a bit and make the best of it!

Thank you, Diana

June 6th, 2008 § 0

Diana Rice Bonin, a very talented artist and a kind and gracious person, just passed away from a long battle with cancer.  Our deepest sympathy goes out to her family.

Diana was one of the first artists ever to display here at Twilight, when no one knew who we were and we didn’t know any artists.  Who would want to put their work up at an unknown place?  Diana didn’t blink an eye at the prospect and was so kind and gracious and just took the reigns and did her thing.  You can see her work at http://dricebonin.blogspot.com/

Thank you, Diana, for being who you were.  The community will miss you, although we know not nearly so much as your family.  I hope with all my heart that they know that you made an impact on those whom you came in contact with.  Our thoughts are with you and your family, as well as our prayers.

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