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Concentra Urgent Care in Grandview Missouri – HaliPawz

I have been sick for a while now.  I have put off going to the doctor and hit obstacles when I finally decided to go.  Obstacles I would honestly laugh at if it was someone else, including losing my debit card, getting dates wrong, etc.

Last Friday I started calling regular MD offices and they were all saying 5-14 days wait to be seen.  I finally decided on one who get get me in on Wednesday April 15 but after a really rough weekend where I almost took myself to the ER, I decided to go to an urgent care office Monday and not wait until Wednesday.

I looked at reviews online and did not seem too impressed with some of the reviews. I finally found one; Concentra, who seemed to have good reviews and appeared to put patient care first. They also had a coupon for $10 off for cash customers which I printed to bring with me.  I also printed the patient forms so I would have them filled out when I arrived.

I looked at the various locations in the KC area and decided to go to the Grandview Location.

Upon arrival, I saw people standing so I was a little concerned.  I went to the desk and was told, almost apologetically, it would probably be a 45 minute wait.  For a walk in clinic, I had expected at least a 20-30 min wait, so 45 min was no problem. I knew I had to be seen.  I handed off my paperwork and went to sit down. There were plenty of seats, the waiting area was plain, but clean.  There is a pole right in the middle so if you wanted to watch the television that was in the waiting area, you had to choose a seat around the pole.

The staff at the front desk seemed cordial. They seemed aware of what was happening and didn’t seem to just blow patients off.

After about 30 minutes, I was called back to the front desk where I was told today’s visit would be $150.  That would cover the visit, all lab work, etc.  I paid and was told it would just be a few more minutes.

I noticed some cute interaction between one associate and a child playing in the waiting room. She did not know the child but was giving him a pleasant experience in a doctor office.

About ten minutes later, I was called back up to the front desk. She had not realized I had the $10 coupon and asked if I would rewrite my check for $140.  I appreciated her acknowledging the mistake and not just blowing it off since I had forgotten to mention it to her even though I turned it in with my original paperwork.

I was taken back about 50 minutes after arrival, so they stayed true to their 45 min wait.  The nurse was pleasant. Seemed to listen to me. Asked me basic questions.  I was then told she wasn’t sure which doctor I would see, the male or the female, but she liked them both.  She also gave me a little info about both and then left.

The room was very plain. Plain gray walls.

The doctor came in and seemed friendly but honestly seemed a little unobservant. I did not feel like a priority at all. He would ask me questions, which I answered honestly, then would say something that did not make sense.  For example,  I explained I had my gallbladder removed and then he makes a comment like I might need to have some tests ran to look at my gallbladder.  Ummm ok…I don’t think the surgeon kept it.  He told me I probably just had a virus that needed to run it’s course, which I would appreciate if it had only been a few days, but again, I pointed out it had been almost a month!  It appeared like this information was just hitting him and then he stopped to think for a few minutes.  He sat down and just stared at nothing for what seemed like eternity.  It set a really uncomfortable feeling.  He didn’t say anything, didn’t look at me, didn’t look at my chart, just sat there staring, but it didn’t seem like he was staring at anything in particular.  It wasn’t even like he was staring off into space like one would do when they were thinking.

When he did comment, he almost made me feel silly for coming into an urgent care.  He kept saying I would probably need to go and see a gastroenterologist, urgent care couldn’t really help me, etc.  I had asked him to run a particular blood test.  It was the SAME test I had asked the front desk if they would be able to run, which they said they would be able to.  Even though I had mentioned it to the front desk, the nurse, and the doctor when we first started talking, he didn’t seem to want to run it.  He just wanted to write me a prescription for nausea and told me to take Prilosec because maybe I had an ulcer or something.  I was so frustrated at this point!

Upon my insistence one more time, he finally agreed to run the blood test I had originally asked for, but still seemed resistant.  When the technician arrived to draw my blood, she was wonderful.  She talked to me and seemed to be more interested in what was going on with me than the doctor was. She understood my concerns and said she understood why I wanted this particular test done before I did anything else.  Then she said I would have to pay more for the test. I didn’t understand this since I had been told at the beginning my $140 would cover all lab work.  The website boasted about how they didn’t have hidden fees, etc.  I was told it only covered lab work that could be done in house, but not the tests that had to be sent out.  Yet another frustration.  None of this was explained.  I had clearly stated I wanted this test done AT THE BEGINNING and was not told there would be an additional fee.  I agreed to pay it because I wanted it done.

I went to check out, paid the additional amount, and left extremely disappointed.  What a waste of $140.  I overpaid for a doctor who didn’t listen, didn’t pay attention, and, in my opinion, didn’t want to do his job.

I NEVER filled the prescriptions, the test results came back negative (which is fine, at least I knew) and, within a couple of days, I started feeling better again.  Perhaps if you have a sprained ankle or broken bone, which doesn’t really require any thought and it very obvious, this would be a good place to go, but I will never go back.  It was a waste of my time and my money.

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Product Review; Loredana’s Jalapeno Marinated Asiago & Parmesan Cheese spread from Just Enough Heat – HaliPawz

Every now and then, you stumble upon a new product that is unbelievably good.  I had the great fortune of that happening just recently.  I was at a PRP International sale and they had Just Enough Heat there showcasing some of their products.  I had never seen them there before so we went to look at the products they had.  I am not a “heat” lover.  I don’t really care for spicy food too much.  I want to be able to taste the flavor of the food I’m eating, not burn my mouth.  The first thing I tried was their Savory Saltine Flavoring.   While I did not end up purchasing this, I was impressed.  With this flavoring packet, you change the flavor of basic, saltine crackers and give them a nice pop of flavor.  It is mild, but packed with flavor.  I avoided a lot of their products because of the heat factor, but they recommended I try their Jalapeno Marinated Asiago & Parmesan Cheese spread.  They gave me a little sample with a small piece of bread and I was hooked!  Even though it has “Jalapeno” in the title, it was classified as mild.  I bought a jar of it.

I happened to be having a small gathering later that day at my home so I put the jar on the counter away from all of the other food.  I didn’t want to share it with everyone, I wanted to be able to enjoy it later.  I looked at the jar a little later and saw that it was supposed to be refrigerated.  I was surprised because it wasn’t refrigerated or even kept cold when I purchased it, so I was a little concerned.  I double checked and no where did it say “Refrigerate after opening” it simply said “Keep Refrigerated.”  I put it in the refrigerator and forgot about it for a couple of days.  I hadn’t been feeling all that great so I wasn’t really trying to eat a lot.  I had a couple of Kings Hawaiian Rolls left over from my party  and decided to munch on one.  I remembered my cheese purchase and opened it up.  The first thing I noticed was how oily it was.  I remembered being told you had to stir it up really well before using it.

As you can see, the oil is all at the top.

After stirring it, the cheeses are very evident.

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I scooped out a little bit and put it on the roll.  It was as good as I remembered it!  The combination of the hard cheeses with the olive oil and garlic is amazing.  You do not need a lot because the flavor is so rich.  The mild Jalapeno gives it a bold flavor without the burn.   Over the course of the week, I also tried the spread on pretzel chips and found it to be pretty tasty.

I wanted to get some recipe ideas and since it had a Loredana’s label instead of  Just Enough Heat label, I looked up the company.  They are a small company in Denver.  As I was looking through their site, I saw some great recipe ideas, including putting a small amount into a hamburger patty.  Yes, I will be trying that as soon as I am feeling better!  I also discovered they have additional Asiago & Parmesan Cheese Spreads.  One in particular that caught my eye is their Garlic Marinated Asiago & Parmesan Hard Cheese.  They also have the same recipe but without as much garlic.  It still has garlic in it, but apparently not as much.  Since I like garlic, I think I would like the extra garlic.  They also have a Winter Truffle version I am a little curious about.

At $15 a jar, this is a little expensive for me to have on a regular basis.  I appreciate the cheeses used are not cheap and the quality and flavor is well worth the cost, it just isn’t in my budget right now.  I definetely will be purchasing a few more jars though so I can try some of the recipes.  As I do, I will make sure to share my thoughts on the other flavors.

I am so happy to have discovered this great new company.  They have other products besides spreads, including a vinaigrette section I will keep my eye on to see if they add a raspberry version.

I encourage you to check out Just Enough Heat and Loredana’s….two new companies with some great products, tell them you heard about them from me, maybe they’ll be nice and offer a discount on some of their other cheese spreads!  Hey, a girl can hope!

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Self employed and sick, not a good combination – HaliPawz

I have not been feeling well for over two weeks now.  While it may not be a big deal to some, when you are self employed, being sick can be a really bad thing.  This is the first time since I left my safe, secure job to take a chance on myself that I have been sick to the point it affected my work life multiple days.  As I was looking at my stats today on my site, the number of visitors to my page was down considerably, sadly, that is not the only area affected.

Let’s talk about what’s been going on first.  I’ve been nauseous almost every day.  It wasn’t the simple, “Ugh, I have a stomach ache” nauseous, but the first ten days of it was “Ugh, every time I move I feel like I’m going to throw up” nauseous.  In addition to that, I have been tired.  So tired I was taking two hour naps, waking up, then ready to nap again a few hours later.  Every time I opened up my laptop, I would start to fall asleep.  Not easy to sit and write when you couldn’t stay awake!  As long as I was up and moving, I could stay awake, but when I would sit down, I would start yawning, start drifting.  In addition to these two big ones, I would get headaches, off and on, but I had an eye exam and checked my blood pressure, so no evident reason for them.  I didn’t run a fever, so I knew it wasn’t the flu.  At first, I just figured I had picked up a virus and didn’t give it a lot of thought.

I was drained but tried to hide it from everyone.  I hate saying I don’t feel well.  I have a past of weird illnesses.  The running joke with family and friends was that, if I was going to get sick with a common illness, it was going to affect me a different way, not a “common” way.  I had the Epstein Barr Virus so bad, my doctor was considering sending it in to the Mayo clinic because my numbers just wouldn’t go down.  Even when I had appendicitis, I had to go through two surgeries, not one until they figured out what was going on.  It is NEVER normal with me so I try not to think about it.  I have been doing well, I’ve gone a few years without anything weird happening, so I didn’t want to think it was happening again.  Those I did tell asked the most common question for a female when she says nauseous and tired; Was I pregnant?  I said no, I couldn’t be, I chalked it up to just a bug.  By the third person asking me, I won’t lie, I began to wonder, could I be?  Everything based on dates, times, etc, said no, there is no way I was.  I use Glow app on my phone, not to get pregnant, but because my OBGYN had asked me to track some things about a year and a half ago on a paper chart.  I kept forgetting to fill it out and looked for an app that would let me track it.  It worked.  I kept it up.  As a sexually active female, it was also good because it tells the woman when she’s ovulating.  As I was not trying to get pregnant, it’s good to know when not to have sex.  I double checked the ovulation dates to when I was with someone and they didn’t line up so I was pretty sure that’s not the problem.

As the days moved to a week of feeling horrible, I began to second guess everything.  I started doing research.  WebMd is not your friend when you’re trying to figure out what is wrong with you and your symptoms match fifty different things; ok, maybe not fifty, but there were a lot of options.  Stress, umm, yes, I’m stressed, thyroid, possibly, except I matched some symptoms of hypo and some of hyper, pregnancy (I had about 4 symptoms so I had to consider it, even though I knew it wasn’t probable), the list went on and on for possibilities.  I was still convinced it was just a virus.   I finally broke down and took a pregnancy test at a friend’s prodding.  It came back negative.  Phew!  No longer a thought, until I read about dates and realized I probably tested too early.  No, I put pregnancy out of my mind and focused on trying to figure out what it was.

In the midst of all of this, I damaged some relationships.  I was tired.  I was mentally and physically exhausted and trying to hide it from almost everyone.  Stress was starting to creep in.  I have, in my past, allowed stress to cause me to lash out to some people I care about.  I had improved in this over the years, but, sometimes, when I feel attacked, I attack back.  It’s not healthy, I try to minimize it as much as I can, but, sadly, it happened.  I felt attacked by someone I genuinely cared about and I lashed back.  They didn’t know what was happening.  It didn’t get better.  As more days passed, I was getting worse.  The nauseousness was coming on more.  I was getting the dry heaves when I tried to eat.  My back would hurt when I walked.  I felt out of breath.  I felt so out of character.  I just wanted the feeling to pass.

Then I had a good day, I was only sick half the day.  I was so happy.  I had a small get together at my house planned the next day, so I kept it.  I knew we would be drinking.  One of my friends convinced me to take another test just to make sure since I was going to be drinking.  All was good, let the drinking commence.  Later in the day, I started spotting.  Thank goodness!  My period was starting so that ruled out pregnancy.  I felt even better about drinking.  I’ve never been one for getting the pain / affects of PMS but I thought, hey, maybe that’s what I had been experiencing.  For the most part that day, I stayed moving, so I didn’t get sleepy.  I only had a few moments of nauseousness, which I later chalked up to the alcohol consumption, because I noticed it more when I slowed down my drinking late in the day.  For the most part, I was convinced I was getting better.  It was short lived.  Within a day, everything was back.

The period was short lived as well.  All I did was spot for a few days.  It never became more than that.  Now I have that to be concerned about too!

Sadly, my emotions / feelings got the best of me and I severed a relationship I honestly don’t believe I would have severed had I been feeling better. I realized I was not getting better, so I decided it was time to go to the doctor. There is a doctor I like with a walk in clinic.  He’s affordable and had helped me in the past.  I drive to the office only to discover they were closed for a week.  I decide to go to another walk in clinic.  I looked up what services they offer and headed in.  Luckily there was no wait and I was seen immediately.  After talking to them about what was going on, I was told she didn’t think she could help me because I would probably need some tests they couldn’t do.  She rattled off a list of things it could possibly be, including the onset of early menopause.  Wait, what? That had NEVER crossed my mind and I wasn’t ready to think about that.  Ugh!  This was becoming a nightmare.  She gave me a list of places she recommended going to and sent me on my way.  I was frustrated and decided to wait a few days, see if it got better.  I looked up early menopause and after reading a few things, I honestly don’t think that is what it is, but it’s now in my head, so I have to think about it.

Strangely, the nauseousness seemed to be coming less, but the dry heaves started happening more.  I couldn’t explain it.  I feel like I am constantly holding my breath to keep from getting sick.  I woke up Monday (April 6th) with the decision to get this resolved, whatever it is!  I decided it was time to do whatever I could to try to feel better.  I had walked 5000 steps by 1pm.  I had spent time with the dogs.  I ran to Sam’s Club to get Zipper’s medicine and visited briefly with different associates there.  I was going to stay awake.  I was going to feel better.  I was back drinking just water and filled my water carafe and managed to drink at least 64 ounces throughout the day.

For some reason, I thought the doctor I had wanted to see the previous week was back in on the 6th so I ran back to the office.  Seeing the “closed” sign still up, I called and heard the message saying they were back in on the 9th, not the 6th.  Because I had decided to try to control the day and feel better, I chose to wait.  Maybe just having a different attitude would help since my attempt at finding some answers seemed to keep getting pushed away.  I even fired up the grill to make some dinner.  Pork steak, scalloped potatoes in the over.  Sadly, as they were cooking, I was in the bathroom with dry heaves.  The second time in the same day.  By 8pm, I was so tired, I could barely hold my eyes open.  I had told someone they could stop by anytime after 7pm because they needed my help with something.  I gave up.  By 8:30pm, I laid on the couch waiting for him to arrive.  I sent him a text telling him to call first because I was laying down.  I woke up at 4am!  So much for just laying down while I waited.

Nothing is resolved.   Here it is, Tuesday morning and as I type this, I have my water carafe next to me.  My stomach hurts.  I’m drained at 10am but forcing myself to write.  I’m back focusing on social media.  I’m back working.  I’m forcing myself to do what I need to do in spite of how I’m feeling.  I’ll go to the doctor on the 9th and try to get some answers.  I know there are some things I won’t be able to fix.  I won’t be able to go back and change time.  What I can do is focus on the fact I am self employed and I don’t have time to be sick.  Just saying it out loud seems to make it believable.  Let’s see what happens next!

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Rats prefer sexy underwear over nakedness – Paula Halifax

I’m all for interesting studies being done, but this one is a little out there, even for me.  According to a study done by researchers at Concordia University in Montreal, male rats prefer to have sex with female rats in lingerie.

Let’s break this down a little more.  12 virgin male rats were allowed to have sex with female rats wearing specially designed jackets.  The sexcapades were repeated multiple times.  The last time, the rats were put in an open field with a mouse who had the jacket on and a mouse who did not.  It appears more of the rats preferred the mouse with the jacket on and they “stroked” the jacket with their whiskers.

Not to stop there, the experiment was repeated again, with some slight variations.  The second test, they took 12 more virgin male rats, allowed them to have sex multiple times with female rats wearing jackets, then with female rats not wearing jackets but the non jacketed females were not as sexually receptive.  Once again, placed in an open field with jacketed and non jacketed females, the male rats ejaculated quicker and ejaculated more with the jacketed females.

Their overall findings were that the male rats could learn to associate the jackets with sexually pleasing encounters.

My scientific mind would have liked to have seen a third trial.  Where 12 more virgin rats were placed with non jacketed, sexually responsive females and then with jacketed, non-sexually responsive females, and then see which female those males chose.  Let’s face it, is it about the jacket or about the sexual response of the female that excited the male rats?

Bottom line, ladies, if you’re sexually responsive AND wear lingerie, it looks like you’ll make men happy!

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Fireballs shooting from your wrist like a Superhero? Now you can! – Paula Halifax

Is your inner Superhero craving to come out?  Ellusionist Adam Wilber is making it even easier with is Pyro Fireshooter.  Pyro is a wrist worn, James Bond style device that allows you to give the appearance of shooting fireballs out of the palm of your hand.

The unit fits on the underside of your wrist, so your palm remains completely empty.  With a remote control you keep hidden in your other hand, just give your fist a squeeze, and fire will shoot out of one of the four separate chambers.

Safety is important and great care was taken not only in the manufacturing of the unit but in the training DVD that comes with it along with a protective sleeve.  It is not a toy and can only be purchased and used by adults, you know, being shooting fire and all.

At $174, it is not a cheap “toy” to own, plus you have to supply batteries and additional flash cotton and flash paper, but, let’s face it, does any of it really matter when you get to look like a Badass Superhero?

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Lego offering beauty tips? Is Fashion close behind? – Paula Halifax

Legos; the toy building blocks parents curse when they step on one in the dark, has been taking steps to change their image over the last few years, trying to cater to both genders, not just boys.  Perhaps those steps are going just a little too far.  In the March-April edition of Lego Club Magazine, there was a page offering “Emma’s Beauty Tips” where they offer the readers tips on picking the best haircut for their face shape and encourages them to “experiment with bows, barrettes, and headbands!”

The Danish Company, founded in Billund, Denmark by Ole Kirk Christiansen had been, up to about 2008, notoriously geared towards boys.  After a few hit and misses, in 2011, they launched Lego Friends, a product geared towards girls.  While still keeping the creative construction element Legos are known for, they have softened the faces, making them more realistic, added brighter colors to their pieces, and made the sets more focused on activities girls would be interested in.

Lego Friends doubled the company expectations their first year and have continued to grow in popularity.  While parents are not questioning the choice to introduce sets like beauty shops, cafés, and more accessories, what has them up In arms in their choice of offering beauty tips with toys geared towards the age ranges of four to twelve years old.

The article in question also included tips on blow drying or brushing your hair.  This is not the first time Lego has been brought under scrutiny for what some parents consider a “sexist” attitude towards the differences in their products targeted for boys and for girls, but in an age of beauty identification, many feel they have taken it too far.  The magazine has girls questioning their face shape and wondering if their hair style is appropriate.

With all of the backlash Lego received, they have since changed their page 5 article.  It is now a fill in article about choosing an ice cream flavor.  Maybe next month they will have an article about choosing the right outfit to go with a girl’s body shape to go with that ice cream!

Lego Friends Heartlake Hair Salon

Lego Friends Heartlake Hair Salon

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How to travel long distances safely with your dogs in the summer – HaliPawz

I travel from Kansas City to Michigan quite often in the summer months with my dogs.  It is a 13+ hour drive.  While I do not mind the drive, my biggest concern is about the health and welfare of my dogs while traveling in high heat.  It is possible to travel long distances safely with your dog in the summer months, but you must be smart about it!

The first thing to do is to make sure your pets are healthy.  You should never travel long distances with a sick pet, especially one where their breathing may be restricted. Make sure they are up to date on all of their shots and licenses.  Check their collars and leashes to make sure they are in good condition.  If you normally walk your dog(s) with a harness, make sure you have them out and ready to go.  Check your dog food amounts.  Do you have enough for the whole time you are going to be gone?  To make things easier for me, if I am going to be gone for a week to ten days, I will just go and pick up a bag the appropriate size for the trip and then pack one serving out of their opened bag into a zip lock baggy.  This way, I don’t have to worry about open bags of dog food in the vehicle.  You should also have one or two emergency leashes, the type that just slips over their head, in case of a collar or leash breaks.  I have an extra one for each dog.

Make sure your dog(s) are used to riding in the car and riding with each other if you have more than one.  Start taking them with you when you are running errands, keeping in mind the temperature out and being careful.

Because I travel often with my pets, I have a bag with toys I only give them when I travel, collapsible dog food dishes, extra emergency leashes.  Be considerate of others if you are planning on staying in a hotel at all.  Pack toys they can play with without making a lot of noise.

On the day of travel, try to keep your stress level low.  Dogs are sensitive to stress and it is important to keep their stress level down. Try not to medicate your dog with any medicine to keep them calm.  I know some people will give their pet Benadryl or something equivalent to relax them.  While I understand you can not have your dog running around when you are driving but you also want them to be able to breath without any issues, so consider a seat belt or a travel crate over medication.  Benadryl can cause rapid heart rate and rapid breathing, which is not good when it’s hot out.

Ugh! I hate packing!

Ugh! I hate packing!

Have plenty of water.  They may or may not drink a lot when you are in travels, but you want to make sure they have water available at all times.  I like to use a small insulated cooler because it stays stable due to the weight of it and it keeps the water from splashing around.  Both of my dogs can drink easily out of it.  I also like it because it holds enough water so I don’t have to put my dogs through changing water multiple times and I don’t have to use bottled water.

Starting out isn’t bad because you either have the air conditioner on or the windows down, the potential dangers hit when you have to stop.  Think about your stops.  Try to minimize the amount of time you’ll be stopped during the day, when the sun is up.

Ready to go!

Ready to go!

Are we there yet?

Are we there yet?

Here is what I do to keep the dogs safe while I am making the necessary stops.

When stopping at a gas station, look for one with a full canopy over all of the pumps if you can.  It shades the sun from getting into the car.

Roll the windows down as much as you can in the back without it being so much that the dogs can get out.  Do not just “crack” the windows.  Get them down enough so they can get their nose out the window if they need to.

Do not leave their leashes on them when you are out of the vehicle.  If your dogs are anything like mine, they may jump from the back seat to the front seat and back.  If the leash gets hung up on anything, it could be deadly.

I will usually start the gas, then get the dogs out to start stretching their legs.  I let them walk around with me while the gas is pumping.  Be aware of any liquids on the ground though, as it could be poisonous.

Once the gas is done pumping, I’ll go and walk them in the grass, letting them go to the bathroom, and just overall enjoy being out of the vehicle.

I’ll then put them back into the car but I’ll keep it under the canopy with the windows in the back down and the windows in the front down slightly, just not as much.

Then I run in and use the restroom, grab some snacks if I want them, and get back in the car to take off.  It is so easy to lose track of time looking at things so one thing I do is set my alarm on my phone for seven minutes.  By setting the alarm, I’m able to MAKE SURE my dogs are never left in the car and in a dangerous situation.  Even if I haven’t finished purchasing what I’m getting, I’ll set the stuff down, run out, check on them, and then run back in to finish doing what I was doing.  The other reason for seven minutes is so, if I’m the next in line, knowing it will only be one more minute, I’m good.  Ten minutes could easily stretch to fifteen, so I keep it at seven, that way it is never more than ten.

I am diligent about this.  One time, when I was traveling with my mom and my two dogs, we decided to stop at a chocolate store near the Michigan border.  It was over 85% that day.  I was not taking a chance on their health and well being.  Every seven minutes, I ran out, checked on them, made sure they were perfectly fine, and then would reset the alarm and go back in.  We ended up being in there about 25 minutes.  The dogs were perfectly content.  I did pull them out to walk around one more time, just to be on the safe side, but they were pretty content to get back in out of the sun.

One last word of caution, when you are traveling and stopping someplace for them to go to the bathroom, be aware the asphalt they are stepping out on could be very hot.  Again, always think about the situation, think about the potential dangers, and everyone stays healthy and happy.

Watching out the window

Watching out the window

It isn’t always easy to travel with your pets in the heat of the summer, but it is possible.  Remember, they need to be your first concern.  Water, windows down enough for them, not just cracked, and managing your time will keep them safe!

Happy Travels everyone! 

I'm always happy at Grandma's house!

I’m always happy at Grandma’s house!

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The Gunman; my movie review – HaliPawz

I went to see ‘The Gunman‘ at AMC Independence Commons in Independence, MO.  The movie is based on a novel by Jean-Patrick Manchette, directed by Pierre Morel, and starring Sean Penn, Jasmine Trinca, Peter Franzen, Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance, and Idris Elba.  Good names, strong director, should be interesting.

Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is a former special ops soldier working in the private sector over in the Congo.  He’s a trained sniper with orders to take the Minister of Mines out.  After completing the mission, he had to immediately leave the continent, and leave his love interest, Annie (Jasmine Trinca), behind.  We catch up with Penn eight years later, back working in the Congo, this time for a good cause.  It appears he is trying to right all of the wrongs (killings) he had done in the past. While working, an attempt is made on his life and the remainder of the movie is focused on him trying to figure out WHO is trying to kill him, WHY they are trying to kill him, and him trying to stop it.  All the while, he is dealing with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) leading to early onset Alzheimer’s.  While in the process of reuniting with his former security team, he learns Annie went on to marry Felix (Javier Bardem).  Felix was the one who had ordered Terrier to kill the Minister and had assured him he would take good care of Annie.  Terrier also learns there is an ongoing investigation on the killing of the Minister of Mines and that Interpol is looking for him and the others involved.

The beginning was difficult to watch.  When the actors spoke, they sounded muffled, more so than just because they are talking in low tones; the images moved fast, almost giving you a swim feeling.  I was concerned about it being like that throughout the whole movie.  Luckily, it wasn’t.

After about the first fifteen minutes, the movie caught my attention and kept it throughout.  I enjoy good action movies, even if I tend to be a little squeamish at the blood scenes! I am what you would call a “close my eyes, I can’t watch, then I peek through my eyelashes” watcher when it comes to more of the gruesome scenes.  I can’t help it, even when I try to watch, it just happens. I will admit, there were plenty of scenes throughout the movie where I caught myself doing it.  Even when I tried to watch them, I’d flinch, close my eyes, and force them open again!  I’m sure the person sitting next to me was laughing at me!

The attention to detail seemed hit or miss throughout the movie, which was a little disappointing.  In an interview with Collider, Penn shared with them why he helped write the movie and how he worked with different consultants to bring authenticity to various scenes throughout.  This work was evident in the scenes where special op training came into play.  Those details and scenes were good.  The action scenes were suspenseful.  You know something is about to happen, you just don’t know what exactly.

One of the misses in the attention to detail was in regards to the TBI.  It went in and out of staying true to a character who would have this disease.  When it was convenient for him to have symptoms to make the movie interesting, it was front and center, when it wasn’t convenient, it just magically disappeared.  The movie touched on how he had been suffering with the symptoms long before he was ever diagnosed because he wrote everything down and had for years.  He was meticulous in keeping these books safe.  He was a trained killer.  The fact that he lost one of the books in such a sloppy way made for a good movie scene, but was another miss in the attention to detail you would expect from Terrier.

One scene, in particular seemed a little over the top.  It takes place out in a country home that just didn’t seem realistic, from the lack of security, to the number of staff members in the home.  The scene, as a whole, was played out a little long.  It was in this scene Felix gets killed and Annie goes with Terrier.

I was disappointed in how they portrayed Annie.  It was clear the two were in love in the beginning and it was clear from the beginning the feelings Felix had for Annie so it was not a surprise he wanted Terrier out of the way.  What wasn’t clear was how Annie could be such a strong woman to work as a doctor in the Congo during difficult times, yet acted so weak at other times in the movie.  As a doctor, she would have picked up on some of the symptoms of the TBI in Penn’s character, yet there never seemed to be a mention of it, it was as if she was completely in the dark.

We learn Interpol Office DuPont (Idris Elba) had been watching Terrier in his quest to catch up with Felix and the others.  He manages to have a cryptic conversation with Terrier and leaves him his business card instead of picking him up, knowing he was close to leading them to the others.

The last main scene had me confused.  Penn made a phone call to DuPont asking for some backup, but for Interpol to have been so close to him throughout the movie, always tailing him or watching him on camera, help didn’t arrive until everything was over with.  The timing just seemed far-fetched.

sean-penn-in-the-gunman 

All in all, I felt Penn did a great job in the movie.  You felt his emotions coming across the screen.  His character had depth and passion about trying to atone for something he did, even though it was at the direction of someone else and it was his job at the time.

Some of the movie was predictable but I didn’t feel like it took too much away from the movie itself.  Bottom line, as a story, it wasn’t the best.  As an action movie; combining Penn’s acting with Morel’s ability to direct some great action scenes, leads to a pretty good action movie.

 

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Internet Tutorial: Minimizing Game Requests on Facebook – HaliPawz

All too often, I hear the complaint about game requests.  I have mentioned in previous posts it is not always easy to stop a game from sending a request to someone you know doesn’t play, or even more accurately, it is impossible to know who really plays and who doesn’t.  This blog is going to help you minimize the requests because it will stop the recurring requests from your friends who play games you do not play.

This is easiest to do from your desktop / laptop.  You can do it from a mobile or tablet, but you have to switch it to desktop mode.  I have found it to be so much easier to do from the desktop or laptop though.

First step is to go down to the Apps on the left hand side and click on games.

FB Game 1st block

Once there, it will show you the games you play (if any) first, you don’t want to do anything with them.  Under that, there will be your game invites.  You click the X or Ignore next to the games you do not want and then it will ask you if you want to ignore the game.

FB Game Block 1

FB Game Block 2

Then you will click confirm.  Once you click confirm, it will stop that particular game from sending you requests.

As you scroll down, you may see it also listed like this, when you do, just click “Block” and then “Confirm” again.

FB Game Block 3  FB Game Block 4

By doing this, the friends who play the games will not annoy you by sending you continuous game requests and everyone will be happy!

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Powdered alcohol is really a thing – Paula Halifax

Remember making Kool-Aid as a kid, or, if you’re anything like me, last week?  Did you ever think to yourself, “If only I could make something stronger this way.”  Well your wish has come true!  Powdered alcohol, called Palcohol, has been approved and is available for all adults of legal drinking age.

Let’s look at some of the pros around this news.  Powder will be a lot easier to store than a bunch of bottles.  It will be lighter, so when you’re stocking up for a big weekend party, you’ll be able to carry it all in the house in one trip.  There are four flavors; cosmopolitan, margarita, vodka, and rum, so those who have a scientific curiosity can start mixing the powders to create their own alcoholic concoctions.  It’ll be a lot easier to hide from the parent’s when they are out of town.

Of course, whenever there is something completely new available, there will be the naysayers wanting it stopped before it can begin.  Some states are already moving to place bans on Palcohol stating potential abuse by minors, afraid they will figure out how to abuse it, because, you know, that doesn’t happen with the regular stuff right now.  There is also fear some may choose to snort it instead of drinking it.  Makes me wonder if there are kids out there snorting Kool-Aid for fun?

Palcohol should be available this summer wherever you go to buy your other liquid libations.  Just remember to keep it away from your Kool-Aid collection, you don’t want to serve it at the next kid’s birthday party by mistake!