To infinity and beyond: A sparkling survival story – CNN.com

(CNN) — Walter Marino shouted to his 12-year-old son, Christopher, as he drifted farther away in the Atlantic Ocean.

A Coast Guard crew found Christopher three miles away from where his father was rescued.

A Coast Guard crew found Christopher three miles away from where his father was rescued.

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“To infinity,” the father yelled.

“And beyond,” Christopher replied.

After a rip current swept the boy and his father out to sea Saturday, darkness fell, and the sound of rescue helicopters and boats grew faint until they were nonexistent.

Despite the danger, Christopher, who has autism, was enjoying himself, his father said. The boy lacks a fear of death because of his autism and finds comfort in the water, Marino told CNN.

Marino finds comfort in his son. Their unique circumstances helped keep them alive for more than 12 hours in the open ocean, Marino said.

To infinity and beyond: A sparkling survival story – CNN.com.

I have this, and one after it. How amazing. It would have been amazing with any child, but especially so with a mostly non-verbal child. I’ve spent time with non-verbal kids, and it’s hard, nigh on impossible, when you aren’t treading water in the middle of the ocean. This is nothing short of miraculous.

Daisy Chainmail on The Bazaar

I was just looking at recently listed things and I love this! At 10$ it’s also fairly inexpensive for handmade jewelry. I bought an intricate chainmail choker a few years back and it set me back nearly 70$. I think in comparison this is a great deal!

4 silver daisy chainmaille flowers connected by beautiful blue glass beads
silver toggle clasp
a one of a kind piece made by my 2 little hands

Go check it out!

Good things are upon us.

So…. more goodness!  Well, if you are into this sort of thing.

Malachai pulled out my Housewives Tarot last night thinking it was a game (well, it was in the game closet lol) so I gave it a shuffle today and pulled a single card. For those of you unfamiliar with the Housewives Tarot, you can see it here: http://www.housewivestarot.com/  I am pretty sure you can do a digital spread there too. I’ve always preferred actual cards.

I got the Three of Pentacles. (copying right from the booklet)

General pentacles info:
[quote]Pentacles deal with money matters, careers, possessions – everything real and tangible. You may find yourself admiring all you’ve worked so hard to attain, or watching in horror as it slips throgh your fingers and crashes to the floor. [/quote]

Card info:
[quote]
Praise. Recognition. Completion.

As the neighbors gaze on in awe, an industrious housewife puts the finishing touches on a new shelf to display her Melmac dinner plates. The three of pentacles finds you completing the initial stages of a project. You’ve hammered out all the details and screwed the competition. Now it’s time to discuss the next phase of development and to enjoy the praise and recognition you so rightly deserve. [/quote]

So by my rough interpretation, and because this work issue has been crowding my mind, good things are indeed upon us!

Blog Worth

So way back on October 23, 2005 I made this post about my blogs worth. At the time this word press blog was “worth” $564.54, based on whatever that is based on.

Now it’s worth $1693.62, again, based on whatever that is based on.

Link phobic?

How Much Is My Blog Worth?

Inspired by Tristan Louis’s research into the value of each link to Weblogs Inc, I’ve created this little applet using Technorati’s API which computes and displays your blog’s worth using the same link to dollar ratio as the AOL-Weblogs Inc deal.

Interesting. Not that I am selling my blog, or ad space or anything. You all know I don’t post anything earth shattering, I don’t post commentary about current events too often. None of the really blog-worthy stuff. This is basically my own digital diary, and I don’t think anyone really finds it that interesting. The posts duplicate to LJ and VOX, and RSS to a couple of places, but otherwise, it’s a self serving, all about me blog. You know, like most of them out there.

Mom is at the ER

Yesterday my gram, zaide, aunt and two uncles came over. Mom was up and sitting for about 1.5 – 2 hours, but they arrived much later than expected, so by the time they arrived she was back in bed.

My aunt asked her is she wanted to see her siblings, and I guess she said no? She asked dad and then me. I said tell them to come. Don’t force the issue, but if they want to come down, they can. It’s not for mom at this point, it’s for them. I’ve said as much to her friends as well. Let them come in droves. Mom was well loved, and I don’t think it’s fair to deny her friends the opportunity to see her. I hope they all come.

She was having a crying fit this morning, in pain. Her neck has been bothering her a lot. She wanted them to x-ray it, fix it. She was saying it’s the port, but it’s just the cancer. It’s everywhere. She finally took some morphine, I think dad and I were hoping she’d go back to sleep for a bit, but she insisted we call Dovid. So we did, and he said take her to the ER. She was put in a room rather quickly, but as of 30 minutes ago had not seen a doctor yet. Howling in pain in the public area tends to get you quick attention, or at least a quick private room. She was also asking him why he didn’t tell her yesterday. I am assuming she was asking why he didn’t tell her that her chemo was cancelled. Well, not to upset her, of course. Her chemo has been stopped all together, not just a few sessions. We were hoping to tell her they couldn’t get the new drug in they wanted (as it’s brand spankin’ new) and it had to wait a few weeks. By the time she asked again, she’d forget we told her a few weeks, and she’d be ok with the same explanation.

I haven’t been able to do my crying yet. I’ll get my turn after the funeral. I am here to be a pillar for everyone else. Like with Erin. It’s ok. I think maybe it’s why I am here in general. It’s what I do a lot.

The MASH theme song came on my iPod on my way home this morning. The version with the words. What a depressing song. I usually like it. It seems to fit my personal soundtrack though.

I don’t remember if I mentioned it. Mom was singing patche patche with Eshiva yesterday, and couldn’t remember all the words, mixed them up too. It breaks my heart to see her this way. My mom was always so strong, a fighter. It’s like most of the fight has gone out of her. The most insistant I have seen her was this morning, because of the pain. Pain shouldn’t be the driving force in your life. I hope she finds her way through it soon. I don’t want this to drag on.

Pam said she was up and moving around 2AM. Not a ton, but more than she had been.

I’d like to ask, if you get a moment, please say this for my mom. It can be said for the person it’s for wit out changing any of the words. I think it’s important to her. :

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