If You're On Sick Leave Don't Post Vacation Photos on Facebook

A Quebec woman on long-term sick leave is fighting to have her benefits reinstated after her employer's insurance company cut them, she says, because of photos she posted on Facebook. The woman was out for the last year and a half after she was diagnosed with major depression and hence receiving monthly benefits from the insurance company. Then the payments stopped.

She said her insurance agent described several pictures she had posted on Facebook, including ones showing her having a good time at a Chippendales bar show, at her birthday party and on a sun holiday — evidence that she is no longer depressed said the insurance company. The woman claims she notified the company she was taking a trip, and she's shocked they would investigate her in such a manner and interpret her photos that way. "In the moment I'm happy, but before and after I have the same problems" as before, she said. She added that on her doctor's advice, she tried to have fun, including nights out at her local bar with friends and short getaways to sun destinations, as a way to forget her problems.

Apparently the company can access Facebook to check out this type of information. The woman has filed a lawsuit. It will be interesting to see what the outcome is.

Paper as a Food Group?

A news article this past week states police say a bank robbery suspect in Ohio may have eaten evidence when he gobbled a piece of paper while handcuffed and lying across the hood of a police cruiser.

It had been reported a man walked into the bank and handed a teller a note that demanded money. Money was found in a bag in the suspect's car, which fit the description of the bank robber’s vehicle, along with a bank die pack that had exploded. A dash cam video of the arrest shows the suspect gobbling a piece of paper while officers searched his pockets for weapons. They were not looking at his head.

The whereabouts of the note demanding money came into question after he was taken into custody and investigators asked whether officers had found the piece of paper. When the camera's images were reviewed the suspect was observed leaning over to eat something off the hood of the cruiser. As one officer stated: ''He grabbed it in his mouth, just like Pacman, he just ate it right there.''

Johnny Depp chosen as Sexiest Man by People Mag

Johnny Depp has been chosen by People Magazine as the "Sexiest Man Alive". As a coincidence I recently saw, through Netflix, What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Don Juan DeMarco and Chocolat all of which are movies he is in and I must say I thought he was good in all of them. All good movies. Marlon Brando and Faye Dunaway were great in Don Juan DeMarco too- my opinion only of course, not sure what the critics' comments were when it came out nor does it matter to me. However, just as I realized my age may be a factor in not knowing who Justin Bieber was/is (see earlier blog comment), here's another disturbing realization: I am old enough to be the mother of this year's nomination for "Sexiest Man Alive". Wow...

Justin Bieber (he's Canadian apparently -who knew?)

Recently chaos erupted at a mall on Long Island NY where Justin Bieber was scheduled to make an appearance. An estimated three thousand pre-teen girls and their parents camped out at the mall starting at 7 AM. The crowd got so aggressive that at one point one mother got into an altercation with another and had her arm broken! Police arrived, at least one girl was tasered, and the event ended up being canceled. And here is where this gets disturbing to me: until I saw this on the news....I had never even heard of Justin Bieber! And still don't know who he is (though he looks cute). Now THAT is a sign I am officially "OLD"!! Turns out he is a 15-year old singer from Stratford Ontario. A fellow Canadian how did I miss that? Sometime in late 2007 he apparently was singing somewhere because he and his mom starting posting on YouTube for friends/family who couldn't attend his performances. Now there is a considerate mom for you eh? And let's not forget the mom who got her arm broken because she thought it was a good idea to join, with her daughter, approximately 2,998 other people at a crowded mall... to see Justin. Personally I think I'd have waited for YouTube! But as I said, I'm old!

Our Thanksgiving Turkey

One great thing about having small children in the house is one has a wonderful excuse to go to holiday parades, and watch shows like the Charlie Brown Specials, hey there's a new Merry Madacascar out which is REALLY cute in case anyone isn't aware! My daughter, her hubby and the two children -and yes of course me too, will be going on the local Santa Train ride soon. In the meantime for Thanksgiving we put up the turkey shown here in front of the house. This was taken at night.

Scrabble and Farmville

Ok I'm now getting obsessive about the Scrabble games, we are playing three right now. Guess my friend and I will be the smartest old ladies in the nursing home soon LOL. And Farmville - what a lark that is. I was quite upset yesterday because Facebook somehow thought I'd done something against their rules. I hadn't I swear!! I was only trying to sign on to Farmville and it locked me out for awhile. And the worst thing is my (fake) raspberries almost withered - perish the thought!! So I just finished putting all my farm animals in their pens/coops for the evening. Re-reading this I think it may just be time for my children to put me in a home - except my daughter and her hubby play Farmville too! Here's a pic of my grandson. I don't feel comfortable publishing their full faces - though it's not like anyone is really reading my blog!!

More Photographs

We have one final project left for our photography class. I'll probably submit ones of my grandchildren - so far I have some nice ones. Not going to put full pictures on here but attached are a couple of "parts" of the baby. Next Wednesday we review the best of what we've done from our assignments. Then it gets narrowed down to up to three photos we submit for framing. A "show" is scheduled for Dec 11/09 at the framing shop owned by our instructor's friend. The framing is not cheap most of us will likely only use one photograph. The idea is that they could be sold. Doubt mine will be but that's ok I've learned alot.

Remembrance/Veterans Day 11/11/09

Poem
In Flanders Fields
By: Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD (1872-1918) Canadian Army

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Annie's Results

The word "benign" must be the greatest word in the English language no? Our Annie's tumor results came back and it was benign. I'm so happy - going to buy her ice cream tomorrow!

Facebook's Farmville

When I retired Oct 1/09 I had plans to catch up on alot of things I'd not had time for while working. Instead, my daughter now has me hooked on Farmville (in Facebook)! Amazing how much time you can spend on a silly little game like that. In addition, a week ago one of my friends in Vancouver started playing on-line Scrabble with me and we've been playing two games at a time. She's always been into crossword puzzles and the board game Scrabble while I'm quite new to this, not having played Scrabble since my kids were young. But I'm proud to say I'm keeping a pretty good pace with her score-wise even though I haven't won yet. Amazes me what constitutes a real "word" though!! Like "ee"...??

A Thursday

Today the vet let Annie come home from the hospital. They had to keep her overnight. It was very upsetting last night to hear we have to wait for biopsy results of the removal of one of the cysts on Monday. As all animal lovers know our pets are part of our family and everyday life.
Waiting for the call from the vet I missed yesterday's photography class. We were to take pictures of a subject then zero in on parts of that same subject. My subjects were a piece of playground equipment, a building and a portrait. Here are a couple of samples. Will have to wait until next week to see what the instructor's opinion is.

Annie

My Annie who recently had to have some teeth pulled now has to have a cyst removed poor baby. The veterinarians she goes to are very kind and caring thank goodness. So tomorrow in she goes for surgery!