Author Archives: Sans Souci

Tuesday Tech Tips 101: ooooops they got me…twice…more computer stuff…

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Well, friends, I think I continue to get the prize for computer wackiness; if Mercury is the god of communication in them thar Greek parts, can he still be in retrograde? If you recall, I was drowning in Dell computer issues and if you were following my tales of woe through the years, (yes, years) you would now know that: •I had an original laptop that I purchased in 2009 and within a year it had to be replaced due to puter poltergeist; •that in a little over a year the replacement computer had to be replaced due to freezing … Continue reading →

Tuesday Tech Tips 101: the computer has amnesia and it is only 2 months old

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Tuesday Tech Tips 101: the computer has amnesia Dear tech friends and children of all ages, When I last wrote about my ongoing (years’ worth) of issues with Dell laptops, I was waiting for a replacement computer; one of many replacements. I was getting help from Dell corporate technicians and the final replacement 14” laptop was personally set-up by said tech. Both the 15” and 14” had the same issue: non-recognition of my new Toshiba external hard drive. After emails going back and forth, and links to drivers, the 15” is now working consistently. For some reason the 14” has … Continue reading →

Tuesday Tech Tips 101: How to fix the war between Firefox and Adobe Flash Player

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Technology can drive you NUTS. OK, primal scream finished. One morning you wake up and everything that was working perfectly the night before is suddenly not. What gives? Chances are there was an update. And we all know that updates often cause other programs to malfunction. In this case Adobe Flash Player disappeared and needed a “fix” after Firefox upgraded to version 13.0.1. Flash player is needed for music players to work. My main blog page players became white boxes. In the meantime, you sit there baffled. This is what happened to me: When Firefox updated to version 13.0.1 and … Continue reading →

Tuesday Tech Tips 101: Part5: Ding Dong Dell, Computer’s still in the well

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Dear Friends, It is Sunday night, the 19th of February, 2012 I am continuing to write about my ding-dong-Dell journey; I thought that by now my computer life would be in order, but alas, it seems to be stuck in a technology wasteland. Let me fill you in on what happened on Friday, the 17th. I received a call in the afternoon from a Dell technician. He had received the hard drive that was to replace the one in the 14″ computer. This is the first of two that I received to replace the previous duds and it was unclear … Continue reading →

68. Series: Part 6: The Nipplemania Newsletter: Doctor My Eyes

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On August 27th I started my email publication of “The Nipplemania Newsletter,” and I continued it for my journey.  The only thing I knew to fight my fear with was humor.  It was an animated journal, unfortunately the graphics, animations, and sound effects don’t adequately translate. Just imagine little funny people peeking out from behind the letters, a talking parrot, snoring cat… And so I wrote:      HELLO! and thank you for your subscription to:             We were at the hospital at 6:00 A.M. Click to hear the rooster I was on the table out cold at … Continue reading →

69. Series: Part 7:The Nipplemania Newsletter:Falling Off The Face of the Earth

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Hello, and thank you for your subscription to          September 30, 2004 Issue 9 Late Night Edition The Game is on! The end of the Intra-Ductal* Tome The Beginning Recovery Issue           Dear Nipplemaniacs, Thank you for all your love, support and great vibes. I just came back from the plastic surgeon where he mapped blue and green football-plays all over me. (I couldn’t convince him to work on my face.                                                    ) Circles, squares, arrows, dots, dashes…I’m going for a touch-down. 5:00 A.M. Send all that positive stuff! I’m going in, baby!! That night I looked at the … Continue reading →

70. Series: Part 8: Recovery: Comfortably Numb

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Thanks For Subscribing    You asked for it    here it is~    The Rebirth Issue #1       October 8, 2004         Dear Nipplemaniacs, I thank you for your ongoing support and love. You “cancer awareness walkers” waving my name are fabulous, I thank you! Now for a serious lesson in “do what you think is right for you…” The final biopsy report has returned, and surprise! Aside, in addition to, or coincidental to the diagnosis of “ductal carcinoma in situ,” I had a rare, aggressive form of cancer called Paget’s disease of the nipple. Who knew? (Emails … Continue reading →

44. NonFiction: 1. Branches and Leaves (4 parts)

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Written years ago.  Some things live on in other ways. Some people remain in memory, and for a moment, in that memory, the past continues.             Original Introduction I wrote this story last year (the summer of 2006) after a jolt from the universe; like everything I write, it is based on experience. It is about love and loss. I had a very dear friend who I actually never met in person, but we had a sweet platonic friendship from afar; we were on the same wavelength, enjoyed many of the same things, helped and … Continue reading →

71. Series: Part 9: The Nipplemania Newsletter/Did Ye Get Healed: Important Info

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Thanks for subscribing On the Mend Issue October 18, 2004   Dearest Nipplemaniacs, . I am drain and stitch free as of last Thursday.  Now I can move without being pulled south by that load I carried for 2 weeks! I was beginning to walk like an orangutan. The next step is a consult with an oncologist. Dr. Chen, the surgeon said she would be very surprised if chemo was recommended, that something like tamoxifen would be more like it. I was reminded by Dr. Keller, the plastic surgeon, that I am “not sick” just “recuperating.” I am allowed to … Continue reading →

45. NonFiction: 2. Branches and Leaves (4 parts)

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Ok, do you see where this might be leading? Groovy. There was marijuana growing in big pots under grow lights in my attic—we were in the upstairs apartment so we lucked out with the extra space. My husband, who was seemingly untouchable at the time, decided to plant the stuff, to the dismay of my weak ego-ed self, and supply the neighborhood. Little trees grew everywhere you looked. Aluminum foil reflected green. There were rows of pot plants in their little pot cribs ready for the harvest. I thought my husband was the love of my life until he started … Continue reading →

Part 10: I Just Want To Thank You: More info and a poem from my friend Jay

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  ****I decided to post the comments from the previous blog because they made me realize how many important questions there are and how most people were not cognizant of so much information, or, if they were, a lot can be misunderstood and misconstrued. I also wanted the people who asked questions to be aware of the answers, and other people might need those answers as well.   And I want to thank EVERYONE for coming on this trip with me.   Part 11: Recipe For A Memory Comments (21 total) Frida… Thanks for sharing all the story, with us, … Continue reading →

46. NonFiction: 3. Branches and Leaves (4 parts)

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In 1974 I left the Bronx, and Bruno, in his garage-living room. Left the fear of his banging on the ceiling behind, and bought an apartment in Queens; my husband was already a year or more into an illness, and at 28 he knew hospital walls well. He wasn’t with me for the move. He wasn’t there to help pack, carry, support, or transit. The van came, he didn’t. He couldn’t. He was dying. What did young people in their 20’s know or understand? Beyond peace, love, and Bill Withers in 100 degree heat in Central Park. What concerns could … Continue reading →

73: Series: Part 11: Recipe for a Memory

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Life in the early ’80’s; The High School of Fashion Industries     A classroom in The High School Of Fashion Industries, New York City. This may have been a room used for pattern making or draping. In the early 1980’s I worked at The High School of Fashion Industries in New York City. We were a group of six women and two men who were teachers of the deaf and ran a program within the building. We each taught several major subjects; a licensed teacher of the deaf must be able to teach preschoolers through high school, and high … Continue reading →

47. NonFiction: 4. Branches and Leaves (4 parts)

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I forgot to mention that at the base of the tree there was a thumb-size sprout, fragile looking, with several leaves giving the world a good fight. It must have taken to life when an orange dropped and I left it on the soil. I knew it was there but never focused on, it or gave it credibility. I dug at it with a trowel and the roots were strong and deep. I had to poke down into the huge pot to enable the tiny plant its freedom. I tore some roots in the process and was awed by its … Continue reading →

74. Series: Part 12: Spending Time With The Nanny

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Fran Drescher, creator and star of the tv sitcom, The Nanny will be the keynote speaker at the Cancer Survivors’ Day Celebration (2007) Tomorrow I will be spending several hours at a Cancer Survivors’ Celebration, and I am looking forward to it, as Fran Drescher will be the keynote speaker.  Fran is a Flushing, New York native who created and starred in the series The Nanny. I watched the series faithfully over the years that it was on; it was hilarious, adorably cute, sexy, precious, and charming. She was a modern day Lucille Ball playing Cinderella and it spoke to … Continue reading →

[58.] The WTC Blogs: 1. Windows On The World

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The world, and how it was. 9/11 Memorial series originally posted on Yahoo 9/07       Introduction to The WTC Blogs In the early ’70s, from the classroom window where I taught, I watched as the World Trade Center started to peek above the buildings in my view. Gradually it ascended, higher and higher, two towers that became beacons, compasses, lighthouses.They were gigantic. Unless you’ve been to New York City, it is impossible to imagine how they loomed over everything, how they called to you. How you could take them for granted.They weren’t gorgeous, not in the minds of … Continue reading →

75. Series: Part 13: Cancer Survivors’ Day Celebration with The Nanny

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        Posted originally in 2007, reposted in 2012 I am uplifted and happy; I attended the Cancer Survivors’ Day Celebration today. I didn’t know what to expect; I thought a few hundred people would attend a brunch in the air conditioned hospital and Fran Drescher would speak. Not. In a huge, and I mean huge tent, 3,000 cancer survivors and family and friends were toasted with champagne, given brunch, flowers, goodies, and raffle gifts. It was exhilarating to be among so many people who, like me, have their own personal stories related to their cancer journey. The … Continue reading →

[59.] The WTC Blogs: 2. Audio Walking Tour: a thousand pictures from the sound

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“A picture is worth a thousand words.” I will give you the sounds– from them you will have a thousand pictures. Today I am posting the World Trade Center walking tour of Paul Auster, who is a New York City poet and screenwriter.   “In the aftermath of September 11, 2001, Auster added his distinct and original voice to NPR’s Peabody Award-winning Sonic Memorial Project, a nationwide collaboration that came together to chronicle and commemorate the life and history of the World Trade Towers. Now, from the vantage point of Ground Zero, Paul Auster leads us through streets and time … Continue reading →

Part 14: For Poetry Wednesday: Meeting a Goal and The Nipple Song

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2007: Breast cancer Awareness month continues with good news; I set a goal to raise $1,500+ and I met the goal tonight. I feel great. The 5 mile walk is Sunday, it will be my second one. Those of us walking who have been through the breast cancer “experience” are given pink shirts that say SURVIVOR on the back. We start the walk by cutting through a pink ribbon, we become a pink ribbon from the air as we march in a huge snaking in a 2 1/2 mile loop of people coming and going in the opposite direction. It’s … Continue reading →

[60.] The WTC Blogs: 3. The Names~Billy Collins, U.S. Poet Laureate

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The Names by Billy Collins, United States Poet Laureate 06 September 2002, New York photo taken from the roof of his school, 9/12/01 by Mr. Souci; you can still see the smoke . Yesterday, I lay awake in the palm of the night. A soft rain stole in, unhelped by any breeze, And when I saw the silver glaze on the windows, I started with A, with Ackerman, as it happened, Then Baxter and Calabro, Davis and Eberling, names falling into place As droplets fell through the dark. Names printed on the ceiling of the night. Names slipping around a … Continue reading →