Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Affordable Boat Act - A Re-post

The government has just passed a new law called: "The Affordable Boat Act" declaring that every citizen MUST purchase a new boat, by April 2014. These "affordable" boats will cost an average of $24,000-$124,000 each. This does not include taxes, trailers, towing fees, insurance, fuel, docking and storage fees, maintenance or repair costs.

This law has been passed, because until now, typically only financially responsible and working people have been able to purchase boats. This new laws ensures that every American can now have a "affordable" boat of their own, because everyone is "entitled" to a boat. 

In order to make sure everyone purchases an affordable boat, the costs of owning a boat will increase on average of 250-400% per year. This way, working taxpayers will pay more for something that other people don't want or can't afford to maintain. But to be fair, people who can't afford to maintain their boat will be regularly fined and children (under the age of 26) can use their parents boats to party on until they turn 27; then must purchase their own boat.

If you already have a boat, you can keep yours (just kidding; no you can't). If you don't want or don't need a boat, you are required to buy one anyhow. If you refuse to buy one, you will be fined until you purchase one or face imprisonment. For those that cannot afford one, they will get a free boat with a monthly check for all ownership costs listed above at taxpayer expense.

Failure to use the boat will also result in fines. People living in the desert, inner cities or areas with no access to lakes are not exempt. Age, motion sickness, experience, knowledge nor lack of desire are acceptable excuses for not using your boat. 

A government review board will decide everything, including; when, where, how often and for what purposes you can use your boat along with how many people can ride your boat and determine if one is too old or healthy enough to be able to use their boat. They will also decide if your boat has out lived its usefulness or if you must purchase specific accessories, or a newer and more expensive boat. (Cash for Clunkers guidelines will be used).

Government officials are exempt from this new law. If they want a boat, they and their families can obtain boats free, at the expense of tax payers. Unions, special interest and major donors are also exempt.

I just had to re-post this - too much for a Facebook post, but too funny not to share!

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

A Career Change

I need to make a career change. The problem is, what is my career now, and where do I want to take it?  The answers to both questions, unfortunately, are complex.

While I would like to say that I am a writer/publicist as it is noted on my email signature, when it is considered a career, it's not exactly correct. I do some writing and promotion for various clients on an inconsistent basis, yet I also work in several other industries including accounting for an interior designer, computer consulting for a realtor and weekly scanning of UPCs for a market research company.

The household duties of being a mother and wife also put me into an experience level of time management, chauffeur, chef, laundress,  volunteer director, teacher, housekeeping, accounting again with home bills, shopping expert (getting the best deals), dietitian and medical advisor.

Where I want to take it is going to depend on my goal for a career, and that too is unclear. Do I want to enjoy what I do with all my soul or do I want to make money? Can I do my career part time so that I can fulfill my first and ultimate goal first - to be an awesome wife and mother?

I DO want to be a full time writer/publicist but the work has to meet the needs of family income, and sometimes it is just not enough to earn a few hundred dollars a month doing it. The other problem is writing on a project that I enjoy, but that makes money. I have at least three book ideas but making the time to sit down and write while not earning anything seems to get crowded out in the other tasks I am trying to accomplish in my current job status and the family obligations.

I have come to the realization that to make a career change - to become a full time writer of newsworthy articles and eventually, and/or a book, I will need to apply myself to writing 200 words a day to develop my writing skills. After my children have graduated from high school with scholarships and left the home, with some of the above responsibilities removed, then I will be able to throw myself into the work of writing more than a half hour each day.

Time will make it happen for me, if only I wasn't so impatient for that career change.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

200 Words a Day

It is recommended by journalists, novelists and other wordy people that to become and progress as a writer, it’s a good idea to write 200 words each day. It may not seem like much, but  1000-1400 words a week (whether you write five or seven days) is a nice length of an article or could be two or three blog posts. If you are writing a book, this is a nice progression to a 52,000 word book, or about 175 pages. Here are my reminder tips for myself and for you to get into writing practice and to build that blogsite or book.

1. Prepare yourself
If writing a blog with a theme, seek out ideas throughout the day and keep your list of ideas on a notepad for easy reference when you sit down to write. When compiling a book, map out the characters and plot in an outline format so that you can easily pick up and write about whatever you are in the mood to pursue.If you have been occupied prior to your write time, shake off the day with a 10-15 minute walk to clear your mind and gain new ideas.

2. Limit distraction
Clear your desk, don’t turn on any laundry, water or cooking timers. Put the phone away from view and dive in to your keyboard.

3. Plan to write
Children, spouses, friends, work, volunteerism and general life duties can certainly take priority over your writing. The best thing to do is to put at least 30 minutes a day on your calendar to write. Have a tentative writing time each day – some say 10 am is the best, but not likely for those who work and have an active family life. When that time is interrupted or cancelled because of daily events, be flexible about rescheduling. This can be a problem for those of us that intend to write before bed, but the exhaustion of the day steps in and the writing is put off.

One last tip, if you are a foodie like me, is don’t write hungry or thirsty. That gnawing at your stomach is a huge distraction, so prevent it with a snack or a big glass of water before you begin. Back to work on the blog and 200 words of a book for me – I hope this is helpful to you!

Sunday, April 21, 2013

Best Days

I had a best day yesterday. A best day is a time when you get to do all the things you like to do, in an easy-going manner without having to rush. I did have to rush a little bit at the evening part of the day because I had spent so much time relaxing.

These days, sleep is very valuable, so it was awesome to have gone to bed at 1 am to get up at 8 am to make a breakfast for my daughter, then to go back to bed about and hour later and stay there another couple of hours, checking email and Facebook on my phone, reading the excellent free book I received from dearreader.com - Movement of Stars by Amy Brill, and getting more sleep. I then got up to send my youngest off with her father to run errands, leaving me with an empty, silent house. After getting some laundry going and the kitchen clean, I went outside to enjoy the beautiful, sunny yet cool early afternoon to pull weeds in the front yard. I came inside to prepare the remainder of a batch of cookies that I had baked half of the day before, filling the house with the warm smell of freshly baked cookies.

All that activity had me tired again, so I proceeded back to my bedroom to spend a little more time with Movement of Stars, set in 1845 and covering a young Quaker woman's pursuit of astronomy, with a twist. Great book, more than halfway through now. After this restful day, it was time for me to get ready to go out to a rodeo party at the beautiful Reserve on Lake Travis. My dilemma was choosing what to wear. An original plan to wear a fun dress with boots was scrapped to wear jeans or pants instead because of the unusually cold April weather. The black leather pants and red boots won, along with the blingy top and jewelry. We enjoyed awesome food, Tito's vodka and fellowship with friends and new friends, and afterward shut down the band with our Spicewood friends. I love to dance too! We arrived home and got to visit with our darling teenage daughters to round out the night. Reading, resting, baking and dancing, plus a whole lot of extras made April 20, 2013, a best day.

By the way, today is also a best day because it is my father, Carroll Wayne Merlick's birthday. I loved his mother very much and feel very fortunate that she and my grandfather had him. He was an only child, raised with a strict hand but fed awesome food that I learned to love as well, and given the tools to become a successful adult. He is a loving, dear man that has high expectations for me and everyone else in my family. Happy Birthday Daddy - I love you!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Grocery Stories

We are greeted as we enter a grocery store with a friendly voice behind the quick check out stand by the door. A stocker loads huge crates of bananas, potatoes and grapefruit to the produce display table tables with a stoic posture. A grumpy-faced woman bemoans the inventory in the health and beauty section, while her manager cheers her on, taking up the slack on the work that she avoids. A shy-looking girl is suddenly chatty when asked where to find dental floss.

Then, there are the customers in the grocery. An older woman frets about how items have moved from where they used to be, while another grumbles about the sheer volume of choices in picking out a shampoo. A young mother admonishes her noisy child as a stooped over man brags to a vendor about the benefits of honey and cinnamon.

When we enter the grocery store, most likely we do not know 95% of the people in there, unless it is a small store in a small town. Regardless of whether we know the checker, the deli server or the fish market employee, how well do we really know them? Did the cute produce guy dye his hair red and have his ears and nose pierced to irritate his parents, or is he just wanting to stand out? Is the very thin, unusual-looking housekeeping woman really in pain physically or is she benefiting from the grocery's health plan to obtain strong medication and time off?

The questions about the screaming child and his household life to the wildly-dressed young adults to the perfectly coiffed older shoppers could overwhelm me as I do my 10 hours of weekly work in four such stores in small town Texas. But I've decided to pursue these stories and tell stories of my own, some from the mouths of those employees and customers, and some fictionalized from the small amount of data I've collected in talking to them.

For me, it's a larger story worth pursuing, to give some insight to the people that arrange, prepare and sell us the food and other consumable items that we need to keep us fed, clean and happy. Stay tuned for more posts.

Sunday, April 7, 2013

Special Birthday

Dear Mom -

After many attempts today, this special day, to write you a note of love on your birthday, I am finally getting to it. It's a tough proposition to write down something that I feel so strongly in my heart. Do I make a list? Do I write a poem or a haiku? Do I describe all the incredible things you do for me and for others? Do I draw a pretty picture - but of what would it be? So I just decided to write you a love letter of sorts, and also a thank you note.

You, Judy Wickham, are an incredible woman. Coming from a solid, Christian home life to be married and have five children at a young age, then to raise all of us to be energetic, happy adults, producing 12 successful, happy grandchildren (ages 2-25), is an accomplishment in itself. That family love has been so valuable in both my life and that my brothers and sisters and our children, of your sisters and brother, your cousins, your in-laws, and those family members who have passed. The  meals, the attendance in times of sickness, the caring for our children, the lovely birthday and holiday parties you throw, and let's not forget all the dear and thoughtful gifts. And of course there are just the considerate things that you share and do, including sending sweet thank you notes, calling to check in, giving us vegetables from your garden and taking us to lunch. I can hear it in your voice and feel it in your warm hugs that you love me.

But your arms reach further, to the people in need in your church, your community, and the world. Your Bible study leadership to steer women to better understand the word of God, your monthly trips downtown to feed the homeless, the annual events for which you serve joyfully for your small Texas town, and the mission trips into the world all speak of yours and God's love for others beyond your family. People in your circle of influence through your profession as a Realtor, as a neighbor, a Republican woman, a Christian member of a church and a friend, know you and speak well of you. Thank you for your extensive consideration me and of others, for teaching me how to love and for just being you.

I could write for hours, but alas, the weekend laundry - with school uniforms and PE outfits, jeans and t-shirts are calling, as are the daily lunches and the prep of the morning coffee. Besides that, I need my sleep if I am to ever be the wonderful mother and friend that you are to me. I love you mom - Happy Birthday!


Friday, April 5, 2013

All Night Long

Last night, after I tucked in my two teenagers at 11 pm, I thought it would be an interesting experiment to stay up all night long and watch one or the other as they slept, not thinking that it would ever come to pass. As it so happened, I  got my inclination, although my desire to see one of them sleeping was not to be so.

After I went to bed, tossed and turned for a half hour or so, and then fell asleep, I was awoken at 12:55 am by my oldest. "Mom, the hives are not going away, and I'm really itchy," she said. We experienced this in the fall when for no apparent reason, Rachel started with hives on her back, then to her chest, arms and legs, with her feeling very ill. We went to the ER after presuming correctly that it was an allergic reaction to an antibiotic she was taking. She received the adrenaline, hive-stopping benadryl-type drug (she's allergic to antihistamines), 60 mg of Prednisone, and we were on our way. Departure time to the ER was 1 am, and we got home at about 4 am.

This time though, there was no apparent reason for the hives. She began to see them soon after dinner, around 8 pm, uncomfortable but not unbearable, on her back. By the time she woke me, they had spread to her chest and stomach. I gave her a 10mg dose of Prednisone that was remaining from the past time, put cool compresses on her back and stomach. By 2 am, they were on her neck, so I kept up with the compresses, braided her hair and recited scripture. By 3 am, they had spread to her arms and legs, and her lip was beginning to swell. This is when I could no longer tolerate my baby in such discomfort, and I looked online to see what my next step might be with her lip swelling. Emergency medical attention is what webmd, mayo clinic and other online sites told me to do, as it may progress to anaphalactic shock, in which the remainder of the mouth and the throat also swells and can stop breathing. The steroids would take at least 2 hours to have an effect and had not made a difference, especially she had been given such a small dosage.

We woke Kevin and told him our plan, and that he would need to take the youngest to middle school that morning whether we were home or not. Departure time was 3:11 am. We arrived seconds before a car pulled up and went inside the entrance of St. David's ER in Bee Cave (we parked in the nearest spot) and while waiting behind the man in the lobby, were shuffled into a room. I noted that we were not with him, with the nurse showing some confusion, but she led Rachel into a room and asked me to wait at the desk to receive sign-in paperwork. I soon joined my daughter in the room where I entered just as the nurse was asking her, "do you smoke? drink alcohol? do drugs?" with her back to me. Rachel rather smugly said "no" to all of the questions as she was facing me. She was given a shot of adrenaline in the arm (ow - we both almost cried but started laughing to take away the fear and pain), some benadryl-replacement and 40 mg of Prednisone. We were able to leave just before 5 am.

The rest of the story is that because Rachel had not eaten anything unusual or different that day and had taken no drugs either, the very kind, former army doctor felt that it could possibly be a reaction to something that blew in with the cold front that came in that afternoon. He said that the lip swelling is a new reaction and that she might be better off if she were to be prepared next time and have an epi-pin on hand to administer if she started reacting in this way again. The possibility of anaphalactic shock exists if it progresses one step more each time. The tough part is that it costs over $300, and only lasts a year. We will pray that she doesn't have another reaction such as what occurred last night, but what if? An ER visit is much more expensive.

Rachel was so sweet and calm throughout the entire ordeal, except for the shot, which helped calm me. I count my blessings that my children are so undemanding for attention and care (maybe because they get plenty), and that they do appreciate it when we provide for them.

Tonight, I hope to go to bed by 10 pm, since I'm running on a little over 4 hours of sleep now. And, the next time I even THINK about staying up all night, I'll immediately dismiss it as being frivolous!

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

The Value of Three

"In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost."
"Third time's a charm."
"After you hear it three times, that's when you're going to remember it."

I've been pondering the number three a lot lately, because it seems that many things have been showing up in threes and have been speaking to me. Maybe it's because my mind has been freer than usual lately with less writing projects and I'm able to pay attention more. Possibly, God is speaking to me and I'm listening.

     The first set of three refer to Christian faith and the words describing God in the Bible. The Father is the creator of the universe and of Jesus, who is the Son, and the Holy Ghost is who remains with us at all times - He is the presence of God on earth. I can parallel this in my Christian life as attending weekly church service as one, Bible study as two, and daily prayer and conversations with God is three. One topic from the Bible was repeated to me - Jeremiah 29:11 was mentioned in conversation, heard at church and then referenced to in my own reading. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Another is the Book of James, with instructions for life, that I found in Bible study that my mother also completed (so we discussed it several times), addressed by our pastor at church and I pursued it in my need for wisdom in family life.

     The second reference to threes would be counting on luck and is an agnostic or atheist view, although I am sure there are plenty of us Christians who cross our fingers for good luck, say "good luck" to friends, family and teams before a competition. God has a plan for each of us (see Jer. 29:11) and while we may think that it is luck that helped us get that primo parking place, win in the drawing at the marketing party we attended or finish that race in the top 10 in our category, there is a bigger picture of God's hand in the success.
 
   Three times to remember is a marketing reference. I try to emphasize to my marketing clients to repeat their message on Facebook, with a news release or with a blog and with signage and direct mail so that clients will recognize their name when they have a need for their business (real estate, interior decorating, church, school). Why do you think you see advertisements for McDonald's, Coke, Pepsi and Frito-Lay multiple times on the TV during a single program, as well as receiving flyers in the mail and billboards? The repetition is what draws you in to buy that new cracker or cookie from Nabisco, or to look at that cool car from Toyota. The less apparent marketing of a service business makes it more challenging to promote than consumer goods, and that is where word of mouth and personal reference is valuable, and can be included in the value of three times heard will make an impact.

In closing, I'll just state that this blog will not be repeated two more times. :-)




Writing and Other Priorities



Becoming the next Barbara Kinsolver, JK Rowling or Julia Childs is not my goal. I do want to be a good writer that can possibly benefit financially from my writing, or at least influence others to help them to set goals, enjoy the benefits of cooking and baking and maybe to live a good life. The issue is not the idea factory, for I am constantly writing blogs in my head. The issue is making time to sit down and write!

Maybe because I was tied to the computer writing nearly 100 articles about wheel chocks, or possibly the time I was glued to my chair over three days writing 40 articles about wicker furniture that I don’t like to prioritize my time here. It could also be the age of my computer, one put together at the turn of the century (wow!) and reconfigured internally probably five years ago. The distractions of family life are the third obstruction to sitting down and writing. Either a sweet child of mine or my dear husband is calling my name in need of a talk, a lunch made or a ride somewhere, or something on the stove, in the washing machine or the ironing board is making more noise for attention than my old computer. The fact is, I feel guilty sitting down to write when there are needs of others and I’m not getting paid. That’s where my big priority to be a writer keeps getting pushed down – I prefer to be paid to sit at the computer when I have so many other owners to attend to.

For example, I just got up momentarily to use the restroom. While I was in there, I noticed that it had a faint odor a litter box that had been temporarily stored in the bath last night as we have a new cat. So, I needed to spray a cleaner on the floor. No paper towels meant going to the kitchen to retrieve a new package, unwrapping them and using a few. When the job was done, I didn’t want to leave the used towels in the room, so I went to put them in the laundry room trash. There, the trash can did not have a liner, so I went back to the kitchen to get a grocery bag, and placed it in the can with the trash. While in the laundry room, I noted the damp towels that needed to be placed in the dryer, which I took care of. Once back in the kitchen on the way to the office, I passed by the pork that is sitting on the counter, still partly frozen, squealing to me to place it in the crock pot. That, however would require me to cut onion, potato and carrots to add to it with the chicken broth and spices, which would surely distract me long enough that I would not get back to my writing before my family wakes up – missing the moments of silence (except for the squealing pig, laundry, and bathroom). I am a wife and mother, and I accept the responsibility.

Friday, March 15, 2013

Saint Patty's Day

Being raised Catholic, I was exposed to Saint Patrick at an early age. In Dallas, my family went to Saint Patrick's Catholic Church from the time we moved there in 1971 until I graduated from high school and left for college in 1980. Every week, the bulletin showed his name with the clover, and the church colors were green. So just how did Saint Patrick happen to be associated with March 17, the clover and the color green?

It's been said that Patrick, a Brit, was a young man of just sixteen who was captured by Irish pirates and enslaved in Ireland. He saw in a dream that he was to escape, and when he was successful, he joined the church and studied to become a priest. Even though it would have been much easier for him to stay and preach in England, he opted to return to Ireland to spread the good news of Christ.

The clover is said to be St. Patrick's way of teaching the holy trinity of Father, Son and Holy Ghost, because if you observe a usual clover leaf shape - it does have the three leaves extending from the stem. How the four leaf clover became associated with St. Patrick  another story. Blue was the original color used to represent St. Patrick, but the connection to green with the saint is said to have come from the relation to the shamrock. March 17, 461 is the day that St. Patrick died.

The St. Patrick holiday was declared in early 1600 by the Catholic church, and today, it is celebrated all over the world with green clothing and four leaf clovers, parades and corned beef and cabbage (an Irish treat). So this Sunday, on March 17, wear your green and eat your meat to celebrate a man who strove to Christianize the pagan Irish.

Saturday, March 9, 2013

Small Town Benefits

Another advantage of living Spacewoood is its proximity to another nearby small town that is much more citified, yet not cosmopolitan. Marble Falls is a huge resource for beauty, decent food, interesting entertainment and its awesome library. It seems that when I attend an event in Marble Falls, the people that are there are truly interested in what they are pursuing at the event. One example is the tea party rally we attended a number of years ago that had droves of people attending, speaking and selling their wares. It was a beautiful day in Johnson Park along an inlet of the Colorado River. Hats, t-shirts and bandanas spoke to the red, white and blue of the organization, with many smiling faces and friendly people.
     Today, I was pleased to be able to attend the Writer's League of Texas writing workshop at the library. There were at least 30 hill country writers there, all seeking knowledge from professionals, many eager to speak up and comment.
     Three speakers addressed individual topics, and each was excellent. The first was Scott Wiggerman, a Texas poet, who gave us prompts and had us fill in the blanks of an existing poem by Denise Levertov. Alliteration with the letter "S" - Singing separately, yet almost one, Assonance with "ahh" - pulled over, arguably pausing. and Assonance with the long, deep vowels, You pause for the groove of love, often lonely. Scott gave me good marks on my efforts. He was clever and interesting.
     The second speaker was my favorite, Suzy Spencer, a true crime writer that graduated from Baylor. The titles and topics of her books are, as she stated, not to be expected from a girl that went to Baylor, including Wasted, a story of murder involving a lesbian love triangle. She noted that the book was banned from the library in Nacogdoches in 1996 because the word "lesbian" was on the cover. Her latest book is Secret Sex Lives that details the chase of sex that people undertake. Written from a journalistic perspective, she details a wide variety of zany sex pursuits.
     Her words were very impactful - noting that we must start a book with a big Kaboom!, especially if we are writing a proposal letter for a non-fiction book. She emphasized the geometric line that curves up to the end of the story, building suspense with vulnerabilities and conflict that matches the needs of the characters. Some of the ingredients of a good story may include laughter and emotional renderings. She also said that we writers must have the big picture when we start writing. I could go on, but I must address the next writer.
     Carol Dawson was the third speaker, and she addressed Voice in writing. She addresed the fact that we as humans have been telling and listening to stories for as long as humans have lived, and that our brains need stories. I can relate to this because its so much easier to tell and listen to a story than just a list of fact - at least for me.
     Carol noted that voice will set the tone of the story and can be determined by person - first, third or omniscient - and also the tone - active, reflective, passive, ironic, truthful, inviting, justifying, loving or many other ways. She read the intros from a wide variety of books and asked us to point out what we heard or felt from the writing. She stated that we need suspense in the beginning, middle and end to keep the reader tagging along.
     Overall, it was a very productive session for me, to get my writing brain in gear. I hope to pursue more writing and formulating on my potential novel, children's story and cookbook/non-fiction in the coming year. A representative from the league stated that just 200 words written per day for a year will be a complete 70,000 word book at the end of a year. Sounds doable to me, now let's see if I can do it. Love and Peace. 

Friday, February 22, 2013

Nick and Sunny

I love living in Spacewood. Bordered by Lake Travis to the north, beautiful Hill Country to the west, more sloping landscape to the south and the thriving metropolis of Austin to the east, in the great state of Texas, I couldn't imagine living in a more excellent place. Our community is one of friendliness shown by the smiling faces and the hand wave when passing another car on the road.

We have an little incredible gas station with convenience store just two miles away. Quick 'n' Save is the name of it, with Exxon gasoline at the pump. It's run by a couple of fellows from India named Nick and Sunny. At 6 am EVERY SINGLE DAY, Sunny is manning the register, greeting customers as they enter and pay, and DAILY, at 3 pm, Nick takes over the register and runs the shop until 11 pm, when it closes.While not a bright, shiny corporate establishment, it is generally clean inside and out and has all the last-minute ingredients such as flour, milk, cheese and eggs, as well as plenty of snacks, beer and wine. I am amazed that Sunny and Nick are the only two employees that I ever see.

Sunny is subdued. He doesn't smile much. I less frequently see Sunny because I don't stop in at that time as often. Once, about a year ago, I went in to buy something and we chatted. I spoke about my darling daughters in some regard, and in the same breath asked if he had children. He looked down and said "No." I paused and he looked back up and then told me, "She died." I was humbled and it was my turn to look down. "I'm sorry," I said, took my purchase and left. That feeling of sadness overcomes me each time I see him since then. I try to be cheerful each time I see him.

Nick is another story. While I don't know whether or not he has children, we have spoken a lot about life and living. I am "Mrs. Kevin," to Nick, and am addressed in that way with a smile every time I walk in. He asks me about Kevin always, maybe because he is out of town a lot and Nick is either vicariously going to the interesting place that Kevin is visiting, or is just checking up on me. Recently when it was slow and I was in a nosy way, I asked him about his store.

Nick told me that he is from India and he still has family living there. He said that he and Sunny own the store and that they are the only employees. What hard workers! When we were talking about places we've been and would like to visit, Nick said that India is the only place he wants to go. He said that he is making his way in America so that someday he can go home with the money he has earned and live a good life there.

I have never been to India but I  have heard that many areas are very poor, with squalid living conditions. I also have seen that it is very dry and dusty. This brings me back to the life I have, living in Spacewood. Running water and electricity in every household, wonderful weather conditions - despite the drought, automobiles in every driveway, and an awesome convenience store to pick up that butter I forgot for the cookies just two miles away.

Monday, February 11, 2013

Cancer Clarification

The topic of cancer is a touchy one. I know people who have survived cancer and are thriving, some that have it now and are ill from it and those who have died from it. It must be a tragic moment to be told that you or someone that you love has cancer. I was very strong in my previous post regarding those who get cancer and could have prevented it. I didn't want to appear insensitive to those who DO live a healthy life and still get it, and children are the greatest exception.
    A child, when affected by leukemia or other early cancers at an young age, have most likely had no control over their food sources, environment and living habits. This does not mean that the parents are necessarily responsible though. Today when further listening to the book "The Emperor of All Maladies, A Biography of Cancer," by Siddhartha Mukherjee, I learned that there are cancer genes that we can inherit that make us more pre-disposed to cancer. Why do some people have these genes and others don't? In addition, Mukherjee gave an excellent example of some of the triggers that we are exposed to in our work or other efforts, including asbestos, smoke, paint, plastics and other factors that can make us more susceptible. While smoking does increase the likelihood that we will get cancer, I don't feel that it causes cancer.
     My maternal grandmother smoked for over 50 years, quit when she was in her late sixties, and lived to be 94 years old, cancer-free. Her sisters, also long term smokers that continued longer than her, both died of cancer that had metastasized, when they were in their 70's. Their mother lived to 101, cancer-free, but she lived in the home with the two sisters, inhaling second-hand smoke, for over 40 years. My paternal grandfather smoked for 50 years, owned a car painting shop and died of lung cancer that had metastasized in his mid 80's.
     In the same way, we are affected by tumors or other disease, and recover from it. I had a golf-ball sized brain tumor, benign, found when I was 29, and I've made it 21 more years, bearing 2 children along the way. I would conjecture that my relatively healthy lifestyle at that point and an excellent surgeon (Dr. Sam Finn, Baylor Hospital Dallas) are what carried me through the survival.
     My point is that cancer appears to have a shot-gun approach, and if you are one of the faster prey that by good choices and good genes can get out of the way, but sometimes the shooter, the cancer itself, will hit you no matter how fast you are. Blessings to those who have suffered and are suffering.
     "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he shall receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him." - James 1:12
    

Sunday, February 10, 2013

Why Cancer?

Why do some of us get cancer, and others don't? Why can some of  us live a wild, non-observant life not interested in protecting our health and live to be in the 80s or 90s, while others eat, drink and live healthy and still get cancer?

Like my husband Kevin, I believe there every one of us has some part of cancer in each of us. Also, that there is a trigger point that each of us that when pulled, the cancer will begin to grow. What is each of our triggers? What makes some people recover and others live longer?

The reason for all of my questions is the audio book of 20 hours which I recently listened to :The Emporer of All Maladies, A Biography of Cancer," by Siddhartha Mukherjee. This book details the origins of the first recognition of cancer, the treatments and studies of prevention and treatment. It is so overwhelming that it just prompted more questions in me. While I did learn a lot, it also reinforced much of what I believe about disease in general - regarding prevention, detection and treatment - that prevention is the way to avoid disease and cancer, detection is observance of one's own habits and choices, and that treatment usually mandates lethal chemicals pumped into the body or scary levels of radiation.

I am shocked by the huge amount of money spent on finding "cures" for diseases and cancer, when prevention is such a better way to go about solving a huge financial issue for our country. I am also in awe of the way people will listen to their doctors to treat a problem with drugs. With all of the side effects of drugs for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, depression, allergies and all the other random maladies people complain about, why do they still take them? Why do you want a dose of a flu or chicken pox via a vaccine if you are just going to get a case of the flu or shingles? Pflooey to the government on it being a dead dose. Healthy living is the cure.

But back to my issue of questions about the book, although I didn't think that it would inform me more about what causes or cures cancer, it surprised me with all of the failed attempts to pin down either. Mammography and a Pap Smear may detect early cancer, but the media has expanded them both to make all women feel they must have one of each every year. Mammography before the age of 55 is really only said to be effective in 3% of women. Studies have also shown that a person who detects cancer early, is treated for it, and it relapses has the same lifespan as one who finds the cancer much later and then receives treatment. I would actually prefer to find it later, as the "curse of cancer" can be such a dreary way to live life, especially if one goes through awful chemo and radiation.

I also found that what Kevin and I believe about cancer being in all of us and a a trigger being what may cause the cancer is true. We have something called SARK cells in us that are pre-emptive to cancer. Cancer can be viral, genetic and caused by lifestyle. That may be unsettling to some, who don't want to change their ways to eating healthy (ier) and getting exercise and rest, but it gives me a sense of control over my destiny and lifespan.

I will ramble on about cancer and disease further at another time. Consider it pure joy, brothers, when you endure trials of many kinds. - James1:2

Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Smile Maker Valentine's Day

Being in retail for my job puts all sorts of items for sale in front of me every week. I scan everything from 4th of July plates and cups to candy mice at Christmas, and from giant chocolate Easter bunnies to up to 250 Valentine's cards in a day. After scanning cards, candy, cups, plates, tablecloths, candles and every other consumable item concerned with the particular holiday in mind in this materialistic world we live in, I love to see love, and every Valentine greeting is soft, funny and pretty.

The mere thought of Valentine's day makes me smile, and I feel that it's the happiest and most fun of the annual holidays marked by cards, candy and gifts that is celebrated by American's. Of course, to state that Valentine's day is a holiday is a misnomer for some, for the word holiday actually means "holy day," and further described as being a religious festival or day of recreation (i.e.: day of no work). The origin of this annual occasion in the third century is unclear. It may have been started out of respect for a man named Valentine who was either imprisoned and sent the first "valentine" to his love, or was martyred for performing marriages for young soldiers, which was against the law. Pope Gelasius made February 14 St. Valentine's day at the end of the fifth century, so I guess we can call it a holiday, even though it is celebrated as neither here in the US.

Whatever the origin of the recognition of the day, the first valentine to be kept and documented as a valentine is a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans, in 1415 to his wife while he was imprisoned in the tower of London. Written valentine's notes began to be exchanged en masse sometime in the 17th century in Great Britian, and in America it became popular in the early 1700's, with mass-produced valentines produced by Esther H. Howland "Mother of the Valentine" in the 1840's. I prefer to make my own greeting cards, and I can only imagine hers with their lace, ribbons and colorful pictures. Once printing processes and the mail service were streamlined, mass production, as well as mass mailings of valentines could take place.

These days, approximately one billion valentine cards are sent each year, primarily in the countries of the US, Mexico, Canada, United Kingdom, France and Australia. This is the second highest number of greeting cards sent each year, less than two months after Christmas. Who buys and sends all these greetings? Women, of course, with 85% of the purchases made by them.

As I was scanning away at the hundreds of cards at WalMart this week, I began to formulate a card in my brain. There were funny cards, mushy cards, and just pretty designs that were in layers, with photographs and glitter. As I was picking up graphic ideas to put together my annual cards, I thought of a card to send to my brothers and sisters, and a few friends, that describes me, but turns the tables on the reader. I will close with the card, and with the note that I DO love the three things mentioned on the cover.

(cover - Red card stock with the individual words below written in a beautiful script and placed on a separate heart, possibly a doily)

My three favorite things:

You
Love
Food

(inside)
That doesn't sound right does it?

Happy Valentine's Day!





Saturday, January 26, 2013

Analogies?

One writing technique that I enjoy and can fully appreciate is the use of analogies. I would prefer to be more fluent in this skill, and I understand that in order to become better at any aspiration, one must practice and use that trait, and often. Since I recently picked up a book by a new favorite author, Erica Bauermeister, and her words almost flow from one analogy to the next like bites out of a delicious chocolate bar, I've decided to approach different topics, food, personal descriptions and items using this manner.

Right now, I am as tired as a 50 year old palm tree, after being beaten by the winds and saltwater, season after season, with an aching trunk and withered leaves. I realize that I've already fallen in my weekly postings, not finding the time last week to post, and indeed, I am ready to go to bed now. My goal here is to write five analogies, taken from the items on my desk and around me.

The melted ice cubes in the drink looked like lava rocks, broken away from the side of a mountain, and sitting in a stream.

The flashing lights of the d-link cable system flickered as those on a police cruiser pulling over a speeding car.

The smells emanating from the nearby trashcan gave off the odors of a recently prepared soup - garlic, onion, chicken renderings and salt.

The coolness in the air of the office felt like the refrigerated section at the grocery store.

The pistachio nuts were perfectly crunchy and fresh, like a tortilla chip on the outside and firm butter on the inside.

My reference to analogies, however, may  be incorrect, and I am merely making similes. My 8th grade daughter informed me that analogies are word references and do not use the inference of "like." Analogy example for her:  green is to grass as blue is to the sky. Without much research, I can see her point, yet I will have to pursue it further to describe my word play completely and accurately.

I have a wariness of the teachers at her school who insist on placing the punctuation outside  the quotation marks, whereas I learned in journalism studies that it always goes inside the quotes. Regardless, I have titled my topic as Analogies until I find out otherwise.





Monday, January 14, 2013

The Rewards of Reading

Today I went to Barnes and Noble because for budgeting or other unlikely reason the Bee Cave library is closed on Mondays  (probably so they don't have to have many full time employees to offer benefits to). I had just connected to an author via email, Erica Bauermeister, who is having a new book signing party in Seattle next week. I will be in Seattle also, but alas, will be leaving two days before the event. I reserved one of her books, published in 2009, at the Marble Falls library for pick up on Tuesday when I go there for my job with Symphony (sounds like a more glamorous job than it really is).

Having already parked the very un-obvious choice of automobile for me, a huge white van - the white whale - with Aeroflor Coating Services and a logo that is an airplane prop with wings emblazoned on the side, I remembered the Monday library closing. I decided to walk across the street and browse B+N and view the book reserved in Marble Falls. I asked about the organization of books by author, not knowing if it is ordered as a library is, as I normally Never purchase books unless my child needs it for school reading. I do like to shop here for 50% off all pocket calendars each year though, and this location has a Starbucks that we like to visit when shopping, and my daughters use at least 25% of their B+N gift cards from their grandaddy there.

Back to the book I reviewed - it was awesome and spoke directly to my soul! If anyone else is a Bauermeister fan you will understand when I say that I ate it up! The School of Essential Ingredients is the title, and it details the life a restaurant owner who holds a once-a-month cooking lesson and her students' interactions. But what Erica brings to the table is an incredibly detailed description of food - at least in the first 20 pages or so. I could smell the garlic and chicken fat, and inhale the cinnamon-orange-chocolate coffee. I could taste her first batch of mashed potatoes and see Mexican tamales she tried for the first time. Her analogies were incredible and I can't wait to get the book at the library tomorrow! At the same time, I will recommend to that library and to the other two that I frequent that they order her new book and previous ones as well. If you are a sensory reader - feeling what the characters feel with their senses - you will truly enjoy this book.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Thank You Notes

I was raised to write thank you notes for all sorts of gifts and graciousness while growing up. A note to the grandparents, aunts and uncles for Christmas gifts, to friends and family for birthday, graduation and eventually wedding gifts; and in my professional life to those who offered money to my causes or acts of kindness that I was able to use in my professional career.

After writing these notes for probably over 40 years, I have grown tired of this task. It could be that I have so many creative ideas to encompass and then I have to consider that I don't have the time to implement them that it distresses me. I also have a handwriting disability and don't care to write without a keyboard very much. Also, maybe now that it costs almost 50 cents to mail a thank you, couldn't I just send a text or email thank you instead? Another inhibitor is just the general boring nature of the thank you note, "Dear family member, Thank you so much for the blah-blah. I've enjoyed it so much and can't wait to enjoy it again. I will treasure it forever. Thank you again. Love, Alecia." What else is there to say besides making up some far-out way that I will enjoy it? I try to intersperse a bit of personality/drama/lifestyle into the note to hopefully make it better reading, but "dull" is just the way I would describe it.

But then, there's the plus side to the thank you note. The receiving of it. Snail mail has become so passe in the past ten years or so that it has become much more exciting to receive a piece of personal mail than it was in the past. Just reading a hand-written note makes it all worthwhile to the recipient, and that's why I still begrudgingly write thank you note after every Christmas, birthday or other special gift is received, and encourage my children to do the same. The benefit is definitely worth the effort. Got to go write them for 2012 Christmas gifts right now.

Friday, January 4, 2013

Happy New Writing Year!

A new year means a chance to change the date at the end when writing a check or a letter, the end of the government's tracking of the dollars you earned that year and in reality, that's about it. But we make such a fuss of it, people making resolutions about what to change in the new year, with little change actually occurring. Go on a strict diet, exercise more, be a nicer person and clean out the garage are a few common items. I heard on the radio the other day (which may be as close to fiction as the internet) that 50% of new year's resolutions are broken by the first week according to a random survey. My solution to that problem is to not make any resolutions until after the first week.

To make resolutions on January 1st is not the greatest of ideas because you may have eaten and drank too much the night before and not have had enough sleep. Planning to change when you are feeling guilty for a particular activity is not wise, especially when you have a few leftover treats in the refrigerator and pantry, and you can get pounds of candy for half price or less at Target and Wal-Mart. To make resolutions in the month of December can be challenging as well, for you are preparing for the holidays and again, possibly eating and drinking too much, spending a lot of money, and not getting enough rest. Once Christmas is past and the decorations are put away, with not much on the calendar except for baking Valentine's Day cookies, that's a good time to look at the past year and resolve to improve in the new one.

I'm not going to share all of my New Year's Resolutions but will tell any reader the one resolution that I hope to fulfill, and that is to write at least 50 posts in 2013. The other items that I will write out and resolve to do (while watching the Cotton Bowl with the Aggies playing tonight) will include better communication, more efforts to support my community and a usual eat and live healthy mandate. Happy New Year!