So we found out yesterday that one of my Super Techs who has worked with me - literally - since I was a new grad... got accepted to Oregon State School of Veterinary Medicine! She got the email right there at work and let me tell you there was some hootin' and hollerin' goin' on at that point!
Of course she would prefer Western Vet School here in Pomona, CA, but won't hear on that one for another month or so. But that's OK; she's got until April to accept her position in Oregon. So we're golden!
I admit that I feel smug about it. To all of those people who say "Oh yeah I was gonna be a vet" as if they could just walk through those front doors of any veterinary school - IN YOUR FACE! You do not and will never compare to someone like G. And to those who thought G. wouldn't do well with her application - again, IN YOUR FACE! She got into Oregon - who only accepted a total of 56 students - as an out-of-state applicant. Read: coveted position!
Hard to miss with a 4.0 GPA in science and a 1450 on your GRE.
G. is smart. Married, successful and putting off the baby making until she has an education. Just another version of me. Yeah, and she's only in her mid twenties. Like many of my classmates, she'll be a doctor by 30 and can start her family and never, ever have to worry about taking care of herself, her kids or even her husband if it ever came down to it.
Congrats, G. Welcome to the best profession in the world. Class of 2014.
(I'm bragging because I had a small hand in her pursuit of this dream. The mentored becomes the mentor.) :)
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
VIN
So this is kind of insignificant to most, but it's a HUGE thing to me. I am part of an online community called VIN - Veterinary Information Network. It's a resource for veterinarians that covers everything from basic message boards to online continuing education, classified ads, job searches, etc. It's awesome, and I've been a member since I was a vet student. In fact, our website is set up through the VIN site.
I was recently involved in a lengthy discussion about clients and the changes we are seeing in vet med, and that discussion led to another discussion about getting a group of veterinarians together to brainstorm and vent and discuss issues and try to come up with solutions. Then that led to a conversation about that group getting together soon, and to gather at the VIN location in Davis, CA.
I made it to the first list, so I'm in. It's probably not a big deal, and might lead to absolutely nothing, but being able to participate is a BIG deal to me. I feel like I'm a part of something, like I might be able to contribute and hell, maybe even be involved on the ground floor of something for change in veterinary medicine. There is growing concern that our national voice, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) is starting to grow a deaf ear to our concerns and even starting to sell out to the big brats like pet insurance. Maybe this will turn into something bigger than we can anticipate!
I'll be heading up there for a short weekend in a few weeks. I'll let you guys know how it goes. :)
I was recently involved in a lengthy discussion about clients and the changes we are seeing in vet med, and that discussion led to another discussion about getting a group of veterinarians together to brainstorm and vent and discuss issues and try to come up with solutions. Then that led to a conversation about that group getting together soon, and to gather at the VIN location in Davis, CA.
I made it to the first list, so I'm in. It's probably not a big deal, and might lead to absolutely nothing, but being able to participate is a BIG deal to me. I feel like I'm a part of something, like I might be able to contribute and hell, maybe even be involved on the ground floor of something for change in veterinary medicine. There is growing concern that our national voice, the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association) is starting to grow a deaf ear to our concerns and even starting to sell out to the big brats like pet insurance. Maybe this will turn into something bigger than we can anticipate!
I'll be heading up there for a short weekend in a few weeks. I'll let you guys know how it goes. :)
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Avon Walk in Santa Barbara
OK, so since *none* of my close friends and family opted to do the walk with me, I'll be joining my good friend from up on Morrow Bay on the Avon Breast Cancer walk in September. We'll be walking 40 miles through the town of Santa Barbara! A somewhat smaller version of the 3Day, this should be a little more feasible for me to prepare for - which means hours and hours of walking no matter what. :)
Looking forward to it, and I'll be hitting every single one of you up for a donation once my donation page is up and running. :)
Looking forward to it, and I'll be hitting every single one of you up for a donation once my donation page is up and running. :)
The Nasty Human Element
It's been a tough few weeks at work, I won't even sugarcoat it. It's not the long hours, necessarily, or the long days, even. It's the godforsaken human element associated with my profession. I feel I'm seeing a major decline in the quality of people and it's scary.
Let's see... was it the sweet little beagle missing half her hair, with a bloated abdomen and so skinny that I could palpate her entire pelvis? Was it seeing that or was it having to talk to the idiot owner who only brought her to see me because animal control made him do it? And then he had the nerve to give me attitude? Or the fact that I told him she was sick and needed tests and he said he only brought money for the office call and refused any treatment?
Or was it the next neglect case, a 13 year old Pit Bull mama who just had her last litter of puppies last year (at 12 years old), was a walking skeleton with severe osteoarthritis, who could barely get around, but when I and animal control told him she wasn't sick and she was normal, the owner accused us of being racist?
Or was it the chihuahua who ate a box of rat bait poison - with a punk ass young owner who walked in the door with an attitude and telling us he had NO money and we'd better "fix his dog now"? Then had the nerve to tell us "we made it all about the money" when we asked him to even come up with part of the payment and we'd spot him the rest?
Or last but not least, the sweetheart doggy with a face so swollen we had to put him on oxygen because he could barely breathe past the swelling and then the owner (stupid, stupid owner) telling me he'd been like that for two days?
I've lost my faith in humanity. Human beings are NOT made in the image of some make believe god; we are parasites and we are nasty. We deserve things like Hanta virus, the Plague, AIDS. I don't even have tolerance anymore when people try to give me some lame ass excuse for giving their pets away - I don't care if you lost your house, couldn't handle motherhood or fatherhood (one that is too common and makes me the most angry - too many lameass parents out there that breed too much - it's how I got our most recent rescue at the hospital), lost your job or whatever. You took on a responsibility so deal with it.
Sometimes I justify euthanasia for one reason and one reason only: to get them the hell away from the human slime that owns them. And don't let people with money fool you; they're the worst and the first to dump their animals. They'll drive up in expensive cars and then tell me they can't afford a simple blood test. So I put their animals to sleep just so they won't suffer at the hands of these kinds of people. And these are the people breeding and shitting out kids every year like it's something special to get knocked up. I literally hate them and wouldn't spit on them if I found them laying on the side of the road.
And for the rest of you punks who neglect and abuse animals, who use them only for breeding to make you money or who don't think their souls mean anything to the myth of a god that you worship - go to hell and die in a fiery car crash. Or, better yet, come see me. I have some pink juice for you. It won't hurt a bit; after all, what's good for your neglected pet is certainly good for you.
Let's see... was it the sweet little beagle missing half her hair, with a bloated abdomen and so skinny that I could palpate her entire pelvis? Was it seeing that or was it having to talk to the idiot owner who only brought her to see me because animal control made him do it? And then he had the nerve to give me attitude? Or the fact that I told him she was sick and needed tests and he said he only brought money for the office call and refused any treatment?
Or was it the next neglect case, a 13 year old Pit Bull mama who just had her last litter of puppies last year (at 12 years old), was a walking skeleton with severe osteoarthritis, who could barely get around, but when I and animal control told him she wasn't sick and she was normal, the owner accused us of being racist?
Or was it the chihuahua who ate a box of rat bait poison - with a punk ass young owner who walked in the door with an attitude and telling us he had NO money and we'd better "fix his dog now"? Then had the nerve to tell us "we made it all about the money" when we asked him to even come up with part of the payment and we'd spot him the rest?
Or last but not least, the sweetheart doggy with a face so swollen we had to put him on oxygen because he could barely breathe past the swelling and then the owner (stupid, stupid owner) telling me he'd been like that for two days?
I've lost my faith in humanity. Human beings are NOT made in the image of some make believe god; we are parasites and we are nasty. We deserve things like Hanta virus, the Plague, AIDS. I don't even have tolerance anymore when people try to give me some lame ass excuse for giving their pets away - I don't care if you lost your house, couldn't handle motherhood or fatherhood (one that is too common and makes me the most angry - too many lameass parents out there that breed too much - it's how I got our most recent rescue at the hospital), lost your job or whatever. You took on a responsibility so deal with it.
Sometimes I justify euthanasia for one reason and one reason only: to get them the hell away from the human slime that owns them. And don't let people with money fool you; they're the worst and the first to dump their animals. They'll drive up in expensive cars and then tell me they can't afford a simple blood test. So I put their animals to sleep just so they won't suffer at the hands of these kinds of people. And these are the people breeding and shitting out kids every year like it's something special to get knocked up. I literally hate them and wouldn't spit on them if I found them laying on the side of the road.
And for the rest of you punks who neglect and abuse animals, who use them only for breeding to make you money or who don't think their souls mean anything to the myth of a god that you worship - go to hell and die in a fiery car crash. Or, better yet, come see me. I have some pink juice for you. It won't hurt a bit; after all, what's good for your neglected pet is certainly good for you.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The 3 Day, 2010
Should I do it? Should I commit to raising $2300 again, to walking before work and every Sunday and to start long distance walking again? Boy do I want to... Steve says to just do it... but I know that means spending 3-8 (yes, three to eight) hours walking on Sundays coming this fall.
It sure would be nice if someone would commit to it with me. :)
It sure would be nice if someone would commit to it with me. :)
One of My Highlights
Instead of thinking about the sucky parts of 2009, I wanted to post something happy that happened to me in 2009: the purchase of my wonderful spa last May for my 40th bday. :) I have pics and comments about it on Facebook, but not here, so I figured I'd clue the rest of my fan base into where I spend every single evening, relaxing. I am most definitely a Hot Spring Spa Fan!
First, though, a little education: if anyone tells you they have a saltwater spa, give them a totally blank stare and ask them if they even know what that means. Most of them will tell you they run some form of bromine through their system - that can be achieved by adding the chemicals or with a system that recycles the bromine (known as a bromine generator). Either way, bromine and chlorine are both halogen salts and anyone with even a bit of brain matter should know this. It annoys me to NO end when someone smugly says, "oh I have a saltwater spa!" and they really don't have a clue about the periodic table. Some people will even add a bag of sea salt to their spa and use current to separate the chlorine from the sodium - NaCl! Either way you look at it, you're probably using either bromine salt or chlorine salt, unless you're using one of the newer systems like Baquaspa, which is neither! There are generators out there that generate one of these sanitizers but you still have to maintain water quality, you still have to change the water periodically and you still have to monitor it closely! Anybody who says they have such a great sanitizing system that enables them to go a year without changing their water - EEWW! I do NOT recommend you get into their spa because that means it's filthy on a microscopic level!
Anyway, bromine is easier on your skin than chlorine. In fact, we decided on our spa type and after TONS of research and recommendations, decided on the Brilliance System. I love the way my skin feels after getting out of the spa, how it smells - just everything about it. We decided against a bromine generator because, well, it's just not worth the expense!
SO - if anyone I know is contemplating a spa purchase, talk to me first!
OK so now that the educational part of this series is over, here's the fun part:
It comfortably seats 7 people, and I can stretch out across the whole thing and barely touch the sides! (not the case for my 6'1 hubby) It has a zillion jets that you can adjust 6 different ways, some funky 70s-like lights and well, it's just the best.
Oh, and if you DO get a spa, you MUST get a lift for the cover. I can take the cover off and put it back on with little effort - a must, because those covers are freaking heavy! And the LAST thing you want to do is have to lift it after getting all relaxed!
I couldn't write this post without thanking my loving husband for being In Charge of the Spa. I love it because he's so darned particular and wants his water perfect at all times, so our spa water ROCKS!
It's one of the best purchases we ever made.
First, though, a little education: if anyone tells you they have a saltwater spa, give them a totally blank stare and ask them if they even know what that means. Most of them will tell you they run some form of bromine through their system - that can be achieved by adding the chemicals or with a system that recycles the bromine (known as a bromine generator). Either way, bromine and chlorine are both halogen salts and anyone with even a bit of brain matter should know this. It annoys me to NO end when someone smugly says, "oh I have a saltwater spa!" and they really don't have a clue about the periodic table. Some people will even add a bag of sea salt to their spa and use current to separate the chlorine from the sodium - NaCl! Either way you look at it, you're probably using either bromine salt or chlorine salt, unless you're using one of the newer systems like Baquaspa, which is neither! There are generators out there that generate one of these sanitizers but you still have to maintain water quality, you still have to change the water periodically and you still have to monitor it closely! Anybody who says they have such a great sanitizing system that enables them to go a year without changing their water - EEWW! I do NOT recommend you get into their spa because that means it's filthy on a microscopic level!
Anyway, bromine is easier on your skin than chlorine. In fact, we decided on our spa type and after TONS of research and recommendations, decided on the Brilliance System. I love the way my skin feels after getting out of the spa, how it smells - just everything about it. We decided against a bromine generator because, well, it's just not worth the expense!
SO - if anyone I know is contemplating a spa purchase, talk to me first!
OK so now that the educational part of this series is over, here's the fun part:
It comfortably seats 7 people, and I can stretch out across the whole thing and barely touch the sides! (not the case for my 6'1 hubby) It has a zillion jets that you can adjust 6 different ways, some funky 70s-like lights and well, it's just the best.Oh, and if you DO get a spa, you MUST get a lift for the cover. I can take the cover off and put it back on with little effort - a must, because those covers are freaking heavy! And the LAST thing you want to do is have to lift it after getting all relaxed!
I couldn't write this post without thanking my loving husband for being In Charge of the Spa. I love it because he's so darned particular and wants his water perfect at all times, so our spa water ROCKS!
It's one of the best purchases we ever made.
Friday, January 1, 2010
Unbelievable View
So just as I'm wondering why in the hell I'm still in this desert, I look out the back over the pool to this unbelievably magnificent view and am reminded of why I'm a desert rat in the first place.
All of these pics were taken off my back patio, by the pool. It looked like the sky was on fire!
I do love the desert even though I also miss the rain and green of the south.
**Note: I was not bitten by any mosquitoes when I took these pictures. :)
Monday, December 14, 2009
Ahh, PVBs! (Post Vacation Blues)
It is just not possible that our vacation could have been any better or gone anymore smoothly.
Ahh, now it's back to real life. It's okay, though... we had such a great time that it totally motivated me to come back and work even harder to keep this lifestyle! We went to Catalina, went whale watching, ate great food, traveled First Class to and from Mexico, ate more terrific food, did 5 scuba dives, parasailed, rode waverunners (several times) had wonderful drinks, hung out on beautiful beaches and wonderful swimming pools. Our timeshare in Laguna Beach was wonderful as always, and our hotel in Mexico was stunning. I just can't say anything bad about any part of this vacation!
It's going to take me a few days or maybe weeks to get this blog updated but I wanted to post a couple of pictures just for fun. :) The best part was that Steve and I spent every minute of every day together for over two full weeks and not only did we not get into any fights or stupid arguments, we simply loved being in each other's company the whole time. Having had those issues in another life of mine, it was refreshing and wonderful and reiterated to myself how important my decisions have been for my own happiness.
Pictures to follow soon. :)
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Day of Thanks
I LOVE Thanksgiving. It's always been my favorite holiday! This year Steve and I are going all out and having a semi-cajun meal, including our glorious friend, The Tur-duck-hen. Yum! We're also frying a turkey this year - we'll have enough freaking food to feed an army, but that's a good thing cause we'll load most of it up and take it with us to Laguna Beach.
Our vacation starts the day after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving Day is our One Year Anniversary. We picked that day to get married because it is our favorite day of the year. We've also decided not to celebrate our anniversary on the actual day; rather, we celebrate it on Thanksgiving, no matter what the date happens to be. It just makes more sense to do it that way, because we purposely married each other on that day, not that date.
As I write this, Steven is on a boat, headed to Catalina Island so he can finish his Open Water Dive Certificate. He'll be a certified scuba diver now, so we can start planning trips in the future. I am SO excited!! I know once that boy dips his toes into the warm water of the caribbean, cold water diving will go out the window for him like it did for me. :)
Now that I can say, "vacation starts in less than a week" I am beginning to feel some stress melt away.
That's a really, really good thing. :)
Our vacation starts the day after Thanksgiving, and Thanksgiving Day is our One Year Anniversary. We picked that day to get married because it is our favorite day of the year. We've also decided not to celebrate our anniversary on the actual day; rather, we celebrate it on Thanksgiving, no matter what the date happens to be. It just makes more sense to do it that way, because we purposely married each other on that day, not that date.
As I write this, Steven is on a boat, headed to Catalina Island so he can finish his Open Water Dive Certificate. He'll be a certified scuba diver now, so we can start planning trips in the future. I am SO excited!! I know once that boy dips his toes into the warm water of the caribbean, cold water diving will go out the window for him like it did for me. :)
Now that I can say, "vacation starts in less than a week" I am beginning to feel some stress melt away.
That's a really, really good thing. :)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
It's starting...
Not that I want to get on my own soapbox, but I've been spouting off for a while now that I'm sick and tired of defending and standing up for women's rights when the younger generations don't give a shit anyway. They'd rather wait for Prince Charming and have massive families instead of taking just a few years of their life to create a universe for themselves and their families, educating themselves and making it possible to take care of themselves and their children in the event their fairy tale comes crashing down sometime later...
That said, now we have a whole catholic child molesting lobby putting pressure on the government regarding abortion; now we are moving towards one of the most discriminatory decisions against women in decades by not allowing insurance to cover the cost of an abortion even in the case of rape or incest (are we surprised it's the catholics pushing for this?) and now? No, no, you don't need those mammograms in your 40s... it's not "worth" all of the false positives.
If any fool out there thinks these are not direct attacks on women, think again. There seems to be an unwinding of the rights that so many women fought and died for in this country and no one seems to want to stop it. Again, it's that generational problem... too tied up in their own lives to realize they are selling their children's rights down the road.
I think I am hearing some yelling over the mammogram thing. Women are saying, "what the fuck?" and that's a good thing. Let's see if the younger generation starts to wake up or not.
Good luck getting your girls into college much less giving them choices in life. Let's just go back to the mentality that women are only good for sex and breeding and their own personal growth does not matter. They should only be subservient to their husbands (who, incidently, will be providing absolutely everything because women will becomes slaves to the household again) and some make believe god and they will be told, "this is enough for your feeble mind."
I'll still be sipping coffee off my porch somewhere deep in the country, not caring.
That said, now we have a whole catholic child molesting lobby putting pressure on the government regarding abortion; now we are moving towards one of the most discriminatory decisions against women in decades by not allowing insurance to cover the cost of an abortion even in the case of rape or incest (are we surprised it's the catholics pushing for this?) and now? No, no, you don't need those mammograms in your 40s... it's not "worth" all of the false positives.
If any fool out there thinks these are not direct attacks on women, think again. There seems to be an unwinding of the rights that so many women fought and died for in this country and no one seems to want to stop it. Again, it's that generational problem... too tied up in their own lives to realize they are selling their children's rights down the road.
I think I am hearing some yelling over the mammogram thing. Women are saying, "what the fuck?" and that's a good thing. Let's see if the younger generation starts to wake up or not.
Good luck getting your girls into college much less giving them choices in life. Let's just go back to the mentality that women are only good for sex and breeding and their own personal growth does not matter. They should only be subservient to their husbands (who, incidently, will be providing absolutely everything because women will becomes slaves to the household again) and some make believe god and they will be told, "this is enough for your feeble mind."
I'll still be sipping coffee off my porch somewhere deep in the country, not caring.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Prey
This is what happens when wolves attack monkeys:
They get their legs ripped off, their wrists severed... they get mauled.
I laughed so hard when I found this monkey! I just thought it was the funniest thing; poor little toy, all beat up and destroyed. It used to be Riley's favorite monkey!
But we sent it over the Rainbow Bridge.
They get their legs ripped off, their wrists severed... they get mauled.
I laughed so hard when I found this monkey! I just thought it was the funniest thing; poor little toy, all beat up and destroyed. It used to be Riley's favorite monkey!
But we sent it over the Rainbow Bridge.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
'Teve
I had to post this picture just because it was so freaking cute. This is Steve in the Xterra with Charlie, Nate's GF's 3 yr old daughter. Charlie LOVES Steve and it's so adorable when she looks at him and says, "teve!" I think he's her first crush. :) She asked him the other night if she could ride in his car with him, even though we weren't going anywhere. So they sat in the garage in the car, making vroom vroom noises, while she "watched t.v." on the GPS.
Charlie is a really cool little kid. She's one of the very few that I really enjoy being around. :)
Charlie is a really cool little kid. She's one of the very few that I really enjoy being around. :)
A Big Kid
In his ever-persistant pursuit of my happiness and saving me from myself, my wonderful husband never gives up on trying to make me laugh. A boring trip to Bed Bath and Beyond is easily turned into play time, and his 6'1 frame reverts back to just a big kid.
I love it when he wears those shorts!!!
Now, get ready... get set....
Juggle!!
Never a dull moment. :)
I love it when he wears those shorts!!!
Now, get ready... get set....
Juggle!!
Never a dull moment. :)
Creating Your Own World
Being a firm believer in the power of positive thought and intention, I thought I'd post this. I don't get into the cult side of this guy, (Wayne Dyer) but I do believe in this type of thought. This is an excerpt from his website and I found it interesting and appropriate, given my recent decision to increase my writing.
“I’d love to write a book, if I only had the time.” Have you heard someone say this recently, or maybe even said it yourself? Do you really want to write a book or maybe paint or dance or sing or fulfill any creative longing that’s been sitting on the back burner of your life? And is time really the issue? We all have the same number of hours in a day and most of us make decisions about how to spend them. In my movie The Shift, we see a young mother rediscover her love of painting because she gives herself permission to do so. Instead of continuing to assume that her dream is impossible, she asks for the opportunity, the time, she needs and she gets it. Why don’t we do the things we say we want to do? In the vast cornucopia of excuses, not enough time or “I’m too busy,” easily tops the list. But how can a person be too busy to make room for what they love? Thoreau is right in saying that we have nobler faculties we need to pay attention to, in addition to all the other details that occupy our lives. If you fear the part of your soul that’s calling you to a higher place, then you’re probably using the “I’m too busy” excuse. There is time to do what you love when you step back and look at your life from a higher perspective. Make sure that fear, doubt, and unexamined beliefs about yourself and your talents are not the real culprits keeping you from your creative endeavor. Rather than telling yourself you are too busy to pursue an activity you love, use the following affirmation: I intend to take time for myself to live the life that I came here to live.
Namaste,
Wayne
An Odd Comparison
When I first moved out west and learned how conservative it can be, I remember thinking, what the fuck? Isn't this the land of hippies? Isn't everyone 420 tolerant out here?
Little did I know that CA has one of the highest number of gawdy, ridiculously built churches in the freaking country.
I should have just stayed in the south.
A few of my recent FB arguments have revolved around ignorant people. Yes I am being terribly judgmental. But it's hard to keep my mouth shut when someone posts a racial comment and somehow thinks that they are more American than the person they just insulted. Don't get me wrong; I firmly believe in the saying, "I may not like what you have just said but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it".
That does not mean I won't call you out on it if you're being an ignorant racist redneck idiot. Hell, I get accused of being a bitter, pessimistic feminist all of the time, so why should I hold back my opinions? What scares me about these people is that they don't see that they are ignorant racist redneck idiots. At least claim fame to what you are spouting.
I love being a bitter, pessimistic feminist.
And I can call them that because I am a decendent from a long line of ignorant racist redneck idiots. So I can spot 'em when I see 'em. So let me add that to the description, too.
Bitter, pessimistic, feministic, racist, redneck idiot.
(I won't add ignorant because I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my papers and I was free. My doctorate and continued pursuit of education frees me from that description.)
But we are all idiots to some extent.
My point is that we all have our prejudices. But what bothers me, is that people can't seem to accept their differences with others anymore. Everyone wants it their way. Everyone wants it to be within their comfort zone. And a lot of it revolves around religious beliefs. And, as I've stated before, I used to be soooo very tolerant myself, but years of fighting this shitty mindset has me setting my sights on a new direction.
In fact, my most recent argument on FB revolved around someone spouting off that they weren't surprised that the Ft Hood shooter was a muslim. That comment sparked a long argument involving me because I said, "well you know, like it or not, we do have freedom of religion here in the USA." That got me blasted because - and yes this was really stated - muslim idiot fundamentalists are worse than christian idiot fundamentalists.
Huh?
I kept saying, "seriously folks, are we really arguing that one group of religious nutbags is somehow better than another group of religious nutbags?"
And yes, that got me flamed yet again. It was fun though, and enlightening and thought-provoking, in that it made me realize how some people truly see the world.
And it scared the shit out of me.
Little did I know that CA has one of the highest number of gawdy, ridiculously built churches in the freaking country.
I should have just stayed in the south.
A few of my recent FB arguments have revolved around ignorant people. Yes I am being terribly judgmental. But it's hard to keep my mouth shut when someone posts a racial comment and somehow thinks that they are more American than the person they just insulted. Don't get me wrong; I firmly believe in the saying, "I may not like what you have just said but I will fight to the death to defend your right to say it".
That does not mean I won't call you out on it if you're being an ignorant racist redneck idiot. Hell, I get accused of being a bitter, pessimistic feminist all of the time, so why should I hold back my opinions? What scares me about these people is that they don't see that they are ignorant racist redneck idiots. At least claim fame to what you are spouting.
I love being a bitter, pessimistic feminist.
And I can call them that because I am a decendent from a long line of ignorant racist redneck idiots. So I can spot 'em when I see 'em. So let me add that to the description, too.
Bitter, pessimistic, feministic, racist, redneck idiot.
(I won't add ignorant because I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind, got my papers and I was free. My doctorate and continued pursuit of education frees me from that description.)
But we are all idiots to some extent.
My point is that we all have our prejudices. But what bothers me, is that people can't seem to accept their differences with others anymore. Everyone wants it their way. Everyone wants it to be within their comfort zone. And a lot of it revolves around religious beliefs. And, as I've stated before, I used to be soooo very tolerant myself, but years of fighting this shitty mindset has me setting my sights on a new direction.
In fact, my most recent argument on FB revolved around someone spouting off that they weren't surprised that the Ft Hood shooter was a muslim. That comment sparked a long argument involving me because I said, "well you know, like it or not, we do have freedom of religion here in the USA." That got me blasted because - and yes this was really stated - muslim idiot fundamentalists are worse than christian idiot fundamentalists.
Huh?
I kept saying, "seriously folks, are we really arguing that one group of religious nutbags is somehow better than another group of religious nutbags?"
And yes, that got me flamed yet again. It was fun though, and enlightening and thought-provoking, in that it made me realize how some people truly see the world.
And it scared the shit out of me.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
To Hell With It
I had another thought this morning while I was taking a shower. I had just written the previous post and was thinking about beginning to organize my thoughts for my book. That led me back to thinking about how I've gotten into many - many - discussions and arguments over the last few years over things I've written. That could be something from my blog (which I've been writing for years) or from a conversation on email or maybe one of those world famous facebook arguments that I manage to find myself involved in on more occasions than I can count. I've been told I'm inflammatory and offensive on many occasions, and for a brief stint recently, I felt a little bad about that.
A very brief stint.
I guess it occurred to me that a major part of who I am is a writer. I've been writing all of my life. Blogging is just another extension of that, but I am getting ready to move on to the next level.
That said, the reason for my brief stint of regret was because I admit I have insulted people. But that said... writers are never known for being the sorts of people who sit back and stand down from an argument, who sit back and keep their opinions to themselves, or who worry about how someone else will interpret their meanings. Writers are artists and the interpretation is half of the beauty of art. It is not nor will it ever be my problem if someone interprets my art in a negative way. It likely stems more from something within themselves than from something that truly angered them about my words.
So I will likely never stop pissing people off or, conversely, will likely never censor myself for writing what comes from my heart, soul and mind. Those who take offense - who truly take offense - can kiss my ever loving ass. :)
I'm a writer and I ain't gonna change what I write just to appease the few.
A very brief stint.
I guess it occurred to me that a major part of who I am is a writer. I've been writing all of my life. Blogging is just another extension of that, but I am getting ready to move on to the next level.
That said, the reason for my brief stint of regret was because I admit I have insulted people. But that said... writers are never known for being the sorts of people who sit back and stand down from an argument, who sit back and keep their opinions to themselves, or who worry about how someone else will interpret their meanings. Writers are artists and the interpretation is half of the beauty of art. It is not nor will it ever be my problem if someone interprets my art in a negative way. It likely stems more from something within themselves than from something that truly angered them about my words.
So I will likely never stop pissing people off or, conversely, will likely never censor myself for writing what comes from my heart, soul and mind. Those who take offense - who truly take offense - can kiss my ever loving ass. :)
I'm a writer and I ain't gonna change what I write just to appease the few.
Recent Revelations
I've recently been letting go of some people in my life. It's been one of those cycles where you purge the unwanted and wake up the next day feeling refreshed. I've learned over the years that it's a normal part of life; there are people who stay with you for the entirety, and there are those that exit nearly as soon as they entered. It was a good thing, as I had no respect for these people and I was beginning to realize that my association with them was negative and brought nothing more than chaos to my thoughts. Kinda how I felt when I left my ex. But I digress. Cie la vie.
Lately I've been in the mood to just get rid of things that cause stress for me. That might be people, that might be situations or that might be material things. I've been throwing stuff away, saying goodbye to people I don't like and moving on. It feels really good.
So as I've said for the last several years, the universe always reaches out and takes care of me in subtle ways - but ways that makes me say to myself, "hey, that's an ironic twist, now isn't it?"
I've made some new acquaintances that are very validating to me and my life choices. One is my new friend, A. A career woman, a veterinarian and Child Free. Loves life, owns her own business and is very happy about her decision not to have children. Like me, agrees that the ultimate in selfishness is to have kids in order to fulfill some emptiness within yourself. Can't accuse us of doing that!
Then there is the new blog I follow on here, a veterinarian, a mom, a wife... and happy and successful with all of it. Agnostic and sometimes atheist, she details her exciting life juggling all of these things. I'm pretty sure she's my twin from the milkman and my new obsession is in seeing just what she'll write next. I also love that she is writing a book and belongs to a writing club - something I've never thought about but now that I know about it, plan to pursue. I've started several books in my life and I'm thinking now it's time to start the real book...
The point behind these things is that, for me, these are signs that my life is on the right track, that I've made good decisions and I am not alone in my thoughts or choices. They question things and think on their own, like me.
I guess I am part of a bigger group, after all. The universe handed me these things just as I was beginning to wonder if it was all in my mind.
Anyway, Vet Mom rocks and www.happilychildfree.com just makes me laugh, and my new friend, A, gives me hope and support.
Life is not about new chapters; rather, it's about new words written every single day. And you never know what words you'll write when the dawn comes.
Lately I've been in the mood to just get rid of things that cause stress for me. That might be people, that might be situations or that might be material things. I've been throwing stuff away, saying goodbye to people I don't like and moving on. It feels really good.
So as I've said for the last several years, the universe always reaches out and takes care of me in subtle ways - but ways that makes me say to myself, "hey, that's an ironic twist, now isn't it?"
I've made some new acquaintances that are very validating to me and my life choices. One is my new friend, A. A career woman, a veterinarian and Child Free. Loves life, owns her own business and is very happy about her decision not to have children. Like me, agrees that the ultimate in selfishness is to have kids in order to fulfill some emptiness within yourself. Can't accuse us of doing that!
Then there is the new blog I follow on here, a veterinarian, a mom, a wife... and happy and successful with all of it. Agnostic and sometimes atheist, she details her exciting life juggling all of these things. I'm pretty sure she's my twin from the milkman and my new obsession is in seeing just what she'll write next. I also love that she is writing a book and belongs to a writing club - something I've never thought about but now that I know about it, plan to pursue. I've started several books in my life and I'm thinking now it's time to start the real book...
The point behind these things is that, for me, these are signs that my life is on the right track, that I've made good decisions and I am not alone in my thoughts or choices. They question things and think on their own, like me.
I guess I am part of a bigger group, after all. The universe handed me these things just as I was beginning to wonder if it was all in my mind.
Anyway, Vet Mom rocks and www.happilychildfree.com just makes me laugh, and my new friend, A, gives me hope and support.
Life is not about new chapters; rather, it's about new words written every single day. And you never know what words you'll write when the dawn comes.
Monday, November 9, 2009
My Best Friend
So when you go up and accept an award and get teary-eyed over it, and you look over at your husband who is watching you, and you see that he has tears running down his cheeks because he's sooo proud of you...
You realize that's what real love is all about.
You realize that's what real love is all about.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
A Nice Surprise
We've been waiting to hear if some good friends of ours were gonna meet us in Laguna Beach or not - we bought tickets to see Kathy Griffen and in typical Steve Fashion, they are 3rd row seats in the pit which means she can spit on us. :) Our friends hadn't really gotten back to us on it so we thought maybe they were going to stand us up...
Instead, Steve talked to them today and they said, "well, it's a long drive to the beach, and then it's a long drive up to the show, and we'll all be partying and drinking... so how about if we rent a limo for the entire evening so none of us have to drive and we can all relax and have some fun!"
I'm PSYCHED! I've done some limo riding in my lifetime for various events, but never just cuz. Both we and our friends are racing to vacation time because we've all been working so damned hard during this crappy economy that we just want to chill and take a load off.
So an added comfort to my vacation.
One part beach, two parts friend, one part limo = Fun Times. :)
Instead, Steve talked to them today and they said, "well, it's a long drive to the beach, and then it's a long drive up to the show, and we'll all be partying and drinking... so how about if we rent a limo for the entire evening so none of us have to drive and we can all relax and have some fun!"
I'm PSYCHED! I've done some limo riding in my lifetime for various events, but never just cuz. Both we and our friends are racing to vacation time because we've all been working so damned hard during this crappy economy that we just want to chill and take a load off.
So an added comfort to my vacation.
One part beach, two parts friend, one part limo = Fun Times. :)
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Excitement
Just had to make a note about my countdown:
3 weeks from this moment we will be frying a turkey out on our gorgeous patio that gets more and more beautiful each month as the palm trees grow. I never would have had that patio if I hadn't married Steve. :)
3 weeks and 1 day from this moment we will be driving that wonderful drive to Laguna Beach so we can spend a week at the timeshare. It'll be my 6th year to go there, and I still love it as much today as I did the first time I went. I'd like to buy a second week but then... there are so many other places I want to go... already have our couples massage scheduled for our arrival at the resort. :)
4 weeks and 1 day from this moment, we'll be on a plane, headed to Playa Mujeres to the beautiful, luxury Adults-ONLY exclusive resort in Mexico. Our first international trip together, the first of many more to come. This is a pic I got from the internet of the second story of our suite, complete with a gorgeous view and our own private outdoor hot tub:
Just refocusing after a few days of melancholy. :) Starting to reap some of those benefits to owning our practice and not having kids to worry about. Many, many more trips and fun things on the horizon.
I love it. :)
3 weeks from this moment we will be frying a turkey out on our gorgeous patio that gets more and more beautiful each month as the palm trees grow. I never would have had that patio if I hadn't married Steve. :)
3 weeks and 1 day from this moment we will be driving that wonderful drive to Laguna Beach so we can spend a week at the timeshare. It'll be my 6th year to go there, and I still love it as much today as I did the first time I went. I'd like to buy a second week but then... there are so many other places I want to go... already have our couples massage scheduled for our arrival at the resort. :)
4 weeks and 1 day from this moment, we'll be on a plane, headed to Playa Mujeres to the beautiful, luxury Adults-ONLY exclusive resort in Mexico. Our first international trip together, the first of many more to come. This is a pic I got from the internet of the second story of our suite, complete with a gorgeous view and our own private outdoor hot tub:
Just refocusing after a few days of melancholy. :) Starting to reap some of those benefits to owning our practice and not having kids to worry about. Many, many more trips and fun things on the horizon.
I love it. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)