This was the speech I was waiting for that outlined the differences between Obama and McCain. I am consistently surprised that Republicans see their candidate as a reflection of Christian values. I have to ask myself, "Have these people ever even read the Bible?" Perhaps they are so mired in the issue of abortion that they fail to see that my candidate of choice, Barack Obama, is a purer reflection of core Christian values. Providing for the poor and ill, sharing resources, being stewards of the earth, seeing all people as equal and entitled to an education, valuing the lives of our brothers and sisters--these are the spirit of Christ's teachings.
McCain is so disconnected from the way that the vast majority of Americans live that he is incapable of leading us out of a what would be a long recession of both financial and spiritual sorts. In part I think his age is a factor, but also his lifestyle puts him into a different category, the 5% whose taxes will go up. He doesn't get that continuing subsidies to oil companies making a record profit is cutting into the quality of education and healthcare for the average American and stunting our exploration of alternative energy sources. He doesn't see that a prolonged war in Iraq costs not only billions of dollars that could improve care for the elderly and poor, but also it robs thousands of families of their loved ones.
Now is the time to step into the 21st century, with compassion, love and respect for all Americans. Enjoy the speech.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Friday, August 29, 2008
This Woman’s Theory As To the Cause of Global Warming…Sort Of
Amid all the speculation as to the cause/acceleration of global warming, I would like to offer my own thought because I think with some period of publication it will be universally regarded as both groundbreaking and true in the ultimate sense. My hypothesis springs out of the much whispered about, though rarely publicly discussed, theory of over-population. People are always so afraid to tell others to stop having so many damn babies. Sure, its true that sweet little babies grow up into energy consumers and that those energy consumers are responsible for ridiculous amounts of carbon emitted into the atmosphere, but is that really all there is to it? I think not. In fact, what I believe is that, even though the earth has never before had so many people on it, it would be more accurate to say that never before has the earth had so many women going through menopause on it. Think about it. All those hot flashes and night sweats, hundreds of millions of women like miniature nuclear reactors putting out obscene amounts of heat--the polar ice caps never had a chance.
So now that you can see what my post is really about, men, you may go back to your sports page.
Women, you may be wondering, “What does she know about menopause, young thing that she is?” Well, my friends, at long last, I have received an official diagnosis of perimenopause, only two and a half years since I began having symptoms. And what a ride these last couple of years have been. I’ve had surgery, been screened for various cancers, and been put on high dose hormones to shock my system back into shape. After all with symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, moodiness, nausea, frequent anovulation, et al. what else could be? Certainly not perimenopause. Premature menopause is very rare. “You are simply too young,” they said.
“Well don’t you think it could be? I have all the symptoms,” I replied.
“In fifteen years, I would say absolutely, perimenopause. But you’re in your early 30’s. So we’ll keep looking.”
“Can’t I be that rare person? There is a name for it, so somebody must have been through ‘the change’ early.”
“Hmmpf. We’ll keep looking.”
Finally, a year ago, the 4th doctor said, “I think we should keep an eye on this. It could be perimenopause. You have celiac disease and that puts you at a higher risk for premature menopause*.” I thought I was losing my mind. Every other doctor knew that I had celiac disease. This one was a keeper. She put me on herbs and a small amount of hormones. When I didn’t react well to the hormones, she took me off the hormones and gave me an entirely herbal and vitamin supplement regimen. For nine months, this worked wonders. Then the symptoms came back. I had the choice between an expensive herbal treatment and another shot at a different hormone treatment that my insurance would cover. I went with the hormones. I guess I just got sick of spending so much out of pocket on my health care. Even after reading the online brochure’s list of side effects and drug interactions, I still figured it was worth a try to save $70 a month.
Well that was a copay wasted! In less than a week, I began feeling anxious, irritable, really nauseated after every meal, my contacts weren’t working right and late in the day they would get stuck to my eyes. The worst was that I developed some very irrational OCD symptoms. After and unnerving trip to the grocery store where I struggled to leave the body care aisle, fearful that I had deeply offended the items I didn’t buy by not having chosen them to take home, I knew something was up. That night I had heart palpitations and tightness in my chest. I then proceeded to yell at my husband for ten minutes (which, by the way, was completely uncalled for on my part) after which I finally confessed my grocery store experience. As I was admitting how miserable--mind and body--I had felt over the past 3 days, it dawned on me, the list of side effects. Steven had read them too and was forming the same conclusion. The hormones were making me crazy.
I said, “Oh my God, that’s what’s wrong with my contacts!” I had been planning to go to the eye doctor to have my prescription checked. After five months with the same contact lens Rx, my eyes seemed to be going haywire.
“Go off of it,” we agreed.
Within about three days I felt largely normal. I started taking my herbs and supplements once again and added the more expensive herb into the mix. The hit in the pocketbook didn’t feel so great, but I do. Truth be told, I would give almost anything to not have anxiety. I will even live with night sweats and whacko cycles.
Since I have had the privilege of starting menopause early, I will be granted the added benefit of experiencing it for a longer period of time. It’s only fair. That puts me at about half way through according to a woman I recently met who also went through precocious menopause. (See. PM is not that rare.) So I should be a seasoned expert when all my age mates begin to feel the burn. Feel free to call.
But ladies, I have diverged from my intended point. As in most situations the future of the world is in our hands. You must do your part to halt global warming. I am not suggesting at the first hint of power rising up through your chests that you all go jump off bridge (no matter how appealing that idea will seem at the time.) Instead, I suggest you see your herbalist or naturopath and call every one of your women friends over the age of 50 for a little sympathy. Because the only things that are going to save this world from overheating and you from losing your mind is black cohosh, chaste tree berry, a pint of Purely Decadent soy ice cream and lots of girl time!
A special note to the men who stuck with this post until the end: I’m sorry. But this would be a good time for you to make some friends or take up a hobby. You’re going to need somewhere to go from time to time. Good luck.
* I prefer to call premature menopause by its other name, precocious menopause. It’s the difference between saying “you jumped the gun” and “you’re ahead of your time.”
So now that you can see what my post is really about, men, you may go back to your sports page.
Women, you may be wondering, “What does she know about menopause, young thing that she is?” Well, my friends, at long last, I have received an official diagnosis of perimenopause, only two and a half years since I began having symptoms. And what a ride these last couple of years have been. I’ve had surgery, been screened for various cancers, and been put on high dose hormones to shock my system back into shape. After all with symptoms like hot flashes, night sweats, irregular periods, moodiness, nausea, frequent anovulation, et al. what else could be? Certainly not perimenopause. Premature menopause is very rare. “You are simply too young,” they said.
“Well don’t you think it could be? I have all the symptoms,” I replied.
“In fifteen years, I would say absolutely, perimenopause. But you’re in your early 30’s. So we’ll keep looking.”
“Can’t I be that rare person? There is a name for it, so somebody must have been through ‘the change’ early.”
“Hmmpf. We’ll keep looking.”
Finally, a year ago, the 4th doctor said, “I think we should keep an eye on this. It could be perimenopause. You have celiac disease and that puts you at a higher risk for premature menopause*.” I thought I was losing my mind. Every other doctor knew that I had celiac disease. This one was a keeper. She put me on herbs and a small amount of hormones. When I didn’t react well to the hormones, she took me off the hormones and gave me an entirely herbal and vitamin supplement regimen. For nine months, this worked wonders. Then the symptoms came back. I had the choice between an expensive herbal treatment and another shot at a different hormone treatment that my insurance would cover. I went with the hormones. I guess I just got sick of spending so much out of pocket on my health care. Even after reading the online brochure’s list of side effects and drug interactions, I still figured it was worth a try to save $70 a month.
Well that was a copay wasted! In less than a week, I began feeling anxious, irritable, really nauseated after every meal, my contacts weren’t working right and late in the day they would get stuck to my eyes. The worst was that I developed some very irrational OCD symptoms. After and unnerving trip to the grocery store where I struggled to leave the body care aisle, fearful that I had deeply offended the items I didn’t buy by not having chosen them to take home, I knew something was up. That night I had heart palpitations and tightness in my chest. I then proceeded to yell at my husband for ten minutes (which, by the way, was completely uncalled for on my part) after which I finally confessed my grocery store experience. As I was admitting how miserable--mind and body--I had felt over the past 3 days, it dawned on me, the list of side effects. Steven had read them too and was forming the same conclusion. The hormones were making me crazy.
I said, “Oh my God, that’s what’s wrong with my contacts!” I had been planning to go to the eye doctor to have my prescription checked. After five months with the same contact lens Rx, my eyes seemed to be going haywire.
“Go off of it,” we agreed.
Within about three days I felt largely normal. I started taking my herbs and supplements once again and added the more expensive herb into the mix. The hit in the pocketbook didn’t feel so great, but I do. Truth be told, I would give almost anything to not have anxiety. I will even live with night sweats and whacko cycles.
Since I have had the privilege of starting menopause early, I will be granted the added benefit of experiencing it for a longer period of time. It’s only fair. That puts me at about half way through according to a woman I recently met who also went through precocious menopause. (See. PM is not that rare.) So I should be a seasoned expert when all my age mates begin to feel the burn. Feel free to call.
But ladies, I have diverged from my intended point. As in most situations the future of the world is in our hands. You must do your part to halt global warming. I am not suggesting at the first hint of power rising up through your chests that you all go jump off bridge (no matter how appealing that idea will seem at the time.) Instead, I suggest you see your herbalist or naturopath and call every one of your women friends over the age of 50 for a little sympathy. Because the only things that are going to save this world from overheating and you from losing your mind is black cohosh, chaste tree berry, a pint of Purely Decadent soy ice cream and lots of girl time!
A special note to the men who stuck with this post until the end: I’m sorry. But this would be a good time for you to make some friends or take up a hobby. You’re going to need somewhere to go from time to time. Good luck.
* I prefer to call premature menopause by its other name, precocious menopause. It’s the difference between saying “you jumped the gun” and “you’re ahead of your time.”
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Twilight Saga
As many of you know, I have been reading the Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer. Who can refuse teen vampire fiction. It's like 80's brat pack movies--so ridiculous and yet so seductive. I actually didn't like much about Meyer's first book Twilight except the all too enticing plot. There is never much reason to love or even like the characters, all of whom are underdeveloped. Nor is there much in the way of wordsmithing. Meyer is repetitive and droning when she isn't in the thick of an action sequence. Don't get me wrong. The first three books are worth the read. She is nothing if not a master of plot. But her books were written for the screen not for book snobs like me.
The second and third books, New Moon and Eclipse, are a much better effort on all fronts. Still Meyer is nauseatingly repetitive with regard to the smell of Edward's breath and the marble coldness of his skin. And of course I can hardly bear the constant self-flaggelation that makes liking her main character, Bella, nearly impossible. If you can avoid frustration over these points, books two and three are a great deal more fun.
My profound disappointment was that Stephanie Meyer did not become a better writer as she grew her series. She fails to be concise where she ought to be and to delve into the emotional content of her characters. Book four, the final episode in the series, is a total flop with a cheap ending. I honestly recommend not reading it and just being satisfied with the first three. A comparison between Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling is proposterous. Though in a sense Twilight did "fill my Harry Potter void" for a brief time, Meyer certainly can not be placed on par with the black belt of writing that J.K. Rowling has become. Rowling grew as an author with every installment, while Meyer's seem to flounder and give us more of the same. I wonder if such growth is the result of the tutalage of an experienced editor or simply inherent talent. Regardless, enjoy Twilight, Eclipse and New Moon, but skip Breaking Dawn.
The second and third books, New Moon and Eclipse, are a much better effort on all fronts. Still Meyer is nauseatingly repetitive with regard to the smell of Edward's breath and the marble coldness of his skin. And of course I can hardly bear the constant self-flaggelation that makes liking her main character, Bella, nearly impossible. If you can avoid frustration over these points, books two and three are a great deal more fun.
My profound disappointment was that Stephanie Meyer did not become a better writer as she grew her series. She fails to be concise where she ought to be and to delve into the emotional content of her characters. Book four, the final episode in the series, is a total flop with a cheap ending. I honestly recommend not reading it and just being satisfied with the first three. A comparison between Stephanie Meyer and J.K. Rowling is proposterous. Though in a sense Twilight did "fill my Harry Potter void" for a brief time, Meyer certainly can not be placed on par with the black belt of writing that J.K. Rowling has become. Rowling grew as an author with every installment, while Meyer's seem to flounder and give us more of the same. I wonder if such growth is the result of the tutalage of an experienced editor or simply inherent talent. Regardless, enjoy Twilight, Eclipse and New Moon, but skip Breaking Dawn.
Friday, August 15, 2008
Paradise Park
I just finished reading a book, Paradise Park by Allegra Goodman. Paradise Park is this crazy novel about a young woman, Sharon, who gets stranded by a self-centered, overly serious boyfriend in Hawaii. Virtually penniless, with no one to come to her aid, Sharon continues her quest to find love, community and meaning. At first I thought this novel was insane. How could so much happen to this woman? How could she be so scattered? As the story progressed I thought for sure the author was indeed trying to drive me mad, since the plot didn’t seem to advance and the main character seemed quagmired in blame and victimhood. I like my books the way I prefer my life: neatly packaged and with a point. I felt like screaming, “Connect the dots! For the love of God, connect some dots for me!”
Still in the end, I find that I loved this book. Goodman took me on an amazing, albeit downright bizarre, journey. Through Goodman, Sharon seeks out an identity that she can embrace, but ultimately creates her own, both rich and deeply satisfying. And even though I feel very little relationship with Sharon as a character or personality, I connect with her in the conclusion as someone who has lived largely by her own rules, who has lived a life, balancing regret and acceptance.
This book is certainly worth the read if you are willing to have your mind blown in a less than traditional odyssey.
Still in the end, I find that I loved this book. Goodman took me on an amazing, albeit downright bizarre, journey. Through Goodman, Sharon seeks out an identity that she can embrace, but ultimately creates her own, both rich and deeply satisfying. And even though I feel very little relationship with Sharon as a character or personality, I connect with her in the conclusion as someone who has lived largely by her own rules, who has lived a life, balancing regret and acceptance.
This book is certainly worth the read if you are willing to have your mind blown in a less than traditional odyssey.
Friday, August 8, 2008
Everyone Should Here This Song
A month ago, my friend Craig put this song on his blog. I listened to it and instantly fell in love with the reincarnated Colin Hay, formerly of Men At Work. I have since bought the album, Going Somewhere, and have not regretted it.
Every once in awhile I hear a song or read a phrase that captures what it means to be human. This may be the first time for me that an entire album brings fits that bill.
Enjoy.
Every once in awhile I hear a song or read a phrase that captures what it means to be human. This may be the first time for me that an entire album brings fits that bill.
Enjoy.
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