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08/12/2025

Today’s blog

Lynn Murphy Mark

In other news…

On a pretty steady basis, my phone is a repository of the latest grandsons activities. Sometimes they are just standing together in comfortable poses, sometimes a picture will celebrate a milestone, and sometimes there’s no special occasion other than a celebration of their young lives. 

Yesterday was a picture day as Alexander was tested for his yellow belt in Taekwondo. He showed some punching moves, a kick that lifted his leg almost over his head, and the requisite breaking of boards with his six year old hand. His older brother had gotten his yellow belt a month or so ago. Now there are two of them in the Momoh household.

Taekwondo is a Korean martial art. It’s name means “the way of the foot and fist”. The real point is training in self-defense and mental discipline. Both boys, who are bundles of energy, need a way to diffuse that energy that will help them respect authority and respect one another. I now have pictures of two boys proudly holding their certificates and wearing their yellow belts. 

They have been training themselves for years at home, practicing their versions of Ninja moves anywhere there is enough space. They have dressed as Ninjas for Halloween. They both have a good amount of respect for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. These four cartoon characters practice “ninjutsu” against evil guys in New York City. Ninjutsu is a Japanese way of life that extends beyond martial arts to encompass survival techniques and stealth attacks against the bad guys. Their enjoyment of the TMNT guys is reminiscent of that same pleasure that their Uncle Ted had when he was their age. 

Our house was full of plastic renditions of the Turtles and their equipment. This was a trend in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. Ted had an extensive collection of figurines. One day we were in Walgreen’s where, at that time, there were TMNT figures for sale in the toy aisle. Ted spied a new one called, “Slicin’ dicin’ Shredder”. This one had a special sword, or some weapon that would enhance his evil ways. Ted wanted to get it, but I brushed him off and said we would get it next time we came to that Walgreens. In a very wise 6 year old prediction he said, “It won’t be here then.”. And he was right. And he was very disappointed.

Flash forward to my efforts to find him a Slicin’ Dicin’ Shredder that stretched into his adulthood. My mother’s guilt, which should have been spent on something way more important, led me to search Ebay one day. Eureka! There was that pristine action figure Ted had asked for decades earlier, still in its original package. So, in his 30’s I gifted him with the very Shredder he had asked for as a little kid. And, in a very silly sense, my guilt was soothed and resolved. Had I bought the thing at Walgreens I would have saved myself some $$$ and years of regret.

In other news, probably a bit of TMI, I had my annual Medicare doctor visit yesterday. My Primary Care guy is very young and enthusiastic about any hints that I am practicing self-care. I have lost some weight through diet and exercise, something that always pleases the medical establishment. I had my blood drawn by a very sweet lady who did not deserve my roll-away veins. Apparently that was the name of her day yesterday – “hard sticks” had presented themselves to her all day. The results are in and all of my levels are in the green (good) zone!

But she did it in only two sticks, apologizing for having to repeat the process. I told her my hospice story about what a terrible blood drawer I was – you either have the knack or you don’t, and I certainly don’t. But I told her that one of my skills was the ability to insert a urinary catheter under any circumstances. Once, I successfully put a catheter in a very large lady while she was in the recliner that was her permanent place. Now that’s an art – a weird one, but still…