Book Signing: FRI 5 FEB 5pm at Otto Book Store, Williamsport, PA

This Friday, I have a book signing at Otto Bookstore in Williamsport, PA. It will be on 5 FEB from 5-8pm.

Otto is an amazing store. They are exactly as they describe: "A book Lover's Paradise"!

Last weekend I went with two of the boys to meet the crew and check out the establishment. Of course we walked out with three books! I even found a discounted copy of "Wishful Drinking" by Carrie Fisher for a fraction of cover price.

Otto is located on 107 W. Fourth St. in Williamsport, and their phone is: 1-888-762-4526.

Here is their website:

http://www.ottobookstore.com/first-friday

The signing will feature another author as well: Diane Keeler, author of "A Patient Friendly Resource for Epilepsy"

http://www.amazon.com/Patient-Friendly-Resource-Epilepsy-Disorders/dp/1439243913


I am very thankful to Otto Bookstore owner Betsy Rider for kindly hosting me. She also wrote a great column about the book for the Williamsport paper. (I was inadvertently promoted to "head of pediatric surgery" in the article, but fortunately my boss didn't mind!)

http://www.sungazette.com/page/content.detail/id/538606.html

I hope to see you at Otto on Friday!

A low stress patient

Last weekend, I built a table.

I probably put the people who know me through the unnecessary worry that I would lop off a finger. We have a work table in our kitchen, but it's tough to sit around it becuase of the bottom shelf. M. found the Vermont Butcher Block and Board company who made us a tabletop the same width as our work table using alternating maple and walnut for a lot cheaper than I could have on my own.

http://www.vermontbutcherblock.com/

I based the design on plans we found at This Old House.

http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/how-to/intro/0,,20295801,00.html

I fastened the butcher block to an apron of red oak we stained with Minwax Walnut using 1/2 inch holes in the crossbeams and screws through fender washers so that the table top could shrink and expand without warping. I fastened square block legs of oak to the apron with corner braces.

The toughest joints of all were where the X-shaped hanger met the legs. I wanted that shape so that sitting stools could be tucked under the table. I cut a mortise and tenon joint into the corner of each leg and ran a carriage bolt in from the outside of each leg. I also put a locking caster on the bottom of each leg so we could roll the table around.

It was nice to know that if I messed up, all I would be sacrificing was a piece of lumber. I had been imagining several ways to screw it up for the past few weeks, so I had committed most of the errors in my mind. The casters didn't screw in flush but otherwise assembly went well. M. handled staining and touch up.

Last Saturday I took the kids to Lowe's for the free Build and Grow workshop, and they each made a Tic-Tac-Toe game box. When we were done, I found three stools that were a little scratched up, and the friendly people at Lowe's gave us 20% off for the blemishes!

Bit by bit the kids have begun using the table to for breakfast, so mission accomplished!

NYT opinion piece from Veteran and troop advocate, Dan Clare

Hi,

Here:

http://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/01/20/home-fires-in-balad-smoke-and-fire/

is an informative and well-written piece by Dan Clare, who works with Disabled American Veterans.

http://www.dav.org/

Dan writes about the burn pit at Joint Base Balad. If you have never heard of it, it is worth educating yourself.

I served with Dan in '07 and '08: he is the real deal: a true troop advocate. He is a citizen soldier, and he works to help the troops in both his stateside and deployed jobs.

There are dangers to war, and to some extent troops accept risk as part of their duty. However some risks can be reduced, and we owe it to troops to eliminate the risks we can.

Take care!

Chris