Tibetan Buddhist Monks in Jacksonville

Charline and I had the privilege of meeting some very nice Tibetan Buddhist monks from India this weekend. They are on an awareness-raising, money-raising trip around the world, as they are wont to do. (They want the world to put pressure on China to allow Tibetans to have religious freedom, for example.) They put on a great show of dancing and singing/chanting - and even a crazy and fun form of "debating" - at FCCJ. It was wonderful.

We also saw the nearly finished sand mandala they've been working on all week. Spectacular stuff. Built one grain of sand at a time.

If only I could attain a small portion of the serenity and joy those guys seem to have. That would be nice. But, I'd probably have to watch less television. I think Buddha said something about less TV, didn't he?

Sand Mandala Photos

Jude and Charline on TV

Jude and Charline were on the local television news. You can see the story on the First Coast News web site. This was quite a coup after already being featured in a full-page photo feature on the city newspaper (see entry about that below).

The TV news item was a nice piece about the stroller fitness classes Charline attends near the beach. Charline will soon be teaching these "Strollerjize" classes in the San Marco area. You can read about that on her new web site, www.Pramenade.com.

They showed Jude in his stroller and Charline doing her exercises, along with a few other moms who were at the class. The story ran early Tuesday morning, then again, in a slightly different version, Tuesday evening.

And this is a major news program in Jacksonville. It runs on both the ABC and NBC affiliate stations, due a strange arrangement in Jacksonville. And hardly anyone watches the local news on the CBS and FOX affiliate stations. The only real competition is an independent station (Channel 4, WJXT).

Mission Stardust: Jamie in Space

Sunday morning, January 15, the NASA spacecraft Stardust will return to Earth after a seven-year, three-billion-mile mission to collect -- you guessed it -- star dust. (You'll be seeing this in the news, if you haven't already.) And the name "James D. Barger" has been along for the ride the entire time. That name, along with many others, was etched into two microchips that were placed aboard the spacecraft while it was being assembled, way back in 1997. You can read the details about how that happened on the NASA web site.

The craft is expected to bring back particles from a comet and from outside our solar system. These particles will provide new insights into how the solar system, and everything in it, was formed.

See "James D. Barger" on the Stardust craft

National Geographic explains the Stardust story

NASA's Official "Where is Stardust now?" Page

NASA's Official Stardust Photo Gallery

Map of the Landing Site

Google News search for NASA Stardust stories

Jude is on the move

Jude has been crawling around like crazy ever since he figured out how, on Christmas Day, at grandparents-Bargers' house. Now Charline and I have a whole new set of challenges to keep him from getting into trouble. But, it's wonderful to see him so happy and having so much fun. He really seems excited about his new ability.

My Fantasy Football Record

Yahoo! now provides a way for everyone to see how my fantasy football record is shaping up. You can see my whole three year profile. Here's the link:

Jamie's Yahoo! Fantasy Football Profile
http://profiles.sports.yahoo.com/jamiebarger

Gas main breaks in our neighborhood

We had a little excitement in our neighborhood recently when a main gas line broke during some construction a few blocks directly east of our house. It was quite an event. The city evacuated 20 square blocks. The Red Cross swooped in with buses to help people who did not have cars. The news crews reported throughout the night. The fire department devoted all their resources to shutting down the leak and clamping off the pipes. The gas company did what they could to avoid an explosion that would lead to the Great Fire of 2005.

Charline found out about it right away when Dad called her to tell her the news. I think he heard it on the radio. She could smell the gas already, so she took Jude and Maggie (the dog) to my parents house in Fruit Cove, south of Jacksonville.

We returned home the next day and everything was fine. The fire department and the gas company avoided a disaster. The neighborhood was intact. All is well.

Jax Gas Main Breaks: from First Coast News
... or ...
Jax Gas Main Breaks: from Yahoo! News

Jude's first teeth

Jude is finally getting some teeth. Charline noticed a couple days ago that Jude has two teeth coming in. At eight months old, it's about time. I was starting to worry.

While I'm on the subject of the kid... We need to get some new photos up on our Kodak site again soon. We've been slacking. I haven't even posted anything on the Flickr site in quite a while, and that's really easy to do. Maybe this weekend. We've just been so busy, with the extra time I'm putting in at work, and some small extra projects at home... But, we'll get on the ball.

Topamax: It is working. Goodbye Inderal. (but still more side effects)

I'm still at 100 mg. per day (50 morning, 50 evening), but now I'm sure it's working. One bit of news: my doc now has me ratcheting down my old dose of Inderal, so I can get off that stuff. The theory is I won't be needing the Inderal anymore. I'll be totally dependent on the Topamax instead. :-) I'm gradually reducing the Inderal, using 40 mg. tablets. I had been on a daily dose of 120 mg.

The side effects of the Topamax are mildly annoying. The fumbling for words and saying the wrong words is just not like me and it is embarrassing. It's also not like me to leave out letters and misspell words so often when writing. Plus... Does Topamax mess with motor skills, like hand-eye coordination? I think I it does. I keep dropping things, like pens and keys. I dropped my truck keys and broke the key fob this morning, which was really aggravating, because I then could not turn off the alarm to start the vehicle. But, at least the stress did not trigger a headache, like it would have in the past. (Eventually, I got the fob back together, sort of, and got on the road.)

The most precise Google search EVER

I just encountered the most precise Google search EVER. I put in my search term -- the name of a file that appeared in an error related to some programming that I'm doing -- and I got exactly one result from Google. Did you hear me? ONE result! Not one million. Not one thousand one hundred and one. Just ONE! And it was exactly what I was looking for. It was a discussion of the exact error I was receiving, in the exact circumstances under which I generated it. Plus, it was being discussed on a respectable forum. Amazing!

See the search results for yourself...
The most precise Google search ever

Who I'd invite to dinner

Charline recently asked me who'd I'd invite to my ideal dinner party (I think this was inspired by a recent edition of Oprah, in which O posed this classic question to George Clooney). So, with no further ado, here are the five people I'd invite, if I were guaranteed they'd accept and show up -- listed in no particular order:

• Former U.S. president Bill Clinton
• Debt-relief champion and rock star extraordinaire Bono
• His Holiness The Dalai Lama
• The Daily Show host Jon Stewart
• Comic, political scholar/author, radio host Al Franken

That's a pretty well-rounded list, I think. A semi-retired politician, a rock-star who has turned into a global economics leader, one of the most beloved religious figures of all time, one of the most populare entertainers in America (who has also become the main source of news for young adults), and, finally, a man who has evolved from Harvard graduate to Saturday Night Live writer to political scholar and author to wildly successful radio host.

Now, I just hope they all like barbecued ribs.

Where were the Bargers?

Have you ever wondered where the Bargers were in the 1920s? Well, now you can see a graphic representation of that very thing...



So, now you know. You're welcome.

My own ancestors were right there in that dark Pennsylvania patch in 1920. Right in the middle of Pennsylvania, actually. Some of my relatives are still there. It's a nice place. Maybe I'll move there someday. They have good weather and nice rolling hills and mountains.

Topamax: I think it's working!

I'm on a regular dose of 100 mg. per day now -- 50 in the morning and 50 at night -- and I think it's working. My headaches are no longer a constant droning ordeal. I'm still getting them a few times per week, but at least it's not all day long, every day, like it was through most of the summer.

The respite might be more due to a regular sleep pattern than the Topamax though. Charline is doing all the Jude work and is letting me sleep straight through every night. That made an immediate, substantial difference. It was like night and day, if you'll excuse the pun. Suddenly, I was able to think and work and function almost normally again.

Another big factor is the weather. The ungodly humidity and heat finally lifted from Jacksonville in mid-October, as it always does at this time of year -- allowing life to return to normal until about March, when the oppressive temperatures and rain and dampness and heaviness of air will descend on us again. When the weather changed for the better, last Friday, it was amazing. I felt like a completely different person. My head was clear. The pain was gone. The pressure was gone. I felt like I was on vacation.

So, with more Topamax, more sleep, and a change of season, I have quite a bit of relief from the migraines. That's all for now.

The next hot housing markets - Jacksonville makes the list

My home town of Jacksonville makes the list of the next hot housing markets, according to Liz Pulliam Weston of MSN Money.

The list is described as "latecomers to the real-estate party but where values have recently zoomed." It's good to see Jax continuing to show up on these round-ups. Of course, if the entire market nose-dives, maybe nobody will be safe. But, you'd like to think you're in one of these "bargain" cities, rather than one that's overvalued already.

Thanks for the vote of confidence, Liz!

San Marco Heat errr.. Art Festival

Charline, Jude, our dog Maggie, my parents and I went to the San Marco Art Festival this Sunday. It was a nice little event. Pretty typical for a Jacksonville arts and crafts festival, in my experience. Just the right amount of good paintings, sculptures, photos and whatnot.

There was even a strange, crazy guy in a full pink unitard (?) on a high unicycle zooming around the area singing some kind of song about himself. I think he called himself the "pink man." Every time Maggie saw him, she went nuts and started barking angrily. People seemed to think that was funny. It was.

Maggie was the belle of the ball. She got a lot of attention from kids and adults alike. Plenty of compliments and questions and pats on the head. I walked her all around the San Marco plaza, trying to keep her in the shade and in the breezy areas as much as possible. She got water in a bowl from the waiter at the restaurant where we ate at a patio table. A vendor poured some water in a bowl for her also. And, she drank out of a fountain too. She got to see and bark at several other dogs during the day. After she got hot and tired, she calmed down a bit.

The ultra-muggy Florida heat and humidity was the big downside to the whole day. Maggie, with her double-layered coat, was miserable in the heat if we walked too long and I felt almost as lousy.

I cannot wait for this summer to end. And, yes, I do say that every day of every summer. I start saying it around March 1 and don't stop until about October 15, by my best estimate.

In the longer-term picture, I cannot wait for the day that we can move out of the god-forsaken south and into a more humane climate where I don't have migraine headaches triggered by heat and humidity during three quarters of the year. Every time I have travelled to a colder, drier climate, at any time of year, in any weather -- in other words, any time I've left the south -- I have loved the weather and felt much better.

Autumn is just around the corner and it won't be one day too soon. (On another topic... why doesn't anyone use the term "autumn" anymore?)

Topamax: 50 mg. and Rising

I'm up to 50mg per day now, and plan to increase the dosage another notch soon, maybe this weekend. It does seem that the Topamax is decreasing the frequency of my headaches. I wish I had kept a strict log, but I've never been one to do that. It would be far too much hassle -- especially considering how often I was getting them.

The side effects seem to have dropped off a bit. I think that was due to some kind of tolerance or adaptation effect. Some people talk about it as if increasing the dose in gets rid of the side effects, but I think I dispelled that myth by staying at 25 mg. for far longer than I was supposed to. Some minor side effects came and went with no change in dosage.

Anyway... I'll post more when I increase the dosage again.

Back in Jax

I'm back from my trip to D.C., for a class on usability research. Washington was much cooler than Jax, which made for a nice visit. I walked around plenty in the evenings, doing my siteseeing thing and taking dozens of photos.

View my Washington D.C. photos on Flickr

I could tell the security level was higher than usual in D.C. There were a lot of cops around, especially on the subway, which I rode a couple times each day. I sure wish we had a subway in Jax. It would make life a lot easier.

It was a nice surprise to see that some of the Smithsonian Institute museums had extended hours for the summer. Some open until 6:30 (Museum of American History) and some until 7:30 (Museum of Natural History). It was also good to see that the Washington Monument was open again. It was closed for renovation, or some such thing, the last time I was there. The views of the town from the base of the monument are beautiful.

I visited the Jefferson Memorial at sunset and took some photos over there. If it weren't for some confounded scaffolding they had up, those photos would be perfect. It's always something.

Topamax: Day X+ (side effects noted)

Lately, my headaches seem to be abating slightly. And, I have noticed some very slight side effects. Here's what I've noted so far:

Tingling
Yesterday, I felt very noticeable tingling in my face for several hours while I was at work (I'm back in Jax after my trip to D.C.).

Memory Tricks
I have a peristent sense of everything sort of reminding me of things that happened about 15 years ago, even though there is no literal connection. Maybe this would be considered a very slight case of lingering déjà vu?

Lousy Cola Taste
Another expected side effect: cola has started to lose its appeal. I normally love the taste of Dr Pepper or Mr. Pibb. Now, every soda/cola/pop/Coke I drink, including my cherished Dr Pepper, tastes like something's just a little "off." My best analysis is that the fruity flavor is enhanced and the carbonation sensation is minimized relative to the flavor sensation. Yes. I just took another sip and that is definitely my verdict at this point. Subdued carbonation feel and amplified sweetness/fruitiness. End result: lousy taste.

These side effects are happening in spite of the fact that I've been sticking to a meager 25 mg. of Topamax daily, even though I'm past the first week and should, therefore, be taking more than that each day. I will increase the dose soon. The main reason I've delayed is that I keep missing a dose here and there. I want to get into a consistent routine.

Topamax: Day X (What day is this?)

I've already forgotten to take my Topamax tablet a couple times during these early days of my new prescription. I'm going to really need to remedy that. But, I'm feeling great today -- largely because I'm at a higher latitude, in Washington, D.C., where the air is cooler and clearer and easier to breathe than back home in Jacksonville, Florida.

The heat and humidity in Florida drives me crazy, and I've always gotten more headaches during summer. These few days in D.C. are going to be a nice respite.

Why am I in D.C.? For a three-day class on the latest usability research. But, that's a whole different topic.

Topamax: Day 1, Part 2 (Nap time, anyone?)

The Axert eliminated the headache within about half an hour, as advertised. But, the pain returned before the workday was over. Maybe within about four hours? So, I took my second Axert. It also dispatched the pain quickly. A little pain returned before the day was over, but not a full-blown headache.

Each Axert made me really, really tired. I'm not used to medication making me that tired, even when the label says it might. It's funny that the solution I normally use -- Excedrin -- does exactly the opposite. The caffeine in Excedrin makes me hyper and energized and jittery. As a practical matter, the latter solution is more conducive to a productive work day. The down-side is that the experts say taking Excedrin all the time leads to "rebound" headaches -- headaches triggered by too much caffeine. (I think that's what triggers them. But, don't quote me.)

I only had two Axert tablets to try. Next, I'll try Relpax to eliminate a headache.

Topamax: Day 1 + Axert x 2

I'm calling this "Day One" of my "Topamax Experiment" (or "Good-bye Migraines"). I took my first Topamax tablet last night, so that was "Day Zero."

As usual, I felt a headache coming on already today, before noon. I just took my first Axert tablet, instead of my usual dose of two Excedrin pills. I'll post at the end of the day to say how things went.

The Axert is the other part of this experiment, even though it's not really related to the Topamax. My pseudo-doctor (more on that later) just happened to prescribe the Topamax and the Axert at the same time. She also gave me a sample of Relpax to try. I'll give that a spin after I've had a go at Axert. It serves the same purpose.

What do I mean by "pseudo-doctor?" On my last two visits to my neurologist, I ended up seeing a nurse practitioner instead. Nobody asked me. I just made my normal appointment with the doctor. But, it was a nurse practitioner who saw me and prescribed the medicine. On the first visit, I think she said the doctor wasn't there that day. I remember thinking maybe he had taken the day off unexpectedly. But, on the next visit, when I found out I'd be seeing the nurse again, I asked about the situation and was told that everyone sees the nurse on "follow-up visits" now.

What's up with that?! Isn't almost every visit a "follow-up visit?" It sounds like the only time this doctor's patients will actually see him is on their very first visit. Maybe the loophole is to claim that each visit is for a completely new and different problem and is, therefore, not a "follow-up visit."

"The Topamax Experiment" (or "Good-bye Migraines")

Today, I begin a new treatment for my chronic migraine headaches. I'm going to start taking migraine preventative Topamax, which doctors say can really change the life of someone who gets chronic migraines. I'm also going to try Relpax and/or Axert to stop headaches when I do get them. These medications, if they work, will replace my latest regime of Inderal and Excedrin.

I've had migraines almost all my life. Since I was about seven years old, I think. My mother took me to several doctors, including a very good neurologist who diagnosed the condition as migraine. Previous doctors thought it might be eye strain or some other such thing. I suppose they thought it was unusual for a seven-year-old to suffer from migraines.

Just to make sure it wasn't something more serious, like a tumor or whatnot, the docs gave me a CAT scan, EEG, MRI, and even a spinal tap. All normal. Just plain ol' migraines.

Over the years, I tried several different medications -- Fiornal, Inderal, Midrin... I think I tried Migranol, Imitrex... There was some tiny blue pill in the late '70s or early '80s... I think it was shaped like a hexagon and the name started with an "m". Some were medications that end a headache once it starts. Others were "prophylactics" -- medications that prevent the onset of migraine. Some of these drugs seemed to work for a while. But none provided great relief or long-term substantial decreases in the frequency and/or intensity of the migraines.

The frequency and intensity has varied a lot over the years. Lately, it's been about 20 moderate migraines per month. Pretty annoying. They really make it difficult to function normally. As any migraineur knows, it's pretty hard to act normal or put together coherent sentences or tolerate sound and light during a migraine. But, I long ago realized that I cannot afford to use "sick days" every time I get a migraine. Of course, every now and then I get one that incapacitating and I don't have any choice but to lie in bed in a cool, dark, quiet room and deal with it. Fortunately, the really severe headaches only happen a few times per year for me.

I went through some biofeedback training also. That was really interesting and did seem to help a bit in keeping me relaxed and calm -- even during a migraine. It also taught me that my brain and body react unusually quickly to sensory triggers or emotional triggers. My EGR response was particularly rapid and strong, for what it's worth.

Now, I'm ready to try the next cool migraine drug to get these headaches under control. People who take large doses of Topamax, like 250 mg. per day, sometimes have strange side effects, like having trouble finding the right words when speaking, or experiencing jamais-vue or presque-vue. Some people say they look at items on their desk and it absolutely feels like things have been moved around, even though nobody has touched a thing. Like I said -- strange. But, I'm starting with a very small dose of 25 mg. per day. I'll increase it, on a gradual schedule, until it seems to have the desired effect. I'll try to post something here each day to report the progress.

Musical houses

It seems that a lot of people in Jacksonville, Florida, are playing a giant game of "musical chairs" with their homes -- moving into and out of houses at an unusual pace. Not that there's anything wrong with that. I'm just saying it's an odd happenstance that we didn't used to see.

One of my co-workers is selling his house after buying it pre-construction just a couple years ago, in 2003. He'll make a killing on the profit, thanks to crazy increases in home values around here, and all over Florida -- and in many other places around the country.

Of course, once mortgage interest rates go back up to historically "normal" levels, we can expect a levelling off of housing prices. I would even expect a gradual decline in prices after rates go back up to where they were in the mid-90s.

The whole trick is locking in a good fixed rate mortgage on a long-term home before rates and prices head in the wrong direction. How do you know the optimal moment? If I knew that, I'd have a servant typing this blog entry for me. And, I'd use a gold-plated font.

Our very own island

Charline and I will soon have our very own island. It will be a nice refuge to escape to every once in a while -- while we're cooking. That's right, it's a kitchen island. I had you going there for a moment, didn't I?

We are getting new cabinets, a new dishwasher, a new stove, and a new Corian countertop too. Even the kitchen sink. The whole enchilada. It's going to be sweet. Hmmm... A sweet enchilada... No. Probably a bad idea.

We'll be sure to post some photos on our Shutterfly gallery when we have them. Or, maybe on our Flickr site.

Hurricane Season 2005

Hurricane season is underway again. Things aren't looking so bad for my home town so far, but it's a different story for those living in west Florida, in Alabama, and in Louisiana.

Hurricane Projection Maps and Information

The History of the Hironimus Name

My mother, who was born a Pennsylvania Hironimus, sent me the following text about the Hironimus family name. It was written by a Hironimus in 1976. I do not know the author, Leon Francis Hironimus, but I'm sure he would not mind me sharing this information. I took the liberty of turning some of the text into hyperlinks, and added some formatting, but have otherwise left it intact, as I found it.

The History of the Hironimus Name

About a hundred and forty years ago, or more, Jacob and Hannah Hironimus settled in the area that would take the name Weikert one day. This little town would locate in Union County, Pennsylvania. The Hironimus children would scatter across the United States from this tract of land that is believed to have been given Jacob as a grant from the country of France. We continue to search our beginnings even in 1976.

There is much history to the Hironimus name, and it can even be traced to the pre-Christian era. The Apocrypha, written just prior to the Roman period that dominated the Hebrew prior to and during the life of Christ, contains two books of Maccabees. The name Hieronvmus can be found in II Maccabees 12:2. The Apocrypha is not included with the Protestant Bible; however is included with the Roman Catholic Bible. During the early Christian period and after the death of Christ a man translated the Bible for the first time. He was later named a saint. He was named Saint Jerome. His correct name was Eusebius Hieronymus. The name seems to have followed the growth and fall of empires and cultures in the Western world. Variations of the name crop up in various places in the world throughout history, but have never varied so far that making a connection is impossible. Names found by this writer are: Hironimus, Hieronimus, Heironimus, and Hieronymous. Thus, the name comes to us from a period sometime within the four hundred years just prior to the Birth of Christ, through the St. Jerome period of about four hundred years after the death of Christ, through the Greek, Roman, and the German empires, and to the present American period. While the nation of the United States celebrates its bicentennial, we can look even further into our history. In my studies in history, I can find no other name that has been so consistent in spelling for so many years.

While this history is by no means complete, and in fact is saturated with assumptions, I believe that it is close enough to fact that we can take pride in the acknowledgement that ours is a name that has spanned the history of the world.

Leon Francis Hironimus