Traveling to Uganda

I will be going to Uganda in a little less than two months.
I am going with a group from St. Albert church, and will be visiting several places, including national parks. I've never been to that continent, so the preparations include few extra things.

Today I picked up my passport with the visa for Uganda. The process of getting visa was very quick (I mailed my passport just 6 days before), and they didn't even complain about me not having an international immunization record for yellow fewer, although it was one of the documents I was supposed to send in.

The next item on the trip preparations list was to get the immunization shots. I don't have my medical record of my childhood immunization; due to all the destruction during the war. I have received some shots three years ago as part of the application for permanent residency. But there were still a few that I didn't get, and a few that are specific to Africa.

So, today I visited my doctor, and got four (4) recommended immunization shots, 2 in each arm: Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Polio, and Meningococcal (meningitis). The Hep A & B are a series, so I have to go back in 1 month and again in 6 months. So far, ten hours later, I don't have any reaction except some sorenes, but let me tell you, getting those shots is not painless. Especially the meningococcal one. I can feel it working in there. So, for all the mothers out there: when your babies are getting the shots, do whatever you can to make your babies hurt less. Nurse them if you can so they are more relaxed. Don't let the nurse tell you what's easier for her. Do what's more comfortable for your little one.

Next I'll need to get a yellow fewer shot at the travel clinic, as regular doctors don't carry that, and get a prescription for typhoid, an oral medicine. I'll also pick up a prescription for malaria, which I'll take once a day during the travel and few days before and after. And the last peace of chemistry to carry with me is a medicine for diarrhea.

My body will be loaded with drugs, but better that than illness.

Top 7 Catholic moments on 'Lost'

This one is for all those Lost addicts out there. Myself included.

Tomorrow will be the last episode of Lost. Ever. :( The OurSundayVisitor made a post on the Top 7 Catholic moments on 'Lost'. I think it's interesting checking it out.

And since yesterday we celebrated the feast of the Ascension of the Lord, I think it's especially interesting that it was also mentioned in one of the episodes. In season 3, episode 6, "I Do", (4th segment in this full video), when Kate called the U.S. marshal Mars, he made this surprising statement:
"I realized this morning it was the feast of the Ascension, and I was feeling a little bad. How many holy days have come and gone since you last called?"

Huh, who knew that one of Lost co-creators is a Catholic.

The Glass Duo

This weekend I went to the "Polish Harmonies: Chopin & Beyond" concert at the UT. The acclaimed Polish artists, Anna and Arkadiusz Szafraniec, the "Glass Duo", had their American performance debut. Glass Duo's instrument is the biggest glass harp in the world; its range covers nearly 5 octaves.

It was a truly unique experience.

Cat on the Roof

Last night I was awaken by a loud noise. It was coming from somewhere above, the attic, or the roof maybe.

I thought it must be another rodent that got into the attic and was now caught in the mouse trap. I wasn't happy with it. I instantly started thinking of the unpleasant task of having to remove it in the morning. I was upset thinking how it was able to get into the attic in the first place. The banging and scratching sound continued, so I pictured it now desperately moving around, with the trap still attached to it. And the noise continued.

After few minutes I was fully awake, still trying to figure out where the noise is coming from. It now sounded it was coming from a different corner of the ceiling, not where the mouse trap was set up. It seemed it was near the window.

I finally got up. It was 3.55 am.

I walked over to the window, and the sound now seemed to be coming from the roof under-eave. The smashing and scratching was really loud. I decided to walk outside. As I approached the other window, I saw a cat on the roof. In the middle of the night. It was just sitting there at the very top. She ran away when she saw me. Now I understood she was probably chasing something.

Once on the porch, the thing was obviously scratching against some metal. I first thought it might have been a raccoon or opossum stuck in the grill, so I approached with caution. But, it wasn't the grill, it was the gutter downspout! Something got stuck inside! The cat must have chased it, and then it, a bird, rat, or a squirrel, tumbled down to the gutter and straight down the downspout.

The animal was somewhere in the middle. I started tapping, and it hissed at me. I was hoping it will eventually slide down if I continue tapping. Instead, it started climbing up. After few moments, it made it almost to the lower of the two elbows on the downspout, from what I could tell by touching the metal. And then it was moving less and less, until it completely stopped.

There is a screw in that area that attaches the downspout to the strap and to the wall. I thought that maybe the screw goes all the way through the cylinder, and that the thing is either stuck in that narrowing, or is now tired and is just resting on top of that screw in the middle of the opening. I decided to try to get the screw out and 'help' the animal slide all the way down.

I got the drill, and started unscrewing. It was a short screw, and once the strap was separated, the screw flew away into the grass. I turned the porch lights on (yes, all of this I was doing just under the moonlight). Searching through the grass for the screw at 4.30 in the morning.

That is when I realized how ridiculous I was.

I went back into the house and tried to go back to sleep and ignore the still occasional noise coming from just the other side of my bedroom wall. I was thinking of how I'd have to call the animal control in the morning because I don't want a dead animal sitting in the gutter for days.

I don't know what happened next.

In the morning, I poked with a stick on the lower end of the downspout and from the top, and only got few hairs (now I am pretty sure it wasn't a bird). If there was anything inside, it was still in the vertical part where I couldn't reach in. I figured, if the squirrel is still there, there is nothing inside to hold it when it dies, and it will just fall down.

But I think the thing got out.

I really hope so.

15 Years

May 1st, fifteen years ago, I entered into a new life of being a Catholic Christian.

I was baptized, confirmed and received my first communion in a little, former shoe store, church in Sarajevo. It was during the war, and my life was transformed forever after just four months of first entering that building....(more maybe in another post)

This picture was taken on that day during a little celebration at a friend's appartment with whom I share the same Godmother. We still had plastic sheets on the windows (background).

Every year I try to remember this event in some way, but this year I decided to celebrate it a bit more.

I was originally hoping to have one of my priest friends, Fr. Harry, over for a house blessing and invite friends over to a party. But, since he was not available on that day, I only kept the party part of that plan.

During the day, I celebrated Mass at the St. Mary's cathedral. It also happened to be the feast of St. Joseph (the worker) that day, so it was even more festive. We also witnessed a very humble wedding during that Mass, which lasted no more than five minutes, which was an unusual addition.

In the evening, I had friends over for a "birthday" game party. Some mature and some newly formed friendships. It meant a lot to me to celebrate this day with all of you who helped me grow further over these years. Thank you for your company and your friendships!