Visible Mystery

My little dog - a heartbeat at my feet. ~ Edith Wharton

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +0000

Raccoon Nation

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:15:00 +0000

PBS Documentary “Raccoon Nation" Suggests Humans are Making Raccoons Smarter (TreeHugger)

Able to squeeze into locked garages, open secured garbage cans, unzip tents, and pry up lids on Tupperware, urban raccoons love a challenge. Extremely adaptable and smart, they're expert problem solvers, evolving faster than we can devise raccoon-proof gadgetry. PBS airs Raccoon Nation this Wednesday, February 8 at 8 p.m. on its "Nature" series, revealing the secrets of these masked creatures inhabiting our cities and the resulting problems for the humans and wildlife.

When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat. ~ Ronald Reagan

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 08:59:00 +0000

Hart: Teaching kids how to play outside is money well spent (Chron.com)

Playing With Beach Sand Might Make You Sick, Warns EPA (TreeHugger)

Sallie Mae Agrees To Stop Pocketing Forbearance "Good Faith Deposit" & Actually Apply It To Student Loan Balances (The Consumerist)

A Clarification from Mitt Romney (Borowitz Report)

The 50 Most Loathsome Americans (The Beast - Content Advisory)

We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 06:43:00 +0000

Low IQ & Conservative Beliefs Linked to Prejudice (Live Science)

What parts I read of it were like someone wrote down my thoughts.

The last paragraph contains this quote:

Much of the present research literature suggests that our prejudices are primarily emotional in origin rather than cognitive.

I do think there's a missing link (not discussed in this article) between low intelligence and prejudice, which is fear. You can't make people more intelligent, but you can make them less afraid. That's where the opportunity exists to make a difference.

But then I remember I've been saying this (and acting upon it) for nearly 50 years. Oh well. Back to work. Don't read the comments unless you're a masochist.

About the post office

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:38:00 +0000

They already have a way to limit Saturday delivery. Anything that has to be delivered on Saturday should have to be Priority Mail (often what medication senders do anyway).

Whether the post office picks up on Saturday is tough. Not picking up would shorten the routes considerably. But they can make intelligent decisions and possibly allow patrons sign up for Saturday delivery (easily, at any time, and without requiring justification). I have no need -- if I want it to go out I can drop it off. Surely others would do the same. A painless sacrifice for the common good.

High moral character is not a precondition for great moral accomplishments. ~ Christopher Hitchens

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 07:55:00 +0000

RIP Christopher Hitchens (Political Irony)

On Sarah Palin: "She's got no charisma of any kind [but] I can imagine her being mildly useful to a low-rank porn director." — The Leonard Lopate Show, June 2010

Christopher Hitchens: Twilight of the Idols (Ian Murphy for The Beast)

As a guy who's tangentially involved in the skeptic/atheist community, I'm friends with people who've shared with him scotch and conversation, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't somewhat jealous (and when Hitchens actually typed my name, I felt honored). But as a guy who's tangentially involved in the skeptic/atheist community, Hitchens bothered me greatly, for the same reasons I'm bothered greatly by the skeptic/atheist community: the weird compartmentalization, the seeming inability to apply that cold reason to politics. How much more useful would these smart people be in discrediting myths like Saddam's WMD than, say, obviously ridiculous propositions like God or chupacabras?

(And for a more thorough, and likely satisfying, counterpoint to the slew of postmortem blowjobs, read this excellent Alex Pareene piece at Salon -- or this equally honest obit by John Cook at Gawker.)

I saw Christopher Hitchens a few times on Bill Maher's show but I knew virtually nothing about him. I liked both pieces (SP sent me the first link) and so here they are. I clicked through to read the piece by Alex Pareene and it is indeed excellent writing.

When you finish reading them, here's a fun thing SP sent me.

What's For Dinner: Pie, Of Course. Blueberry edition.

Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town. ~ George Carlin

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 05:50:00 +0000

Kill Hollywood (Political Irony)

The battle between old media and new media is becoming interesting.

Blocking the Vote: A Look at Who Is Behind Republican Efforts to Erect Voting Barriers in America (Elaine Magliaro at Jonathan Turley)

Benjamin Jealous, NAACP President and CEO, said, "It's been more than a century since we've seen such a tidal wave of assaults on the right to vote. Historically, when voting rights are attacked, it's done to facilitate attacks on other rights. It is no mistake that the groups who are behind this are simultaneously attacking very basic women's rights, environmental protections, labor rights, and educational access for working people and minorities." He added, "Voting rights attacks are the flip side of buying a democracy. First you buy all the leaders you can, and then you suppress as many votes as possible of the people who might object."

Conservatives, evangelical Christians rebuff Romney in South Carolina (NBC)

Three out of five voters interviewed in the exit poll said that it mattered somewhat or greatly whether a candidate shared their religious views and Gingrich beat Romney by better than two to one among such voters. Gingrich is a former Baptist who converted to Roman Catholicism; Romney is a Mormon, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Self-described Catholics made up 13 percent of the electorate and Gingrich won 37 percent of them; former Pennsylvania senator Santorum, also a Catholic, won 17 percent of Catholic voters, while Romney won 30 percent.

Among those who said having shared religious beliefs with a presidential contender did not much matter or didn't matter at all, Romney prevailed, 39 percent to Gingrich's 32 percent.

What if 'Citizens United' Actually United the Citizens? (Ilyse Hogue for The Nation)

What we do know, though, is that the ads make most Americans crave more limits on election spending. A new CBS poll out yesterday showed [a] majority of Republicans, Democrats and Independents favor limits on how much both how much individuals can give to candidates and how much outside groups can spend on ads. A total of 67 percent of respondents said outside spending should be limited, while less than a third favored the current system. A different poll shows that two-thirds of small-business owners believe the Citizens United decision hurts their interests.

Clarity is the counterbalance of profound thoughts. ~ Luc de Clapiers

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 22 Jan 2012 03:45:00 +0000

I've been having moments of clarity this week. I realized that I overstocked on fish oil and can't finish it before it expires. One bottle will go to my helper-person who has bipolar disorder. It's well managed and she already takes flaxseed oil. I started taking it every day to use it up, and I feel better. Better mood, better thinking. The people around me aren't universally on board with the change; they'll just have to get over it.

I am generally the sort of person that accommodates others' neuroses and idiosyncrasies. We all have imperfections so I don't engage when someone shows me theirs. So, I'm accommodating. [The trick to spelling accommodate and accumulate is to remember that accommodate must accommodate an extra m.]

One of the difficulties of mental illness is that it makes you feel powerless. All of those thoughts spinning around in your head with little or no ability to express them is frustrating. So a person with mental illness may demonstrate that occasionally with angry outbursts. This may be their primary symptom, and thus the difficulty in recognizing that it might be depression. I surmise that even shrinks don't always make the connection, although since medication is their hammer it probably turns out to the good anyway. Psychologists nowadays are probably better at it too; forty years ago not so much. FPO would definitely get it.

Getting any diagnosis relies on the person's getting to a doctor's office. Often not easy to do. Where the article was posted has a MoodThingy and 4% of respondents said they were motivated by it. That made me absurdly happy. The comments are often poignant and worth reading. I agree with the person who wishes we had a different name for depression. Any number of things can go haywire when something is wrong with the brain; depression is not just about being sad.

Anyway, after getting more Omega-3 into my brain it appears that I'm tired of being so accommodating and am trading the irrational for the rational. When the third most arrogant person on our team flamed me in an email, arguing with another person on the team who has also been working with me on an issue that's taken too long, still not clearly explaining what he wanted me to do, I had one of those moments of clarity. I was flunking the case and it needs to be resolved. There were a lot of reasons it hasn't been, and I was able to let go of my being stupid and thereby assess that I was simply not up to it. So I stopped blaming myself for not being able to, say, lift the couch, and hired a moving company: I turned it over to him.

I don't know how he feels about that and I don't care. I did it politely and frankly and the customer will be better served. I've also been frank in my personal life. OS probably won't speak to me for a couple of years. Years ago a friendship ended after I basically told her she was an alcoholic. She was getting treatment finally but I did not renew my friendship with her. Not because I was angry -- I just don't have the bandwidth. The most considerate thing you can do for others is to take care of yourself. That's a pretty full plate for me.

As our case is new, we must think and act anew. ~ Abraham Lincoln

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:24:00 +0000

Anti-Gay Groups Protest SPLC with Claims of Hate and Intolerance

SP2 took issue with some opinions in the previous post. I think I should point out that this is a blog, not a newspaper.

The DHS Wants to Know Who's Spreading the News (or Expressing an Opinion), Your Rights Optional

I guess this means I'm going to prison.

Making progress on the health issues.

One more. Consider it required reading.

We Are the Government

Loyalty to petrified opinion never yet broke a chain or freed a human soul. ~ Mark Twain

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 09:59:00 +0000

My latest lab work was terrible. The worst it's ever been and by a long shot. Working on it.

Listening to Jon Stewart's two-part thrashing of Newt the other night, I take back any assertion that implies he's smarter than, say, a turnip.

Anyone who was an adult when African-Americans still had to drink from separate water fountains should not be making law. I'm all for experienced lawmakers, but I think they should be ineligible to run for office after the age of 65.

English Wikipedia anti-SOPA blackout

From a NYT article.

Mr. Kilner and Ms. Maher are both members of Opus Dei, the organization that provides "spiritual formation" to the Heights. Opus Dei is known to millions of readers of "The Da Vinci Code," which presents a sensational and quite sinister portrait of the group. In real life, Opus Dei, which was founded in Spain in 1928 and claims 90,000 members, supports charities and advises schools, including six in the United States.

Two percent of Opus Dei members are priests. The rest are laypeople who practice an intense daily prayer regimen that they believe imbues their jobs and family lives with Catholic spirit. Nearly a third of the lay members are "numeraries," who commit to lifelong celibacy and to acts of mortification, like the daily wearing of a cilice, a small spiked garter that can puncture the skin.

Oh yeah...they're completely normal.

ES-H had a tiny heart attack last week. He's fine after they put in a stent. Another reason why I'm working on my health.

The US Post Office should define a new class of mail that requires Saturday delivery. Everything else can wait until M-F. They should get an influx of cash to pay existing workers and then let the staff reduce by attrition as Saturday delivery sorting, etc. reduces. Eventually larger routes can be served by one person since so little is going out.

The Saturday-delivery class should cost a little more (except for the government), and be required of anyone shipping, for example, medication, medical supplies, W-2s and the like, or checks. They can afford it. The Post Office should also be able to compete better against those entities that skim off their most profitable business (packages).

Too bad about Huntsman. I guess they're stuck with Romney. The religious right has gathered behind Santorum. That's fitting -- a self-defining hate group.

All the great things are simple, and many can be expressed in a single word: freedom, justice, honor, duty, mercy, hope. ~ Winston Churchill

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:16:00 +0000

Buddy Roemer: GOP Pres. Candidate Who Backs Occupy, Campaign Finance Reform, Excluded from Debates (Democracy Now!)

Oh, the Places You'll Go at Burning Man!

Thanks to SP for sending the link. It's a lovely thing.

How the Bankers of Wall Street Are Helping to Bankrupt America (Elaine Magliaro for Jonathan Turley)

Job Cremator (Political Irony)

The following is kind of like watching an autopsy when you already know the cause of death.

New Hampshire Debates, Take 2

I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong. ~ Abraham Lincoln

Vacuums and steam mops

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 08 Jan 2012 23:42:00 +0000

SP2 sent me this.

Vacuum Cleaner Emissions as a Source of Indoor Exposure to Airborne Particles and Bacteria

The PDF is here.

From the abstract:

Vacuuming can be a source of indoor exposure to biological and nonbiological aerosols, although there are few data that describe the magnitude of emissions from the vacuum cleaner itself. We therefore sought to quantify emission rates of particles and bacteria from a large group of vacuum cleaners and investigate their potential determinants, including temperature, dust bags, exhaust ﬁlters, price, and age.

Large variability in emission of all parameters was observed across the 21 vacuums, which was largely not attributable to the range of determinant factors we assessed. Vacuum cleaner emissions contribute to indoor exposure to nonbiological and biological aerosols when vacuuming, and this may vary markedly depending on the vacuum used.

Best results from my cursory review are about any Dyson, the Electrolux Z570, the iRobot Roomba 530, and the Hoover Hygiene. Several top sellers are not included (e.g. Shark, Bissell) and results varied dramatically between Electrolux and Hoover models.

SP2 also asked me about steam cleaners for floors. I own a Bissell and can't differentiate between them since I've not tried any others.

Based on my experience:

Read reviews on Amazon before you buy.
Keep the water in the unit hot. Start with room-temperature water (they have filters but I use filtered water to fill it) and pause occasionally to allow the water to reheat.
Buy extra cleaning pads, change them while you're cleaning, and throw them all in the wash when you're done.
Sweep or even mop beforehand. Debris on the floor is pushed around by this type of mop and you might have to go back over to pick it up.

In time we hate that which we often fear. ~ William Shakespeare

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 06:06:00 +0000

Race and Politics, Revisited (Andrew Rosenthal, NYT)

For Evangelicals Wary of Romney, Time Runs Short (NYT)

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Indecision 2012 - Romspringa

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Indecision 2012 - Romspringa

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Indecision 2012 - Romspringa - Rick Santorum's Surge

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor & Satire Blog

The Daily Show on Facebook

Indecision 2012 - Romspringa - Rick Santorum's Surge

Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal. ~ Albert Camus

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 08:12:00 +0000

My niece asked me for advice to give a friend. He is a business owner and one of his employees attempted suicide. She felt he would benefit from some information. **Update: she wanted something she can publish so I included more information and polished the text.

I have lived with major depressive disorder for 40 years. It runs in the family and I got the worst of it. The first and last advice I give anyone suffering from depression is to get treatment from a medical provider (I am not one). Talk to your doctor if you or a loved one show signs of depression. A (preferably board-certified) family practitioner, internist, or psychiatrist can prescribe medications and often help you find a therapist. Insurance companies have virtually eliminated talk therapy from psychiatrists' practices.

What is depression?

Depression is a serious illness caused (it is theorized) by an imbalance of neurotransmitters in the brain. A predisposition may be inherited and it may result from or worsen due to a traumatic event or extreme stress. Whatever the factors that cause it, the apparent imbalance is a physical change in the brain’s chemistry that frequently requires medical treatment.

Mental illness carries a stigma that prevents some sufferers from seeking treatment. That depression is common and information about it is readily available have increased awareness and the number of people treated for it. Some say that it is over-diagnosed and others that it’s not real. It’s real, and it can be deadly.

As the medical community has learned over those 40 years that I have been ill, depression manifests in nearly countless ways. It shares components with and treatment is similar for many other conditions -- PTSD, OCD, and anxiety disorder to name a few. Based on my personal experience, they are nearly all different flavors of the same underlying condition, albeit (particularly in the case of PTSD) with unique challenges. I have had numerous diagnoses and nearly all of the symptoms I will list.

Depression is more than a sad mood. It ranges in severity but none should be ignored. People with mild depression might go decades without treatment, which increases the risk of major depression and Alzheimer's (also linked to cardiovascular health). Studies have shown that talk therapy alone can rebuild neural pathways in the brain and improve brain health. Early intervention can prevent later problems and the need for medication. Psychotherapy is a critical part of any treatment plan.

What are the symptoms of depression?

Symptoms of depression vary from person to person. The behaviors typically apparent are forgetfulness, absenteeism or tardiness at work, fatigue, irritability, frustration, and/or poor job performance. A person suffering from depression may suddenly find their usual tasks tedious or difficult, take no interest in them, or fail to do them at all. He or she may be very negative. [Depression is a more common diagnosis in women than men but the statistics are still somewhat skewed. Historically doctors are quicker to recognize depression in women, and women are more likely to seek treatment.]

Other symptoms include low self-worth; negative self-talk; agitation; aggression; trouble falling or staying asleep (waking up one or more times during the night 2 to 5 hours after going to bed -- at my worst I could sleep only 45 minutes at a time); mood swings; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; facial tics; eating disorders; chronic pain; difficulty swallowing; hiccupping or burping (from swallowing air); obsessive thoughts; repetitive behaviors; isolation and lack of interest in social events; a poorly kept home environment; and inability to deal with changes in routine or stress.

Work provides people with a sense of purpose and a depressed individual generally copes better in public settings (except for those that raise anxiety). If a person you know has depressive symptoms is weeping on the job, they are probably in crisis and need medical attention -- definitely if they talk of harming themselves or others. An emotional breakdown in front of colleagues or at a low-stress social event can mean they are in real trouble.

Understanding depression

People with mental illness often feel trapped in their own bodies. They know there is a healthy person in there somewhere and are frustrated that their illness prevents them from being who they really are. They obsess over their poor social skills. They have a hard time making small talk while dealing with the runaway and unwelcome activity in their head. This is keen in individuals with bipolar disorder (BPD). BPD is a severe condition that manifests as swings between mania or hypomania and depression that vary in length and amplitude by individual. Some medications are used in treatment of both depression and bipolar disorder but the medication regimens for the two are generally different.

Depression is hard to shake. Talk therapy, support groups, exercise, and healthy living can make a tremendous difference, even (or especially) in cases of severe depression.   Although a person may seem to cope well, what you see is only part of the story. Think of it this way. You have a sprained ankle. Everything you do on it hurts, but you must tend to some things in your life. So you rest when you can and endure the pain when you must. All day every day is painful for people with depression. The illness itself erodes their ability to make healthy choices, their judgment, and their hope. Your sprained ankle will get better more or less on its own. Depression feeds on itself and gets worse without intervention.

People who are depressed may harm themselves for the same reason that anyone in constant pain does: they can't stand the suffering any longer. Once in an emergency room visit, I was asked what they could do for me (this is common). I replied, "Make me unconscious." They didn't go for that. I had my second breakdown after my son was born and told that doctor there was nothing they could do for me. I had been sick for a long while, rapidly deteriorating as the post-partum depression took me down, and I was ready to die. What saved me was ECT, which they started right away.

Treatment

Seeking treatment for depression from a medical professional is vital; unfortunately the illness impedes that as well. Waiting for an appointment a week, or a month, or three months away; finding a doctor to call; making the call -- all are obstacles. Intervene if you must -- do not let a loved one with impaired judgment be defeated by steps that are simpler for you, or decide for themselves that they don't need help.

The main purpose of hospitalization for patients in crisis is to reconnect them with reasons to live. Most of what happens there is talking -- the staff will do whatever it takes to get the patient to talk. Life problems can't always be solved, but there are social workers to help. Great hospitals go at it from every angle, looking for ways to reduce stress in the patient's life and improve their coping skills. It's a tall order on the budget most insurance companies allow, but these folks are good at what they do. They will insist upon and help arrange aftercare, and engage the family in outpatient planning as appropriate.

ECT is generally used only when there is an imminent threat to life and medications will take too long to kick in, or when they cannot be tolerated. ECT is swift and effective but not permanent; if medication is an option it is administered after the course of ECT is finished for long-term treatment. ECT is more humane than movies would have you think although I will allow as how my memory is not quite what it was after two series of treatments. Life is full of difficult choices and ECT literally saved mine.

The usual course of treatment is a combination of medication and talk therapy. Sometimes medication can be stopped after a while; a person with moderate to severe depression may require long-term administration. Symptoms can get noticeably worse at certain points in a woman's menstrual cycle. Additional medications can be used during those times if the doctor knows about the difficulty.

The way back

Successful management of depression is highly likely with commitment on the part of the patient, good doctors, and support from friends and family. If a patient does not improve under the care of a physician, it might be time to find a new one. Ongoing care and social interaction are critical as the patient unlearns how to be sick and relearns how to be well. Coping mechanisms that arise from the illness must be replaced by better ones.

The best way to help a person with depression is to behave normally. Listen when they talk, don't press them if they don't want to (that's their therapist's job), and be considerate of their feelings. Make a few allowances, especially in the beginning and after hospitalization, but expect of them what they know that well person they want to be can do. If they behave inappropriately, tell them (gently). Aside from not being forced into situations that are very stressful for them, they don't need special treatment. They need what should be our policy with everyone; namely, courtesy, kindness, and constructive feedback.

Be watchful for danger signs, respect what they are going through, and respect them as a person. They are ill, not feeble-minded. Interacting with them as you would (should) anyone else reinforces normal for them. And more than anything else, they desperately want normal.

References

Major Depression (NIH)
Depression (NIMH)
Mental Health Medications (NIMH)
Depression May Increase Chances of Getting Alzheimer's (Live Science)
Depression (major depression) -- Expert Answers (Mayo Clinic)
Omega-3 Fatty Acids for Bipolar Disorder (Health.com)

Medications I take

Lexapro
Remeron
Lamictal
Trazodone (sleep aid)

Supplements I take

[Talk to your doctor before adding any supplements, especially about SAMe, which can cause problems for patients prone to mania, hypomania, or are taking anti-depressants.]

Many of these were recommended by a doctor. Some are for cardiovascular health, linked to brain disorders. Depression also negatively affects the immune system.

Multivitamin/mineral supplement 1/day
B-complex 2/week
Vitamin C 500mg 1/day
Vitamin D-3 400 IU 1/day
Vitamin E 400 IU 3/week
Garlic 1000 mg 3/week
Flaxseed oil 1200 mg 1/day
Fish oil 1200 mg 3/week
Nature Made SAM-e 200 mg 1/day

SAMe (from Health.com)

What it is: S-adenosylmethionine (SAMe), a naturally occurring compound that affects neurotransmitters, including serotonin and dopamine. In the United States, SAMe has been sold over-the-counter as a tablet since 1998.

The evidence: Lower levels of SAMe have been associated with depression. In studies, SAMe has been shown to be roughly as effective as tricyclic medications (an older generation of prescription antidepressants). But in many of those studies, the SAMe was injected, and it’s unclear whether orally ingested SAMe capsules have the same effect.

A 2002 review of the research on SAMe and depression conducted by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality concluded that SAMe was more effective than placebo at relieving the symptoms of depression and no better or worse than tricyclics. The report noted that more research on oral forms of the compound and research comparing SAMe to newer antidepressants (such as SSRIs) was needed.

The bottom line: SAMe has proven to be useful for the treatment of depression, but questions about its overall effectiveness and delivery methods remain. SAMe does have some side effects. Most notably, it can exacerbate mania or hypomania in people with bipolar disorder, so you should not take SAMe without consulting a physician.

Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least. ~ Robert Byrne

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 20:35:00 +0000

Newt Gingrich tears up talking about his mother.

I don't agree with much of what Newt Gingrich says, and I am deeply troubled by his history with wives. Normally I don't hold a candidate's personal life against them (to be clear, sexual harassment in the workplace is not personal) but in his case it hits too close to home. I went into the hospital for ECT in late 1996; my husband left me three months later because he couldn't deal with my illness. So although Gingrich is more experienced, smarter, and more reasonable than most of the GOP candidates, I cannot like him. Still, I wanted to share this (which you've likely seen) because it is a lovely moment.

Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life. ~ The 14th Dalai Lama

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 10:18:00 +0000

First up was Philadelphia. Then I listened to For a Dancer by Jackson Browne (I prefer the studio version of this song).

And then I watched Secretariat. [Fair warning -- the links to IMDB bring up annoying background images promoting some film that I plan to avoid.]

The past couple of days gravitated from irksome to miserable and I was searching for something to break the malaise, even if by temporarily making it worse.

Secretariat isn't a masterwork, but I enjoyed it. First I felt guilt about not being sure I watched the Preakness in 1973. It's a near certainty that I did but I don't remember it. A conversation with my nephew at dinner reminds me that two courses of ECT probably have a hand in that. ES and ES-H were out at a social event so it was just the two of us. We talked about many things. He is my favorite because he reminds me of my son.

What brought on the misery was (of course) work. I have been "off" since Friday but (of course) it intruded. This was partly due to poor judgment on the part of a colleague which exacerbated trying to manage the expectations of a partner over the holiday. They got their answer (not our fault until proven otherwise) but the process was not pleasant. I identified the likely cause on Friday, and then had to deal with people not reading my updates, not answering my questions, and blaming me for errors others made in not reading my updates.

Everything helped in some way; Secretariat drove it home by reminding me about passion and faith in oneself. I was finally able to get in touch with my own good works. The importance of what we leave behind (as Jackson Browne says) we'll never know, and even Secretariat may one day be forgotten. Still, every day we go out into the world and make a difference. Due respect to Jackson Browne, that is meaning enough in itself.

Be regular and orderly in your life, so that you may be violent and original in your work. ~ Gustave Flaubert

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Mon, 26 Dec 2011 05:11:00 +0000

25 clever ideas to make life easier (The Daily Buzz)

I invented the sheet packet idea on my own. Not saying that Martha Stewart copied me -- it's not a big reach for someone with mild OCD. The list at the link is pretty cool. I posted this picture so I can look at it occasionally and relive that wonderful sense of peace it gives me.

Hiring someone to help around the house has turned out to be a blessing. She laundered the sheets during her last visit and her sheet packets were amazing :-). She knows how to fold a fitted sheet much better than I -- I can get it started but ultimately it's lumpy. Her real value is that she's so versatile and competent. She handles a variety of chores well and she, like the housekeeper, can do them in far less time than I. I start out straightening up and then can be found on the floor of the bathroom scrubbing the corner with a toothbrush. It's not pretty.

I bought an Xbox 360. At the moment my nephew is using it because his is on the fritz. I considered various options for moving more and decided that this was best for me. With my son's advice I found two exercise games and I bought one game for entertainment. They probably represent the entire inventory of games for the Xbox I will ever want.

Work remains demanding. I have the next week off and will use the time to catch up on lingering tasks. When I assess whether I will be happier taking the time off or working, working wins. Through spectacularly bad planning, every person on my team is off this week, even the one on call. Three of us will keep an eye on things anyway. The fourth always does what any sensible person would -- he leaves the state. We won't miss him since he's not the most energetic worker.

I seem to be in the mood for giving advice, so here goes more.

Fold bath towels in half, then in half again in the same direction, and then in thirds lengthwise. You'll be surprised how much easier it is to store them.
When you buy new clothes, throw away old ones in a 2 to 3 ratio (3 to 3 if you can stand it). Don't take worn things or intimate apparel to the thrift shop. Step on the trash can lever and throw them away.
Donate old linens to an animal shelter.
Take a multivitamin every day and consider adding fish oil, flaxseed oil, calcium, a B-complex and a probiotic a few times a week. Extra (daily) C (500 mg), D (400 IU), and (3 times a week) E (400 IU) are also valuable additions.
Cut down on junk mail and recycle paper if you can in your area. Paper is an expensive "renewable" resource. Envelope windows are cellulose, not plastic, so they can go too. Don't forget the chipboard (cereal and tissue boxes, paper towel and toilet paper tubes). Here's information about recycling non-obvious items.
Adjust the thermostat when you leave the house for short (or long) errands.
Don't run the water while washing dishes, shaving, or brushing teeth.
Recycle water bottles. or better yet don't use them.
Wipe out greasy dishes with spent napkins or paper towels and scrape dishes into the trash instead of the garbage disposal before washing. Your drain and the municipal water treatment plant will thank you.

Our dilemma is that we hate change and love it at the same time; what we really want is for things to remain the same but get better. ~ Sydney J. Harris

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 08:11:00 +0000

Romney leads, Paul rises in N.H. poll (Boston.com)

I went looking for the post where I predicted Romney would be the top of the ticket to remind myself what I said and when (April of 2010, which is a freaking long time ago).

Pawlenty -- insufficient. Gingrich -- an old shoe. Palin -- won't even run. Huckabee -- insane. Cheney -- hopefully dead (take your pick). Romney is doing it just right -- staying the hell away from everything. If it's not him, it will mean the world has gone completely mad.

- - - - -

There's more if you're not convinced: Ron Paul -- are you kidding me? Haley Barbour, John Thune, Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence and Gary Johnson -- who? Rick Santorum -- even Republicans think he's creepy. Rick Perry -- I would so love to see him at the top of the ticket. Give him money. Pass out leaflets. Volunteer. He has the dark horse advantage to get there and no chance of winning the general election. Romney will be another story.

Handicapping the GOP race as it is now:

Pawlenty -- gone
Gingrich -- still an old shoe and too repellent to be the nominee
Huckabee -- still nutty as a fruitcake and apparently the only Republican that God asked not to run for president
Cheney (of any description) -- mysteriously still has not suffered spontaneous combustion due to build-up of toxic gas; someone should investigate
Ron Paul -- even Republicans will not nominate someone who will be 80 years old when sworn into office (something echoed tonight by a friend who is 83).
I don't remember who Haley Barbour, John Thune, Mitch Daniels, Mike Pence, and Gary Johnson even are. According to the article, Johnson is still running. For what I don't know. (Buddy Roemer is far more interesting but also sucking wind.)
Rick Santorum -- creepy as ever
Rick Perry -- at risk to lose the Texas primary if anyone here is paying attention
Romney -- inevitable unless Huntsman takes him out

Those that I did not foresee entering the race:

Cain -- got what he deserved except he's probably still raising some money due to the should-be-illegal "suspending" disingenuity
Bachmann -- smarter than she appears and should be running better. Hard to understand why she is doing so poorly, I'm tempted to ascribe it to gender but perhaps it's because a Morman is preferable to a whack job
The Donald --"I, The Donald, do solemnly swear..." Nope, not seeing it.
As for Huntsman, watch out for him. He's flying under the radar but that will change. From the article:

Huntsman, who has staked his campaign on a strong showing in New Hampshire, appears to be carving out his own niche.

The survey indicated the former Utah governor, who has chastised his party's skepticism toward global warming and evolution, is drawing support from independent voters who identify themselves as Democrats but plan to vote in the Republican primary, and from voters who identify themselves as opponents of the Tea Party movement.

Hell, I might even vote for him

Wishing you and yours a joyous Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 04:02:00 +0000

As a teenager you are at the last stage in your life when you will be happy to hear that the phone is for you. ~ Fran Lebowitz

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 08:55:00 +0000

I'm having my quiet time, catching up on TV and not thinking about work. Tonight's selection included the Glee from last week. The teenage drama in the story line had begun to bore me but I realized tonight that's not for me to say. I am watching a show that appeals to a younger demographic, and considering how well it bears that responsibility I have no business complaining. It is a great show. It deals frankly with sex and growing up and relationships, and does those things in a fun format with realistically conflicted, confused, and imperfect adolescents. It's hard to think of these actors as children exactly, but the writing is better than any other teen drama I've surfed past in recent years. The show takes a lot of risks and you have to admire the producers and writers for that.

I'm not sure if it was planned from the beginning, but recognizing the guidance counselor's OCD as a serious medical issue rather than a source of amusement was laudable. It seems that the characters and producers grow with the story. When you consider that large musical productions are thrown into the mix, it's a considerable achievement all the way around. This show included a performance of Michael Jackson's Man in the Mirror, which in itself was a risky move. I was torn between watching a stirring performance of a great song and thinking about the many tragedies surrounding his life and death. These are the things that can happen when we mistreat children and they grow from confused adolescents into adults that wreak havoc on their lives and the lives of others.

I annoyed several people at work this week to varying degrees. Nothing major -- just the usual when an upstart woman tries to tell a man what to do. It is something we all have to deal with.

Thanks to TalkLeft, I found this page of Time Specials. Entertaining to surf around there.

Children who assume adult responsibilities feel old when they're young. ~ Martha Beck

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 07:51:00 +0000

Plan to Widen Availability of Morning-After Pill Is Rejected

The contraceptive pill, called Plan B One-Step, has been available without a prescription to women 17 and older, but those 16 and younger have needed a prescription -- and they still will because of the decision by the health secretary, Kathleen Sebelius. If taken soon after unprotected sex, the pill halves the chances of a pregnancy.

With Ms. Sebelius's decision on Wednesday, the Obama administration is taking a more socially conservative stance on Plan B, one closer to that of the Bush administration than to many of its own liberal supporters, even as President Obama has taken a tougher position on higher taxes on the wealthy to pay for a broad payroll tax cut -- a stance popular with his political base.

For Dr. Hamburg, the studies and experts all agreed that young women would benefit from having easy access to the pill and did not need the intervention of a health care provider. The agency's scientists, she wrote, "determined that the product was safe and effective in adolescent females, that adolescent females understood the product was not for routine use, and that the product would not protect them against sexually transmitted disease."

It's very late and I should be in bed, so I'll keep this short. I don't approve of OTC morning-after pills for anyone and it has nothing to do with politics. I guess that leaves me out of President Obama's "own liberal base". I base my opinions on facts as I understand them and my own life experience.

The morning-after pill is a pretty large dose of hormones. WebMD says to talk to your doctor before taking it. It's not aspirin. And by the way, a "woman" under the age of 17 is referred to as a "girl". Girls should not be having unprotected sex. If you have one, drag out some condoms and have a little talk with them. Girls under 16 should not be sexually active at all.

Yes, someone is going to take me to task for not dealing with the reality (which is normally my opinion as well). I just think giving out drugs to any passing teenager means we are bastards.

Update: So sorry for writing this hammered on medications. I should have added a closing note but I was literally falling asleep. I object to selling the morning-after pill to girls without their consulting a doctor. Eleven-year-olds should not be making independent medical decisions. I'm sure that the pill-on-demand is considered less risky than abortion-on-demand, but what we're really saying by selling them over the counter is don't bother us -- we don't have the time to care about your high-risk behavior (or that you have been raped). At least if the eleven-year-old has to ask a seventeen-year-old to buy the pill she will have told someone.

If we sell the morning-after pill over the counter to adolescents, then we should sell the pill over the counter to adolescents. Or perhaps we do. I haven't checked for the latest developments in not giving a crap about our children.

Rural Suicides Follow Medicaid Cuts - Yahoo! News

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 09:13:00 +0000

Rural Suicides Follow Medicaid Cuts - Yahoo! News

Reductions in funding have led to the closing of mental health offices, she says. Such closings mean more in Idaho than they would, say, in Manhattan, where a therapist can be found on every block. Before [emphasis mine] the cuts and closings, somebody in Idaho seeking therapy might have had to drive 160 miles to find it.

Dave Strong, an assessment and referral coordinator for the Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, says the people now most at risk, ironically, are not the most severely ill. "Schizophrenics, once they've been diagnosed and qualified by Medicaid, don't fall out of treatment," he says." They're always able to get services."

Rather, it's people suffering the first onset of their disease who have the hardest time getting treatment. With services reduced, the mildly depressed now have to wait until their condition has reached a crisis stage to before they can get medical attention.

"We wait too long now to get treatment to them," said Garrett. "It's like telling somebody with diabetes that he'll have to wait until he's in a coma."

SP2 sent me this link and it's an informative read.

Just say no to negativity

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 06:39:00 +0000

I detest junk mail. I will hunt the sender down like a dog. I went to the web site for a new catalog I received and there was no privacy policy. Very odd. So I checked the back of the catalog and found this:

This catalog is printed on recycled paper.

If this is your first catalog from us and you don't know how we got your name, chances are, this will be the only one since we rented your name for a one-time mailing and don't have your data. If you want to continue receiving it, just order.

I found their approach charming despite the questionable punctuation and their wares amusing. I still can't find that privacy policy so take that under advisement if you order from them.

I don't think that politics attracts the best and the brightest of America. ~ Dick Murphy

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 04:36:00 +0000

Report: Cain to Endorse Gingrich Monday

That's a blog on chron.com which is following the Perry campaign. ES sent me this link as well: http://blog.chron.com/rickperry/2011/11/top-25-rick-perry-jokes-of-the-presidential-campaign/

I looked for a quote to describe my reaction to the news that Cain will endorse Gingrich; I will leave that to the joke writers of the world.

My niece is engaged to a wonderful man. She has struggled with the family difficulties the most of all of the grandchildren. She has turned out very well and I'm extremely pleased. I spent many hours on the phone with YS over a year to get her to a doctor. He said something in a conversation a few weeks ago that led me to ask if he is depressed. He said he was. He is still in school and has no health insurance. He can't get it because YS and her husband will not allow my niece to get married until he finishes school (she is working) or they will not pay for the wedding. I will not go into how I feel about that.

So I recommended SAM-e to him. I gave him a box of it, and would happily keep him in supply. He told me last week that it has made a huge difference. Sam's Club has pretty good prices on it, and Walgreen's and CVS have it BOGO often. SAM-e is prescribed as medication in Europe (last I knew) but is available over the counter in the US.

Stuff to read

noreply@blogger.com (Hope) — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 23:07:00 +0000

Phone 'Rootkit' Maker Carrier IQ May Have Violated Wiretap Law In Millions Of Cases - Forbes

The Bomb Buried In Obamacare Explodes Today-Hallelujah! - Forbes

SP sent me the latter link and the first one intrigued me while surfing around on the site. Blog list restored.