test

Greets and Huggers. Posted the evening of December 5, 2003. Short Ramblings tonight, normally, I write most of the Ramblings during the week and finish them off on Friday night. Didn't have time this week. Spent Monday and Thursday making a living. Spent Tuesday and Wednesday traveling to or in Jefferson City: Sherrie Hansen's Oral Argument. http://www.joplinglobe.com/story.php?story_id=67714 I posted pictures: http://www.karltimmerman.com/oa.html Our little "family: came together for a worthy cause. We have in the past and we will in the future. Really enjoyed having lunch and giving a Warm Brotherly Hug to Dale Doerhoff, (now a "family" member :) and "breaking bread" with Alan Gallas, (former Chairman of the Solo and Small Firm Practice Committee) and Momma O, Dave Taylor, et ux, Susan Decker, (and her short person :), Sherrie and her Mom. Persons I really respect, all persons I really admire, some persons, who have worked hard for Solo and Small Firm Lawyers. This "house", the "home" of our little "family" is a special place ... let's keep it that way. A Warm Brotherly Hug is ...... and should remain our greeting. We are "family". 'Nuff said.

Did an advanced Mediation Training today and didn't make it home until 3:30 PM. 39 mediators attended, (about half attorney/mediators and the other half mental health professional/mediators). Will post pictures at http://karltimmerman.com/mt.html (will take me another hour or so). After breaking into groups of 3, (Mom, Dad and Mediator), used the following Fact Scenario for the mediators to mediate ..... the "psychodrama" part of the training: "Mom, Zelda Rippenstein and Dad, "Woody" Rippenstein met at a "Jews for Jesus" retreat, (both had converted 2 years earlier), sponsored by the Lutheran Church, (Missouri Synod, very conservative). Zelda got pregnant at the "Retreat". They married 3 months later. After the birth of "Rip" Rippenstein, (age 10 1/2), and 10 years, "Woody" filed for divorce when he came to grips with his sexual orientation and decided he was "gay". Zelda was devastated but they had an "amicable" divorce. Joint physical and joint legal custody of Rip to Woody. 5 months ago, Woody moved in with his "soul mate", Bruce, (unknown to Zelda, Bruce has just been diagnosed as being HIV Positive, Woody has been tested and is waiting for the results). Zelda filed a "Motion to Modify" asking for "supervised" Co-Parenting, alleging contact with a "homosexual lifestyle" would be injurious to the "normal" development of Rip. Zelda and Woody are "professionals", Veterinarians." Fully expected someone to be offended .... no one was. Was amazed at how "professional" EVERY mediator was in attempting to mediate an obviously "charged" fact scenario. At the end of the training, several folks approached me and shared that they had mediated with folks who were HIV positive .... had to smile .... a couple of others opined they would rather mediate with HIV Positive folks than Veterinarians! On the way home, wondered to myself ..... can Orthodox Jewish Veterinarians have pigs as patients?

I begged and pleaded for you to get a "Flu Shot". Hope you did, (Susan and I did). The ER's in Kansas City are full tonight. On the news tonight, CDC projects 70,000 deaths, mostly children and the elderly, this flu season. http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/diseases/flu/weekly.htm The flu season is usually late December through the latter part of February. It hit in November this year with a particularly nasty strain. CDC is worried. So am I. There is a shortage now, of inoculations. 'Nuff said.

Susan spent the day putting up "Christmas Stuff" ... the fireplace at Ft Timmerman has stockings hung, (believe it or not the Damn Yorkies, the Damn Cats and Daisy each have one!!!) and is glowing ... the Christmas Tree/Hanukkah Bush is twinkling. All the critters are parked in front of it, sucking up heat, (except Miss Tuxie .... http://www.chappysplace.net/misstuxie.html she was perched at the top of the tree). Me? Sipping on some BBB finishing off these Ramblings and listening to Toby Keith's new album: "Shock'n Y'all". Has two songs I like: "The Taliban Song", (funny), and "American Soldier":
"Beside my brothers and sisters I will proudly take a stand
When liberty's in jeopardy I will always do what's right
I'm out her on the front line, so sleep in peace tonight,
[Refrain:]
American soldier, I'm an American.
An American.
An American soldier."
I have fulfilled my obligations for this week ... : introduced Sherrie to the Supremo's and taught the Advanced Mediation Training class. I'm tired. I look forward to ..... < chuckling> ...... (for Dan), climbing into bed next to the most wonderful partner a man can have .... smell her hair ... while holding her .... and saying a prayer for those suffering the nightmare of being HIV Positive, (in the US, the greatest increase ... among African American women in their twenties), Susan and I, my America, our men and women in uniform, (Please Lord, may they come home safely) .... and for you. If my post offends, I apologize ... that is not my intent.
Huggers
Karl (the dumb ole country lawyer from Holden, Missouri)