Someone I know decided they would write a sophisticated post on anger and our brains. Citing how we respond to anger and how it is linked to brain functions, blah blah blah. Funny enough what prompted this post was an argument with his wife. One where she got extremely angry and blurted out just about everything on her mind. The events preceding the argument however were such that this husband has dedicated his life to his computer. Oops, I mean his job and his computer. Meanwhile the wife is left to work, go to school, care for three children, dealing with new medical issues, and home business matters, AND packing a 2600 sq. foot home without any help from the above mentioned husband.
So here is my version of anger and the brain. If within a stressful situation you can count on no one to help you out, you are likely to have a mental break. Who might I ask will become the primary target? Probably the person who should be helping you so that you do not break to begin with. In the event that you explode anyways, as that is the likely occurance when the brain is filled to capacity, all hope is that this will wake up the other person and get them to give you a hand. Caution however is advised here because what is more probable is the other party with snap back feeling justified for his/ or her anger as YOU have forced them to it. Do accept that this of course is all your fault, since that will be the only way out of this current argument.
In that case just sit down and blog about it since apparently blogging about it is better than actually solving the problem.
A few days ago my son brought home a flyer for an event this weekend. It wasn’t the usual type of event you would be expecting a fourth grader to be bringing home as it was an announcement of a blood drive. As I read it over I learned that it was for a mother of one of my son’s friends. I didn’t know the details just that this woman, likely around my age, is suffering from cancer. I was shocked. I realize that cancer doesn’t discriminate and that it can happen to anyone of any age, but this seemed so close to home for me. Each time I thought of her situation it made me sad even though I have never met her. So today I went over and decided I would give blood for the first time. I’ll admit I was a bit nervous, but I must say it was one of the simplest things I have ever done that could help someone else out.
Here is a quick run through of the process if you have never done it. First you’ll fill out a form with general information and disclosures, and answer a simple set of questions to determine if you are eligible to donate (mostly if you don’t live a high risk party life you’re in). Then you are escorted to a cozy bed where you lie down and offer up your vein. A prick and a few minutes later you are done. No kidding. I was told I have a good vein, but 10 minutes was it. I never even saw the needle or the blood in case you are the squeamish type and thought that part might scare you off. I was then directed to a seat where I had to sit for 15 minutes before leaving but was offered an unbelievable assortment of snacks, juices, water, etc.
My hope in telling this story is that by eliminating any frightening misconceptions of the process you may take the time out of your schedule and head over to a donation center. One of the nurses informed me that there is a constant shortage. Best yet if you are just doing it without a person in mind to donate to, you can earn credits. These credits can be saved for yourself should you ever need them, or can be donated down the road if a loved one needs them. You can only give blood every 8 weeks, but it is my intention to start going regularly.
Tags: blood drive, donation,
I am always looking for inspiration to lose weight. Actually, more like motivation, as looking in a mirror alone is inspiring itself. They key difference here is that I want to lose weight more than anything, however with school, kids, home, work, etc. fast food becomes so darned convenient and I end up throwing the plan out the window all together. My last major incentive to lose weight was my impending 30th birthday. I got super motivated, signed up for Weight Watchers, was walking and doing water aerobics, and quickly lost 15 lbs and two sizes. I was on my way. Then I found out I was pregnant and due on my 30th achieving the precise opposite goal in terms of weight loss.
Since the baby was born, going on one year in May, I have struggled with getting motivated. I find myself eating all the wrong foods even when better choices are available. I now have a treadmill, a total gym, a weight lifting system, a stepper, you name it. I have no need to have to run off to a gym as I have got it all here at home. Now for the motivating part. I have in the following months a few events I really want to look and feel my best for. Starting with my best friend’s wedding, going to see Wicked with some friends, a first birthday party for my youngest, and my oldest’s tenth birthday. Holy Moly how did this happen? A DECADE! I am not going to disclose how many lbs or sizes I have put on since this guys birth, but it isn’t pretty for sure. With 4 1/2 months til this event I am super ready to get the ball rolling. I am also graduating this year and can say that a cap & gown on my current figure may leave the crowd wondering when my due date is.
Using what I know and seeing a nutritionist tomorrow I am planning a new me. Look for updates to my healthy eating page coming soon.
Pretty much since I met Damien he has been trying to turn me into a coffee drinker. I had so many reasons to resist, but the number one reason was that I just didn’t enjoy the taste of it. Sure with enough sugar and cream I could stomach it, but why in the world would I waste so many darned calories on something I was forcing on myself. To top it off more than one cup would always lead to major stomach trouble half way through my day.
Still though Riley being the coffee junkie he is continued to try to bring me over to the dark side. And by dark side I mean thick muddy coffee stripped down to the bare bones. This is precisely how he takes his. No sugar, no cream, zip. In fact the stronger the better is how this man takes his coffee, bleck. I got lines like “just wait til you have some all nighters with your schooling”, and “when you are working mornings, bet you’ll take it up”. Bear in mind this guy used to be a Coffee bean & Tea Leaf barista, so it was his duty was to push this mud.
Then just when I thought I would never convert the sneaky sucker got me hooked on hot chocolate in coffee. Just a cup here and there got me acclimated to the taste, eventually no stomach troubles and then before you know it, Bamm! I’m hooked. I realized this week that I have been almost completely unproductive. I could barely get out of bed, felt like I needed a nap many days, couldn’t drag myself off the couch til nearly noon, and it seemed like a magnet was dragging me down every where I went. Sure enough yesterday when I was desperate to get my car cleaned out and I was dragging around again, I thought maybe there was something to the hype of coffee bringing on energy. Had a cup and got the van spotless. Then today when the inevitable yawning started up again I gave it another shot and before I knew it I started to feel normal again. Thanks to hubby I am now officially a coffee drinker.
Tags: coffeedrinker, caffeine
I often mention my overwhelming load of homework, but rarely discuss the nature of it. Well today is different because my homework involves a subject that I feel needs to be publicized as much as possible. California State Bill 777. If you have heard little or nothing about this bill let me bring you up to par. Mind you, this is a bill which has already been passed without going to a public vote. As a parent and future educator I find it both frustrating and ridiculous. What SB 777 has done is changed the definition of “gender” in California education code. Where it used to read that your gender was “the biological condition or quality of being a male or female human being”, it no longer does. Now your gender is what you “perceive” yourself to be. Educators are not allowed to challenge a student who may be born male who now feels he is a female (or vice versa). Nor are they allowed to disclose the child’s chosen gender to the parents.
Big deal right? What this means is that males who perceive themselves as females (and vice versa) if not allowed to use the facilities of their choice are now being discriminated against. That if they want to go into a restroom of the opposite sex they must be allowed. That anything that was previously male or female only, is now open to the opposite sex if they perceive them self as that gender. Before you think this is extreme and will never happen, LA Unified has already put it in to place where students of the opposite sex must be allowed into the locker room of their choice as a result of this bill.
What you may find if you start reading up on this is that the advocates of the bill are claiming that SB 777 is necessary to remove discrimination and hate crimes against trans gender and homosexual students. Except this was already very clearly specified in Ed. Code 200, 220, and others if you read them. They state, in many terms, that it is unacceptable to discriminate against students for any of the above reasons and more. So the advocates of SB 777 decided rather than spending their time, energy, and state tax dollars to enforce the laws that we already have in place, they would instead put their energy into re writing the law so as there would be no misunderstanding that “gender” is NOT how you are born.
Before anyone misunderstands my position and thinks that I do not support the rights of these innocent children, or that I would condone hate crimes on a trans gender individual, that is not the case. However our children were already protected under the existing laws which apparently have not been actively enforced every where. What this bill seems uninterested in taking into account however are the rest of the children who are now being put into uncomfortable and unsafe environments. When educators are being told that they are no longer allowed to stop a male student from entering into a female restroom, other students security is being put at risk. There is a lot more to this bill if you are interested in reading up on it hopefully with enough attention to the matter it will be forced to be brought back to a vote or appealed. As parents and citizens we should at least have that right.
Well skeptic Sarah has once again been proven wrong. See Damien signed up for a service called Pay Per Post at blog network thinking he could make a few extra bucks while blogging. Needless to say I wasn’t so certain it was a sure thing. When he was approved for his first post which was to pay him $20 I was impressed, but then he got a $15 referral credit from someone who signed up from his link, and another $5 for a second post. Within a week he had earned $40, so I decided I would try it out. It turns out you can take up to two opportunities per day deciding for yourself what type of post will fit your specific blog or writing style. You submit a link, and wait until the closing date of the topic signed up for, to get paid. Now it may not be a means to quitting your job, but this can certainly provide a few extra bucks for some sort of event. In fact when I was a kid we crushed aluminum cans to earn extra family money for trips or eating out. This is much easier than that. I figure if Damien can make $20-$30 per month by casually taking a post here and there, and I do the same, within a year we will have over $500 for a trip. Pretty darned sweet since we are sitting here blogging anyways. Now I won’t feel as bad about the laundry piling up all around since after all, I am earning vacation funds right?
According to an article on Yahoo News J.K. Rowling is suing organizers of a religious ceremony in India for replicating her fictional Hogwart’s Castle. Now mind you, this is a papier mache and canvas castle, so it was never intended to be a landmark. Plus the ceremony to be performed within is a non profit event, but J.K. Rowling somehow believes its use entitles her to $50,000. The story doesn’t go to great length to explain if any names or locations were used any where within the project, just that it was modeled after Hogwarts.
I must say I am completely baffled by the ridiculousness of this lawsuit, and sadly I can only assume it will not be over until after the event deadline has passed, but maybe I have missed crucial details which would explain it all clearly. I do wonder however just how many eager trick-or-treaters Rowling will be dragging into court for replicating Harry Potter’s look this Halloween.
A new blogging friend of mine Carrie is also a talented sketcher. She does amazing pencil drawings and is currently hosting a Fall giveaway where she will pick one lucky blogger to do a drawing for. If you get a chance to stop by and see what I am talking about, here is a link, Organized Chaos. She will pick the winner September 22, so if you are interested in participating go take a look.
“This award is for those bloggers who are nice people; good blog friends and those who inspire good feelings and inspiration. Also for those who are a positive influence on our blogging world. Once you?ve been awarded please pass it on to 7 others who you feel are deserving of this award.”
I haven’t been blogging long, nor have I been very consistent as I am seemingly always on the go, however after Damien (aka dh) over at Riley Central nominated me this morning for a Nice Matters Award, I thought it was my cue to get back on board (he probably figured out that the funny looks across the room weren’t working he had better try something more drastic).
Here are 7 people, some of whom I have only recently started to get to know through blogging, that I think deserve Nice Matters Awards.
1. Jessica the Rock Chick: This awesome member of dh’s blog roll is not only an accomplished writer who always has interesting posts worth viewing, she has been visiting, commenting and encouraging me since my first day of blogging. She Rocks!!
2. Cyndie: One of the best scrappers I know who listens to my day to day jibberish whenever I need an ear. She is new to blogging, but I’m sure we will be seeing new posts any day now (hint hint).
3. Organized Chaos: This blogging momma has me laughing out loud most of the times when I am reading about her “gremlins” and life events that oddly parallel events in my life.
4. Scrapper Nic: Yet another incredible scrapper. She is extremely creative, a great mom and super nice.
5. All Rileyed Up: One of the funniest bloggers in the blog-o-sphere, and future million dollar author. Also a super fun & nice sister in law.
6. Derrek Semmler: Another super nice blogger met through dh. His Blogging Spouses post brought many a reader by to say hello. Definitely a guy worth reading.
7. Surrounded by Whiners: A fellow mom choosing a healthier lifestyle for her family. She is also nice enough to share yummy vegetarian recipes with the rest of us.
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