GM's Corner : General Blogging Archives

A New Blog by GM

Not that any of my 15 readers are all that interested, but I've started a new blog titled Surviving Cancer and Other Atrocities - Notes on Medicine, Psychology and Politics. and I hope you all will go there from time to time. In fact, I urge those of you who would like to Join Unstoppable USA to send me an email and I'll get you in touch with the site administrator. Qualifications? Older USA citizens with many and varied World VIEWS. Views learned from life experiences to include political opinions, life opinions, world news, blogging, raising children or grandchildren, and thoughts on religion. Good "share" experiences through reads, travel, music, photographs and recipes. Now, I have to admit that this was NOT my idea, but the idea of a gentle lady who thinks far afield and is wanting to engage honest and open dialogue about the state of the world, and of ourselves as occupants of that world. If you felt that I represented myself as the "originator" of the idea, please know that that was not my intent. But the idea itself, from the gracious lady is an astoundingly brilliant idea and should grow, and grow and grow.

Here is my first substantive entry:

I AM NOT MY DIAGNOSIS DAMN IT!
Day 1: A trip to the ER - A number of years ago, I woke up with a terrific pain in my side. My late wife, who was a nurse thought for sure I had a kidney stone took me to the ER where the Doc ordered an IVP or Intravenous Pyelogram. Now, an IVP the Doc assured me is a simple painless procedure to take an X-Ray of my kidneys, ureters and bladder. He further explained that I would be standing, that they would insert an IV into my arm and then as the contrast material flowed through my veins and was filtered out by my kidneys.

What he didn’t explain, was how damnably uncomfortable it is having 20 gallons of fluid pumping through your veins all the while the X-Ray tech is saying “Hold it, hold it, just a little while longer, hold it more.” OK, OK, so it was only a liter, and not 20 gallons, but it sure felt like 20 gallons in my poor old distended bladder.

Read the rest!

UPDATE: I had the initial requirements as over 50, a vet and conservative. I was gently but lovingly reminded by the site Administrator that I screwed up... mea culpa, mea culpa, mea culpa. I've corrected the information.

Posted by gmroper at 12:01 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Why Did You Come Here?

1. search for: sheehan chavez animated gif - Jacksonville, Florida

2. search for: "jihad in england" "new book" - Salem, Mass.

3. search for: New Orleans Jimmy Carter - La Valle, Wisconson

4. referral from: http://tbirdblog.blogspot.com/2006/11/two-wrongs-do-not-make-right.html - Somewhere in the Mid West - Unknown ISP

5. Referral from: http://poli-yy.blogspot.com/2007/01/un-ready-to-move-on-kosovo.html - Wallingford, Conn.

6. search for: Jimmy Carter animated GIF - Pleasonton, Calif.

7. Unknown Search - Chollora, New South Wales

8. search for: LTG Honore - Raleigh, North Carolina

And you? Why are you here?

A tip 'O The GM Derby to Jeremayakovka

Posted by GM Roper at 07:29 AM | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0)

New Site Added To The Blog Roll

I came across A Second Hand Conjecture via a link in Instapundit. Good reading folks, I'd consider adding this site to your favorites list or, if you are a blogger, to your blogroll.

Posted by GM Roper at 06:48 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

Diamond In The Sunlight

Some things just don't need an explanation do they?

Posted by GM Roper at 08:27 AM | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0)

A NEW AUTHOR FOR GM'S CORNER

In June of last year, my beloved and I were about to embark on a much needed vacation and I would be out of touch with the blog for at least two weeks. I reached out to a good friend of mine who I had become familiar with via Marc Cooper who thought as I did (well, not all the time, we conservatives aren't part of the hive mind of the Democratic Borg) who could argue with liberals without getting angry and who could and would be willing to expose himself to the vicissitudes of having to blog fairly regularly. I have not once regretted that decision, and when I returned from vacation, I asked Woody to stay on. Thank you Woody.

Now, I am about to introduce another author. The Real Ugly American who blogs at the same name and will post as Real Ugly American. My good friend RUA (or as I call him occasionally TRUA) is a rarity in the blogosphere, a conservative democrat (small d this time) who, fed up with the shenannigans of the national Democrats decided to blog his frustrations. Shortly after RUA started blogging, he contacted me asking for suggestions for his blog and I was more than delighted to help out. Subsequently he calls me his blogfather, though I'm really not, I'm very, very proud to call him friend. He has taken his blog to new heights and has done exceptionally well.

So, in the next few days (as RUA becomes adjusted to the publishing system of GM's Corner) you will see articles posted by Real Ugly American. Be sure and comment, and be sure to add his site to your favorites.

Oh, and by the way, neither Woody nor I are going anywhere, we'll still be posting articles lambasting the left, center and the right when necessary and proper (of course, that will be about a 90%-8%-2% split) and posting humor, politics and mental health (mine and yours, not democrats, they don't have any).

Posted by GM Roper at 05:27 PM | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

Renaissance Man

If you are lucky in life you will have many, many friends. Some are close, some are stodgy, tried and true. Some are weird, some are WYSIWYG. And sometimes, if you are very lucky and very good at picking such a friend when they do come by, you will find one who is all of the above.

Such a friend of mine is a fellow by the name of, well, I'll call him Tom short for Thomas which is good because that happens to be his real name. I first met Tom in May of 2001 when I began some consulting work for an adolescent substance abuse treatment center. Tom was the director of operations. We soon became more than just nodding acquaintances, but not quite friends. Over the years however, a true friendship developed between me the wiser and younger and him the slightly older (he'll never see 59 years old again). Tom is a world class practical joker, but never the mean sort. Once, he took my picture and unbeknownst to me treated it with his many digital skills on Photoshop and making my head a perfect Chia Head. The kids in the facility noted that it really wasn't like me because I had this "great big bald spot" on the back of my head. One adolescent looked at the photo, then at me, then back at the photo and thought I could cover up the bald spot if I used Miracle Gro. Nice kid. Tom got a laugh out of that, and still does as a matter of fact.

In the very early part of our relationship, there was a fire alarm set off by one of the tar pots used in re-roofing the building. The fire department came out with the captain in one of the largest fire trucks I have ever seen in my life. I walked up to him to explain that it had been a false alarm but before I could even introduce myself he asked (in a rather ticked off voice) "Who's in charge here?"

Since I was only a consultant I pointed to the Director of Operations and said he is. Again in a stern and ticked off voice the Fire Captain asked "What's your name?" Tom, with out batting an eye or any sign of being dishonest said "George M. Roper" Thanks Tom!

Tom is also one of those guys that likes to do nice things for his friends when he is not pulling jokes. When I was diagnosed with cancer, Tom was there with encouragement, prayers and friendship. He visited me in the hospital every day that I was there and those visits were deeply appreciated. Tom commiserated with me when my hair started falling out because of the chemo-therapy and talked about having to cover my head when outside so the glare wouldn't blind pilots flying nearby. But he also took a photo and treated it with kindness, respect and true friendship. He put it up on the web and if you want to see what I really look like, click here. I told Tom that every time I watched it, I got a little weepy eyed. Initially he said only "Yeah!"

But telling stories of Tom's practical jokes and digital skills is not the purpose of this post, telling you about this great guy is.

Tom had a rough childhood, mother died of cancer when he was very young, dad was kind of cruel and abusive. Tom ran away from home at about 15 or so and lived in a car for a couple of years. Encouraged to join the Army by a judge who didn't think Tom was a bad boy (note: The judge didn't ask ME!!!) he enlisted and served with distinction.

Over the years, Tom has worked in a number of industries, most notably the exciting field of Art. Now, I'm not a serious connoisseur of art, but "I know what I like." I have a "chopped" Dali print, a number of signed and numbered prints of Itzchak Tarkay. But I digress, Tom has forgotten more about art than I will ever know. And so, he has opened his own online shop to sell quality art prints and posters. Works by Da Vinci, Picasso, Dali and Van Gogh. Works by Ansel Adams, Frieda Kahlo and Diego Rivera not to mention Andy Warhol and Monet. Great pieces at great prices. So, I've added a link to the jpeg at the upper left and if you click on it, it will take you to his site. I've also added a blogad in the side bar on the right. Browse around and see if you don't see something you like.

Full Disclosure: I don't get a nickel from Tom if you buy something, but I think that if you do, I will be very appreciative.

So, in part, this is to get even with you Tom, but in a big part it is also to tell you what a great friend you are.

Tom, I have to see you 5 days a week, but that is ok, I can take some anti-nausea medicine when I get home! ;-)

UPDATE: Tom, who in my world is King Digital is also an Ambassador for Coffee Cup software. He gave me a mini-cd with all kinds of cool programs a lot are free and the rest are available at substantial discounts. If you would like a copy of this CD, send an email with your name and address to this link, you won't regret it.

Posted by GM Roper at 06:59 PM | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

Blogging Man 2007

First, let me say thank you to GM for setting up my user account. I am sure that Woody will appreciate it as well.

That said, I believe that the Blogosphere ranks right up with Talk Radio in the effect that it has had in breaking the leftist grasp on information available to those not espousing their views. For that reason, I am proud to help out a friend and fellow Balance of Power contributor with a project he is currently working on.

It is called Blogging Man 2007 and will be a blog conference targeted at those on the right side of the political spectrum. I think it will be a great opportunity to not only meet some of the faces behind the blogs, but also to help continue the establishment of blogs as legitmate sources of news and views. If I can arrange to be in the country at that time, I will certainly be attending. Hopefully you can too.

So, without further delay, here is a blogburst designed to help get out the word. (BTW, if you would like to post this on your own blog to help out the cause, it would be greatly appreciated.):

Hello Friends,

I write you today to ask for a little help. As many of you know I am involved in a Political Bloggers Conference called Blogging Man (http://www.bloggingman.org). We have hit a bit of a snag...

It's one of those business things, the big sponsor doesn't want to sponsor a non-event, so they request that we get at least one Big name signed on before they will commit to giving us money...

The big name we have lined up, won't sign up until we give him the deposit...

And so on, but the good news here is the gap for all of this to come together is very small, about $1000...

But we really could use your help... If everyone could post this BlogBurst and / or buy a "Wall of Blogs" Blogger Sponsorship, we could meet our goal, and put Blogging Man on the map. So here goes...

Posted by LibertyDog at 02:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Blogging Man 2007

First, let me say thank you to GM for setting up my user account. I am sure that Woody will appreciate it as well.

That said, I believe that the Blogosphere ranks right up with Talk Radio in the effect that it has had in breaking the leftist grasp on information available to those not espousing their views. For that reason, I am proud to help out a friend and fellow Balance of Power contributor with a project he is currently working on.

It is called Blogging Man 2007 and will be a blog conference targeted at those on the right side of the political spectrum. I think it will be a great opportunity to not only meet some of the faces behind the blogs, but also to help continue the establishment of blogs as legitmate sources of news and views. If I can arrange to be in the country at that time, I will certainly be attending. Hopefully you can too.

So, without further delay, here is a blogburst designed to help get out the word. (BTW, if you would like to post this on your own blog to help out the cause, it would be greatly appreciated.):

Hello Friends,

I write you today to ask for a little help. As many of you know I am involved in a Political Bloggers Conference called Blogging Man (http://www.bloggingman.org). We have hit a bit of a snag...

It's one of those business things, the big sponsor doesn't want to sponsor a non-event, so they request that we get at least one Big name signed on before they will commit to giving us money...

The big name we have lined up, won't sign up until we give him the deposit...

And so on, but the good news here is the gap for all of this to come together is very small, about $1000...

But we really could use your help... If everyone could post this BlogBurst and / or buy a "Wall of Blogs" Blogger Sponsorship, we could meet our goal, and put Blogging Man on the map. So here goes...

************************
Blogging Man 2007 is THE Political Blogger's Conference!
Blogging Man 2007will be the FIRST national conference for Political Bloggers EVER.
Scheduled for three days in Reno, Nevada, Blogging Man 2007 will set the standard for Political Blogging Conferences to come.

A Conference BY Bloggers JUST Like YOU.
The developers and speakers for Blogging Man 2007 are bloggers, first
and foremost. They come from all over the country, and all have a passion for politics, and blogging.

A Conference FOR Bloggers JUST Like YOU.
Blogging Man 2007 is for YOU, if you love blogging, and love politics.

DON'T Get Left Out Of The First BIG Blogging Event of the Century.

There are opportunities for YOU to participate in BM 2007.

You can promote YOUR BLOG on our Wall of Blogs, EVEN if you can't attend the conference yourself!
The Wall of Blogs will be a MAIN Display at the Conference.
Space for the Wall of Blogs is ONLY $20.

But Wall of Blogs is Filling FAST!
Don't Wait to get YOUR BLOG seen at Blogging Man 2007 for ONLY $20!

Also, for a limited time, Early Registration for
Blogging Man 2007 is ONLY $75.
AND, Early Registrants get a copy of Hugh Hewitt's groundbreaking book BLOG while they last.
GET YOUR COPY TODAY, ALONG WITH THE DISCOUNTED REGISTRATION!!

Blogging Man 2007 also has a very limited number of Bronze Sponsorships available for $500.

The Bronze Sponsorships includes the benefits of the Blogger Sponsorship, PLUS:
YOUR Logo and Ad in the Event Program,
YOUR logo and ad space on the Event Website,
AND One FREE Registration to BloggingMan 2007.

Get Your Blog on The Wall of Blogs!
Get YOUR copy of Blog! By Hugh Hewitt with Your Early Registration.
Get Your Logo in the Event Program with Your Bronze Sponsorships!
Don't Get Left Out of Blogging Man 2007!