Go to this site to find out who YOU look like! Hee hee...I look like Jesse James!
Come sit a spell and shoot the breeze. Sweeten the day with a little synchronicity...
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Friday, November 28, 2008
Got Turkey?
Wanted to interrupt my own post here and ask for some assistance. A woman wrote a very poignant comment upon one of my MS posts for Health Central today. Her husband has Primary Progressive MS and his disease is very aggressive. I would like to offer her some emotional support. She doesn't know anyone else going through this. She is anonymous and has the third comment under my article. If you can...I am sure she would appreciate knowing that others care. And if you know of any on-line support groups or others who have Primary Progressive MS she can talk to...please leave a comment under hers. Here is the link.
Thank you so much.
------------------------------------------------------
Have you had your fill yet of turkey and sweet potatoes with the yummy gooey marshmallows on top, and the green bean casserole with the crunchy onion thingies, and the cranberry sauce froma can? Hmmm...have ya?
Now I'm hungry again. I am well on my way to developing a Buddha belly.
Speaking of food, I have been reading an interesting book about this very topic. It is a big 'ol fancy photo book called, "What the World Eats" and was photographed bt Peter Menzel and written by Faith D'Alusio
It is quite fascinating really. The authors show families from 21 countries and what they eat in one week. They have photos of the families with their week's worth of food before them and how much it would all cost in US dollars.
If you live in an East African country like Chad...you aren't eating a whole heck of a lot:
The one thing I am grateful for this Thanksgiving is that my family and I do have food to eat. I have been so poor as to have gone hungry. But even then it wasn't like what some kids in this world endure.
This book has cool facts too like...did you know that Greenland, Mongolia, Chad, and Mali have no McDonald's restaurants? Ecuador has ten and Egypt has 40. Japan has 3,891 and the US? We have 13,491 of them. That's a lotta Big Macs.
Goes without saying...the US has the most obese population with 37% of males and 42% of females are obese. France has some skinny bitches with only 6.8 percent of the female population suffering from obesity.
Anyways...the book is fascinating and lots of great photos and recipes. You too can find out how to hunt porcupine in the outback of Australia!
And now for The Great Proclamation of Links!
:>):>):>):>):>):>):>):>)
Sadness anyone? Have you experienced the many subtle variations of sadness and depression? I dare say I have experienced many. Please share your experience with melancholy here after reading my post, The Many Flavors of Sadness.
Want to hear a heartwarming mushy gushy Thanksgiving story? Well go read one of those darn Chicken Soup for the Sould books then! Okay seriously...I did write something with Thanksgiving in mind. I do hope you come and read it. You may find my story of "Faith and a Drumstick" here.
Ever wonder why I write about Multiple Sclerosis? Yeah I am wondering too at times. Writing and talking about illness can be depressing. But there is a reason I write about it and you can find my reason right here.
Have you ever wondered what the first year of having MS is like? Or if you have MS care to share your story about your first year? You could help a lot of people, especially those who are newly diagnosed. You can share your story in a comment here.
As always I am trying to promote community and you guys have been so wonderful. I feel so supported here. The comments on my writing on the Health Central site really help a ton. So thank you for reading and sharing there. We bloggers are a special group and we need to stick together! I will be by to visit your sites...very soon! Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.
So whadja eat? Tell me all the yummy details...
Thank you so much.
------------------------------------------------------
Have you had your fill yet of turkey and sweet potatoes with the yummy gooey marshmallows on top, and the green bean casserole with the crunchy onion thingies, and the cranberry sauce froma can? Hmmm...have ya?
Now I'm hungry again. I am well on my way to developing a Buddha belly.
Speaking of food, I have been reading an interesting book about this very topic. It is a big 'ol fancy photo book called, "What the World Eats" and was photographed bt Peter Menzel and written by Faith D'Alusio
It is quite fascinating really. The authors show families from 21 countries and what they eat in one week. They have photos of the families with their week's worth of food before them and how much it would all cost in US dollars.
If you live in an East African country like Chad...you aren't eating a whole heck of a lot:
"If...you wake up in a village in the east African country of Chad, like Amna Moustapha...your meall is always the same--puddinglike porridge called "aiysh" and a thin okra soup with maybe a bit of dried goat meat for added flavor."
The one thing I am grateful for this Thanksgiving is that my family and I do have food to eat. I have been so poor as to have gone hungry. But even then it wasn't like what some kids in this world endure.
This book has cool facts too like...did you know that Greenland, Mongolia, Chad, and Mali have no McDonald's restaurants? Ecuador has ten and Egypt has 40. Japan has 3,891 and the US? We have 13,491 of them. That's a lotta Big Macs.
Goes without saying...the US has the most obese population with 37% of males and 42% of females are obese. France has some skinny bitches with only 6.8 percent of the female population suffering from obesity.
Anyways...the book is fascinating and lots of great photos and recipes. You too can find out how to hunt porcupine in the outback of Australia!
And now for The Great Proclamation of Links!
:>):>):>):>):>):>):>):>)
Sadness anyone? Have you experienced the many subtle variations of sadness and depression? I dare say I have experienced many. Please share your experience with melancholy here after reading my post, The Many Flavors of Sadness.
Want to hear a heartwarming mushy gushy Thanksgiving story? Well go read one of those darn Chicken Soup for the Sould books then! Okay seriously...I did write something with Thanksgiving in mind. I do hope you come and read it. You may find my story of "Faith and a Drumstick" here.
Ever wonder why I write about Multiple Sclerosis? Yeah I am wondering too at times. Writing and talking about illness can be depressing. But there is a reason I write about it and you can find my reason right here.
Have you ever wondered what the first year of having MS is like? Or if you have MS care to share your story about your first year? You could help a lot of people, especially those who are newly diagnosed. You can share your story in a comment here.
As always I am trying to promote community and you guys have been so wonderful. I feel so supported here. The comments on my writing on the Health Central site really help a ton. So thank you for reading and sharing there. We bloggers are a special group and we need to stick together! I will be by to visit your sites...very soon! Hope you all had a lovely Thanksgiving.
So whadja eat? Tell me all the yummy details...
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Marilyn Golightly?
It is always intriguing to me to think about how some directors or writers originally want others to play key parts in movies. I was given a link today to an article about how Truman Capote had a very different persona in mind for the part of Holly Golightly in the 1961 classic, Breakfast at Tiffanys.
In this MSNBC article, Capote has always envisioned Marilyn Monroe for the lead part: "The author had wanted Marilyn Monroe for the Hollywood adaptation of his 1958 novella contained in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s: A Short Novel and Three Stories.” He complained that the elegant Hepburn was miscast as Holly, a Texas runaway who reinvents herself as a Manhattan It Girl. The Holly of Capote’s imagination was a blonde like Monroe, who had a challenging childhood growing up as Norma Jeane Baker."
Marilyn Monroe?
I simply cannot imagine her in Audrey Hepburn's place.
I loved this movie mostly because of Hepburn. Her delicate grace empowered the screen. She was charming and elegant...cat like in her actions and demeanor. Aloof but loveable. Marilyn would have been too much for this part...too much of a stereotype.
Not to say that I don't love Marilyn Monroe too, for what she brings to the big screen. But I feel that Breakfast at Tiffany's would have been an entirely different movie had Marilyn Monroe played the primary role. And I dare say it would not have been as substantial a movie if she had.
I am enchanted by Breakfast at Tiffanys...it was created before I was born yet it is timeless. I like the theme of the little girl lost in the big city. Hepburn's delicate frame seems a perfect polar opposite for the vast expanse of New York City. I love the music and the downtown scenes of long ago. And of course I love Cat and what this anonymous pet represents...true connection.
Stop me soon or I will be singing Moon Rivvvverrrr...
It is interesting...I think Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe represent two types of female icons. And I like them both actually. I love Audrey Hepburn's understated charms and quirkiness. I like her nervous twittering about like a little sparrow. Marilyn, of course, was liquid sexuality. It just pours out of her naturally. But I also liked Marilyn behind the persona too. She had a very troubled childhood and was in and out of foster homes. Her mother was like mine. Marilyn Monroe's mother had paranoid schizophrenia. Had Marilyn wanted to die at the end? Nobody knows to this day. I think we were all touched by the vulnerable side to her which seemed overly shrouded by her appearance and fame.
I am very curious here.
If you are a woman which actress can you most relate to? Marilyn or Audrey? And if you are a man...which type of persona, Marilyn Monroe or Audrey Hepburn, do you prefer and why?
And who do you think should have been cast for the part of Holly Golightly?
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Green poop and other delights of dog ownership...
Dogs are great but they eat anything and everything. My dog likes to eat crayons, kitten food, and other dog's crap. She is not too darn discriminating.
Lately she has been having bouts of green diarrhea. I always have problems spelling that word by the way. "please excuse my son from school as he had di-uh-ree-uh...er um...diarreah...di ah....THE RUNS!"
Remember this song?
When you're sliding into third and you leave a juicy turd...diarrhea! How does the rest of it go?
Okay so now that I have totally grossed you out...any tips of what to do for a dog who has the runs?
And now for something completely different...
I wanted to thank you guys so very much for reading my writings on the health site and especially the piece I wrote on my mom.
A couple people asked some questions.
"Are you an only child?" I am in a way. I was the only child raised by my mother. I do have half siblings but they lived with their father (from my mother's first marraige) and their stepmother. So I was on my own with my mother.
"Are you getting paid to write on the Schizophrenia site?" Nope. But I did want to contribute. The site gives me a feeling of hope for folks who are now diagnosed with this. For my mother it is too late. But I am hoping for others that the new meds and better treatment can give them a better quality of life.
"Is that your home in the Christmasy photo to the right?" LOL Are you kidding? There are no crayon marks on the walls, no cats or dogs running amok, no laundry on the floor! And well...I wouldn't have a pink house. Nothing against pink. This was taken in a coffee shop probably two years ago.
And now here are some more links to my writings for this week.
I guess I am at that point where I am a little fearful of having Multiple Sclerosis. I am trying to face that anxiety head on but it has been difficult. I talk openly about my greatest fears with having this disease here.
I once did an internship with people having a dual diagnosis of drug/alcohol addictions as well as mental illness. I had to run some therapy groups. It was quite the challenge. I was proud of myself one day, however, when I introduced the notion of play to this population. Read more about my therapy adventures here.
I know I have been sucky about getting around to comment but I promise I will do so very soon. I am so grateful whenever you have the chance to read and comment on my writings. Thank you.
Lately she has been having bouts of green diarrhea. I always have problems spelling that word by the way. "please excuse my son from school as he had di-uh-ree-uh...er um...diarreah...di ah....THE RUNS!"
Remember this song?
When you're sliding into third and you leave a juicy turd...diarrhea! How does the rest of it go?
Okay so now that I have totally grossed you out...any tips of what to do for a dog who has the runs?
And now for something completely different...
I wanted to thank you guys so very much for reading my writings on the health site and especially the piece I wrote on my mom.
A couple people asked some questions.
"Are you an only child?" I am in a way. I was the only child raised by my mother. I do have half siblings but they lived with their father (from my mother's first marraige) and their stepmother. So I was on my own with my mother.
"Are you getting paid to write on the Schizophrenia site?" Nope. But I did want to contribute. The site gives me a feeling of hope for folks who are now diagnosed with this. For my mother it is too late. But I am hoping for others that the new meds and better treatment can give them a better quality of life.
"Is that your home in the Christmasy photo to the right?" LOL Are you kidding? There are no crayon marks on the walls, no cats or dogs running amok, no laundry on the floor! And well...I wouldn't have a pink house. Nothing against pink. This was taken in a coffee shop probably two years ago.
And now here are some more links to my writings for this week.
I guess I am at that point where I am a little fearful of having Multiple Sclerosis. I am trying to face that anxiety head on but it has been difficult. I talk openly about my greatest fears with having this disease here.
I once did an internship with people having a dual diagnosis of drug/alcohol addictions as well as mental illness. I had to run some therapy groups. It was quite the challenge. I was proud of myself one day, however, when I introduced the notion of play to this population. Read more about my therapy adventures here.
I know I have been sucky about getting around to comment but I promise I will do so very soon. I am so grateful whenever you have the chance to read and comment on my writings. Thank you.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Writing as my path...
It sounds arrogant to say...my writing is my path. But that is how I feel. When I don't have anything left to give, I can always give my words. I feel this is what I am supposed to do with my life...other than helping my kids. I like waking up in the morning and knowing what gives meaning. Okay most days I don't know. Many days I am lost and depressed and cannot find my way. But my heart and gut tell me where to go and lead me back to...this path.
It is so easy to get caught up in nonsensical things. I do have pride and ego and all of that. Part of me wants to make my mark...to be known somehow. Yet I have no desire to become the disease of the month poster person or an "expert" or a health site diva. I have purposefully made this blog personal and intimate and not on google. I...have no wish for having the best ranked blog on google or some such thing. These seem to be so many people's aspirations. I feel stupid at times because I don't want the normal things.
What I want so desperately is to be on my path...whatever that means. So I am searching my soul for what things I do want to say. I am searching for meaning. I am searching for ways to make a difference which do not kill me. I want to feel at peace. There is a delicate balance between peacefulness and passions. I feel in my case I am always out of line.
I have a calling to write about my childhood...and about my mother who has schizophrenia. I haven't had much courage to write about this topic very much. My mother is growing old. I fear that she will die soon. I don't know that for a fact but there is something in me which cries out for...some peace. I want to write about the experience of living with her so that someone else who may going through it will know they are not alone. I want to give back. And I want to honor my mother in the process.
I feel very vulnerable...but...I think that is just part of the path.
I began writing today and it was such synchronicity...I was writing about how I still feel such love for my mother despite all the hell she had caused me growing up. And right in the middle of writing my piece...a get an email from a friend that his mother had just died early this morning. Coincidence yes...but a meaningful one. I have to write about...this.
So here is my small and humble piece about living with my mother and you can find it here.
I would be more than honored if you could come by and read and share any thoughts.
Thank you.
It is so easy to get caught up in nonsensical things. I do have pride and ego and all of that. Part of me wants to make my mark...to be known somehow. Yet I have no desire to become the disease of the month poster person or an "expert" or a health site diva. I have purposefully made this blog personal and intimate and not on google. I...have no wish for having the best ranked blog on google or some such thing. These seem to be so many people's aspirations. I feel stupid at times because I don't want the normal things.
What I want so desperately is to be on my path...whatever that means. So I am searching my soul for what things I do want to say. I am searching for meaning. I am searching for ways to make a difference which do not kill me. I want to feel at peace. There is a delicate balance between peacefulness and passions. I feel in my case I am always out of line.
I have a calling to write about my childhood...and about my mother who has schizophrenia. I haven't had much courage to write about this topic very much. My mother is growing old. I fear that she will die soon. I don't know that for a fact but there is something in me which cries out for...some peace. I want to write about the experience of living with her so that someone else who may going through it will know they are not alone. I want to give back. And I want to honor my mother in the process.
I feel very vulnerable...but...I think that is just part of the path.
I began writing today and it was such synchronicity...I was writing about how I still feel such love for my mother despite all the hell she had caused me growing up. And right in the middle of writing my piece...a get an email from a friend that his mother had just died early this morning. Coincidence yes...but a meaningful one. I have to write about...this.
So here is my small and humble piece about living with my mother and you can find it here.
I would be more than honored if you could come by and read and share any thoughts.
Thank you.
Monday, November 17, 2008
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...
Well...it is surprising to me too but as sad as I feel today I thought was in no mood to go out and about. But I did and I actually felt a little better while in the Lowe's improvement store. They have all their Christmas display items out. And I must say...it was magical. They had lit up little churches and ferris wheels and stuffed animals that danced and moved to Christmas music. I am the kind of person who goes around and pushes all the buttons at once. I don't know how it happened but I began to feel a little spark, a little warmth, and a little hope. Maybe it was the large snowglobe with Charlie Brown and his infamous pitiful looking tree. Or maybe it was the singing trio of unwanted toys from Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer. Whatever it was...it worked. My heart grew three sizes today.
***************************
***I had the wonderful opportunity to do a written interview recently with Stephen Harris who has an MS blog called One Life. Stephen is one of the finest writers I know. I just don't think he understands how good his writing really is. I want to strongly urge you to read his answers to my questions. It doesn't matter if you have Multiple Sclerosis or not...it will affect you. All I can say is...just go read for yourself. You may need a box of tissues handy.
You may read that interview here.
***Have you ever taken the popular anti-depressant Prozac? Care to talk about your experience? I took it for about three weeks and had to stop taking it because of a very strange adverse reaction. I am really curious to see how others have fared on this medication. Read and share your thoughts here.
Thank you for stopping by and I will be visiting all of your sites shortly!
A blue mood...
a blue mood is passing through. i am feeling rather disconnected and disenchanted with the world. it is quiet here in this place. i do like the stillness. i am stark like winter.
what state of mind are you in today? where are you?
Thursday, November 13, 2008
It's Link Time!
I have some links to share with you guys!
As always I would be most appreciative if you would stop by to read and comment on my writings. I know...I am a pain in the arse but someone has to be...so why not me?
Here is an aside question for ya...Who is the biggest pain in the ass that you know?
Writing, writing, who has the writing? Oh that would be me!
* Have you ever found yourself at a crossroad where you didn't know what to do? I am at such an emotional place and I could use some advice. You can join the conversation here.
* Do you think that emotional pain should be eradicated? Would we be better off if nobody ever felt sadness again? I personally believe that the experience of emotional pain and sadness is essential to our long term well being. Agree? Disagree? Join the discussion here.
* Do you know how to read a brain MRI? Well even if you don't come on...share what you know or don't know by commenting on my post entitled, Brain Talk: How to Make Sense of your MRI
As always I would be most appreciative if you would stop by to read and comment on my writings. I know...I am a pain in the arse but someone has to be...so why not me?
Here is an aside question for ya...Who is the biggest pain in the ass that you know?
Writing, writing, who has the writing? Oh that would be me!
* Have you ever found yourself at a crossroad where you didn't know what to do? I am at such an emotional place and I could use some advice. You can join the conversation here.
* Do you think that emotional pain should be eradicated? Would we be better off if nobody ever felt sadness again? I personally believe that the experience of emotional pain and sadness is essential to our long term well being. Agree? Disagree? Join the discussion here.
* Do you know how to read a brain MRI? Well even if you don't come on...share what you know or don't know by commenting on my post entitled, Brain Talk: How to Make Sense of your MRI
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Five easy ways to...
I fear I am going to become a "Five Easy Ways To..." writer.
Not that there is anything wrong with it. It just really isn't me. It is what people like though. Easy answers to...pretty much everything. Saying you don't have the answers in a simple bullet format is just a sign of not being able to cut it.
Five easy ways of living with a schizophrenic mother and no father whilst living in the inner city with no money.
"I need you to write me an excuse for school," I asked my mother. I held a piece of lined notebook paper and pen in front of her.
A lit cigarette dangled from her lips as she took the paper and pen. She scrawled a message and then signed it. I took it from her. The note read:
"I can't take this to school," I muttered.
Mid puff my mother looked at me incredulously. "Well Lincoln didn't want to sign today."
Five Easy Ways to Survive College When Living with a Parent who has a Mental Illness...
"Did you see my paper?" I asked my mother.
"What paper?" she retorted.
"The paper I spent all night typing last night for school." I was beginning to become concerned.
"I was looking at it." my mother informed me.
"Looking at it?" I asked with increasing anxiety. "If you know where it is can you just please give it to me now?"
My mother lifts up a sofa cushion and there is my paper seemingly intact. But then I see *it* on the top page. She had drawn a picture of what appeared to be an alien with big eyes and outstretched arms. I flipped through the other pages and there on every page was the same creature to greet me.
"Why?" I moaned
"They just want to see what college is like," she explained.
Five Easy Ways to Live with a Drug Addict
"I need you to do something for me today," he said over the phone with an urgency in his voice.
"What is it?" I asked feeling my anxiety rise.
"I want you to overnight me something. I forgot my weed."
My boyfriend was working a trade show in another city for five days and was asking me to mail him marijuana.
"No...that is crazy. I won't do it." I knew I would have to hang up soon or he would convince me.
He began to plead. "I need you to do this for me."
"I have to go," I began hanging up the receiver.
I could still hear his voice, demanding and desperate, as I finally put the phone down.
Five Easy Ways to numb yourself when being told that your son has autism
I sat in the speech therapist's office watching my son as he pulled her blinds up and down, up and down.
She sat at a child's table eagerly asking him to sit down and look at some pictures. My son wanted nothing to do with the pictures nor with her blocks. He showed no interest at all in the therapist. But the blinds! What rapture.
The therapist called his name. No response. Not a look. Not a backward glance. Nothing.
After some minutes of this I looked at her and ask a simple question that I already knew the answer to.
"Is what you are seeing here today...can any of this be caused by a hearing loss?"
The therapist couldn't even meet my eyes as she slowly shook her head from side to side.
It was within that moment that I felt my heart break.
Five Easy Ways to tell yourself that your life isn't just some bad dream where you will wake up and really be a butterfly
The phone rings.
It is the call I had been waiting for but wishing I would never get.
"We have the results of your MRI. You have multiple brain lesions which are indicative of Multiple Sclerosis. We need you to come in so we can talk about your treatment."
***silence*****
"Are you there?" a voice inquires.
-------------------
Maybe the five easy ways folk have the answers to fill in the spaces, the doubts, the impossibly vast void of whys. Perhaps there is a book out there of handy dandy lists neatly spaced and hopefully suggestive of what to do for all occasions.
But until then...I will be sitting in my cloud of memories wondering what in the hell has happened here.
Not that there is anything wrong with it. It just really isn't me. It is what people like though. Easy answers to...pretty much everything. Saying you don't have the answers in a simple bullet format is just a sign of not being able to cut it.
Five easy ways of living with a schizophrenic mother and no father whilst living in the inner city with no money.
"I need you to write me an excuse for school," I asked my mother. I held a piece of lined notebook paper and pen in front of her.
A lit cigarette dangled from her lips as she took the paper and pen. She scrawled a message and then signed it. I took it from her. The note read:
Please excuse my daughter from school. She had to take care of me for the day. Signed, George Washington.
"I can't take this to school," I muttered.
Mid puff my mother looked at me incredulously. "Well Lincoln didn't want to sign today."
Five Easy Ways to Survive College When Living with a Parent who has a Mental Illness...
"Did you see my paper?" I asked my mother.
"What paper?" she retorted.
"The paper I spent all night typing last night for school." I was beginning to become concerned.
"I was looking at it." my mother informed me.
"Looking at it?" I asked with increasing anxiety. "If you know where it is can you just please give it to me now?"
My mother lifts up a sofa cushion and there is my paper seemingly intact. But then I see *it* on the top page. She had drawn a picture of what appeared to be an alien with big eyes and outstretched arms. I flipped through the other pages and there on every page was the same creature to greet me.
"Why?" I moaned
"They just want to see what college is like," she explained.
Five Easy Ways to Live with a Drug Addict
"I need you to do something for me today," he said over the phone with an urgency in his voice.
"What is it?" I asked feeling my anxiety rise.
"I want you to overnight me something. I forgot my weed."
My boyfriend was working a trade show in another city for five days and was asking me to mail him marijuana.
"No...that is crazy. I won't do it." I knew I would have to hang up soon or he would convince me.
He began to plead. "I need you to do this for me."
"I have to go," I began hanging up the receiver.
I could still hear his voice, demanding and desperate, as I finally put the phone down.
Five Easy Ways to numb yourself when being told that your son has autism
I sat in the speech therapist's office watching my son as he pulled her blinds up and down, up and down.
She sat at a child's table eagerly asking him to sit down and look at some pictures. My son wanted nothing to do with the pictures nor with her blocks. He showed no interest at all in the therapist. But the blinds! What rapture.
The therapist called his name. No response. Not a look. Not a backward glance. Nothing.
After some minutes of this I looked at her and ask a simple question that I already knew the answer to.
"Is what you are seeing here today...can any of this be caused by a hearing loss?"
The therapist couldn't even meet my eyes as she slowly shook her head from side to side.
It was within that moment that I felt my heart break.
Five Easy Ways to tell yourself that your life isn't just some bad dream where you will wake up and really be a butterfly
The phone rings.
It is the call I had been waiting for but wishing I would never get.
"We have the results of your MRI. You have multiple brain lesions which are indicative of Multiple Sclerosis. We need you to come in so we can talk about your treatment."
***silence*****
"Are you there?" a voice inquires.
-------------------
Maybe the five easy ways folk have the answers to fill in the spaces, the doubts, the impossibly vast void of whys. Perhaps there is a book out there of handy dandy lists neatly spaced and hopefully suggestive of what to do for all occasions.
But until then...I will be sitting in my cloud of memories wondering what in the hell has happened here.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Random Thoughts
Unique title huh? NOT
It is the thing nowadays to be random and write long streams of consciousness. It is helpful to do that...actually...in order to discover your best thoughts. So why don't I begin?
* Why do dogs always chew off the eyes of little cheap stuffed animals? My one son brought home a stuffed squirrel and our dog ate its eyes out! Poor squirrel has stiff fur too from all the doggy saliva. But of course the bigger question about dogs is...why would they care to eat another dog's poop? It is all in a day's work for a dog I guess.
* Why does my kitten...soon growing into cathood...pronounce her Meows with a "FFFFFF" at the end? You know why? Because she is always galloping like a wild little pony and the extra "FFFFF" gives her steam. MEOWFFFF!!!! She still makes attempts to bite me in the behind as well as to drag around dirty laundry. I caught her galloping about with my underwear wrapped around her neck. Perhaps she wants a spot on a Victoria Secret commercial.
* If you are suffering from writer's block...do what I do. Don't write. If you are able to do so...go without writing for one or two weeks until you just cannot stand it any longer. The thoughts and words will be bubbling up inside of you until you EXPLODE! I do much of my freelance work ahead of time so that I can do just this. I begin to miss writing and then by the time I am supposed to write...it just flows.
* Don't let the Turkeys get you Down! Remember this 70's slogan? This was in addition to the Hang In There poster with the cat hanging from an exercise bar. The gist of what I want to say is...there are going to be so many people in your life who will try...some consciously...some unknowingly...to bring you down. They will tempt you and invite you into the world of petty negativity. Don't go there. Stick to your path and your vision for yourself. Listen to your gut at all times.
* Do what you do not for the accolades or money or anything else but...because you are being true to yourself. Don't get me wrong...money and accolades are great but they are not an end all. These can go away. But your inner desire to make a difference...nobody can take that away from you.
* This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine! Whatever gifts you have to give to the world...let them out! Don't be afraid of your own success. There will be lots of people who won't like it but tough noogies. We don't need to squelch ourselves into nothingness because someone else might not like it. It is good to rise above and not end up as the victim or the lovable loser. Some people might seem to like you more when you are down because it superficially inflates their own self worth. But a true friend is going to like AND respect you when you are down as well as when you show signs of strength. So what's stopping you? GROW!
More on the topic of writing...
I guess I am becoming more serious about a writing path. I went out and bought some of those writing magazines and journals recently. I have bought them before but couldn't bring myself to read them. Why...then I would be moving towards my goals! Can't have that! So maybe this is a sign that I am more ready to embrace what I am. I am a writer. Why is that still so hard for me to say?
I finally want something for myself. I am hungry. I haven't felt hungry in a long long time. Depression takes away the hunger and makes you think crazy things like...you don't deserve good things. I am finally ready to adopt a more sane way of looking at my life.
Anyway...in the latest issue of Writer's Journal...they had an article which gave me a feeling of hope.
Sometimes when you think about writing...least for me...you think of the big huge goals like writing a book. Sometimes these huge goals seem so daunting you don't want to even begin. So how about something smaller and do-able?
One of my issues with writing is that it is difficult for me to find a good chunk of time to keep going with things. I have children, one with special needs, and so it is hard for me to write without interruptions. I also have issues with my mood. One day I will write in a lighthearted manner and the next day...that mood and tone is lost and I find myself very serious. Continuity is a problem for me.
What is one answer to my dilemma?
This writing mag had an article which offers a solution. Kathey Fetsko Petrie, in her article, Consider the Essay: Advice for Writers Raising Children, provides solace to us writers who may not have all the time in the world to devote to our craft.
Petrie states: "Essays are remarkably portable. Their relatively short length-700-1000 words -makes them able to be "written" in one's head while one is doing laundry, riding to a soccer game, waiting in the pediatrician's office, or standing in line at the supermarket."
This is so true. Everything I write is written in my head pretty much before I begin to type.
Here are some more advantages of essay writing:
* Essays are usually based on first person experience so you won't be devoting much if any time in researching facts or conducting interviews.
* Parenting gives a great basis for writing essays. Just observe your daily life and write it down.
* This author says that essays do not require query letters. You can write it in one sitting. Edit it and submit it for publication. Many print publications now allow you to do this through email.
* Markets for essays can include your local monthly parenting magazine.
* Look for other Parenting mags and check out their submission guidelines. Google the magazine's name and the words submission or guidelines.
* If you are not interested in writing parenting articles...Petrie tells us to look to write in the commentary or guest column page of your local newspaper. Or how about your local or city magazine? If you hit the big time...perhaps Newsweek or the New York Times will accept your essay.
Have I done these things? Noooo. I have gotten used to people just finding me and asking me to submit things. Usually for no money. So maybe it is time for me to have some direction and purposefulness.
And you too! Get to writing people!
It is the thing nowadays to be random and write long streams of consciousness. It is helpful to do that...actually...in order to discover your best thoughts. So why don't I begin?
* Why do dogs always chew off the eyes of little cheap stuffed animals? My one son brought home a stuffed squirrel and our dog ate its eyes out! Poor squirrel has stiff fur too from all the doggy saliva. But of course the bigger question about dogs is...why would they care to eat another dog's poop? It is all in a day's work for a dog I guess.
* Why does my kitten...soon growing into cathood...pronounce her Meows with a "FFFFFF" at the end? You know why? Because she is always galloping like a wild little pony and the extra "FFFFF" gives her steam. MEOWFFFF!!!! She still makes attempts to bite me in the behind as well as to drag around dirty laundry. I caught her galloping about with my underwear wrapped around her neck. Perhaps she wants a spot on a Victoria Secret commercial.
* If you are suffering from writer's block...do what I do. Don't write. If you are able to do so...go without writing for one or two weeks until you just cannot stand it any longer. The thoughts and words will be bubbling up inside of you until you EXPLODE! I do much of my freelance work ahead of time so that I can do just this. I begin to miss writing and then by the time I am supposed to write...it just flows.
* Don't let the Turkeys get you Down! Remember this 70's slogan? This was in addition to the Hang In There poster with the cat hanging from an exercise bar. The gist of what I want to say is...there are going to be so many people in your life who will try...some consciously...some unknowingly...to bring you down. They will tempt you and invite you into the world of petty negativity. Don't go there. Stick to your path and your vision for yourself. Listen to your gut at all times.
* Do what you do not for the accolades or money or anything else but...because you are being true to yourself. Don't get me wrong...money and accolades are great but they are not an end all. These can go away. But your inner desire to make a difference...nobody can take that away from you.
* This little light of mine...I'm gonna let it shine! Whatever gifts you have to give to the world...let them out! Don't be afraid of your own success. There will be lots of people who won't like it but tough noogies. We don't need to squelch ourselves into nothingness because someone else might not like it. It is good to rise above and not end up as the victim or the lovable loser. Some people might seem to like you more when you are down because it superficially inflates their own self worth. But a true friend is going to like AND respect you when you are down as well as when you show signs of strength. So what's stopping you? GROW!
More on the topic of writing...
I guess I am becoming more serious about a writing path. I went out and bought some of those writing magazines and journals recently. I have bought them before but couldn't bring myself to read them. Why...then I would be moving towards my goals! Can't have that! So maybe this is a sign that I am more ready to embrace what I am. I am a writer. Why is that still so hard for me to say?
I finally want something for myself. I am hungry. I haven't felt hungry in a long long time. Depression takes away the hunger and makes you think crazy things like...you don't deserve good things. I am finally ready to adopt a more sane way of looking at my life.
Anyway...in the latest issue of Writer's Journal...they had an article which gave me a feeling of hope.
Sometimes when you think about writing...least for me...you think of the big huge goals like writing a book. Sometimes these huge goals seem so daunting you don't want to even begin. So how about something smaller and do-able?
One of my issues with writing is that it is difficult for me to find a good chunk of time to keep going with things. I have children, one with special needs, and so it is hard for me to write without interruptions. I also have issues with my mood. One day I will write in a lighthearted manner and the next day...that mood and tone is lost and I find myself very serious. Continuity is a problem for me.
What is one answer to my dilemma?
This writing mag had an article which offers a solution. Kathey Fetsko Petrie, in her article, Consider the Essay: Advice for Writers Raising Children, provides solace to us writers who may not have all the time in the world to devote to our craft.
Petrie states: "Essays are remarkably portable. Their relatively short length-700-1000 words -makes them able to be "written" in one's head while one is doing laundry, riding to a soccer game, waiting in the pediatrician's office, or standing in line at the supermarket."
This is so true. Everything I write is written in my head pretty much before I begin to type.
Here are some more advantages of essay writing:
* Essays are usually based on first person experience so you won't be devoting much if any time in researching facts or conducting interviews.
* Parenting gives a great basis for writing essays. Just observe your daily life and write it down.
* This author says that essays do not require query letters. You can write it in one sitting. Edit it and submit it for publication. Many print publications now allow you to do this through email.
* Markets for essays can include your local monthly parenting magazine.
* Look for other Parenting mags and check out their submission guidelines. Google the magazine's name and the words submission or guidelines.
* If you are not interested in writing parenting articles...Petrie tells us to look to write in the commentary or guest column page of your local newspaper. Or how about your local or city magazine? If you hit the big time...perhaps Newsweek or the New York Times will accept your essay.
Have I done these things? Noooo. I have gotten used to people just finding me and asking me to submit things. Usually for no money. So maybe it is time for me to have some direction and purposefulness.
And you too! Get to writing people!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
The Voice of Shaggy
Did you already know this? It is true. Casey Kasem is Shaggy from Scooby Doo. Well his voice is anyway. Is he also Scooby's voice? I do not know.
I bought some new music last night. I have been trying to build my music collection to include some classics. I was gonna get The Clash...London Calling. Or some Sex Pistols. But instead I reached for something "better" as in Casey Kasem's twenty greatest hits from the 90's! LOL Pretty lame huh? I don't know what it is with me. I love those dopey CD's they market with hits from different eras. I also love soundtracks to movies and tv shows.
What is the last CD you have purchased?
AND NOW FOR SOMETHING COMPLETELY DIFFERENT...
Okay not so different but I needed a segway there.
I have some new posts for you to see on Health Central. Please do come by and comment if you can. I would be most appreciative!
You wouldn't think that opening doors for others would provide fodder for a debate but evidently it does! Chime in with your thoughts by commenting on my latest MS post entitled, Should you Hold the Door Open for Someone who has a Disability?
What do Autism, Aardvarks, and Prozac have to do with one another? Read my latest post on Health Central's Depression site to find out.
Is there a difference between being alone and feeling lonely? Voice your opinions here.
It is a brand new day...we have a new President. I am feeling downright jubilant!
I will be visiting all of you on your blogs very soon!
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
And the good fairy descended from the clouds...
and said: "Little Bunny Foo Foo I don't wanna see you...scooping up the field mice and bopping them on the head"
Oh wait! Wrong story...
What she really said was...I promised a "treat" to my loyal friends, who through the kindness of their special little hearts, came to add their wonderful support in comments to my articles both here and yonder (on Health Central).
But what would be a worthy treat for my dear friends?
For all the people who have been so kind to me with your comments I offer you this!
Hey! It is my favorite treat left over from Halloween. I got hungry while waiting around for ya so I took a bite. The good thing about this virtual treat is it is zero calories. Enjoy!
The next "treat" is a bottle of bubbly for those of us in the mood for celebration.
I am sitting here watching CNN. I am so excited. It is gonna happen. I won't say anything else until tomorrow. Smiling like a cheshire cat here.
And lastly a HUGE THANK YOU to the following bloggers for making a special trek over to Health Central to comment on my articles. I can't tell you how much that means to me. This is my first paying job in over a decade and I really want to do well. Through my writing I have the opportunity to give back. It is extremely meaningful work for me and I want to continue. So your comments really help.
I want to give you all a special award and ask you to please return to read my posts on Health Central. My posts go up each Monday and Wednesday on the depression and Multiple Sclerosis sites. You give me inspiration to be the best writer that I can be. And I humbly thank you.
I am hoping that by listing your links that others may come to visit your blogs as well.
Paul
Laughing Wolf
Nadja
Rick Moore
Slip
Jen
Susan
Abby
Teresa
Bernie
Lanette
Ian
Deejay
Marja
John D.
Joan
Stephen
Stuart
Tickled Pink
Pat
Zathyn Priest
Allan
Diane
Brad
Georgie
Foam
C.E. Chaffin
Blinder's Off
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)