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Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 31, 2011: 

"Don't compromise yourself. You are all you've got."

- Janis Joplin

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 30, 2011: 

"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us."

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Monday, August 29, 2011

Coming soon.... 

Finally, an updated book about Sjogren's! A lot has been learned about the ailment since the last volume came out in 2005:

The Sjogren's Book, Fourth Edition

I have editions two and three on one of the bookshelves of the command center. The reason I keep buying it is because each one contains info that the other doesn't. One of my Colorado rheumatologists was a contributor and editor on volume three.

Inspiration for the Day, August 29, 2011: 

"They cannot take away our self-respect if we do not give it to them."

~ Mahatma Gandhi

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 27, 2011: 

“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.”

- Lao Tzu

Friday, August 26, 2011

Ringo is a star.... 

The link to this was courtesy of one of my fellow peace bloggers:


Are YOU prepared? 

Here is another excellent article from But You Don't Look Sick. It's especially pertinent with all the natural disasters going on lately:

Emergency Preparation - Remember the Six M's

I really ought to print this out and organize my own emergency stuff better. I'm kinda sorta organized, as in having a list of doctors and medications in my purse and all my passwords and address list in a box of 3x5 cards (I don't trust computers to store my info because you're screwed when they crash). But I need to acquire a weather radio since storms tend to happen here at night (hard to see a tornado then), and I need to acquire a safe-deposit box for things like personal and family records (right now they're in a fireproof box in the house).

Inspiration for the Day, August 26, 2011: 

"If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily."

~ Gerald Good

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Being a celiac is expensive.... 

Another article from a recent edition of the Celiac.com newsletter. The only surprising thing about the study mentioned is that the disease is pricier for men than women:

Higher Medical Costs for People with Celiac Disease

And this article doesn't even go into the exorbitant expense of gluten-free food. My groceries now cost three times what they did before I got sick. But at least I am eating higher quality food than before.

The guessing game continues.... 

Got this from a somewhat recent edition of the Celiac.com newsletter (I have a backlog of unsorted articles numbering in the hundreds in my e-mail in box). How much longer must the delay go on?

Seven Years and Counting: FDA Drops Ball on Gluten-free Standards

It's the lack of a proper definition that leads me to have to limit my shopping list to certain brand names and products that I have been able to confirm for certain as gluten-free so that Dan doesn't accidentally purchase something I can't eat. If I want to try anything new, I have to shop in person so that I can read the ingredient list myself, and I don't really have the energy for that. Does the FDA have any idea how much this messes with a celiac's everyday life, or don't they care?

Rave of the Day for August 25, 2011: 

The lighter side of friendship, courtesy of an e-mail from Pete in 2006.....


A TRUE FRIEND

Are you sick of all those sissy "friendship" poems that always sound like Hallmark cards, and never come close to reality?

Well, here is a series of promises that really speak to true friendship:

1. When you are sad - I will help you get drunk and plot revenge against the sorry jerk who made you sad.

2. When you are blue - I will try to dislodge whatever is choking you.

3. When you smile - I will know you've had chocolate.

4. When you are scared - I will rag on you about it every chance I get.

5. When you are worried, I will tell you horrible stories about how much worse it could be and tell you to quit whining.

6. When you are confused - I will use little words.

7. When you are sick - stay away from me until you are well again. I don't want whatever you have.

8. When you fall - I will point and laugh at your clumsy ass.

This is my oath....I pledge it till the end.

Why, you ask? Because you are my friend.

Inspiration for the Day, August 25, 2011: 

Come and Find a Quiet Center (a hymn)

Come and find the quiet center in the crowded life we lead,
Find the room for hope to enter, find the frame where we are freed:
Clear the chaos and the clutter, clear our eyes that we can see
All the things that really matter, be at peace, and simply be.

Silence is a friend who claims us, cools the heart and slows the pace,
God it is who speaks and names us, knows our being, touches base,
Making space within our thinking, lifting shades to show the sun,
Raising courage when we're shrinking, finding scope for faith begun.

In the Spirit let us travel, open to each other's pain,
Let our loves and fears unravel, celebrate the space we gain:
There's a place for deepest dreaming, there a time for heart to care,
In the Spirit's lively scheming there is always room to spare.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Rave of the Day for August 24, 2011: 

An oldie but a funny. Got this most recently from Pete....


Inner Strength


If you can start the day without caffeine,

If you can get going without pep pills,

If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains,

If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles,

If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it,

If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time,

If you can take criticism and blame without resentment,

If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him/her,

If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend,

If you can conquer tension without medical help,

If you can relax without liquor,

If you can sleep without the aid of drugs,


...Then You Are Probably The Family Dog!

Inspiration for the Day, August 24, 2011: 

God Comes To Us

God comes to us in Spring's return,
In crocus bud, a dainty fern,
God comes to us in all things new.
God comes to us in baby steps,
In challenges of first attempts,
God comes to us in morning dew.

God comes to us in Summer's day,
In bumblebees, as children play,
God comes to us on a breeze.
God comes to us when day is long,
Our bodies ache, we've lost our song,
God comes to us, our hearts to ease.

God comes to us in Autumn's haze,
In ripened grain, in shorter days,
God comes to us in gathering time.
God comes to us in stranger's face,
In longing glance of every race.
God comes to us in bread and wine.

God comes to us on Winter's night,
In baby's breath, by firelight,
Go comes to us on a star.
God comes to us amidst our fears,
Unspoken joys, unending tears,
God comes to us, where we are.

- Don Damonte and Mona Wade

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

We're gonna need a bigger boat.... 

This is from the latest edition of the Celiac.com newsletter. The Mayo Clinic confirms this:

Celiac Disease Prevalence is on the Rise

The ailment is slowly becoming more well-known amongst the general population. Unfortunately, some mistake it for a trend. But if that is what it takes to make gluten-free choices more readily available, well, so be it.

Rave of the Day for August 23, 2011: 

Peeking into the rapidly dwindling archives again. This one came from my Aunt Dianne in 2006....


Someone out there either has too much spare time or is deadly at Scrabble. (wait until you see the last one)

DORMITORY
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

PRESBYTERIAN
When you rearrange the letters:
BEST IN PRAYER

ASTRONOMER
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION
When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH
When you rearrange the letters:
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

MOTHER-IN-LAW
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER

SNOOZE ALARMS
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z'S

A DECIMAL POINT
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

PRESIDENT CLINTON OF THE USA:
When you rearrange the letters
(With no letters left over and using each letter only once):
TO COPULATE HE FINDS INTERNS

Yep! Someone with waaaaaaaaaaay too much time on their hands!

Inspiration for the Day, August 23, 2011: 

Prayer for Justice

O God, I pray this day...
for all who have a song they cannot sing,
for all who have a burden they cannot bear,
for all who live in chains they cannot break,
for all who wander homeless and cannot return,
for those who are sick and for those who tend them,
for those who wait for loved ones and wait in vain,
for those who live in hunger
and for those who will not share their bread,
for those who are misunderstood, and for those who misunderstand,
for those who are captives and for those who are captors,
for those whose words of love are locked within their hearts
and for those who yearn to hear those words.

Have mercy upon these, O God.
Have mercy upon me.
Have mercy upon us all.

- Ann Weems

Monday, August 22, 2011

A touchy subject for many, including myself.... 

Here is the latest from FibroTV. Jen touches on situational depression as well as the chronic kind:

The Depression and Chronic Illness Connection

I seldom bring up the subject of depression because the misuse of the label has affected me rather adversely. I have been refused referrals to rheumatologists by primary care docs who insisted that what I really needed was a shrink because, in their words, "fibromyalgia is not a real illness". I have been denied disability benefits because I was told fibromyalgia is a mental, not physical, illness. And I have suffered permanent brain damage from anti-depressants that I was bullied into taking.

I am one of those lucky individuals who does not experience depression as a symptom of fibromyalgia, although I have had a tough time finding docs who believe that. Many insist that the two always go together. They do not.

Does that mean I have never been depressed over the past 14 years? No. But when I have been depressed, it has been the situational kind. When I realized I had to go on permanent disability, I sought the services of a licensed clinical psychologist. I insisted on talk therapy only, NO drugs. I went for a year and found it extremely helpful. I strongly urge anyone with situational depression to try talk therapy first because you might not end up needing medication for it at all.

Inspiration for the Day, August 22, 2011: 

"Music is a manifestation of the highest energy...almost the definition of God."

- Thomas Mann

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Rave of the Day for August 21, 2011: 

These might be borderline inappropriate. But they were too funny to ignore! Originally from Joan....


Quickie #1



One day, Jay came home and was greeted by his wife dressed in a very sexy nightie.

"Tie me up," she purred, "and you can do anything you want." 
So he tied her up and went fishing.
   


Quickie #2
  

A man came home, screeching her car into the driveway, and ran into the house. He slammed the door and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Honey, pack your bags. I won the damn lottery!"

The wife said, "Oh my God! What should I pack, beach stuff or mountain stuff?"
    

"Doesn't matter," he said. "Just get the hell out." 
 
Quickie #3
    


Marriage is a relationship in which one person is always right, and the other is a wife.
    
 

Quickie #4
    


A Polish immigrant went to the DMV to apply for a driver's license. First, of course, he had to take an eye sight test. The optician showed him a card with the letters: 'C Z W I X N O S T A C Z.'

"Can you read this?" the optician asked.

"Read it?" the Polish guy replied, "I know the guy." 
    
 

Quickie #5
    


Mother Superior called all the nuns together and said to them, "I must tell you all something. We have a case of gonorrhea in the convent."
  

"Thank God," said an elderly nun at the back. "I'm so tired of chardonnay."

Inspiration for the Day, August 21, 2011: 

God - heart of the world,
revealed through every aspect of creation,
understood through our awareness.

May we honor the holiness of creation and act accordingly
so that your love is reflected in the way we live.
May we always be thankful for the food we eat
and the friends we have.
May we forgive those who transgress against us
and be forgiven for our own.

In the freedom of love may we live as your heartbeat
and not be compromised by hesitation.

Through our freedom, may your justice
be seen and heard and experienced
forever and ever. Amen.

- Rev. Sherri Wienberg

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Ok, so it ISN'T just me.... 

Got this from a fibromyalgia Facebook page. It's nice to get some verification:

Linky Love: Does Fibromyalgia Contribute to Clumsiness?

Now, to be fair, I was a klutz before I got sick too. But it got MUCH worse after the fibromyalgia kicked in. I attribute this in part to problems with proprioception, as in not knowing exactly where I am in relation to the rest of the world. I'll reach for something in a cabinet and bash my knuckles on a shelf, or I'll be walking through a doorway and whack my shoulder on the door frame. Sometimes I'll have trouble hanging onto something and unexpectedly fling it halfway across the room. And then there are the times I trip over air.

Rave of the Day for August 20, 2011: 

Got this in an e-mail from Joan today. Thought I'd share something current for a change....


I've learned....That life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. 

I've learned....That we should be glad God doesn't give us everything we ask for. 

I've learned....That money doesn't buy class.

I've learned...That it's those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular. 

I've learned... That under everyone's hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved. 

I've learned....That the Lord didn't do it all in one day. What makes me think I can? 

I've learned....That to ignore the facts does not change the facts. 

I've learned....That the less time I have to work, the more things I get done.

Inspiration for the Day, August 20, 2011: 

The Legend of the Starfish

A vacationing businessman was walking along a beach when he saw a young boy. Along the shore were many starfish that had been washed up by the tide and were sure to die before the tide returned. The boy was walking slowly along the shore and occasionally reached down and tossed the beached starfish back into the ocean.

The businessman, hoping to teach the boy a little lesson in common sense, walked up to the boy and said, "I have been watching what you are doing, son. You have a good heart, and I know you mean well, but do you realize how many beaches there are around here and how many starfish are dying on every beach every day? Sure such an industrious and kind hearted boy such as yourself could find something better to do with your time. Do you really think that what you are doing is going to make a difference?"

The boy looked up at the man, and then he looked down at a starfish by his feet. He picked up the starfish, and as he gently tossed it back into the ocean, he said, "It makes a difference to that one."

Friday, August 19, 2011

The Onion couldn't have come up with a funnier story! 

I wouldn't have believed this if it didn't actually contain a clip! Link courtesy of a Peace Blogger:

Fox Viewers Overwhelmingly Think We Should Prepare For Alien Invasion Before Fighting Climate Change

Um, when the aliens do come, can we arrange for them to kidnap the people who participated in this poll? I can't quit laughing at this.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Why you might want to switch the GPS off your smart phone before posting pix.... 


Interesting ideas here.... 

Got this through a fibromyalgia Facebook page. Some of these are controversial and/or unusual, but it does no harm to read about them:

FM Treatments

I have serious doubts about the guaifenesin "protocol", but that's mainly because the stuff makes me HORRIBLY ill. I used to be a doubter when it came to acupuncture, too, but that actually seems to be helping me a bit. I had never heard of the hyperbaric therapy used for fibromyalgia, but it doesn't sound unreasonable to me.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 17, 2011: 

Take bread away from me, if you wish,
take air away, but
do not take from me your laughter.
...it opens for me all
the doors of life.

- Pablo Neruda

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Save your energy for the important stuff! 

Another excellent article from FibroTV. This could apply to just about everyone:

Choosing Your Battles Wisely with Chronic Illness

There is a certain person in my life, whom I do not care to name, who has never been supportive. I should mention that she was not supportive prior to me becoming sick, so it's not really a surprise that she has berated me for being a weak person, for "dwelling" on my illness by offering support to others, for getting sick at a "suspiciously convenient" time. She even once said that no one gave a sh*t about me. I have not chosen to completely cut off contact due to a family tie, but I do keep my interaction with her to a minimum.

I like that this guy emphasizes exercise TO TOLERANCE.... 


Inspiration for the Day, August 16, 2011: 

A prayer for Peace from World Prayers (and another Peace Blogger):


Send Thy peace O Lord, which is
perfect and everlasting,
that our souls may radiate peace.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may think, act and speak harmoniously.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may be contented and thankful for
Thy bountiful gifts.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that amidst
our worldly strife, we may enjoy Thy bliss.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that we
may endure all, tolerate all, in the thought of
Thy grace and mercy.

Send Thy peace O Lord, that our lives
may become a Divine vision and in Thy light,
all darkness may vanish.

Send Thy peace O Lord, our Father and Mother,
that we Thy children on Earth may all
unite in one family.

Pir-o-Murshid Inayat Khan - 1921 ±

The irony of looking good.... 

My friend Jen Reynolds has a new program, FibroTV. In this episode, she talks about responding to statements about how well we look on the days we are most ill:

FibroTV Podcast Episode 6: How to Take the Compliment "You Look Great" When You Feel Not So Great!

To me, my response depends on the source of the compliment. If it's someone I don't know or I'm in a situation where there is not time for elaboration, I just say thanks. If it's someone familiar with my ailments who might sincerely want to know that I am not doing well, I might comment that I wish I felt as great as I look. If it's my doctor who says it (the rheumatologist says it at EVERY appointment), I restrain the urge to yell and then tell her calmly but honestly how crappy I feel.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 15, 2011: 


glitter-graphics.com

Rave of the Day for August 15, 2011: 

"I want to hang a map of the world in my house, and then I’m gonna put pins into all the locations that I’ve traveled to. But first I’m gonna have to travel to the top two corners of the map, so it won’t fall down."
-- Mitch Hedberg


"I saw this wino, he was eating grapes. I was like, 'Dude, you have to wait.'"
-- Mitch Hedberg

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Thought-provoking and inspiring song.... 


Beautiful music.... 

Courtesy of a fellow peace blogger:


Rave of the Day for August 14, 2011: 

Brace yourselves! Here comes an onslaught of groaners! We have Joan to thank (or blame) for the following....

1. Two vultures board an airplane, each carrying two dead raccoons. The stewardess looks at them and says, "I'm sorry, gentlemen, only one carrion allowed per passenger."

2. Did you hear that NASA recently put a bunch of Holsteins into low earth orbit? They called it the herd shot 'round the world.

3. Two boll weevils grew up in South Carolina. One went to Hollywood and became a famous actor. The other stayed behind in the cotton fields and never amounted to much. The second one, naturally, became known as the lesser of two weevils.

4. Two Eskimos sitting in a kayak were chilly, but when they lit a fire in the craft, it sank proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it, too.

5. A three legged dog walks into a saloon in the Old West. He slides up to the bar and announces: "I'm looking for the man who shot my paw."

6. Did you hear about the Buddhist who refused Novocain during a root canal? He wanted to transcend dental medication.

7. A group of chess enthusiasts checked into a hotel and were standing in the lobby discussing their recent tournament victories. After about an hour, the manager came out of the office and asked them to disperse. "But why?" they asked, as they moved off. "Because," he said, "I can't stand chess nuts boasting in an open foyer."

8. A woman has twins, and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Amal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Amal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Amal."

9. These friars were behind on their belfry payments, so they opened up a small florist shop to raise funds. Since everyone liked to buy flowers from the men of God, a rival florist across town thought the competition was unfair. He asked the good fathers to close down, but they would not. He went back and begged the friars to close. They ignored him. So, the rival florist hired Hugh MacTaggart, the roughest and most vicious thug in town to "persuade" them to close. Hugh beat up the friars and trashed their store, saying he'd be back if they didn't close up shop. Terrified, they did so, thereby proving that: Hugh, and only Hugh, can prevent florist friars.

10. And finally, there was a man who sent ten different puns to friends, in the hope that at least one of the puns would make them laugh. Unfortunately, no pun in ten did.

The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes.

Inspiration for the Day, August 14, 2011: 

Prayer of Joy

God of joy, thank you for the gift of a good laugh.
Like music and love, it speaks all languages and has a healing power all its own.

Help us remember there is nothing life-giving about being gloomy. Let our belief in you and our trust in your care be so complete that our joy will be the sure sign of your presence in this world that needs you so much. Amen.

- Pat Corrick Hinton

Saturday, August 13, 2011

"Food" for thought.... 

VERY interesting article from the Hummingbird's Guide. I don't expect many to agree with it, but I think it is worth reading:

Fat, Glorious Fat!

To be honest, the ONLY reason I limit fat in my diet is because my gastroparesis makes fat difficult to digest. That being said, I eat real whole eggs nearly every day, use real butter, make my own dressing with extra virgin olive oil, and eat pork and chicken and turkey on a somewhat regular but not daily basis. I think the message most Americans have missed is that of MODERATION. Unless you have an allergy or other medical condition prohibiting you, most people can have real meat at a meal, as long as they keep in mind that a serving is only 3 ounces and stick with appropriate portions. I try to only eat foods that have some sort of nutritional value, within the confines of my complicated ailments of course. I think if most Americans ate reasonable portions of a variety of nutritious foods every day, a lot of their worries about obesity and heart disease would be diminished or might even disappear altogether.

Rave of the Day for August 13, 2011: 

I do not recall seeing this one anywhere else, and it's definitely good for some giggles whether or not they are true. Courtesy of a 2006 e-mail from Dr. Karen....


Laughs from Employee Performance Evaluations
============================================

For everyone who has ever had an evaluation - just remember, it could have been worse. These are actual quotes taken from federal government employee performance evaluations.

1. "Since my last report, this employee has reached rock-bottom and has started to dig."

2. "I would not allow this employee to breed."

3. "This employee is really not so much of a has-been, but more of a definite won't be."

4. "Works well when under constant supervision and cornered like a rat in a trap."

5. "When he opens his mouth, it seems that it is only to change feet."

6. "This young lady has delusions of adequacy."

7. "He sets low personal standards and then consistently fails to achieve them."

8. "This employee is depriving a village somewhere of an idiot."

9. "This employee should go far, and the sooner he starts the better."

10. "Got a full 6-pack, but lacks the plastic thingy to hold it all together."

11. "A gross ignoramus - 144 times worse than an ordinary ignoramus."

12. "He doesn't have ulcers, but he's a carrier."

14. "I would like to go hunting with him sometime."

15. "He's been working with glue too much."

16. "He would argue with a signpost."

17. "He brings a lot of joy whenever he leaves the room."

18. "When his IQ reaches 50, he should sell."

19. "If you see two people talking and one looks bored, he's the other one."

20. "A photographic memory but with the lens cover glued on."

21. "A prime candidate for natural de-selection."

22. "Donated his brain to science before he was done using it."

23. "Gates are down, the lights are flashing, but the train isn't coming."

24. "He's got two brains cells, one is lost and the other is out looking for it."

25. "If he were any more stupid, he'd have to be watered twice a week."

26. "If you give him a penny for his thoughts, you'd get change."

27. "If you stand close enough to him, you can hear the ocean."

28. "It's hard to believe he beat out 1,000,000 other sperm."

29. "One neuron short of a synapse."

30. "Some drink from the fountain of knowledge; he only gargled."

31. "Takes him 2 hours to watch 60-minutes."

32. "The wheel is turning, but the hamster is dead."

Inspiration for the Day, August 13, 2011: 

Prayer for Rest

You, who said, "Come unto me all ye who are weary and heavy-laden and I will give you rest," I come to you now. For I am weary indeed. Mentally and physically I am bone tired. I am all wound up, locked up tight with tension. I am too tired to eat. Too tired to think. Too tired to even sleep. I feel close to the point of exhaustion. Lord, let your healing love flow through me. I can feel it easing my tensions. Thank you. I can feel my body relaxing. Thank you. I can feel my mind begin to go calm and quiet and composed. Thank you for unwinding me, Lord, for unlocking me. I am no longer tight and frozen with tiredness, but flowing freely, softly, gently into your healing rest.

- Marjorie Holmes

To learn ASAP.... 

Just saw this on But You Don't Look Sick. I'm embarrassed to admit I didn't know these terms myself:

Can you understand your doctor's handwriting? I can't! How to read your prescriptions

One thing you should do when you get your prescription filled is count the number of pills to make sure you have correct amount (count it at the pharmacy counter if it's a narcotic because you will NOT be able to get more pills before your refill date if you were shorted). Make sure the medication fits the description on the bottle. And if it's a new prescription, read any accompanying literature or check it out on the RX List website BEFORE your first dose.

Friday, August 12, 2011

The price we pay for a good time.... 

This is something of which most healthy people are unaware: not only are the chronically ill wiped out by hard work, they also cannot easily tolerate the fun stuff. Here is FibroCathy's account of a vacation she recently took:

To Travel or Not To Travel

I honestly wonder if I'm ever going to take a purely fun vacation again, meaning one where I am not visiting relatives. Most people in South Dakota think nothing of hopping in the car and driving five hours or more to see the sights of their destination. But for me, any distance more than an hour is an ordeal.

Rave of the Day for August 12, 2011: 

I've probably posted this one before, but I still think it's funny. Courtesy of a 2007 e-mail from Pete....


THE FINAL WORD ON NUTRITION

After an exhaustive review of the research literature, here's the final word on nutrition and health:

1. Japanese eat very little fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us. 
2. Mexicans eat a lot of fat and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
3. Chinese drink very little red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
4. Italians drink excessive amounts of red wine and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.
5. Germans drink beer and eat lots of sausages and fats and suffer fewer heart attacks than us.

CONCLUSION: Eat and drink what you like. Speaking English is apparently what kills you.

Inspiration for the Day, August 12, 2011: 

Prayer for Wellness

God of oneness, wholeness, in hurt and pain I dream of a day when I no longer feel continual distress in my body. I cry out to you to hear me, to stretch your arms of compassion to me and to embrace me with your comfort. My being needs to be filled with your spiritual energy. I am weary with the struggle to feel well and to be in good health. It is so easy to slide into depression and self pity, to be impatient and despondent. God of the living, hear me. Fill my empty places with hope. Fill my life with a sense of joy in spite of this ceaseless pain. Help me to fight that giant oppressor of the spirit: discouragement. Remind me often of the good people of my life and of all the blessings that are mine as I struggle with this pain which is ever present to me. I praise and thank you for being a God who never leaves me. Amen.

_ Joyce Rupp

Thursday, August 11, 2011

A Blog Blast video from Canada.... 


Rave of the Day for August 11, 2011: 

Even if these aren't real, they are still hilarious. Courtesy of an e-mail from Joan in 2006....


Kids

I thought some one there might enjoy this one.

If you need a laugh, then read through these Children's Science Exam answers. These are real answers from school kids.

Q: Name the four seasons.
A: Salt, pepper, mustard and vinegar.

Q: Explain one of the processes by which water can be made safe to drink.
A: Flirtation makes water safe to drink because it removes large pollutants like grit, sand, dead sheep and canoeists.

Q: How is dew formed?
A: The sun shines down on the leaves and makes them perspire.

Q: How can you delay milk turning sour?
A: Keep it in the cow.

Q: What causes the tides in the oceans?
A: The tides are a fight between the Earth and the Moon. All water tends to flow towards the moon, because there is no water on the moon, and nature hates a vacuum. I forget where the sun joins in this fight.

Q: What are steroids?
A: Things for keeping carpets still on the stairs.

Q: What happens to your body as you age?
A: When you get old, so do your bowels and you get intercontinental.

Q: What happens to a boy when he reaches puberty?
A: He says good-bye to his boyhood and looks forward to his adultery.

Q: Name a major disease associated with cigarettes.
A: Premature death.

Q: What is artificial insemination?
A: When the farmer does it to the bull instead of the cow.

Q: How are the main parts of the body categorized? (e.g., abdomen.)
A: The body is consisted into three parts - the brainium, the borax, and the abdominal cavity. The brainium contains the brain; the borax contains the heart and lungs, and the abdominal cavity contains the five bowels, A, E, I, O, and U.

Q: What is the fibula?
A: A small lie.

Q: What does "varicose" mean?
A: Nearby. (I do love this one...)

Q: Give the meaning of the term "Caesarean section".
A: The Caesarean Section is a district in Rome.

Q: What does the word "benign" mean?'
A: Benign is what you will be after you be eight.

Inspiration for the Day, August 11, 2011: 

Prayer for Peace

What are we doing, we your people? Why are we destroying one another?
We show great compassion for the unborn and yet manufacture weapons and teach our youth how to use them against the precious living.
We fear one another to the point of hate so strong that we are willing to annihilate those who oppose our ideals.
Will we never have the power, love and strength to say "enough, we will no longer fight our world family for any reason"?
We would rather help those who need help and try to make living the joyful experience we are sure you, our God, meant it to be for everyone.
Please, dear God, show us the way. Amen.

- Grace Losi

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

From the creator of A Hummingbird's Guide.... 

Check out the other videos on the page too.


Rave of the Day for August 10, 2011: 

I don't think I've seen this one anywhere else. It came to me in an e-mail in 2006 from Dr. Karen.....


I OWE MY MOTHER

1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
"If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
"You better pray that will come out of the carpet."

3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!"

4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
"Because I say so, that's why."

5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me."

6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident."

7. My mother taught me IRONY.
"Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about."

8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
"Shut your mouth and eat your supper."

9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
"Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!"

10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
"You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone."

11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
"This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it."

12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
"If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!"

13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
"I brought you into this world, and I can take you out."

14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
"Stop acting like your father!"

15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
"There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do."

16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
"Just wait until we get home."

17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
"You are going to get it when you get home!"

18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
"If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way."

19. My mother taught me ESP.
"Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?"

20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
"When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me."

21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
"If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up."

22. My mother taught me GENETICS.
"You're just like your father."

23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
"Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?"

24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
"When you get to be my age, you'll understand."

25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE.
"One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Inspiration for the Day, August 10, 2011: 

Ground of all being,
Mother of life, Father of the universe,
Your name is sacred, beyond speaking,
May we know your presence, may your longings be our longings in heart and in action.
May there be food for the human family today and for the whole earth community.
Forgive us the falseness of what we have done as we forgive those who are untrue to us.
Do not forsake us in our time of conflict but lead us into new beginnings.
For the light of life, the vitality of life, and the glory of life are yours now and forever.
Amen.

- Casa Del Sol Prayer of Jesus by J. Phillip Newell

Tuesday, August 09, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 9, 2011: 

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."

~ Jimi Hendrix (November 27, 1942 - September 18, 1970)

See what believers in peace can create.... 

The Blog Blast for Peace will be in November, but already people are creating videos and peace globes and counting down 100 reasons for peace. Now there is a page for all the videos:

MimiLenox's Channel - YouTube

While I do not possess the skill or technical equipment to create a video, I will attempt another peace globe this year. And I will continue to post Inspirations for the Day, many of which are on the subject of peace.

Monday, August 08, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 8, 2011: 

"War is the enemy of the poor."

- Martin Luther King

Sunday, August 07, 2011

Inspiration for the Day, August 7, 2011: 

"Peace is its own reward."

- Gandhi

Rave of the Day for August 7, 2011: 

The following reminds me of what it's like to have fibro fog (brain fog from fibromyalgia). Got it in an e-mail from Joan in 2006....


Do you have a strange mind?
 
fi yuo cna raed tihs, yuo hvae a sgtrane mnid too Cna yuo raed tihs? Olny 55 plepoe can.
 
i cdnuolt blveiee taht I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd waht I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in waht oerdr the ltteres in a wrod are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is taht the frsit and lsat ltteer be in the rghit pclae.
 
The rset can be a taotl mses and you can sitll raed it whotuit a pboerlm. Tihs is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the wrod as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt!

"Blog Blast for Peace" is gearing up for 2011.... 

Got this from the Peace Bloggers Facebook page:


Saturday, August 06, 2011

Rave of the Day for August 6, 2011: 

You may need to read this one twice, heh heh. Laughs courtesy of an e-mail from Joan in 2006....


How easily we can misunderstand each other:

A bus stops and 2 Italian men get on. They sit down and engage in an animated conversation.
 
The lady sitting next to them ignores them at first, but her attention is galvanized when she hears one of them say the following:
 
"Emma come first. Den I come.
Den two asses come together.
I come once-a-more.
Two asses, they come together again.
I come again and pee twice.
Then I come one lasta time."

"You foul-mouthed sex obsessed swine," retorted the lady indignantly. "In this country . . we don't speak aloud in public places about our sex lives."

"Hey, coola down lady," said the man. "Who talkin' abouta sex? I'm a justa tellin' my frienda how to spell "Mississippi'."

The living wage is on life support.... 

Got this from Michael Moore's newsletter. I do remember well how my promising financial future began to dissipate even before I graduated from college:


30 Years Ago Today: The Day the Middle Class Died ...a letter from Michael Moore

Friday, August 5th, 2011

Friends,

From time to time, someone under 30 will ask me, "When did this all begin, America's downward slide?" They say they've heard of a time when working people could raise a family and send the kids to college on just one parent's income (and that college in states like California and New York was almost free). That anyone who wanted a decent paying job could get one. That people only worked five days a week, eight hours a day, got the whole weekend off and had a paid vacation every summer. That many jobs were union jobs, from baggers at the grocery store to the guy painting your house, and this meant that no matter how "lowly" your job was you had guarantees of a pension, occasional raises, health insurance and someone to stick up for you if you were unfairly treated.

Young people have heard of this mythical time -- but it was no myth, it was real. And when they ask, "When did this all end?", I say, "It ended on this day: August 5th, 1981."

Beginning on this date, 30 years ago, Big Business and the Right Wing decided to "go for it" -- to see if they could actually destroy the middle class so that they could become richer themselves.

And they've succeeded.

On August 5, 1981, President Ronald Reagan fired every member of the air traffic controllers union (PATCO) who'd defied his order to return to work and declared their union illegal. They had been on strike for just two days.

It was a bold and brash move. No one had ever tried it. What made it even bolder was that PATCO was one of only three unions that had endorsed Reagan for president! It sent a shock wave through workers across the country. If he would do this to the people who were with him, what would he do to us?

Reagan had been backed by Wall Street in his run for the White House and they, along with right-wing Christians, wanted to restructure America and turn back the tide that President Franklin D. Roosevelt started -- a tide that was intended to make life better for the average working person. The rich hated paying better wages and providing benefits. They hated paying taxes even more. And they despised unions. The right-wing Christians hated anything that sounded like socialism or holding out a helping hand to minorities or women.

Reagan promised to end all that. So when the air traffic controllers went on strike, he seized the moment. In getting rid of every single last one of them and outlawing their union, he sent a clear and strong message: The days of everyone having a comfortable middle class life were over. America, from now on, would be run this way:

* The super-rich will make more, much much more, and the rest of you will scramble for the crumbs that are left.

* Everyone must work! Mom, Dad, the teenagers in the house! Dad, you work a second job! Kids, here's your latch-key! Your parents might be home in time to put you to bed.

* 50 million of you must go without health insurance! And health insurance companies: you go ahead and decide who you want to help -- or not.

* Unions are evil! You will not belong to a union! You do not need an advocate! Shut up and get back to work! No, you can't leave now, we're not done. Your kids can make their own dinner.

* You want to go to college? No problem -- just sign here and be in hock to a bank for the next 20 years!

* What's "a raise"? Get back to work and shut up!

And so it went. But Reagan could not have pulled this off by himself in 1981. He had some big help:

The AFL-CIO.

The biggest organization of unions in America told its members to cross the picket lines of the air traffic controllers and go to work. And that's just what these union members did. Union pilots, flight attendants, delivery truck drivers, baggage handlers -- they all crossed the line and helped to break the strike. And union members of all stripes crossed the picket lines and continued to fly.

Reagan and Wall Street could not believe their eyes! Hundreds of thousands of working people and union members endorsing the firing of fellow union members. It was Christmas in August for Corporate America.

And that was the beginning of the end. Reagan and the Republicans knew they could get away with anything -- and they did. They slashed taxes on the rich. They made it harder for you to start a union at your workplace. They eliminated safety regulations on the job. They ignored the monopoly laws and allowed thousands of companies to merge or be bought out and closed down. Corporations froze wages and threatened to move overseas if the workers didn't accept lower pay and less benefits. And when the workers agreed to work for less, they moved the jobs overseas anyway.

And at every step along the way, the majority of Americans went along with this. There was little opposition or fight-back. The "masses" did not rise up and protect their jobs, their homes, their schools (which used to be the best in the world). They just accepted their fate and took the beating.

I have often wondered what would have happened had we all just stopped flying, period, back in 1981. What if all the unions had said to Reagan, "Give those controllers their jobs back or we're shutting the country down!"? You know what would have happened. The corporate elite and their boy Reagan would have buckled.

But we didn't do it. And so, bit by bit, piece by piece, in the ensuing 30 years, those in power have destroyed the middle class of our country and, in turn, have wrecked the future for our young people. Wages have remained stagnant for 30 years. Take a look at the statistics and you can see that every decline we're now suffering with had its beginning in 1981 (here's a little scene to illustrate that from my last movie).

It all began on this day, 30 years ago. One of the darkest days in American history. And we let it happen to us. Yes, they had the money, and the media and the cops. But we had 200 million of us. Ever wonder what it would look like if 200 million got truly upset and wanted their country, their life, their job, their weekend, their time with their kids back?

Have we all just given up? What are we waiting for? Forget about the 20% who support the Tea Party -- we are the other 80%! This decline will only end when we demand it. And not through an online petition or a tweet. We are going to have to turn the TV and the computer and the video games off and get out in the streets (like they've done in Wisconsin). Some of you need to run for local office next year. We need to demand that the Democrats either get a spine and stop taking corporate money -- or step aside.

When is enough, enough? The middle class dream will not just magically reappear. Wall Street's plan is clear: America is to be a nation of Haves and Have Nothings. Is that OK for you?

Why not use today to pause and think about the little steps you can take to turn this around in your neighborhood, at your workplace, in your school? Is there any better day to start than today?

Yours,
Michael Moore

Inspiration for the Day, August 6, 2011: 

"Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive."

~ The Dalai Lama

Friday, August 05, 2011

Rave of the Day for August 5, 2011: 

I may have posted this before, but I still think it's funny. Got this version this week from Joan....


Daddy, how was I born?

A little boy goes to his father and asks 'Daddy, how was I born?'

The father answers, 'Well, son, I guess one day you will need to find out anyway! Your Mom and I first got together in a chat room on Yahoo. Then I set up a date via e-mail with your Mom and we met at a cyber-cafe..  We sneaked into a secluded room, and googled each other. There your mother agreed to a download from my hard drive. As soon as I was ready to upload, we discovered that neither one of us had used a firewall, and since it was too late to hit the delete button, nine months later a little Pop-Up appeared that said:

You got Male!

Inspiration for the Day, August 5, 2011: 

"You must take personal responsibility.
You cannot change the circumstances,
the seasons, or the wind, but
you can change yourself"

- Jim Rohn

Thursday, August 04, 2011

Boy oh boy do I fit the criteria! 

Got this in today's edition of the CFIDS newsletter (guess I'll keep calling it that until they change their name). Glad to see some specifics on this:

International Consensus Criteria Published for Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

I hope this leads to doctors, health insurers and Social Security taking this ailment more seriously. I have no confidence, however, that long-term disability insurance companies will change their tunes at all because they save millions of dollars by categorizing it as purely a psychological disorder.

Wednesday, August 03, 2011

Rave of the Day for August 3, 2011: 

Another "groaner" of a joke. This was originally e-mailed to me in 2007 by my seester.... 


Problem Name

The famous Olympic skier Picabo Street (pronounced Peek-A-Boo) is not just an athlete....She is now a nurse currently working at the Intensive Care Unit of a large metropolitan hospital. She is not permitted to answer the hospital telephones. It caused too much confusion when she would answer the phone and say,

"Picabo, I.C.U."

Inspiration for the Day, August 3, 2011: 

"Rest, with little work breaks in between."

- Amberlin Wu

Tuesday, August 02, 2011

C'est magnifique! 

Craig Ferguson does a whole week of his show in Paris!


Rave of the Day for August 2, 2011: 

Fun fun funny! Courtesy of Dr. Karen in a 2007 e-mail....


SOLVE THIS PROBLEM

You are driving in a car at a constant speed. On your left side is a 'drop off', (The ground is 18-20 inches below the level you are traveling on), and on your right side is a fire engine traveling at the same speed as you. In front of you is a galloping horse, which is the same size as your car and you cannot overtake it. Behind you is a galloping zebra. Both the horse and zebra are also traveling at the same speed as you. What must you do to safely get out of this highly dangerous situation?

Get your drunk ass off the merry-go-round.

Inspiration for the Day, August 2, 2011: 

"To achieve great things, two things are needed; a plan, and not quite enough time."

- Leonard Bernstein

Monday, August 01, 2011

I'm on a roll! 

A blog roll, that is. It's an honor to be on this list:

ME CFS Blog Roll

I'm going to add this to my Links list, not because I'm on it, but because there are some very worthy sites mentioned here. This is an excellent resource not just for those with the ailment, but for anyone who wants to learn more about it and wants the viewpoints of the community.

The surprise video that delighted ComicCon.... 

This is hilarious! Former cast members of "Lost" and "Heroes" read for the part of Peter on "Fringe":


Rave of the Day for August 1, 2011: 

A funny to which I can all too well relate. Sent to me by Pete in 2006....


Cleaning Poem
  
I asked the Lord to tell me
Why my house is such a mess.
He asked if I'd been 'computering',
And I had to answer, "yes."
 
He told me to get off my fanny
And tidy up the house.
And so I started cleaning up...
The smudges off my mouse.
I wiped and shined the topside.
That really did the trick...
I was just admiring my work...
I didn't mean to 'click.'
But click, I did, and oops I found
A real absorbing site
That I got SO way into...
I was into it all night.(Sigh)
Nothing's changed except my mouse
It's very, very shiny.
I guess my house will stay a mess...
While I sit here on my hiney.

Inspiration for the Day, August 1, 2011: 

"This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."

- Leonard Bernstein

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