- About OCD
- SIGs(Special Interest Groups), with a link to 'Organized Chaos' webzine, just for teens and young adults with OCD
- OCF Resources
- More Info & Resources
Wednesday, November 27, 2002
Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation
The website includes definition, newsletter, services, and more, with links organized in the following categories:
XML to Become Word and Excel File Formats
Infoworld | XML to Become Word and Excel File Formats
(excerpt from article):
(excerpt from article):
The first public beta of Microsoft Office 11 demonstrates, as promised, that XML has become a native Office file format. What's more, Word 11 and Excel 11 can associate documents with data definitions written in XML Schema, and they can interactively validate documents against schemas. These are transforming achievements. Previous Office upgrades have been yawners, but version 11 should rivet the attention of IT planners.
Monday, November 25, 2002
Abe Lincoln Haiku
More awkward than most
He wasn't much for parties
But boy could he talk
from p r e s i d e n t i a l h a i k u
Thursday, November 21, 2002
Getting To Know Your Friends
This is a variation of an email that I received from Dana B. I decided to post it here instead. My answers are in italics:
- What time do you wake up in the morning?
About a half hour after the alarm clock rings or when my wife wakes me up (usually about 6:30am). On Saturday, I try to wake up on my own, especially since I'm taking this medicine that makes me sleepy. - If you could eat lunch with one famous person, who would it be?
Jesus Christ, just to preview what life in heaven will be like. - Gold or silver?
gold - What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
with kids - Ice Age
without kids - Spiderman - Favorite TV shows?
Alias, CSI, Without a Trace - What do you have for breakfast?
when I'm responsible for it - cereal, donuts, or whatever I can find that's already made
when someone else makes it - eggs, bacon, sausage, toast, etc. - What would you hate to be left in a room with?
a huge gorilla that is looking for someone to mate with him - Can you touch your nose with your tongue?
Yes, and more! I can roll my tongue up on the sides and down on the sides (wow! what talent!) - What inspires you?
the Bible, my wife, my daughter, other family, "character transformation"-type movies, genuine encouragement - What is your middle name?
Allen - Beach, city or country?
city - Summer or Winter?
Summer - Favorite ice cream?
mint chocolate chip - Favorite time of day?
naptime - Favorite car?
1997 Honda Civic LX - the one I currently drive - Favorite sandwich filling?
philly cheese steak - What characteristics do you despise?
mercilessness, snobbery - Favorite flower?
marigold, we have a lot of them in our front yard - If you had a big win in the lottery, how long would you wait to tell people?
After I'd confirmed it, I probably would tell friends and family the next time I spoke with them. I'd probably wind up with a lot more 'friends and family'. - Fizzy or still water as a drink?
big cup of still water - must be cold, though - What color is your bathroom?
pink and white - How many keys on your key ring?
6 keys- 3 keys to 3 cars that do not work, two house keys, and my office shelf key - Where would you retire to?
dayton, ohio - where I live right now - Can you juggle?
Yeah, sort of. I can also juggle in my mind, too. Oops! Dropped one! - Favorite day of the week?
Saturday - Red or white wine?
red - What did you do for your last birthday?
Went to Max & Erma's with my wife, my daughter, friend Tasha and her son. Also, we had a party at our house the previous Sunday and folks shared about Tasha and me (her birthday is the day after mine). People were still hanging around when 'Alias' came on, so my wife and I let everyone else do what they wanted to so that we could watch it. - Do you carry a donor card?
Yes, it's on my driver's license - Who do you least expect to respond back to you?
mostly everyone - Who is the person you expect to respond first?
I have no idea - Name one thing about you most people wouldn't guess?
I really don't have it all together
Wednesday, November 20, 2002
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
To anyone who has seen the movie, what do you think? I am presently in my second round of reading the book.
Monday, November 18, 2002
Wednesday, November 13, 2002
Monday, November 11, 2002
Journey Inside My Mind: Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD)
One of the main reasons I started this weblog was to be able to document the so-called "journey inside my mind". I tend to be rather neurotic, and I've often not been able to understand why my world seems to be in a whirlwind and out of control (see related posts: "Mind on Fire" "Whirlwind - A Poem").
Since undergoing therapy, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (aka manic depression), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Throughout a lot of this journey, I've tried to learn as much about the mental illnesses as possible to see how and where I fit in. The idea is to glean from others' knowledge so that I can get well:
I'm currently being seen by a psychiatrist and a counselor, and the current diagnosis is what the doc referred to as "process OCD", which I'm understanding as Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). It is true that I have some of the "content OCD" symptoms: I pick at scabs, touch my face or hands excessively, etc. But the big thing is that my "process" of doing things is so rigid.
So I'm journeying to discover more about this OCPD, and, thanks to the folks at Yahoo!, I was able to find a web site that defines OCPD. I link to it here more for my benefit, but if you also benefit, then that's a bonus.
Since undergoing therapy, I have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder (aka manic depression), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Throughout a lot of this journey, I've tried to learn as much about the mental illnesses as possible to see how and where I fit in. The idea is to glean from others' knowledge so that I can get well:
I'm currently being seen by a psychiatrist and a counselor, and the current diagnosis is what the doc referred to as "process OCD", which I'm understanding as Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD). It is true that I have some of the "content OCD" symptoms: I pick at scabs, touch my face or hands excessively, etc. But the big thing is that my "process" of doing things is so rigid.
So I'm journeying to discover more about this OCPD, and, thanks to the folks at Yahoo!, I was able to find a web site that defines OCPD. I link to it here more for my benefit, but if you also benefit, then that's a bonus.
Veteran's Day 2002
from email (thanks to Jeff I.)What is a Vet?
Two little words that mean a lot: "THANK YOU."
Lord, hold our troops in Your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Closing Remarks
When you've read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our service men and women stationed all over the world.
There is nothing attached...Of all the gifts you could give a US serviceman, prayer is the very best one.
- He is the cop on the beat who spent six months in Saudi Arabia sweating two gallons a day making sure the armored personnel carriers didn't run out of fuel.
- He is the barroom loudmouth, dumber than five wooden planks, whose overgrown frat-boy behavior is outweighed a hundred times in the cosmic scales by four hours of exquisite bravery near the 38th parallel.
- She (or he) is the nurse who fought against futility and went to sleep sobbing every night for two solid years in Da Nang.
- He is the POW who went away one person and came back another - or didn't come back AT ALL.
- He is the Parris Island drill instructor who has never seen combat - but has saved countless lives by turning slouchy, no-account rednecks and gang members into Marines, and teaching them to watch each other's backs.
- He is the parade-riding Legionnaire who pins on his ribbons and medals with a prosthetic hand.
- He is the career quartermaster who watches the ribbons and medals pass him by.
- He is the three anonymous heroes in The Tomb Of The Unknowns, whose presence at the Arlington National Cemetery must forever preserve the memory of all anonymous heroes whose valor dies unrecognized with them on the battlefield or in the ocean's sunless deep.
- He is the old guy bagging groceries at the supermarket - palsied now and aggravatingly slow - who helped liberate a Nazi death camp and who wishes all day long that his wife were still alive to hold him when the nightmares come.
- He is an ordinary and yet an extraordinary human being - a person who offered some of his life's most vital years in the service of his country, and who sacrificed his ambitions so others would not have to sacrifice theirs.
- He is a soldier and a savior and a sword against the darkness, and he is nothing more than the finest, greatest testimony on behalf of the finest, greatest nation ever known.
Two little words that mean a lot: "THANK YOU."
It's the soldier, not the reporter, who gave us our freedom of the press.Prayer for our Servicemen
It's the soldier, not the poet, who gave us our freedom of speech.
It's the soldier, not the campus organizer, who gave us our freedom to demonstrate.
It's the soldier, who salutes the flag, who serves others with respect for the flag, and whose coffin is draped by the flag, who allows the protester to burn the flag.
Lord, hold our troops in Your loving hands. Protect them as they protect us. Bless them and their families for the selfless acts they perform for us in our time of need. I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.
Closing Remarks
When you've read this, please stop for a moment and say a prayer for our service men and women stationed all over the world.
There is nothing attached...Of all the gifts you could give a US serviceman, prayer is the very best one.
Thursday, November 07, 2002
Collapse!
I just played this game at the public library's computer. It, like so many others, can be so addicting. I found it through http://games.yahoo.com.
Chimneys and Fireplaces
We've had our house for over a year, but we've never used the upstairs or downstairs fireplace. We had them inspected prior to buying the house and were told that they needed $1500 worth of work. I have no idea how they operate and what kinds of things need to be considered when using them, but I found a site that may help me: About.com's Fireplace Guide.
Wednesday, November 06, 2002
Two Frogs - Lesson in the Power of Words
A group of frogs were traveling through the woods, and two of them fell into a deep pit. All the other frogs gathered around the pit. When they saw how deep the pit was, they told the unfortunate frogs they would never get out.
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder, and finally, he made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs asked him, "Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
Cheers!
The two frogs ignored the comments and tried to jump up out of the pit. The other frogs kept telling them to stop, that they were as good as dead. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and simply gave up. He fell down and died.
The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him to stop the pain and suffering and just die. He jumped even harder, and finally, he made it out.
When he got out, the other frogs asked him, "Why did you continue jumping? Didn't you hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.
This story teaches two lessons:
- There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.
- A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them. Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path.
Cheers!
FBI as an Example of Useful Government - JOKE ALERT!
via e-mail from Steve
The phone rings at FBI headquarters:
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this the FBI?"
"Yes. What do you want?"
"I'm calling to report my neighbor Adrian Thibodeaux! He is hiding marijuana inside his firewood."
"Thank you very much for the call, sir."
The next day, the FBI agents descend on Thibodeaux's house. They search the shed where the firewood is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but find no marijuana. They swear at Thibodeaux and leave.
The phone rings at Thibodeaux's house.
"Hey, Adrian! Did the FBI come?"
"Yeah!"
"Did they chop your firewood?"
"Yep."
"Great, call the FBI back and tell them that there is cocaine in my garden. It needs to be plowed."
The phone rings at FBI headquarters:
"Hello?"
"Hello, is this the FBI?"
"Yes. What do you want?"
"I'm calling to report my neighbor Adrian Thibodeaux! He is hiding marijuana inside his firewood."
"Thank you very much for the call, sir."
The next day, the FBI agents descend on Thibodeaux's house. They search the shed where the firewood is kept. Using axes, they bust open every piece of wood, but find no marijuana. They swear at Thibodeaux and leave.
The phone rings at Thibodeaux's house.
"Hey, Adrian! Did the FBI come?"
"Yeah!"
"Did they chop your firewood?"
"Yep."
"Great, call the FBI back and tell them that there is cocaine in my garden. It needs to be plowed."
Monday, November 04, 2002
Saturday, November 02, 2002
See These Pics
subtitled, "I didn't know you could do that with a blog!"
crazy white girl with a camera is a new blog with Kelly's pictures. Thanks to Mike for the link.
crazy white girl with a camera is a new blog with Kelly's pictures. Thanks to Mike for the link.