Summer Cleaning

I want to read more, listen more, and watch more. I also have become a doctor follower and you know those guys, they like tests and stuff.

Therefore, I am narrowing my rss following if I a) am on your email list b) I follow you on twitter, c) I follow you an facebook, d)goodreads. All others will remain on the list.

Please don't let your feeling be hurt! If I follow all, there is much repeating and I am going mad trying to read all sites and still have room for other things. I really do not know how people who follow thousands of people on all  sites do it!

Hiding out in Argentina?

No.

So where have I been?  Right here. Why so quite? I've been unwell physically and mentally.. Also, my mom, who is soon to turn 92 has been diagnosed cancer and is undergoing chemo.

But I have been escaping in books and need to write up a huge bunch of reviews. But not tonight.

I am (and have been for a week) fighting with people about bills and insurance and other stuff.  (It's enough to pull one's hair out!)

O, I also need to knit a prayer shawl and hat for mom (her hair is falling out....she wants it to come back in red but   it's not likely and I can't afford to get her a wig.)

I have some funnies for you too.

What's up?

This is a bad time of year....figure skating started and I've started PT and there are all these bloody books lurking about....o, and I've been working on getting a van.

I love figure stating....probably because I can't stand up on shoes with blades or 4 wheels. I tried for puppies years but decided cement and and wood they using in roller rinks are hard on your butt so after 5 years, I decided to give it up! Then I went to join my dad in Germany where some friends took me to and ice skating rink. They convinced me that ice skating was way, way easier than roller skating. (14yo are so gullible!) So off we go with a friend on either side. Those skates seemed to have minds of there own! Next thing I knew they were crossed! I asked my friends what to do in such a situation. They let go of my and started laughing hysterically. Lesson: some friends are either big fat liers or don't know what they are talking about. Lesson: falling on ice is just as hard as wood or concrete do hurts the same BUT it is also very cold and wet. I don't remember how they got me off the ice but I can tell you that was a lesson learned quickly....my last attempt to try ice skating! It took me 3 years but I did finally manage to ride a 2 wheeler.

PT, what fun (sarcasm). It's early days so not much to show but I'm going.

I've figured it out. I borrow a Kindle to read to and from and while waiting for PT.  I have a paper back to read at home. Audio books are listened to at bed time. So far this is working well except I can't read and watch the skaters at the same time! AND then there are the book reviews I need to write (lots!!!) I haven't figured out exactly how fit in this later as it seems I am in a reading frenzy but not mush into sharing. It's not to worry, things will get figured out!

O, VAN! One other owner (paralyzed vet from first gulf war). He passed and his mother asked the people they got it from to sell it for her at a really reduced price. It's a 2002, White with grey interior. Power just about everything especially the lift which will lift me and chair up and in and lock us down. I hope to have it in about 2 weeks. Randy, sales guy, if off this week so it will have to be next week before we work out what little changes need to be made for me. So, hopefully I will have a van before Thanksgiving! Thanks to all who held good thoughts about me getting it!

Well, today was PT day and I am pooped! Later friends~

frugalcreativity.com

I stole this posting from Frugal Creativity. I know it is not nice to steal but you see 65 years ago I was born with this disability and I just thing she did a better job than I could do. So please read.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2010

October is Spina Bifida Awareness Month

I'm passing along this press release, just as I received it, to help raise awareness of Spina Bifida and ways to help prevent it.


Spina Bifida Association Launches New Program and Asks You to Educate Yourself and Loved Ones During Spina Bifida Awareness Month


Through Education SBA Hopes to Help More Families Learn About the Birth Defect 

WASHINGTON, DC--(Marketwire - October 1, 2010) - Did you know that birth defects occur in 7 out of every 10,000 live births in the U.S.? And Spina Bifida is the most common permanently disabling birth defect? In honor of October being Spina Bifida Awareness Month, the Spina Bifida Association is asking folks to take a few minutes today and get involved in the awareness month by educating loved ones.


The first question many have: What exactly is Spina Bifida? In short, Spina Bifida happens when the spinal column doesn't close completely.


And how many births each day are affected? Well, it's hard to believe, but eight births each day are affected by Spina Bifida or a similar birth defect of the brain and spine. If you think about it, there are currently over 65 million women in the U.S. who could become pregnant and each one of these ladies is at risk of having a baby born with Spina Bifida. So because Spina Bifida occurs during the first month of pregnancy (that's even before most women know they're pregnant!) it is that much more important to take proper precautions to help try to prevent it now.


Okay. So what type of precautions can help in prevention, you may wonder? Although at this time there is no known cause of Spina Bifida, research has shown that if a woman takes 400 mcg of folic acid every day and before she becomes pregnant, she reduces her risk of having a baby with Spina Bifida or another neural tube defect by as much as 70%! That fact is reason enough to encourage women (and men) to get out there this month and spread awareness.


Families with a history of Spina Bifida should take extra dosages of folic acid prior to pregnancy. Hear one mom's message: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qshRfegnGD4


And in honor of October's Spina Bifida Awareness Month, SBA will also be launching some great new online resources, including:

1. SB University (SBU) (http://www.sbuniversity.org/), a new online educational program featuring taped sessions from the 2010 National Conference as well as monthly live seminars conducted by Spina Bifida medical professionals from around the country. During Awareness Month, SBU will debut new sessions each Monday.
2. SBTween2Teen (http://www.sbtween2teen.org/) a new Web site for tweens and teens with Spina Bifida. Complete with blogs, videos, real stories, fact sheets, and an Ask the Expert feature, the interactive site helps tweens and teens navigate the difficult road to adulthood. There is even a social networking component run through Facebook, allowing tweens and teens to interact with one another and build peer-to-peer relationships!
3. Preparations, a new transition-focused Web site launching in late October allowing parents, caregivers, and clinicians to answer specific questions with regard to a child's developmental milestones. This tool can even help young adults remedy some transitional challenges.

For even more information, tips and resource, you may visit:http://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/ And be sure to join the Spina Bifida Association on Facebook: www.facebook.com/spina.bifida.learn


The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) serves adults and children who live with the challenges of Spina Bifida. Since 1973, SBA has been the only national voluntary health agency solely dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with Spina Bifida and those whose lives are touched by this challenging birth defect. Its tools are education, advocacy, research, and service. Through its network ofchapters, SBA has a presence in more than 125 communities nationwide and touches thousands of people each year. For more information visit:www.spinabifidaassociation.org. Disclosure: I have not received any compensation in any form for sharing this information. Just trying to help spread the word!

POSTED BY MELISSA AT 12:16 PM

Top 10 Things that Annoy People who use Wheelchairs...but maybe shouldn't

Here's the official list of the

Top 10 Things that Annoy People who use Wheelchairs...

1.	Able-bodied people parking in accessible parking space	37%
2.	Accessible bathroom stalls being used by an able-bodied person	12%
3.	Talking over my head as if I'm not here	9%
4.	Continuing to insist on helping me after I've said no thanks	8.3%
5.	Congratulating me for things like going to the grocery store like it's worthy of an Olympic medal	6.1%
6.	Strangers asking what happened to me	5.7%
7.	Not inviting me to an event because you are protecting me from some frustration (let me figure it out)	5.3%
8.	Patting me on my head. Don't.	5.0%
9.	Holding on to the back of my chair so I can't move	4.4%
10.	Speaking slowly to me because I'm in a wheelchair	3.5%

Now that we have the Top 10 List, we just have to get people who are behaving badly to cut it out!

I don't agree with some of these so I thought I would comment on them one at a time.

1. Not all people who park in handicapped spots are in chairs but that does not mean they don't need them. For years I went without a chair or walker or even a cane. But then my body started hurting with distance. Finally a doc I was working for asked me where I was parking. He was most surprise I was using the regular parking that was a fur distance away. After a sever lecture we started the process to get my car a disabled sticker and a closer parking space.  About a year later a guy started to jump my case for illegal parking. After he ran down, I pointed out my handicapped licence plate and explained my problem with walking distances.  Moral: Not all people with disabilities use walking devices but still need close spaces. Look for stickers, licence plates, and tags that hang from the rear view mirror first.

2. I cut people a break on this one. They may be about to burst or have diarrhea. And if they don't go now they my mess themselves. Moral: it could have been a disabled person in there as well as an able bodied person. My problem with some bathrooms are architectural barriers that keep you from getting there. No joke, I have had to go back out to find someone to move a trash can so I can get to the disabled stall. And then there are the stalls that aren't big enough to get you and your chair in and be able to close the stall door.

3. This is one I have not run into often. I attribute it to ignorance and fear of what they don't know so ignore it and just speak right on up. But then I've dealt with my disability all my life ...also, I've always been the shortest person in all classes which is why I probably became such a big mouth. Moral: don't take offence from ignorant people. Just speak up and let them know you can talk for yourself.

4. Don't take it personally. If you watch you will see these 'helpful' people do the same thing for able bodied people. They want the sale and they have been trained that the most helpful get the biggest sales. I generally thank them for their offer, ask their name, and then say 'Mary, let me look around a bit and when I find something I need help with, I'll come and find you." Moral: don't take it personally.

5. This one used to bug the hell out of me until I realized they don't understand that the things we do and the way  we do them are 'normal' for us. Just like the same sorts of things are 'normal' for them. We all have to adapt to something. These people just don't think they could handle things if they were in our shoes. Moral: cut them a break, they fear they could do it if they were in the same conditions.

6. This is one I figured  out at a kid as they were the ones who generally asked (much to the horror of the parent with them). Here's what I figured out. If I can't talk about it, I have a problem. If they can ask it, I have the chance to educate someone. And if they can't handle the answer, they shouldn't have asked it in the first place.
(Sorry, I couldn't think of a moral for this one.)

7. Piffle! Talk to the person about it. They may have dealt with it before. If not, there's no time like the present! What a lot of people don't recognize is that most every place you go today has ways to accommodate us. You may need to call ahead to find out how but it can be done. One new years, we wanted to go to a swanky dinner in what was once a  very beautiful home. We called for reservations and explain my chair would not go up the stairs. No problem, they told us how to come through the kitchen. A wonder of sites and smells no one else got to experience that night. We might have stayed the night but there was no elevator to the second floor. Moral: most things are doable. It's rare to find a roadblock but everyone finds some sometimes.

8. Head patting it a sign of affection and being a shrimp all my life, I have had it a lot. I either ignore it (some of my friends are just like that) or growl and snap or ask where my cookie is. The soon get the idea and stop after we both laugh. The other alternative is to be honest and tell the person you really wish they would not do that as you are no longer a child of 6 and it really bugs you. Moral: it is OK to be honest about feelings.

9. Sorry, folks, I've never had this one happen. If I did, I would probably ask them if there is a danger I've missed and if not, LET GO. Moral: you may have to sit there but you don't have to take it!


10. This person is ignorant. Listen politely and then answer them at your normal speech. (Or if you are in west Texas, realize it is not you. They ALL talk that way.)

A true story

We were traveling down to the Panama Canal Zone by boat as that was where my father was stationed (by the way, his 3 daughters were born there during two earlier tours of duty). As I did not remember any childhood boat trips, I was excited and curious to find out if I would be subject to "mal de mer".

Turns out I was not. My problem was the boat not only went up and down, it rolled side to side at the same time! For a person with little sense of balance to start with, this was a challenge!

Baby sister (newly graduated from high school) was victimized. As the dutiful 'big sister' (OK, so she is way taller than my 4'8"), I got her as settled as I could with a damp cloth on her head and trash can close by the bed before going to find my father, THE DOCTOR.

Given some Dramamine, I returned to save the green sister. Ah, magic! Not long after taking said pill, her green hue turned back to its normal porcelain beauty and she dozed off to sleep.

I returned to the report the good news to my father, THE DOCTOR. Happy parent proceeded to give me the same medicine!

"But Daddy, I am not sea sick!"

"Ah, but preventative medicine is a good thing."

In obedience, I returned below to take said pill, recheck sister's comfort, and read.

That, good friends, was about the last thing I remember until shortly before we landed. No joke, I slept for 3 days and 3 nights (trip took 4 days). (Little sister was never again sea sick. And I missed a lot of really, really good food!)

Moral: Sometimes my father,THE DOCTOR, was fallible. Sometimes preventative medicine is not a good thing. I dearly love my father, THE DOCTOR stories! ('Just wish he was still alive to share the laugh.)

My Father, the doctor

He said "preventative medicine is a good thing." I know, you didn't have a father to say this. You've read it. You've heard it. So why am I talking about it? Because they are talking about it right now on TV.

I have probably lived 35 years past my father's best expectation because I listened to him. I found good doctors that will communicate with me.

The number one killer of women is heart disease. It took my grandfather and father. I've had high blood pressure since my early 30s and have been treating it that long. I never could check my blood pressure with a cuff and stethoscope but when my doctor told me about new machines that didn't require a stethoscope, I got one. I used to use it daily. Now I listen to my body all the time and know when I need to check it daily and keep a record for my doctor.

Ah, they just said it....listen to your body and push your doctor to hear what it's saying. If you have a doctor that does not listen to you, FIRE THE DOCTOR! The program is called "Speak up to save lives". That's your job, to speak up.

Did you know that women do not exhibit the symptoms you have so often heard? Check it out! Knowledge can save your life. DO NOT LET ANYONE TELL YOU, YOU ARE TOO YOUNG TO THINK ABOUT IT!  My dad's first heart attack was in his early 30s.

Take care of yourself! And share what you learn with your family and friends!

Why do so many books I read get such high ratings?

Easy...I read books I expect to really enjoy! Why else take the time to read (or listen) to them.

But how can you rate a book like say The Kitchen House as highly as The Secret History of the Pink Carnation?

Again, easy. They are different genres. Think of it like food....how would you compare a great steak with a great pie? I wouldn't. I would appreciate each in it's own category. Like food, my book appetite varies. Consequently, my expectations start high (5) and if they meet my expectations, that's what they get. Rarely do books go below 'good' which means just that...I enjoyed them for what they are but...

Do you ever give anything less than a 'good' (3) rating?

Unfortunately, yes. It makes me sad when I do. Sometimes even angry. I've wasted time I could have spent with a book I could have really enjoyed! I wonder at my sanity...how could I not have seen before hand this would not meet my escapist need? Why didn't the person that wrote the blurb write the book? What happened to my writer who normally gives me so much pleasure?

One didn't ring, it clunked but I couldn't figure out why. It was after all, 'fiction'. Half way through the book, I read every review I could find; every interview. Everyone else liked it. What was I missing? I read some more. Still not likening it but still wanting to like it. Then I researched the historical foundation. I talked to my 90yo mom about human nature of her youth and what she had learn about what it was like for her parents. Now I knew why the story did ring for me.

FYI, it is permissible to dislike a book. It's also OK to write a negative review. Reviewers should try to explain why it was 'amiss' for them. Authors should not take personal affront as the review just one person's opinion about the book, not about the writer.

I really want to enjoy books I read! I want to share my excitement as I do! When I do get into one that does not come up to my expectations, I will share that with you...hopefully with good reasoning for my opinion and with the knowledge that I may be in the minority. Sometimes broccoli is really good, but some times it just tastes bad!

911

The intolerance of a few made this happen. Maybe the tolerance of many can ultimately win the future, not just for our country, but the world.  "Where there is hatred let me sow love." 


Maybe this man can say it better. (I took this from his site. Click on the title above or the context below to go there.) 

About the Book

This is a moving story of a fire fighter/paramedic with 25 years of experience, who was at Ground Zero during the attacks on 9/11. He witnessed the attacks and responded to the collective cry for help; only to discover that among those calling for help were two of his former partners and several other friends. As he dug through the rubble, he made a promise to all those who lost their lives that their efforts and sacrifice would not be buried beneath the rubble. This book is a compilation of his never before seen personal diary and photos. This will give you a first hand look into the events of 9/11 as they unfold via inspirational stories. This is a sincere attempt to bestow the respect that these heroes truly deserve and to keep their humble voices alive. His hope is that the powerful and emotionally charged stories give some feeling of peace to all the victims of 9/11 and allows the reader to live the moment, through the eyes of the these brave men and women.  A 25-year career as a first responder exposed the writer to both the worst and best of humanity. On 9/11 many witnessed for the first time what he has always known; and that is there is a philanthropic depth to the American character especially among many first responders. The daily acts of sacrifice and compassion performed by these men and women are not viewed as heroic but are simply second nature. The book highlights these traits and focuses on the tragedy that was averted by the thousands of individual acts of kindness and bravery that combined to save tens of thousands. The book is the result of a 5-year comprehensive collection of photos, artwork, stories and quotes that will connect you to 9/11 like never before. If you were personally affected by the tragedy, this book should give you comfort and pride from a totally different perspective. Regardless of your relationship to this tragedy you will discover a positive personal connection that will surprise you. Originally the book was exclusively distributed among first responders but their highly positive emotional response and their desire to share it with the public, has lead to a limited trial release for the fifth anniversary of the attacks. The following statement by the widow of a firefighter convinced me to make the book public,“ When my children are old enough, I want them to read your book, so they can better know their father.” Thank you for sharing in my admiration for those who have fallen and in keeping their spirit and legacy alive.

The 11th Century?

Yes. Because that is when the first crusades began. The following is why Europeans decided to send soldiers to fight in the Middle East (and I thank Yahoo Answers for the information):

"In the 11th century, wild Turkish nomads gained possession of the Muslim kingdoms in the Near East, converted to Mohammedanism, and threatened Constantinople, capital of the Byzantine Empire and center of Greek Orthodox Christianity. The Byzantine emperor, recognizing the tremendous power of the Catholic Church, appealed for military aid, not to the kings of Europe but to the Pope of Rome. The Church was sympathetic to this appeal, because the Turks were molesting Christians making pilgrimages to Palestine, the Holy Land. Consequently, Pope Urban II, in 1095, issued a call for a religious war, called a Crusade, against the Muslims to restore Christian control over Jerusalem and the Holy land. The Pope's call for a Crusade met with great enthusiasm. It attracted religious persons who held that "God wills it," nobles who hoped to acquire new lands and great riches, middle-class merchants who hoped for increased trade, serfs who hoped to escape from feudal oppression, and adventurers who wanted travel and excitement. But above all people wanted to free the Holy City of Jerusalem, holiest shrine of Christianity."

I love that last sentence! Were there Christian zealots who believed it? No doubt. My sceptical self thinks she sees ulterior motives on the parts of the Emperor and the Pope. I can well see the greed of the nobles and merchants, serfs hoping for a better lot, and those of the adventurous or escapist nature.


Important to note, don't you think, that the Jews, Christians, and Muslims all claim dependency from Abraham, thus all claim the city "Holy". 

1095 to 2010. Differences?

Out of the mouths of babes

A long time ago I listened to a shocked mom relate a conversation she had with her daughter who had been molested by her stepfather:

Child: do you think you will ever marry again?

Mom: I don't know. Right now I distrust men. Don't you?

Child: No. I just don't trust him.

(Him, the stepfather.)

What a wise seven year old. She wasn't angry or distrustful of all men. Just the man who had hurt her. Why can't we all be like that child.  

It was not all Muslims who attacked the World Trade Center. 

Of the people who died, how many different cities, states, countries were they from? How many different faiths were represented in the deaths? What about the people who pitched in to help? Did anyone stop to ask helpers about their religion or where they were born or their politics; or care to look at skin color or dress? No. I don't think so. So why are some people doing it now? Why are people blaming all people of a faith, a country, instead of just the terrorists and those behind them? 

Are we, as a world, regressing to the 11th century? 

It saddens me when we as individuals, a country, are attaching blame all the people of a faith, a country, instead of a small group hate mongers. 

When will we be as wise as a seven year old child? 

I want to be like this turtle if you ever flip out!

I love my niece, Lisa, for sharing this with me!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye

LISTEN





Did you get it?

We've come a long way baby!

I read this article in the New York Times by Gail Collins the other day about the how the 90th anniversary of women getting the right to vote. 

A lot of the history I knew but not this part:

"The women and their allies knew they had a one-vote margin of support in the House. Then the speaker, whom they had counted on as a “yes,” changed his mind.

(I love this moment. Women’s suffrage is tied to the railroad track and the train is bearing down fast when suddenly. ...)

Suddenly, Harry Burn, the youngest member of the House, a 24-year-old “no” vote from East Tennessee, got up and announced that he had received a letter from his mother telling him to “be a good boy and help Mrs. Catt.”

“I know that a mother’s advice is always the safest for a boy to follow,” Burn said, switching sides."

Did you smile? I did with a bit of a lump in my throat. 

Then I thought of my 91 year old mom. I had to call her. Did she realize she was a year older that this historical change?  Had she ever talked to her parents about this bit of history? They were from Mississippi. Where did they stand on the issue? (Her father was 41; her mother, 26!)

"Oh," she said, "they were very progressive! They were very much in favor of women having the right to vote!"

I wish we could have talked longer but she was trying to get my husband on the road home. But we have an appointment to discuss it further.

So, celebrate Women's Suffrage Day n August 26. 

Hold it in your mind and heart in November. We have the vote! Use it! Celebrate it! Think of all those women had to go through to get us this right! It doesn't matter, it should not matter, that this is not a presidential election year. It is an important year for all women to show their appreciation for all the things the women who proceeded us were willing to go through to give us this privilege, this right!

So, ladies, think hard, listen hard, make some decisions, and VOTE!  And don't forget to encourage other women to do the same, help other women to do the same even if it's a ride to the polls! 

Don't forget, We've come a long way baby! 

I figured it out!

I am nutty as a fruitcake! I mean seriously! I keep reading all these tweets and other postings about how to increase your blog's followers. 

Do I read them and try the suggestions? NO.

Are you nuts? YES, I told you that at the very beginning!

Why don't you? Because I started it for me. To talk to myself about 'stuff'. That people started following me, just flabbergasts me! That my followers are increasing in number is amazing! And when they pause for a moment to talk back to me is just special. 

If you just read the above, I thank you for you indulgence! (((((HUGS)))))