Alice I Have Been

Weekly Goal: Exercise 30 minutes 2x
Sitrep: 20 minute training walk w/Leia

Had a nice weekend. Got to talk with my oldest niece for the second week in a row. I always like that; don't know why I don't call more often. :) I feel bad I got her birthday present to her too late. And just in time for her cell phone to break, making the present moot...Ah well.

Read a good book this weekend. "Alice I Have Been" by Melanie Benjamin. I saw it at the bookstore, and was pleasantly surprised to see it at our library. Picked it up Friday after work and finished it by Saturday evening. When I finished it, I thought to myself "I need to read that again." It was a moving book.

The story is a fictionalized account of the real-life girl that inspired the Lewis Carroll "Alice" books. I usually don't like this type, prefering biographies. But I thought it was a totally fictional book until I got to the afterword. There really was an "Alice" that inspired Carroll. Benjamin took the few known facts of the real Alice's life and spun a pretty good tale. The writing was great, kept me enthralled. It flowed really well. Dare I say it was almost poetic? And the parts of the story that were from the seven and then ten and eleven year old's point of view were crafted nicely. It read like the voice of a child at that age. Thinking, actions, etc.

Note: There are some parts that, while merely alluded too, can be very disturbing. Especially, I would think, to parents.

Overall, I recommend this book. Extremely well written for her first time in historical fiction. I give it an A. I'm planning to look for the contemporary fiction she wrote under another name.

Don't Tread On Me

Goal: Exercise 2x (30 min each)
Sitrep: Sun - 30 min swimming, Tues - 40 min treadmill, 20 min abs/thighs. Thurs - 30 min treadmill.

While a great slogan from the revolutionary war, "Don't Tread On Me" was the perfect motto for me last night at the gym.

There's a rule at my gym that you sign up for the treadmills and cross trainers, and limit yourself to 30 minutes, during the busiest times of the day. Well, 7pm at my gym is not the busy time. There's usually a handful of people working out. If that.

Last night I was about fifteen minutes into my planned 30, and I noticed this couple come upstairs. I paid them no mind. Until about five minutes had passed and I realized the guy was standing nearby staring at me. Then he walked up to me. So I took off one of my ear pieces. He asked if I was almost through. I said no, I was doing 30 minutes and had 10 more to go. He then said he had that treadmill reserved for 7:30pm. Well, I hadn't signed up when I got there, because there was nobody using any of the treadmills. Now there were 2 others in use. But there were 5 free treadmills. I looked around to be sure, and then said to the guy that there were five others free. He just looked at me like I was nuts. And said "This one is faster." Excuse me? There were three other treadmills the exact same model not being used. I just said I would be done in a few minutes, and put my headphones back on.

After a minute, he walked away and got on one of the bicycles. Five minutes after that he was back, wanting to know how much longer I was going to be. Becaue he had that treadmill reserved. Now, if there were no other treadmills available, I would have gotten off at 7:30pm. Granted, if it had been that busy I would have signed up on the log to start with. But seriously. I told him I just had 2 minutes left and I'd be done. He then said I could finish on one of the other treadmills. To which I replied he could start on one of the other treadmills. Then I repeated I'd be done in 2 minutes, and went back to listening to my iPod. He walked off and then stood there staring at me. He walked back and stood there for the last 30 seconds of my workout. Wouldn't even let me wipe down the machine when I was through. What an idiot. The whole time I was watching my heart rate keep climbing and climbing...

Anyway. Totally spoiled the good vibe I usually have after working out. Jerk. Little Sis picked up on that fact when we were in the locker room changing to leave. I told her what happened and this other lady that had come in as we were talking spoke up and said he never would have done that to a man. Which is probably true. She told me she was glad I'd stood up to the guy. Anyway. Little Sis and I had a good laugh over it. Even her mom thought it was funny. Said he sounds like her clients (she manages a group home for developmentally disabled adults!) who can't handle change. Have to sit in same chair, etc., or they freak out. But this guy seriously didn't know what to do when I wouldn't get off that particular treadmill. His girlfriend, on the other hand, had hopped onto one of the other treadmills as soon as she got there. [rolling my eyes].

Moral of the story: don't interrupt my time on the treadmill if there are other treadmills free!

Finally Cool

Weekly goal: exercise 2x (30 min each)
Sitrep: 1x Gym (40 min treadmill, 20 min Abs/Thighs); 1x Gym (30 min swimming)

I got my fancy new iP.od last week. I've never been a fan of touch screens. Until now. The Bla.ck.berr.y my boss has sucks, big time. I never could get it to work. Very frustrating. But this. This is a work of art.

Little Sis approves whole-heartedly. The first time she played with it, we were on the way to the gym. She was flipping through the menus, etc, and she made this sound I have never heard her make before. You know the feeling. The one where you've just discovered something so cool, so unexpected, so wonderful, so unusual, so indescribable, the wonder escapes in sound.

Kinda reminded me of that xmas several years ago when my brother was playing a new game on the W.i.i, one of those first-person shooters, and discovered he could switch weapons. He was so thrilled I thought he might pee himself. [g] (Sorry if I'm sharing too much, bro!)

But that noise my little sis made. Ahh, yes. I am definitely sitting with the "cool" people. ;) Especially when I pointed out to her that she can earn enough to buy one of these gadgets with 4 baby-sitting jobs. (She watches several kids on Saturdays, all day, out at the fair-grounds during some roping classes for the parents).

Yawn.

Weekly Goal: Exercise 2x (30 mins each)
Sitrep:  Sun - Swimming (30 min, treading water mostly)
            Tues - Treadmill (40 min, 2 mi), Abs & Inner/Outer thighs (20 mins)

I'm exhausted today. Partly the workout, partly the weather, mostly Max. Just about every night he sneaks up onto my pillow. Normally I don't realize it until the alarm goes off in the morning. Except for the nights he and Leia decide they both want my pillow, and the "silent battle" forces me off the pillow - and awake. And yes, I put an extra pillow on the bed. They don't want that one. It has to be the one my head is currently on.]

Unfortunately for Max (and me), he is wearing the "cone of shame" for the next two weeks. So when he tries to sneak onto my pillow, that darn cone smacks into me and wakes me up. Fun. I tried getting the inflatable donut collar. Yeah, that didn't work too well. He needs a small, which they didn't have in stock. The medium is actually the perfect width to keep him from his back legs, but it's super heavy. And awkward for him to lay down in. Too much "pillow" under his chin. So. Back it goes. The small will most likely be too narrow to keep him from the back legs. Which many reviewers of the product pointed out, which is why I went with medium. Oh well. The plastic cone from the vet it is.

Max is doing well. He pulled out one staple right before the bandages came off. Vet put that back in. He walks funnier now than before, because he doesn't know to bend his knees. So having the knee caps staying in place is causing him to walk stiff-legged. And side-ways. (But that last might be the cone around his head. Hard to see through.) No physical therapy for two weeks. Staples come out Thursday next week. He looks pretty funny. My scrawny-chicken-legged-naked-butt dog. ;) I definitely need to get some pics.

Too Far?

Last Week's Exercise Report: 1x Perfect Cardio (warmup, abs), 1x Treadmill (60 mins, 4 running - ok. Running for me. And not all 4 minutes together.)

It was bad enough when they came out with a report recently that exercising might not do anything...for a select few because of genetics. (Gotta read that fine print. But that's not what they led with, and probably not what everyone heard. I had to go looking for the details.)

Then it was you can be obese at your natural weight.

Now it's babies at 3 or 4 months old. Really. Really?

How insane is this? I knew as a culture we were totally obsessed with body image and weight. But seriously. I was skinny my entire life. All the way to college. My issues with weight didn't start until second/third year of college. And even that wasn't too bad. It got worse when I returned from the Peace Corps and had access to all this food I didn't for two years. The readjustment period sparked self-esteem and body image issues that I'd already had. But we ate well growing up. I was active, so to speak, until junior high. Until playing tag and riding bikes, etc, became a not-cool thing to do. Actually, until I learned to drive.

Most doctors would now classify me as obese. Not morbidly (like the images we see on tv when discussing this.) But obese. I'm 40 pounds heavier than I think I should be. Sixty heavier than the docs prefer. (I've been that weight and looked like crap.) I think our views of what is healthy are seriously skewed. But it was my lifestyle and mentality and personality as an adult on my own that caused my weight issues. Not what my parents fed me at 3 months. Sheesh.

Yes, being overweight and obese is an issue. But looking at chubby 3 and 4 month old babies and thinking "obese" is insane.

Why don't we just try making our lifestyles as a whole for all ages healthier? Try making eating green, fresh, more affordable. Because seriously. I've tried eating healthy. Buying from the health food store or even shopping only the "perimeter" of the grocery store (ie, where the freshest foods are) is too expensive. It doubles my food budget. And I make a pretty decent living for where I work. Not poor, but I'm not middle class, either. And then there is the factor of time. I'm single with no kids. And it's still time-consuming to eat this way; to always be preparing meals. Doable, though, if the money was there.

What about nobody knowing how to cook anymore? How many people actually, honest-to-goodness, could do the kind of shopping and cooking needed to eat "healthy"? Not very many, I don't think. I grew up eating fairly decently. Although I've never like veggies. Well, not since I was a toddler. Up until then my mom says I ate anything. Learned to cook early on. But my recipes are limited.

But who has the money or time to take cooking classes? Not very many of us. I think these are some valuable life skills we just don't have anymore. Why not teach this in school? Make nutrition part of English, Math, Science curriculums, through all the grades. Link it all together. Make it easy. Make it part of every day life. Make it so natural it's like breathing.

How about dealing with those food packaging issues? You know, like realistic portion sizes and understandable labels. Although if we can tie in food and what it's made of into school, we'd know what those ingredients are. Or be able to figure it out. We'd realize that ingredients ending in "ose" just might be sugar. We'd get the fact that high fructose corn syrup might be okay in moderation, but we can't get it in moderation because it's in everything!!!!! Even bread. Has anyone ever taken a look at the ingredient list for, oh, say, yogurt? Supposedly healthy. Yeah, right. What about all those juices that are "better" than soda. Absolutely ridiculous.

And there's hardly any Phys Ed in school any more. No time, no money. Not that I was a fan of Phys Ed growing up. I suck at all sports. No exaggeration. I so dreaded those classes. It's hard to come up with free activities to keep moving and healthy. Especially in winter. I try with my little sister. It costs money. Everything costs money. It's hard when you don't have any, which is where I see her family at. Granted, they can do alot better with what they have. But who ever taught them? No one. They are clueless about food, money, budgets. The parents too. The kids, not so much now due to my lecturing. The 22 year old is very overweight and bounces from fad diet to fad diet. The 19 year old has decided to become a vegetarian, and thinks all she has to do is just eat veggies.

It's a struggle for my 14 yr old Little because in spite of the fact that she has some phys ed at school, and we are back to rock-climbing 2x week, her mom still does fast food for most dinners (cheap & easy). Even when they cook at home, it's not low cal, low fat by any means. Because the lean, healthy foods cost twice as much.

Frankly, it isn't going away. We have a mobile, fast-paced, instant-gratification, think now not later mentality. And I don't see how that will really change. Not until enough of us have died. Really. We don't change easily.

But starting to look at babies that young and think in terms of obesity...I can see how we're going to have a generation of kids with self-esteem issues tied to body image and weight by the time they're in kindergarten. Not to mention the health issues from being underfed, undernourished. Too many parents don't know how to eat healthy for themselves, much less for their young kids. Give me a break. This is why we have this problem to begin with in my opinion!

"Mighty" Max Surgery Update

Weekly goal: exercise 2x
Status: 1x Perfect Cardio - warm up & abs

Max went in for his knee surgery today. He is out of surgery and doing well. Dr. T says the knees had definitely gotten worse since I first brought him in in November. The knee caps wouldn't stay in place at all. Which I was suspecting. That's why I moved up the surgery date. Poor little Max. No wonder he would refuse to walk during obedience training.

So they had to do more during the operation than planned. I was half expecting that from some of the research I've done on Luxating Patella. In addition to the Trochleoplasty, Dr T performed a Tibial Crest Transposition (see 3rd set of pictures here http://www.vetsurgerycentral.com/patella.htm):

...The groove at the base of the femur may be surgically deepened to better contain the knee cap. This procedure is known as a trochlear modification [or Trochleoplasty]...The bony protuberance at the site of the attachment of the quadriceps tendon on the tibia may be cut off and then re-attached in a more lateral position. This is termed a tibial crest transposition. (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1569&aid=457)

I'm relieved he's doing well. Bummed he has to stay overnight at the vet. I get to pick him up tomorrow morning at 11:30. The vet will explain everything needed then as far as what Max can and can't do. They didn't do post-op x-rays today because Max' body temp was getting too low from the anesthesia. They're going to do those in the morning before I come pick him up.

I wonder how Leia is going to do tonight without Max. She's been alone for the day before, but I've always come back with Max. Wonder how she's going to act? Hopefully better than Tuesday (with Max in the house!). She finished off a bag of dog treats and nibbled on the corner of a paperback book I just bought. I hope Max was able to get a few of the treats...Ahhh, the joys of puppyhood!

Monday Morning

Oh boy, it's only 10:30 am and I'm ready for bed. Did not sleep well last night. Woke up about 3 or 4 am singing "John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith". I so do not want to know what I was dreaming about. Went back to a fitful sleep where I dreamed a combo of "Emma" (watched last hour on PBS before bed) and a hurricane and a crime show. Holy smokes. So should not have had that ice cream last night. :(

Have a board meeting this afternoon. It's via conference call, which I hate because I have a hard time hearing and making out voices. Makes it difficult to take proper notes. Although maybe I can get our new secretary/treasurer to do this. Last one wouldn't....I'm nervous about it because while we did okay overall, we did lose money on a few classes. I've stream-lined the classes we were losing money on, but we're packing so many new things into the schedule (at the demand of the boss) I'm worried about the impact on attendance. It's a tough economy, agencies are being stricter on what they'll pay for, and so on. There're also a few areas I just can't seem to make progress on and it's frustrating. But overall I think the meeting should be positive.

Max goes in for surgery on Thursday. Trochlear Modification is what he's having done:

The patella rides in a groove at the bottom of the femur (thigh bone). In toy breed dogs this groove is shallow, which allows the patella to slip. If the groove is deepened, the patella stays where it belongs. The normal groove in the femur is lined by slippery lubricated cartilage, called hyaline cartilage. This cartilage is peeled or cut away, the bone underneath is sliced out to form a deeper groove, and the cartilage is replaced. Techniques that do not preserve the original cartilage are no longer recommended. (http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=2448)

The quoted cost is about $1200 total for having both legs done at same time. It includes the surgery & miscellaneous stuff surgeries require, pre- post- surgery x-rays, follow up/recheck visit, rehab evaluation and visit, post-op meds, stitches removal, etc. Not too bad.

I moved the surgery up after talking to the doc, because Max seems to be having more weakness in the hind legs. I've removed the box spring and frame from my bed, and now sleep on a mattress on the floor. Less stress on his legs. He's fast, and just so darn hard to keep from jumping on/off things. He's also walking a bit more bow-legged to my eyes. So I talked to the vet. I'll just have to be very careful to keep his bandages and the incision as dry as possible. (Easier said than done...still have 6+ inches of snow on the ground, more in forecast!) Rehab exercises can be done indoors as he is so small.

Of course, this means he won't get to finish obedience training. But we've made it to the halfway point (this week), and I'll finish with Leia so at least I can continue his training on my own later.

Leia is doing great with training. We walked to the post office on Saturday and she did fabulous heeling and ignored some big barking dogs that we passed. Ones that used to make her refuse to walk further. She does "sit" and "down" like a pro. We're still working on her understanding of "stand". And she doesn't like to have me stand too close to her. It's hard to get her to sit right next to my leg and look forward. She wants to sit angled so she can keep an eye on me. We're working on that...

Leaving On A Jet Plane, 2010 Style

Whoo-hoo! Booked my ticket this morning to go visit my sis in March. Only going to be able to go for just over a week. (Due to some changes in how we accrue sick/vacation time at work. Will now be getting half what I got before. Which bites.)

But I'm excited. Haven't seen my sis since last June, and haven't seen my new niece in person ever. :) Of course, this means I won't be able to do a trip home this summer, but...

Not too much else going on. Little sis and her cousin stayed with me last night; which means I was responsible for getting them to school this morning. I forgot her cousin is at the high school, while little sis is in her last year at the middle school. Luckily the schools aren't too far apart. Although Cousin A was a little offended I thought she went to middle school. [rolling my eyes] When I turned on to the road to the high school and asked if it was an okay spot to drop her off (really, they can be so particular!!!) she sniffed and said "Just don't drop me off at the daycare." [g] (There's one across the street).

And of course, little sis forgot to tell me until the last minute she wasn't being dropped off at her school today. She needed to go to a different location for her gifted/talented program. Special presentation today, and there's a dinner tonight I get to go to. Yippeee. Good thing I prefer to be early, as I got the two of them to school and myself to work only 4 minutes late. ;)

I just want to know how I, the parentless one, got all these school responsibilities?

"Turkeys Voting For Christmas"

Interesting article with some fun lines about why people "vote against their own interest". I have to admit, it's something that has often puzzled me. And makes some (preliminary) sense on why facts seemed to get lost in the furor last summer.

Best line in the article:

"It's like a French Revolution in reverse in which the workers come pouring down the street screaming more power to the aristocracy." Thomas Frank (http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8474611.stm)

And it gave me a few more books to add to my library list. ;)

Positive News Day

As hard as it is to believe, it's a positive news day. At least, from my perspective.

Heard on NPR this morning that the US is changing our policy on family planning abroad. I know Ob.am.a moved on this last year, but it's nice to have H. Clin.ton reinforcing it through the state department. Yay! I'm not talking about ab.or.t.ion here. I'm talking about birth control, HIV education, the ability to work with organizations that do provide abo.rt.ion resources. And yes, even abstinence. Allowing US funds to go to organizations working with others already on the ground that provide abo.rt.ion services isn't harmful. It allows people to coordinate resources better, educate better. Be more effective.

Frankly, in countries as poor as Africa (an example) I think birth control needs to be an option. Women need to be educated, have it made accessible. Although there are a whole host of logistical problems with taking daily BC pills, or monthly, it needs to be an option. It can only enable women to gain better health, have healthier children, and become more active in their communities.  Especially when you consider that with immunizations, etc, more children are living longer. I know, it's harsh of me, but seriously. In poor lands, how can we justify consigning these women to having more and more children when there are ways they can choose for themselves to change this? By all means, let's have tons of children, keep them alive and "healthy" and living in a poor country with inadequate food or water or education or work or....

I'm all for the ABCs (abstinence/birth control/condoms) to be taught. I'm also a believer that they should have access to abor.t.ions and make their own choices...but that's a whole different post.

Second bit of good news is the move to eliminate "Don't Ask Don't Tell". About darn time! There's a good article on the BBC today about what happened when the UK was forced by the EU to change their rules. Guess what? The doomsday predictions didn't happen. ;) Go figure.

Giggles

Exercise report for last week: 60 minutes @ the gym. Only 1x, but at least it was 60 minutes!
Goal for this week: Exercise 2x, at least 30 minutes each time.

So my horoscope made me giggle this morning:

Your actions may be touched by a very fanciful frame of mind today, dear Aries. Be careful about indulging in recreational substances that take you out of reality for a while. Your tendency will be to want to escape into the cosmos, but sooner or later, you will have to come down. Deal with your issues now before you become even more clouded than you were before. Take action with a clear and sober mind.

Fanciful frame of mind; I can do that. It's what won me the i.P.od To.uch. But the recreational substances is a hoot. Unless you can count Suda.fed and migraine meds...because I "indulged" in spaghetti w/tomato sauce this weekend and ended up with a mirgraine yesterday. Alas. It's a travesty for tomato to be linked with migraines. It's just not right.

Anyway. I don't need recreational substances to take me out of reality. Day-dreaming has always been easy for me. And a good book transports me "into the cosmos" better than anything. Good thing Nalini Singh has a new book coming out tomorrow. Second in the archangels series. [g]

It's nice to start off the day like today: phone call with my sis last night has me planning a visit for March, new pics of my youngest nieces in my email first thing, it's 9:30 am and I've crossed several items off my work to-do list, and now a laugh from my horoscope. A fine beginning to a fine week. :)

Today it should be "Cranky"

Oh, how quickly the changes come! Actually, I'm not really that cranky. Just a little motivated when talking to my boss first thing this morning. Poor man. Went to get my taxes done last night. For the second year in a row, my W-2 is incorrect. Ackkk. Last year was minor; this year the problem is enough that we had to stop doing my taxes.

We entered everything in, and were reviewing the figures when my tax guy said to me "Is there some reason your Federal wages are more than your state wages?" Ummm, I don't know. That's why I go to him. I don't understand most of the tax rules, etc. "And why are the Federal wages more than the Social Security wages? They should be the same, or the Federal should be less if I have pre-tax deductions...."

Oh, bother (as Eyeore would say). So we couldn't file last night. With the corrected figures I owe $100 less than with the wrong figures. And my state refund more than covers it, so no money out of my pocket.

And I'm miffed - again - at all the witholding table manipulations. I never seem to see huge increases or decreases in my pay check, but if they hadn't implemented the $400 making work pay tax credit, I'd've owed another $400. WTF? And that's with having enough medical expenses to just exceed the 7.5% of adjusted gross income. So there was a few hundred more I could itemize this year. My pay didn't increase that much this year.

I have my withholding set so I don't get huge returns, but this is ridiculous. They don't really cut taxes; just manipulate things so we get more in our paychecks, but then owe more at the end of the year. That tax credit is only good for 2009 & 2010. So after that I'm owing at least that much at the end of the year (if not more because I won't have medical expenses to itemize). I wonder how many people out there are going to get screwed? It kind of forces you to have the maximum taken out so they get free loans. Argghhh. It's too damn complicated.

How am I supposed to keep up and understand these changes throughout the year so I can make sure my withholdings are correct? What happens when the Bush tax cuts expire? (Not that that showed up in my paycheck as extra money then - it didn't - but what do you want to bet it does when it expires and they take more taxes?)

I was cranky enough last night I didn't watch the State of the Union. I'll watch it online at some later time. I just need to keep focusing on my new iPod. And figure out what to get with that Amaz.on gift card. Oh, the choices!!!

Change my name to "Lucky"

Exercise Goal Status: 60 mins @ Gym = 1.14 miles on treadmill, 1 mile walking the track

I did win an iP.od. Actually, I won an 8GB i.P.od Touch. Whoo-hoo. And I got a compliment.

They said they picked my essay comment because it was "insightful and witty" and that they "loved" my opening line. (This was an IT professionals survey about my company's top business and technology concerns for the next twelve to twenty-four months. I'd made some crack about my ability to perform miracles being a concern. You know how it goes - do more with less, etc.)

I also received a $50 Am.a.z.on gift card yesterday for doing a live demo of a product I was already interested in demo-ing for work.

Double Whoo-hoo. I must have done something really, really good. Or I'm dreaming. Nobody pinch me. I don't want to wake up.

Weirdness Factor

Goal Report for Last Week: Helped move two bedrooms (teenage girl bedrooms - oh, the clothes - the furniture - the stuff!!!); dog training - heeling.

Today is going to be some kind of day, I think. Some moron called me at 1am for a prank/crank call. Did I mention he's a moron? Wish I'd been awake enough to give a more pithy reply than hanging up. But I never did think well on my feet. The moron couldn't even say my name correctly. Was my first clue it wasn't someone I knew, but it's also why I stayed on the phone longer than a minute. One a.m. phone calls aren't usually good news, so I thought it might be a cop or some other official, ya know?  Anyway. Once I'm jarred out of a sound sleep like that, it takes ages to get back to sleep. :( And the dogs were awakened and decided since I was up, it must be breakfast & outside time. [snort] Last time I checked the clock it was 2am.

I would have gotten coffee on the way to work, but it's the anniversary of a coworker (3 years here for her). They usually treat us to coffee. Only my coworker wants bagels instead since she stopped for coffee on the way in. Same with the other person in the office today. Not normal for this place; we're coffee fiends. So we're getting bagels instead. Not bad, but I really wanted coffee. :( Guess I'll have to settle for store brand brew in the coffee pot.

Oh, and I may (or may not) have won an iPod. Not sure what kind; probably a shuffle. But I might not be the one that won it. The winners were announced in a professinoal newsletter I get, and it's my first initial & last name exactly as I used them for this particular site. What are the odds there's someone else out of 600 entries with my first initial and last name and they used exactly that for the entry? I haven't received an email confirmation yet. 

It's just starting out as a weird day today.

Beeing Me

I guess I’m having a hard time being positive today. Although I’m sure if you look back at my entries that’s not a new trend. Sometimes I feel like I’m excessively negative/down. Oh well.

The last eight days have been rough. Bad dreams/nightmares every night. Hard to get away from the Haiti earthquake, politics, and so on. Dreamt last night I was turned into a bee (trying to hide from someone or some group that was chasing me), then stung someone and was dying. But we (?) pulled the stinger out of the hand of the person I stung. It turned into some kind of tiny rock (looked like lava hardened in the ocean - ever seen that??) that was really my heart, and we went racing off to find the magician/wizard who turned me back into a person. Bee-zarre. (groan)

Most of my current angst has to do (you guessed it) with politics. I'm just so incredibly frustrated with the politics in this country. I know (and how!) that it can be – and often is – much worse in other countries. It’s just that I live here and what I see happening just drives me batty.

I’ve tried not to be too negative about the Republicans, because not everyone in my life believes as I do. But for Pete’s Sake. The past year has just seemed to me to be more of a churlish second-grade playground loser attitude of “I’m just going to make your life difficult” because I don’t like you. I hate to use the phrase, but “the party of no” seems to fit. From my perspective, if feels like the Reps in congress are obstructionist and blocking anything from moving forward just because they lost the election and don’t like not having control. Even the things experts for both sides agree on.

It’s petty, pandering to a select few, short-term personally motivated, and party thinking that’s just screwing us up over and over again.

Yes, the Dems are messing up. Maybe the prez should have been more forceful to start with. But considering he ran on the message of ending Dems Vs Reps, how could he do otherwise? The miscalculation was in thinking the other party would be grown-ups and come to the table.

The Dems aren’t perfect, I don’t agree with them 100%, but at least they are trying to do something. The Reps had eight years under Bush to address health care (including 6 with control of Congress). Yet they didn’t . And they blocked it under Clinton. I’m not saying that his was a good or bad plan. Just pointing out that when it comes to health care reform over the last 17 years they’ve shown no initiative other than to say “no”. They’ve had control of both houses of Congress from 1994-2006 (with the exception of the Senate 2001-2002), and the White House from 2001-2008.

When is it time to say enough is enough? To accept that not everything has a business free-market solution to it? Because free-market does not equal equality or fair access. Access to basic and preventative health care should not be based on income or luck of birth. It should not be a commodity with profitability as a factor.

I know; drastic words from someone with an economics degree and normally libertarian leanings. And it’s not like I’d be all that thrilled with our government running a program. But frankly, that has more to do with the way our society thinks/acts as a whole when it comes to money. We’ve been living on this spend more than we have mentality for decades and decades. It’s been a big driver of our economy, consumer spending. But we can only spend so much.

Anyway. I’d better stop this rant now before a blood vessel bursts in my head.

Geek Day

No surprise I've been reading up on techonology gadgets, what with the Consumer Electronics Show last week.

I have to admit I really want one of those tablet PCs. (They're calling them "slates" now.) Actually, I want a full-scale (not a netbook) laptop with tablet capabilities. I'd already have one if only they'd come out (in my price range) a little earlier. By the time I could afford one, I'd already replaced my desktop with my current laptop. And now it's at the point I hate getting on the computer at home because the thing is so darn slow it's painful.

But I digress. As usual. Besides the coolness factor of a laptop screen that rotates and closes with the screen facing out, I love the ability to "write" on the screen. It must be even better now with the new touch-screen technologies. I've been wanting to start keeping a journal again for a long time now. The drawback for me has been not wanting to have volumes of paper around. I already have a ton from when I started journaling at age twelve all the way through my Peace Corps years after college. They're hard to read as the ink is fading, etc.

I've tried keeping a journal on the computer, but don't get the same satisfaction as I do from the feeling of moving my hand with that pen across a clean page. I realized that when I wrote several letters a few months back. Yes, real letters with pen and paper that went through the postal service (gasp).

Anyway. My next laptop is going to have to do alot of things. Along with the Tablet function, I really want it to be a hard core media center. I've got to figure out how to work that one into the budget. ;) But I've already been pricing them. Maybe I should do a two-fer. A media center PC and a netbook slate/tablet. Small enough I can carry with me for reading ebooks? Some of the ones at CES looked pretty small. Hmmm. Now there's a dangerous thought...

Back Door Tax Increase?

So I got my first paycheck of the year and it's about $4.00 less than it should be. I know, I know, $4 isn't alot. Totals about $96.00 over the year. But that's $96.00 I had plans for...I'm a serious budgeter, and have every penny I earn allocated. It's the only way I can keep a handle on debt, saving for retirement, and saving a "rainy day" fund.

Apparently there's been a big change in the 2010 Witholding Tables. Changes across the board. Not a nice litte surprise this morning. From what I've been reading, I've been affected the least. It appears some people will be affected to the tune of several hundred dollars a month. Yikes. I feel for them.

I'm now bringing home less than I was before my most recent miniscule pay raise, although I'm in the same tax bracket.

It would have been nice of our CPA to let us know this prior to January 1. Like when I was in her office in late December going over the impact to my bottom line with various changes to my Flex plan witholding eff Jan 2010. She acts like it's out of her control; how is she supposed to know? Frankly, it's on the IRS website. She should know this, and I think she should tell us this. She should have been using the updated tables when calculating for 2010.
The group of us were talking, and I mentioned how it's frustrating & it just would have been nice to know (not meaning from her, from the media, from the pols) so I could adjust my flex/budget accordingly and not be surprised, she snarled "I'll give you four dollars". What a bitch. Not all of us make her near 6 figures, and not all of us have investment banker sons that pay our mortgage and finance all our home remodels and any other whim of ours. I should have said "Great, thanks, that's $96 for the year." Wonder what she would have said then?

Anyway. It isn't her fault. It's the government. And I truly don't mind so much paying more taxes. It's just something we're going to have to do. I just want to know before hand so I can plan! I hate surprises!

On a good note, I won another contest! 3rd place in a Teleflora contest. I won a baking cookbook. Whoo-hoo. That's three wins now. Wonder if that's the end of it? Maybe I should go buy a lottery ticket...

Bits & Pieces

Goal Status: 1x Exercise (30 mins - NYC Ballet Workout 1, excercises 1-5)

My mind is jumping around like it's the star in a game of hot potato. The last two nights my dreams have been filled with natural disasters. (Thank you news media for endless coverage of the Haiti quake). I guess my brain retained enough sensory info from the 8.0 I experienced as a child in the Azores to vividly fill my night time hours.

It's also been a really busy week; the issue with my friends 15 yo relative (she has been removed from her home during CPS investigation & is now living with an aunt) taking center stage, with two nights at dog training class, and Mom having outpatient surgery on her hand, rounding it out.

Mom is doing well at last report.

Max did well at training last night, relaxing enough to take treats from me. He wouldn't do anything that required he leave my side, though. Hopefully that'll get better. By the end of the hour, he was laying on the floor with his head on my shoe, exhausted. Poor fella.

Have a bone to pick with my Dad. He got me addicted to Kell.ogg's Cra.cklin O.at Bra.n cereal. I eat this stuff like it's candy. While it makes a good snack, the way I scarf it down can't be healthy. Thanks, Dad. ;)

Tuesday I tried a new workout. New York City Ballet Workout. I saw it at Has.t.ings and it intrigued me. There are times I just feel like doing pirouettes across the room. Don't ask me why. Sometimes for no reason I'm in a good mood and just feel like doing so. Of course, it having been 25 plus years  since I took ballet lessons, I can't really remember how to do pirouettes. Interesting side note: I was in the Azores when I took ballet. Sheesh. Two reminders of the Azores in a week is a bit odd. Wonder what's up with that?

But I digress. I rented the first DVD through Ne.tfl.ix (best subscription I've ever had!). Watched it through once. Then tried the first 5 excercises. One through three are warm-ups, four is stretches and five is abdominals/leg darts. One of the reviewers on Ama.z.on said there was no cardio; don't know what DVD they did. My heart was beating pretty hard. And that was on the warmups. Guess I'm just too out of shape.

Like any workout, there's a learning curve to getting the sequence of steps right. For me, I just am not coordinated enough to watch and do arms & feet at the same time. So I go through focusing on feet first, and then once I have that down I'll figure out the arms.

I do like it. Especially being able to select from two different sound tracks: Classical or contemporary. Best workout music I've ever heard! Love that classical. Definitely felt my abs right away, and the arms/shoulders. One drawback: audio recording not balanced. Music is as loud if not louder than the narrator giving instructions.

I'm going to keep trying this one, alternating with Perfect Cardio. Should be fun. I'd like to be more graceful, like a ballerina. Maybe I'll even be able to do those pirouettes.

It's Raining Dogs and, well, Dogs

I'm sure you can guess today's post is about dogs! This week begins the 9 week dog-training classes for Leia and Max. Leia went to her first class last night. She did great. A bit overwhelmed at first, but interested in what was around us. Actively looking around. After a few minutes sitting in my lap she stopped trembling, so I put her on the floor by my feet. She moved around, looked at the other dogs. Her tail wasn't completely up, but it wasn't tucked underneath her, either.

As to the actual training, she did great considering! She distracted easily if someone got too close/walked by, or another dog barked. But overall paid attention. Loves the treats, naturally! Since we've already worked on "sit", how to walk on a leash, and she's learned I go through the door first, we were ahead in that respect. Just need some practice. We're also learning "come", "come-sit", and responding to her name.

There were 24 dogs in class (not including her.) At least half of them small dogs.

There was this one dog, very adorable. I had to ask what it was. It's a Biewer Yorkshire Terrier (or Biewer Terrier, depending on who you talk to.)

<------Here's a pic I found online. The cutest dog I think I've ever seen. The one in class is pretty similar, just has a bit longer coat. I was surprised to hear it's bred from a Yorkie...didn't look like one to me.

Anyway. Tomorrow night is Max' night. I'm a bit more nervous about how he'll do.

There Are No Words

Exercise: 45 minutes total  snow shoveling this week over 2 days.

I found out last night that someone I know has a relative being sexually molested by their stepfather. It's not my little or any of her siblings or any of my blood/marriage related family. A friend's 15 year old female relative. Someone I know, but haven't mentioned in this blog.

BEFORE ANYONE FREAKS OUT THE POLICE HAVE BEEN CALLED.

It's not sexual intercourse; not yet. It's not oral sex; not yet. But it's innapropriate touching, and innapropriate speech/attitude. The stepfather admitted to touching her, removing her bra and fondling her breasts. His fifteen year old step-daughter. And he has several daughters of his own almost her age.

A huge family meeting last night with their pastor resulted in the following:

1) The 15 year old was lectured on chastity and flirtatiousness (WTF?)
2) The step-father is accusing her of "tempting" him. (yada yada yada)
2) The 15 year old was supposedly called a "skinny minnie temptress" by her own mother (WTF?)
3) The mother supposedly stated (in an oh-woe-is-me way) that she can't compete with her daughter for her husband's affections (WTF?)
4) The 15 year old girl wasn't allowed to leave the house to go back to the relatives' she's been staying with the last few days (where she finally told what was going on).
5) The counseling session scheduled for the 15 year old has been cancelled (natch - all that mandatory reporting, don't you know!)

He has admitted it. Yet she keeps him in the house. Absolves him of the guilt and responsibility. Why the hell would anyone do that? This is an educated, employed woman. She can take care of her kids on her own. She's only been with this SOB four years or so. And he has admitted it. Does anyone else out there believe he'll stop? That it won't progress? He's basically been given the green light.

Supposedly the mother is going to quit her job (she's on night shift) so the girls won't be left alone with him at night. Yes, that's plural. There's another (younger) step-daughter in the house. And he has primary custody of his daughters. Like her being home is going to remove any chance of anything happening. For Pete's Sake.

My friend is very upset. Furious at how the girl is being treated. And terrified of what will happen next. To the girl, to the family, to his daughters (he has primary custody, fighting for sole - his ex is a drug addicted looney). She's also terrified of what will happen to her. Because the mother of this girl is her own sister. She's terrified her sister won't ever speak to her again. I told her I'd report it. Not a problem. And if they blamed her, I'd fess up and tell them I reported it. I don't care. They can't hurt me.

Well, she called me just a little while ago to let me know that she called the police. God. What a messed up situation. Something is very, very wrong in that house.