That Pesky Mormon Background

Newsweek has a very good article about Mitt Romney and his Mormon Background. It speaks very well about how his handlers are adept at skirting all the tough issues concerning things that the church does and believes. How they have him using vernacular that is not typical to the average Mormon, to make his religion seem more main stream to average folks. As a "recovering Mormon" I can tell you that if it bothers you to have people letting God lead this country, then Mitt Romney is most definitely not the guy anyone wants for president.

He has used phrases like "judeo-Christian" when asked to describe his religious beliefs, but he uses it as a generic term because people would flinch, the average Sunday church goer, if they actually knew how the Mormon style services were run. The bible may be there, but almost ALL of their scripture and speech material comes from their Book of Mormon. They like to say that they believe the bible, but that it has not been translated correctly. Heck, when I was there, about 6-7 years, I hardly remember a time when a bible was used and when it was they took such small and distinct phrases from it just to prove one of their points.

Once you learn anything about the Masons you find out how much of their symbolism the originators of the Mormon church adopted for their temple religious signs and symbols. That they wear clothing and make movements quite like the Masons do. Their leader Joseph Smith was a Mason as were many men back in that time period.

The typical Mormon prays about EVERYTHING and every decision they make and they believe that the answers they get come directly from God. In their churches they promote by prayer. So, I for one do not think that I want a president that would make decisions based upon this reasoning. He might take in all the advise from his staff, but ultimately he is going to pray about it and go with the Lord. They are HUGE believers and practice this religiously. No pun intended!

I do not mind if my leaders have a passing mention of some kind of religious affiliation, but it is when it is THE integral part of their life, the guiding force , that it makes me very wary.

It is good to have a moral basis in your life, to know good from bad and all that, but I am just uncomfortable when someone with such background as Mr. Romney's wants to lead this country. He has had many positions of power within the church and people expect him to keep it up at home as well. He could never back off from his Mormon roots as the higher up leaders would not allow it and would have a talk with him about this. I know first hand as I toiled for years in positions that they gave me and as they piled on more and more they expected more from me and my behavior was always watched.

He may very well be a good person and a nice man....just not one that I would like as president of a country with such diverse religious views and his being the one that is most questionable as to origin and beginning.

Tragedy Really Averted?

This woman is still alive after being trapped in her car for 8 days, but the really tragic part of this story is that she has no health insurance. Like millions of the rest of the population of the U.S., myself included, she had to take a job to acquire the health insurance that they offer. Not only does her family have to worry about her long recovery, but they also have to worry about how these bills will get paid. The same scenario that continues to get played over and over in this country. Many are just one tragedy away from financial ruin. Myself, I get tired of having to work 6 days a week just to keep my health benefits. When will all of our leaders finally wise up and do something that will benefit us all?

Sunday, Chilly Sunday

It sure felt like fall this weekend. The sky was full of fluffy, fat clouds and the air was cool and crisp. For the first time, in many months, I had on jeans and a long sleeved tee shirt. Even had on shoes!! Well, it is September and fall is just lurking around the corner. Against my warnings the teenage son wore flip-flops to a football game on Friday night and came home with very cold toes.

The hubby was home for a very brief visit this weekend and is leaving Monday for a several week jaunt to Chicago. I have family there and am giving some thought to maybe driving up there at some point for a long weekend. Although it has been brief we did have a busy weekend, not much substantial was accomplished, but sometimes you just have to have an all fun-filled time and leave the pressing stuff for a later time. That is exactly what we did.

Friday he flew in and after a few hours at the office he came home and we spent a few hours munching and gabbing at a BW 3's. He has been on a wing kick for many months and has been on a search for the best hot sauce that still has flavor. I am very picky about wings and do not often eat them out. As a matter of fact I am going to be making some during today's football game for our at home enjoyment. I found a wing sauce made by Budweiser and plan to try it out.

Saturday morning I had to sell some coffee and pastries, so he got to hang out at the house with the kid and the dogs all the while with his lap top and piles of receipts spread all about the downstairs while he tried to get his expense reports caught up. I, as usual, came home with a list of evening activities to occupy our Saturday night.

Our younger neighbors were having a party to celebrate his 22nd birthday and invited us over for food, cookout, and beverages. I took a bottle of red wine, sense it was fall like weather, and we went over. Nice kids and had some really colorful friends. We were probably closer in age to his parents, but as usual I am always more funky then most women closer to my age. They had veggies and dips and we made acceptable small talk for a couple of hours and then headed out to another party near our neighborhood.

The guy who does my hair is now in a really cool shop just 2 blocks from our house, so we were able to walk, and not worry about drinking and driving. He had invited us to a party at the shop. It is a really, cool and punk shop called "Skullz". Everyone that works there has hair colored like the rainbow and piercings that are too numerous to count, not to mention an array of tattoos.

We walked down to the shop having been told that nothing was required. What a cool party!! There was tons of food and an equally full bar. A finger food bonanza. Several varieties of hot and spicy Mexican dips and meatballs. Fruit pizza, which I love when someone else goes to all the trouble to get all the fruit and peel and slice, especially kiwi and fresh raspberries. Veggies and cheese trays....just a ton of food. There was a drag queen getting make-up done to head off to a drag show and another young guy getting his bushy, caterpillar eyebrows waxed and shaped for the first time. There was un-top 40 music and little kids cavorting around on those wheelie shoes. We called the son to come down and partake of all the finger goodies too! Not being a beer drinker I opted for the vodka and orange juice. Well, after we had eaten and had our limit of alcohol we walked home and slept in late on Sunday.

Which brings me to today. What a glorious end to the weekend! We both threw on some casual stuff and headed off to one of our local eateries. This place has been a staple here for 20 years and has a huge menu with food potions enough to feed an army. It is always hopping on Sunday mornings, especially with folks that are needing breakfast and still wearing last nights faces. That would be me. With eyeshadow still smeared on from Sat. night and plaid pj pants, college sweatshirt and black Chuck Taylors I looked like someone nursing a hangover, but lucky for me I was not. At this point in life I think I know how to avoid that misery!

We both had huge plates of food that included eggs in different styles. Then we headed home for an hour or so nap. Decadence! I then got up and headed out for some vanilla white mocha's and a New York Times. I sat on our porch in the cool afternoon, while hubby was indoors with the game on, and enjoyed my way through the movie reviews, magazine section and political articles. Lingered on the fashion pages and op-ed sections. Ate a few yogurt covered pretzels with my mocha, threw a few balls for the Golden Retriever and finally dragged myself in to get the laundry going so the hubby can pack later and get ready to leave again.

A weekend to treasure. Nothing important accomplished....ahhhhhh, wonderful nothing, sweet nothing.

Adrenaline Rush

Yesterday I had an experience like nothing I have experienced before. I have anxiously been waiting for it to happen. The multi-vehicle accident with substantial injuries. The panacea for EMT's and Paramedics. All of our primary and back-up crews were called out on this particular call. The medic in charge passed out the yellow traffic vests and he and I sat in the back while the driver and training medic sat in the front.

As we approached I got up to look out the front window, it was a scene that immediately sent my adrenaline rushing and heart pounding. I was prickly with excitement and anticipation. The time to put the real training to the test. They yelled at me to grab certain pieces of equipment and we all began to jump out into the street and in to action. As I made my way to the vehicle I was first taken with all of the damage. There was extensive damage to the car and there were many pieces of it in the roadway along with a ton of oil. I did not realize how much oil a car held, but I did notice exactly how slippery it is as you walk through it. I leaned the backboard against the car and quickly climbed into the backseat to takeover holding C-spine. The holding of the victims head still so a cervical collar may be applied. I got into the backseat of the car so fast that I did not even have time to look for any glass or blood etc. I do know that the drivers seat was bent into the back and I had to squeeze past it to get to the guys head. There was a great deal of blood and I remember, as I was applying the collar, looking at it on the pale tan color of my latex gloves. It was the first time that I have had someone else's blood on my hands.

He was screaming. He had not been wearing a seat belt and instead of being behind the drivers seat he was now in the passenger seat. We had thought he was the passenger at first. You do not learn anything that prepares you for screaming patient while you are trying to talk to them and / or each other. So, we got the collar on him and then we had to get him out of the vehicle and on to the backboard. It can be a very scary experience and even claustrophobic to have a c-collar on your neck and them to have yourself strapped down and have your head tapped to the board securely. It is very hard to get them to listen and calm down.

He was coughing and choking on his own blood from a head and nose wound. We still needed to get oxygen on him and into the back of the squad to cut his shirt off.

During all of this I hardly noticed the victim in the big truck while our other squad worked on him.

Once in the back of the ambulance we all moved very quickly, but after it was all said and done the entire ordeal took a little over 2 hours! It seemed like minutes. I was amazed. I was so excited that I was momentarily paralyzed with the thought that I did not know how to do anything! Then as I began to open tubing and bags of saline I started to get into my groove. It is one of those situations that if you do not do it very often that you do not always have a steady hand.

We got him to the hospital, all the while talking to him to keep breathing and not hold his breath and to try and calm himself down. He was screaming and crying a great deal. Then he would get so quiet that I had to check to see if he was still conscious. He was rushed in to a trauma room with many nurses and doctors waiting for him. Then, our job is finished and it's time to reclaim the used stock and clean the cot and get clean sheets. That quickly. As quick as that it is done. You go so high and then it is just a dead stop. You have to switch gears and move on.

That is hard! I went to the bathroom at the hospital and looked at myself in the mirror and my cheeks were flushed. I was flushed with the rush/. When we got back to the station I was still flushed. I was SO jazzed. I started to call family and friend s as soon a s I got in my car to head home. I had to drink 2 glasses of wine just to start to get myself down. I took the dogs on a really good walk. It took awhile, but I finally was ready to sleep. It was a good learning experience. Built up my confidence for the next one.

I know now that I will be ready to begin paramedic school next year. I have made the right choice. It is the right fit for me. I like the unexpected and the not knowing when things are going to happen.

Yes, Virginia There is a Limit

.......And I reached it yesterday! I am in the middle of what is going to be a 13 day work week and yesterday, at the coffee mega giant, I was beginning to feel REALLY, REALLY tired. I have been there at 5:00 AM for all my shifts this week. So, as I was getting ready for work that morning I was already thinking about my nap that afternoon. I am working on Sunday, which I never do as it is usually my only day off, at a local mall shop so I can make sure that I have enough work hours to make the quota I need to keep my health insurance.

When you are that tired and caffeine is your drug of choice then the only thing you can do is DRINK SHOTS! We have a thing that we all do when we get tired, we will pour 1 or 2 shots of espresso and put a tish of some flavor and a smidge of heavy whipping cream and then shoot like you would a shot of tequila. Usually after a few of those you will get the kick you need and be able to finish your shift appropriately.

Yesterday everyone that worked seemed to be tired, so we did shots several times AND I had also had 4-8 shots of espresso in a few lattes when I got there. It got me through and then when I came home I was still able to nap for an hour. Although when I got up I was so groggy that I had 2 cups of a french roast and then.....it hit me. My head actually began to buzz internally. I felt so funky and weird that after I washed my hair I could barley stand up let alone bend over and dry it. I was feeling odd. So I took my blood pressure and it was high. High for me, I am usually in the 110/70 to 120/80 range, but it was 150/80. I could feel the effects acutely. First time I have ever overdosed myself on caffeine. I did not like the way I felt at all! So the rest of the day I laid around in sweats and watched TiVo'd television and drank lots of water. When John got home from his office I had him order chicken and wings and after eating I went to bed.

Finally this morning I am back to normal, having a cup of coffee, but I am laying off the shots for some time. There is a limit.

Travel Lighter

Today was my day to be "back-up". That means that I hang around the station until the "primary" crew gets a call and then the back-up crew is ready to roll in the event of another call. So, when this happens I usually try to write in my journal and read. Today I was reading some of the articles that I have recently printed from the Living Life Fully web site. A really great line came out of one of these articles, "If I had it to do over, I would travel lighter." Don Herold 1953.


I re-wrote the words "travel lighter" on the margin of the paper with an exclamation point. What great advice. What a release it would be to stop purposely carrying around all this baggage and burdens! Granted, there are things that you can not put down due to their importance, but what about all the unnecessary crap that we tote around every day.

I would, and have, stopped worrying about where I fit in in the community, church...wherever! I wish that I would have done it sooner in my life. It is such a liberating feeling. To be yourself and not have to fit into a mold that is created by society that says that based upon these criteria you must behave and dress etc. in a certain fashion.

I would have had friends earlier that saw me and appreciated me for who I was. Not people that just called our relationship "friend" and then proceeded to only be their own version of what a friend should be and making it all about them. I would have chosen my friends more carefully and looked at their deeper qualities. I would have worried less about if they were appropriate. I would have cared more about their sincerity. Not who they were connected to and not "what can they do for me."

I would have worried less about trying to be so many things to too many people. I would have worked more on just "being" and hope that it was good enough. I would have carried around much less guilt. Less guilt about EVERYTHING! I would have cared less about everything that society says should make you feel guilty. I am trying more to this one now. I don't let myself get caught up in the trap of guilt. It is something that can really control you, if you let it, and I do not let it happen very often any more. At jobs I would get all freaked out when it was review time, but now I realize that I can only do the job at the level I do it, unless I am just totally lazy and don't care, but aside from that....I can work to the best of my ability and that just has to be good enough. They can always ask for more, but that doesn't mean that I am capable.

The second excellent line, from the same article was, " I would pay less attention to people who teach tension." I am in the end stages of an old friendship right now with someone that THRIVED on tension. All this girl does is live in the tension lane of stressville highway. I got off. I don't want to live like that anymore. John just pointed out to me recently that there are people out there who just can not function unless their lives are in turmoil. I am not one of them. She likes it when she has tension and she can get someone to come to her aid or rescue. It is such a cry for attention. These people also like to create tension (teach ) it in other relationships. They like to see you fall out with others. They do not share well. It is a good thing to get out of these types of relationships and away from these types of people.-

I am allowing myself to make mistakes and errors without being overly critical of myself. Shit happens. I am trying to be much less serious. I am not taking myself or my place in the world / cosmos too seriously. I am here for whatever reasons that I am here. I come in contact with many people in a day and can only hope that all my contacts are good and positive.

If they are not today... there is always tomorrow.

The Uninsured, the Poor and Struggling Middle Class.

It seems as if this topic just keeps coming in to my life. Having gone through the pain and suffering my self, of going for several years without health insurance, to having a recent experience as an EMT with an uninsured patient it just keeps on coming up. Has the nation become numb to the crisis? Do people just not care any more?

An article in today's Washington Post, by columnist E.J. Dionne, raises the question, are we just more interested in sensational articles about Michael Vick and Leona Helmsley than the number of uninsured children in this country. Well, based upon the amount of news air time that these topics receive it seems as if, as Dionne points out,".... the poor - and for that matter, the struggling middle class too - disappear in the media, barricaded behind our fixation on celebrity, our titillation over personal sin and public shame, our fascination with every detail of every divorce and affair of every movie star, rock idol and sports phenom."

He points out the sensational media coverage of the entire Michael Vick debacle. Yet there was hardly any attention on a recent Census Bureau finding that the number of Americans without health insurance has risen by 2.2 million, to a total of 47 million. The number of Americans under 18 without health insurance rose to 8.7 million.

The only reason that I currently labor at the coffee mega giant is due to the health program that they offer, otherwise we could not even afford my husbands crappy insurance. You have to pay the first 2300.00 out of pocket before anything is covered!! Who can afford that? They actually pay us a 300.00 stipend monthly to NOT use their insurance!!

A few weeks ago we responded to a call of bee stings with an allergic reaction. The man was a landscaper. About 15 times he had been stung. They came up out of the ground and chased him in to another yard. His reaction was swift. He had vomited right away, got light headed and had a very large and immediate rash. His breathing had become somewhat labored. He was 44 years old and also a diabetic. It was just he and his son doing this work and as soon as he heard that the hospital wanted us to transport him he refused and got very freaked out because he told us that he had no health insurance. I could see and feel the mans reluctance. I recognized the reactions. They were some of the same feeling I had had when we were also uninsured and my son had chipped his tooth and we had to figure out how to get it fixed, by a dentist and how to pay for it. He was very adamant about not going to the hospital and so we had no choice but to give him directions for his own care and release him. He felt awkward as did I. It is terrible how you must have to admit to other folks that you do not even have the basics of health care in an emergency. I am sure that people have had to deal with far more deadly situations because they do not have health care. It is one of the saddest statements about this country. Especially when it comes to children.

Coffee House Tao

I never cease to be amazed at the things that can happen at the coffee mega giant. I have met and conversed with some very interesting people. I have made some good friends over a mug 'o latte. It is the greatest place to find a variety of thoughts about politics and all the things in between to religion.

One of my favorite places to sit is out on the cobblestone patio. There are tables and umbrellas and on a warm, sunny day, if you are there long enough, many people will pass through and stop at your table. On any given Sunday you could end up talking about many things. This past Sunday was just such a day. I had intended to mostly read and write, but ended up having a long discussion with the table next to me about the universe and then people that I know, or either work with, would sit down for 20-30 minute intervals and the topics would change and mutate into something else. A grand time.

This past Monday I read an article that I felt pretty passionately about and was going to use it as my next blogging topic,, quality of life and death with dignity. Very serious stuff. I brought the paper home and sat it on my desk in preparation of the next time I would sit down and type. Then I went to work on Tuesday. That morning I started at 5:00AM and around 7:00 one of our newer regulars came in to get a french press. This is what he usually drinks. I told him that it would be a few minutes, as I was a bit busy, and then I began to prepare and time it. It takes 4 minutes to steep and then you press it and pour. I walked it over to his table and told him there would be no charge since it had taken me a tad too long since there were just 2 of us working at the time.

He was reading a book and I asked what it was. "Change Your Thoughts- Change Your Life. Living the Wisdom of the Tao. By Wayne Dyer. I told him that I wanted to write that down because it sounded like something that I might like to read. About 10-15 minutes later he came up to the counter and told me that he wanted me to have his copy. It was a brand new book!! I said that I couldn't take it and he told me,"You will see why I gave it to you after you get in to it."

I was really surprised. What an awesome gesture and really cool gift. Without even beginning to read it I know that I will also have to pass it along at the end. So, when I sat down for my break I opened it up and read a few lines that hit me between the eye right away. "Let the world unfold without always attempting to figure it all out." I am one of those people that has always had to know the "whys" about everything. When things happen I always want to try and get to the bottom or know why they have happened. I drive John crazy sometimes. I imagine that life could be much less stressful if we just sat back and enjoyed the ride instead of always trying to figure it all out. I know that I have probably missed many golden moments by not being in them as they happened, but tried to figure out the details.

"Judge less and listen more." How powerful is that? I try, but I know that I am still a work in progress where that is concerned! Hard to do. Last, "Accept whatever comes. Encounter the mystery within without labeling, explaining, or defending." Something that I have started to practice, but still have much work to do in this area. It is hard not to get involved in these activities when you get tired and are overworked etc. Most times the words are out of your mouth or in your head long before you have a chance to control yourself or your thoughts. I think that it is an area that will always need work and constant contemplation.

All of this just up to pages 5 and 6!! What a gift I have been given and it is so in tune with what I have been reading all along and with the paths that I have started to walk. I look forward to coming to the part that inspired him to give it to me.

Thanks Bill.

Family Reality Style

It has seeemed as if I have been on hiatus in these past few weeks, the last time I posted was the beginning of August, and I am finally taking & making some time. I have been working 12 hour shifts at EMS, 7AM - 7PM, and that really drags the energy out of you by the end of the week. Not to mention that I live in a college town and the students are coming back this week, so the coffee shop has been crazy as well.

The thoughts and inspiration for this blog come to us courteousy of the Fort Worth Star Telegram writer Linda P. Campbell. It's not earth shattering or very current news, but it is a topic that I have had reason to think about now and then. It is about the family. Which is what gave me the idea for the title of todays blog as well. There used to be the Norman Rockwell idea of family, kind of what it was still like when I grew up, you had dinner every night at the table and there was meat and potatoes. Now, I am not that old, but I think that my moms generation was one of the last to raise kids in that fashion.

I think more of us are living the Family Guy life today. Now, I don't claim to speak for everyone because there are probably those of you out there, in the real world, that still sit down several nights a week to a full dinner and I do not want to insult you or your traditions, but I am saying that based upon most people that I know the rest of us are living the alternate lifestyle.

"Just because times have changed doesn't mean that the fundamental value of family has. Sometimes, I worry about not doing the old fashioned Sunday dinner together that's still traditional in many families. Instead we steal family time on the long drive to baseball games, soccer games, you name it games and the meal afterwards. On the multiple short drives to and from school. On occassional afternoons or evenings when we magically have down time," says Campbell, " When the iPods are off and the conversations seem random, that's when the most enlightening revelations occur".

This is how the speed of life affects you. When Max was small we would make the time to sit down and eat a meal together at night. It is not until they actually begin to get active and have their own activities that the meal gets pushed back and we eat on the run. Then it just seems to become a hectic way of life as you and they run from activity to activity. These days it also seems that parents seem to be more active than ours did. I join classes and John meets guys out for a beer when he is in town. I don't rememebr my family ever doing anything of the sort.

Even when we hit the fast food we have had some good talking time. There is no phone ringing, or TV to distract. Some of our best chats have been when Max and I, or he and John, have been at a fast food joint. Maybe casual food leads to more casual conversation. Hmmmm.

I am not a big video gamer, but when I have sat down and given it a try, like Guitar Hero, we both laugh allot, but it has been a time where he has shared and we discuss things. Discussion need not always take place under serious and somber situations. Yesterday I had him come in and watch the Daily Show with me, Barack Obama was the guest, and we had an important discussion about registering to vote when he turns 18 and how important this next election will be. The whole thing only lasted about 10 minutes, but we both felt the impact.

I used to berate myself for not being like, what I thought was typical, family. I thought we had to go to church every Sunday and come home and have the roast beef dinner and spend family night together in the evening. Now, I know that that is just an unrealistic paradigm. Life moves far too quickly today to try and make yourself in to someone else's mold or idea of what a family is or should be.

Star of Life

This symbol is called the Star of Life. You will see it on almost all ambulances. It is on my uniform. It is on both of my certification cards. Each of those points are the care that I have chosen to provide for the sick, injured and critically ill. When I arrive at a call I have no idea what I am walking in to, but I have sworn to provide service and to carry out my service in all areas to the best of my ability.

There has been much argument recently that doctors should be able to withhold services based upon their religious views. So under the same umbrella should all emergency personnel. Firemen should be able to decide that they can not run into a burning crack house because they believe that drugs are evil. They should be able to allow women to burn to death because prostitution is a sin. Paramedics should be able to walk away from a severe car accident because the driver was intoxicated, and although their guts are hanging out they feel that they can not save them because they do not believe in alcohol in their church.

How far are we willing to let this argument go before it gets to this extreme? As for me, I will continue to save all lives no matter what my views are. I would respect those of the patient and no matter what I might think of them, in a worldly sense, I will provide them all the care that I am capable to give.

That should be the "christian" way. It is the right thing to do.

From France to Oostburg...... and DOA.

Last Sunday John returned from France after 35 days. He was as happy to be home as we were to havehim here. I have been cooking and grilling out ever since. He was very ready for some good 'ol American cuisine. Burgers and brats and corn on the cob drippingin butter.



















The weather here was so much warmer than it had been there that we had to immediately turn on the A.C. Fine with me as well. Adding to our burger and salad delite has been the delicious vegetables outof my garden. A garden that was just a small patch when he left and has now become a full fledged jungle! Nothing quite like a large warm garden tomato.

Now, after only a week, he is leaving again on Monday. This time for Oostburg, Wisconsin. Into Mixter country. Where is that in relation to you Mixter? Also Esteban land. How about where you reside Esteban? He will be there for 3 to 4 weeks and then right on to Oregon.

This Wednesday I had my first DOA. A person that was not much younger than me. They had not been too well and had moved back into their parents home. They were found deceased in the AM by their parents. We were called to verify. It was strange.

It did not bother me and still does not, but it makes me think. There were those who thought that I should be having night mares about this experience. Does it make me abnormal because I am not? I wanted to keep looking. I wanted to learn more about the process. Maybe I should go to medicalschool. I did not see them as anyone,but as a subject to study. I wonder if it would have been different if it was a child and not someone so close to my own age. It felt strange to be there at the beginning of this families grief. We left once the police began their photographing and the coroner does the rest.

This really is a lame post because I still can not verbalize exactly what I think about the entire episode.

Running with Scissors

This weekend my mom was over and I had a Netflix film lying around, Running with Scissors. the film version of Agusten Burroughs memoir of the same name. It was OUTSTANDING! Not the kind of film that my mom tolerated very well, too dark for her, but I loved every odd moment of it. The performances were wonderful. I don't remember if Annette Benning won an award for this movie, but I know she should have. Aside from her work in American Beauty I do not think that she has ever been better. She was so wonderful in her portrayal of this crazed woman. All of the characters are odd. They always say that truth is stranger than fiction.

Then it made me want to know more about this young man, so I looked him up on the Internet and found his home page and blog, both of which I am going to link here because he is a good writer and I like what I have read in his blog so far. He talks about having an older brother who suffers from Ashbergers syndrome who is going to have his own book published soon. To access his blog you have to go to the homepage first.

If any of you like the occasional odd film then I suggest that you give this one a try. Not a cutsie date type film, or really a family film, but rather one that you don't mind laughing at the inappropriate moment with other like minded folk!

Joining the Crowd

Yesterday, as I toiled making lattes for the entire city it seemed, one of our regulars came in and she had a copy of the latest Harry Potter book. As many of you know, and we have talked about it at other blogs, I am not a fan. Well, as usual I always want to fit in so I asked her if I could see her book. She passed it back to me behind the bar and ....... I read the last page. Wow, what a relief, now I am part of something big and I fit in. I'll be able to sleep knowing that I am one of billions who can live my life having been a part of this craze. I am complete now.

Being a Good Samaritan

The thing about having this knowledge, EMS, is that if you see a need then you should respond, but if you do you must stay with the person/persons until other help arrives. It is not something that I would do if I am out for a night of drinking, but if I am at the grocery store or driving down the road or maybe even at the vet.

Yesterday we were sitting and waiting our turn, with Casey, at the vet's office. I heard one of the assistants say that there was a lady laying in the parking lot. I ran out to my trunk to grab my pack and got my gloves on and ran out to her. As I was approaching I could see that she was lying on her side in the road. The vet's office shares a side road with a McDonald's. There was a rather burly man leaning over her. There was a car parked a few feet further up with opened doors. I said,"Sir, please do not move her". Then he said, in a very unfriendly tone,"Who the fu*# are you?"


"I am an EMT and I would like to make sure that this lady is not injured." He then began to berate her about jumping out of the car and look at what she has done. At this point there were also 2 assistants behind me from the vet's office and they indicated that they had called an EMS unit. He got very angry,"Who do you think is going to pay for this?' He seemed to be very much a bully. I got a close look at this lady and she did not have any visible injuries, but she was crying and just kept saying that she was"she was just so tired".

As you could hear the approaching sirens he helped her up and into their car, we got the plate number and make, and they left. I told the nurses that they should call the local police and give them the plate number. I hope they did. I returned to wait with my dog.I believe that they have a domestic situation and she may have been bruised from the jump and that guy probably is an abuser. He was rather hulking and liked to intimidate. Asshole.

Earlier that day, during my break at the coffee mega giant, one of our regular customers was feeling very poorly and indicated that he was a diabetic and should probably check his sugar. I said yes, that would be a good idea and if it is too low we may have to get a squad. We checked and it was too low. I quickly got his a small cup of our straight sugar syrup that we use to sweeten the iced coffee. It is the closet thing we have to the oral glucose that we carry on the squads. I had him drink it straight down and within a few minutes another check of his sugar and it was back up in to a safe range and then he ate some cheese crackers. Diabetics have to be very careful and this is a younger guy and only been diagnosed for 6months so he is still learning too.

This is one of the reasons that I took this job. A service to humanity. I don't write about it today for praise or accolades, but just to share with you as friends. I am thrilled that I have these skill sets that I can use to provide a service and help to my fellowman. This is what good people are all about. It is such an awesome feeling to know what you are doing and to know that you are able to make a difference in the life of another human being. It is very gratifying. I know now that I chose wisely and this is the path that I was meant to follow. I often questioned myself, but now I know.

Emptying Out the Junk Drawer

It has been another hectic week fueled by wine and junk food and MUCH espresso!! By Friday I was hitting the snooze button several times before finally getting up, but not willingly. I never even used to touch the snooze button, heck I used to get up on the click before the alarm would even go off, but now.....I dread mornings. Especially by Friday. I actually even work on Saturdays, but they are a bit more laid back and not so busy with work day people, at the coffee mega giant, I only do EMS on Wed. & Thurs. I have gotten really repulsed by my own unhealthy eating and activity habits. It is really hard to think about those things when you would just rather come home and take a nap. It is that vicious cycle; you feel better when you do workout and eat right and that makes it easier to keep doing it, but when you can not even get started again.... well, that is a whole different scenario.

I have also been avoiding all news and papers this week. I am not even watching the Daily Show. Just real mindless crap like Scrubs. I am so disgusted with politics right now and sick and tired of BushCo that I could scream. I try not to even look at the front page when people buy them at the coffee house. Actually the son and I have been watching movies, from Netflix, like Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles. We did watch Stranger Than Fiction, with Will Farrell and loved it, although it is not something that will appeal to lots of his fans as it is very different movie with dark and subtle humor. Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson have great roles as well. Farrell is really understated in this film.

I am finally through with my probationary driving period with my EMS unit. I can drive lights and sirens anytime/anywhere. So, I got my baptism, not by fire, but as it would seem appropriate with water. We had to drive Code Red to the hospital, and most of our hospitals require highway driving. It was as dark as night at 8:30 the AM and raining and storming like crazy. You could hardly see the cars in front of you and I had to drive, on the highway, in this weather as well as drive 60-65. I was white knuckles all the way!! I was chewing my gum until I think my jaws were aching!! We arrived safely and naturally the storm passed for the return drive.

Then, yesterday I was excited to get another good call that I just jumped in and we drove off. It was not until we came back out, to load and take the person to the hospital, that I noticed a section of cord hanging out of the side of the ambulance. In my excitement I had forgotten to unplug the changer and had pulled a section of it off and had been driving with the plug/cord hanging out the side. I unplugged it and showed the guys and said, "Ooops, my bad"! I'm not the first.

Sunday will be the beginning of John's third week in France. He is ready to leave. He has been working 72 hour weeks and the language barrier is making it a very slow process. He also is not really enamoured with the food. He has sent pictures of folks with their dogs in the restaurants and bars. They are allowed to take them right inside. There was a guy sitting right behind him with his dog on his lap. They also do not have any of the smoking regulations either. John can smoke everywhere but his hotel room and then they tell you that you can do it out the window. He did take some pictures of a really cool local home. You could tell it was old, made of stone, and had bats and crosses and dragons and gargoyles. All in the coolest colors. Dragons on the roof spires etc. Very, very cool. The home had a surrounding stone fence with lions on them and French words.

I have to take our Golden, Casey, to the vet today and that is one of the jobs that I like to have him home for. She is 109 pounds and gets spastic at the vet. This is a new vet too, so she will have many new things to smell. She hates to get weighed.

Well, that is a little bit out of the 'ol junk drawer for today. I see that it is now time to gird my loins for a short 4 hours at "ye olde coffee shoppe". Then vet and a quick stop at the wine store and maybe a night of movies and vino. I don't think I see any working out on the "to do" list for this weekend. Maybe next week.

Talking About Health Care

Two things that I really like over at Victories web site today; first he has this great quote that I really love, " When fascism comes to America it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross". Second, he has done an EXCELLENT post on the health care issue. He does not take Michael Moores side, but simply and clearly discusses key issues and points within our current system of care. Bravo to Victories and you should take the time to go and read it. Outstanding good work.

Diets & Diapers

If the package instructed me to "carry a spare set of dark colored pants" or I had to worry about instances of " an orange river of grease running down my leg" I think that I would skip it and try to diet the old fashioned way. Those are just a few of the quaint quotes in this MSNBC article about the new over the counter diet drug Alli. It's official name is Xenical.

I was literally laughing out loud as I read this article because it is so gross. I, along with millions of other people, would like to loose weight and have it be as easy as taking a pill, but when there are chances that you might poop your pants.... that is where I draw the line! I gave that activity up when I was about 2 years old. One taker commented that they had "pooped their pants 3 times that day". This is something that people are willing to tolerate?

The makers tell you that if you follow the low fat diet, to the letter, that you should not have any problems, weell, if I want to do that then I should do it own my own. I will punish myself, but why do I want droopy drawers poopy pants to be my alternative punishment for overindulging? I know that there are people out there who cannot do it on their own and they need extra help, but I question if these side effects are the type that you would be willing to live with to shed that extra 10 pounds. Not me. Eating healthy is not the most fun,but I really tend to frown on this alternative. Besides, Huggies donot come in any fun colors that I am willing to spring for yet.

Welcome Wagon

Time to welcome in a few new blogs to my list of links! Two of them are very political in nature and the third is about life and relationships, so there is something for everyone and every mood.

The two political blogs came to me courtesy of Mixter who has an endless supply of choices on her blog. They are; The Talking Dog and One Little Victory.

The Talking Dog is an excellent political blog and has many, many links with a directory that gives a short synopsis of each blog. Lots of work has gone in to that blog. It will take me some time to make my way through, but I anticipate great enjoyment as I do. Victory is also a good blog. Again , I thank Mixter for putting it all out there for us lazy folk.

Musings From the Edge is a thought provoking blog that takes us in other directions. A thinking blog, but about things other than politics. Sometimes it is nice to reflect inward instead of at the rest of the world and this blog is good for that. I have to thank Rachel, at Indigo Luna, for providing the link to this little gem. We often need to take some time for personal reflection and introspection if we are to maintain in this fast paced world. Some days we just need to slow down and take a deep breath and think about ourselves and cater to our own needs. The world does not stop when you take the time to do these things. The rest of the universe will wait for you and you are a much better person afterwards.

Happy reading!!

The Pretenders

It seems as if there is much activity going on with "pretenders" these days. Whether it be in the political arena or rock and roll. Like many of you I too was outraged when Dick Cheney decided that he was the holder of 2 distinct jobs and both of them were of the type that left him in the position of not having to talk about anything! I must admit that this White House has been the most talented at pulling rabbits out of hats. I do not think that I have ever seen a group that has been more creative in the ways they have crapped on the Constitution or the American people. I shake my head daily and after the Scooter Libby episode I even gave up all news for a few days in disgust.

Lloyd Garver is often a contributor to CBS News and today he an excellent article on Dick Cheney and his "second job". He compares him to a superhero, Senate Boy who turns in to Veep Man. It is funny and sadly, very true. You really should check it out.


Then we move on to a local gal. Chrissie Hynde, of the Pretenders, who's brother lives just a few blocks from my house. I have to say, that yes, I have even partied at his home. My little brush with famous. She is opening a very fancy vegetarian restaurant near here. She will be giving a free concert and party at the opening. They are also trying to get Devo as well. There have been much larger stories in the local papers. I will go and try the food while the hubby is out of the country since a vegetarian place has no draw for him. Meat all the way for my guy. I made a very lovely homemade vegetable lasagna once and he said it would be really good with a nice side of meat!!

So, I guess one article is about a "meathead" and the other is "meat less".

Speaking of Food

What type of food best reflects your personality?
Created by Katie on Memegen.net

Your a sugar doughnut, with sprinkles on top! Why? your sweet, fun, and you personality is as colorful as rainbows! everyone you meet knows how much fun you are to be around, and you live life to the fullest every day. always thrive to be different, sugar!

Take this quiz now - it's easy!

If you were to ask one of your closest friends to describe you in one word, what would they probably say?

Shy Good-looking Undescribable!