Monday, September 22, 2008

Girlfriends...

More often lately, I seem to be getting e-mails that truly touch me, either in the funny bone or the heart... This is one I just received that reminds me of all of my Sisters:

GIRLS IN MY CIRCLE
When I was little,
I used to believe in the concept of one best friend,
And then I started to become a woman.
And then I found out that if you allow your heart to open up,
God would show you the best in many friends.
One friend is needed when you're going through things with your man.
Another friend is needed when you're going through things with your mom
Another will sit beside you in the bleachers as you delight in your children and their activities.
Another when you want to shop, share, heal, hurt, joke, or just be.
One friend will say, 'Let's cry together,'
Another , 'Let's fight together,'
Another , 'Let's walk away together.'
One friend will meet your spiritual need,
Another your shoe fetish,
Another your love for movies,
Another will be with you in your season of confusion,
Another will be your clarifier,
Another the wind beneath your wings.
But whatever their assignment in your life,
On whatever the occasion,
On whatever the day,
Or wherever you need them to meet you with their gym shoes on and hair pulled back,
Or to hold you back from making a complete fool of yourself ...
Those are your best friends.
It may all be wrapped up in one woman,
But for many, it's wrapped up in several..
One from 7 th grade,
One from high school,
Several from the college years,
a couple from old jobs,
On some days your mother,
On some days your neighbor,
On others, your sisters,
And on some days, your daughters.
So whether they've been your friend for 20 minutes or 20 years,
AND ONLY IF YOU'D LIKE TO,
Pass this on to the women that God has placed in your life
To make a difference.

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Hurricane Preparedness 2008

This is from an e-mail I got and I thought it just too funny and too real not to reprint it here:



Any day now, you're going to turn on the TV and see a weather person pointing to some radar blob out in the Gulf of Mexico and making two
basic meteorological points:

(1) There is no need to panic.


(2) We could all be killed.


Yes, hurricane season is an exciting time to be in Mississippi.
If you're new to the area, you're probably wondering what you need to do to prepare for the possibility that we'll get hit by 'the big one'.


Based on our experiences, we recommend that you follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan:

STEP 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least three days.


STEP 2: Put these supplies into your car.


STEP 3: Drive to Nebraska and remain there until Thanksgiving.


Unfortunately, statistics show that most people will not follow this sensible plan. Most people will foolishly stay here on the Coast.


We'll start with one of the most important hurricane preparedness items:

HOMEOWNERS' INSURANCE.



If you own a home, you must have hurricane insurance. Fortunately, this insurance is cheap and easy to get, as long as your home meets two basic Requirements:

(1) It is reasonably well-built, and

(2) It is located in Nebraska .


Unfortunately, if your home is located in south MS, or any other area that might actually be hit by a hurricane, most insurance companies would prefer not to sell you hurricane insurance, because then they might be required to pay YOU money, and that is certainly not why they got into the insurance business in the first place.


So you'll have to scrounge around for an insurance company, which will charge you an annual premium roughly equal to the replacement value of your house.
At any moment, this company can drop you like used dental floss.
Since Hurricane Katrina, I have had an estimated 27 different home-insurance companies.
This week, I'm covered by the Bob and Big Stan Insurance Company, under a policy which states that, in addition to my premium, Bob and Big Stan are entitled, on demand, to my kidneys.


SHUTTERS.



Your house should have hurricane shutters on all the windows, all the doors, and -- if it's a major hurricane -- all the toilets. There are several types of shutters, with advantages and disadvantages:

1) Plywood shutters: The advantage is that, because you make them yourself, they're cheap.
The disadvantage is that, because you make them yourself, they will fall off.


2) Sheet-metal shutters: The advantage is that these work well, once you get them all up.
The disadvantage is that once you get them all up, your hands will be useless bleeding stumps, and it will be December.


3) Roll-down shutters: The advantages are that they're very easy to use, and will definitely protect your house.
The disadvantage is that you will have to sell your house to pay for them.



'Hurricane-proof'' windows: These are the newest wrinkle in hurricane protection. They look like ordinary windows, but they can withstand hurricane winds! You can be sure of this, because the salesman says so. He lives in Nebraska .


'Hurricane Proofing' your property: As the hurricane approaches, check your yard for movable objects like barbecue grills, planters, patio furniture, visiting relatives, etc.
You should, as a precaution, throw these items into your swimming pool (if you don't have a swimming pool, you should have one built immediately).
Otherwise, the hurricane winds will turn these objects into deadly missiles.


EVACUATION ROUTE: If you live in a low-lying area, you should have an evacuation route planned out.
(To determine whether you live in a low-lying area, look at your driver's license; if it says anywhere in southern MS, you live in a low-lying area.
) The purpose of having an evacuation route is to avoid being trapped in your home when a major storm hits.
Instead, you will be trapped in a gigantic traffic jam several miles from your home, along with two hundred thousand other evacuees.
So, as a bonus, you will not be lonely.


HURRICANE SUPPLIES: If you don't evacuate, you will need a mess of supplies.
Do not buy them now! MS tradition requires that you wait until the last possible minute, then go to the supermarket and get into vicious fights with strangers over who gets the last can of SPAM.
In
addition to food and water, you will need the following supplies:

* About 23 flashlights.


* At least $167 worth of batteries that, when the power goes out, turn out to be the wrong size for the flashlights.


* Bleach. (No, I don't know what the bleach is for.
NOBODY knows what the bleach is for.
It's tradition, so GET some!)

* A 55-gallon drum of underarm deodorant.


* A big knife that you can strap to your leg.
(This will be useless in a hurricane, but it looks cool.
)

* A large quantity of raw chicken, to placate the alligators.
(Ask anybody who went through Katrina; after the hurricane, there WILL be irate alligators.
)

* $35,000 in cash or diamonds so that, after the hurricane passes, you can buy a generator from a man with no discernible teeth.



Of course these are just basic precautions. As the hurricane draws near, it is vitally important that you keep abreast of the situation by turning on your television and watching TV reporters in rain slickers stand right next to the Gulf and tell you over and over how vitally important it is for everybody to stay away from the Gulf.


Good luck and remember: It's great living in paradise!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Physical Therapy is AWESOME!

I can't believe I said that, but there ya go!

I've been through PT for various reasons many times and never thought much of it. It was always for a specific injury, so that may be why. Or perhaps the therapist didn't really understand how strong and flexible I normally am. I don't know.

I now have a host of injuries that make daily routine quite difficult... and forget exercise! If I want to work this area, that area prohibits the exercise and so on. As a result, I've become soft and weak and it pisses me off!


To give you an idea... I danced for a large portion of my life. Jazz, ballet, lyrical or simply out boogying on the dance floor. I LOVE to dance, but now I'm doing good to last through one song. We live in the country, so throughout my kids' childhood we had a ton of animals... horses, goats, chickens, ducks, dogs, cats, etc... I used to haul 50 lb. sacks of feed and bales of hay. I used to build things. Not little things, but plank-built pieces of furniture. Along with some friends with the know-how, we literally built the house we now live in. My hands have been on every piece of wood in this home in some capacity, either by hauling it, cutting, nailing, staining, whatever. You get the gist.

Now I have a host of injuries. I won't go into the specifics, but from bottom up: Morton's neuromas in both feet, plates and screws in the right leg, FUBAR'd knees and back, both wrists, elbows and the left shoulder are a mess. Kind of makes things difficult. Pain has become my constant companion, although some days are better than others.

You might have read some of my other posts and gotten the idea that I'm not big on pharmaceutical relief. You'd be right. I try my doctor's patience beyond belief. LOL Bless her heart!

Recently, she sent me to this physical therapist... That was the biggest blessing I've had in a long time. This woman is INCREDIBLE! She spent more than an hour simply doing an evaluation. She took it all into consideration and I began my rehabilitation that day. It's only been three weeks and the improvement is unbelievable.

I realize that this is a long-term commitment and things won't occur overnight. But the past Monday and Tuesday nights, I actually SLEPT ALL NIGHT LONG! It's probably been 15 - 20 years since that happened. And when I awoke each morning, I only had a few minutes of mild pain versus the excruciating pain I usually deal with for the first half hour or so of each day. Amazing! I don't know if this is the new world of PT or if I've just been lucky enough to find someone special, but I feel I'm truly blessed.

By habit, I observe people and have watched other clients while I do my therapy three days a week. This woman works with such a wide variety of patients and injuries. She's definitely hands on and knowledgeable. She pays attention and makes certain that minute adjustments are made and explained, but she also explains WHY. You have no clue how important that is to me.

Right now, she's working on endurance, so perhaps it's psychosomatic, but I swear that I already feel stronger. I know I feel more positive about my future. I don't mind the numbers in my age, but my body failing me is something I'm not ready to accept. I hate the word "limitations" and have lived with them for far too long. I don't expect miracles, but improvement is right around the corner. I can't wait!

They say I have ADD, but they don't understand...

I cracked up when I first saw this t-shirt! Yes, I am the poster child for ADD. My daughter would argue and say that she and my grandson are. Oh, well... I'll be generous and say that the three of us can share the title! LOL

I just realized that the last three posts I've made have been on the same subject. Enough of that! I have a reputation to live down to.

It amazes me, the number of people who have decided that ADD absolutely must be treated medically. Let's all run out and grab some Ritalin! Nope. Think of how recently the condition has become a regular diagnosis... Ugh. Those of us who are older had to learn mechanisms for dealing with it and we have! Yay us!!! I won't say that meds aren't the answer for everyone, just that society is too free with them.

My mind is constantly all over the place. I might be talking to you or typing in here and, I guarantee you, there are at LEAST three other activities going on in this tired little brain of mine. Actually falling asleep when I lay down in bed at night? Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight!

Before I go to bed, I have to have at least two of these conditions well established: Mentally exhausted, physically exhausted, sick, have a low pain level (I have tons of old, fairly serious injuries that still ache), have a few drinks in me, or take a handy dandy benadryl (I don't do sleeping pills and benadryl is what's in all of those PM formulas like Tylenol PM, etc.). If only one of those conditions exist, it's insane.

I lay down and start relax. Think how wonderful my nice comfy bed feels. A gentle smile begins spreading across my face. Yummmmmmmmm... Suddenly, my brain kicks in! "I know, I know!!! That's what we'll do tomorrow!" or "OMG I can't believe I did that" or "What's going on with ____?" or "Shit. I forgot ____" or all of the above plus more. The thoughts grow until they're of monstrous proportions. I deal with one topic and then the next insinuates itself in my brain. Then it's all circling around until I want to scream.

So, what to do? One of the mechanisms I've learned is to intensely focus on one thing... And that one thing has to be incredibly boring. So, I'll think about going to the grocery store with my list in hand. I'll picture myself going down each and every aisle, picking up the things I need and putting them in my basket, etc. Or I'll go through the household chores for the next day and mentally move through all of the tasks. If my mind tries to deviate, I have to rein it back in and focus more strenuously. It takes a hell of a lot of discipline and "discipline" is SO not my middle name! LOL If I'm only mentally tired, the whole routine is even more difficult. Loads of fun. Blah.

And moving through daily existence? Let me tell you, if you can hold my undivided attention through thirty minutes of conversation, you are truly someone special! Every comment leads to ten sidebars in this overworked little brain of mine. Even writing these posts takes an inordinate amount of time since I frequently get sidetracked.

So, what do I do about all of the real life stuff? I find ways to make the everyday stuff more pleasurable (read my post about Rituals) or find some exciting element in even the most mundane. Vacuuming leads to musical furniture. A day of running errands becomes lunch with a friend or a trip to Pier 1 (yes, I'm an addict!).

Learning new things can be quite difficult. For many matters, the learning process is far from stimulating... Not all of the time, just mostly. At least to me. The best way for me to learn is not from books or instructions, rather from an individual that is passionate, excited about what they're doing. And the new thing has to hold some interest for me (with those things I absolutely MUST learn, it can be almost impossible to find that interest) or present a challenge. Give me dry text and all I can deal with is a paragraph or two before the thing goes flying across the room (did I mention I have a temper??? ).

I have a fairly high IQ (scary, isn't it?). I don't know if that's common with ALL individuals with ADD. However, it applies to most I know. I WANT to be challenged! I WANT to be able to know or do uncommon things. It gives me my little "tee hee's" in life. It's very important to have those "tee hee's", ya know.

And driving? OMG One of my psych professors taught us that when we become comfortable with driving, we all enter this zone that's sort of like an automatic pilot. Add in a brain that's examining a variety of subjects at the speed of light... Well, I sometimes wonder that they let me have a license! Of course, that's an opinion I hold for 80% of the drivers on the road. Didn't they really get their licenses at the local discount store??? I can't tell you the number of times I've ended up taking a scenic route to my destination since I get sidetracked by my thoughts. I wind up driving towards one of my "normal" places rather than a place that might be a different direction.

I have ADD, not ADHD. Sometimes I feel that "H" is thrown around entirely too frequently as well. Some people are just naturally kinetic. And, kids? OMG I can't believe we expect them to sit through hours and hours of the educational process! I can't sit down that long and I've been on this planet for more than half a century.

I have a friend in the educational field who once said that all seventh graders should have nothing but gym class that entire school year. I loved that comment and heartily agree. Perhaps elementary school kids should spend at least the first two hours of their day in the same circumstance. Let them bounce off of the walls for a while, get past that endorphin stage, and THEN sit down to learn.

Another psych professor of mine once gave this alarming statistic: Something like 80% (it's been a while so I could be wrong on the exact percentage) of prison inmates are or have been on Ritalin. Now, is this a result of the condition or the drug? That's a question that neuropsychologists have been studying for ages. Still, it's a scary thought, isn't it.

So I say, let's enjoy our hyper brains. Find some mechanism that works for you and let's all have a good time with life. Put the fun back into dyfunctional! WOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!