The Corner Booth

You might say I'm excited about exercise these days. That could very possibly be an understatement. Not in many years have I had an exercise routine like I am currently embracing, one that I'm actually keeping up with for the most part. Perhaps it's a symptom of the seasonal stars realigning for Spring, or maybe a guilty response to the realization that I'm so totally out of shape -- and how the mirror keeps reminding me of this. Whatever the reason, I am more of an exercise fanatic than I can recall since my teen years! Yes, this fitness inspiration is a relatively new phenomenon for me. But don't think I haven't thought a lot about it before. I've made those symbolic vows every New Year's, dating back a decade, to "do better" and stay more fit. Back in high school, I played sports and competitively swam -- so being lean and in shape was just the norm. As it happens, life rolled on and my college years and adult life trajectory led me away ...

My cell phone rang, and when answering it, an unexpected and very interesting piece of news came my way not too long ago. Before I knew it, things would be changing. On a trip up to Michigan recently, I was relaxing on the couch in my parents' living room when that cell phone call came in. Being in Indy now for close to a decade, it's always nice being able to visit the home-state. A draw-back of these visits, though, is that they're usually short and a whole bunch is packed into just a few days. This time, it was only the Riley Dog and I making the five-hour trip from the Indy area to the Detroit area. Able to work from home or anywhere, I took care of business as usual during the work-hours on Thursday and Friday. Then it was time to visit with family and friends. So when Saturday afternoon rolled around, it was nice not having anything specific to do. My parents went out for a bit on errands and I took some time to hang out and rest my mind by catching up on ...

Not long ago, my dad and I got together for a game of golf. We had a swell time, and of course chatted about family and our beloved black lab, Riley.   Particularly, the Riley Dog's love for squirrels and her mission to capture them. Somehow, this golfcourse conversation derailed into the pros and cons of having dogs out there on the golf course and how it'd be GREAT to teach them to carry our clubs... Or drive the cart for us. And so, this came about... Thanks to the very talented cartoonist Jerry King (who also does some great drawing over at DiabetesMine !), since he took some of his own time to draw up my imaginary golf course scenario for a favor... Much appreciated!!

Penned in August 2007, this story appeared in our county humane society's newsletter and was written about a month after we adopted Riley and brought her home. We've now been together for five years. By Riley Hoskins Sometimes, it’s funny how a newspaper can change your life. That’s how mine took a turn for the better, paving the way for a forever family and permanent home. Just call me Riley. Everyone else does. In a way, the name almost reflects the uncertainty surrounding the first chapter in my life. Memories of my early days are fuzzy, but it’s tough to describe the little I remember as bad when it led me to where I am today. They say I may have been abused as a puppy, but no one knows for sure. We don’t even know for sure when my real birthday is, though that V-E-T says I was about 1-year-old when brought home. All I know for certain is that the mysterious chapter of my life ended one fateful day when I stumbled into a Center Grove neighborhood at the tail end of 20...

Those of us in the Diabetes Online Community have long speculated that cats are plotting world domination and that eventually they'll get the better of us. Our cat, Shadow, has been in on that plotting for awhile. But as it turns out, Shadow won't be around to see that World Domination come to be. Her years of cat co-plotting will go unrealized. We said goodbye to our beloved 10-year Korat recently, her story coming to an end on Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Also fondly referred to as "Beaner," "Mitten," "Kitty," and "The Grandcat" among other names, we are now sharing Shadow's story. She'd been a part of our life since our first year moving to Indiana in 2004, and came to us via a copy-editor that I'd worked with at the time. Shadow had been wandering outside and apparently had experienced a near-miss by a car, and she was picked up. My co-worker sent out an email asking if anyone was interested, and I took a chance. The name c...

Our annual JDRF Walk happened Saturday morning in downtown Indianapolis and we had a great time. Both Suzi and I walked, along with the Riley dog who's been excited to participate in past walks. This was the latest it's been scheduled, and given the timing so close to Halloween the theme was "Say Boo To Diabetes." So, we had some fun and dressed the Riley Dog up in a D-themed costume. She became an insulin pump. A "Puptronic 2011" pump, to be exact. All with a little homemade artistic magic by Suzi, using stick-on felt designs on a University of Michigan doggy coat. The Manufacturing Process Manufactured by @TypeSuzi Excited to be an insulin pump! Showing off her costume at the Walk! Relaxing, just before the walk begins! Posing with dad and the Animas pump guys. Happy Dog, smiling for a photo! And so that was our weekend walk. We had a blast, along with about 3,000 others. Now, we're ready for Hallow...

That end of the week time is here again, so here we go with another round of Friday Fun! Here's some random, but good tidbits, from the past week. Here we go: Ok. This isn't "fun," but it is important. So it leads the list. News of a disappointing encounter with a U.S. Senator came from D-Mom Moira McCarthy this week and spread quickly in the Diabetes Online Community and Beyond. But soon afterward, the incredible feedback to the situation prompted a response that includes an upcoming May meeting with Sen. Scott Brown in Massachusetts. This is an awesome example of the influence advocacy and social media can have. We will listen intently for how this meeting goes, and hope that it's not a one-time example of this lawmaker listening. Oh, and do you STILL wonder what the impact of social media is in today's world? Well, this is a must read about how social media played a part in informing and probably saving lives when tornadoes tore through Alabama recently....

A busy and somewhat stressful week comes to a close, but the work is far from finished. So in the interests of brevity to keep plugging away, I offer a five-shot of Friday Goodness (being that it's Good Friday, and all). Yes, it's the Friday before Easter - marking what John 19:42 describes as the crucifixion and death of Jesus. But more than this religious holiday, the calendar is also proclaiming that it's Earth Day! So, go hug a tree or something. Or help inspire awareness and appreciation for this planet's natural environment. Or EVEN BETTER: Go to Starbucks, where for today only you can take your own reusable mug or tumbler and get a free hot or cold drink!!! We plan to go here soon enough, though it may be Sunday prior to our Lasagna dinner that night! Even my blog stats illustrate that Easter is on the mind. Top search terms in the past week include: " Moses and the Burning Bush ," " Burning Bush ," and " Bible Story Moses " - al...

Yes, that's pump tubing on my head... Don't ask. Our Shadow Cat is almost nine years old.  She came into our lives about seven years ago, in the summer of 2004 that was our first year living in Indiana after moving here from southeast Michigan. A copy editor friend at the paper I worked for at the time found her on the side of the road one night, scared after an apparent near-miss by a passing car. Her front paws were scraped, but she was OK. An email went out at work about anyone wanting to adopt a cat, and despite not being "cat people" or ever owning a pet before, we opted to bring her home. She was already being called "Shadow" because of her gray coat and "sneakiness in following you around like your shadow," so the name stuck. We found a vet and learned the estimate was she was about 2 at the time. We moved from that apartment to our first house about a month after our wedding in September 2005, and after some initial investigation she ...

Today is Friday. I have a lot on my mind. But too much to write about or even comprehend. So in my stead, I give you Shadow.  Yes, that is pump tubing on my head. No. I'm NOT happy about it.  Taking a break from her Plotting for World Dominiation, Shadow imitates what this coffee-saturated and sleep-depraved week of deadlines is doing to me. Some diabetes, much is not. Too much going on, too little time to process it. Tapping my energy, stealing my words, blocking my writing mind. So that's all. See you Monday.

This post originally appeared here a year ago in November 2009, but the shortened holiday week and never-ending array of deadlines and to-do tasks have combined to steal my time and energy to do anything that requires massive brain power. So, here's a blast from the past that I hope you enjoy - whether it's the first read or not. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -  The Riley Dog, now 5 years old.  Our eyes met in an instant, and a disasterous cycle of events was set into motion. The dog leaped from her spot on the green recliner chair where she'd be sitting. I'd just arrived home from work and was ready to go change into more comfortable non-work clothes. She was in pounce mode, her backend sticking up and her eyes fixed on me standing at the top of the stairs. "Riley!" I said happily, greeting my 4-year-old black lab. She responded by sprinting toward me, eager to offer a similiar welc...

I don't post about politics all too much, but surely I have my opinions and this is one of those times that it's not only timely and appropriate, but necessary to write about politics. That's because the Midterm Election is now complete, and the Road to 2012 is taking shape. As we move on in the coming months with a Lame Duck Session ( quack quack) and then into the latter half of this four-year presidential cycle with a new Congressional lineup, the political pundits say ( quack ) that the divided legislature means more ( quacking ) will be needed for bipartisanship and compromise. With that, I declare that we should focus specifically on the 2012 race and forget about those politicians who might be in the running already. Rather, we should focus on a unifier, who can unite no matter what way the fickle public and always-changing political winds are blowing. Our new presidential candidate for 2012: Riley, the D-Dog. Puppy for Presid...

T.G.I.F. Without a doubt. It's been a long week, one that was amazing because of Diabetes Art Day! With reading massive blogs in one single day and everything else going on this week, there's no time to blog now. Mostly, because I'm off enjoying the FREEDOM of being re-connected to my insulin pump. Not having to stab myself in the leg everytime I want to have a "carby snack" is AWESOME. So,  I leave you with the next best thing... My D-Dog Riley! In my stead, she will keep watch on the Diabetes Online Community for a bit while I'm away. RILEY! Two important items before I leave you with Riley, though... I do want to wish my parents a happy wedding anniversary, celebrating their big day back in 1977! So, borrowing from Jacquie over at Typical Type 1 , this may very well be National Larry and Judi Day. Well, at least it's an international event in my mind. With this longer weekend, make sure to take a few moments to click here and submit a comment ...

Here we are on Friday. TGIF? Not this time. At least, not completely. A quote comes to mind as we hit the last day of this week, and I reflect on the progress made, strived for and not achieved. "Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday."   ~Author Unknown Hmm. Sadly, it doesn't appear that I'm Robinson Crusoe. So, this doesn't apply to me. For two reasons: A.) I'm not a castaway on a tropical island. B.) While making it this far through the week feels like a tremendous victory, my To Do List lingers on and continues haunting me. Stealing sleep and stressing me out like a man who dropped his bacon on the floor. So, as I scramble to end the week on a more productive note, I offer a light, randomly-assembled recap of the week's Highs & Lows plus a preview of what's down the road in the week(s) ahead. ( Warning: Link heavy, but all are worth the mentions! ) Rain, please. Seriously. Why the Fuzzle Navel doesn't it rain anymore in...

My fellow cat friends (the Tuxedo Cats - K.C. and Casey , with Perl 's help) have found their way to their humans' blogs today. Or so I've read. So, in reading with interest their World Domination Plotting, I thought I'd follow suit and add my thoughts on a technique that's working for me. Not to mention my agreement with the previously-outlined demands for unlimited food bowl filling and no picking us up. However, flattery is perfectly fine. As far as plotting the human demise in my household, it comes down to this diabetes. I think that's our way in. I'm sure of it. Recently, I tried to steal Michael's blood meter and insulin. Here's a surprise photo snapped of me ( probably by the dog ) as I sat plotting to steal the BG meter, which I noticed had some Higher readings lately - meaning my other "secret plan to spike Michael's food with sugar" has been working.... However, I dozed off into a dreamworld of Cat Utopia and got distra...

This post is somewhat overdue, but it's been a couple crazy Fridays in a row... and so it's finally the right time! As you likely know, I had the honor of attending the second Roche Social Media Summit on June 29, traveling to Orlando to meet some of my fellow Diabetes Online Community members for the first time. But before I found myself Leaving On a Jet Plane for that trip, there was some fun "You've Got Mail" action that brightened the day and added coolness to my D-World:   From Boston With Love.. . You may recall that I celebrated my 25 years of Living With Diabetes in the spring of 2009, and was eligible to receive the quarter-century recognitions given out by both Eli Lilly (in Indy) and Joslin Diabetes Center (in Boston). My mom, who has been Type 1 since the age of 5 and has celebrated her own half-century Diaversary, told me about the two awards and suggested I apply. So, last summer I vowed to pursue these awards. Well, it took longer than that and ...

Early this week, we discovered an Ant Infestitation in our kitchen. They were climbing on cupboards, countertops, crevices in the sink, on the stove and wall, and appearing in freaky numbers inside a lollipop-filled ceramic cookie jar that sits on our counter. Despite frequent counter cleaning and spraying, it became obvious that the ants weren't going away and there might be more dubious behavior at work here. So, it was time to go Gibbs on these invading ants. Time to eradicate them from our home. There was only one thing we could do... We formed our Ant Elimination Plan. First, I engaged in counterintelligence recon and watched the Dreamscape movie Antz, in order to better understand their world and better enable myself to put strategery into place. Then, we stocked up on Ant Elimination Tools such as Borax, bleach, fresh ant traps, and counter wipes - complimenting the massive jug of HouseGuard bug killer...