It's New Year's Eve today, time to roll out some resolutions and see how I did on last year's.

I think I did ok on most of last year's. Except for writing articles. And I gained a bit of weight. And the office is still a bit messy. Well, 3 out of 7 isn't that bad.. {grin}

What will this year's be? I don't know yet - but when I decide, I'll post them so everyone can tell me to work on 'em..

Happy New Year!!

Wednesday, while Julie & I were driving up to my G.&.G. Sheldon's for a Christmas celebration, we saw quite possibly one of the most beautiful things. There was no snow, but there was plenty of frost on everything. While the sun was rising - everything just glittered. It was fabulous.

Here's a good joke that got sent to me.

A concerned husband, worried that his wife's hearing was failing, called her doctor to have her ears checked. The doctor said he could only see her two weeks later, but there's a simple test the husband could do to get some idea of the dimensions of the problem.

"Here's what you do," said the doctor. "Start about 40 feet away from her, and speak in a normal conversational tone and see if she hears you. If not, go to 30 feet, 20 feet, and so on until you get a response."

So that evening she's in the kitchen cooking dinner, and he's in the living room thinking, "I'm about 40 feet away ... let's see what happens."

"Honey, what's for supper?"

No response. So he moves to about 30 feet away.

"Honey, what's for supper?"

No response. He then moves into the dining room, about 20 feet away.

"Honey, what's for supper?"

No response. At the kitchen door, ten feet away.

"Honey, what's for supper?"

STILL no response. Finally, he walks right up behind her and says

"Honey, what's for supper?"

She finally screams, "For the fifth time, WE'RE HAVING CHICKEN!"

Last Tuesday I went in for a sleep study - to see if I had sleep apnea. I've snored all my life and Julie was saying she's seen me stop breathing at night. Time to get it checked out.

The night came and I was nervous, scratch that - I was scared. I was actually beginning to become frightened. It wasn't like I was going to get injected with some strange radioactive drug, or that I was going to get hurt in anyway, but I was not looking forward to going. You can call it childish, I call it self-preservation instincts run amok. Something about the whole thing spooked me.

Anyway, I get there at 10:00 at night. Dark as pitch, mostly empty parking lot, and there I was, clutching my pillow in front of me like it was the last possession I would ever have. I imagine I was some sight. A 29 year old man looking like a lost 4 year old with only his pillow to protect him. I got enough courage built up to walk normally to the building, hoping that there was someone there to let me into the locked building. The attendant was there and let me into the building. Now the fun part begins!

That night I had 5 electrodes stuck to my scalp, two more by my eyes, two more under my ears, two on my chin, and two more on each leg. (Thats 15 total for those keeping score at home) I also had some ekg monitors on my collarbone, and a strap around my chest and my also around my abdomen. This process takes a little over an hour. Now, I go to the room that has a camera focused on me, and an active PA system. I'm supposed to sleep normally??

Things weren't so bad after I got settled. The muti-colored electrode ponytail I was sporting didn't rip out of my head while I was sleeping and I left with a minimal amount of stuff still stuck to my head. (Enough for me to work at home that day, though!)

Now we wait to see what the results are and what the next step is. Breathing mask? Surgery? Who knows?

Last night, I went to a World AIDS day lecture with Julie & Carmi. It was a star-studded affair with Ashley Judd and Bono speaking, as well as four-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. There was also a Ugandan woman who spoke on how AIDS had decimated her family, killing her husband and 6 year old son, and causing one of her oldest sons to run away - and has never been seen again.

This was Ashley Judd's "debut" as an AIDS activist - and all in all it was an informative night. For a more detailed account of the night try this Grand Island Independent news article or this article by the UNL campus newspaper, The Daily Nebraskan, or this Omaha World Herald article.

Several people left after Bono spoke, which was only about a 1/4 into the night. Some seemed disappointed that this wasn't some sort of concert - although the Gateway Ambassadors opened the night and Bono sang a song that him and the rest of U2 are working on at the end. This wasn't some sort of concert - it was people bringing us information and wanting people to show that they do care about what's going on.

One thing that the articles aren't telling you, is the statement that was made that the AIDS epidemic in Africa is also turning heads in our government - but for another reason besides mercy. Some agency (I can't remember if it was CIA or FBI ..) had issued a statement saying that if this continues - a vacuum of power will develop only to be filled with extremists - like Afghanistan. It would be in the US's best interests for national security to prevent this from happening. I wish I had taken notes on this...

I got to thinking - is there something I can do? I've seen other weblogs do things for charity - but there needs to be something besides "throwing pennies at the problem" done. I'll be dwelling on this for awhile - if you've got anyideas, let me know, OK?

For more information, I urge you to visit Debt, AIDS, Trade in Africa (DATA)'s home page - the group bringing the Heart of America Tour to the midwest, and a place to start if you are looking on doing something.

Just a quick hello to those stopping by this page, because of various other projects I'm working on.

Hello!

That's it, I don't have any witty things to say at the moment. {grin..}